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Cellular RNA is asymmetrically distributed in cells and the regulation of RNA localization is crucial for proper cellular functions. However, limited chemical tools are available to capture dynamic RNA localization in complex biological systems with high spatiotemporal resolution. Here, we developed a new method for RNA proximity labeling activated by near-infrared (NIR) light, which holds the potential for deep penetration. Our method, termed FAP-seq, utilizes a genetically encoded fluorogen activating protein (FAP) that selectively binds to a set of substrates known as malachite green (MG). FAP binding restricts the rotation of MG and rapidly activates its fluorescence in a wash-free manner. By introducing a monoiodo modification to MG, we created a photosensitizer (MG-HI) with the highest singlet oxygen generation ability among various MG derivatives, enabling both protein and RNA proximity labeling in live cells. New insights are provided in the transcriptome analysis with FAP-seq, while a deeper understanding of the symmetry-breaking structural arrangement of FAP-MG-HI was obtained through molecular dynamics simulations. Overall, our wash-free and NIR light-inducible RNA proximity labeling method (FAP-seq) offers a powerful and versatile approach for investigating complex mechanisms underlying RNA-related biological processes., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.)

Background: It is challenging to detect pressure injuries at an early stage of their development., Objectives: To assess the ability of an infrared thermography (IRT)-based model, constructed using a convolution neural network, to reliably detect pressure injuries., Methods: A prospective cohort study compared validity in patients with pressure injury (n = 58) and without pressure injury (n = 205) using different methods. Each patient was followed up for 10 days., Results: The optimal cut-off values of the IRT-based model were 0·53 for identifying tissue damage 1 day before visual detection of pressure injury and 0·88 for pressure injury detection on the day visual detection is possible. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard regression model analysis showed that the risk of pressure injury increased 13-fold 1 day before visual detection with a cut-off value higher than 0·53 [hazard ratio (HR) 13·04, 95% confidence interval (CI) 6·32-26·91; P < 0·001]. The ability of the IRT-based model to detect pressure injuries [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) lag 0 days , 0·98, 95% CI 0·95-1·00] was better than that of other methods., Conclusions: The IRT-based model is a useful and reliable method for clinical dermatologists and nurses to detect pressure injuries. It can objectively and accurately detect pressure injuries 1 day before visual detection and is therefore able to guide prevention earlier than would otherwise be possible. What is already known about this topic? Detection of pressure injuries at an early stage is challenging. Infrared thermography can be used for the physiological and anatomical evaluation of subcutaneous tissue abnormalities. A convolutional neural network is increasingly used in medical imaging analysis. What does this study add? The optimal cut-off values of the IRT-based model were 0·53 for identifying tissue damage 1 day before visual detection of pressure injury and 0·88 for pressure injury detection on the day visual detection is possible. Infrared thermography-based models can be used by clinical dermatologists and nurses to detect pressure injuries at an early stage objectively and accurately., (© 2022 British Association of Dermatologists.)

Aims: Detection of bacterial contamination in healthcare and industry takes many hours if not days. Thermal imaging, the measurement of heat by an infrared camera, was investigated as a potential noninvasive method of detecting bacterial growth., Methods and Results: Infrared thermography can detect the presence of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus on solid growth media by an increase in temperature before they are visually observable. A heat decrease is observed after treatment with ultraviolet light and heat increased after incubation with dinitrophenol., Conclusions: Infrared thermography can detect early growth of bacteria before they are detectable by other microbiology-based method. The heat observed is due to the cells being viable and metabolically active, as cells killed with ultraviolet light exhibit reduced increase in temperature and treatment with dinitrophenol increases heat detected., Significance and Impact of the Study: Infrared thermography detects bacterial growth without the need for specialized temperature control facilities. The method is statistically robust and can be undertaken in situ, thus is highly versatile. These data support the application of infrared thermography in a laboratory, clinical and industrial setting for vegetative bacteria, thus may become into an important methodology for the timely and straightforward detection of early-stage bacterial growth., (© 2021 The Authors. Journal of Applied Microbiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society for Applied Microbiology.)

