Planar photonic crystal based multifunctional sensors: publisher's note.

This note points out a missed correction to the math on p. 1779 of Appl. Opt.56, 1775 (2017)10.1364/AO.56.001775.

Planar photonic crystal based multifunctional sensors.

A planar photonic crystal (PPC) structure capable of simultaneous detection of multiple parameters is presented in this paper. We analytically and numerically demonstrate that the reflection spectrum of the PPC structure exhibits multiple high-Q resonant modes that could respond distinctively to different external perturbations, rendering the PPC sensor superior capabilities for multiparameter sensing. We further demonstrate simultaneous pressure and temperature sensing with a PPC sensor. Other advantages of this device include efficient free-space-to-multimode coupling, high sensitivity, on-chip integration, and wafer-scale fabrications.

Planar photonic crystal based multifunctional sensors: erratum.

Here, we acknowledge related papers that should have been cited in our recent work [Appl. Opt.56, 1775 (2017)APOPAI0003-693510.1364/AO.56.001775].

Isolated diplopia associated with calcineurin inhibitor therapy in a patient with idiopathic membranous nephropathy: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Neurotoxicity is a common side effect of treatment with calcineurin inhibitors. Tremors are frequently reported as the most common manifestation. Variable presentations can include headaches, seizures, visual hallucinations or blindness. Sixth nerve palsy has been reported in previous cases of bone marrow and cardiac transplant patients receiving calcineurin inhibitors. In many of these previously reported cases, the drug was administered intravenously and very high drug levels were found. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the first case of isolated diplopia in a patient being treated for idiopathic membranous glomerulonephritis. This is also the first report where the neurotoxicity induced by initial tacrolimus therapy persisted with subsequent cyclosporine therapy, two structurally different calcineurin inhibitors which share a common mechanism of action. In our case toxicity occurred after 3 months of therapy despite low serum concentrations and the symptoms resolved completely after discontinuation of the drugs. CONCLUSION: Our case provides further evidence that the neurotoxicity is a result of calcineurin inhibition. Monitoring of serum concentrations of these drugs has not been correlated with toxicity. The mean duration to onset of symptoms can be as much as 70 days suggesting accumulation of the drug in the central nervous system plays a role. Recognition of this condition is important for prompt diagnosis and appropriate management.

Are sodium and potassium results on arterial blood gas analyzer equivalent to those on electrolyte analyzer?

OBJECTIVES: The present study was conducted with the aim to compare the sodium (Na) and  potassium (K) results on arterial blood gas (ABG) and electrolyte analyzers both of which use direct ion selective electrode technology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study in which data were collected for simultaneous ABG and serum electrolyte samples of a patient received in Biochemistry Laboratory during February to May 2015. The ABG samples received in heparinized syringes were processed on Radiometer ABL80 analyzer immediately. Electrolytes in serum sample were measured on ST-100 Sensa Core analyzer after centrifugation. Data were collected for 112 samples and analyzed with the help of Excel 2010 and  Statistical software for Microsoft excel XLSTAT 2015 software. RESULTS: The mean Na level in serum sample was 139.4 ± 8.2 mmol/L compared to 137.8 ± 10.5 mmol/L in ABG (P < 0.05). The mean difference between the results was 1.6 mmol/L. Mean K level in serum sample was 3.8 ± 0.9 mmol/L as compared to 3.7 ± 0.9 mmol/L in ABG sample (P < 0.05). The mean difference between the results was 0.14 mmol/L. Statistically significant difference was observed in results of two instruments in low Na (<135 mmol/L) and normal K (3.5-5.2 mmol/L) ranges. The 95% limit of agreement for Na and K on both instruments was 9.9 to -13.2 mmol/L and 0.79 to -1.07 mmol/L respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The clinicians should be cautious in using the electrolyte results of electrolyte and ABG analyzer in inter exchangeable manner.

On-fiber plasmonic interferometer for multi-parameter sensing.

We demonstrate a novel miniature multi-parameter sensing device based on a plasmonic interferometer fabricated on a fiber facet in the optical communication wavelength range. This device enables the coupling between surface plasmon resonance and plasmonic interference in the structure, which are the two essential mechanisms for multi-parameter sensing. We experimentally show that these two mechanisms have distinctive responses to temperature and refractive index, rendering the device the capability of simultaneous temperature and refractive index measurement on an ultra-miniature form factor. A high refractive index sensitivity of 220 nm per refractive index unit (RIU) and a high temperature sensitivity of -60 pm/ °C is achieved with our device.

Beyond linear methods of data analysis: time series analysis and its applications in renal research.

