Quantitative structural organization of the sclera in chicks after deprivation myopia measured with second harmonic generation microscopy.

Visual deprivation causes enhanced eye growth and the development of myopia, which is associated with a change in the arrangement of collagen fibers within the sclera. A second harmonic generation (SHG) microscope has been used to image the collagen fibers of unstained scleral punches from the posterior part of chicken eyes. We aimed to analyze the fibrous scleral tissue and quantify the changes in collagen organization in relation to the extent of induced deprivation myopia.

A new framework on climate-induced food-security risk for small-scale fishing communities in Tanzania.

Unlabelled: Food insecurity is a pressing issue facing our world, particularly affecting coastal communities who rely on marine resources. The problem is further compounded by the rapidly changing climate, a deteriorating environment and growing human populations. It is essential to evaluate this issue accurately to reduce risk and improve the situation of coastal communities, especially in countries with less socioeconomic development.

Quantification of Photoreceptors' Changes in a Diabetic Retinopathy Model with Two-Photon Imaging Microscopy.

Emerging evidence suggests that retinal neurodegeneration is an early event in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy (DR), preceding the development of microvascular abnormalities. Here, we assessed the impact of neuroinflammation on the retina of diabetic-induced rats. For this aim we have used a two-photon microscope to image the photoreceptors (PRs) at different eccentricities in unstained retinas obtained from both control (N = 4) and pathological rats (N = 4).

Structural changes in the crystalline lens as a function of the postmortem interval assessed with two-photon imaging microscopy.

The properties and structure of the crystalline lens change as time after death passes. Some experiments have suggested that these might be used to estimate the postmortem interval (PMI). In this study, the organization and texture of the rabbit lens were objectively evaluated as a function of the PMI using two-photon excitation fluorescence (TPEF) imaging microscopy.

Analysis of age-related changes in the left ventricular myocardium with multiphoton microscopy.

Aging induces cardiac remodeling, resulting in an increase in the risk of suffering heart diseases, including heart failure. Collagen deposition increases with age and, together with sarcomeric changes in cardiomyocytes, may lead to ventricular stiffness. Multiphoton (MP) microscopy is a useful technique to visualize and detect variations in cardiac structures in a label free fashion.

Spherical Aberration and Scattering Compensation in Microscopy Images through a Blind Deconvolution Method.

The optical quality of an image depends on both the optical properties of the imaging system and the physical properties of the medium the light passes while travelling from the object to the image plane. The computation of the point spread function (PSF) associated to the optical system is often used to assess the image quality. In a non-ideal optical system, the PSF is affected by aberrations that distort the final image.

Congenital bilateral clinical anophthalmia and brachygnathia superior in a fighting bull calf.

This study describes a case of a 20-day-old male fighting bull with bilateral clinical anophthalmia and brachygnathia superior whose dam was 12.5 years old and was mistakenly dewormed with ivermectin intramuscularly in the first third of gestation in a livestock farm. A macroscopic examination of the carcass was performed, with a special focus on the ocular components.

Blind deconvolution of second harmonic microscopy images of the living human eye.

Second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging microscopy of thick biological tissues is affected by the presence of aberrations and scattering within the sample. Moreover, additional problems, such as uncontrolled movements, appear when imaging . Deconvolution methods can be used to overcome these limitations under some conditions.

Superpixel-Based Optic Nerve Head Segmentation Method of Fundus Images for Glaucoma Assessment.

Glaucoma disease is the second leading cause of blindness in the world. This progressive ocular neuropathy is mainly caused by uncontrolled high intraocular pressure. Although there is still no cure, early detection and appropriate treatment can stop the disease progression to low vision and blindness.

Biomimetic Remineralization of an Extracellular Matrix Collagen Membrane for Bone Regeneration.

Natural extracellular matrix (ECM) collagen membranes are frequently used for bone regeneration procedures. Some disadvantages, such as rapid degradation and questionable mechanical properties, limit their clinical use. These membranes have a heterologous origin and may proceed from different tissues.

Dental Age Estimation Using Multiphoton Microscopy: A Potential Tool for Forensic Science.

Normal aging affects the different structures of teeth, in particular, the dentine. These changes are useful in forensic disciplines as a tool for age estimation. Although multiphoton (MP) microscopy has been used to explore dental pieces, a relationship between age and MP response of the human dentine has not been proposed yet.

Genetic analysis of resistance to bean leaf crumple virus identifies a candidate LRR-RLK gene.

Bean leaf crumple virus (BLCrV) is a novel begomovirus (family Geminiviridae, genus Begomovirus) infecting common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), threatening bean production in Latin America. Genetic resistance is required to ensure yield stability and reduce the use of insecticides, yet the available resistance sources are limited.