Infrared thermal screening, via the use of handheld non-contact infrared thermometers (NCITs) and thermal scanners, has been widely implemented all over the world. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate its diagnostic accuracy for the detection of fever. We searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, medRxiv, bioRxiv, ClinicalTrials.gov, COVID-19 Open Research Dataset, COVID-19 research database, Epistemonikos, EPPI-Centre, World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, Scopus and Web of Science databases for studies where a non-contact infrared device was used to detect fever against a reference standard of conventional thermometers. Forest plots and Hierarchical Summary Receiver Operating Characteristics curves were used to describe the pooled summary estimates of sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic odds ratio. From a total of 1063 results, 30 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis, of which 19 were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.808 (95%CI 0.656-0.903) and 0.920 (95%CI 0.769-0.975), respectively, for the NCITs (using forehead as the site of measurement), and 0.818 (95%CI 0.758-0.866) and 0.923 (95%CI 0.823-0.969), respectively, for thermal scanners. The sensitivity of NCITs increased on use of rectal temperature as the reference. The sensitivity of thermal scanners decreased in a disease outbreak/pandemic setting. Changes approaching statistical significance were also observed on the exclusion of neonates from the analysis. Thermal screening had a low positive predictive value, especially at the initial stage of an outbreak, whereas the negative predictive value (NPV) continued to be high even at later stages. Thermal screening has reasonable diagnostic accuracy in the detection of fever, although it may vary with changes in subject characteristics, setting, index test and the reference standard used. Thermal screening has a good NPV even during a pandemic. The policymakers must take into consideration the factors surrounding the screening strategy while forming ad-hoc guidelines., (© International Society of Travel Medicine 2020. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Near-infrared (NIR) imaging of liver segments provides substantial information for surgeons performing liver resection. It was hypothesized that ramucirumab, an endothelium-specific antibody approved by the Food and Drug Administration, could be used for liver segment imaging using the endothelium capture principle., Methods: The capture efficacy of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) 2 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and segment imaging were studied in a mouse model. Binding of ramucirumab in human and porcine tissues was studied using immunofluorescence staining. Isolated porcine liver perfusion was used to analyse the labelling and NIR imaging of selected liver segments., Results: VEGFR2 is well expressed on the endothelium of the smallest microvascular blood vessels in mouse, porcine and human liver tissues, as well as in human liver tumours. Perfusion of selected segments in the isolated liver model showed high capture of the anti-VEGFR2 (clone 522302) mAb and ramucirumab in mice and pigs respectively. NIR imaging of selected segments was achieved using isolated porcine liver perfusion with IRDye® 800CW-conjugated ramucirumab., Conclusion: VEGFR2 is well expressed on the smallest microvascular blood vessels and can capture antibodies during single intravascular passages with high efficacy. The ex vivo imaging of a selected segment using endothelial capture of ramucirumab demonstrates the potential of this antibody for intraoperative navigation in liver surgery. Surgical relevance Imaging of liver segments provides substantial information for surgeons when performing liver resection. The antivascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) 2 antibody ramucirumab conjugated with near-infrared dye could visualize selected liver segments using an endothelial capture-based approach in an isolated perfusion liver model. The ex vivo imaging of a selected segment using endothelial capture of ramucirumab demonstrates the potential of this anti-VEGFR2 antibody for intraoperative navigation in liver surgery., (© 2020 The Authors. BJS Open published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of BJS Society Ltd.)

At least one-fourth of US veterans who served in the 1990-1991 Gulf War (GW) are affected by the chronic symptomatic illness known as Gulf War illness (GWI). This condition typically includes some combination of fatigue, headaches, cognitive dysfunction, musculoskeletal pain, and respiratory, gastrointestinal and dermatologic complaints. To date, effective treatments for GWI have been elusive. Photobiomodulation (PBM) describes the non-pharmacological, non-thermal use of light to stimulate, heal, and protect tissue that has either been injured, is degenerating, or else is at risk of dying. Significant benefits have been reported following application of transcranial PBM to humans with acute stoke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and dementia. This report describes the first documentation of improved GWI symptoms in two GW veterans following 12 weeks of PBM treatments., (Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States 2019. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.)

Background: Breast shape is defined utilizing mainly qualitative assessment (full, flat, ptotic) or estimates, such as volume or distances between reference points, that cannot describe it reliably., Objectives: The authors quantitatively described breast shape with two parameters derived from a statistical methodology denominated by principal component analysis (PCA)., Methods: The authors created a heterogeneous dataset of breast shapes acquired with a commercial infrared 3-dimensional scanner on which PCA was performed. The authors plotted on a Cartesian plane the two highest values of PCA for each breast (principal components 1 and 2). Testing of the methodology on a preoperative and posttreatment surgical case and test-retest was performed by two operators., Results: The first two principal components derived from PCA characterize the shape of the breast included in the dataset. The test-retest demonstrated that different operators obtain very similar values of PCA. The system is also able to identify major changes in the preoperative and posttreatment stages of a two-stage reconstruction. Even minor changes were correctly detected by the system., Conclusions: This methodology can reliably describe the shape of a breast. An expert operator and a newly trained operator can reach similar results in a test/re-testing validation. Once developed and after further validation, this methodology could be employed as a good tool for outcome evaluation, auditing, and benchmarking.

