Preparing future STEM faculty through flexible teaching professional development.

We have prepared thousands of future STEM faculty around the world to adopt evidence-based instructional practices through their participation in two massive open online courses (MOOCs) and facilitated in-person learning communities. Our novel combination of asynchronous online and coordinated, structured face-to-face learning community experiences provides flexible options for STEM graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to pursue teaching professional development. A total of 14,977 participants enrolled in seven offerings of the introductory course held 2014-2018, with 1,725 participants (11.

A national professional development program fills mentoring gaps for postdoctoral researchers.

The Postdoc Academy: Succeeding as a Postdoc was designed to build postdocs' skills in career transition, career planning, collaborative research, resilience, and self-reflection. This study examined self-reported changes in five skills as learners progressed through the course. Data were collected from participants who responded to both pre- and post-surveys and engaged with the course learning activities.

Training in the art and science of facilitation to scale research mentor training in low and middle income countries.

Advancing biomedical research in low and middle income countries (LMICs) to expand the capacity for LMICs to integrate biomedical research into their health care systems and education has been the focus of many programs in global health over the past two decades. Central to the success of these programs is effective research mentoring, characterized by academic, career and psychosocial support through culturally appropriate practices. Research mentoring is a learned skill, developed through training, mutual discussions, practice and feedback.

Theory of change models deepen online learning evaluation.

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) have gained traction as resources for professional development. This article presents the method that we used to evaluate a professional development MOOC for postdoctoral trainees that was created by a university consortium in the US. Most approaches to evaluating MOOCs focus on analysis of participation, outcomes from course assignments, self-reported learning outcomes, course completion and user pathways through the online content or clickstream data.

Long tailed trions in monolayer MoS: Temperature dependent asymmetry and resulting red-shift of trion photoluminescence spectra.

Monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS) has emerged as a model system for studying many-body physics because the low dimensionality reduces screening leading to tightly bound states stable at room temperature. Further, the many-body states possess a pseudo-spin degree of freedom that corresponds with the two direct-gap valleys of the band structure, which can be optically manipulated. Here we focus on one bound state, the negatively charged trion.

Extended depth-of-field microscopy with a high-speed deformable mirror.

We present a wide-field fluorescence microscopy add-on that provides a fast, light-efficient extended depth-of-field (EDOF) using a deformable mirror with an update rate of 20 kHz. Out-of-focus contributions in the raw EDOF images are suppressed with a deconvolution algorithm derived directly from the microscope 3D optical transfer function. Demonstrations of the benefits of EDOF microscopy are shown with GCaMP-labeled mouse brain tissue.

Band Gap Engineering with Ultralarge Biaxial Strains in Suspended Monolayer MoS2.

We demonstrate the continuous and reversible tuning of the optical band gap of suspended monolayer MoS2 membranes by as much as 500 meV by applying very large biaxial strains. By using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) to grow crystals that are highly impermeable to gas, we are able to apply a pressure difference across suspended membranes to induce biaxial strains. We observe the effect of strain on the energy and intensity of the peaks in the photoluminescence (PL) spectrum and find a linear tuning rate of the optical band gap of 99 meV/%.

Dictionary-based image reconstruction for superresolution in integrated circuit imaging.

Resolution improvement through signal processing techniques for integrated circuit imaging is becoming more crucial as the rapid decrease in integrated circuit dimensions continues. Although there is a significant effort to push the limits of optical resolution for backside fault analysis through the use of solid immersion lenses, higher order laser beams, and beam apodization, signal processing techniques are required for additional improvement. In this work, we propose a sparse image reconstruction framework which couples overcomplete dictionary-based representation with a physics-based forward model to improve resolution and localization accuracy in high numerical aperture confocal microscopy systems for backside optical integrated circuit analysis.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound-guided Sentinel lymph node biopsy of the ocular conjunctiva.

Objectives/hypothesis: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) has been utilized for cutaneous melanoma and other malignancies arising from the eye and ocular adnexa. Currently, SLNB requires blue dyes and/or radiopharmaceuticals; both of which have significant shortcomings. This study sought to evaluate the feasibility of SLNB with the use of real-time, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) as an alternative technique for tumors arising in the conjunctiva.

Contrast-enhanced sonography for detection of secondary lymph nodes in a melanoma tumor animal model.

Objectives: To investigate the use of contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging (US) for detection of secondary lymph nodes (LNs) in a naturally occurring melanoma swine model compared to surgery and pathologic assessment.

Methods: Twenty-seven Sinclair swine were studied. The perfluorobutane microbubble contrast agent Sonazoid (GE Healthcare, Oslo, Norway) was administered (1.

Digital sensing and sizing of vesicular stomatitis virus pseudotypes in complex media: a model for Ebola and Marburg detection.

Rapid, sensitive, and direct label-free capture and characterization of nanoparticles from complex media such as blood or serum will broadly impact medicine and the life sciences. We demonstrate identification of virus particles in complex samples for replication-competent wild-type vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), defective VSV, and Ebola- and Marburg-pseudotyped VSV with high sensitivity and specificity. Size discrimination of the imaged nanoparticles (virions) allows differentiation between modified viruses having different genome lengths and facilitates a reduction in the counting of nonspecifically bound particles to achieve a limit-of-detection (LOD) of 5 × 10(3) pfu/mL for the Ebola and Marburg VSV pseudotypes.

Evanescent waves in high numerical aperture aplanatic solid immersion microscopy: effects of forbidden light on subsurface imaging.

