Biomedical Engineering

The purposes of the present study were to (1) investigate the effects of the arm movement and initial knee joint angle employed in standing long jump by the ground reaction force analysis and three-dimensional motion analysis; and (2) investigate how the jump performance of the female gender related to the body configuration. Thirty-four healthy adult females performed standing long jump on a force platform with full effort. Body segment and joint angles were analyzed by three-dimensional motion analysis system. Using kinetic and kinematic data, the trajectories on mass center of body, knee joint angle, magnitude of peak takeoff force, and impulse generation in preparing phase were calculated. Average standing long jump performances with free arm motion were +1.5 times above performance with restricted arm motion in both knee initial angles. The performances with knee 90° initial flexion were +1.2 times above performance with knee 45° initial flexion in free and restricted arm motio...

Recently, there are more people jogging with a treadmill at the gym or the home setting. The main available selected modes for treadmill jogging are speed and slope of incline. Increased speeds and incline slopes will not only increase the cardiopulmonary loading but may also alter the lower extremity (LE) movement patterns. There are few systematic investigations of the effect of the speed and incline on LE kinematics. Most studies have used 2D methods which focused on movements in sagittal plane only and this has limitations in the acquired data since lower extremity movements also include frontal and transverse planes. The current study aimed to investigate LE movement during jogging at different speeds and incline slopes using a high speed three-dimensional (3D) motion analysis system.Eighteen young healthy males were recruited. The video-based motion capture system with six CCD cameras, HIRES Expert Vision System (Motion Analysis Corporation, CA, USA), was used to collect kinem...

In Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, different serotypes have been described based on LPS antigenicity. Mixed infection with the different A. actinomycetemcomitans serotypes is frequent in periodontitis patients; accordingly, the role of this bacterial species in the pathogenesis of periodontitis may differ depending whether patients or periodontal lesions harbour one or more of the A. actinomycetemcomitans serotypes. We hypothesized that different combinations of these serotypes could be associated with distinct host responses and hence different inflammatory patterns. This investigation was aimed to assess whether the increased immuno-stimulatory potential attributed to the serotype b of A. actinomycetemcomitans on immune cells is able to be modified during co-infection with other A. actinomycetemcomitans serotypes. Dendritic cells (DCs) were obtained from healthy subjects and stimulated with the different A. actinomycetemcomitans serotypes or their purified LPS using the fol...

The aim of this in vitro study was to investigate the effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on the attachment, proliferation, differentiation and production of transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-β1) by human osteoblast-like cells (HOB). Cells derived from human mandibular bone were exposed to GaAlAs diodelaserat dosages of 1.5 or 3 J/cm2 and then seeded onto titanium discs. Nonirradiated cultures served as controls. After 1, 3 and 24 h, cells were stained and the attached cells were counted under a light microscope. In order to investigate the effect of LLLT on cell proliferation after 48, 72 and 96 h, cells were cultured on titanium specimens for 24 h and then exposed to laser irradiation for three consecutive days. Specific alkaline phosphatase activity and the ability of the cells to synthesize osteocalcin after 10 days were investigated using p-nitrophenylphosphate as a substrate and the ELSAOST-NAT immunoradiometric kit, respectively. Cellular production of TGF-β1 was measur...

Iron‐induced cardiac dysfunction is a leading cause of death in transfusion‐dependent anemia. MRI relaxation rates R2(1/T2) and R(1/T) accurately predict liver iron concentration, but their ability to predict cardiac iron has been challenged by some investigators. Studies in animal models support similar R2 and R behavior with heart and liver iron, but human studies are lacking. To determine the relationship between MRI relaxivities and cardiac iron, regional variations in R2 and R were compared with iron distribution in one freshly deceased, unfixed, iron‐loaded heart. R2 and R were proportionally related to regional iron concentrations and highly concordant with one another within the interventricular septum. A comparison of postmortem and in vitro measurements supports the notion that cardiac R should be assessed in the septum rather than the whole heart. These data, along with measurements from controls, provide bounds on MRI‐iron calibration curves in human heart and further su...