Background Far-infrared-emitting garments have several biological properties including the capability to increase blood perfusion in irradiated tissues. Design The aim of the study was to evaluate whether far-infrared radiation increases exercise capacity and delays anaerobic metabolism in healthy subjects. Methods With a double-blind, crossover protocol, a maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test was performed in 20 volunteers, wearing far-infrared or common sport clothes, identical in texture and colour. Results Comparing far-infrared with placebo garments, higher oxygen uptake at peak of exercise and longer endurance time were observed (peak oxygen uptake 38.0 ± 8.9 vs. 36.2 ± 8.5 ml/kg/min, endurance time 592 ± 85 vs. 570 ± 71 seconds; P < 0.01); the anaerobic threshold was significantly delayed (anaerobic threshold time 461 ± 93 vs. 417 ± 103 seconds) and anaerobic threshold oxygen uptake and anaerobic threshold oxygen pulse were significantly higher (25.3 ± 6.4 vs. 20.9 ± 5.4 ml/kg/min and 13.3 ± 3.8 vs. 12.4 ± 3.3 ml/beat, respectively). In 10 subjects the blood lactate concentration was measured every 2 minutes during exercise and at peak; lower values were observed with far-infrared fabrics compared to placebo from the eighth minute of exercise, reaching a significant difference at 10 minutes (3.6 ± 0.83 vs. 4.4 ± 0.96 mmol/l; P = 0.02). Conclusions In healthy subjects, exercising with a far-infrared outfit is associated with an improvement in exercise performance and a delay in anaerobic metabolism. In consideration of the acknowledged non-thermic properties of functionalised clothes, these effects could be mediated by an increase in oxygen peripheral delivery secondary to muscular vasodilation. These data suggest the need for testing far-infrared-emitting garments in patients with exercise limitation or in chronic cardiovascular and respiratory patients engaged in rehabilitation programmes.

Aims: Vulnerable coronary plaque is characterized by a large lipid core. Although commercially-available optical coherence tomography (OCT) systems use near-infrared light at 1300 nm wavelength, lipid shows characteristic absorption at 1700 nm. Therefore, we developed a novel, short wavelength infra-red, spectroscopic, spectral-domain OCT. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the accuracy of short wavelength (1700 nm) infra-red optical coherence tomography (SWIR-OCT) for identification of lipid tissue within coronary plaques., Methods and Results: Twenty-three coronary arteries from 10 cadavers were imaged at physiological pressure with 2.7 Fr SWIR-OCT catheter. When a blood-free image was observed, the SWIR-OCT imaging core was withdrawn at a rate of 20 mm/s using an automatic pullback device. SWIR-OCT images were acquired at 94 frames/s and digitally archived. SWIR-OCT generated grey-scale cross sectional images and colour tissue maps of all of the plaque by using a lipid analysis algorithm. After SWIR-OCT imaging, the arteries were pressure-fixed, sliced by cryostat and stained with Oil Red O, and then corresponding histology was collected in matched images. Regions of interest, selected from histology, were 117 lipidic and 34 fibrotic/calcified regions. SWIR-OCT showed high sensitivity (89%) and specificity (92%) for identifying lipid tissue within coronary plaques. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 97% and 74%, respectively., Conclusion: SWIR-OCT accurately identified lipid tissue in coronary autopsy specimens. This new technique may hold promise for identifying histopathological features of coronary plaque at risk for rupture.

Infrared endoscopy (IRE) has been shown to be useful in detecting submucosal (SM) invasion in early gastric cancer. Its role in the endoscopic assessment of Barrett's neoplasia has not been reported to date. We aimed in this study to evaluate the role of IRE in the detection and characterization of early neoplastic lesions within Barrett's esophagus (BE). The secondary aim was to explore its usefulness for the assessment of the presence of submucosal invasion in these early neoplastic Barrett's lesions. We included in the study patients with dysplastic BE who were referred to our institution for endoscopic therapy of a previously diagnosed early Barrett's neoplasia. An examination with white light high resolution endoscopy (HRE) and near IRE after intravenous injection of indocyanine green was performed for all patients using an infrared endoscope prototype. Staining on IRE and correlation with final histological staging by endoscopic mucosal resection/surgery or histological diagnosis on mapping biopsies was analyzed. A total of 23 patients were enrolled in our study: 17 of them with 19 visible lesions and 6 patients with flat BE and no lesions. Staining on IRE was noted in 18 cases: 17 (94%) had at least high grade dysplasia (HGD). No stain was noted in 7 cases: final histology was

The use of synthetic messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) to express specific proteins is a highly promising therapeutic and vaccine approach that avoids many safety issues associated with viral or DNA-based systems. However, in order to optimize mRNA designs and delivery, technology advancements are required to study fundamental mechanisms of mRNA uptake and localization at the single-cell and tissue level. Here, we present a single RNA sensitive fluorescent labeling method which allows us to label and visualize synthetic mRNA without significantly affecting function. This approach enabled single cell characterization of mRNA uptake and release kinetics from endocytic compartments, the measurement of mRNA/protein correlations, and motivated the investigation of mRNA induced cellular stress, all important mechanisms influencing protein production. In addition, we demonstrated this approach can facilitate near-infrared imaging of mRNA localization in vivo and in ex-vivo tissue sections, which will facilitate mRNA trafficking studies in pre-clinical models. Overall, we demonstrate the ability to study fundamental mechanisms necessary to optimize delivery and therapeutic strategies, in order to design the next generation of novel mRNA therapeutics and vaccines., (© The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.)

