Microlens array camera with variable apertures for single-shot high dynamic range (HDR) imaging.

We report a microlens array camera with variable apertures (MACVA) for high dynamic range (HDR) imaging by using microlens arrays with various sizes of apertures. The MACVA comprises variable apertures, microlens arrays, gap spacers, and a CMOS image sensor. The microlenses with variable apertures capture low dynamic range (LDR) images with different f-stops under single-shot exposure. The reconstructed HDR images clearly exhibit expanded dynamic ranges surpassing LDR images as well as high resolution without motion artifacts, comparable to the maximum MTF50 value observed among the LDR images. This compact camera provides, what we believe to be, a new perspective for various machine vision or mobile devices applications.

Probiotic mixture (Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis) a potential in-feed additive to improve broiler production efficiency, nutrient digestibility, caecal microflora, meat quality and to diminish hazardous odour emission.

This research aimed to assess the impact of probiotic supplementation in the broiler diet on growth performance, nutrient utilization, noxious gas emissions, excreta micromiota and meat quality. One thousand six hundred and twenty male Ross 380 broilers (one-day-old, body weight, 42 ± 0.5 g and 5-week trial) were arbitrarily chosen and assigned to three nutritive treatments (basal diet and basal diet included with 0.1%, and 0.2% probiotic mixture [Bacillus subtilis 7.0 × 107 cfu/g, Bacillus licheniformis 4.1 × 107 cfu/g]) with 30 duplicates (18 birds each). Probiotic inclusion linearly increased (p < 0.05) broiler body weight gain (BWG) during Phases 1, 2 and the overall period and decreased (p < 0.05) feed conversion ratio (FCR) linearly on Phase 2 and the overall period. However, feed intake (FI) and mortality rate remained unaffected (p > 0.05). Though nutrient digestibility of nitrogen (N) tendency to increase (p < 0.05), dry matter (DM) and energy (E) did not influence (p > 0.05). Inclusion of a probiotic supplement linearly increased (p < 0.05) Lactobacillus and reduced Salmonella (p < 0.05) counts in broilers. Moreover, broilers fed a diet supplement with probiotic addition linearly decreased (p < 0.05) NH3 , H2 S, C2 O and acetic acid emissions. The graded level of probiotic addition linearly reduced (p < 0.05) cooking loss and the tendency to decrease (p < 0.05) weight of bursa of Fabricius, but had no effect (p > 0.05) on other meat quality measures. These findings indicated that increasing the level of probiotics in feed could improve growth efficiency, nutrient absorption, microbial index, meat quality and reduce gas emissions in broilers.

LAPAROSCOPIC OVARIECTOMY IN THE ASIATIC BLACK BEAR (URSUS THIBETANUS) WITH THE USE OF THE SONICISION™ DEVICE.

Laparoscopic ovariectomy was performed in two Asiatic black bears ( Ursus thibetanus ). Bears were placed in a 20° Trendelenburg position on a surgical table. A three-portal technique was used. A camera port was established 10 cm caudal to the umbilicus with a 5-mm cannula. Two instrument ports were made 1 cm caudal to the umbilicus with a 5-mm cannula and 8 cm caudal to the camera port with a 12-mm cannula, respectively. The suspensory ligament, ovarian vasculature, and uterine horn tip were progressively dissected following coagulation with the Sonicision™ cordless ultrasonic dissection device. The resected ovary was exteriorized through the 12-mm instrument portal site but enlarged to a 2-cm incision length. The abdominal musculature, subcutaneous tissue, and skin of the portal sites were closed separately. Total surgical time was 113 min (Bear A) and 49 min (Bear B), and no postoperative complications were encountered. This is the first report of laparoscopic ovariectomy in the Asiatic black bear.

Electrothermal MEMS parallel plate rotation for single-imager stereoscopic endoscopes.

This work reports electrothermal MEMS parallel plate-rotation (PPR) for a single-imager based stereoscopic endoscope. A thin optical plate was directly connected to an electrothermal MEMS microactuator with bimorph structures of thin silicon and aluminum layers. The fabricated MEMS PPR device precisely rotates an transparent optical plate up to 37° prior to an endoscopic camera and creates the binocular disparities, comparable to those from binocular cameras with a baseline distance over 100 µm. The anaglyph 3D images and disparity maps were successfully achieved by extracting the local binocular disparities from two optical images captured at the relative positions. The physical volume of MEMS PPR is well fit in 3.4 mm x 3.3 mm x 1 mm. This method provides a new direction for compact stereoscopic 3D endoscopic imaging systems.

