Using a Web-Based Platform as an Alternative for Conducting International, Multidisciplinary Medical Conferences During the Novel COVID-19 Pandemic: Analysis of a Conference.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has stunted medical education activities, resulting in most conferences being cancelled or postponed. To continue professional education during this crisis, web-based conferences can be conducted via livestream and an audience interaction platform as an alternative.

Objective: The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has affected human connections worldwide.

2-D magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging of the pediatric brain using compressed sensing.

Background: Magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging helps to determine abnormal brain tissue conditions by evaluating metabolite concentrations. Although a powerful technique, it is underutilized in routine clinical studies because of its long scan times.

Objective: In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of scan time reduction in metabolic imaging using compressed-sensing-based MR spectroscopic imaging in pediatric patients undergoing routine brain exams.

Fast data acquisition techniques in magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging.

Magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) is an important technique for assessing the spatial variation of metabolites in vivo. The long scan times in MRSI limit clinical applicability due to patient discomfort, increased costs, motion artifacts, and limited protocol flexibility. Faster acquisition strategies can address these limitations and could potentially facilitate increased adoption of MRSI into routine clinical protocols with minimal addition to the current anatomical and functional acquisition protocols in terms of imaging time.

Anatomy and Surgical Approaches to the Rabbit Nasal Septum.

Importance: The rabbit is the primary animal model used to investigate aspects of nasal surgery. Although several studies have used this model, none has provided a comprehensive analysis of the surgical anatomy and techniques used to gain access to the rabbit nasal fossae and septum.

Objective: To describe and optimize the surgical anatomy and approach to the rabbit nasal vault and septal cartilage.

Novel Diagnostic and Predictive Biomarkers in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal disease for a multitude of reasons including very late diagnosis. This in part is due to the lack of understanding of the biological behavior of PDAC and the ineffective screening for this disease. Significant efforts have been dedicated to finding the appropriate serum and imaging biomarkers to help early detection and predict response to treatment of PDAC.

Static contrast technique for creating transpedal arterial access in patients with tibioperoneal occlusions.

Transpedal arterial access is a useful but challenging technique for patients with tibioperoneal occlusions. It is associated with a long learning curve, requires the administration of a large amount of contrast media, and exposes patients and interventionists to additional radiation. Here we present a new technique by which it is easier and faster to create a transpedal arterial access.

Strong light concentration at the subwavelength scale by a metallic hole-array structure.

A metallic two-dimensional hole-array (2DHA) sample is successfully fabricated and its transmission property measured at mid-infrared wavelengths (lambda ~ 1.5-20 microm). At the plasmonic resonance, the 2DHA sample exhibits a normal incidence transmittance of 80% at lambda = 7.

Neuronal network structuring induces greater neuronal activity through enhanced astroglial development.

The confluence of micropatterning, microfabricated multielectrode arrays, and low-density neuronal culture techniques make possible the growth of patterned neuronal circuits overlying multielectrode arrays. Previous studies have shown synaptic interaction within patterned cultures which was more active on average than random cultures. In our present study, we found patterned cultures to have up to five times more astrocytes and three times more neurons than random cultures.

Long-term in vivo stability of rabbit nasal septal cartilage following laser cartilage reshaping: a pilot investigation.

Background And Objectives: To evaluate the long-term effect of laser cartilage reshaping on rabbit nasal septal cartilage viability and mechanical integrity in an in vivo model.

Study Design/materials And Methods: In vivo animal investigation. Rabbit septal cartilage specimens were laser (Nd:YAG, lambda = 1.

Gold-coated microelectrode array with thiol linked self-assembled monolayers for engineering neuronal cultures.

We report the use of a gold coating on microelectrode arrays (MEAs) to enable the use of the relatively reliable surface modification chemistry afforded by alkanethiol self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). The concept is simple and begins with planar MEAs, which are commercially available for neuronal cell culture and for brain slice studies. A gold film, with an intermediate adhesive layer of titanium, is deposited over the insulation of an existing MEA in a manner so as to be thin enough for transmission light microscopy as well as to avoid electrical contact to the electrodes.

Simulation and evaluation of elemental mercury concentration increase in flue gas across a wet scrubber.

Experimental data from a laboratory-scale wet scrubber simulator confirmed that oxidized mercury, Hg2+, can be reduced by aqueous S(IV) (sulfite and/or bisulfite) species and results in elemental mercury (HgO) emissions under typical wet FGD scrubber conditions. The S(IV)-induced Hg2+ reduction and Hg0 emission mechanism can be described by a model which assumes that only a fraction of the Hg2+ can be reduced, and the rate-controlling step of the overall process is a first-order reaction involving the Hg-S(IV) complexes. Experimental data and model simulations predict that the Hg2+ in the flue gas can cause rapid increase of Hg0 concentration in the flue gas across a FGD scrubber.

A modified microstamping technique enhances polylysine transfer and neuronal cell patterning.

Macromolecular microstamping with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamps has been demonstrated to transfer proteins onto glassy substrates for antigen or antibody detection and for cell patterning. For many applications, including neuronal cell patterning, it is important to assure reliable transfer of sufficient quantity of protein. Research has shown that protein transfer is enhanced with the selection of the proper protein-stamp-substrate combination.

Characterization and reduction of formaldehyde emissions from a low-VOC latex paint.

The patterns of formaldehyde emission from a low volatile organic compound (VOC) latex paint applied to gypsum board were measured and analyzed by small environmental chamber tests. It was found that the formaldehyde emissions resulted in a sharp increase of chamber air formaldehyde concentration to a peak followed by transition to a long-term slow decay. A semi-empirical first-order decay in-series model was developed to interpret the chamber data.

Evaluation of Sink Effects on VOCs from a Latex Paint.

The sink strength of two common indoor materials, a carpet and a gypsum board, was evaluated by environmental chamber tests with four volatile organic compounds (VOCs): propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol (BEE), and Texanol. These oxygenated compounds represent the major VOCs emitted from a latex paint. Each chamber test included two phases.