MRI is becoming an increasingly important tool to assess iron overload disorders, but the complex nature of proton–iron interactions has troubled noninvasive iron quantification. Intersite and intersequence variability as well as methodological inaccuracies have been limiting factors to its widespread clinical use. It is important to understand the underlying proton relaxation mechanisms within the (human) tissue environment to address these differences. In this respect, NMR relaxometry was performed on 10 fresh human liver biopsy specimens taken from patients with transfusion‐dependent anemia. T1 (1/R1) inversion recovery, T2 (1/R2) single echo, and multiecho T2 CPMG measurements were performed on a 60‐MHz Bruker Minispectrometer. NMR parameters were compared to quantitative iron levels and tissue histology. Relaxivities R1 and R2 both increased linearly with hepatic iron content, with R2 being more sensitive to iron. CPMG data were well described by a chemical‐exchange model and p...

Reliance on plant exudates is a relatively rare dietary specialization among mammals. One well-studied example of closely related exudate feeders is the New World marmosets and tamarins. Whereas marmosets actively gouge tree bark with their incisors to stimulate the flow of sap, tamarins are opportunistic exudate feeders that do not gouge bark. Several studies of the dentaries and jaw adductors indicate that marmosets exhibit specializations for increased gape at the expense of bite force. Few studies, however, have looked to the cranium of marmosets for evidence of functional specializations. Using 3D finite element models of the marmoset Callithrix jacchus and the tamarin Saguinus fuscicollis, we investigated the performance of the cranium under loading regimes that mimicked unilateral molar biting and bark-gouging. We investigated three measures of performance: the efficiency with which muscle force is transferred to bite force, the extent to which the models are stressed (a predictor of failure), and the work expended by muscles as they deform the skull (total strain energy). We found that during molar biting the two models exhibited similar levels of performance, though the Saguinus model had slightly higher mechanical efficiency, a slightly lower state of stress, and expended more energy on deformation. In contrast, under the bark-gouging load, Callithrix exhibited much higher mechanical efficiency than Saguinas, but did so at the expense of more work and higher levels of von Mises stress. This analysis illustrates that differences in the shapes of the skulls of Callithrix and Saguinus confer differences in performance. Whether these aspects of performance are targets of selection awaits broader comparative analyses.

Reliance on plant exudates is a relatively rare dietary specialization among mammals. One well-studied example of closely related exudate feeders is the New World marmosets and tamarins. Whereas marmosets actively gouge tree bark with their incisors to stimulate the flow of sap, tamarins are opportunistic exudate feeders that do not gouge bark. Several studies of the dentaries and jaw adductors indicate that marmosets exhibit specializations for increased gape at the expense of bite force. Few studies, however, have looked to the cranium of marmosets for evidence of functional specializations. Using 3D finite element models of the marmoset Callithrix jacchus and the tamarin Saguinus fuscicollis, we investigated the performance of the cranium under loading regimes that mimicked unilateral molar biting and bark-gouging. We investigated three measures of performance: the efficiency with which muscle force is transferred to bite force, the extent to which the models are stressed (a predictor of failure), and the work expended by muscles as they deform the skull (total strain energy). We found that during molar biting the two models exhibited similar levels of performance, though the Saguinus model had slightly higher mechanical efficiency, a slightly lower state of stress, and expended more energy on deformation. In contrast, under the bark-gouging load, Callithrix exhibited much higher mechanical efficiency than Saguinas, but did so at the expense of more work and higher levels of von Mises stress. This analysis illustrates that differences in the shapes of the skulls of Callithrix and Saguinus confer differences in performance. Whether these aspects of performance are targets of selection awaits broader comparative analyses.

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) of aerospace structures has received significant interest as a core component of Condition Based Maintenance (CBM). This paper examines the possibility of using an ultrasonic guided wave system for damage detection in thin metallic plates. Acousto-Ultrasonic methods based on high frequency structural vibrations using piezoelectric transducers (PZT) have been developed to perform damage detection on thin metallic structures.The fundamentalLamb wave modes (AO&SO) travel into the structure and are reflected by the structural boundaries, discontinuities, and damage.Thus the presence of defect in the structure can be determined by studying their propagation and reflection. Laboratory level experiments have been carried out on thin Aluminum plates with angular, horizontal and vertical defect. This study provides significant insight into the problem of identifying localized damages in the structure using PZT and dispersion of signal after they interact wi...