Miniaturized and Wireless Optical Neurotransmitter Sensor for Real-Time Monitoring of Dopamine in the Brain.

Real-time monitoring of extracellular neurotransmitter concentration offers great benefits for diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders and diseases. This paper presents the study design and results of a miniaturized and wireless optical neurotransmitter sensor (MWONS) for real-time monitoring of brain dopamine concentration. MWONS is based on fluorescent sensing principles and comprises a microspectrometer unit, a microcontroller for data acquisition, and a Bluetooth wireless network for real-time monitoring. MWONS has a custom-designed application software that controls the operation parameters for excitation light sources, data acquisition, and signal processing. MWONS successfully demonstrated a measurement capability with a limit of detection down to a 100 nanomole dopamine concentration, and high selectivity to ascorbic acid (90:1) and uric acid (36:1).

Stress granules form in Brachionus manjavacas (Rotifera) in response to a variety of stressors.

Many eukaryotes share a common response to environmental stresses. The responses include reorganization of cellular organelles and proteins. Similar stress responses between divergent species suggest that these protective mechanisms may have evolved early and been retained from the earliest eukaryotic ancestors. Many eukaryotic cells have the capacity to sequester proteins and mRNAs into transient stress granules (SGs) that protect most cellular mRNAs (Anderson and Kedersha, 2008). Our observations extend the phylogenetic range of SGs from trypanosomatids, insects, yeast and mammalian cells, where they were first described, to a species of the lophotrochozoan animal phylum Rotifera. We focus on the distribution of three proteins known to be associated with both ribosomes and SG formation: eukaryotic initiation factors eIF3B, eIF4E and T-cell-restricted intracellular antigen 1. We found that these three proteins co-localize to SGs in rotifers in response to temperature stress, osmotic stress and nutrient deprivation as has been described in other eukaryotes. We have also found that the large ribosomal subunit fails to localize to the SGs in rotifers. Furthermore, the SGs in rotifers disperse once the environmental stress is removed as demonstrated in yeast and mammalian cells. These results are consistent with SG formation in trypanosomatids, insects, yeast and mammalian cells, further supporting the presence of this protective mechanism early in the evolution of eukaryotes.

Comparative analysis of Achilles tendon healing outcomes after open tenotomy versus percutaneous tenotomy: An experimental study in rats.

There is growing interest in conservative treatment of Achilles tendon rupture. However, the majority of experimental studies of Achilles tendon have been performed by open tenotomy. More appropriate model of conservative treatment of Achilles tendon rupture is required. We performed an experimental study to evaluate whether outcomes differ between open tenotomy and percutaneous tenotomy of the Achilles tendon in rats. The Achilles tendons of 48 rats were transected. The animals were divided into two groups according to surgical technique: open tenotomy or microscopy-assisted percutaneous tenotomy. After 1, 2, and 4 weeks, functional, biomechanical, and histological analyses were performed. Western blot was performed for quantitative molecular analysis at 1 week. The Achilles functional index was superior in the percutaneous tenotomy group, compared with the open tenotomy group, at 1 week. The cross-sectional area was significantly larger in the percutaneous tenotomy group than in the open tenotomy group at 4 weeks. Relative to the native tendons, load to failure and stiffness yielded comparable results at 2 weeks in the percutaneous tenotomy group and at 4 weeks in the open tenotomy group. The histological score was significantly better in the percutaneous tenotomy group than in the open tenotomy group at 1 week. At 1 week, interleukin-1ß expression in the open tenotomy group was higher than in the percutaneous tenotomy group. In summary, Achilles tendon healing was substantially affected by the tenotomy method. We presume that our percutaneous tenotomy method might constitute a useful experimental animal model for conservative treatment of Achilles tendon rupture.

Modified tricuspid ring annuloplasty to reduce residual regurgitation in functional tricuspid regurgitation.

We describe a modified technique of tricuspid ring annuloplasty to reduce postoperative residual regurgitation in patients with functional tricuspid regurgitation; first, an adjustable segmental tricuspid annuloplasty is performed to obtain coaptation of the valve leaflets with two 5-0 monofilament annular sutures, and then a prosthetic ring of the same size as the competent valve area is implanted with continuous 3-0 polypropylene sutures.