Visual diagnosis of second-degree burns has proven inadequate for determining the appropriate treatment regimen. Although multiple noninvasive imaging techniques have shown promise for providing information about burn wound severity, the ideal technology to aid burn wound excision would provide real-time readouts. Herein, the authors examine a high-resolution infrared (IR) camera (thermography) and a multiprobe adapter system (MPAS-6; transepidermal evaporative water loss, colorimetry) to assess their usefulness in predicting burn severity. Contact burn wounds of increasing severity were created in a porcine model. Wounds were assessed for 4 days with an IR camera and MPAS-6. In addition, each day, the burn wounds were biopsied for histological analysis to determine burn depth for correlation with noninvasive measures. Surface temperatures decreased with increasing burn severity, which was associated with increasing transepidermal evaporative water loss. Melanin content correlated with the depth of collagen coagulation and was bimodal, with superficial and full-thickness burns having higher values than deep partial thickness wounds. Erythema content was highest in superficial burns and negatively correlated with necrosis (high-mobility group box protein 1 expression). Importantly, surface temperature taken on every single day after injury was predictive of all histologically determined measurements of burn depth (ie, collagen coagulation, apoptosis, necrosis, vascular occlusion). The results indicate that IR imaging and skin quality probes can be used to support the diagnosis of burn severity. Most importantly, IR measurements gave insight into both the zone of coagulation and the zone of stasis on every postburn day studied.

The article explores the theory of infrared-visible sum frequency generation microscopy of phospholipid envelopes with dimensions larger than the wavelength of the nonlinear emission. The main part of the study concerns derivation and accounting for the contributions of effective nonlinear responses specific to sites on the surfaces of a bilayer envelope and their dependence on polarization condition and experimental geometry. The nonlinear responses of sites are mapped onto the image plane according to their emission directions and the numerical aperture of a sampling microscope objective. According to the simulation results, we discuss possible approaches to characterize the shape of the envelope, to extract molecular hyperpolarizabilities, and to anticipate possible heterogeneity in envelope composition and anisotropy of the environment proximal to the envelope. The modeling approach offers a promising analytic facility to assist connecting microscopy observations in engineered liposomes, cellular envelopes, and subcellular organelles of relatively large dimensions to molecular properties, and hence to chemistry and structure down to available spatial resolution.

Clinical distinction between superficial and deep burns is problematic. The authors determined whether an infrared thermal imaging (IRTI) camera could predict burn depth. Burn depth was assessed by an experienced surgeon, and the burns were imaged with a portable, lightweight IRTI camera that measures heat emission from the skin using long infrared wavelengths (7.5-13 μm). Burns were considered "deep" if they were surgically excised and confirmed to be of full thickness on microscopic evaluation or if they did not heal spontaneously within 21 days of injury. All other burns were considered "nondeep." There were 39 burns that had both days 1 and 2 IRTI measurements and available outcome. Of these, 16 were "deep" burns and 23 were "nondeep." The mean temperatures of "nondeep" burns between days 1 and 2 increased from 30.6 ± 2.7 to 32.1 ± 3.0°C (difference of 1.5 ± 2.3°C). The mean temperatures of "deep" burns decreased from 32.3 ± 2.0 to 30.8 ± 1.3°C (difference of -1.5 ± 2.0°C) between days 1 and 2. Any decrease in temperatures between days 1 and 2 was predictive of a deep wound, and any increase between days 1 and 2 was predictive of a nondeep burn. Using the ultimate burn depth as the criterion standard, the overall accuracy of IRTI was considerably higher than that of clinical assessment; 87.2% (95% CI: 71.8-95.2) vs 54.1% (95% CI: 37.1-70.2). Any decrease in temperatures between days 1 and 2 was predictive of a deep wound. Our results suggest that thermography using IRTI is more accurate than clinical examination in predicting burn depth and could potentially reduce unnecessary surgery as well as reduce delays to surgery when necessary.

Understanding how cell division and cell elongation influence organ growth and development is a long-standing issue in plant biology. In plant roots, most of the cell divisions occur in a short and specialized region, the root apical meristem (RAM). Although RAM activity has been suggested to be of high importance to understand how roots grow and how the cell cycle is regulated, few experimental and numeric data are currently available. The characterization of the RAM is difficult and essentially based upon cell length measurements through destructive and time-consuming microscopy approaches. Here, a new non-invasive method is described that couples infrared light imaging and kinematic analyses and that allows in vivo measurements of the RAM length. This study provides a detailed description of the RAM activity, especially in terms of cell flux and cell division rate. We focused on roots of hydroponic grown poplars and confirmed our method on maize roots. How the RAM affects root growth rate is studied by taking advantage of the high inter-individual variability of poplar root growth. An osmotic stress was applied and did not significantly affect the RAM length, highlighting its homeostasis in short to middle-term responses. The methodology described here simplifies a lot experimental procedures, allows an increase in the number of individuals that can be taken into account in experiments, and means new experiments can be formulated that allow temporal monitoring of the RAM length., (© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.)

