High Selectivity Boolean Olfaction Using Hollow-Core Wavelength-Scalable Bragg Fibers

Cataloged from PDF version of article.A new odorant detection scheme, based on infrared absorption of volatile organics inside an optofluidic channel array, is discussed in terms of its selectivity. The sensor unit of the array is a hollow core Bragg fiber that selectively (spectrally) guides an incident continuum radiation. The presence of infrared absorbing molecules in the channel results in the quenching of the otherwise transmitted signal. Each fiber unit in the array is designed and fabricated so that it is sensitive to specific chemical bonds and the bond environment, but at the same time, each fiber is also broadly sensitive to a large number of chemicals due to their infrared absorbance spectra. The cumulative array response data, using an appropriate threshold, enable selective binary sampling of the infrared fingerprint of hundreds of molecules. The selectivity of the system is quantitatively investigated with computer simulations and found to be exponentially increasing with the number of fibers in the array. Relatively simple data analysis using binary logic combined with the high selectivity of the novel scheme paves the way for ubiquitous application of electronic noses in toxic gas detection, food quality control, environmental monitoring, and breath analysis for disease diagnostics

Pneumoconiosis in dental technicians: HRCT and pulmonary function findings

PMID = 2473989

The effects of PPAR? and PPAR? agonists on proteinuria and oxidative stress in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objectives: In diabetes mellitus, renal-cardiovascular complications are important public health problems. We aimed to evaluate the effect of pioglitazone and fenofibrate, as PPAR agonists, on proteinuria and oxidative stress in diabetic patients. Patients and methods: 60 type 2 diabetic patients were included in this study. 15 patients with HbA1c7 and triglyceride350 mg/dl and HbA1c7 and triglyceride>350 mg/dl (GD). Biochemical tests, serum total oxidative status, paraoxonase-1 enzyme activity, C-reactive protein (CRP), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and spot urine protein/creatinine were measured at baseline (1), the 6th week (2) and the 12th week (3). The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was also calculated. Results: In GB and GD, glucose (1) and HbA1c (1) were higher than glucose (2,3) and HbA1c (2,3) (p<0.05 for all). In GC and GD, triglycerides (1) were higher than triglycerides (2,3) (p<0.05 for all). Proteinuria, blood pressure, GFR, BNP, CRP, total oxidant status and paraoxonase-1 enzyme activity were not changed with pioglitazone and/or fenofibrate treatment. Conclusion: In contrast to blood glucose/triglyceride levels, pioglitazone and fenofibrate alone or in combination did not alter proteinuria, BNP, GFR, CRP, TOS or PON-1 enzyme activity during a period of 12 weeks in diabetic patients with different glucose or triglyceride levels. This could be related to the short study period and limited patient number. © 2017, Scientific Publishers of India. All rights reserved

Therapeutic Strategies for Untreated Capillary Malformations of the Head and Neck Region: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses

Background: Capillary malformations of the head and neck region often cause psychological and physical burden. As the effectiveness of modern laser and light therapies is still suboptimal, patients often seek different therapeutic strategies. Other recognized, but not routinely proposed therapies include cosmetic camouflage, surgery, and medical tattooing. Information on therapeutic outcomes is currently lacking for patients to adequately participate in the treatment decision-making process. Objective: The objective of this systematic review was to review the effectiveness and safety of recognized therapies for untreated capillary malformations of the head and neck: laser and light treatment modalities, photodynamic therapy, cosmetic camouflage, medical tattooing, and surgery. Methods: PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched up to 16 December, 2020 for observational and experimental studies examining recognized therapies for untreated capillary malformations of the head and neck. Two reviewers independently evaluated the risk of bias of included studies. Predefined treatment and safety outcomes of pooled data were scored using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). Results: We included 48 observational and three randomized studies (totaling 3068 patients), evaluating nine different therapies. No studies on surgery or cosmetic camouflage matched our inclusion criteria. The pooled proportion of patients reaching a ≥75% clearance was 43% (95% confidence interval 24–64%; I2 = 55%) for the pulsed dye laser after three to eight treatment sessions (GRADE score: very low). Other therapies were less effective. Hyperpigmentation was most frequently described after the pulsed dye laser (incidences up to 40%). Pain was most common after photodynamic therapy, yet the intensity was unreported. Substantial heterogeneity among studies as to patient characteristics and outcomes limited pooling and data comparisons. Conclusions: The pulsed dye laser seems preferable for treatment-naive capillary malformations of the head and neck region, yet demonstrates greater hyperpigmentation rates compared with other therapies. Our results are, however, based on low-quality evidence. Future studies using uniform outcome measures and validated metrics are warranted for study comparability. Based on this systematic review, clinicians and patients should be aware of the limited evidence about the available options when making (shared) treatment decisions for capillary malformations. Trial Registration: Review registration number PROSPERO database: CRD42020199445