Development of underground detection system using a metal detector and aluminum tag for, Copris ochus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae).

Tracking of soil-dwelling insects poses greater challenges compared to aboveground-dwelling animals in terrestrial systems. A metal detector system consisting of a commercially available detector and aluminum tags was developed for detecting dung beetle, Copris ochus Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). First, detection efficacy of the system was evaluated by varying volumes of aluminum tags attached on a plastic model of the insect and also by varying angles. Then, detection efficacy was evaluated by varying depths of aluminum-tagged models under soil in 2 vegetation types. Finally, the effects of tag attachment on C. ochus adults were assessed for survivorship, burrowing depth, and horizontal movement. Generally, an increase in tag volume resulted in greater detection distance in semi-field conditions. Maximum detection distance of aluminum tag increased up to 17 cm below soil surface as the tag size (0.5 × 1.0 cm [width × length]) and thickness (16 layers) were maximized, resulting in a tag weight of 31.4 mg, comprising ca. 9% of average weight of C. ochus adult. Furthermore, the detection efficacy did not vary among angles except for 90°. In the field, metal detectors successfully detected 5 aluminum-tagged models in 20 × 10 m (W × L) arena within 10 min with detection rates ≥85% for up to depth of 10 cm and 45%-60% at depth of 20 cm. Finally, aluminum tagging did not significantly affect survivorship and behaviors of C. ochus. Our study indicates the potential of metal detector system for tracking C. ochus under soil.

Feasibility of near real-time lesion assessment during radiofrequency catheter ablation in humans using acoustic radiation force impulse imaging.

BACKGROUND: Visual confirmation of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) lesions during clinical cardiac ablation procedures could improve procedure efficacy, safety, and efficiency. It was previously shown that acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging can identify RFA lesions in vitro and in vivo in an animal model. This is the "first-in-human" feasibility demonstration of intracardiac ARFI imaging of RFA lesions in patients undergoing catheter ablation for atrial flutter (AFL) or atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients scheduled for right atrial (RA) ablation for AFL or left atrial (LA) ablation for drug refractory AF were eligible for imaging. Diastole-gated intracardiac ARFI images were acquired using one of two equipment configurations: (1) a Siemens ACUSON S2000™ ultrasound scanner and 8/10Fr AcuNav™ ultrasound catheter, or (2) a CARTO 3™ integrated Siemens SC2000™ and 10Fr SoundStar™ ultrasound catheter. A total of 11 patients (AFL = 3; AF = 8) were imaged. ARFI images were acquired of ablation target regions, including the RA cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI), and the LA roof, pulmonary vein ostia, posterior wall, posterior mitral valve annulus, and the ridge between the pulmonary vein and LA appendage. ARFI images revealed increased relative myocardial stiffness at ablation catheter contact sites after RFA and at anatomical mapping-tagged RFA treatment sites. CONCLUSIONS: ARFI images from a pilot group of patients undergoing catheter ablation for AFL and AF demonstrate the ability of this technique to identify intra-procedure RFA lesion formation. The results encourage further refinement of ARFI imaging clinical tools and continued investigation in larger clinical trials.

3-D Ultrasound Imaging Using Helicoid Array Transducers.

Real-time 3-D intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) can enable faster imaging of surfaces orthogonal to the transducer, such as the pulmonary vein (PV) antra and cardiac valve annuli. However, the requirement for a 2-D grid of individually wired elements makes a traditional matrix array challenging to implement within an intravenous catheter. Helicoid array transducers are linear array transducers twisted about their long axis, allowing imaging of different elevation slices using sub-apertures. In this work, we examined the 3-D imaging characteristics of helicoid array transducers through simulations using Field II software and experimental measurements. We report results for varying transducer parameters, such as twist rate and sub-aperture size. We also discuss design considerations for these imaging parameters as they pertain to volumetric imaging of the heart.

