Lysine Acetate

With the potential to better understand neurodevelopmental disorders, this year's Nikon Small World in Motion winning video has universal applications MELVILLE, N.Y., Sept. 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Nikon Instruments Inc. today unveiled the winners of the 13th annual Nikon Small World in Motion Video Competition. This year's first place prize was awarded to Dr. Alexandre Dumoulin for his 48-hour time-lapse video of developing neurons connecting to the opposite side of the central nervous system in a chick embryo. Developed at the University of Zurich, Dumoulin's video plays a significant role in understanding the potential deviations in neurodevelopmental disorders that occur in the central nervous system, such as autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. Continue Reading Nikon Small World in Motion Video Competition (PRNewsfoto/Nikon Instruments Inc.) Neurons are responsible for carrying information throughout the human body. They are connected with long extensions known as axons and these axons traverse the nervous system before eventually forming synapses. Dumoulin's video showcases these lengthy axons projecting across the midline, which serves as a boundary between the two hemispheres of the central nervous system. In neurological disorders, axons are impaired and unable to make their intended journeys. "My research focuses on investigating the developmental processes of neurons in chick and mouse embryos," said Dumoulin. "By studying these organisms, I aim to enhance our comprehension of how the nervous system functions and identify potential factors contributing to neurodevelopmental disorders." He went on to say, "The nervous system is an immensely complex and intricate system composed of a myriad of units that are connected to one another. In this video, we see single units and how they behave." To capture the video, Dumoulin applied a new imaging method to visualize the live transfer of information from cells. "The biggest challenge was to discover a feasible method to access these neurons and capture images over an extended period of time," said Dumoulin. "A combination of precise dissection skills and adapted microscopy techniques proved to be the key." In Dumoulin's eyes, the competition provides an opportunity to share his research efforts and passion for microscopy with the world, "I wanted to share these mesmerizing developing neurons with the public. To me, that's the essence of this competition, highlighting the beauty of nature through the lens of scientific research." Eric Flem, Senior Manager, CRM and Communications at Nikon Instruments, could not agree more. "For nearly half a century, we've received awe-inspiring entries that are not only visually stunning but scientifically groundbreaking," said Flem. "This year's winning video is no different; while beautiful, Dumoulin's entry can carry significant meaning for the advancement of potential treatments for neurodevelopmental diseases." Second place was awarded to Fabian J. Weston with Protist Lab Films for his video of blood flow in the tail fin of a small fish. To capture the video, Weston worked with a live organism on a 1 mm deep slide and administered filtered sample water with oxygen throughout the filming process. Third place was awarded to Nell Saunders with the Institut Pasteur for her video of human cells fusing and dying upon infection by SARS-CoV-2. The 2023 judging panel included: Ed Cara, Science and Health Reporter at Gizmodo James Cutmore, Picture Editor at BBC Science Focus Magazine Dr. Gary Laevsky, Director of the Confocal Imaging Facility at Princeton University Dr. Igor Siwanowicz, Research Scientist at Howard Hughes Medical Institute Dr. Clare Waterman, Cell Biologist and Member of the National Academy of Sciences For additional information, please visit , or follow the conversation on Facebook, Twitter @NikonSmallWorld and Instagram @NikonInstruments. NIKON SMALL WORLD IN MOTION WINNERS 1st Place Dr. Alexandre Dumoulin University of Zurich Department of Molecular Life Sciences Zurich, Switzerland 48-hour time-lapse of developing neurons connecting the opposite side of the central nervous system in a chick embryo Confocal 40X (Objective Lens Magnification) 2nd Place Fabian J. Weston Protist Lab Films Pennant Hills, New South Wales, Australia Blood flow in the tail fin of a small fish Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) 3rd Place Nell Saunders Institut Pasteur Department of Virology Paris, France Human cells fuse and die upon infection by SARS-CoV-2 Holotomography 60X (Objective Lens Magnification) 4th Place Benedikt Pleyer Kirchberg, Bavaria, Germany Pond creatures (in order of appearance): Hydra, Volvox, Daphnia, Spirostomum, Synura, Hydra Darkfield 2.5X - 3.5X (Objective Lens Magnifications) 5th Place Dr. Michael Weber Georg-August-University Göttingen Multiscale Biology Göttingen, Niedersachsen, Germany The beating heart of a 5-day-old zebrafish Light Sheet 20x (Objective Lens Magnifications) HONORABLE MENTIONS HM Álmos Becz Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem Szigetszentmiklós, Hungary Prostoma sp. attacking prey Polarized Light 4X -10X (Objective Lens Magnifications) HM Taylor Bell Gustometry + SF Micro Society Norwalk, Connecticut, USA Potato starch gelatinization (microscopic depiction of the culinary technique of sauce thickening) Interference Contrast 25X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Dr. Robert Berdan Science & Art Calgary, Alberta, Canada Single celled ciliates (Nassulids) Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM John-Oliver Dum Medienbunker Produktion Bendorf, Rheinland Pfalz, Germany Goldeyefly (Chrysops relictus) cleaning its proboscis after a blood meal Reflected Light 5X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Dr. Pau