Hybrid Polypyrrole and Polydopamine Nanosheets for Precise Raman/Photoacoustic Imaging and Photothermal Therapy.

The development of near-infrared light responsive conductive polymers provides a useful theranostic platform for malignant tumors by maximizing spatial resolution with deep tissue penetration for diagnosis and photothermal therapy. Herein, the self-assembly of ultrathin 2D polypyrrole nanosheets utilizing dopamine as a capping agent and a monolayer of octadecylamine as a template is demonstrated. The 2D polypyrrole-polydopamine nanostructure has tunable size distribution which shows strong absorption in the first and second near-infrared windows, enabling photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy.

Potential Utility of Electrical Impedance Myography in Evaluating Age-Related Skeletal Muscle Function Deficits.

Skeletal muscle function deficits associated with advancing age are due to several physiological and morphological changes including loss of muscle size and quality (conceptualized as a reduction in the intrinsic force-generating capacity of a muscle when adjusted for muscle size). Several factors can contribute to loss of muscle quality, including denervation, excitation-contraction uncoupling, increased fibrosis, and myosteatosis (excessive levels of inter- and intramuscular adipose tissue and intramyocellular lipids). These factors also adversely affect metabolic function.

Enhancing longevity of Plasmodium vivax and P. falciparum sporozoites after dissection from mosquito salivary glands.

The pre-erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum remain challenging for experimental research in part due to limited access to sporozoites. An important factor limiting availability is the laboratory support required for producing infected mosquitoes and the ephemeral nature of isolated extracellular sporozoites. This study was undertaken to investigate methods to improve the availability of this limited resource by extending the longevity of the extracellular sporozoites after mosquito dissection.

The Whitaker test: 35 years on.

Objective: To describe a 25-year experience of using the Whitaker test in a single tertiary centre for assessing upper urinary tract dilatation, and to evaluate the role of perfusion pressure-flow studies in contemporary urological surgery for equivocal upper tract obstruction.

Patients And Methods: In all, 143 patients with suspected upper urinary tract obstruction were investigated by at least one Whitaker test. The original method was extended to include observations on high flow-rate perfusion, abnormal renal pelvic peristalsis and loin pain with no pressure increase.

Modified chemistry of siloxanes under tensile stress: interaction with environment.

We present first principles molecular dynamics simulations of stretched siloxane oligomers in an environment representative of that present in single molecule atomic force microscopy experiments. We determine that the solvent used (hexamethyldisiloxane) does not influence the stretching of the siloxane in the high force regime or the rupture process, but trace amounts of water can induce rupture before the maximum siloxane extension has been attained. This would result in a significantly lower rupture force.

Using talking lights illumination-based communication networks to enhance word comprehension by people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

This article details a new method that has been developed to transmit auditory and visual information to people who are deaf or hard of hearing. In this method, ordinary fluorescent lighting is modulated to carry an assistive data signal throughout a room while causing no flicker or other distracting visual problems. In limited trials with participants who are deaf or hard of hearing, this assistive system, combined with commercial voice recognition software, showed statistically significant improvement in sentence recognition compared to recognition of audio-only or audio-plus-speech-reading stimuli.

Using talking lights to assist brain-injured patients with daily inpatient therapeutic schedule.

Objectives: To test the ability of patients with brain injury to use a patient locator and minder (PLAM) system to assist in their adherence to therapy schedules.

Participants: Five patients with acquired brain injury who were inpatients on an acute rehabilitation floor of a rehabilitation hospital.

Measures: The number of human prompts necessary to direct a patient to, and ensure arrival at, a scheduled therapy destination and the proportion of therapy sessions requiring no prompting was measured both before and after the introduction of the PLAM system.

Computed tomographic peritoneography: CT manifestations in the investigation of leaks and abnormal collections in patients on CAPD.

Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is now a common form of treatment for patients with chronic renal failure. However, peritoneal leaks and abnormal intraperitoneal collections can be problematic in these patients, leading to poor dialysate returns, anterior abdominal wall oedema, and genital oedema. We report on a series of 62 computed tomographic peritoneograms performed using a standard protocol on 39 symptomatic patients over 6 years.

Radiation disease of the urinary tract: histological features of 18 cases.

Aims: To study the spectrum of histological changes in the urinary tract caused by pelvic irradiation.

Methods: Biopsy specimens of ureter and bladder and cystectomy specimens from 18 patients who had received pelvic irradiation were studied and the histological features were arbitrarily grouped into early and late changes.

Results: A wide range of histological changes were noted of which submucosal inflammation, fibrosis, and epithelial damage were the commonest.

The obstructive diuresis renogram: an appraisal of the significance.

We managed expectantly 23 patients with renal pelvic dilatation and unilaterally obstructive diuresis renograms. Serial renograms showed changes in ipsilateral relative renal function in 8 kidneys (4 deteriorated). Pressure-flow studies demonstrated low pressures on perfusion of 8 kidneys.

Investigation and treatment of poor drains of dialysate fluid associated with anterior abdominal wall leaks in patients on chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

Reduced dialysate fluid volume and genital and abdominal-wall oedema occurring many months after initiation of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) has been investigated in 20 patients using computed tomographic peritoneography. Leaks into the anterior abdominal wall at the site of insertion of the Tenckhoff catheter have been demonstrated in a series of 14 patients. Nocturnal peritoneal dialysis alone led to resolution of leaks in four of the nine patients who underwent this mode of treatment.

Mixed mesonephric adenocarcinoma and transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

Mesonephric type adenocarcinoma is a very rare tumour in the bladder and bears a resemblance to nephrogenic adenoma. We report (to the best of our knowledge), the first case where the tumour was partly composed of mesonephric and partly of poorly differentiated transitional cell carcinoma. Staining for alpha 1-antitrypsin and carcino-embryonic antigen were positive in the mesonephric component but negative in the transitional cell carcinoma.

Effect of bladder filling on upper tract urodynamics in man.

A group of 21 patients with hydronephrosis but normal bladders had their upper urinary tract pressures monitored while perfusing the affected kidneys through a fine bore nephrostomy tube, initially with the bladder on free drainage and subsequently during bladder filling. In 7 patients the renal pelvic pressures were altered by bladder filling and loin pain was reproduced in 4. It was concluded that with high upper tract flow rates, vesical filling can affect upper tract dynamics and this should be considered when evaluating patients with loin pain or potential obstructive uropathy.

Compliance studies, pressure flow measurements and renal function assessment in patients with upper urinary tract dilatation.

The compliance index was determined in 38 hydronephrotic kidneys undergoing diagnostic pressure flow studies. A good correlation was found between this index and the result of the pressure flow study but no consistent relationship was observed between the index and relative renal function as assessed by renographic means. The ability of the compliance index to predict functional deterioration in patients with hydronephrosis must be questioned.

Bladder smooth muscle dysfunction in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

Urodynamic studies were carried out on 30 patients with irritable bowel syndrome and 30 matched controls. Fifty per cent of the irritable bowel patients compared with only 13% of the control group had evidence of bladder dysfunction (p = 0.006).