The application of optical coherence tomography to image subsurface tissue structure of Antarctic krill Euphausia superba.

Many small open ocean animals, such as Antarctic krill, are an important part of marine ecosystems. To discover what will happen to animals such as krill in a changing ocean, experiments are run in aquaria where conditions can be controlled to simulate water characteristics predicted to occur in the future. The response of individual animals to changing water conditions can be hard to observe, and with current observation techniques it is very difficult to follow the progress of an individual animal through its life.

Fundamentally mode-locked, femtosecond waveguide oscillators with multi-gigahertz repetition frequencies up to 15 GHz.

We demonstrate passively mode-locked Yb(3+)-doped glass waveguide lasers in a quasi-monolithic configuration with a maximum pulse repetition frequency up to 15.2 GHz. A semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) is used to achieve stable mode-locking around 1050 nm with pulse durations as short as 811 fs and an average power up to 27 mW.

Tissue surface as the reference arm in Fourier domain optical coherence tomography.

We present a simple method applicable to common-path Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) in which the tissue surface is used as the reference arm. We propose using aluminium hydroxide powder as a potential tissue surface diffuser to allow wider application of this method. This technique allows one to avoid placing a reference arm reflective element, such as glass plate, on tissue, and intrinsically avoids both coherent and complex conjugate mirror artifacts associated with glass plates.

Scarless single-port laparoscopic pelvic kidney nephrectomy.

Introduction: We report the first pelvic kidney removal through the umbilicus using a scarless pure single-port technique in a young woman.

Patients And Methods: A 27-year-old woman presented with uro-sepsis and acute renal failure secondary to a dilated, chronically infected, nonfunctioning left-sided pelvic kidney with ureteropelvic obstruction causing an obstruction to the right kidney. The acute episode was managed with bilateral ureteric stents and antibiotics.

Discrimination of normal from pre-malignant cervical tissue by Raman mapping of de-paraffinized histological tissue sections.

The authors present Raman cluster mapping of de-paraffinized normal cervical tissue and demonstrate the ability of this approach to differentiate between normal squamous epithelium and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Multivariate analysis was performed by hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) of the Raman spectra associated with the different tissue types and Raman maps were generated using the resultant clusters. Using normal cervical tissue, squamous epithelium and the epithelial-stromal interface, a muscular artery and endocervical glands were successfully mapped.

Targeted optical injection of gold nanoparticles into single mammalian cells.

We present an all optical technique for the targeted delivery of single 100 nm diameter gold nanoparticles into a specified region of the interior of an individual mammalian cell through a combination of optical tweezing and optical injection. The internalisation of the nanoparticle is verified by confocal laser scanning microscopy and confocal laser scanning reflectance microscopy. This represents the first time that nano sized particles have been tweezed and optically injected into mammalian cells using only light, and provides a novel methodology for internalising nanosphere based biosensors within specific intracellular regions of a mammalian cell.

Self-management for men with lower urinary tract symptoms.

Treatment for men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) has developed into a "cascade" that escalates from watchful waiting through medical treatment to surgery. Self-management can help men to adopt lifestyle and behavioral modifications that will avoid or delay an escalation in treatment and reduce symptoms. Although many of these interventions are advised to men with LUTS, it is usually in a nonstandardized and unsystematic way.

Enhanced operation of femtosecond lasers and applications in cell transfection.

In this work we present a review and discussion on the enhancement of femtosecond (fs) lasers for use within biophotonics with a particular focus on their use in optical transfection techniques. We describe the broad range of source options now available for the generation of femtosecond pulses before briefly reviewing the application of fs laser in optical transfection studies. We show that major performance enhancements may be obtained by optimising the spatial and temporal performance of the laser source before considering possible future directions in this field.

The Eastbourne extraction: forceps removal of large laparoscopic nephrectomy specimens without morcellation.

Intact specimen retrieval after laparoscopic nephrectomy for renal tumors is considered the gold standard. Removal of large specimens can be a challenge. A technique to aid large bagged specimen removal using Wrigley's obstetric forceps is described.

The thermo-expandable metallic ureteric stent: an 11-year follow-up.

Objective: To review our long-term use of the thermo-expandable metallic ureteric stent, (model 051, PNN Medical, Denmark) for ureteric obstruction, and review current reports on its use.

Patients And Methods: Data were collected prospectively on all patients who had a Memokath 051 ureteric stent inserted between November 1996 and November 2007. The standard stent, and wide and dual expansion versions were used.

Self management for men with lower urinary tract symptoms: randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of self management as a first line intervention for men with lower urinary tract symptoms.

Design: Randomised controlled trial.

Setting: A teaching hospital and a district general hospital in London.

Priapism secondary to leukemia: effective management with prompt leukapheresis.

Priapism is a urological emergency; without prompt treatment the corpora cavernosa undergoes necrosis and fibrosis that may result in erectile dysfunction. Treatment initially involves conservative measures, such as corporeal aspiration and irrigation with saline or dilute phenylephrine. If this fails, embolization or surgical shunting is usually required.

Defining the components of a self-management programme for men with uncomplicated lower urinary tract symptoms: a consensus approach.

Objective: To define the components of a self-management programme of lifestyle and behavioural interventions for symptom control in men with uncomplicated LUTS. The use of lifestyle and behavioural interventions for symptom control in men with uncomplicated LUTS is widespread in the UK, however the effectiveness of these interventions has never been formally evaluated. Defining the components of a self-management programme will allow effectiveness studies to take place.

Could self-management challenge pharmacotherapy as a long-term treatment for uncomplicated lower urinary tract symptoms?

Purpose Of Review: This review highlights the lifestyle and behavioural management strategies (self-management) available to men with lower urinary tract symptoms.

Recent Findings: Pharmacotherapy has evolved considerably over the last decade and now most men with lower urinary tract symptoms are treated at some point with either single or combined therapy. However, recent studies reporting the longer term usage of pharmacotherapy have shown significantly high rates of discontinuation due to patient compliance, treatment ineffectiveness, side effects and patient choice.