Publications by authors named "Neil M"

Heterogeneity investigation at the single-cell level reveals morphological and phenotypic characteristics in cell populations. In clinical research, heterogeneity has important implications in the correct detection and interpretation of prognostic markers and in the analysis of patient-derived material. Among single-cell analysis, imaging flow cytometry allows combining information retrieved by single cell images with the throughput of fluidic platforms.

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'openFrame' is a modular, low-cost, open-hardware microscopy platform that can be configured or adapted to most light microscopy techniques and is easily upgradeable or expandable to multiple modalities. The ability to freely mix and interchange both open-source and proprietary hardware components or software enables low-cost, yet research-grade instruments to be assembled and maintained. It also enables rapid prototyping of advanced or novel microscope systems.

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Structured Illumination Microscopy (SIM) is a key technology for high resolution and super-resolution imaging of biological cells and molecules. The spread of portable and easy-to-align SIM systems requires the development of novel methods to generate a light pattern and to shift it across the field of view of the microscope. Here we show a miniaturized chip that incorporates optical waveguides, splitters, and phase shifters, to generate a 2D structured illumination pattern suitable for SIM microscopy.

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Introduction: Product risk assessment is the overall process of determining whether a product is judged safe for consumers to use. Among several methods for product risk assessment, RAPEX is the primary one used by regulators in the UK and EU. Despite its widespread use we identify several limitations of RAPEX, including a limited approach to handling uncertainty, especially in the absence of data, and the inability to incorporate causal explanations for using and interpreting the data.

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Purpose: Clavicle fractures in the lateral third are associated with more complications. Various methods of internal fixation exist; however, there is no consensus which should be employed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of these various methods in our regional trauma unit.

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Patients undergoing Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) often experience anxiety and sometimes distress prior to and during scanning. Here a full MRI compatible virtual reality (VR) system is described and tested with the aim of creating a radically different experience. Potential benefits could accrue from the strong sense of immersion that can be created with VR, which could create sense experiences designed to avoid the perception of being enclosed and could also provide new modes of diversion and interaction that could make even lengthy MRI examinations much less challenging.

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Purpose: Reconstruction of extensive acetabular bone defects is one of the most challenging problems encountered by arthroplasty surgeons. Triflange patient matched implants (PMI) offer the potential advantages of immediate, rigid fixation with a superior individualized fit. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiographic midterm results of PMI in extensive acetabular defect reconstruction.

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We presenta robust, long-range optical autofocus system for microscopy utilizing machine learning. This can be useful for experiments with long image data acquisition times that may be impacted by defocusing resulting from drift of components, for example due to changes in temperature or mechanical drift. It is also useful for automated slide scanning or multiwell plate imaging where the sample(s) to be imaged may not be in the same horizontal plane throughout the image data acquisition.

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Electron microscopy (EM) following immunofluorescence (IF) imaging is a vital tool for the diagnosis of human glomerular diseases, but the implementation of EM is limited to specialised institutions and it is not available in many countries. Recent progress in fluorescence microscopy now enables conventional widefield fluorescence microscopes to be adapted at modest cost to provide resolution below 50 nm in biological specimens. We show that stochastically switched single-molecule localisation microscopy can be applied to clinical histological sections stained with standard IF techniques and that such super-resolved IF may provide an alternative means to resolve ultrastructure to aid the diagnosis of kidney disease where EM is not available.

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Article Synopsis
  • Structured Illumination Microscopy (SIM) allows for imaging of biological structures below conventional optical limits, and recent advances in deep learning significantly enhance this technique's capabilities.
  • The study presents a new method for reconstructing 3D SIM image stacks, achieving double the axial resolution compared to traditional SIM methods while remaining resilient to noise.
  • Future adaptations to this method are discussed, with an aim to further push the boundaries of imaging resolution in biological research.
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Article Synopsis
  • A structured illumination microscopy system using a hexagonal pattern from three coherent beams improves light-sheet imaging resolution by over 2 times the diffraction limit.
  • Images captured during lateral shifts of the illumination pattern can be processed using three different methods based on the data's availability, ensuring clear results despite potential artifacts from moving samples.
  • The system’s Python-based reconstruction algorithms utilize optimizations for GPU processing, achieving high frame rates and demonstrating efficacy on both static and simulated moving objects.
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A considerable number of clinical trials is being conducted globally in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including in low- and middle-income countries such as those in the Latin America and Caribbean region (LAC). Yet, an abundance of studies does not necessarily shorten the path to find safe and efficacious interventions for COVID-19. We analyze the trials for COVID-19 treatment and prevention that are registered from LAC countries in the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and identify a trend towards small repetitive non-rigorous studies that duplicate efforts and drain limited resources without producing meaningful conclusions on the safety and efficacy of the interventions being tested.