Analysis of temporal trends in medicine is needed to understand normal physiology and to study the evolution of disease processes. It is also useful for monitoring response to drugs and interventions, and for accountability and tracking of health care resources. In this review, we discuss what makes time series analysis unique for the purposes of renal research and its limitations. We also introduce nonlinear time series analysis methods and provide examples where these have advantages over linear methods. We review areas where these computational methods have found applications in nephrology ranging from basic physiology to health services research. Some examples include noninvasive assessment of autonomic function in patients with chronic kidney disease, dialysis-dependent renal failure and renal transplantation. Time series models and analysis methods have been utilized in the characterization of mechanisms of renal autoregulation and to identify the interaction between different rhythms of nephron pressure flow regulation. They have also been used in the study of trends in health care delivery. Time series are everywhere in nephrology and analyzing them can lead to valuable knowledge discovery. The study of time trends of vital signs, laboratory parameters and the health status of patients is inherent to our everyday clinical practice, yet formal models and methods for time series analysis are not fully utilized. With this review, we hope to familiarize the reader with these techniques in order to assist in their proper use where appropriate.

Effect of gypsum waste inclusion on syngas production during CO2-assisted gasification of waste tires.

Syngas production from co-gasification of waste tires and different amounts of drywall waste gypsum (CaSO4) was investigated using CO2 as the gasifying agent in a lab-scale reactor. Gypsum is known to react with carbon feedstocks through solid-solid reactions to produce CaS and CaO, CO, and CO2. The presence of gypsum in waste tires increased the syngas yield from the conversion of char and tars. Gypsum addition to the waste tire also increased syngas quality from increased syngas energy yield. The overall yield of syngas increased by up to 55% while the energy yield (MJ/ kg feedstock) improved by 40% with gypsum addition. The product gas yield, energy, H2, and CH4 yields increased with gypsum addition while CO only increased for lower gypsum concentrations. Higher gypsum addition increased CO2 yields. Aspen Plus simulation results revealed that for waste tires, temperatures < 1200 °C suppressed the transformation of sulfur present in gypsum into SO2 for all waste tires to gypsum feed mass ratios. At 50 wt% gypsum concentrations, only 2% of the sulfur in the feedstock was transferred into SO2. The results showed improved syngas yield and quality, without any increase in sulfur emissions showing the benefits of gypsum waste incorporation in waste tire gasification.

Thermal deformation of gold nanostructures and its influence on surface plasmon resonance sensing.

Plasmonic nanostructures have been recently used in elevated temperature applications such as sensing of high-energy systems and localized heat generation for heat-assisted magnetic recording, thermophotovaltaics, and photothermal therapy. However, plasmonic nanostructures exposed to elevated temperature often experience permanent deformations, which could significantly degrade performance of the plasmonic devices. Therefore, understanding of thermal deformation of plasmonic nanostructures and its influence on the device performance is essential to the development of robust high-performance plasmonic devices. Here, we report thermal deformation of lithographic planar gold nanopatch and nanohole arrays and its influence on surface plasmon resonance sensing. The gold nanostructures are fabricated on a silicon substrate and on the end-face of an optical fiber using electron-beam lithography and focused-ion-beam lithography, respectively. The fabricated gold nanostructures are exposed to cyclic thermal loading in the range of 25 °C to 500 °C. Through experimental and numerical studies, we investigate (i) thermal deformation modes of the gold nanostructures, (ii) influence of the gold nanostructure geometry on the degree and mechanism of the thermal deformation, and (iii) influence of the thermal deformation on performance of surface plasmon resonance sensing. The obtained understanding from these studies is expected to help guide the development of robust high-performance plasmonic sensors for monitoring in elevated temperature environments. Although the current work is focused on gold nanostructures, it can be extended to provide useful insights on thermal deformation of refractory plasmonic nanostructures at extreme temperature.

Long-Term Culture of Nephron Progenitor Cells Ex Vivo.

Nephrons differentiate from the cap mesenchyme of the fetal kidney. Nephron progenitor cells that populate the cap mesenchyme efficiently balance self-renewal and epithelial differentiation to enable repeated rounds of nephron formation during development. Here we describe a method to isolate and propagate these cells from the embryonic mouse kidney. Using this method, nephron progenitor cells from a single litter of mice can be propagated to hundreds of millions of cells that express appropriate markers of the undifferentiated state and retain epithelial differentiation capacity in vitro.

A study to compare the plasma glucose levels obtained in sodium fluoride and citrate buffer tubes at a tertiary care hospital in Punjab.

OBJECTIVES: Recent guidelines for estimation of glucose recommend the use of citrate buffer tubes to inhibit glycolysis if the sample cannot be cooled immediately and separated within 30 min. These tubes are currently not available in India. We prepared the citrate tubes and compared the glucose results obtained with sodium fluoride tubes. METHODS: Random blood samples of 44 apparently healthy volunteers were collected in three pairs of citrate buffer and sodium fluoride tubes during September to October 2013. They were labeled as 0 h, 1 h and 2 h samples indicating a delay in centrifugation to separate plasma. Glucose was analyzed on the fully auto analyzer in duplicates using glucose oxidase-peroxidase method. RESULTS: The mean glucose concentrations at 0 h in citrate tubes were 105.8 ± 19.5 mg/dl compared to 99.6 ± 18.3 mg/dl in sodium fluoride tube. There was statistically significant difference in the glucose levels measured in plasma separated from citrate buffer tube and sodium fluoride tube at 0 h, 1 h, and 2 h. The difference between citrate and sodium fluoride tube results ranged from 6.1 mg/dl at 0 h to 7.4 mg/dl at 2 h. Glucose levels decreased significantly at 2 h in both citrate and sodium fluoride tubes. CONCLUSION: There is a significant decrease in glucose levels in sodium fluoride tubes even with immediate separation of plasma. There is urgent need to standardize the preanalytical conditions for glucose estimation so that effective inhibition of glycolysis can be done.

