Optical projection tomography implemented for accessibility and low cost (OPTImAL).

Optical projection tomography (OPT) is a three-dimensional mesoscopic imaging modality that can use absorption or fluorescence contrast, and is widely applied to fixed and live samples in the mm-cm scale. For fluorescence OPT, we present OPT implemented for accessibility and low cost, an open-source research-grade implementation of modular OPT hardware and software that has been designed to be widely accessible by using low-cost components, including light-emitting diode (LED) excitation and cooled complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) cameras. Both the hardware and software are modular and flexible in their implementation, enabling rapid switching between sample size scales and supporting compressive sensing to reconstruct images from undersampled sparse OPT data, e.g. to facilitate rapid imaging with low photobleaching/phototoxicity. We also explore a simple implementation of focal scanning OPT to achieve higher resolution, which entails the use of a fan-beam geometry reconstruction method to account for variation in magnification. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Open, reproducible hardware for microscopy'.

Monitoring silver diamine fluoride application with optical coherence tomography.

The objective of this study was to investigate the use of optical coherence tomography (OCT) for monitoring changes in the structure of caries lesions overtime after treatment with silver diamine fluoride (SDF). Artificial caries lesions were formed on dentin bovine blocks. Each block was partitioned into 5 windows: one lesion was covered by nail varnish as control (LC), one sound window was covered with nail varnish (SC), one sound window was exposed to SDF (SCT), one lesion received 2 applications of SDF (L2), while the other lesion received one application of SDF (L1). Each window was scanned using OCT before SDF application, and every week subsequently, for 12 weeks after initial SDF treatment. Parameters such as mean intensity and the width of the peak of increased reflectivity located at the sample surface and the intensity at a depth of 180-µm were monitored. High-resolution microscopy was also used to for the analysis of selected samples. Changes in the parameters measured showed significant changes on dentin lesions after SDF application. OCT resolved structural changes after SDF application as well as changes overtime. High resolution microscopy images confirm penetration of SDF into the samples. Such changes can potentially be monitored to determine if and when re-application of SDF is needed.

Thermal Imaging of Root Caries In Vivo.

Improved methods are needed to assess the structure and activity of lesions on root surfaces in order to improve clinical decision making. Conventional visual and tactile methods for assessing lesion activity are not reliable, and the clinician is often unable to evaluate if the lesion is progressing or has remineralized. An important marker of an arrested lesion is a highly mineralized surface zone that forms when mineral is deposited in the outer layer of the lesion. In vitro studies have shown that a mineralized surface zone influences the kinetics of water evaporation and the surface temperature while drying. Temperature changes can be monitored by measuring the thermal emission with thermal imaging. Studies have also shown that the depth and severity of demineralization and the thickness of the highly mineralized transparent surface zone on arrested lesions can be measured nondestructively with optical coherence tomography (OCT). Thermal imaging at 8-µm to 13-µm wavelengths was completed on 30 test subjects with a suspected active root caries lesion by monitoring thermal emission from the tooth surfaces during 30 s of air drying. Lesions were also evaluated using cross-polarization OCT (CP-OCT) during lesion dehydration to identify transparent surface zones indicative of arrested lesions and determine if shrinkage occurred during drying. The overall thermal emission recorded during drying was significantly different (P < 0.001) when comparing sound tooth surfaces, lesion areas identified as arrested, and lesion areas identified as active, demonstrating that thermal imaging is a promising approach for the clinical assessment of lesion activity on root surfaces. Ten of the lesions in this study had distinct areas with transparent surface zones that were visible in CP-OCT images. Shrinkage was detected with CP-OCT during drying for 12 lesions. This study confirms that these novel approaches for assessing lesion activity on root surfaces can be implemented in vivo.

Patients as partners in readiness for COVID-19: using 'live simulation' to implement infection prevention and control procedures in the maternity operating theatre.

Insitu simulation can be used to improve care within a particular setting and has specific value in developing and testing guidelines and procedures. However, it can be challenging to undertake simulation when clinical work is ongoing. Responding to the need to develop infection prevention and control procedures for coronavirus disease 2019 in the obstetric operating theatre, we asked three patients who required operative intervention to consent to be managed according to preliminary standard operating procedures as if they were severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 positive. With this method, we were able to run scenarios in real-time without interrupting clinical work. As well as allowing us to develop and refine procedures, these 'live simulations' provided staff training and highlighted system problems that needed to be addressed as the first wave of the pandemic approached. In this case series, we describe our procedure for live simulation, report the learning points that this approach yielded, present the feedback from patient participants and reflect on the ethical implications of this technique.