Ecological network analysis reveals distinctive microbial modules associated with heavy metal contamination of abandoned mine soils in Korea.

Heavy metal pollution in soil around abandoned mine sites is one of the most critical environmental issues worldwide. Soil microbes form complex communities and perform ecological functions individually or in cooperation with other organisms to adapt to harsh environments. In this study, we investigated the distribution patterns of bacterial and fungal communities in non-contaminated and heavy metal-contaminated soil of the abandoned Samkwang mine in Korea to explore microbial interaction mechanisms and their modular structures. As expected, the bacterial and fungal community structures showed large differences depending on the degree of heavy metal contamination. The microbial network was divided into three modules based on the levels of heavy metal pollution: heavy metal-tolerant (HM-Tol), heavy metal-mid-tolerant (HM-mTol), and heavy metal-sensitive (HM-Sens) modules. Taxonomically, microbes assigned to Vicinamibacterales, Pedosphaeraceae, Nitrosomonadaceae, and Gemmatimonadales were the major groups constituting the HM-Tol module. Among the detected heavy metals (As, Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn), copper concentrations played a key role in the formation of the HM-Tol module. In addition, filamentous fungi (Fusarium and Mortierella) showed potential interactions with bacteria (Nitrosomonadaceae) that could contribute to module stability in heavy metal-contaminated areas. Overall, heavy metal contamination was accompanied by distinct microbial communities, which could participate in the bioremediation of heavy metals. Analysis of the microbial interactions among bacteria and fungi in the presence of heavy metals could provide fundamental information for developing bioremediation mechanisms for the recovery of heavy metal-contaminated soil.

An electro-conductive plane heating element for rapid thermal lysis of bacterial cells.

In the process of developing a point-of-care testing device, we fabricated a plane heating element using carbon paste capable of thermal lysis. The plane heating element can generate heat of 150 °C within 60 s at 0.4 A power supply within 8 W. The developed plane heating element was very effective in the extraction of DNA from both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria which was further confirmed by agarose gel electrophoresis. In this approach, we aimed to eliminate expensive, time-consuming and labor-intensive procedures for the lysis of bacterial cells to extract nucleic acids to detect pathogenic bacteria accurately and swiftly.

Assessment of Diastolic Function Using Ultrasound Elastography.

Shear wave elasticity imaging (SWEI) is a novel ultrasound elastography technique for assessing tissue stiffness. In this study, we investigate the potential of SWEI for providing diastolic functional assessment. In 11 isolated rabbit hearts, pressure-volume (PV) measurements were recorded simultaneously with SWEI recordings from the left ventricle free wall before and after induction of global ischemia. PV-based end diastolic stiffness increased by 100% after ischemia (p <0.05), and SWEI stiffness showed an increase of 103% (p <0.05). The relaxation time constant (τ) before and after ischemia derived from pressure and SWEI curves showed increases of 79% and 76%, respectively (p <0.05). A linear regression between pressure-derived and SWEI-based (τ) showed a slope of 1.164 with R2 = 0.80, indicating the near equivalence of the two assessments. SWEI can be used to derive (τ) values and myocardial end diastolic stiffness. In global conditions, these measurements are consistent with PV measurements of diastolic function.

Salinity affects metabolomic profiles of different trophic levels in a food chain.

Salinization is one of the most important abiotic stressors in an ecosystem. To examine how exposing a host plant to excess salt affects the consequent performance and metabolism of insects in a food chain, we determined the life history traits and the metabolite profiles in rice (Oryza sativa), the herbivore Sitobion avenae, and its predator Harmonia axyridis. When compared with performance under normal (non-stressed) conditions, exposing plants to 50mM NaCl significantly delayed the timing of development for S. avenae fed on rice and H. axyridis and also reduced the body mass of the latter. Our GC-MS-based analysis revealed clear differences in metabolite profiles between trophic levels or treatment conditions. Salinity apparently increased the levels of main components in rice, but decreased levels of major components in S. avenae and H. axyridis. In addition, 16 metabolites showed salinity-related contrasts in this trophic interaction for our rice-S. avenae-H. axyridis system. Salinity impeded the accumulation of metabolites, especially several sugars, amino acids, organic acids, and fatty acids in both insects, a response that was possibly associated with the negative impacts on their growth and reproduction under stress conditions.

