Comparing the Thin Plate Spline and Gaussian Interpolation Methods in Generating Hill of Visions for X-Linked Retinitis Pigmentosa Patients.

Purpose: To compare the efficacy of thin plate spline (TPS) and Gaussian interpolation methods in generating hill of visions (HOVs) for patients with X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP).

Methods: Visual field data from 78 eyes of 39 patients with XLRP were acquired using the Octopus 900 Pro. TPS, Gaussian, and Universal Kriging interpolation methods were implemented to generate HOVs.

THREE-DIMENSIONAL HILL OF VISION OF RETINAL SENSITIVITY IN PARTICIPANTS WITH X-LINKED RETINITIS PIGMENTOSA UNDER SCOTOPIC AND MESOPIC CONDITIONS.

Purpose: To evaluate the utility of three-dimensional hill of vision (HOV) analysis in assessing retinal sensitivity in patients with X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP) under scotopic cyan, scotopic red, and mesopic microperimetry conditions.

Methods: Baseline microperimetry data from 31 eyes of 16 patients with XLRP enrolled in the Horizon study were analyzed. HOVs were generated using thin plate spline interpolation.

Primary Motor Area Activity in Phantom Limb Imagery of Traumatic Unilateral Lower Limb Amputees With Phantom Limb Pain.

Introduction: Estimates of the worldwide increase in amputees raises the awareness to solve long-standing problems. Understanding the functional brain modifications after a lower limb amputation (LLA) is one of the first steps towards proposing new rehabilitation approaches. Functional modifications in the central nervous system due the amputation could be involved in prosthesis use failures and Phantom Limb Pain (PLP), increasing costs and overwhelming the health services.

Relationship between nonperfusion area from widefield optical coherence tomography angiography and macular vascular parameters in diabetic retinopathy.

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between the nonperfusion area (NPA) from widefield optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and macular vascular parameters in diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods: In total, 51 eyes from 51 patients with proliferative DR (PDR) or moderate/severe non-PDR were included. Widefield OCTA using the Zeiss Plex Elite 9000 was performed.

Noninvasive Red Laser Intervention before Radiotherapy of Triple-negative Breast Cancer in a Murine Model.

Radiotherapy is a well-established cancer treatment; it is estimated that approximately 52% of oncology patients will require this treatment modality at least once. However, some tumors, such as triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), may present as radioresistant and thus require high doses of ionizing radiation and a prolonged period of treatment, which may result in more severe side effects. Moreover, such tumors show a high incidence of metastases and decreased survival expectancy of the patient.

Noninvasive Red Laser Intervention before Radiotherapy of Triple-negative Breast Cancer in a Murine Model.

Radiotherapy is a well-established cancer treatment; it is estimated that approximately 52% of oncology patients will require this treatment modality at least once. However, some tumors, such as triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), may present as radioresistant and thus require high doses of ionizing radiation and a prolonged period of treatment, which may result in more severe side effects. Moreover, such tumors show a high incidence of metastases and decreased survival expectancy of the patient.

Digital Platform for Continuous Monitoring of Patients Using a Smartwatch: Longitudinal Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a boost in the digital transformation of the human society, where wearable devices such as a smartwatch can already measure vital signs in a continuous and naturalistic way; however, the security and privacy of personal data is a challenge to expanding the use of these data by health professionals in clinical follow-up for decision-making. Similar to the European General Data Protection Regulation, in Brazil, the Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados established rules and guidelines for the processing of personal data, including those used for patient care, such as those captured by smartwatches. Thus, in any telemonitoring scenario, there is a need to comply with rules and regulations, making this issue a challenge to overcome.

Digital Platform to Continuously Monitor Patients Using a Smartwatch: Preliminary Report.

Background: Monitoring vital signs such as oximetry, blood pressure, and heart rate is important to follow the evolution of patients. Smartwatches are a revolution in medicine allowing the collection of such data in a continuous and organic way. However, it is still a challenge to make this information available to health care professionals to make decisions during clinical follow-up.

Long-term functioning status of COVID-19 survivors: a prospective observational evaluation of a cohort of patients surviving hospitalisation.

Objectives: The study investigated the long-term functional status of hospitalised COVID-19 survivors to explore and document their functional situation.