Do immature platelet levels in chest pain patients presenting to the emergency department aid in the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome?

INTRODUCTION: Early and accurate identification of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) vs. noncardiac chest pain in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) is problematic and new diagnostic markers are needed. Previous studies reported that elevated mean platelet volume (MPV) is associated with ACS and predictive of cardiovascular risk. MPV is closely related to the immature platelet fraction (IPF), and recent studies have suggested that IPF may be a more sensitive marker of ACS than MPV. The objective of the present study was to determine whether the measurement of IPF assists in the diagnosis of ACS in patients presenting to the ED with chest pain. METHODS: In this single-center, prospective, cross-sectional study, adult patients presenting to the ED with chest pain and/or suspected ACS were considered for enrollment. Blood samples from 236 ACS-negative and 44 ACS-positive patients were analyzed in a Sysmex XE-2100 for platelet count, MPV, IPF, and the absolute count of immature platelets (IPC). RESULTS: Total platelet counts, MPV, IPF, and IPC were not statistically different between ACS-negative and ACS-positive patients. The IPF was 4.6 ± 2.7% and 5.0 ± 2.8% (mean ± SD, P = 0.24), and the IPC was 10.0 ± 4.6 and 11.5 ± 7.5 × 10(3) /µL (P = 0.27) for ACS-negative and ACS-positive patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: In 280 patients presenting to the ED with chest pain and/or suspected ACS, no differences in IPF, IPC or MPV were observed in ACS-negative vs. ACS-positive patients, suggesting that these parameters do not assist in the diagnosis of ACS.

Automated sleep apnea quantification based on respiratory movement.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent and treatable disorder of neurological and medical importance that is traditionally diagnosed through multi-channel laboratory polysomnography(PSG). However, OSA testing is increasingly performed with portable home devices using limited physiological channels. We tested the hypothesis that single channel respiratory effort alone could support automated quantification of apnea and hypopnea events. We developed a respiratory event detection algorithm applied to thoracic strain-belt data from patients with variable degrees of sleep apnea. We optimized parameters on a training set (n=57) and then tested performance on a validation set (n=59). The optimized algorithm correlated significantly with manual scoring in the validation set (R2=0.73 for training set, R2=0.55 for validation set; p<0.05). For dichotomous classification, the AUC was >0.92 and >0.85 using apnea-hypopnea index cutoff values of 5 and 15, respectively. Our findings demonstrate that manually scored AHI values can be approximated from thoracic movements alone. This finding has potential applications for automating laboratory PSG analysis as well as improving the performance of limited channel home monitors.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers and their methoxylated and hydroxylated analogs in Brown Bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) plasma from Lake Ontario.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), methoxylated PBDEs (MeO-PBDEs) and hydroxylated PBDEs (OH-PBDEs) were detected and quantified in Brown Bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) from Lake Ontario. Samples were collected in 2006 from three different locations near the city of Toronto: Frenchman's Bay, Toronto Island, and Tommy Thompson Park. A total of 117 plasma samples were pooled into 19 samples, separating males and females by site of capture. Pooled samples were analyzed for 36 PBDEs, 20 MeO-PBDEs and 20 OH-PBDEs, but only six PBDEs, five MeO- and eight OH-compounds were confirmed against standards currently available. These peaks were quantified as "identified" peaks, while peaks matching ion ratios but not matching the retention time of the available standards were quantified as "unidentified" peaks. Both "identified" and "unidentified" concentrations were combined to obtain a total concentration. No significant variations were obtained for total PBDE concentrations, ranging from 3.33 to 9.02 ng g(-1)wet weight. However, OH- and MeO-PBDE totals ranged over 1 order of magnitude among the samples (not detected - 3.57 ng g(-1)wet weight for OH-PBDEs and not detected -0.10 ng/g wet weight for MeO-PBDE). The results of this study suggested that these compounds are ubiquitous in biota. Source estimation of MeO- and OH-PBDEs in freshwater fish were discussed. Considering that up to date no freshwater sources for MeO- or OH-PBDEs have been reported, concentrations found should be mainly related to bioaccumulation from anthropogenic sources, although other sources could not be dismissed.

