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Background: Recent studies have demonstrated conflicting mechanisms underlying atrial fibrillation (AF), with the spatial resolution of data often cited as a potential reason for the disagreement. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the variation in spatial resolution of mapping may lead to misinterpretation of the underlying mechanism in persistent AF.Methods and Results: Simulations of rotors and focal sources were performed to estimate the minimum number of recording points required to correctly identify the underlying AF mechanism. The effects of different data types (action potentials and unipolar or bipolar electrograms) and rotor stability on resolution requirements were investigated. We also determined the ability of clinically used endocardial catheters to identify AF mechanisms using clinically recorded and simulated data. The spatial resolution required for correct identification of rotors and focal sources is a linear function of spatial wavelength (the distance between wavefronts) of the arrhythmia. Rotor localization errors are larger for electrogram data than for action potential data. Stationary rotors are more reliably identified compared with meandering trajectories, for any given spatial resolution. All clinical high-resolution multipolar catheters are of sufficient resolution to accurately detect and track rotors when placed over the rotor core although the low-resolution basket catheter is prone to false detections and may incorrectly identify rotors that are not present.Conclusions: The spatial resolution of AF data can significantly affect the interpretation of the underlying AF mechanism. Therefore, the interpretation of human AF data must be taken in the context of the spatial resolution of the recordings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Self-massage is a ubiquitous intervention similar to massage, but performed by the recipient him- or herself rather than by a therapist, most often using a tool (e.g., foam roller, roller massager). Self-massage has been found to have a wide range of effects. It is particularly known for increasing flexibility acutely, although not always. The variability of the results in previous studies may potentially be a function of the tool used. Recent findings also suggest that self-massage exerts global effects. Therefore, increased flexibility should be expected in the areas adjacent to the ones treated. Purpose: To investigate the acute effects of foam rolling and rolling massage of anterior thigh on hip range-of-motion (ROM) - i.e., hip extension and hip flexion - in trained men. Methods: Eighteen recreationally active, resistance trained males visited the lab on two occasions over a 4-day period separated by at least a day. Each session included two baseline ROM measures of passive hip flexion and extension taken in a randomized fashion. Recording of baseline measures was followed by the intervention of the day, which was either foam rolling or rolling massage of the anterior thigh as per randomization. Immediately post intervention, passive hip flexion and hip extension ROM were reassessed. In order to assess the time course of improvements in ROM, hip flexion and hip extension ROM were reevaluated at 10, 20, and 30 minutes post-intervention. Results: Hip flexion and hip extension ROM increased immediately following both interventions (foam rolling or roller massager) and remained increased for 30 minutes post intervention. Foam rolling was statistically superior in improving hip flexion and hip extension ROM immediately post intervention. However, immediately post-intervention was the only time point that measurements exceeded the minimum detectable change for both interventions. Conclusion: Both foam rolling and rolling massage appear to be effective interventions for improving hip flexion and extension ROM when applied to the anterior thigh, but the observed effects are transient in nature. Level of evidence: 2b [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buried Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) have become a significant threat to security forces combating terrorism. The detection of these concealed threats is a very challenging task. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) has shown promise in the detection of buried metallic and non-metallic IEDs or their components. The GPR produces a 2-D image of radar returns reflected off the buried objects. The challenge is how to detect IED’s in the presence of strong backscatter. In this paper, a Graph Theory based approach known as Minimum Connected Component (MCC) has been applied to detect buried objects from the 2-D images produced by the GPR. The MCC feature extraction algorithm efficiently extracted the IED component from ten different data sets collected by the GPR. The uniqueness of the algorithm is that it extracts the image of the IED without any user specified threshold or any user inputs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel EQF level 7 Building Educational Program, implemented under MEnS's Horizon2020 project framework. The program has been organized in different countriesacrossEurope with common structure and learning outcomes. The objective is to upgrade professional skills in NZEB design and construction, thus increasing the experts’ capacity totackle NZEB implementation in actual building stock. Courses are delivered by Universities in collaboration with market players. Universities are in charge of delivering and accrediting the courses while market actors and professional associations have a