The collection of light at very high numerical aperture allows detection of evanescent waves above the critical angle of total internal reflection in solid immersion lens microscopy. We investigate the effect of such evanescent modes, so-called forbidden light, on the far-field imaging properties of an aplanatic solid immersion microscope by developing a dyadic Green's function formalism in the context of subsurface semiconductor integrated circuit imaging. We demonstrate that the collection of forbidden light allows for sub-diffraction spatial resolution and substantial enhancement of photon collection efficiency albeit inducing wave-front discontinuities and aberrations.

Effect of vector asymmetry of radially polarized beams in solid immersion microscopy.

We theoretically and experimentally investigate the effect of imperfect vector symmetry on radially polarized beams focused by an aplanatic solid immersion lens at a numerical aperture of 3.3. We experimentally achieve circularly symmetric focused spot with a full-width-half-maximum of ~λ0/5.

Charge tuning of nonresonant magnetoexciton phonon interactions in graphene.

Far from resonance, the coupling of the G-band phonon to magnetoexcitons in single layer graphene displays kinks and splittings versus filling factor that are well described by Pauli blocking and unblocking of inter- and intra-Landau level transitions. We explore the nonresonant electron-phonon coupling by high-magnetic field Raman scattering while electrostatic tuning of the carrier density controls the filling factor. We show qualitative and quantitative agreement between spectra and a linearized model of electron-phonon interactions in magnetic fields.

Safety of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in children for non-cardiac applications: a review by the Society for Pediatric Radiology (SPR) and the International Contrast Ultrasound Society (ICUS).

The practice of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in children is in the setting of off-label use or research. The widespread practice of pediatric contrast-enhanced US is primarily in Europe. There is ongoing effort by the Society for Pediatric Radiology (SPR) and International Contrast Ultrasound Society (ICUS) to push for pediatric contrast-enhanced US in the United States.

How graphene slides: measurement and theory of strain-dependent frictional forces between graphene and SiO2.

Strain, bending rigidity, and adhesion are interwoven in determining how graphene responds when pulled across a substrate. Using Raman spectroscopy of circular, graphene-sealed microchambers under variable external pressure, we demonstrate that graphene is not firmly anchored to the substrate when pulled. Instead, as the suspended graphene is pushed into the chamber under pressure, the supported graphene outside the microchamber is stretched and slides, pulling in an annulus.

Guidelines and good clinical practice recommendations for Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) in the liver - update 2012: A WFUMB-EFSUMB initiative in cooperation with representatives of AFSUMB, AIUM, ASUM, FLAUS and ICUS.

Initially, a set of guidelines for the use of ultrasound contrast agents was published in 2004 dealing only with liver applications. A second edition of the guidelines in 2008 reflected changes in the available contrast agents and updated the guidelines for the liver, as well as implementing some non-liver applications. Time has moved on, and the need for international guidelines on the use of CEUS in the liver has become apparent.

Guidelines and good clinical practice recommendations for contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the liver--update 2012: a WFUMB-EFSUMB initiative in cooperation with representatives of AFSUMB, AIUM, ASUM, FLAUS and ICUS.

Initially, a set of guidelines for the use of ultrasound contrast agents was published in 2004 dealing only with liver applications. A second edition of the guidelines in 2008 reflected changes in the available contrast agents and updated the guidelines for the liver, as well as implementing some non-liver applications. Time has moved on, and the need for international guidelines on the use of CEUS in the liver has become apparent.

Single nanoparticle detectors for biological applications.

Nanoparticle research has become increasingly important in the context of bioscience and biotechnology. Practical use of nanoparticles in biology has significantly advanced our understanding about biological processes in the nanoscale as well as led to many novel diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Besides, synthetic and natural nanoparticles are of concern for their potential adverse effect on human health.

Transfer of CVD-grown monolayer graphene onto arbitrary substrates.

Reproducible dry and wet transfer techniques were developed to improve the transfer of large-area monolayer graphene grown on copper foils by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The techniques reported here allow transfer onto three different classes of substrates: substrates covered with shallow depressions, perforated substrates, and flat substrates. A novel dry transfer technique was used to make graphene-sealed microchambers without trapping liquid inside.

White Paper Report of the 2010 RAD-AID Conference on International Radiology for Developing Countries: identifying sustainable strategies for imaging services in the developing world.

The 2010 RAD-AID Conference on International Radiology for Developing Countries was a multidisciplinary meeting to discuss data, experiences, and models pertaining to radiology in the developing world, where widespread shortages of imaging services reduce health care quality. The theme of this year's conference was sustainability, with a focus on establishing and maintaining imaging services in resource-limited regions. Conference presenters and participants identified 4 important components of sustainability: (1) sustainable financing models for radiology development, (2) integration of radiology and public health, (3) sustainable clinical models and technology solutions for resource-limited regions, and (4) education and training of both developing and developed world health care personnel.

Biomolecular detection employing the Interferometric Reflectance Imaging Sensor (IRIS).

The sensitive measurement of biomolecular interactions has use in many fields and industries such as basic biology and microbiology, environmental/agricultural/biodefense monitoring, nanobiotechnology, and more. For diagnostic applications, monitoring (detecting) the presence, absence, or abnormal expression of targeted proteomic or genomic biomarkers found in patient samples can be used to determine treatment approaches or therapy efficacy. In the research arena, information on molecular affinities and specificities are useful for fully characterizing the systems under investigation.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging of sentinel lymph nodes after peritumoral administration of Sonazoid in a melanoma tumor animal model.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare lymphosonography (ie, contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging [US] after interstitial injection of a US contrast agent) for the detection of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) in swine with naturally occurring melanoma tumors to lymphoscintigraphy using blue dye-guided surgical dissection as the reference standard. Also, we sought to determine if lymphosonography can be used to characterize SLNs.

Methods: Sixty-three swine with 104 melanomas were evaluated.