Dentin caries zones: mineral, structure, and properties.

Caries Detector staining reveals 4 zones in dentin containing caries lesions, but characteristics of each zone are not well-defined. We therefore investigated the physical and microstructural properties of carious dentin in the 4 different zones to determine important differences revealed by Caries Detector staining. Six arrested dentin caries lesions and 2 normal controls were Caries-Detector-stained, each zone (pink, light pink, transparent, apparently normal) being analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging for microstructure, by AFM nano-indentation for mechanical properties, and by transverse digital microradiography (TMR) for mineral content. Microstructure changes, and nanomechanical properties and mineral content significantly decreased across zones. Hydrated elastic modulus and mineral content from normal dentin to pink Caries-Detector-stained dentin ranged from 19.5 [10.6-25.3] GPa to 1.6 [0.0-5.0] GPa and from 42.9 [39.8-44.6] vol% to 12.4 [9.1-14.2] vol%, respectively. Even the most demineralized pink zone contained considerable residual mineral.

Imaging artificial caries on the occlusal surfaces with polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography.

Polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) is a nondestructive imaging system that can utilize near-infrared (IR) light to produce depth-resolved images of dental enamel and has the potential to monitor early enamel occlusal caries. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between the magnitude of backscattered light and depolarization recorded by PS-OCT with changes in the enamel mineral volume in an artificial caries model. Artificial lesions were created on a selected region on the occlusal surfaces of sound posterior teeth (n=10) using a well-characterized 14-day pH cycling model. An all-fiber-based PS-OCT system operating at 1,310 nm was used to collect serial images at day 0 and day 14 prior to tooth sectioning. The quantitative mineral content profile and relative mineral loss, DeltaZ (%volxmicrom), of the carious enamel samples were obtained from transverse sections using high-resolution digital microradiography (DM). Line profiles of PS-OCT and DM images were used to evaluate the artificial caries severity and depth. The integrated reflectivity of the perpendicular-axis PS-OCT image, quantifying lesion severity, was correlated to the DeltaZ of the caries lesions. There was also a strong correlation between the lesion depth calculated from both imaging modalities. PS-OCT can image and quantify artificial occlusal caries by measuring the increase in backscattering and depolarization of near-IR light. This optical method has promising applications for in vivo detection and monitoring of early enamel occlusal caries.

Lung function changes in coke oven workers during 12 years of follow up.

AIMS: To investigate the effect of exposure to coke oven emissions on the lung function of coke oven workers. METHODS: The study population, followed from 1978 and 1990, was 580 male workers with at least two sets of lung function measurements (FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, and FEF25-75%). An annual rate of change (time slope) for age and height adjusted lung function index was estimated for each subject. This "time slope" was then treated as the response variable in a weighted multiple regression analysis with selected predictors. RESULTS: For all 580 subjects, each year of working in the "operation" group (the most exposed) was found to increase the FVC decline by around 0.7 ml/year (95% CI 0.1 to 1.3 ml/year). After the exclusion of 111 subjects without detailed work history, the above finding was confirmed and each year of exposure in "operation" was also found to increase the FEV1 decline by around 0.8 ml/year (95% CI 0.1 to 1.4 ml/year). CONCLUSIONS: These findings are consistent with the results of previous cross-sectional studies. Work duration in the most exposed position in the coke ovens was associated with increased annual decline for FVC and FEV1. The estimated effect of one year of work exposure in "operation" is equivalent, in terms of the reduction in lung function, to an estimated 2.1 pack-years of smoking for FVC and 1.2 pack-years of smoking for FEV1.

Cross sectional study on lung function of coke oven workers: a lung function surveillance system from 1978 to 1990.