significant role in the continuous improvement process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Functional Movement Screen (FMS™) is a battery of tests designed to assess movement competency; the overhead deep squat test, specifically, has been shown to be an accurate predictor of overall FMS™ scores. Self-massage (SM) is a ubiquitous warm-up utilized to increase joint range of motion and, therefore, may be effective for improving performance of the overhead deep squat test. Purpose: To examine how different doses (30, 60, 90, and 120 seconds) of SM of different areas of the body (plantar fascia, latissimus dorsi, and lateral thigh) affects the score obtained on an overhead deep squat test. Methods: Twenty recreationally active females were recruited to be tested on four occasions: sessions one and two consisted of baseline testing, session three consisted of SM applied to the lateral thigh, and session four consisted of SM applied to the lateral torso and plantar fascia. Results: In all SM conditions, at least 90 seconds was required for a change in deep squat score from baseline; therefore, it is concluded that SM the lateral torso, plantar fascia, and lateral thigh for 90 seconds or more are effective interventions for acutely improving overhead deep squat scores. Conclusion: Self-massage appears to be an effective modality for inducing acute improvements in the performance of the FMS™ overhead deep squat in all conditions tested. Level of evidence: 2b [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nonadherence to prescribed medications is an important consideration in the clinical management of patients and in clinical research and drug development. The ID-Cap System is a novel technology that provides an objective measure of medication ingestion and enables real-time reporting of verified medication adherence data at the dose level. The ID-Cap System consists of an ingestible microsensor that is embedded in an oral dosage form and, once activated by stomach fluid, communicates digital messages to an external wearable reader to confirm ingestion. Objective: The objective of this exploratory study was to evaluate the performance, reliability, usability, and safety of the ID-Cap System for remote monitoring of 20 ingestion events over four weeks in 20 healthy volunteers. Design: This study was an open-label, single-arm, exploratory study of the ID-Cap System. The study design included the following three phases: 1) screening phase, 2) treatment phase consisting of 20 daily capsule ingestion events over a four-week period, and 3) follow-up phase consisting of a follow-up study visit that included an abdominal X-ray and a follow-up phone call. The initial use of the ID-Cap Reader and ingestion of the first study capsule were directly observed by the investigator during the first study visit. Subsequent study capsule ingestions were completed outside the research facility at the study participant's home or other location of his or her choice with ingestion assessed using the ID-Cap System. Setting: The study was conducted at a single clinical research site in Gainesville, Florida. Participants: Twenty healthy volunteers were enrolled in this four-week pilot study that was conducted between September and November 2014. Measurements: Study measurements included ID-Tag detection indicating capsule ingestion, utilization of the ID-Cap System consistent with instructions for use, adverse event reports, discontinuations of the System during the study, and safety assessments related to excretion of the ID-Tags through abdominal X-ray evaluations. Results: Positive detection accuracy was 100 percent for the 20 directly observed ingestions of study capsules that occurred during the initial study visits. Of the 384 ingestion events that were self-administered by the study participants without direct observation, 371 were accurately detected using the ID-Cap System. Overall adherence to the prescribed study capsules as measured by the ID-Cap System was 97.75 percent (391 detections/400 expected ingestion events). Significant intra-individual and inter-individual variability in the timing of self-administered doses was observed in this study. No adverse events were reported, and no study participants discontinued use of the ID-Cap System for any reason during the study. There was no evidence indicating retention of ID-Tags based on abdominal X-ray evaluations. Conclusion: The ID-Cap System enables accurate measurement of medication adherence for oral drug therapy at the dose level. This study supports the clinical validation of the technology and feasibility in using the system for the collection and real-time reporting of medication adherence in the clinical management of patients and in clinical research and drug development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The basic advantage of the train control methods based on the moving block technology compared to the fixed blocks where the headways of the slower trains, regarding their longer blocking times affects negatively the line capacity, lies in the fact that the position and the length of the moving blocks adapts to the position, dynamic characteristics, and actual speed of the successive train. Regarding a higher possibility for influence on the train movement characteristic during the moving block train operation, better traffic fluidity with more regular traffic flow can be achieved. Considering this fact an amount of regular recovery and buffer times needed for railway timetable stability can be decreased and thus more train paths in a particular dedicated time window can be added. In this