Quantifying Myocardial Contractility Changes Using Ultrasound-Based Shear Wave Elastography.

BACKGROUND: Myocardial contractility, a significant determinant of cardiac function, is valuable for diagnosis and evaluation of treatment in cardiovascular disorders including heart failure. Shear wave elasticity imaging (SWEI) is a newly developed ultrasound-based elastographic technique that can directly assess the stiffness of cardiac tissue. The aim of this study was to verify the ability of this technique to quantify contractility changes in the myocardium. METHODS: In 12 isolated rabbit hearts, SWEI measurements were made of systolic stiffness at five different coronary perfusion pressures from 0 to 92 mm Hg. The changes in coronary perfusion were used to induce acute stepwise reversible changes in cardiac contractility via the Gregg effect. The Gregg effect is the dependency of contractility on coronary perfusion. In four of the hearts, the measurements were repeated after delivery of gadolinium, which is known to block the Gregg effect. RESULTS: Systolic stiffness measured by SWEI changed linearly with coronary perfusion pressure, with a slope of 0.27 kPa/mm Hg (mean of 95% CI, R2 = 0.73). As expected, the change in contractility due to the Gregg effect was blocked by gadolinium, with a significant reduction of the slope to 0.08 kPa/mm Hg. CONCLUSIONS: SWEI measurements of systolic stiffness provide an index of contractility in the unloaded isolated rabbit heart. Although this study was done under ideal imaging conditions and with nonphysiologic loading conditions, it reinforces the concept that this ultrasound technique has the potential to provide a direct and noninvasive index of cardiac contractility.

Transgenic Cabbage Expressing Cry1Ac1 Does Not Affect the Survival and Growth of the Wolf Spider, Pardosa astrigera L. Koch (Araneae: Lycosidae).

Both herbivores that consume transgenic crops and their predators can be exposed to insecticidal proteins expressed in those crops. We conducted a tritrophic bioassay to evaluate the ecotoxicological impacts that Bt cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) expressing Cry1Ac1 protein might have on the wolf spider (Pardosa astrigera), a non-target generalist predator. Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays indicated that protein levels were 4.61 ng g(-1) dry weight in fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) fed with the transgenic cabbage and 1.86 ng g(-1) dry weight in the wolf spiders that preyed upon them. We also compared the life history traits of spiders collected from Bt versus non-Bt cabbage and found no significant differences in their growth, survival, and developmental rates. Because Bt cabbage did not affect the growth of fruit flies, we conclude that any indirect effects that this crop had on the wolf spider were probably not mediated by prey quality. Therefore, exposure to Cry1Ac1 protein when feeding upon prey containing that substance from transgenic cabbage has only a negligible influence on those non-target predatory spiders.

Toward microendoscopic electrical impedance tomography for intraoperative surgical margin assessment.

No clinical protocols are routinely used to intraoperatively assess surgical margin status during prostate surgery. Instead, margins are evaluated through pathological assessment of the prostate following radical prostatectomy, when it is too late to provide additional surgical intervention. An intraoperative device potentially capable of assessing surgical margin status based on the electrical property contrast between benign and malignant prostate tissue has been developed. Specifically, a microendoscopic electrical impedance tomography (EIT) probe has been constructed to sense and image, at near millimeter resolution, the conductivity contrast within heterogeneous biological tissues with the goal of providing surgeons with real-time assessment of margin pathologies. This device consists of a ring of eight 0.6-mm diameter electrodes embedded in a 5-mm diameter probe tip to enable access through a 12-mm laparoscopic port. Experiments were performed to evaluate the volume of tissue sensed by the probe. The probe was also tested with inclusions in gelatin, as well as on a sample of porcine tissue with clearly defined regions of adipose and muscle. The probe's area of sensitivity consists of a circular area of 9.1 mm(2) and the maximum depth of sensitivity is approximately 1.5 mm. The probe is able to distinguish between high contrast muscle and adipose tissue on a sub-mm scale (∼500 µm). These preliminary results suggest that EIT is possible in a probe designed to fit within a 12-mm laparoscopic access port.