AIMS: To determine the association between lung function of coke oven workers and exposure to coke oven emissions. METHODS: Lung function data and detailed work histories for workers in recovery coke ovens of a steelworks were extracted from a lung function surveillance system. Multiple regressions were employed to determine significant predictors for lung function indices. The first sets of lung function tests for 613 new starters were pooled to assess the selection bias. The last sets of lung function tests for 834 subjects with one or more year of coke oven history were pooled to assess determinants of lung function. RESULTS: Selection bias associated with the recruitment process was not observed among the exposure groups. For subjects with a history of one or more years of coke oven work, each year of working in the most exposed "operation" position was associated with reductions in FEV(1) of around 9 ml (p = 0.006, 95% CI: 3 ml to 16 ml) and in FVC of around 12 ml (p = 0.002, 95% CI: 4 ml to 19 ml). Negative effects of smoking on lung function were also observed. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to coke oven emissions was found to be associated with lower FEV(1) and FVC. Effects of work exposure on lung function are similar to those found in other studies.

Dalitz plot analysis of the decay D(+)-->K(-)pi(+)pi(+) and indication of a low-mass scalar Kpi resonance.

We study the Dalitz plot of the decay D(+)-->K(-)pi(+)pi(+) with a sample of 15090 events from Fermilab experiment E791. Modeling the decay amplitude as the coherent sum of known Kpi resonances and a uniform nonresonant term, we do not obtain an acceptable fit. If we allow the mass and width of the K(*)(0)(1430) to float, we obtain values consistent with those from PDG but the chi(2) per degree of freedom of the fit is still unsatisfactory. A good fit is found when we allow for the presence of an additional scalar resonance, with mass 797+/-19+/-43 MeV/c(2) and width 410+/-43+/-87 MeV/c(2). The mass and width of the K(*)(0)(1430) become 1459+/-7+/-5 MeV/c(2) and 175+/-12+/-12 MeV/c(2), respectively. Our results provide new information on the scalar sector in hadron spectroscopy.

Activator protein 1 activation following hypoosmotic stress in HepG2 cells is actin cytoskeleton dependent.

BACKGROUND: Following hypoosmotic stress-induced cell volume change, the actin cytoskeleton reorganizes itself. The role of this reorganization in the activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-OH-kinase/protein kinase B/activator protein 1 (PI-3-K/PKB/AP-1) proliferative signaling cascade is unknown. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) participates in the cytoskeleton-based activation of PI-3-K. We hypothesized that hypoosmotic stress-induced activation of PKB and AP-1 in HepG2 cells is dependent on an intact actin cytoskeleton and subsequent FAK phosphorylation. METHODS: HepG2 cells were incubated for 1 h with or without 20 microM cytochalasin D, an actin disrupter, and were then exposed for up to 30 min to hypoosmotic medium (200 mOsm/L) to induce swelling. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (1.4 nM) and medium alone served as positive and negative controls, respectively. Western blots measured cytoplasmic phosphorylated or total FAK and PKB. EMSAs measured nuclear AP-1. All experiments were performed in triplicate. RESULTS: Exposure to hypoosmotic stress resulted in activation of the following signaling messengers in a sequential fashion: (1) phosphorylation of FAK occurred by 2 min, (2) phosphorylation of PKB occurred by 10 min, (3) nuclear translocation of AP-1 occurred by 30 min. All three signaling events were abolished when these cells were pretreated with cytochalasin D. CONCLUSION: Actin reorganization following hypoosmotic stress is essential for the FAK-mediated activation of the PI-3-K/PKB/AP-1 proliferative cascade. These data delineate a possible mechanism by which the cell swelling-induced cytoskeletal changes can initiate proliferative signal transduction in human liver cancer.

Using the family ecosystem model to enhance pastoral care and counseling.

Argues that with individual, family, and world issues becoming increasingly complicated, those involved in pastoral care can benefit from using a comprehensive ecological approach to understanding and helping those in need. Suggests that the "family ecosystem model" that emphasizes interactions among individuals/families and their multifaceted environments, including their natural, human-constructed, and human-behavioral environments, can be used to incorporate a holistic view of these diverse issues. Explains and illustrates this approach to family concerns often encountered by pastoral caregivers.

Direct measurement of the pion valence-quark momentum distribution, the pion light-cone wave function squared.

We present the first direct measurements of the pion valence-quark momentum distribution which is related to the square of the pion light-cone wave function. The measurements were carried out using data on diffractive dissociation of 500 GeV/c pi(-) into dijets from a platinum target at Fermilab experiment E791. The results show that the /q&q> light-cone asymptotic wave function describes the data well for Q2 approximately 10 (GeV/c)(2) or more. We also measured the transverse momentum distribution of the diffractive dijets.