way the moving block technology can increase the capacity of a railway line, especially in case of high density lines with significant heterogeneity of traffic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional (3D) culture systems such as cell-laden hydrogels are superior to standard two-dimensional (2D) monolayer cultures for many drug-screening applications. However, their adoption into high-throughput screening (HTS) has been lagging, in part because of the difficulty of incorporating these culture formats into existing robotic liquid handling and imaging infrastructures. Dispensing cell-laden prepolymer solutions into 2D well plates is a potential solution but typically requires large volumes of reagents to avoid evaporation during polymerization, which (1) increases costs, (2) makes drug penetration variable and (3) complicates imaging. Here we describe a technique to efficiently produce 3D microgels using automated liquid-handling systems and standard, nonpatterned, flat-bottomed, 384-well plates. Sub-millimeter-diameter, cell-laden collagen gels are deposited on the bottom of a ~2.5 mm diameter microwell with no concerns about evaporation or meniscus effects at the edges of wells, using aqueous two-phase system patterning. The microscale cell-laden collagen-gel constructs are readily imaged and readily penetrated by drugs. The cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutics was monitored by bioluminescence and demonstrated that 3D cultures confer chemoresistance as compared with similar 2D cultures. Hence, these data demonstrate the importance of culturing cells in 3D to obtain realistic cellular responses. Overall, this system provides a simple and inexpensive method for integrating 3D culture capability into existing HTS infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Efficient orthodontic treatments rely on the perfect design and condition of orthodontic wires. Different wires made from different metals and alloys are available in the market. Although no wire is the best for the entire treatment, they must obey certain properties such as biocompatibility, formability, weldability, low coefficient of friction, resilience, shape memory, low stiffness, and high elastic limit. Even with the buildup of protective layers, wires exposed to the oral environment can suffer corrosion. This gradual destruction of materials resulting from chemical reactions can have several adverse effects such as the release of elements from metals, roughening of the wire surface, and weakening of appliances, which can lead to mechanical failure or even fracture of the orthodontic materials. Corrosion of orthodontic wires is strongly related with the acidic environment of the buccal cavity and the presence of fluoride ions, prophylactic agents, and mouthwash solutions. In this review, a brief description of the different commercially available wires is given. Moreover, the desirable features and properties to be considered in the search for the ideal wire are addressed. Finally, the role of pH and fluoride ions on the corrosion of wires is discussed. Results from different experiences over the years are likewise provided. Special attention is given to stainless steel and beta-titanium wires, because these two alloys are frequently used in the treatment phases in which the wires are exposed to the oral environment for lengthy periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of a polymer inclusion membrane (PIM) in a novel passive sampler to measure the time-weighted average concentration of Zn(II) in urban waters is described. The passive sampler consists of a compartment containing an acidic receiving solution, which is separated from the external source solution by a PIM consisting of 40 wt% di-2-(ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid as the extractant, and 60 wt% poly-(vinyl chloride) as the base polymer. Two laboratory passive sampling techniques were tested. One involved immersion of the passive sampler into a source solution (“dip-in” approach) for a predetermined period of time while in the other one the source solution was flown past the membrane of the sampler (“flow-through” approach). The latter approach was found to be more suitable for the calibration of the passive sampler under laboratory conditions. A successful application using the “dip-in” sampling approach in urban waters has been conducted for proof of concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lethal microorganisms have terrorized man since the beginning of time, killing more human beings than anything else in history. The most infamous epidemic, the Black Death, wiped out almost half the population of Europe. To quote H.G. Wells, "adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature's inexorable imperative." Superbugs are nature's revenge on humans for their ingenuity. For decades antibiotics, which work by honing in on particular bacteria, have been the chief line of defense against infection. There is growing urgency for the judicious assessment of both conventional and innovative strategies with regard to antibiotic use, infection control, molecular detection of pathogens and adequate treatment of multidrug-resistant organisms in hospitals, especially critical care units. Financial restraints, changing demographics, an aging population and the limited introduction of new antibiotics have established an imperative for utilization of goal directed strategies in infection prevention and control. Research and development of both clinical and environmental weapons to combat these adversaries is essential if man is to adapt, not perish, in