Minimally Invasive In Vivo Real-Time Identification of Human Astrocytoma with Sulforhodamine 101

Abstract and poster under embargo until May 31, 2019

Infrared Spectra and Photochemistry of [Gamma]-Butyrolactone*Water Complexes Isolated in Inert Gas Matrices: A Theoretical Study

Optimization at the UM06/6-311g++(2d,p) level yielded geometries for GBL, GHBA, Water, and GBL*water complexes. It was found that the most stable complex was Carbonyl Oxygen, α Left Two. It is thought this stability is due to having two hydrogen bonds, both having intermediate donor to acceptor bond angles. Considering primary and secondary hydrogen bonds were found among multiple complexes, multiple hydrogen bonds seem to be necessary to confer further stability, rather than one strong hydrogen bond, which was seen in less stable complexes. IR spectra obtained for the complexes showed a good indication for stable hydrogen bond formation in GBL was a red-shift at the C=O and γ C-O stretches, and a blue-shift at the H-O-H bend of water in the 1600 cm-1 region. Transition state geometries were found for the hydrolysis of GBL*water to GHBA in addition to transition state geometries between each of the complexes. This allowed for a proposed reaction pathway from the most stable complex to a complex that resembles the transition state of the hydrolysis reaction through an intermediate complex. Isotopic substitution was found to have the same effect in all of the complexes while singlet electronic transitions with the highest oscillator strength were seen in the 201 nm to 208 nm range. This study was meant to lay a foundation for further understanding of GBL*water complexes and the breadth of its findings may be useful in future experimentation including matrix isolation IR in solid inert gases, isotopic substitution studies, photodecomposition analysis, and inducing the hydrolysis reaction via irradiation

Evaluating the Healing Potential of J-Plasma Scalpel-Created Surgical Incisions in Porcine and Rat Models

Cold atmospheric plasma devices generate reactive oxygen and nitrogen species that can be anti-microbial but also promote cell migration, differentiation, and tissue wound healing. This report investigates the healing of surgical incisions created using cold plasma generated by the J-Plasma scalpel (Precise Open handpiece, Apyx Medical, Inc.) compared to a steel scalpel in in vivo porcine and rat models. The J-Plasma scalpel is currently FDA approved for the delivery of helium plasma to cut, coagulate, and ablate soft tissue during surgical procedures. To our knowledge, this device has not been studied in creating surgical incisions but only during deeper dissection and hemostasis. External macroscopic and histologic grading by blinded reviewers revealed no significant difference in wound healing appearance or physiology in incisions created using the plasma scalpel as compared with a steel blade scalpel. Incisions created with the plasma scalpel also had superior hemostasis and a reduction in tissue and blood carryover. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and histology showed collagen fibril fusion occurred as the plasma scalpel incised through the tissue, contributing to a sealing effect. In addition, when bacteria were injected into the dermis before incision, the plasma scalpel disrupted the bacterial membrane as visualized in SEM images. External macroscopic and histologic grading by blinded reviewers revealed no significant difference in wound healing appearance or physiology. Based on these results, we propose additional studies to clinically evaluate the use of cold plasma in applications requiring hemostasis or when an increased likelihood of subdermal pathogen leakage could cause surgical site infection (i.e., sites with increased hair follicles)