Observation of color-transparency in diffractive dissociation of pions.

We have studied the diffractive dissociation into dijets of 500 GeV/c pions scattering coherently from carbon and platinum targets. Extrapolating to asymptotically high energies (where t(min)-->0), we find that when the per-nucleus cross section for this process is parametrized as sigma = sigma0Aalpha, alpha has values near 1.6, the exact result depending on jet transverse momentum. These values are in agreement with those predicted by theoretical calculations of color-transparency.

Search for rare and forbidden Charm Meson decays D0 --> Vl+l- and hhll.

We report results of a search for flavor-changing neutral current (FCNC), lepton flavor, and lepton-number violating decays of the D0 (and its antiparticle) into three and four bodies. Using data from Fermilab charm hadroproduction experiment E791, we examine modes with two leptons (muons or electrons) and a rho(0), K( *0), or straight phi vector meson or a nonresonant pi(pi), Kpi, or KK pair of pseudoscalar mesons. No evidence for any of these decays is found. Therefore, we present branching-fraction upper limits at 90% confidence level for the 27 decay modes examined (18 new).

Study of the D(+)(s)-->pi(-)pi(+)pi(+) decay and measurement of f(0) masses and widths.

From a sample of 848+/-44 D(+)(s)-->pi(-)pi(+)pi(+) decays, we find gamma(D(+)(s)-->pi(-)pi(+)pi(+))/gamma(D(+)(s)-->straight phipi(+)) = 0.245+/-0.028(+0.019)(-0.012). Using a Dalitz plot analysis of this three body decay, we find significant contributions from the channels rho(0)(770)pi(+), rho(0)(1450)pi(+), f(0)(980)pi(+), f(2)(1270)pi(+), and f(0)(1370)pi(+). We also present the values obtained for masses and widths of the resonances f(0)(980) and f(0)(1370).

Experimental evidence for a light and broad scalar resonance in D(+) --> pi(-)pi(+)pi(+) decay.

From a sample of 1172 +/- 61 D(+)-->pi(-)pi(+)pi(+) decays, we find gamma(D(+)-->pi(-)pi(+)pi(+))/gamma(D(+)-->K-pi(+)pi(+)) = 0.0311 +/- 0.0018(+0.0016)(-0.0026). Using a coherent amplitude analysis to fit the Dalitz plot of these decays, we find strong evidence that a scalar resonance of mass 478(+24)(-23) +/- 17 MeV/c(2) and width 324(+42)(-40) +/- 21 MeV/c(2) accounts for approximately half of all decays.

Hypoosmotic stress stimulates growth in HepG2 cells via protein kinase B-dependent activation of activator protein-1.

Although hypoosmotic stress-induced cell swelling activates phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase, its impact on the downstream signal protein kinase B and cell growth is unknown. Activator protein-1 is in part phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase dependent, and is important in proliferation. We hypothesized that cell swelling modulates proliferation in HepG2 cells via the protein kinase B-dependent activation of activator protein-1. HepG2 cells pretreated with or without LY294002 were exposed for up to 30 minutes to hypoosmotic medium (160 mOsm/L). Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (1.4 nmol/L) or normoosmolar medium (270 mOsm/L) served as positive and negative controls, respectively. Western immunoblots measured cytoplasmic phosphorylated and total protein kinase B. Electromobility shift assays measured nuclear activator protein-1. Methylene blue assays measured cell proliferation at 24, 48, and 72 hours after stimulation. Hypoosmotic stress phosphorylated protein kinase B by 10 minutes. Subsequently, hypoosmotic exposure stimulated activator protein-1 by 30 minutes. Pulse exposure to hypoosmotic stress potentiated HepG2 proliferation by 72 hours as compared to both negative controls and LY-inhibited cells (n = 4 per group, P = 0.009 and P = 0.004, respectively; P <0.001 analysis of variance. All three activation events were abolished with LY294002 pretreatment. In HepG2 cells, hypoosmotic stress-induced swelling stimulates proliferation via protein kinase B-mediated activation of activator protein-1. These data delineate a possible mechanism linking changes in cell volume to growth in human liver cancer.