this fight for survival. This article will provide a snapshot of advances in infection prevention and control, including evidence based design, as they relate to the critical care environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This brief report describes a novel tool for microfluidic patterning of biomolecules and delivery of molecules into cells. The microdevice is based on integration of nanofountain probe (NFP) chips with packaging that creates a closed system and enables operation in liquid. The packaged NFP can be easily coupled to a micro/nano manipulator or atomic force microscope for precise position and force control. We demonstrate here the functionality of the device for continuous direct-write parallel patterning on a surface in air and in liquid. Because of the small volume of the probes (~3 pL), we can achieve flow rates as low as 1 fL/s and have dispensed liquid drops with submicron to 10 µm diameters in a liquid environment. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this microdevice can be used for delivery of molecules into single cells by transient permeabilization of the cell membrane (i.e., electroporation). The significant advantage of NFP-based electroporation compared with bulk electroporation and other transfection techniques is that it allows for precise and targeted delivery while minimizing stress to the cell. We discuss the ongoing development of the tool toward automated operation and its potential as a multifunctional device for microarray applications and time-dependent single-cell studies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Patients who arrive at the dental office with a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are often managed with a mandibular advancement device (MAD). However, the use of MADs has been associated with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) issues. The authors describe a case report of a 64-year-old male who was treated with a novel, maxillary oral appliance. The baseline sleep study indicated an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of 25.6/hour with 28 episodes of snoring, and 30.9 oxygen desaturation events/hour. The patient wore the maxillary oral appliance for 10-12 hours/day and night. The midpalatal screw mechanism of the appliance was advanced once per week for six months. By the end of this time, the minimum intra-premolar width increased from 27 mm to 30 mm; the minimum intramolar width increased from 35 mm to 37 mm, and the AHI dropped to <5/hour. During this phase of treatment, the episodes of snoring decreased to 18, and the oxygen desaturation events also decreased to 5.5/hour. After a total of 14 months, the AHI remained at <5/hour, the episodes of snoring decreased further to 12, and the oxygen desaturation events decreased to 5.2/hour. Therefore, by achieving a >80% decrease in the AHI, less snoring and an improvement in oxygen saturation after 14 months, the use of a maxillary oral appliance appears to have reached resolution of OSA in an adult male. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a comparison of portable vitrectors including the Intrector from Insight Instruments, Inc., VersaVit from Synergetics, and the ProCare Plus Vitrectomy System from VisionCare Devices, Inc.

Background/Purpose: The Myotonometer® is an electronic tissue compliance meter that has been used to quantify the compliance of soft tissues. The Myotonometer® may be a valuable tool to measure the effectiveness of interventions commonly used to increase tissue compliance in individuals with posterior shoulder tightness (PST). Limited data exist on reliability and responsiveness of the Myotonometer® for assessment of soft tissues about the shoulder; therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the intra- and inter-session reliability and responsiveness of the Myotonometer® in measuring tissue compliance of the posterior shoulder musculature in asymptomatic subjects with PST. Methods: Fifteen asymptomatic subjects with unilateral shoulder range of motion deficits attended two measurement sessions to assess the compliance of the tissues overlying the posterior deltoid, infraspinatus, and teres musculature. Analyses of reliability and responsiveness were conducted using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) and the determination of minimal detectible change (MDC). Results: Intra-session ICC values ranged from 0.69 to 0.91 for all muscles with MDC never exceeding 1.0 mm. Intersession ICC values were best for the posterior deltoid, which averaged 0.82, compared to the infraspinatus and the teres complex, which averaged 0.42 and 0.5 respectively. Inter-session MDC ranged from 0.55 to 1.20 mm across all muscles. Conclusions: Clinicians can reliably detect relatively small changes in tissue compliance within a single treatment session utilizing the Myotonometer®. The Myotonometer® can reliably detect changes between sessions for tissues overlying the posterior deltoid; however, observed change in the infraspinatus and teres musculature must be above 1 mm to achieve meaningful change and account for decreased inter-session reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the complications of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in treating patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). A case study of a 56-year-old patient who underwent local clot lysis due to in-stent thrombosis is presented. Particular focus is given to understanding the therapy that patients are going on, the kind of stents and the risks associated with PCI to effectively manage them during perioperative period.

