Atomic-scale confinement of optical fields

In the presence of matter there is no fundamental limit preventing confinement of visible light even down to atomic scales. Achieving such confinement and the corresponding intensity enhancement inevitably requires simultaneous control over atomic-scale details of material structures and over the optical modes that such structures support. By means of self-assembly we have obtained side-by-side aligned gold nanorod dimers with robust atomically-defined gaps reaching below 0.5 nm. The existence of atomically-confined light fields in these gaps is demonstrated by observing extreme Coulomb splitting of corresponding symmetric and anti-symmetric dimer eigenmodes of more than 800 meV in white-light scattering experiments. Our results open new perspectives for atomically-resolved spectroscopic imaging, deeply nonlinear optics, ultra-sensing, cavity optomechanics as well as for the realization of novel quantum-optical devices

Dataset of electrophysiological patch-clamp recordings of the effect of the compounds deltamethrin, ATx-II and β4-peptide on human cardiac Nav1.5 sodium channel gating properties.

This article describes the effect of the pyrethroid insecticide deltamethrin on the cardiac voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.5. Two concentrations of deltamethrin were used and the effects were compared with those of the sea anemone toxin ATx-II and β4-peptide, which is the C-terminus of the Nav channel β-subunit. Activation, fast inactivation, deactivation, persistent currents and resurgent currents of Nav1.5 channels were assessed in the presence of these compounds. The data display not only the effect of separately applied compounds on Nav1.5 channels but also investigates how combinations of these substances affect Nav1.5 channel gating properties. The dataset presented in this article is related to the research article "Mechanism underlying hooked resurgent-like tail currents induced by an insecticide in human cardiac Nav1.5″ (Sarah Thull, Cristian Neacsu, Andrias O. O'Reilly, Stefanie Bothe, Ralf Hausmann, Tobias Huth, Jannis Meents, Angelika Lampert, doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2020.11501), that investigates the effect of the pyrethroid insecticide deltamethrin on Nav channel gating properties and explains the mechanism underlying hooked, resurgent-like tail currents induced by deltamethrin in Nav1.5 channels

Advanced Scanning Electron Microscopy Methods and Applications to Integrated Circuit Failure Analysis

Semiconductor device failure analysis using the scanning electron microscope (SEM) has become a standard component of integrated circuit fabrication. Improvements in SEM capabilities and in digital imaging and processing have advanced standard acquisition modes and have promoted new failure analysis methods. The physical basis of various data acquisition modes, both standard and new, and their implementation on a computer controlled SEM image acquisition/processing system are discussed, emphasizing the advantages of each method. Design considerations for an integrated, online failure analysis system are also described. Recent developments in the integration of the information provided by electron beam analysis, conventional integrated circuit (IC) testing, computer-aided design (CAD), and device parameter testing into a single system promise to provide powerful future tools for failure analysis

Management of gastrointestinal stromal tumours

First Surgical Clinic, Department of Surgery, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Gr. T. Popa” Iasi, Romania, Al XI-lea Congres al Asociației Chirurgilor „Nicolae Anestiadi” din Republica Moldova și cea de-a XXXIII-a Reuniune a Chirurgilor din Moldova „Iacomi-Răzeșu” 27-30 septembrie 2011Tumorile stromale gastrointestinale (GIST) reprezintă cele mai frecvente tumori neepiteliale digestive (10%); ele constituie 3% din tumorile gastrointestinale. GIST-ul care originea în celulele Cajal și exprimă antigenul c-Kit. se localizează cel mai frecvent la nivelul stomacului (50-60%), urmat de intestinul subțire (30%), colon și ano-rect (5%). Metoda: am urmărit prospectiv 32 bolnavi cu GIST tratați în clinica noastră în perioada 2004-2011, confirmați imuno-histochimic. din acești 32 bolnavi, 8 au fost abordați laparoscopic. localizarea tumorilor a fost stomacul - 15, duodenul - 4, intestinul subțire-7, colonul-2 și rectul-4. Toți bolnavii au fost rezecați R0 cu excepția unui singur bolnav la care s-a practicat o rezecție anterioară de rect tip R1. Postoperator, 4 bolnavi au primit Imatinib. Toti bolnavii au fost urmăriți în medie 32 luni înregistrându-se 2 recidive după localizările rectale. Concluzie: diagnosticul preoperator de GIST poate fi bănuit prin metodele imagistice actuale (endoscopie, ecografie, CT, videocapsula). Multe GIST-uri gastrice pot fi rezecate laparoscopic dacă nu sunt localizate pe juxta orificială. și GIST-urile intestinului subțire pot fi rezecate prin abord miniminvaziv. Acest abord este fezabil în centre specializate și nu aduce riscuri suplimentare. Tipul rezecției potenșialul malign după indexul Fletcher sunt factorii cei mai importanți de prognostic. Tratamentul adjuvant este util în formele maligne, recidive, rezecții incomplete.A gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) represents the most common non-epithelial tumour of the digestive tract (about 10%). It originates in the intestinal pacemaker cell (Cajal’s cells) and expresses cell/surface CD 117 also known as c-Kit antigen. GIST tumors develop most frequently in the stomach (about 50-60%), the small bowel (30%), and the colon and anorectum (5%). METHODS: We have prospectively recorded the clinical characteristics, type of surgery, pathological findings, adjuvant treatment, and recurrence of the 32 patients with confirmed GISTs admitted between 2004 and 2011. We present a series of eight consecutive patients with GIST treated with a minimal access approach. RESULTS: The location of the tumor was gastric 15, duodenal 4, small bowel 7, colon 2, and rectal 4. None of our patients had clinical, imagistic, or macroscopic metastases. All the patients had R0 resections, except a patient with local excision and another with R1 anterior resection for rectal GISTs. Postoperatively, 4 patients received Imatinib therapy. The mean follow-up period is 32 months (range 8-58 months); 2 recurrences, both after rectal GISTs. CONCLUSION: Preoperative diagnosis of GIST can be evoked today based on imaging data (endoscopy, ultrasound scan, and CT scan, video capsule, enteroscopy). Many gastric GISTs can be resected laparoscopically. Small bowel GISTs should more often be evaluated laparoscopically and, in many cases, laparoscopic resections or laparoscopic-assisted resections may provide efficient therapy with low morbidity and no compromise to oncology principles. Laparoscopic approach of GISTs are feasible and, in competent hands, bring no additional risks. Fletcher index is the most significant prognostic factor. Imatinib treatment may improve outcomes in incomplete resected or high-risk GISTs