2,299 research outputs found
Spectral imaging of thermal damage induced during microwave ablation in the liver
Induction of thermal damage to tissue through delivery of microwave energy is
frequently applied in surgery to destroy diseased tissue such as cancer cells.
Minimization of unwanted harm to healthy tissue is still achieved subjectively,
and the surgeon has few tools at their disposal to monitor the spread of the
induced damage. This work describes the use of optical methods to monitor the
time course of changes to the tissue during delivery of microwave energy in the
porcine liver. Multispectral imaging and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy are
used to monitor temporal changes in optical properties in parallel with thermal
imaging. The results demonstrate the ability to monitor the spatial extent of
thermal damage on a whole organ, including possible secondary effects due to
vascular damage. Future applications of this type of imaging may see the
multispectral data used as a feedback mechanism to avoid collateral damage to
critical healthy structures and to potentially verify sufficient application of
energy to the diseased tissue.Comment: 4pg,6fig. Copyright 2018 IEEE. Personal use of this material is
permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any
current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for
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The ORACLE Children Study:educational outcomes at 11 years of age following antenatal prescription of erythromycin or co-amoxiclav
BACKGROUND: Antibiotics used for women in spontaneous preterm labour without overt infection, in contrast to those with preterm rupture of membranes, are associated with altered functional outcomes in their children. METHODS: From the National Pupil Database, we used Key Stage 2 scores, national test scores in school year 6 at 11â
years of age, to explore the hypothesis that erythromycin and co-amoxiclav were associated with poorer educational outcomes within the ORACLE Children Study. RESULTS: Anonymised scores for 97% of surviving children born to mothers recruited to ORACLE and resident in England were analysed against treatment group adjusting for key available socio-demographic potential confounders. No association with crude or with adjusted scores for English, mathematics or science was observed by maternal antibiotic group in either women with preterm rupture of membranes or spontaneous preterm labour with intact membranes. While the proportion receiving special educational needs was similar in each group (range 31.6â34.4%), it was higher than the national rate of 19%. CONCLUSIONS: Despite evidence that antibiotics are associated with increased functional impairment at 7â
years, educational test scores and special needs at 11â
years of age show no differences between trial groups. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISCRT Number 52995660 (original ORACLE trial number)
Macro Micro Studio:A Prototype Energy Autonomous Laboratory
In 2011, the Departments of Architecture, Physics and Engineering began the development of a small Passivhaus standard, renewable energy self-sufficient studio at the University Botanical Gardens in Dundee. The prototype was conceived as an experimental, integrated technical platform to monitor the performance of an ultra-low-energy consumption, energy positive building in the Scottish climate, and understand user behaviour in relation to managing energy in-use and reducing occupantâs energy consumption. The building fabric has been constructed using regional sustainable materials, including a low-thermal bridging timber kit relying on Scottish small cross-section timber and a novel foam concrete (air entrained) slab foundation. While further work is required to complete the installation of the renewable energy system, predictive modelling indicates that energy autonomy can be largely achieved. With the recent introduction of the new Passivhaus 2009 criteria in October 2015, this project provides an insight into the practical application of an autarkic energy system in a northern European climate. The following paper describes the research rationale, the processes and decision making in the development of the formal and technical design of the building and discusses our current thinking in the design and quantification of the energy system
Downbeat Nystagmus in a 7-Year-Old Girl with Epstein-Barr Virus-Associated Meningitis and Cerebellitis
Downbeat nystagmus is a type of jerk nystagmus that may be seen in patients with lesions affecting the vestibulocerebellum. This is a case of a 7-year-old girl presenting with a history of fever, headache, and episodic vertigo with downbeat nystagmus. The diagnosis of Epstein-Barr virus meningitis with acute cerebellitis was made by contrast magnetic resonance imaging, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, and serum Epstein-Barr virus titers. Contrast magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated enhancement of the meninges and inferior cerebellar folia, correlating with the neuroophthalmological symptom of downbeat nystagmus
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Charge Transfer in Single Chains of a Donor-Acceptor Conjugated Tri-Block Copolymer.