We investigated the effects of near-infrared irradiation on the photoconversion of Chenopodium album water-soluble chlorophyll-binding protein (CaWSCP) in the presence of sodium hydrosulfite and found a further photoconversion from CP742 to CP763, a novel form of CaWSCP. Interestingly, one-third of the absorption peak at 668 nm was recovered in CP763, but re-irradiation under oxidative conditions eliminated the photo convertibility of CaWSCP.

Context: Brown adipose tissue (BAT) generates heat during adaptive thermogenesis in response to cold temperature. Thyroid hormone (TH) receptors, type 2 deiodinase, and TSH receptors are present on brown adipocytes, indicating that the thyroid axis regulates BAT. It is unknown whether absent TH in humans would down-regulate development of BAT and its thermogenic function., Objective: The objective of the study was to examine BAT by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and infrared thermal imaging (IRT) in a pediatric patient with severe primary hypothyroidism before and after TH treatment., Design/setting: This study was a case report with longitudinal follow-up in a tertiary center., Main Outcome Measures: BAT fat fraction (FF) by MRI and skin temperature by IRT were measured., Results: An 11.5-year-old female was severely hypothyroid (TSH, 989 μIU/mL; free T4, 0.10 ng/dL; low thyroglobulin, 3.0 ng/mL). Low MRI measures of FF (56.1% ± 3.7%) indicated that BAT was abundantly present in the supraclavicular fossa. IRT showed higher supraclavicular temperature (36.0°C ±0.16°C) than the suprasternal area (34.3°C ± 0.19°C). After 2 months of TH replacement, she was euthyroid (TSH, 4.3 μIU/mL; free T4, 1.49 ng/dL; T3, 102 ng/dL) at which time supraclavicular BAT decreased (increased FF 60.7% ± 3.8%). IRT showed a higher, more homogeneous skin temperature throughout the upper thorax (supraclavicular, 37.1°C ± 0.23°C; suprasternal, 36.4°C ± 0.13°C). The overall size of the supraclavicular fat depot decreased from 84.79 cm(3) to 41.21 cm(3)., Conclusions: These findings document the presence of BAT and thermogenesis in profound hypothyroidism and suggest a role for TSH and/or TRH as a potential regulator of BAT.

The aim of this study was to find the relationship between active dynamic thermography (ADT) with cold excitation and burn depth. This new modality of evaluation of burns seems to be an attractive proposal for quantitative classification, allowing proper choice of burn wound treatment: conservative or surgical, especially compared with static thermography. The work was an in vivo experiment on domestic pigs, and a small number of patients were also diagnosed as part of the study. Statistical analysis showed a high correlation between the ADT synthetic parameter--thermal time constant, τ--and the classification of burn wounds that were predicted to heal within 3 weeks and so were treated conservatively and those that were predicted to not heal within 3 weeks and so were surgically treated. The results of the study show an accuracy of 60.7% for clinical evaluation, 69.6% for static thermography, 83.0% for ADT, and 84.0% for histopathologic assessment. The authors have concluded that the ADT method with cold excitation is suitable for the qualitative and quantitative assessment of burn depth.

Objectives: The maintenance of a good surgical view is mandatory in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). For routine segmentectomy, it is necessary to re-inflate the lung in order to identify the intersegmental line. However, such re-inflation can occasionally obstruct the surgical view. Infrared thoracoscopy (IRT) with indocyanine green (ICG) can reveal the intersegmental line based on blood flow differences, without the need for lung re-inflation. The purpose of this study was to confirm the usefulness of IRT with ICG for VATS., Methods: Between October 2008 and September 2011, 44 consecutive patients underwent segmentectomy at our institution. In 13 patients, VATS segmentectomy using IRT with ICG was employed. Informed consent was obtained from all patients. Computed tomography was performed to identify the dominant pulmonary artery supplying the target segment. The operations were performed using two ports and one mini-thoracotomy (3-6 cm). The dominant arteries were interrupted, and the intersegmental line was identified using IRT with ICG., Results: Identification of the intersegmental line was possible in 11 (84.6%) of the 13 patients. The average age was 70 years, and 6 of the patients were male. The mean operation time was 191 min, and the mean bleeding volume was 64 ml. The operation time and bleeding volume were similar to the values in the other 31 patients who underwent thoracotomy (167 min/115 ml, P = 0.212/0.361, respectively). No complications attributable to IRT with ICG were observed., Conclusions: VATS segmentectomy using IRT with ICG allows the maintenance of a clear surgical view and identification of the intersegmental line in a high proportion of cases. Therefore, we consider this method to be useful for minimally invasive thoracic surgery., (© The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.)