injuries. Frontal lobes (31.17%) and temporal To analyze characteristics of patients with bomb lobes (24.67%) of the brain were commonly blast head injuries in a tertiary care hospital of affected. The common complications were Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa, Pakistan. neurodeficit (52%), wound infection (13.6%), Patients and Methods cerebrospinal fluid leak (9.1%), epilepsy (5.8%) This observational study was conducted at the and post traumatic hydrocephalous (3.3%). department of Neurosurgery, Lady Reading Mortality rate was 11.7%. Hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan from January 2009 Conclusion to December 2010. We included all the patients Significant number of hospitalized patients with bomb blast head injuries who were exposed to explosion had head injuries. Young hospitalized, irrespective of their age and gender, males were mainly affected. Frontal and temporal and excluded those patients who died before lobes of the brain were the common sites of injury. hospitalization. Mortality rate in the hospitalized head injured Results patients was 11.7%. The common complications Out of a total of 2052 bomb blast victims treated in in surviving patients were neurodeficit and wound Lady Reading Hospital, 154 patients had head infections. (Rawal Med J 2012;37:417-420). trauma. Out of these 154 patients, 131 (85.1%) Keywords were male with the age range from 2 months to 70 Bomb blast injuries, warfare injuries, years. Common age groups affected were 2nd traumatic brain injury, penetrating brain and 3rd decades (24% and 29% respectively) of injuries. life. 14 % of these patients had severe head

Synovial hemangioma is a rare benign malformation of the synovium. It presents frequently in the knee with pain, tenderness, intermittent swelling and recurrent hemarthrosis. MRI can be helpful in diagnosis of synovial hemangioma. In this paper, we present a 45-year-old lady with chronic symptoms and obscure clinical symptoms for 35 years which finally diagnosed and managed arthroscopically as synovial hemangioma of the knee. The patient`s complaints resolved efficiently with no recurrence after one year.

To determine the normal angular ranges of the lateral spinal alignments in the lumbar and sacral regions. This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Kilis State Hospital, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey, from February to August 2017, and comprised patients aged 18-27 years who underwent standardised standing lateral lumbar radiography to eliminate hip and low back disorders. All radiographs were obtained from the hospital database as well as the demographic and contact information of each subject. Patients were invited for an interview and physical examination. Standard standing lateral radiographs of the lumbar spine were obtained from those who had no complaint of back pain and/or lower back problems. Sacro-horizontal angle, lumbosacral joint angle and sacral inclination angle were measured on the radiographic images. SPSS 22 was used to analyse data. Of the 150 subjects evaluated, 80(53.33%) were women and 70(46.77) were men. There was no statistic...

Deep tissue imaging has become state of the art in biology, but now the problem is to quantify spatial information in a global, organ-wide context. Although access to the raw data is no longer a limitation, the computational tools to extract biologically useful information out of these large data sets is still catching up. In many cases, to understand the mechanism behind a biological process, where molecules or cells interact with each other, it is mandatory to know their mutual positions. We illustrate this principle here with the immune system. Although the general functions of lymph nodes as immune sentinels are well described, many cellular and molecular details governing the interactions of lymphocytes and dendritic cells remain unclear to date and prevent an in-depth mechanistic understanding of the immune system. We imagedex vivolymph nodes isolated from both wild-type and transgenic mice lacking key factors for dendritic cell positioning and used software written in MATLAB ...

In this work, we investigated the protein adsorption on the end-tethered thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) brushes with varying grafted layer thickness prepared via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) on initiator-immobilized silicon surfaces. The thickness of a grafted layer was modulated by adjusting reaction time and/or solvent composition. The surface properties as a function of thickness were investigated by water contact angle, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscope (AFM). The influence of PNIPAAmgrafted layer thickness on human serum albumin (HSA) adsorption in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) (pH 7.4) at different temperature was evaluated using a radiolabeling method. In a lower thickness range (<15 nm), protein adsorption on PNIPAAm-grafted layer shows a thermoresponsive change in a certain extent, but the variation is not remarkable. However, it is interesting to observe that these surfaces exhibit good protein-resistant property. For the surface with a PNIPAAm thickness of 13.4 nm, the HSA adsorption level measured at room temperature was ∼7 ng/cm 2 , corresponding to a reduction of 97% compared to the unmodified silicon surface. For thicker PNIPAAm-grafted surface with thickness of 38.1 nm, the adsorption results of three proteins (HSA, fibrinogen, and lysozyme) with different sizes and charges indicate that the PNIPAAm-modified surface exhibits a size-sensitive property of protein adsorption.

