Light correcting light with nonlinear optics

Structured light, where complex optical fields are tailored in all their degrees of freedom, has become highly topical of late, advanced by a sophisticated toolkit comprising both linear and nonlinear optics. Removing undesired structure from light is far less developed, leveraging mostly on inverting the distortion, e.g., with adaptive optics or the inverse transmission matrix of a complex channel, both requiring that the distortion is fully characterised through appropriate measurement. Here we show that distortions in spatially structured light can be corrected through difference frequency generation in a nonlinear crystal without any need for the distortion to be known. We demonstrate the versatility of our approach by using a wide range of aberrations and structured light modes, including higher-order orbital angular momentum (OAM) beams, showing excellent recovery of the original undistorted field. To highlight the efficacy of this process, we deploy the system in a prepare-and-measure communications link with OAM, showing minimal crosstalk even when the transmission channel is highly aberrated, and outline how the approach could be extended to alternative experimental modalities and nonlinear processes. Our demonstration of light correcting light without the need for measurement opens a new approach to measurement-free error correction for classical and quantum structured light, with direct applications in imaging, sensing and communicationComment: 13 pages, 7 figure

Laparoscopic management of adrenal tumors: a four-year experience in a single center

AIM: Today laparoscopy is considered the first choice treatment of many adrenal tumors, although its use is still controversial for large adrenal masses and incidentally found adrenal cortical carcinoma. METHODS: From January 2009 to February 2014 we performed 42 lateral transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomies. The indications for surgery were non-functioning adenoma larger than 4 cm or rapid growth and hormone-secreting tumor. The diagnosis was confirmed in all cases with computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging and also metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy if pheochromocytoma was suspected. In all cases we realized a complete preoperative hormonal study. We describe and analyzed retrospectively: age, side, indication for surgery, tumor size, length of hospital stay, complication and conversion rate. RESULTS: Twenty-two patients with functional tumors and 20 with non functional tumor were subjected to laparoscopic adrenalectomy. There was no conversion to open surgery. Mean operative time was 120 min and estimated blood loss was 80 mL (range 50-350). There was no mortality or major complications. The average length of hospital stay was 3.5 day. During pheocromocitoma removal hypertension occurred in 2 cases. Patient with aldosteroma became normotensive and no required postoperative antihypertensive therapy. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is a standard safe procedure for adrenal surgery. The risk of encountering incidental adrenal cortical cancer increases for large lesions and additional attention is required in these cases to observe oncologic surgical principles. Pre-operative work –up has a primary role in adrenal surgery. An accurate management of adrenal tumors requires an agreement among radiologist, endocrinologist, oncologist and surgeon. Previus abdominal surgery does not constituite a contraindication to laparoscopic transperitoneal adrenalectomy

Right diaphragmatic injury and lacerated liver during a penetrating abdominal trauma: case report and brief literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Diaphragmatic injuries are rare consequences of thoracoabdominal trauma and they often occur in association with multiorgan injuries. The diaphragm is a difficult anatomical structure to study with common imaging instruments due to its physiological movement. Thus, diaphragmatic injuries can often be misunderstood and diagnosed only during surgical procedures. Diagnostic delay results in a high rate of mortality. METHODS: We report the management of a clinical case of a 45-old man who came to our observation with a stab wound in the right upper abdomen. The type or length of the knife used as it was extracted from the victim after the fight. CT imaging demonstrated a right hemothorax without pulmonary lesions and parenchymal laceration of the liver with active bleeding. It is observed hemoperitoneum and subdiaphragmatic air in the abdomen, as a bowel perforation. A complete blood count check revealed a decrease in hemoglobin (7 mg/dl), and therefore it was decided to perform surgery in midline laparotomy. CONCLUSION: In countries with a low incidence of inter-personal violence, stab wound diaphragmatic injury is particularly rare, in particular involving the right hemidiaphragm. Diaphragmatic injury may be underestimated due to the presence of concomitant lesions of other organs, to a state of shock and respiratory failure, and to the difficulty of identifying diaphragmatic injuries in the absence of high sensitivity and specific diagnostic instruments. Diagnostic delay causes high mortality with these traumas with insidious symptoms. A diaphragmatic injury should be suspected in the presence of a clinical picture which includes hemothorax, hemoperitoneum, anemia and the presence of subdiaphragmatic air in the abdomen

Three-dimensional (3D) versus two-dimensional (2D) laparoscopic adrenalectomy: A case-control study

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is today considered the gold standard of treatment for adrenal tumors. The development of high definition cameras does not eliminate the major limitation of two-dimensional (2D) laparoscopy: lack of depth perception and loss of spatial orientation. Tree-dimensional (3D) HD laparoscopy was developed as an alternative to conventional 2D laparoscopy

Alteration of glyoxalase genes expression in response to testosterone in LNCaP and PC3 human prostate cancer cells.