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A considerable number of clinical trials is being conducted globally in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including in low- and middle-income countries such as those in the Latin America and Caribbean region (LAC). Yet, an abundance of studies does not necessarily shorten the path to find safe and efficacious interventions for COVID-19. We analyze the trials for COVID-19 treatment and prevention that are registered from LAC countries in the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and identify a trend towards small repetitive non-rigorous studies that duplicate efforts and drain limited resources without producing meaningful conclusions on the safety and efficacy of the interventions being tested.

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Revision of a failed acetabular component in the presence of an intact femoral prosthesis comprises approximately 20% of revision total hip replacements performed by the senior author. During this procedure, the femoral trunnion is at risk of damage because of scratching from retractors, reamers, or other instruments. Scratching can result in mechanically assisted crevice corrosion or adverse local-tissue reaction or trunnionosis leading to implant failure.

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Behavioural change techniques are currently used by many global organisations and public institutions. The amassing evidence base is used to answer practical and scientific questions regarding what cognitive, affective, and environment factors lead to successful behavioural change in the laboratory and in the field. In this piece we show that there is also value to examining interventions that inadvertently fail in achieving their desired behavioural change (e.

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Light-field microscopy (LFM) enables high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and light efficient volume imaging at fast frame rates. Voltage imaging with genetically encoded voltage indicators (GEVIs) stands to particularly benefit from LFM's volumetric imaging capability due to high required sampling rates and limited probe brightness and functional sensitivity. We demonstrate subcellular resolution GEVI light-field imaging in acute mouse brain slices resolving dendritic voltage signals in three spatial dimensions.

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Bayesian Networks (BNs) are graphical probabilistic models that have proven popular in medical applications. While numerous medical BNs have been published, most are presented fait accompli without explanation of how the network structure was developed or justification of why it represents the correct structure for the given medical application. This means that the process of building medical BNs from experts is typically ad hoc and offers little opportunity for methodological improvement.

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Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) is a recognized procedure for treatment of medial compartment osteoarthritis. Patellofemoral (PF) joint degeneration is widely considered to be a contraindication to medial compartment UKA. We examined the validity of this preconception using information gathered prospectively on 147 consecutive patients who underwent the Repicci II UKA for medial compartment osteoarthritis between July 1999 and September 2000 by the same surgeon.

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Article Synopsis
  • A wide range of online and app-based tools for cognitive impairment self-testing are available, but their quality is questionable.
  • A scoping review identified 3057 tools, with only 25 meeting the criteria for a deeper look, focusing mainly on memory, attention, and executive function.
  • Only a few tools had documented psychometric data, highlighting the need for more reliable, validated options to help users accurately assess their cognitive health.
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We report a multidimensional luminescence microscope providing hyperspectral imaging and time-resolved (luminescence lifetime) imaging for the study of luminescent diamond defects. The instrument includes crossed-polariser white light transmission microscopy to reveal any birefringence that would indicate strain in the diamond lattice. We demonstrate the application of this new instrument to detect defects in natural and synthetic diamonds including N3, nitrogen and silicon vacancies.

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Arginine vasopressin (AVP) and its type-2 receptor (V2R) play an essential role in the regulation of salt and water homeostasis by the kidneys. V2R activation also stimulates proliferation of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cell lines in vitro. The current studies investigated V2R expression and activity in human RCC tumors, and its role in RCC tumor growth.

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