Degeneracy is a ubiquitous property of complex adaptive systems, which refers to the ability of structurally different components to perform the same function in some conditions, and different functions in other conditions [1]. This work is based on the hypothesis supposing a causal link between the level of degeneracy in the system and the strength of long-range correlations in its behavior [2]. In this experiment, we manipulated degeneracy through accuracy constraints: we supposed that accuracy constraints should reduce the number of relevant behavioral solutions, and thus decrease degeneracy in the system involved in the production of performance. Additionally, we hypothesized that accuracy constraints should have a selective effect on variables directly affected by accuracy, but not on other variables. Participants performed a reciprocal aiming task, with 3 levels of difficulty differing only in target size (Figure 1, left). They performed 512 successive reciprocal pointings, an...

PurposeTo investigate the energy dependence/spectral sensitivity of silicon diodes designed for small‐field dosimetry and obtain response factors (RFs) for arbitrary photon spectra using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations.MethodsThe EGSnrc user‐code DOSRZnrc was used to calculate the dose deposition in water and in the active volume of a stereotactic diode field detector (SFD). Then, the RFs of the SFD were calculated for several circular field sizes and energies at 5 cm depth in water. Several low‐energy photon spectra (mean energy 55 to 200 keV), as well as Co‐60 radiation (mean energy 1.25 MeV) and a 6 MV Elekta Synergy beam (mean energy 2.9 MeV), in 10 × 10 cm2 field size were used to validate the MC calculations, using a simple beam model. The RFs of the SFD detector for a 6 MV Elekta Synergy linac photon beam in different field sizes were calculated. These were also measured with EBT3 Gafchromic film and the SFD detector.ResultsFor the reference field size, differences between measu...

Background: Small photon fields are increasingly used in modern radiotherapy especially in intensity modulated radia on therapy (IMRT) and stereotac c radiosurgery (SRS) treatments. Accurate beam profile and central axis depth doses measurements of such beams are complicated due to the electron disequilibrium. Hence the EBT2 (external beam therapy) Gafchromic film was used for dosimetry of small circular photon beams because of its high spa al resolu on. The results of EBT2 film were compared with PinPoint measurements and Monte Carlo calcula ons. Materials and Methods: Four small field sizes (5, 10, 20 and 30 mm diameters) were produced by circular cones coupled to a Varian Clinac-2100 linear accelerator at 6MV photon beam energy. Experimental measurements were carried out using two dosimeters: The Gafchromic EBT2 film and the 0.015 cm 3 PinPoint ioniza on chamber (PTW, type 31006). The EGSnrc/BEAMnrc code was used to calculate dosimetric parameters for the above small fields. Results: The results showed that the PDD values measured by EBT2 film had maximum local differences 4% and 3% with PinPoint measurements and MC calcula ons respec vely. The measurements of penumbra (80-20%) at 5 cm depth in a water phantom and SSD=100 cm by EBT2 film were up to 0.8 and 0.4 mm smaller than PinPoint measurements and MC calcula on respec vely. Our results show good agreement between EBT2 film measurements and MC calcula on for small field output factors but PinPoint measurements need correc on factors. This study showed that the Gafchromic EBT2 film is suitable detector for small field dosimetry especially for penumbra and output factor measurements.

Biphasic ceramic samples of different biological reactivity are prepared by using hydroxyapatite (HAp) and tricalcium phosphate (TCP) in various ratios. Different parameters for sintering in an air atmosphere furnace were defined after dilatometric studies. An increased densification with decreased TCP content was observed. The sintered bodies were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The dissolution kinetics and in vitro reactivity were investigated using simulated body fluid (SBF) at 37 8C for a maximum period of 3 weeks. The surfaces of the ceramics were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and SEM in order to observe the formation of a calcium phosphate layer, which indicates the samples bioactivity. Dissolution in SBF demonstrated that layers with different kinetics on the samples surface were formed during the immersion period. The biphasic ceramics show bioactive behavior, even if the resorbable TCP is incorporated.