Guillamat, Dr. Stephen Decamp & Prof. Dr. Zvonimir Dogic Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) Department of Integrative Cell and Tissue Dynamics Barcelona, Spain Active gel composed of fluorescent microtubules and kinesin motor proteins Fluorescence 60X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Blake Hernandez University of Pennsylvania Department of Bioengineering Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA Cell division in an early mouse embryo. Chromosomes (blue) and centromeres (orange) are labeled. Confocal 40X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Bre Hewitt Drexel University Department of Biology Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA Fibroblast migrating through 3D cell derived matrix marking the actin cytoskeleton and nucleus Confocal, Fluorescence, Image Stacking 60X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Dr. Chih-Wei Logan Hsu Baylor College of Medicine Department of Integrative Physiology and Department of Education, Innovation and Technology Houston, Texas, USA Vasculature in the adult mouse eye Light Sheet 5X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Dr. Akanksha Jain ETH Zurich Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D-BSSE) Basel, Switzerland A human brain organoid imaged every half an hour, for one week, showing lumen morphogenesis and emergence of forebrain progenitors and neurons Light Sheet 25X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Linda Veronique Kazandjian Munich, Bayern, Germany A dense culture of a freshwater ciliate (Spirostomum sp.) commonly found in ponds and lakes Polarized Light 10X and 20X (Objective Lens Magnifications) HM Martin Kaae Kristiansen My Microscopic World Aalborg, Nordjylland, Denmark A tardigrade (Milnesium) with visible muscle fibers Polarized Light 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Jay McClellan Saranac, Michigan, USA Thin-film interference colors from naturally-occurring oxidation on pahoehoe lava Image Stacking 4X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Dr. Alvaro Migotto Centro de Biologia Marinha São Sebastião, São Paulo, Brazil Syllid worm with sections packed with gametes, each of which break off and release eggs or sperm in the water Darkfield 4X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Dr. Andrew Moore Howard Hughes Medical Institute Janelia Research Campus Ashburn, Virginia, USA Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) dynamics in a cultured animal cell Confocal 63X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Dr. Eric Peterman University of Washington Department of Biology Seattle, Washington, USA Immune cell response to a scratch in the zebrafish epidermis Confocal 25X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Benedikt Pleyer Kirchberg, Bavaria, Germany Bioluminescent crustaceans. When threatened they release a cloud of bluish glowing substance to fend off attackers. Darkfield 1.5X - 2.5X (Objective Lens Magnifications) HM Sebastian Sparenga McCrone Research Institute Chicago, Illinois, USA Cholesteryl acetate recrystallizing from a melt Polarized Light 5X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Wim van Egmond Micropolitan Museum Berkel en Rodenrijs, Zuid Holland, Netherlands Bacteria colonies (Lactobacillus paracasei) Image Stacking 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Wim van Egmond Micropolitan Museum Berkel en Rodenrijs, Zuid Holland, Netherlands Bell animalcules (Vorticella) seen through an original Leeuwenhoek microscope Brightfield 266X HM Dr. Jubina Balan Venghateri Weizmann Institute of Science Department of Immunology and Regenerative Biology Rehovot, Israel Human lung cancer cells dividing Phase Contrast 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Dr. Melanie White & Jianxiong Wang University of Queensland Institute for Molecular Bioscience Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Early nervous system formation in a quail embryo, resulting in the development of the brain and spinal cord Confocal, Fluorescence 40X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Dr. Joost Willemse, Dr. Maurijn van der Zee, Shixiong Cheng & Gerda Lamers Leiden University Microscopy Department Leiden, Zuid Holland, Netherlands Depth encoded embryonal development of a red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) Confocal 10X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Yen Fook Chew Woodend, Waimakiriri, New Zealand Zooplankton (Simocephalus sp.) releasing their young. Compilation video of six different specimens. Darkfield 2X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Yen Fook Chew Woodend, Waimakiriri, New Zealand Copulating water fleas (Daphnia pulex) Darkfield 2X (Objective Lens Magnification) HM Dr. Zhigang Zheng Zhuhai Photographers Association Zhuhai, GuangDong, China The birth of a caterpillar Brightfield 5X (Objective Lens Magnification) About Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition The Nikon Small World Competition is open to anyone with an interest in photography or video. In 2024, the competition will celebrate its 50th anniversary. Ahead of the celebration, participants may upload digital images and videos directly at . For additional information, contact Nikon Small World, Nikon Instruments Inc., 1300 Walt Whitman Road, Melville, NY 11747, USA, or phone (631) 547-8569. Entry forms for Nikon's 2024 Small World and Small World in Motion Competitions are available at About Nikon Instruments Inc. Nikon Instruments Inc. is the US microscopy arm of Nikon Healthcare, a world leader in the development and manufacture of optical and digital imaging technology for biomedical applications. For more information, visit or contact us at 1-800-52-NIKON. SOURCE Nikon Instruments Inc.