Increasing the level of production in a flexible way with large amount of differences in lot sizes, products and order of production, became a nightmare for many of industrial engineers. Enabling automated performance of specific production cell intended for such a diverse production conditions requires a lot of research efforts. New manufacturing paradigms are being researched and developed since the last decade of the 20th century. Intelligent manufacturing systems, "holonic manufacturing system", "agent-oriented manufacturing system" and "Self Organising Complex Flexible Assembly Systems" or Bionic Assembly Systems are some of them. They were enabled thanks to the development of production systems theory that lay the ground for such paradigms. Automation is the key driver of the transformation of production for the future needs. These chapter is concerned with the development of such an automated, robotic production cell equiped with industrial robots, pneumatic and hydraulic components, sensors, PLCs and other parts of complex robotic cell. Particularly, the structure and development of the strategic hierarchical control level applied in complex robotic production cells is shown..A control structure for the robot able to assemble and machine parts in a flexible robotic cell is presented. Tasks such as deburring, grinding, engraving, cutting and assembly demonstrate appropriate contact tasks for such a cell. An expert system is proposed and several production rules are given as an example. In this chapter, efforts have been made in the direction of the development of a new generation of industrial robotic controllers with enhanced capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Swiss ball training is recommended as a low intensity modality to improve joint position, posture, balance, and neural feedback. However, proper training intensity is difficult to obtain during Swiss ball exercises whereas strengthening exercises on machines usually are performed to induce high level of muscle activation. Purpose: To compare muscle activation as measured by electromyography (EMG) of global core and thigh muscles during abdominal crunches performed on Swiss ball with elastic resistance or on an isotonic training machine when normalized for training intensity. Methods: 42 untrained individuals (18 men and 24 women) aged 28-67 years participated in the study. EMG activity was measured in 13 muscles during 3 repetitions with a 10 RM load during both abdominal crunches on training ball with elastic resistance and in the same movement utilizing a training machine (seated crunch, Technogym, Cesena, Italy). The order of performance of the exercises was randomized, and EMG amplitude was normalized to maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) EMG. Results: When comparing between muscles, normalized EMG was highest in the rectus abdominis (P<0.01) and the external obliques (P<0.01). However, crunches on Swiss ball with elastic resistance showed higher activity of the rectus abdominis than crunches performed on the machine (104±3.8 vs 84±3.8% nEMG respectively, P<0.0001). By contrast, crunches performed on Swiss ball induced lower activity of the rectus femoris than crunches in training machine (27±3.7 vs 65±3.8% nEMG respectively, P<0.0001) Further, gender, age and musculoskeletal pain did not significantly influence the findings. Conclusion: Crunches on a Swiss ball with added elastic resistance induces high rectus abdominis activity accompanied by low hip flexor activity which could be beneficial for individuals with low back pain. In opposition, the lower rectus abdominis activity and higher rectus femoris activity observed in machine warrant caution for individuals with lumbar pain. Importantly, both men and women, younger and elderly, and individuals with and without pain benefitted equally from the exercises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Miniaturizing experimental sample volumes to the nanoliter volume range is one of the most economical ways to perform mid- and high-throughput compound screening experiments. Existing automation platforms for nanoliter fluid handling can be bulky, expensive, and require periodic calibration to provide consistent liquid dispensing. In addition, even with frequent calibration, significant instrument-to-instrument variation in low-volume dispensing can occur between different instrument platforms. Many of these issues can be addressed by the use of PocketTips. PocketTips are tips with a defined internal pocket designed to hold specific nanoliter volumes of compound dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide. Although the overall liquid-handling process with PocketTips uses the aspirate/dispense features of the specific liquid-handling device being used, the dispensed nanoliter volume is solely based on the dimensions of the pocket of the PocketTip and thus, the liquid-handling device itself need not have nanoliter dispensing capabilities. In this report, we demonstrate the performance of PocketTips on different automation platforms. In addition, we used a cell-based ß-lactamase reporter assay system to demonstrate that compound delivery by PocketTips compares favorably with a standard compound addition technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the proposed short-term traffic flow forecasting method to complement the emergence of intelligent transportation system, which is based on improved data detection technology. It explores the process of creating the forecasting model through various experiments involving fuzzy logic, neural network, and linear regression. The results show that the proposed model, which uses information from thermo cameras, yield better forecasting results compared to the standard one.