The photophysics of a conjugated triblock copolymer comprising poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-co-bis-N,N'-(4-methylphenyl)-bis-N,N'-phenyl-1,4-phenylenediamine) (PFM) electron donor and poly(4-(9,9-dioctyl-9H-fluoren-2-yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]-thiadiazole) (F8BT) electron acceptor blocks has been studied in solution, in films, and as single chains. While an additional long-wavelength emission apparent in neat films of the copolymer is attributed to interchain exciplex formation, no such long-wavelength emission is apparent in solution or from single molecules. However, in these cases, time-resolved fluorescence measurements indicate the presence of a delayed fluorescence. The kinetics of the delayed emission can be interpreted in terms of an equilibrium between a locally excited and a charge-transfer state at the interface of the copolymer block components. Rate constants and thermodynamic quantities associated with these processes have been evaluated. The single-molecule results allow the assignment of an intramolecular charge-transfer state in an isolated conjugated block copolymer chain.We thank the Australian Research Council (ARC) for financial support of this research through grants
DP0986166, LE100100131 and LE110100161. ENH acknowledges an Australian Postgraduate Award. We acknowledge Sam Ashworth for technical assistance with data collection. NCG is grateful to the
School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne for a Wilsmore Fellowship, and to Queenâs College,
Melbourne for a Sugden Fellowship.This is the accepted manuscript. The final version is available from ACS at http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jp510769p
Lobes on Alnus glutinosa nodules contain a single major ribotype of Frankia
This work investigated the microbial content of nodules from alders to determine how many ribotypes of Frankia were present and which, if any, other bacteria existed within nodes from the nodules. The bacterial content of alder nodules was investigated by 454 sequencing of 16S rDNA genes. Over half of the sequences were from a single ribotype of Frankia, with nearly all other sequences coming from the chloroplast of the host plant, and other sequences (including other ribotypes of Frankia) being at < 1%. It is concluded that a single ribotype of Frankia is the major, although not unique, bacterium present in an individual lobe from an alder nodule
The CURE (Community Urgent Response Environment): pods and packs for pre-hospital care
About 40% of the 10.3 million visits to NHS emergency departments in England in 2009/10 ended with the patient just needing advice and no actual treatment. It has previously been suggested that these needs could be met in the community through the delivery of urgent (or pre-hospital) care by Emergency Care Practitioners (ECP). A first research project (Smart Pods) was carried out with 6 NHS Trusts (acute, primary care and ambulance) with 125 staff and 88 patients to explore the technology requirements needed to support this new professional role
Background Field Equations for the Duality Symmetric String
This paper describes the background field equations for strings in T-duality
symmetric formalisms in which the dimension of target space is doubled and the
sigma model supplemented with constraints. These are calculated by demanding
the vanishing of the beta-functional of the sigma model couplings in the
doubled target space. We demonstrate the equivalence with the background field
equations of the standard string sigma model.Comment: 26 pages, latex, v2 typos correcte
The effect of a monetary incentive on return of a postal health and development questionnaire: a randomised trial [ISRCTN53994660]
BACKGROUND: Postal questionnaires are widely used to collect data in healthcare research but a poor response rate may reduce the validity and reliability of results. There was a lack of evidence available relating to use of a monetary incentive to improve the response rate in the healthcare setting. METHODS: The MRC ORACLE Children Study is assessing the health and development of nearly 9000 seven year old children whose mothers' joined the MRC ORACLE Trial. We carried out a randomised controlled trial of inclusion of monetary incentive (five pound voucher redeemable at many high street stores) with the reminder questionnaire to parents. This trial took place between April 2002 and November 2003. When the parents were sent the reminder questionnaire about their child's health and development they were randomly assigned by concealed computer-generated allocation stratified by week of birthday to receive a five pound voucher or no incentive. The population were 722 non-responders to the initial mailing of a 12-page questionnaire. Main outcome measures: Difference in response rate between the two groups. RESULTS: Inclusion of the voucher with the reminder questionnaire resulted in a 11.7%(95% CI 4.7% to 18.6%) improvement in the response rate between the two groups. CONCLUSION: This improvement in response rate and hence the validity and reliability of results obtained appears to be justified ethically and financially
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