Determination of the effective detector area of an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer at the scanning electron microscope using experimental and theoretical X-ray emission yields

Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.This publication is with permission of the rights owner freely accessible due to an Alliance licence and a national licence (funded by the DFG, German Research Foundation) respectively.A method is proposed to determine the effective detector area for energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometers (EDS). Nowadays, detectors are available for a wide range of nominal areas ranging from 10 up to 150 mm2. However, it remains in most cases unknown whether this nominal area coincides with the “net active sensor area” that should be given according to the related standard ISO 15632, or with any other area of the detector device. Moreover, the specific geometry of EDS installation may further reduce a given detector area. The proposed method can be applied to most scanning electron microscope/EDS configurations. The basic idea consists in a comparison of the measured count rate with the count rate resulting from known X-ray yields of copper, titanium, or silicon. The method was successfully tested on three detectors with known effective area and applied further to seven spectrometers from different manufacturers. In most cases the method gave an effective area smaller than the area given in the detector description

Confronting the COVID-19 Pandemic: A View from the Laboratory

A retrospective review of salient features of the early-to-mid phases COVID-19 pandemic is provided from the perspective of the clinical laboratory. Lessons learned and possible improvements are opined. These include the importance of maintaining a robust laboratory infrastructure, increased public health funding, the partnership between public health and hospital/commercial laboratories, and the critical importance of sound scientific assessment even during a pandemic crisis

Multicenter study evaluating the Vitek MS system for identification of medically important yeasts

The optimal management of fungal infections is correlated with timely organism identification. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) is revolutionizing the identification of yeasts isolated from clinical specimens. We present a multicenter study assessing the performance of the Vitek MS system (bioMérieux) in identifying medically important yeasts. A collection of 852 isolates was tested, including 20 Candida species (626 isolates, including 58 C. albicans, 62 C. glabrata, and 53 C. krusei isolates), 35 Cryptococcus neoformans isolates, and 191 other clinically relevant yeast isolates; in total, 31 different species were evaluated. Isolates were directly applied to a target plate, followed by a formic acid overlay. Mass spectra were acquired using the Vitek MS system and were analyzed using the Vitek MS v2.0 database. The gold standard for identification was sequence analysis of the D2 region of the 26S rRNA gene. In total, 823 isolates (96.6%) were identified to the genus level and 819 isolates (96.1%) were identified to the species level. Twenty-four isolates (2.8%) were not identified, and five isolates (0.6%) were misidentified. Misidentified isolates included one isolate of C. albicans (n = 58) identified as Candida dubliniensis, one isolate of Candida parapsilosis (n = 73) identified as Candida pelliculosa, and three isolates of Geotrichum klebahnii (n = 6) identified as Geotrichum candidum. The identification of clinically relevant yeasts using MS is superior to the phenotypic identification systems currently employed in clinical microbiology laboratories

The theme in the creation of artist Inga Edu

The article deals with the theme of the works addressed in the creation of Inga Edu, which established itself in the artistic life of the Republic of Moldova and Romania in the early 2000s. Practicing oil painting and pastel, the artist frequently approaches the genres of landscape and still life. The theme of the outdoor landscape is very varied: from medieval Romanian cities and European civilizations to today’s Chișinău. The capital becomes a motif in the painting at different times and moods of the day. Thus, we find the city in the rain in “Rainy Day”, the nocturnal city in “Night in the City”, the blooming city in “Spring in Chișinău”. All these themes are found in both stages of the artist’s creation, only the approach changes. The first period of creation is characterized by figurative compositions in which the sensitivity typical of impressionists persists, achieving chiaroscuro, spatial perspective, light direction, drawing perfection, consonance, etc. The second period, the experimental one, stands out for the decorative treatment of the composition with pure colors in which halftones are timidly preserved. It is certain that although Inga Edu resorts to abstractionism in some works, she does not completely abandon the figurative. Having a predilection for oil and pastel painting, Inga Edu does not try to imitate reality, but meditates, choosing the most valuable elements

LACURILE CHIȘINĂULUI ÎN PICTURA DE ȘEVALET

The lakes of Chisinau in easelet painting Summary. Along with the development of the green areas of the urban space in sectors of Chisinau, lakes were created (Lake Comsomolist, La izvor, the lakes in Valea Trandafirilor, etc.). They become the attraction of Chisinau residents and guests of the capital, as well as athletes. The lakes in Chisinau’s parks have been the subject of study for many plastic artists such as Rostislav Ocușco, Boris Nesvedov, Mihail Petric, Filimon Hămuraru, Gheorghe Munteanu, Ion Jumati, Mihai Mungiu, Florentin Leancă, Veaceslav Ignatenco, Valentina Brâncoveanu, Inga Edu et al. The article examines the easel paintings with this theme from the Funds of the National Art Museum of Moldova, the National Archives Agency and private collections. In their works, the plastic artists wanted to present the usefulness of the area: either for the townspeople and guests of the capital, or for athletes as a space for training and competitions. It is certain that we observe the richness of the landscape of the landscaped spaces, around which several multi-storey buildings appear, their number is constantly increasing. Pictorii au dorit să prezinte frumusețea peisajului pitoresc al capitalei