In deciduous trees, measurement of stem water potential can be difficult during the leafless period in winter. By using thermocouple psychrometry, osmotic water potentials (Ψo; actual Ψo: Ψo(act); Ψo at full saturation: Ψo(sat)) of expressed sap of bark and bud tissue were measured in order to test if the severity of winter desiccation in apple stems could be sufficiently assessed with Ψo. Water potentials were related to frost resistance and freezing behaviour of buds. The determination of Ψo reliably allowed winter desiccation and osmotic adjustments in apple stem tissue to be assessed. In winter in bark tissue, a pronounced decrease in Ψo(act) and Ψo(sat) was found. Decreased Ψo(sat) indicates active osmotic adjustment in the bark as observed earlier in the leaves of evergreen woody plants. In terminal bud meristems, no significant osmotic adjustments occurred and dehydration during winter was much less. Osmotic water potentials, Ψo(act) and Ψo(sat), of bud tissue were always less negative than in the bark. To prevent water movement and dehydration of the bud tissue via this osmotic gradient, it must be compensated for either by a sufficiently high turgor pressure (Ψp) in bark tissue or by the isolation of the bud tissue from the bark during midwinter. During freezing of apple buds, freeze dehydration and extra-organ freezing could be demonstrated by significantly reduced Ψo(act) values of bud meristems that had been excised in the frozen state. Infrared video thermography was used to monitor freezing patterns in apple twigs. During extracellular freezing of intact and longitudinally dissected stems, infrared differential thermal analysis (IDTA) images showed that the bud meristem remains ice free. Even if cooled to temperatures below the frost-killing temperature, no freezing event could be detected in bud meristems during winter. In contrast, after bud break, terminal buds showed a second freezing at the frost-killing temperature that indicates deep supercooling. Our results demonstrate the applicability of thermocouple psychrometry for the assessment of winter desiccation in stem tissues of deciduous trees and corroborate the finding that dormant apple buds survive by extra-organ freezing and do not deep supercool. In addition, they indicate that significant changes of the frost-survival mechanism can occur during the apple bud development in spring.

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the interaction between the length polymorphism of the guanosine thymidine repeat [(GT)n] in the heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) gene and far-infrared (FIR) therapy on access flow (Qa) and arteriovenous fistula (AVF) patency in hemodialysis (HD) patients., Methods: A total of 280 HD patients were randomized into a control group (n = 141) and the FIR group (n = 139) who received 40 min of FIR therapy three times weekly for a year during the study period from May 2005 to December 2007. Access flow was measured during HD. The [(GT)n] was determined with the definition of long (L) allele as [(GT)n] ≥ 30 and short (S) allele as [(GT)n] < 30., Results: The Qa decreased from S/S to S/L and further to the L/L group but increased by FIR therapy with the highest Qa increase in the S/S group. The incidence of AVF malfunction decreased both from the L/L, S/L to S/S group (32.4 versus 17.2 versus 10.9%, P = 0.007) and from the control group to FIR group (27.5 versus 12.6%, P = 0.004). Significant associations were found between AVF malfunction and the following factors (hazard ratio, P-value): a past history of AVF malfunction (2.45, P = 0.044), FIR therapy (0.369, P = 0.03) and L/L genotypes of HO-1 (2.531 versus S/S + S/L genotypes). The 1-year unassisted patency decreased from 91.9 and 77.6% in S/S and S/L subgroups with and without FIR therapy to 75.8 and 60% for L/L subgroup with and without FIR therapy, respectively (P < 0.001)., Conclusions: FIR therapy improves Qa and patency of AVF in HD patients, with the best protective effect in those with S/S genotype of HO-1.

Climate change will result in warmer temperatures and an increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. Given that higher temperatures increase the reproductive rate of temperate zone insects, insect population growth rates are predicted to increase in the temperate zone in response to climate. This consensus, however, rests on the assumption that food is freely available. However, under conditions of limited food, the reproductive output of the Texan cricket Gryllus texensis (Cade and Otte) was highest at its current normal average temperature and declined with increasing temperature. Moreover, low food availability decreased survival during a simulated heat wave. Therefore, the effects of climate change on this species, and possibly on many others, are likely to hinge on food availability. Extrapolation from our data suggests that G. texensis will show larger yearly fluctuations in population size as climate change continues, and this will also have ecological repercussions. Only those temperate zone insects with a ready supply of food (e.g., agricultural pests) are likely to experience the predicted increase in population growth in response to climate change; food-limited species are likely to experience a population decline.