Does erythropoietin cause hemoglobin variability--is it 'normal'?

Hemoglobin variability (Hb-var) in patients with chronic kidney disease has been stipulated to be a result of exogenous treatment with erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESA) and has been related to mortality in dialysis patients. We hypothesized the existence of Hb-var independent of ESA administration and compared it to that in healthy adults using data from the Scripps-Kaiser and NHANES III databases. We studied the Hb-var in 1571 peritoneal dialysis patients which included 116 patients not requiring treatment with erythropoietin. We systematically studied the differences between the groups that needed ESA therapy and those who did not. White race and male sex were significant predictors of need for erythropoietin therapy. We found peritoneal dialysis patients to exhibit significantly increased Hb-var independent of treatment with exogenous erythropoietin (0.99 gm/dL vs. 1.17 gm/dL, p-value<0.001). We found age to be a significant determinant of Hb-var in the ESA treated group. Hb-var in younger patients (<30 years) was increased by 50% compared to young healthy adults. The Hb-var in elderly (>60 years) peritoneal dialysis patients was similar to that seen in healthy elders, suggesting similarity with anemia of aging. We conclude that exogenous ESA administration does not explain Hb-var entirely but may enhance it. Intrinsic factors affecting erythropoiesis including age may be the major determinants of Hb-var.

The attitudes and perceptions of medical students towards basic science subjects during their clinical years: A cross-sectional survey.

INTRODUCTION: In the conventional system of medical education, basic subjects are taught in the 1(st) year with least interdisciplinary interaction. The objective of this study was to explore the students' perception about content, need and application of basic science subjects during the clinical years of their medical education. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 300 questionnaires were distributed among students randomly after taking their written consent for participation in the study. About 265 completely filled questionnaires were received back and the response was analyzed. RESULTS: Students identified anatomy as the subject with overloaded syllabus (75.4%) and also with maximum clinical application with 50.1% of them considering it the most important basic subject. Students were satisfied with the practical integration of subjects to impart clinical skills, but considered problem based learning a better method of teaching. According to 37%, 43.8% and 33.2% of respondents respectively; anatomy, biochemistry and physiology curriculum should only cover the general concepts to give the working knowledge of the subject. Approximately, 65% of the respondents were able to recall the knowledge of anatomy and physiology while biochemistry was retained by 40%. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the attitudes of students toward basic science subjects were positive. The learning experience for them can be improved significantly by better clinical integration of the subjects.

To study the levels of C - reactive protein and total leucocyte count in patients operated of open and laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND: The recovery from laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is rapid and most of the patients are discharged on the 1st post-operative day. There is an increased concentration of certain serum proteins, known as acute-phase reactive proteins (APRP) during the post-operative period depends on the degree of tissue damage and the inflammatory reaction. There is a direct positive correlation between the concentrations of APRP, especially C-reactive protein (CRP), and the severity of inflammation. This study was done to study the levels of C - reactive protein and Total Leucocyte Count in patients operated either by Open Cholecystectomy (OC) and Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (LC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study was conducted on 50 patients after approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee. Twenty five patients underwent open cholecystectomy and the other 25 had laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The pre and post operative concentrations of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and total leukocyte count (TLC) were compared in both the groups. RESULTS: There were no differences in the preoperative serum CRP and TLC concentrations - in both the groups. Serum CRP rose significantly following OC compared to that of patients who underwent LC (10.52 ± 1.96 mg% vs. 8.88 ± 1.23 mg %). There were also significant differences in the post-operative TLC ( 9.49 ± 1.05 m/mm3 for the OC group vs. 8.57 ± 1.31 m/mm3 for the LC group), and the post-operative hospital stay (5.5 ±1.5 days vs. 1.9 ± 0.9 days). There was no correlation between serum CRP concentrations and the other post-operative parameters. CONCLUSION: The study provided the biochemical evidence supporting the clinical observation that LC is far less traumatic to the patient than OC.

A distributed lag model with first order auto-regressive error term for hemoglobin response to erythropoietin in dialysis patients.

There is an urgent need to devise an erythropoietin dosing protocol which can help regulate hemoglobin levels within the range recommended by the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative(KDOQI). The objective of this analysis was to mathematically model the dose response relationship between Hemoglobin(Hb) and Erythropoietin(EPO). Such a model may be used to predict a patient's EPO requirements and guide dosing accordingly. A dynamic regression model with a distributed lag structure was used with good results.