Glyoxalase system, a ubiquitous detoxification pathway protecting against cellular damage caused by potent cytotoxic metabolites, is involved in the regulation of cellular growth. Aberrations in the expression of glyoxalase genes in several human cancers have been reported. Recently, we described a possible regulatory effect by estrogens on glyoxalase genes in human breast cancer cell lines. This result, along with those ones regarding changes in glyoxalases activity and expression in other human hormone-regulated cancers, such as prostate cancer, has prompted us to investigate whether also androgens, whose functional role in prostate cancer pathogenesis is well known, could modulate glyoxalases gene expression. Therefore, we treated LNCaP androgen-responsive and PC3 androgen-independent human prostate cancer cell lines with testosterone at the concentrations of 1 nM and 100 nM. After a two days treatment, glyoxalases mRNA levels as well as cell proliferation were evaluated by real-time RT-PCR analysis and [3H]thymidine incorporation, respectively. Results pointed out that testosterone affects the expression of glyoxalase system genes and cell proliferation in a different manner in the two cell lines. The possibility that modulation of glyoxalase genes expression by testosterone is due to glyoxalases-mediated intracellular response mechanisms to the androgen-induced oxidative stress or to the presence of androgen response elements (ARE) in glyoxalase promoters are discussed. Knowledge regarding the regulation of glyoxalases by testosterone may provide insights into the importance of these enzymes in human prostate carcinomas in vivo

NEUROCOGNITIVE MANAGEMENT OF THE PRIMARY NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA: A ROLE OF ATYPICAL ANTIPSYCHOTICS

Patients with schizophrenia have profound and disabling cognitive deficits while negative symptoms represent a separate symptom domain, with respect to depression, neurocognition, and social cognition. Particularly, primary negative symptoms of schizophrenia represent a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge, In this study we try to evaluate the cognitive symptoms in 51 primary negative schizophrenic inpatients by the administration of simple, fast and understandable scales (MMSE, DSST, EpiTrack, PANSS cognitive factor). We also evaluate the correlation with some SGAs (aripiprazole, quetiapine, olanzapine, paliperidone). Our results support the evidence of the use of simple, rapid and acceptable scales for cognitive evaluation in clinical practice. Overall data indicate no statistically significant variations of the negative symptomatology in all the examined sample, although a reduction of the statistical averages in each group is observed (paliperidone and olanzapine, particularly)

Appendiceal mucinous neoplasms: An uncertain nosological entity. Report of a case

Introduction: Appendiceal mucocele is a relatively rare condition characterized by progressive dilation of the appendix caused by intraluminal accumulation of mucoid substance. Its incidence is 0.07 - 0,63% of all appendectomies performed. Case report: We report the case of a 70-year-old man who came to our observation with gravative pain in right lower abdominal region. A computed tomography abdominal scan revealed a cystic/tubular structure like an appendicular mass with wall enhancement but without calcifications suggestive of a mucocele. Into peritoneal cavity we found profuse mucinous material with a 1,5 cm size parietal nodule. We also identified a free perforation of the cecum with consensual spillage of gelatinous material mimicking a pseudomyxoma peritonei. We decided to perform a right hemicolectomy with excision of peritoneal lesion. Discussion: The controversy in the pathologic terminology can give rise to a clinical dilemma in terms of the management and follow-up plans. For mucosal hyperplasia and cystadenoma simple appendectomy is curative. Only in case of large base of implantation it may be necessary the resection of the ileum and caecum or right hemicolectomy. In case of mucinous cystoadenocarcinoma authors perform a right hemicolectomy. Conclusion: Appendiceal mucinous neoplasms are different pathological entities. The correct surgical management depends on size and location of lesion. A preoperative diagnosis is obviously needed in order to perform the correct treatment. CT abdominal scan is the better diagnostic tool, but different authors show their inability to reach a preoperative diagnosis in the larger majority of cases

Terminal or truncal ligation of the inferior thyroid artery during thyroidectomy? A prospective randomized trial

INTRODUCTION: Thyroidectomy is a common procedure in general and endocrine surgery. The technique of ligation of inferior thyroid artery (ITA) has been invoked as a possible cause of appearance of postoperative hypocalcemia. METHODS: We performed a prospective randomized study involving 184 patients undergoing total thyroidectomy to evaluate the differences of truncal ligation versus distal ligation of ITA in terms of postoperative hypocalcemia, vocal fold palsy, voice and swallowing impairment. The patients were divided into group A (trunk ligation of ITA) and group B (terminal branches ligation of ITA). RESULTS: We evaluated postoperative PTH and calcemia (immediate, 6 and 12 months after thyroidectomy), postoperative day of discontinuation of calcium and vitamin D supplementation, voice and swallowing complaints, evaluated by mean of two specific tests available in literature, day of hospital discharge. CONCLUSION: The only significant differences between the two groups were a higher immediate postoperative calcemia and a greater number of patients discharged without calcium and vitamin-D supplementation in the group B. In conclusion, no substantial differences were found between the two groups. The choice depends on the experience of the surgeon