160 research outputs found
Fluorescent Si QD decoration onto a flexible polymeric electrospun nanofibrous mat for the colorimetric sensing of TNT
UV range light was used for the facile, effective and large-scale synthesis of visible light emitting, surface-protected silicon quantum dots (Si QDs) starting from an amine-functionalized alkoxy silane precursor. Within mild and easy hydrolysis/condensation environments, the use of an amine-functionalized precursor together with a reducing agent resulted in a bright visible green light that could be used for fluorescent analytical detection systems. Visible light emitting Si QDs were investigated and it was found that their emission character depends on the illumination time, hydrolysis/condensation conditions and pretreatments for the silane coupling agents. A Nylon 6,6 electrospun nanofibrous mat was selected as a substrate for decoration by the Si QDs in order to fabricate a flexible and free-standing polymeric nanofibrous mat posessing a visible light emitting character so that it could act as a visible colorimetric sensor. The visible light emitting Si QDs were decorated onto the Nylon 6,6 nanofibrous mats via covering the surfaces as a ‘nanodress’ by a simple impregnation/dip-coating and heat-curing methods. The analytical results revealed that the Si QDs decorated flexible polymeric nanofibrous mats could be utilized for colorimetric trinitrotoluene (TNT) detection in low concentrations. © The Royal Society of Chemistry
Superhydrophobic, Hybrid, Electrospun Cellulose Acetate Nanofibrous Mats for Oil/Water Separation by Tailored Surface Modification
Electrospun cellulose acetate nanofibers (CA-NF) have been modified with perfluoro alkoxysilanes (FS/CA-NF) for tailoring their chemical and physical features aiming oil-water separation purposes. Strikingly, hybrid FS/CA-NF showed that perfluoro groups are rigidly positioned on the outer surface of the nanofibers providing superhydrophobic characteristic with a water contact angle of ∼155°. Detailed analysis showed that hydrolysis/condensation reactions led to the modification of the acetylated β(1 → 4) linked d-glucose chains of CA transforming it into a superhydrophobic nanofibrous mat. Analytical data have revealed that CA-NF surfaces can be selectively controlled for fabricating the durable, robust and water resistant hybrid electrospun nanofibrous mat. The -OH groups available on the CA structure allowed the basic sol-gel reactions started by the reactive FS hybrid precursor system which can be monitored by spectroscopic analysis. Since alkoxysilane groups on the perfluoro silane compound are capable of reacting for condensation together with the CA, superhydrophobic nanofibrous mat is obtained via electrospinning. This structural modification led to the facile fabrication of the novel oil/water nanofibrous separator which functions effectively demonstrated by hexane/oil and water separation experiments. Perfluoro groups consequently modified the hydrophilic CA nanofibers into superhydrophobic character and therefore FS/CA-NF could be quite practical for future applications like water/oil separators, as well as self-cleaning or water resistant nanofibrous structures. © 2016 American Chemical Society
Salient point region covariance descriptor for target tracking
Cataloged from PDF version of article.Features extracted at salient points are used to construct a
region covariance descriptor (RCD) for target tracking. In the classical
approach, the RCD is computed by using the features at each pixel
location, which increases the computational cost in many cases. This
approach is redundant because image statistics do not change significantly
between neighboring image pixels. Furthermore, this redundancy
may decrease tracking accuracy while tracking large targets because statistics
of flat regions dominate region covariance matrix. In the proposed
approach, salient points are extracted via the Shi and Tomasi’s minimum
eigenvalue method over a Hessian matrix, and the RCD features extracted
only at these salient points are used in target tracking. Experimental
results indicate that the salient point RCD scheme provides comparable
and even better tracking results compared to a classical RCD-based
approach, scale-invariant feature transform, and speeded-up robust
features-based trackers while providing a computationally more efficient
structure. © 2013 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) [DOI: 10
.1117/1.OE.52.2.027207
Noise Reduction in Photoacoustic Imaging using Wavelet Transform
Fotoakustik mikroskop (Photoacoustic Microscopy, PAM)
fotoakustik etki temeline dayanan ve son yıllarda
geliştirilmeye başlayan hibrid bir görüntüleme tekniğidir.