In July 1992 a 30 MeV high current (maximum proton current: 400 micro A) H - -ion medical cyclotron Cyclone30 (IBA Belgium) has been installed at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPAH), the prime teaching hospital of University of Sydney, jointly operated by ANSTO (Australian Nuclear ...

In the recent years, various computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) esthetic materials have been introduced, enabling the fabrication of monolithic restorations in a single patient visit. Among the materials are zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate ceramic, polymerinfiltrated ceramic, and nanofilled composite resin. Many of the aspects involving these materials have been reported. 1-10 However, little is known about how their surface behaves in the presence of extrinsic (dietary) and intrinsic (gastric juice) acidic substances. Regardless of its origin, the acid attacks the surface of the tooth, changing its structure over time. The gastric juice produced a more severe degradation of dental structures than dietary acids. Gastric juice can reach the oral cavity as a result of bulimia nervosa, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or prolonged severe nausea during pregnancy. Although the information regarding the prevalence of bulimia nervosa is limited, eating disorders have the greatest prevalence in women in adolescence or early adulthood. The prevalence of GERD has been reported to be between 10% and 20% in Western countries and less than 5% in Supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) (grant 2016/09628-0).

In the recent years, various computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) esthetic materials have been introduced, enabling the fabrication of monolithic restorations in a single patient visit. Among the materials are zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate ceramic, polymerinfiltrated ceramic, and nanofilled composite resin. Many of the aspects involving these materials have been reported. 1-10 However, little is known about how their surface behaves in the presence of extrinsic (dietary) and intrinsic (gastric juice) acidic substances. Regardless of its origin, the acid attacks the surface of the tooth, changing its structure over time. The gastric juice produced a more severe degradation of dental structures than dietary acids. Gastric juice can reach the oral cavity as a result of bulimia nervosa, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or prolonged severe nausea during pregnancy. Although the information regarding the prevalence of bulimia nervosa is limited, eating disorders have the greatest prevalence in women in adolescence or early adulthood. The prevalence of GERD has been reported to be between 10% and 20% in Western countries and less than 5% in Supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) (grant 2016/09628-0).

This work describes a hysteroscopy surgery management application that was designed based on the medical information standard SNOMED. We describe how the application fulfils the needs of this procedure and the way in which existing handwritten medical information is effectively transmitted to the application&#39;s database.

Bio-active bi-layer thin film having both bio-adhesive and non-adhesive end composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and gelatin/chitosan/polyethylene glycol (PEG) blend was developed for biomedical applications especially as an alternative of advanced tissue scaffold. The developed composite film was subjected to mechanical, thermal and physico-chemical characterization such as tensile strength (TS) and elongation at break (Eb), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), fluid drainage capacity and biocompatibility. Suitable packaging was also selected and stability study and aging test of the composite film were performed after packing. The incorporation of chitosan and PEG into gelatin showed improved mechanical properties of both TS and Eb, which suggested the occurrence of interaction among gelatin, chitosan and PEG molecules in the composite film. The presence of crosslinking as an interaction of above three polymers was also confirmed by FTIR study. Results from the DSC study suggested increased thermal stability after crosslinking. On the other hand, water uptake studies suggested excellent fluid drainage capability and hydro-stability of the composite film. The proposed dressing also showed excellent biocompatibility. Based on the studies related to the performance with confirmed identity, we concluded that our developed bi-layer film is very potential as an ideal wound dressing material.

A bio-adhesive single layer wound dressing was prepared by solution casting and its characteristics were measured with the help of different techniques. Using a Universal Testing Machine, the tensile strength (TS) and the percentage elongation at break (Eb) for the single layer bandage were respectively found to be 2.49 MPa and 99.15%. We investigated the absorption behavior of this dressing into the body fluid such as water and blood serum by taking neutron radiographs at different immersion times. Furthermore, the presence of Ca, Sr, and Fe was found in the bandage using XRF technique. A scanning electron micrograph and neutron radiographs of the wound dressing disclosed its uniformity and uniform porosity, which are essential criteria for an ideal wound dressing. The solubility rate of the dressing into blood serum is lower than into water at different immersion times.