Activated carbon (AC) strongly sorbs organic pollutants and can be used for remediation of soils and sediments. A method for AC quantification is essential to monitor AC (re)distribution. Since AC is black carbon (BC), two methods for BC quantification were tested for AC mixed in different soils and sediments: i) chemothermal oxidation (CTO) at a range of temperatures and ii) wet-chemical oxidation with a potassium dichromate/sulfuric acid solution. For three soils, the amount of AC was accurately determined by CTO at 375 °C. For two sediments, however, much of the AC disappeared during combustion at 375 °C, which could probably be explained by catalytic effects by sediment constituents. CTO at lower temperatures (325–350 °C) was a feasible alternative for one of the sediments. Wet oxidation effectively functioned for AC quantification in sediments, with almost complete AC recovery (81–92%) and low remaining amounts of native organic carbon (5–16%). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: Perioperative cerebral microemboli in cardiac surgery are associated with postoperative neurologic complications. The EmBlocker (Neurosonix Ltd, Rehovot, Israel), a newly developed device should be positioned against the ascending aorta, and it produces an ultrasonic force expected to divert microemboli away from the cerebral vasculature and reduce cerebral emboli. Description: Twenty-one consecutive patients, undergoing a valve procedure, were enrolled into this nonrandomized pilot study. The EmBlocker (Neurosonix Ltd) was positioned in 11 consecutive patients and activated for 1 minute (1.5 W/cm2) during seven selected aortic manipulations and for 10 minutes (0.5 W/cm2) intermittently after cross-clamp removal. Transcranial Doppler-based quantification of microembolic signals was performed in all patients. Evaluation: The use of the EmBlocker showed a significant overall reduction of the cerebral microembolic signals of 53%. Conclusions: The use of the EmBlocker during valve surgeries is associated with a reduction of perioperative cerebral microembolic signals. This new technology holds the potential to lower the risk of postoperative neurologic complications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Rationale and Objectives: Contrast-enhanced digital mammography and digital breast tomosynthesis are two imaging techniques that attempt to increase malignant breast lesion conspicuity. The combination of these into a single technique, contrast-enhanced digital breast tomosynthesis (CE-DBT), could potentially integrate the strengths of both. The objectives of this study were to assess the clinical feasibility of CE-DBT as an adjunct to digital mammography, and to correlate lesion enhancement characteristics and morphology obtained with CE-DBT to digital mammography, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance (MR).Materials and Methods: CE-DBT (GE Senographe 2000D; Milwaukee, WI) was performed as a pilot study in an ongoing National Cancer Institute-funded grant (P01-CA85484) studying multimodality breast imaging. Thirteen patients with ACR BI-RADS category 4 or 5 breast lesions underwent imaging with digital mammography, ultrasound, MR, and CE-DBT. CE-DBT was performed at 49 kVp with a rhodium target and a 0.27-mm copper (Alfa Aesar, Ward Hill, MA) filter. Preinjection and postinjection DBT image sets were acquired in the medial lateral oblique projection with slight compression. Each image set consists of nine images acquired over a 50-degree arc and was obtained with a mean glandular x-ray dose comparable to two conventional mammographic views. Between the precontrast and postcontrast DBT image sets, a single bolus of iodinated contrast agent (1 ml/kg at 2 ml/s, Omnipaque-300; Amersham Health Inc., Princeton, NJ) was administered. Images were reconstructed using filtered-backprojection in 1-mm increments and transmitted to a clinical PACS workstation.Results: Initial experience suggests that CE-DBT provides morphologic and vascular characteristics of breast lesions qualitatively concordant with that of digital mammography and MR.Conclusion: As an adjunct to digital mammography, CE-DBT may be a potential alternative tool for breast lesion morphologic and vascular characterization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the improved surgical technologies and techniques for managing retained lens material (RLM). It states that progress have been made in the visual results for RLM-directed pars plana vitrectomy (PPV)/lensectomy through updated surgical technologies and techniques. Meanwhile, it suggests that vitrectomy cutting probe alone can be used if the RLM to be removed is made up of small fragments.

The article focuses on the significance of frequency modulation (FM) receivers to Spanish blind translators at national conventions. It notes that the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) will offer special receivers for the transmission of public address system signal over a special short-range radio transmitter. It points out that the receivers of those who use their own should be arranged to switch between their personal channels and channel 36.

The standard deployment of Gore Excluder endoprostheses involves rapid pulling of the deployment knob once the graft is thought to be properly positioned. We describe an alternative technique that involves the slow pulling of the deployment knob. The key features of this technique include anticipating the asymmetric flowering of the graft that occurs toward the contralateral limb, prompt correction of any graft malpositioning, and maintaining the slow deployment until the contralateral gate is released. Our experience with this technique demonstrates that it is accurate, safe, and reduces the need for proximal extension cuffs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Information on a patent for a telecoil connected to a detachable Direct Audio Input (DAI) connector in a hearing aid is presented.

The article describes the case of a 79-year-old patient who was first diagnosed with chronic branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) in the left eye and later experienced metamorphopsia where an edema was encroaching into the macula and fovea. The treatment of the macular edema consisted of using the IRIDEZ IQ 532 laser that had a capability to provide MicroPulse and continuous-wave (CW) treatment options.

The article evaluates a patent for a behind the ear (BTE) hearing aid featuring an antenna partition plane.

The article reviews a U.S. patent for a hearing aid wireless network owned by Rene Rye Larsen, an assignor to medical device company GN ReSound A/S.

The article reviews a U.S. patent for an energy saving silent mode for hearing implant systems owned by Martin Stoffaneller and Martin J. Kerber, assignors to medical device company MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH.

The article reviews a U.S. patent owned by Herbert Bächler and Raoul Glatt, assignors to hearing and wireless system company Phonak AG, for a method for adapting sound in a hearing aid device by frequency modification.