Design: This prospective observational study assessed 801 COVID-19 survivors at 3-11 months after hospital discharge. It analyses participants' sociodemographic background, COVID-19 clinical manifestations, and clinical and functional evaluations.

Rehabilitation of patients after COVID-19 recovery: An experience at the Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Institute and Lucy Montoro Rehabilitation Institute.

Objectives: As patients recovering from the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) present with physical, respiratory, cognitive, nutritional, and swallowing-related impairments and mental health complications, their rehabilitation needs are complex. This study aimed to describe the demographic, clinical, and functional status after the discharge of COVID-19 survivors who underwent intensive multidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation at the Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Institute of the University of Sao Paulo Medical School General Hospital and Lucy Montoro Rehabilitation Institute. We determined the most important factors related to the length of inpatient rehabilitation treatment and present the functional outcomes.

Osteoporosis evaluation through full developed speckle imaging.

Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by bone mineral density reduction, weakening the bone structure. Its diagnosis is performed using ionizing radiation, increasing health risk. Optical techniques are safer, due to non-ionizing radiation use, but limited to the analyses of bone tissue.

Retinal Nonperfusion Relationship to Arteries or Veins Observed on Widefield Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Diabetic Retinopathy.

Purpose: To evaluate whether retinal capillary nonperfusion is found predominantly adjacent to arteries or veins in eyes with diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods: Sixty-three eyes from 44 patients with proliferative DR (PDR) or non-PDR (NPDR) were included. Images (12 × 12-mm) foveal-centered optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography (OCTA) images were taken using the Zeiss Plex Elite 9000.

Controlling for Artifacts in Widefield Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Measurements of Non-Perfusion Area.

The recent clinical adoption of optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography (OCTA) has enabled non-invasive, volumetric visualization of ocular vasculature at micron-scale resolutions. Initially limited to 3 mm × 3 mm and 6 mm × 6 mm fields-of-view (FOV), commercial OCTA systems now offer 12 mm × 12 mm, or larger, imaging fields. While larger FOVs promise a more complete visualization of retinal disease, they also introduce new challenges to the accurate and reliable interpretation of OCTA data.

Focus Tracking System for Femtosecond Laser Machining using Low Coherence Interferometry.

We designed a real time, single-laser focus tracking system using low coherence properties of the machining femtosecond laser itself in order to monitor and correct the sample position relative to the focal plane. Using a Michelson Interferometer, the system collects data arising from part of the beam backscattered at the ablation spot. The data is analyzed by a custom software for position correction (employing an XYZ automated translation stage).

QUANTIFICATION OF RETINAL CAPILLARY NONPERFUSION IN DIABETICS USING WIDE-FIELD OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY.

Purpose: To combine advances in high-speed, wide-field optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) with image processing methods for semiautomatic quantitative analysis of capillary nonperfusion in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods: Sixty-eight diabetic patients (73 eyes), either without retinopathy or with different degrees of retinopathy, were prospectively recruited for volumetric swept-source OCTA imaging using 12 mm × 12 mm fields centered at the fovea. A custom, semiautomatic software algorithm was used to quantify areas of capillary nonperfusion.

Soldering mask laser removal from printed circuit boards aiming copper recycling.

Management of waste of electric and electronic equipment (WEEE) is a key issue for modern societies; furthermore, it contains valuable materials that can be recycled, especially in printed circuit boards (PCB), which have approximately one-third of their weight in copper. In this study we demonstrated the use of laser to strip the covering soldering mask on PCB's, thus exposing the copper underneath so that extraction techniques may take place. Using a Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser operating at 1064nm and 532nm we tested the procedure under different energy conditions.

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy combined to periodontal treatment: Experimental model.

Background: Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) has been used as an adjuvant treatment for periodontitis. It combines a photosensitizer with a light source to induce reactive oxygen species and kill microbial cells. PpNetNI is a protoporphyrin derivative, and it has a chemical binding site at biofilm and great affinity to microbial cells.

Optical coherence tomography for blood glucose monitoring in vitro through spatial and temporal approaches.

As diabetes causes millions of deaths worldwide every year, new methods for blood glucose monitoring are in demand. Noninvasive approaches may increase patient adherence to treatment while reducing costs, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) may be a feasible alternative to current invasive diagnostics. This study presents two methods for blood sugar monitoring with OCT in vitro.