Objective To create a model of chronic heart failure in a large animal. Methods Heart failure was induced in sheep by single intracoronary injection of polymer macrobeads, which were administered into left main coronary artery (n=3) or selectively into left anterior descending (n=4) or left circumflex (n=5) coronary artery. The animals were followed by echocardigraphy for 20 weeks. Measurements comprised fractional area change (FAC), and diastolic ventricular area (EDVA) and regional wall-thickening fraction (WT%). Results EDVA increased from 14.2±2.1 cm2 prior to embolization to 16.9±3.1 cm2 on day 1 (p&lt;0.05), and remained significantly increased until completion of the follow-up period. FAC dropped from 47.9±4.6% at baseline to 29.3±4.4% on day 1 (p&lt;0.001) and remained significantly depressed until 20 weeks later. In 9 selectively embolized animals WT% of the embolized area decreased from 33.8±8.0% at baseline to 5.3±2.6% on day 1 and remained significantly decreased. Conclu...

The occupational exposure to methylmethacrylate (MMA) vapor during percutaneous vertebroplasty was determined. During five vertebroplasty procedures, air-sampling pumps were attached to medical personnel. MMA vapor levels in the samples were then quantified using gas chromatography. The samples collected yielded MMA vapor levels of less than five parts per million (ppm). The MMA vapor concentrations measured were well below the recommended maximum exposure of 100 ppm over the course of an 8-hour workday.

For several decades, there has been a strong interest in biomechanical research into estimating the demands placed on the low back during lifting tasks. As such, several models have been developed for that purpose. These models range in terms of complexity both in the model and within the analyzed task, depending on their purpose and intended use, e.g. field versus laboratory study. Inertial parameters of body segments are required, and these parameters may affect the accuracy of the results [1], particularly in the case of hands-down models that include the trunk. Researchers have established relationships to predict segment length and mass, position of segment centre of mass, based on total body height and mass [2, 3, 4]. Static models have been developed to determine the loads on the spine during a task based on postural information from video recordings taken in the field. Such models also use estimated anthropometric values (e.g. segment length) to approximate the moment arms r...

Calcification of the skin (calciphylaxis) induced by the subcutaneous administration of iron chloride to dihydrotachysterol (DttT)-sensitized rats is preceded by the selective deposition of iron (visible with electron microscopic techniques) on the surface of collagen fibrils. Electron probe X-ray microanalysis indicates that the injection of iron alone suffices to increase local concentrations of calcium and phosphorus; however, apatite formation occurs only in animals pretreated with DHT. The amount and degree of crystallinity of the inorganic material is very similar on the sixth and thirtieth day after the beginning of the experiment.

Computing power has changed direction the past few years. In the past, chip manufacturers designed faster and faster processors (CPUs), but they reached the theoretical limit of that method. This is how the multiple-core CPU in today's computers came to be. A multi-core CPU is essentially the same as having multiple CPUs. SAS® 9 can take advantage of these cores in several different ways. This paper will explain how to use multi-core processing to your advantage. In addition it will demonstrate the pros and cons of the various techniques available under Windows, and when to use them.

Computing power has changed direction the past few years. In the past, chip manufacturers designed faster and faster processors (CPUs), but they reached the theoretical limit of that method. This is how the multiple-core CPU in today’s computers came to be. A multi-core CPU is essentially the same as having multiple CPUs. SAS® 9 can take advantage of these cores in several different ways. This paper will explain how to use multi-core processing to your advantage. In addition it will demonstrate the pros and cons of the various techniques available under Windows, and when to use them.

Thermo-gelling injectable nanogels, with no burst release of loaded drug, were prepared by a simple route by combining self assembled nanocapsules of amphiphilically modified chitosan with glycerophosphate di-sodium salt and glycerol. The potential as a depot drug delivery system was demonstrated in vivo through the therapeutic effect of ethosuximide (ESM) loaded nanogels, suppressing spike wave discharges (SWDs) in Long Evan rat model. Simultaneously clearance of gels from the site of administration was monitored noninvasively using MRI. The gel structure was characterized using TEM and SEM, confirming the gels to be an assembly of nanocapsules and using two-photon microscopy to visualize the network structure. In vitro drug release studies using ESM revealed that the nanogels exhibited extended, mostly Fickian release. Finally, all investigated formulations displayed excellent cytotoxicity data determined by MTT assay using human retinal pigmented epithelium cells. All presented properties are highly desirable for injectable depot gels for drug delivery.