Pulmonary Alveolar Hemorrhage after Clopidogrel Use for ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Combination treatment of antiplatelet drugs containing aspirin and clopidogrel reduces systemic ischemic events after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in high risk patients. However, this combination treatment of antiplatelet drugs is associated with increased risk of nonfatal and fatal bleeding. Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage after PCI is a rare complication that has been mostly reported in association with glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors. We report the case of a 62-year-old man who presented with ST elevation myocardial infarction and suffered a diffuse alveolar hemorrhage after clopidogrel use following primary PCI.

A Case of Acute Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Resulting in an ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a well-known chemical asphyxiant, which causes tissue hypoxia with prominent neurological and cardiovascular injury. After exposure to CO, several cardiac manifestations have been reported, including arrhythmias, acute myocardial infarction, and pulmonary edema. However, an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) due to CO poisoning is a very rare presentation, and the treatment for STEMI due to CO poisoning is not well established. Here, we report a rare case of STEMI complicated by increased thrombogenicity secondary to acute CO poisoning and complete revascularization after antithrombotic treatment.

A case report of primary breast angiosarcoma with fatal pulmonary hemorrhage due to thrombocytopenia.

Primary angiosarcomas of the breast are rare malignancy that account for fewer than 0.04% of all malignant breast tumors. The prognosis is poor. Surgery is the first line of treatment for angiosarcoma. Adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy have been tried, but their efficacy remains controversial. Here we present the case of a 47-year-old woman with a palpable left breast mass that was diagnosed as a primary angiosarcoma. The patient underwent modified radical mastectomy with adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Postoperatively, eighteen months later, the angiosarcoma recurred. The patient returned complaining of dyspnea and hemoptysis and was found to have a large pleural effusion. She developed a gradual onset of thrombocytopenia that persisted despite platelet transfusions. Finally, the patient died of respiratory failure secondary to pulmonary hemorrhage.

Feasibility of obtaining quantitative 3-dimensional information using conventional endoscope: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Three-dimensional (3D) imaging is gaining popularity and has been partly adopted in laparoscopic surgery or robotic surgery but has not been applied to gastrointestinal endoscopy. As a first step, we conducted an experiment to evaluate whether images obtained by conventional gastrointestinal endoscopy could be used to acquire quantitative 3D information. METHODS: Two endoscopes (GIF-H260) were used in a Borrmann type I tumor model made of clay. The endoscopes were calibrated by correcting the barrel distortion and perspective distortion. Obtained images were converted to gray-level image, and the characteristics of the images were obtained by edge detection. Finally, data on 3D parameters were measured by using epipolar geometry, two view geometry, and pinhole camera model. RESULTS: The focal length (f) of endoscope at 30 mm was 258.49 pixels. Two endoscopes were fixed at predetermined distance, 12 mm (d(12)). After matching and calculating disparity (v2-v1), which was 106 pixels, the calculated length between the camera and object (L) was 29.26 mm. The height of the object projected onto the image (h) was then applied to the pinhole camera model, and the result of H (height and width) was 38.21 mm and 41.72 mm, respectively. Measurements were conducted from 2 different locations. The measurement errors ranged from 2.98% to 7.00% with the current Borrmann type I tumor model. CONCLUSIONS: It was feasible to obtain parameters necessary for 3D analysis and to apply the data to epipolar geometry with conventional gastrointestinal endoscope to calculate the size of an object.