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Showing posts with the label imaging

Optical imaging of dynamic interactions between molecules in cells

Super-resolution microscopy allows fluorescence images of cells, organelles and molecular complexes to be obtained with unprecedented spatial resolution. However, this resolution is not sufficient to resolve proteins as small as a few nanometers and their interactions with other molecules or the architecture of protein complexes. This prevents, for example, the study of the molecular interactions of neurons in learning and memory processes. Overcome dynamic resolution limit Developed by the research groups of Prof Markus Sauer (Rudolf Virchow Center and Biocenter) and Dr Gerti Beliu (Rudolf Virchow Center) at the University of Würzburg, the new photoswitching fingerprint analysis enables optical imaging of dynamic interactions with other molecules in cells. “To date, no method has reliably enabled structural optical resolution in cells in the sub-10 nm range. By elucidating the underlying cause of this barrier, we have succeeded for the first time, in combination with a new direct l

Optical imaging of dynamic interactions between molecules in cells

Super-resolution microscopy allows fluorescence images of cells, organelles and molecular complexes to be obtained with unprecedented spatial resolution. However, this resolution is not sufficient to resolve proteins as small as a few nanometers and their interactions with other molecules or the architecture of protein complexes. This prevents, for example, the study of the molecular interactions of neurons in learning and memory processes. Overcome dynamic resolution limit Developed by the research groups of Prof Markus Sauer (Rudolf Virchow Center and Biocenter) and Dr Gerti Beliu (Rudolf Virchow Center) at the University of Würzburg, the new photoswitching fingerprint analysis enables optical imaging of dynamic interactions with other molecules in cells. “Until now, there was no reliable method of enabling structural optical resolution in cells in the sub-10 nm range. By elucidating the underlying cause of this barrier, we have succeeded for the first time, in combination with a

X-ray imaging shows how 17th century paintings lost their color

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As beautiful as it may look, works of art are not immortal. For example, pigments and binders in oil paintings are inevitably degraded. Fluctuations in light, humidity, and temperature are common causes, but exposure to certain cleaning solvents during conservation and improper mixing of pigments by the artist can also destabilize the paint over time. The task of conservation scientists is to understand the chemical reactions that cause degradation to answer three questions: How was the painting created, how did it first appear, and how did it change—both naturally and by intervention? The questions are not completely backwards. By reconstructing how the painting deteriorated, conservators may be able to prevent further damage and better preserve it. Painting conservator and doctoral student Nouchka De Keyser (Rijksmuseum, University of Amsterdam, and University of Antwerp), his advisers Katrien Keune and Koen Janssens, and their colleagues scientifically answered all three questio

Advanced imaging finds entangled neuronal migration in lab model of Rett . syndrome

Using innovative microscopy methods, scientists at The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT observed how nascent neurons struggle to reach their rightful places in a sophisticated human brain network model of Rett syndrome, yielding new insights into how developmental deficits are observed in humans. patient’s brain. with devastating interference may arise. Rett syndrome, which is characterized by symptoms including severe intellectual disability and impaired social behavior, is caused by a mutation in the MECP2 gene. To gain new insight into how mutations affect the early stages of human brain development, researchers in the lab of Mriganka Sur, Newton Professor of Neuroscience in MIT’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, grew 3D cell cultures called cerebral organoids, or miniature brains, using cells from humans. -people with the MECP2 mutation and compared them with identical cultures without the mutation. Then a team led by postdoc Murat Yildirim examined th

Advanced imaging reveals mired neuronal migration in lab model of Rett . syndrome

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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Using innovative microscopy methods, scientists at The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT observed how nascent neurons struggle to reach their rightful places in a sophisticated human brain network model of Rett syndrome, yielding new insights into how developmental deficits are observed in humans. patient’s brain. with devastating interference may arise. Rett syndrome, which is characterized by symptoms including severe intellectual disability and impaired social behavior, is caused by a mutation in the MECP2 gene. To gain new insight into how mutations affect the early stages of human brain development, researchers in the lab of Mriganka Sur, Newton Professor of Neuroscience in MIT’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, grew 3D cell cultures called cerebral organoids, or miniature brains, using cells from humans. -people with the MECP2 mutati