The α3(V) chain is poorly characterized among type V collagen chains. Pro-α3(V) collagen is expressed in newly synthesized bone as well as in the superficial fascia of developing muscle. Present study examined the expression in a mouse model of wound healing. Real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridization revealed transient expression of pro-α3(V) chain at a lower level than other fibrillar collagen genes after injury. Immunohistochemistry showed a similar expression pattern in the injured skin. In addition, electron microscopy showed that pro-α3(V) chain was localized in the amorphous nonfibrillar region, but not in fine or dense fibrils. The pro-α3(V) chain co-localized with heparan sulfate, which appeared in the skin after injury and might bind via an acidic segment of the pro-α3(V) chain. The matrix containing the pro-α3(V) chain may therefore be needed for the initiation of wound healing.

The most important elements of the eye in immunity are cornea, aqueous humour, choroid, retina, conjunctiva and lacrimal gland. Among immune reactions in the eye one can enumerate innate, as well as adaptive mechanisms, with the special attention to local immunity systems in the eye, such as conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue (CALT), lacrimal drainage-associated lymphoid tissue (LDALT) or eye-associated lymphoid tissue (EALT).

This paper considers modelling atherogenesis, the initiation of atherosclerosis, as an inflammatory instability. Motivated by the disease paradigm articulated by Russell Ross, atherogenesis is viewed as an inflammatory spiral with positive feedback loop involving key cellular and chemical species interacting and reacting within the intimal layer of muscular arteries. The inflammation is modelled through a system of non-linear reaction–diffusion–convection partial differential equations. The inflammatory spiral is initiated as an instability from a healthy state which is defined to be an equilibrium state devoid of certain key inflammatory markers. Disease initiation is studied through a linear, asymptotic stability analysis of a healthy equilibrium state. Various theorems are proved giving conditions on system parameters guaranteeing stability of the health state and conditions on system parameters leading to instability. Among the questions addressed in the analysis is the possible...

This work is devoted to a first exploration of Mueller polarimetric imaging for the detection of residual cancer after neoadjuvant treatment for the rectum. Three samples of colorectal carcinomas treated by radiochemotherapy together with one untreated sample are analyzed ex vivo before fixation in formalin by using a multispectral Mueller polarimetric imaging system operated from 500 to 700 nm. The Mueller images, analyzed using the Lu-Chipmann decomposition, show negligible diattenuation and retardation. The nonirradiated rectum exhibits a variation of depolarization with cancer evolution stage. At all wavelengths on irradiated samples, the contrast between the footprint of the initial tumor and surrounding healthy tissue is found to be much smaller for complete tumor regression than when a residual tumor is present, even at volume fractions of the order of 5%. This high sensitivity is attributed to the modification of stromal collagen induced by the cancer. The depolarization contrast between treated cancer and healthy tissue is found to increase monotonously with the volume fraction of residual cancer in the red part of the spectrum. Polarimetric imaging is a promising technique for detecting short-time small residual cancers, which is valuable information for pathological diagnosis and patient management by clinicians.

Healthy human colon samples were analyzed ex vivo with a multispectral imaging Mueller polarimeter operating from 500 to 700 nm in a backscattering configuration with diffuse light illumination impinging on the innermost tissue layer, the mucosa. The intensity and polarimetric responses were taken on whole tissues first and after progressive exfoliation of the outer layers afterwards. Moreover, these measurements were carried out with two different substrates (one bright and the other dark) successively placed beneath each sample, allowing a reasonably accurate evaluation of the contributions to the overall backscattered light by the various layers. For the shorter investigated wavelengths (500 to 550 nm) the major contribution comes from mucosa and submucosa, while for the longer wavelengths (650 to 700 nm) muscular tissue and fat also contribute significantly. The depolarization has also been studied and is found to be stronger in the red part of the spectrum, mainly due to the highly depolarizing power of the muscular and fat layers.