Optik kontrastı akustik olarak algılayan sistem yapısı
sayesinde optik difüzyon sınırının ötesinde derin bir
görüntülemeyi yüksek çözünürlükle sunabilmektedir. PAM
sistemi ile görüntülemede kaydedilen sinyaller, sistem
bileşenleri ve çevresel etkilerle gürültüye maruz kalmaktadır.
Yapılan çalışmanın ilk aşamasında akustik dalga denkleminin
çözümüyle oluşturulan akustik sinyal üzerine belirli oranlarda
sentetik gürültüler eklenmiştir. Gürültülü sinyallere farklı ana
dalgacıklar kullanılarak ayrık dalgacık dönüşümü ile
filtreleme işlemi uygulanmış ve filtreleme performansının
değerlendirilmesi için sinyaller üzerinde gürültü metrikleri
hesaplanmıştır. İkinci aşamada, ilk aşamada elde edilen
veriler doğrultusunda PA sinyallerin filtrelenmesi için uygun
ana dalgacıklar seçilmiş filtrelenen sinyaller ile görüntüler
oluşturularak, görüntüler üzerinde gürültü metrikleri
incelenmiÅŸtir // Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) is a hybrid imaging
technique based on the photoacoustic effect and which has
begun to develop in recent years. Thanks to the system
structure that senses the optical contrast acoustically, it is
able to present deep imaging with high resolution beyond the
optical diffusion limit. Signals recorded in imaging with the
PAM system are exposed to noise by system components and
environmental effectcs. In the first stage of the work, a
synthetic noise is added at a certain rate on the acoustic
signal generated by the solution of the acoustic wave
equation. Noisy signals are filtered using discrete wavelet
transforms using different main wavelets and noise metrics
are calculated on the signals to evaluate the filtering
performance. In the second step, the noise metrics are
examined on the images by generating the images with the
filtered wavelet signals, which are suitable for filtering the
PA signals in the direction of the data obtained in the first
stage
Finite temperature quantum simulation of stabilizer Hamiltonians
We present a scheme for robust finite temperature quantum simulation of
stabilizer Hamiltonians. The scheme is designed for realization in a physical
system consisting of a finite set of neutral atoms trapped in an addressable
optical lattice that are controllable via 1- and 2-body operations together
with dissipative 1-body operations such as optical pumping. We show that these
minimal physical constraints suffice for design of a quantum simulation scheme
for any stabilizer Hamiltonian at either finite or zero temperature. We
demonstrate the approach with application to the abelian and non-abelian toric
codes.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figure
A novel fiber laser development for photoacoustic microscopy
Photoacoustic microscopy, as an imaging modality, has shown promising results in imaging angiogenesis and cutaneous malignancies like melanoma, revealing systemic diseases including diabetes, hypertension, tracing drug efficiency and assessment of therapy, monitoring healing processes such as wound cicatrization, brain imaging and mapping. Clinically, photoacoustic microscopy is emerging as a capable diagnostic tool. Parameters of lasers used in photoacoustic microscopy, particularly, pulse duration, energy, pulse repetition frequency, and pulse-to-pulse stability affect signal amplitude and quality, data acquisition speed and indirectly, spatial resolution. Lasers used in photoacoustic microscopy are typically Q-switched lasers, low-power laser diodes, and recently, fiber lasers. Significantly, the key parameters cannot be adjusted independently of each other, whereas microvasculature and cellular imaging, e.g., have different requirements. Here, we report an integrated fiber laser system producing nanosecond pulses, covering the spectrum from 600 nm to 1100 nm, developed specifically for photoacoustic excitation. The system comprises of Yb-doped fiber oscillator and amplifier, an acousto-optic modulator and a photonic-crystal fiber to generate supercontinuum. Complete control over the pulse train, including generation of non-uniform pulse trains, is achieved via the AOM through custom-developed field-programmable gate-array electronics. The system is unique in that all the important parameters are adjustable: pulse duration in the range of 1-3 ns, pulse energy up to 10 μJ, repetition rate from 50 kHz to 3 MHz. Different photocoustic imaging probes can be excited with the ultrabroad spectrum. The entire system is fiber-integrated; guided-beam-propagation rendersit misalignment free and largely immune to mechanical perturbations. The laser is robust, low-cost and built using readily available components. © 2013 Copyright SPIE
Clinicopathologic features of incidental prostatic adenocarcinoma in radical cystoprostatectomy specimens