Host-Pathogen Adhesion as the Basis of Innovative Diagnostics for Emerging Pathogens.

Infectious diseases are an existential health threat, potentiated by emerging and re-emerging viruses and increasing bacterial antibiotic resistance. Targeted treatment of infectious diseases requires precision diagnostics, especially in cases where broad-range therapeutics such as antibiotics fail. There is thus an increasing need for new approaches to develop sensitive and specific in vitro diagnostic (IVD) tests.

Assessment of the corneal collagen organization after chemical burn using second harmonic generation microscopy.

The organization of the corneal stoma is modified due to different factors, including pathology, surgery or external damage. Here the changes in the organization of the corneal collagen fibers during natural healing after chemical burn are investigated using second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging. Moreover, the structure tensor (ST) was used as an objective tool for morphological analyses at different time points after burn (up to 6 months).

Arrangement of the photoreceptor mosaic in a diabetic rat model imaged with multiphoton microscopy.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is defined as a microvascular pathology. However, some data have suggested that the retinal photoreceptors (PRs) might be important in the pathogenesis of this ocular disease. In this study the organization of the PRs in control and diabetic-induced rats was compared using multiphoton microscopy.

Objective analysis of collagen organization in thyroid nodule capsules using second harmonic generation microscopy images and the Hough transform.

Papillary carcinoma is the most prevalent type of thyroid cancer. Its diagnosis requires accurate and subjective analyses from expert pathologists. Here we propose a method based on the Hough transform (HT) to detect and objectively quantify local structural differences in collagen thyroid nodule capsules.

Spermcast mating with release of zygotes in the small dioecious bivalve Digitaria digitaria.

Digitaria digitaria, a small astartid usually less than 10 mm in length, has a non-brooding behaviour in spite of its limited space for gonad development. This species lives in highly unstable environments with strong currents, which represent a challenge for fertilization and larval settlement. The studied population of D.

Fluorescent bicolour sensor for low-background neutrinoless double β decay experiments.

Observation of the neutrinoless double β decay is the only practical way to establish that neutrinos are their own antiparticles. Because of the small masses of neutrinos, the lifetime of neutrinoless double β decay is expected to be at least ten orders of magnitude greater than the typical lifetimes of natural radioactive chains, which can mimic the experimental signature of neutrinoless double β decay. The most robust identification of neutrinoless double β decay requires the definition of a signature signal-such as the observation of the daughter atom in the decay-that cannot be generated by radioactive backgrounds, as well as excellent energy resolution.

In vivo two-photon microscopy of the human eye.

Two-photon (2P) microscopy is a powerful tool for imaging and exploring label-free biological tissues at high resolution. Although this type of microscopy has been demonstrated in ex vivo ocular tissues of both humans and animal models, imaging the human eye in vivo has always been challenging. This work presents a novel compact 2P microscope for non-contact imaging of the anterior part of the living human eye.

Quantitative Discrimination of Healthy and Diseased Corneas With Second Harmonic Generation Microscopy.

Purpose: To analyze the spatial organization of pathological corneas with second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging and to provide a proof of concept to objectively distinguish these from the healthy corneas.

Methods: A custom-built SHG microscope was used to image the anterior stroma of ex vivo corneas, both control and affected by some representative pathologies. The structure tensor (ST) was employed as a metric to explore and quantify the alterations in the spatial distribution of the collagen lamellae.

Comparing the performance of a femto fiber-based laser and a Ti:sapphire used for multiphoton microscopy applications.

Ti:sapphire laser systems are the more extended excitation sources in multiphoton (MP) microscopy. Although tunable, the cost, size, and lack of portability often limit their use in some research fields. Femtosecond fiber-based lasers represent an attractive alternative since they are portable, compact, and affordable.

Tear-film dynamics by combining double-pass images, pupil retro-illumination, and contrast sensitivity.

Tear-film dynamics were analyzed by a synchronizing recording of double-pass (DP) and pupil retro-illumination (RI) images with contrast sensitivity (CS) measurements. Simultaneous DP and RI images were acquired in three subjects wearing contact lenses while keeping the eye open. Changes in contrast sensitivity for an 18 c/deg green grating were also estimated.

Quantitative Analysis of the Corneal Collagen Distribution after Cross-Linking with Second Harmonic Microscopy.

Corneal cross-linking (CXL) is a surgical procedure able to modify corneal biomechanics and stabilize keratoconus progression. Although it is known that CXL produces changes in corneal collagen distribution, these are still a topic of discussion. Here we quantitatively compare the corneal stroma architecture between two animal models four weeks after conventional CXL treatment, with second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging microscopy and the structure tensor (ST).