PaperCraft3D: Paper-Based 3D Modeling and Scene Fabrication.

A 3D modeling system with all-inclusive functionality is too demanding for a casual 3D modeler to learn. There has been a shift towards more approachable systems, with easy-to-learn, intuitive interfaces. However, most modeling systems still employ mouse and keyboard interfaces, despite the ubiquity of tablet devices and the benefits of multi-touch interfaces. We introduce an alternative 3D modeling and fabrication paradigm using developable surfaces, inspired by traditional papercrafting, and we implement it as a complete system designed for a multi-touch tablet, allowing a user to fabricate 3D scenes. We demonstrate the modeling and fabrication process of assembling complex 3D scenes from a collection of simpler models, in turn shaped through operations applied to virtual paper. Our fabrication method facilitates the assembly of the scene with real paper by automatically converting scenes into a series of cutouts with appropriately added fiducial markers and supporting structures. Our system assists users in creating occluded supporting structures to help maintain the spatial and rigid properties of a scene without compromising its aesthetic qualities. We demonstrate several 3D scenes modeled and fabricated in our system, and evaluate the faithfulness of our fabrications relative to their virtual counterparts and 3D-printed fabrications.

Sclerosing hemangioma, presenting as a pneumonic pattern with mucinous adenomatous hyperplasia of the lung.

Pulmonary sclerosing hemangioma is generally considered a rare neoplasm presenting as a solitary benign nodule. During routine medical examination multiple abnormal nodular shadows were detected in the right lower lung field on chest X-ray in a 48-year-old asymptomatic woman. The patient underwent wedge resection for the pulmonary lesion. The resected lung had numerous scattered tiny nodules and small nodules congregated together, forming larger nodules. All of these lesions had typical features of sclerosing hemangioma. The authors call this unusual growth pattern of sclerosing hemangioma a 'pneumonic pattern'. Adjacent to the largest lesion, a relatively well-defined small mucinous lesion composed of mucinous tall columnar cells and basaloid squamous cells was detected. Because this lesion did not have expression of thyroid transcription factor-1, it is described as mucinous adenomatous hyperplasia.

Xenos peckii vision inspires an ultrathin digital camera.

Increased demand for compact devices leads to rapid development of miniaturized digital cameras. However, conventional camera modules contain multiple lenses along the optical axis to compensate for optical aberrations that introduce technical challenges in reducing the total thickness of the camera module. Here, we report an ultrathin digital camera inspired by the vision principle of Xenos peckii, an endoparasite of paper wasps. The male Xenos peckii has an unusual visual system that exhibits distinct benefits for high resolution and high sensitivity, unlike the compound eyes found in most insects and some crustaceans. The biologically inspired camera features a sandwiched configuration of concave microprisms, microlenses, and pinhole arrays on a flat image sensor. The camera shows a field-of-view (FOV) of 68 degrees with a diameter of 3.4 mm and a total track length of 1.4 mm. The biologically inspired camera offers a new opportunity for developing ultrathin cameras in medical, industrial, and military fields.

Reconstructing Interlaced High-Dynamic-Range Video Using Joint Learning.

For extending the dynamic range of video, it is a common practice to capture multiple frames sequentially with different exposures and combine them to extend the dynamic range of each video frame. However, this approach results in typical ghosting artifacts due to fast and complex motion in nature. As an alternative, video imaging with interlaced exposures has been introduced to extend the dynamic range. However, the interlaced approach has been hindered by jaggy artifacts and sensor noise, leading to concerns over image quality. In this paper, we propose a data-driven approach for jointly solving two specific problems of deinterlacing and denoising that arise in interlaced video imaging with different exposures. First, we solve the deinterlacing problem using joint dictionary learning via sparse coding. Since partial information of detail in differently exposed rows is often available via interlacing, we make use of the information to reconstruct details of the extended dynamic range from the interlaced video input. Second, we jointly solve the denoising problem by tailoring sparse coding to better handle additive noise in low-/high-exposure rows, and also adopt multiscale homography flow to temporal sequences for denoising. We anticipate that the proposed method will allow for concurrent capture of higher dynamic range video frames without suffering from ghosting artifacts. We demonstrate the advantages of our interlaced video imaging compared with the state-of-the-art high-dynamic-range video methods.

Multispectral photometric stereo for acquiring high-fidelity surface normals.

