An Experimental Method for Bio-Signal Denoising Using Unconventional Sensors.

In bio-signal denoising, current methods reported in the literature consider purely simulated environments, requiring high computational powers and signal processing algorithms that may introduce signal distortion. To achieve an efficient noise reduction, such methods require previous knowledge of the noise signals or to have certain periodicity and stability, making the noise estimation difficult to predict. In this paper, we solve these challenges through the development of an experimental method applied to bio-signal denoising using a combined approach.

Non-invasive sensor methods used in monitoring newborn babies after birth, a clinical perspective.

Background: Reducing the global new-born mortality is a paramount challenge for humanity. There are approximately 786,323 live births in the UK each year according to the office for National Statistics; around 10% of these newborn infants require assistance during this transition after birth. Each year around, globally around 2.

Characterisation of Textile Embedded Electrodes for Use in a Neonatal Smart Mattress Electrocardiography System.

Heart rate monitoring is the predominant quantitative health indicator of a newborn in the delivery room. A rapid and accurate heart rate measurement is vital during the first minutes after birth. Clinical recommendations suggest that electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring should be widely adopted in the neonatal intensive care unit to reduce infant mortality and improve long term health outcomes in births that require intervention.

Magnetic Field Triggerable Macroporous PDMS Sponge Loaded with an Anticancer Drug, 5-Fluorouracil.

This study aims to prepare, optimize, and characterize magnetic-field-sensitive sugar-templated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) sponges for localized delivery of an anticancer drug, 5-fluorouracil (FLU). For this purpose, different concentrations of carbonyl iron (CI) and magnetite FeO nanopowders were embedded as magnetosensitive materials in PDMS resins for the fabrication of macroporous sponges via a sugar-template process. The process is environmentally friendly and simple.

Novel 3D printed device with integrated macroscale magnetic field triggerable anti-cancer drug delivery system.

With the growing demand for personalized medicine and medical devices, the impact of on-demand triggerable (e.g., via magnetic fields) drug delivery systems increased significantly in recent years.

Heart Rate Monitoring in Newborn Babies: A Systematic Review.

Background: Around 10% of newborn infants require assistance during transition after birth. Heart rate (HR) is the most important clinical indicator to evaluate the clinical status of a newborn.

Aim: Our study aimed to review all established and novel methods to detect HR in babies giving special consideration to non-invasive techniques.

Two-photon fluorescence imaging with 30 fs laser system tunable around 1 micron.

We developed a low-cost, low-noise, tunable, high-peak-power, ultrafast laser system based on a SESAM-modelocked, solid-state Yb tungstate laser plus spectral broadening via a microstructured fiber followed by pulse compression. The spectral selection, tuning, and pulse compression are performed with a simple prism compressor. The output pulses are tunable from 800 to 1250 nm, with the pulse duration down to 25 fs, and average output power up to 150 mW, at 80 MHz pulse repetition rate.

Measurement and correction of in vivo sample aberrations employing a nonlinear guide-star in two-photon excited fluorescence microscopy.

We demonstrate that sample induced aberrations can be measured in a nonlinear microscope. This uses the fact that two-photon excited fluorescence naturally produces a localized point source inside the sample: the nonlinear guide-star (NL-GS). The wavefront emitted from the NL-GS can then be recorded using a Shack-Hartmann sensor.

Compact ultrafast semiconductor disk laser: targeting GFP based nonlinear applications in living organisms.

We present a portable ultrafast Semiconductor Disk Laser (SDL) (or vertical extended cavity surface emitting laser-VECSELs), to be used for nonlinear microscopy. The SDL is modelocked using a quantum-dot semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM), delivering an average output power of 287 mW, with 1.5 ps pulses at 500 MHz and a central wavelength of 965 nm.

Third-harmonic generation for the study of Caenorhabditis elegans embryogenesis.

Live microscopy techniques (i.e., differential interference contrast, confocal microscopy, etc.