Landsat: The Longest Running Earth Imaging Program

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With satellites in orbit since 1972, the Landsat program is the longest running Earth observation program. The Earth imaging program, originally created to investigate Earth’s landmass, has contributed to a wide range of subjects, from the natural sciences to the social sciences. Since the first satellite imagery of Landsat 1 in 1972, several Landsat satellites have been launched with the ability to take increasingly detailed images of our world. These two images show an increase in image resolution and sensor data quality on the Landsat Silicon Valley imagery located in Northern California. The image on the left is a Landsat 1 image obtained in 1972 and the image on the left is a Landsat 8 image obtained in 2016. Landsat 1 (left) satellite image from 1972 and Landsat 8 (right) satellite image from 2016 in Silicon Valley in Northern California. Landsat Satellite Launch Timeline Landsat launch timeline. Graphics: Caitlin Dempsey. Landsat 1 The first Landsat satellite was launched on

Flexible method for shaping the laser beam extends the depth of focus for OCT imaging

WASHINGTON — Researchers have developed a new method to flexibly create a variety of needle-shaped laser beams. This long, narrow beam can be used to enhance optical coherence tomography (OCT), a non-invasive and versatile imaging tool used for scientific research and various types of clinical diagnosis. “Needle-shaped laser beams can effectively expand the depth of focus of OCT systems, improving lateral resolution, signal-to-noise ratio, contrast, and image quality over a long depth range,” said study team leader Adam de la Zerda of the Stanford University School of Medicine. . “However, before now, the application of certain needle-shaped beams was difficult due to the lack of a common and flexible generation method.” In Optica, the Optica Publishing Group’s journal for high-impact research, researchers describe their new platform for creating needle-shaped beams of different lengths and diameters. It can be used to create different types of beams such as one with a very long dep

Towards stable and sustainable Raman imaging of large samples at the nanoscale

Raman spectroscopy, an optical microscopy technique, is a non-destructive chemical analysis technique that provides rich molecular fingerprint information about chemical structure, phase, crystallinity and molecular interactions. This technique relies on the interaction of light with chemical bonds in a material. However, because light is a wave, optical microscopy cannot resolve distances of less than half the wavelength from the light incident on the sample. This is known as the “diffraction limit,” which prevents Raman spectroscopy and other optical microscopy techniques from achieving nanoscale resolution. To increase the spatial resolution, another technique called “tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy” (TERS) was invented, which can achieve a spatial resolution below the diffraction limit. In TERS, a nano-sized metal tip confines light in a nano-sized volume just above the sample. The light interacts with the sample molecules on the surface and imaging is done by analyzing the sc

Towards sustainable and stable Raman imaging of large samples at the nanoscale

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Conventional nanoscale imaging is usually difficult to perform for large micron-scale samples due to aberrations caused by thermal effects and vibrations. Now, researchers from Japan are tackling this problem with a newly developed imaging system that compensates for the aberration. Credit: Professor Prabhat Verma of Osaka University Raman spectroscopy, an optical microscopy technique, is a non-destructive chemical analysis technique that provides rich molecular fingerprint information about chemical structure, phase, crystallinity and molecular interactions. This technique relies on the interaction of light with chemical bonds in a material. However, because light is a wave, optical microscopy cannot resolve distances of less than half the wavelength from the light incident on the sample. This is known as the “diffraction limit,” which prevents Raman spectroscopy and other optical microscopy techniques from achieving nanoscale resolution.

A new imaging technique allows researchers to view gene expression in the brains of living mice in real time

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A team led by the University of Minnesota Twin Cities has developed a new technique to image mRNA molecules in the brains of live mice. By genetically modifying the mice to produce mRNA labeled with the green fluorescent protein (shown above), the researchers were able to see when and where the mouse brain produced Arc mRNA. Credit: Hye Yoon Park, University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities A team led by the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities has developed a new technique that allows scientists and engineers, for the first time, to visualize mRNA molecules in the brains of living mice. This research reveals new insights into how memories are formed and stored in the brain and could provide scientists with new information about diseases like Alzheimer’s. This paper was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) . There are still many mysteries surrounding the process of how me

A new imaging technique allows researchers to see gene expression in the brains of living mice in real time

A team led by the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities has developed a new technique that allows scientists and engineers, for the first time, to visualize mRNA molecules in the brains of living mice. This research reveals new insights into how memories are formed and stored in the brain and could provide scientists with new information about diseases like Alzheimer’s. The paper is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS), a peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary, high-impact scientific journal. There are still many mysteries surrounding the process of how memories are physically created and stored in the brain. It is well known that mRNA—a type of RNA involved in making proteins—is produced during the processes of memory formation and storage, but the technology for studying this process at the cellular level is still limited. Previous research has often involved dissecting mice to examine their brains. A research team led b