Multispectral imaging and photometric stereo are common in 3D imaging but rarely have been combined. Reconstructing a 3D object's shape using photometric stereo is challenging owing to indirect illumination, specular reflection, and self-shadows, and removing interreflection in photometric stereo is problematic. A new multispectral photometric-stereo method removes interreflection on diffuse materials using multispectral-reflectance information and reconstructs 3D shapes with high accuracy. You can integrate this method into photometric-stereo systems by simply substituting the original camera with a multispectral camera.

EMG and kinematics analysis of the trunk and lower extremity during the sit-to-stand task while wearing shoes with different heel heights in healthy young women.

This study investigated the EMG characteristics and the kinematics of the trunk and lower extremity during the sit-to-stand (STS) task while wearing 1-, 4-, and 8-cm high-heeled shoes. We examined differences in the EMG data of the internal oblique, erector spinae, medial hamstring, and rectus femoris muscles during the STS task. The motion of the hip joint during an STS task was measured with a NorAngle Electrogoniometer System. Twelve young healthy women were recruited to this study. EMG characteristics and the hip joint angle were recorded during the performance of an STS task by subjects wearing high-heeled shoes of three different heel heights. The muscle onset time and EMG activity during this task were analyzed. In 8-cm high-heeled shoes, the onset time for the erector spinae muscle was significantly delayed, and the onset latency for the medial hamstring and the rectus femoris was significantly decreased. There was increased activity in the erector spinae and rectus femoris muscle during this task when wearing 8-cm high-heeled shoes. The initial hip flexion angle at the start point of the STS task did not differ among the 1-, 4-, and 8-cm heel-height conditions, but the trunk flexion angle, corresponding to the displacement between the peak hip flexion and initial hip flexion, was significantly larger in the 8-cm heel-height condition than in the 1- and 4-cm heel-height conditions. The findings suggest that excessive heel height has the potential to induce muscle imbalance during the STS task.

Muricauda olearia sp. nov., isolated from crude-oil-contaminated seawater, and emended description of the genus Muricauda.

A Gram-staining-negative, rod-shaped and non-motile bacterium, designated CL-SS4T, was isolated from crude-oil-contaminated seawater from the west coast of Korea and was investigated by means of a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Strain CL-SS4T grew optimally at 25-30 degrees C, at pH 6.8-7.7 and in the presence of 2-3% sea salts. The major fatty acids were iso-C17:0 3-OH, iso-C15:0 and iso-C15:1 G. The major isoprenoid quinone was MK-6. The DNA G+C content was 50.7 mol%. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain CL-SS4T revealed that it was a member of the genus Muricauda, sharing 95.7-96.9% sequence similarity with the type strains of Muricauda species and being most closely related to Muricauda aquimarina SW-63T. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences confirmed that strain CL-SS4T formed a deep lineage related to the genus Muricauda. Strain CL-SS4T was distinguishable from recognized Muricauda species on the basis of differential phenotypic characteristics and DNA G+C content. Based on these results, it is proposed that strain CL-SS4T represents a novel species of the genus Muricauda, for which the name Muricauda olearia sp. nov. is proposed. An emended description of the genus Muricauda is also proposed. The type strain is CL-SS4T (=KCCM 90075T=JCM 15563T).

Circular polarization memory effect in low-coherence enhanced backscattering of light.

We experimentally study the propagation of circularly polarized light in the subdiffusion regime by exploiting enhanced backscattering [(EBS), also known as coherent backscattering] of light under low spatial coherence illumination. We demonstrate for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, that a circular polarization memory effect exists in EBS over a large range of scatterers' sizes in this regime. We show that low-coherence EBS signals from the helicity preserving and orthogonal helicity channels cross over as the mean free path length of light in media varies, and that the cross point indicates the transition from multiple to double scattering in EBS.

Origin of low-coherence enhanced backscattering.

The origin of low-coherence enhanced backscattering (EBS) of light in random media when the spatial coherence length of illumination is much smaller than the transport mean free path has been poorly understood. We report that in weakly scattering discrete random media low-coherence EBS originates from time-reversed paths of double scattering. Low spatial coherence illumination dephases the time-reversed waves outside its finite coherence area, which isolates the minimal number of scattering events in EBS from higher-order scattering. Moreover, we show the first experimental evidence that the minimal number of scattering events in EBS is double scattering, which has been hypothesized since the first observation of EBS.