Plasticieni din domeniul artei textile formați în cadrul școlilor de peste hotarele RSSM

Fine artists in textile art which were formed in the schools abroad Moldova SSR. In the textile art from the period of MSSR have been activating a number of artists, schooled in big cultural centers of the Union: Lvov (N. Ciornaia, V. Ivanciuc, I. Suh), St. Petersburg (V. Damir), Moscow (V. Grama, A. Negura), Tallinn (L. Shevchenko, I. Baba), Vitebsk (L. Cravcenco) and in European centers, as Budapest (A. Negura) etc., who left their mark on creation. They entered in the creative competition in Moldovan batik and tapestry genres in early 80's, with new visions, practicing the abstract art or just figurative one. Activating as senior lecturers at specialized institutions from Chisinau, they had conditioned the emergence of a new generation of artists as: A. Uvarova, E. Cemortan-Voloshin, T. Trofimov, V. Tarasenco, I. Leahu etc

Căutări avangardiste în creaţia artistei plastice Elvira Cemortan-Voloşin

Lucrarea reprezintă un studiu al creației plastice, desfășurată de artista contemporană E. Cemortan-Voloşin. Studiul reflectă, în mod generalizator, cele mai importante aporturi ale artistei, etapele și caracterul creației sale. Sunt analizate unele din lucrările relevante ale autoarei, majoritar realizate în tehnică mixtă

Urinary developmental abnormality. Ureteral deduplication with paraurethral opening. Case presentation

Universitatea de Stat de Medicină şi Farmacie „Nicolae Testemiţanu”, Chişinău, Republica MoldovaIntroducere. Ureterul ectopic este definit ca un ureter care se deschide într-o zonă din afara extremității posterolaterale a trigonului vezicii urinare. Din ultimele studii incidența dedublării ureterului cu deschidere parauretrală este de 0.05-0.025% cu predominare de 80% la femei. Scopul lucrării. A prezenta un caz clinic cu anomalia dedublarea ureterală cu deschiderea parauretrală. Material și metode. O femeie de 30 ani cu pielonefrită cronica bilaterală ce se cunoaște bolnavă de aproximativ 6 ani. Pentru stabilirea diagnosticului și tacticii de tratament s-a efectuat AGS, AGU, CT abdomen + bazin cu contrast faza urografică. Rezultate. Pacienta primar s-a adresat în SCR “Timofei Moșneaga” cu pielonefrită acută pe dreapta, investigată la USG unde sa determinat dedublare ureterală pe dreapta, ureterohidronefroza rinichiului drept superior. A inițiat tratament antibacterian infuzional, fără efect semnificativ, s-a decis de stentat rinichiul drept superior. La uretro-cistoscopie meatul ureteral drept superior nu s-a depistat. La inspecția meatului uretral extern s-a determinat un orificiu care a fost cateterizat 15-20 cm cu eliminarea urinei purulente, cateterul fiind fixat de coapsă. În 3-5 zile pielonefrita acuta s-a rezolvat. Pentru a confirma diagnosticul s-a indicat CT abdomen + bazin cu contrast. În mod programat pacienta s-a internat în secția urologie SCR unde s-a efectuat heminefroureterectomie pe dreapta. Perioada postoperatorie – fără particularități. Concluzii. Colaborarea interdisciplinară cu un spectru larg de investigații de laborator și imagistice este esențială pentru stabilirea diagnosticului de dedublare ureterală cu deschiderea parauretrală. Pacienții cu dedublare ureterală cu deschiderea atopică a ostiumului distal ureteral parauretral necesită sa fie luați în calcul pentru a se trata corespunzător.Introduction. Ectopic ureter is defined as a ureter that opens in an area outside the posterolateral end of the trigone of the bladder. From the latest studies the incidence of ureteral deduplication with paraurethral opening is 0.050.025% with 80% predominance in women. Objective of the study . To present a clinical case with ureteral deduplication anomaly with paraurethral opening. Material and methods. A 30-year-old woman with chronic bilateral pyelonephritis who has been known to be ill for about 6 years. AGS, AGU, CT abdomen + pelvis with contrast urographic phase was performed to establish diagnosis and treatment tactics. Results. The primary patient was referred to Timofei Moșneaga Republic Clinical Hospital with acute pyelone phritis on the right, investigated at USG where right ureteral deduplication, ureterohydronephrosis of the right upper kidney was determined. Initiated antibacterial and infusion treatment, without significant effect, it was decided to stent the upper right kidney. Upper right ureteral meatus was not detected at urethrocystoscopy. On inspection of the external urethral meatus an orifice was determined which was catheterized 15-20 cm with drainage of purulent urine, the catheter being fixed to the thigh. In 3-5 days, acute pyelonephritis resolved. CT abdomen + pelvis with contrast was indicated to confirm the diagnosis. The patient was admitted to the Republican Clinic Hospital urology ward where a right heminephroureterectomy was performed. The patient postoperatively without particularities. Conclusions. Inter disciplinary collaboration with a broad spectrum of laboratory and imaging investigations is essential to establish the diagnosis of ureteral deduplication with paraurethral opening. Patients with ureteral deduplication with atopic opening of the distal paraurethral ureteral ostium need to be considered for appropriate treatment