In this study, a novel infrared-assisted extraction method coupled capillary electrophoresis (CE) is employed to determine chlorogenic acid from a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), honeysuckle. The effects of pH and the concentration of the running buffer, separation voltage, injection time, IR irradiation time, and anhydrous ethanol in the extraction concentration were investigated. The optimal conditions were as follows: extraction time, 30 min; extraction solvent, 80% (v/v) ethanol in water solution; and 50 mmol/L borate buffer (pH 8.7) was used as the running buffer at a separation voltage of 16 kV. The samples were injected electrokinetically at 16 kV for 8 s. Good linearity (r(2) > 0.9996) was observed over the concentration ranges investigated, and the stability of the solutions was high. Recoveries of the chlorogenic acid were from 95.53% to 106.62%, and the relative standard deviation was below 4.1%. By using this novel IR-assisted extraction method, a higher extraction efficiency than those extracted with conventional heat-reflux extraction was found. The developed IR-assisted extraction method is simple, low-cost, and efficient, offering a great promise for the quick determination of active compounds in TCM. The results indicated that IR-assisted extraction followed by CE is a reliable method for quantitative analysis of active ingredient in TCM., (© The Author [2011]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.)

Aims:   To investigate the effectiveness of infrared (IR) radiation heating in disinfecting air filters loaded with bioaerosols., Methods and Results:   An irradiation device was constructed considering the unique characteristics of IR and the physical dimensions and radiative properties of air filters. Filters loaded with test bioaerosols were irradiated with the device and flash heated to an ultra-high temperature (UHT). A maximum of 3·77-, 4·38- and 5·32-log inactivation of B. subtilis spores, E. coli, and MS2 virus respectively was achieved within 5 s of irradiation. Inactivation efficiency could be increased by using a higher IR power. Microscopic analysis showed no visible damage from the heat treatment that would affect filtration efficiency., Conclusions:   Because the disinfection was a dry heat process, a temperature greater than 200°C was found necessary to successfully inactivate the test micro-organisms. The results demonstrate that IR is able to quickly disinfect filters given sufficient incident power. Compared to existing filter disinfection technologies, it offers a faster and more effective solution., Significance and Impact of the Study:   It has been shown that IR heating is a feasible option for filter disinfection; possibly reducing fomite transmission of collected micro-organisms and preventing bioaerosol reaerosolization., (© 2011 The Authors. Journal of Applied Microbiology © 2011 The Society for Applied Microbiology.)

The susceptibility of various life stages of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), a pest of stored wheat, Triticum aestivum L., to flameless catalytic infrared radiation in the 3-7-microm range was evaluated in the laboratory. Immature stages were collected from flour infested with T. castaneum adults only for 1 d. Stages collected after 1 d represented eggs (collected on day 0); those collected after 7, 14, and 21 d from day 0 represented larvae in different developmental stages, whereas those collected after 24 d represented pupae. Adults (2 wk old) were collected after 42 d. Each of these stages was exposed for 45 or 60 s in 113.5 or 227.0 g of wheat at a distance of 8.0 or 12.7 cm from a bench top infrared emitter. The mean temperatures attained during exposures were measured continuously using a noncontact infrared thermometer connected to a computer. The mean grain temperatures attained increased with an increase in exposure time and were inversely related to distance from the emitter. Grain quantity least influenced mean temperatures attained. Pupae were the least susceptible stage and larvae collected after 7 d were the most susceptible stage. Variation in probability of death of various life stages decreased with an increase in mean grain temperatures attained. All life stages were killed after a 60-s exposure at a distance of 8.0 cm from the emitter in 113.5 g of wheat, where the mean +/- SE temperatures attained ranged from 107.6 +/- 1.2 to 111.4 +/- 0.5 degrees C. Our laboratory results using small grain quantities and short exposure times showed that flameless catalytic infrared radiation can be a valuable tool for managing insects in stored organic and nonorganic wheat.

Ash (Fraxinus spp.) logs, infested with fully developed, cold-acclimated larval and prepupal emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), were fumigated with methyl bromide (MeBr) at 4.4 and 10.0 degrees C for 24 h. Concentrations X time dosages of MeBr obtained were 1579 and 1273 g-h/m3 (24-h exposure) at 4.4 and 10.0 degrees C after applied doses of 112 and 96 g/m3, respectively. MeBr concentrations were simultaneously measured with a ContainIR infrared monitor and Fumiscope thermal conductivity meter calibrated for MeBr to measure the effect of CO2 on Fumiscope concentration readings compared with the infrared (IR) instrument. The presence of CO2 caused false high MeBr readings. With the thermal conductivity meter, CO2 measured 11.36 g/m3 MeBr per 1% CO2 in clean air, whereas the gas-specific infrared ContainIR instrument measured 9.55% CO2 as 4.2 g/m3 MeBr (0.44 g/m3 per 1% CO2). The IR instrument was 0.4% as sensitive to CO2 as the thermal conductivity meter. After aeration, fumigated and control logs were held for 8 wk to capture emerging beetles. No A. planipennis adults emerged from any of the fumigated logs, whereas 262 emerged from control logs (139 and 123/m2 at 4.4 and 10.0 degrees C, respectively). An effective fumigation dose and minimum periodic MeBr concentrations are proposed. The use of a CO2 scrubber in conjunction with nonspecific thermal conductivity instruments is necessary to more accurately measure MeBr concentrations.