This paper reports a technique based on spectrally differential measurement for determining the full Mueller matrix of a biological sample through an optical fiber. In this technique, two close wavelengths were used simultaneously, one for characterizing the fiber and the other for characterizing the assembly of fiber and sample. The characteristics of the fiber measured at one wavelength were used to decouple its contribution from the measurement on the assembly of fiber and sample and then to extract sample Mueller matrix at the second wavelength. The proof of concept was experimentally validated by measuring polarimetric parameters of various calibrated optical components through the optical fiber. Then, polarimetric images of histological cuts of human colon tissues were measured, and retardance, diattenuation, and orientation of the main axes of fibrillar regions were displayed. Finally, these images were successfully compared with images obtained by a free space Mueller micros...

3 O 4 -rGO) were applied to modify the electrode to achieve the amplification of electrochemical signal. TB-Au-Fe 3 O 4 -rGO includes the advantages of graphene, ferroferric oxide nanoparticles (Fe 3 O 4 NPs), gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) and toluidine blue (TB). As a kind of redox probe, TB can produce the electrochemical signal. Graphene owns large specific surface area, high electrical conductivity and good adsorption property to load a large number of TB. Fe 3 O 4 NPs have good electrocatalytic performance towards the redox of TB. Au NPs have good biocompatibility to capture the antibodies. Due to the good electrochemical performance of TB-Au-Fe 3 O 4 -rGO, the effective and sensitive detection of AFP was achieved by the designed electrochemical immunosensor. Under optimal conditions, the designed immunosensor exhibited a wide linear range from 1.0 × 10 -5 ng/mL to 10.0 ng/mL with a low detection limit of 2.7 fg/mL for AFP. It also displayed good electrochemical performance including good reproducibility, selectivity and stability, which would provide potential applications in the clinical diagnosis of other tumor markers. Alpha fetoprotein (AFP) is a tumor-associated fetal protein produced by the fetal liver and yolk sac 1 . The expressional level of AFP is highly elevated in hepatocellular carcinoma 2,3 . Therefore, AFP has been considered as one of the most important tumor markers in diagnosing and targeting of hepatocellular carcinoma 4 . A number of methods have been proposed for the quantitative detection of AFP, such as electrochemical immunoassay 5 , photoelectrochemical immunoassay 6 , fluoresencent immunoassay 7 , chemiluminescent immunoassay 8 and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) 9 , etc. Compared with other methods, the electrochemical immunosensor has many advantages such as economical, sensitive, portable and simple-to-operate . As a star among two-dimensional nanomaterials, graphene has attracted tremendous research interest in the field of electrochemistry due to their intrinsic properties, including the electronic, optical, and mechanical properties associated with their planar structure . In general, the large specific surface area and the high electrical conductivity are the two key factors to promote the application of graphene in electrochemical immunosensors. For example, Tian et al. have developed chemically functionalized Ag/Au nanoparticles coated on graphene for the detection of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in clinical immunoassay . And Thavarungkul et al. have developed and tested a novel highly sensitive electrochemical immunosensor based on Au nanoparticles-graphene-chitosan nanocomposites 17 . Therefore, graphene-based electrochemical immunosensor can achieve a high sensitivity and a good stability . In addition, graphene has another advantage of the good adsorption property , which is seldom developed and used in electrochemical immunosensors.

The design of array antenna is vital study for today’s Wireless communication system to achieve higher gain, highly directional beam and also to counteract the effect of fading while signal propagates through various corrupted environments. In this paper, the design and analysis of a 2x4 microstrip patch antenna array is introduced and a rat-race coupler is incorporated. The antenna array is designed to function in the C-band and is used to receive signals from the telemetry link of an Unmanned Air Vehicle. The transmitter in the aircraft radiates two other directional beams adjacent to the main lobe, called the left lobe (L) and the right lobe (R). The rat race coupler generates the sum and difference patterns by adding and subtracting the left lobe signals with the right lobe signals respectively to generate L+R and L-R signals. The array of square patch antenna provides frequency close to the designed operating frequency with an acceptable Directivity and Gain. The proposed anten...