Viscosity-Sensitive Membrane Dyes as Tools To Estimate the Crystalline Structure of Lipid Bilayers.

Lipid membranes are crucial for cellular integrity and regulation, and tight control of their structural and mechanical properties is vital to ensure that they function properly. Fluorescent probes sensitive to the membrane's microenvironment are useful for investigating lipid membrane properties; however, there is currently a lack of quantitative correlation between the exact parameters of lipid organization and a readout from these dyes. Here, we investigate this relationship for "molecular rotors", or microviscosity sensors, by simultaneously measuring their fluorescence lifetime to determine the membrane viscosity, while using X-ray diffraction to determine the membrane's structural properties.

Beyond Liposuction: Evolving Applications for Tumescent Anesthesia.

Tumescent anesthesia was initially developed as a safer and more effective alternative to general anesthesia in performing liposuction. Today, it is used extensively for a wide variety of surgical procedures performed by various specialties. As more surgeons have become exposed to tumescent anesthesia with its associated advantages over general anesthesia, the number of applications for this unique form of local anesthesia has skyrocketed.

Tumescent Anesthesia: A Brief History Regarding the Evolution of Tumescent Solution.

Tumescent anesthesia, initially developed as a safer and more effective alternative to general anesthesia in performing liposuction, is used extensively today for a wide array of surgical procedures performed by various specialties. The make-up of the tumescent solution is variable, and it has evolved significantly over the past 40+ years. Even prior to Jefferey Klein’s tumescent solution recorded in his article from 1987, “The Tumescent Technique for Lipo-Suction Surgery,” there were significant contributions paving the way to modern formulations.

Comparison of Modern Super Wide Field Microscopy Systems in Mohs Surgery.

Microscopic interpretation of frozen tissue sections is fundamental to Mohs micrographic surgery. Mohs surgeons spend a significant portion of their day at the microscope. Eye strain and fatigue, in addition to musculoskeletal strain, may increase the risk of interpretation errors as well as musculoskeletal injury.

Visualising the membrane viscosity of porcine eye lens cells using molecular rotors.

The plasma membranes of cells within the eye lens play an important role in metabolite transport within the avascular tissue of the lens, maintaining its transparency over the entire lifespan of an individual. Here we use viscosity-sensitive 'molecular rotors' to map the microscopic viscosity within these unusual cell membranes, establishing that they are characterised by an unprecedentedly high degree of lipid organisation.

Imaging plasma membrane phase behaviour in live cells using a thiophene-based molecular rotor.

Molecular rotors have emerged as versatile probes of microscopic viscosity in lipid bilayers, although it has proved difficult to find probes that stain both phases equally in phase-separated bilayers. Here, we investigate the use of a membrane-targeting viscosity-sensitive fluorophore based on a thiophene moiety with equal affinity for ordered and disordered lipid domains to probe ordering and viscosity within artificial lipid bilayers and live cell plasma membranes.

Measuring the Viscosity of the Escherichia coli Plasma Membrane Using Molecular Rotors.

The viscosity is a highly important parameter within the cell membrane, affecting the diffusion of small molecules and, hence, controlling the rates of intracellular reactions. There is significant interest in the direct, quantitative assessment of membrane viscosity. Here we report the use of fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy of the molecular rotor BODIPY C10 in the membranes of live Escherichia coli bacteria to permit direct quantification of the viscosity.

Imaging phase separation in model lipid membranes through the use of BODIPY based molecular rotors.

In order to fully understand the dynamics of processes within biological lipid membranes, it is necessary to possess an intimate knowledge of the physical state and ordering of lipids within the membrane. Here we report the use of three molecular rotors based on meso-substituted boron-dipyrrin (BODIPY) in combination with fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy to investigate the viscosity and phase behaviour of model lipid bilayers. In phase-separated giant unilamellar vesicles, we visualise both liquid-ordered (Lo) and liquid-disordered (Ld) phases using fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), determining their associated viscosity values, and investigate the effect of composition on the viscosity of these phases.

Group cognitive behaviour therapy for military service-related post-traumatic stress disorder: effectiveness, sustainability and repeatability.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess 12 month outcomes of Australian combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who participated in a 6 week group-based CBT programme at the Toowong Private Hospital. The study population included 496 consecutive admissions to the programme between 1999 and 2008.

Method: Self-report measures of PTSD, depression, anxiety, anger, alcohol use, relationship satisfaction and quality of life parameters were collected at intake and 3, 6 and 12 months post intake.

Nucleus magnocellularis and nucleus laminaris in Belgian Waterslager and normal strain canaries.

Belgian Waterslager (BWS) canaries are characterized by a mean 30% loss of hair cells in the basilar papilla compared to other canaries, and a corresponding increase in behavioral auditory thresholds. In spite of the large number of missing and damaged sensory cells, there is on average only a 12% reduction in the number of fibers in the VIIIth nerve. In this study, we examined cell number and size, and volume of auditory nuclei, specifically in nucleus magnocellularis and nucleus laminaris in Belgian Waterslager canaries.

Temporal modulation transfer functions in the barn owl (Tyto alba).

Barn owls (Tyto alba) have evolved several specializations in their auditory system to achieve the high sensory acuity required for prey capture, including superior processing of interaural time differences and phase coding in the auditory periphery. Here, we tested whether barn owls are capable of high temporal resolution that may be a prerequisite for the accuracy in binaural processing. Temporal resolution was measured psychoacoustically and demonstrated in temporal modulation transfer functions.