Estimation of haemopoietic progenitor cells in peripheral blood by the Advia 120 and BD vantage flow cytometer: a direct comparison for the prediction of adequate collections

Peripheral blood stem cells are increasingly used to ensure rapid haematological engraftment after myeloablative chemotherapy. After mobilization, progenitor cells in the blood can be enumerated to predict an adequate collection by leukapheresis. The Advia 120 automated counter has an immature cell channel measuring a parameter known as large undifferentiated cells (LUC's), which were quantified to assess their value in refining the timing of apheresis. Data were available from 102 apheresis sessions. Positive correlation was found for peripheral blood CD34+ cells and apheresis counts (r = 0.82, P < 0.0005) but not for total WCC (r = -0.15, P = 0.13) or LUC count (r = 0.12, P = 0.23). Our results indicate that the LUC population in peripheral blood has no relevance to the subsequent CD34 content of the apheresis product and CD34 cell enumeration by flow cytometry is advocated.

Development of swimming in the medicinal leech, the gradual acquisition of a behavior

Observing the development of behavior provides an assay for the developmental state of an embryo's nervous system. We have previously described the development of behaviors that were largely confined to one or a few segments. We now extend the work to a kinematic analysis of the development of swimming, a behavior that requires coordination of the entire body. When leech embryos first begin to swim they make little forward progress, but within several days they swim as effectively as adults. This increase in efficacy depends on changes in body shape and on improved intersegmental coordination of the swim central pattern generator. These kinematic details suggest how the swim central pattern generating circuit is assembled during embryogenesis.

A method for determining the gantry angle for megavoltage cone beam imaging

Accurate knowledge of gantry angle is essential in megavoltage cone beam imaging (MVCBI) with an electronic portal imager. We present a method for determining the gantry angle by detecting multileaf collimator (MLC) leaf positions in projection images. During image acquisition the gantry moves continuously and the MLC operates in dynamic arc mode. Our algorithm detects the leaf positions in the images and compares them with a stationary reference leaf. Comparison of the algorithm against angles determined from the locations of fiducial markers shows the accuracy (0.26 degrees rms error) to be sufficient for MVCBI.

Single-Crystalline Diluted Magnetic Semiconductor GaN:Mn Nanowires

Single-crystalline diluted magnetic semiconductor GaN:Mn nanowires with controlled Mn concentrations have been successfully synthesized and incorporated into devices. These nanowires exhibit Curie temperatures above room temperature, magnetoresistances near room temperature, and spin-dependent transport. The nanowires are used as building blocks for the fabrication of GaN:Mn/n-SiC based light-emitting diodes.