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of this study is to review all features of incidentally discovered prostate adenocarcinoma in patients undergoing radical cystoprostatectomy for bladder cancer.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The medical charts of 300 male patients who underwent radical cystoprostatectomy for bladder cancer between 1997 and 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. The mean age of the patients was 62 (range 51-75) years.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Prostate adenocarcinoma was present in 60 (20%) of 300 specimens. All were acinar adenocarcinoma. Of these, 40 (66.7%) were located in peripheral zone, 20 (33.3%) had pT2a tumor, 12 (20%) had pT2b tumor, 22(36.7%) had pT2c and, 6 (10%) had pT3a tumor. Gleason score was 6 or less in 48 (80%) patients. Surgical margins were negative in 54 (90%) patients, and tumor volume was less than 0.5 cc in 23 (38.3%) patients. Of the 60 incidentally detected cases of prostate adenocarcinoma 40 (66.7%) were considered clinically significant.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Incidentally detected prostate adenocarcinoma is frequently observed in radical cystoprostatectomy specimens. The majority are clinically significant.</p
Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study
Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p<0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p<0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised
Global overview of the management of acute cholecystitis during the COVID-19 pandemic (CHOLECOVID study)
Background: This study provides a global overview of the management of patients with acute cholecystitis during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: CHOLECOVID is an international, multicentre, observational comparative study of patients admitted to hospital with acute cholecystitis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data on management were collected for a 2-month study interval coincident with the WHO declaration of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and compared with an equivalent pre-pandemic time interval. Mediation analysis examined the influence of SARS-COV-2 infection on 30-day mortality. Results: This study collected data on 9783 patients with acute cholecystitis admitted to 247 hospitals across the world. The pandemic was associated with reduced availability of surgical workforce and operating facilities globally, a significant shift to worse severity of disease, and increased use of conservative management. There was a reduction (both absolute and proportionate) in the number of patients undergoing cholecystectomy from 3095 patients (56.2 per cent) pre-pandemic to 1998 patients (46.2 per cent) during the pandemic but there was no difference in 30-day all-cause mortality after cholecystectomy comparing the pre-pandemic interval with the pandemic (13 patients (0.4 per cent) pre-pandemic to 13 patients (0.6 per cent) pandemic; P = 0.355). In mediation analysis, an admission with acute cholecystitis during the pandemic was associated with a non-significant increased risk of death (OR 1.29, 95 per cent c.i. 0.93 to 1.79, P = 0.121). Conclusion: CHOLECOVID provides a unique overview of the treatment of patients with cholecystitis across the globe during the first months of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The study highlights the need for system resilience in retention of elective surgical activity. Cholecystectomy was associated with a low risk of mortality and deferral of treatment results in an increase in avoidable morbidity that represents the non-COVID cost of this pandemic
Contemporary Management of Locally Advanced and Recurrent Rectal Cancer: Views from the PelvEx Collaborative
Pelvic exenteration is a complex operation performed for locally advanced and recurrent pelvic cancers. The goal of surgery is to achieve clear margins, therefore identifying adjacent or involved organs, bone, muscle, nerves and/or vascular structures that may need resection. While these extensive resections are potentially curative, they can be associated with substantial morbidity. Recently, there has been a move to centralize care to specialized units, as this facilitates better multi-disciplinary care input. Advancements in pelvic oncology and surgical innovation have redefined the boundaries of pelvic exenterative surgery. Combined with improved neoadjuvant therapies, advances in diagnostics, and better reconstructive techniques have provided quicker recovery and better quality of life outcomes, with improved survival This article provides highlights of the current management of advanced pelvic cancers in terms of surgical strategy and potential future developments
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