By affecting the physiology and structure of plant canopies, increasing atmospheric CO(2) and O(3) influence the capacity of agroecosystems to capture light and convert that light energy into biomass, ultimately affecting productivity and yield. The objective of this study was to determine if established remote sensing indices could detect the direct and interactive effects of elevated CO(2) and elevated O(3) on the leaf area, chlorophyll content, and photosynthetic capacity of a soybean canopy growing under field conditions. Large plots of soybean (Glycine max) were exposed to ambient air (∼380 μmol CO(2) mol(-1)), elevated CO(2) (∼550 μmol mol(-1)), elevated O(3) (1.2× ambient), and combined elevated CO(2) plus elevated O(3) at the soybean free air gas concentration enrichment (SoyFACE) experiment. Canopy reflectance was measured weekly and the following indices were calculated from reflectance data: near infrared/red (NIR/red), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), canopy chlorophyll content index (chl. index), and photochemical reflectance index (PRI). Leaf area index (LAI) also was measured weekly. NIR/red and LAI were linearly correlated throughout the growing season; however, NDVI and LAI were correlated only up to LAI values of ∼3. Season-wide analysis demonstrated that elevated CO(2) significantly increased NIR/red, PRI, and chl. index, indicating a stimulation of LAI and photosynthetic carbon assimilation, as well as delayed senescence; however, analysis of individual dates resolved fewer statistically significant effects of elevated CO(2). Exposure to elevated O(3) decreased LAI throughout the growing season. Although NIR/red showed the same trend, the effect of O(3) on NIR/red was not statistically significant. Season-wide analysis showed significant effects of O(3) on PRI; however, analysis of individual dates revealed that this effect was only statistically significant on two dates. Elevated O(3) had minimal effects on the total canopy chlorophyll index. PRI appeared to be more sensitive to decreased photosynthetic capacity of the canopy as a whole compared with previously published single leaf gas exchange measurements at SoyFACE, possibly because PRI integrates the reflectance signal of older leaves with accumulated O(3) damage and healthy young, upper canopy leaves, enabling detection of significant decreases in photosynthetic carbon assimilation which have not been detected in previous studies which measured gas exchange of upper canopy leaves. When the canopy was exposed to elevated CO(2) and O(3) simultaneously, the deleterious effects of elevated O(3) were diminished. Reflectance data, while less sensitive than direct measurements of physiological/structural parameters, corroborate direct measurements of LAI and photosynthetic gas exchange made during the same season, as well as results from previous years at SoyFACE, demonstrating that these indices accurately represent structural and physiological effects of changing tropospheric chemistry on soybean growing in a field setting.

Drought is a complex stress which elicits a wide variety of plant responses. As such, genetic studies of drought are particularly difficult. Elucidation of the genetic basis of components contributing to drought tolerance is likely to be more tractable than that of overall drought tolerance. Certain of the traits which contribute to drought tolerance in plants and the high-throughput phenotyping techniques available to measure those traits are described in this paper. On the basis of the dynamic nature of drought, plant development, and the resulting stress response, the focus is on non-destructive imaging techniques which allow a temporal resolution and monitoring of the same plants throughout the experiment. Information on the physiological changes in response to drought over time is vital in order to identify and characterize different drought-tolerance mechanisms. High-throughput imaging provides a valuable new tool which allows the dissection of plant responses to drought into a series of component traits.

In laboratory experiments, a flameless catalytic infrared emitter, fueled by propane, was used to disinfest hard red winter wheat, Triticum aestivum L., containing different life stages of the lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.), an economically important insect species associated with stored wheat in Kansas. The emitter generates infrared radiation in the 3-7-microm range. The life stages of R. dominica exposed to infrared radiation included eggs, larvae in different stages of development, pupae, and 2-wk-old adults. A noncontact infrared thermometer measured grain temperatures continuously during exposures of infested wheat to infrared radiation. The grain temperatures attained were influenced by wheat quantity; distance from the emitter; and exposure time, which in turn influenced effectiveness against various life stages of H. dominica. In general, higher grain temperatures were attained in 113.5 g of wheat as opposed to 227.0 g, and at 8.0 cm from the emitter surface rather than at 12.7 cm, and during a 60-s exposure compared with a 45-s exposure. Logistic regression indicated the probability of death of various life stages of R. dominica was temperature dependent. The log odds ratios showed old larvae were less susceptible to infrared radiation than young larvae. Approximately > or = 94% mortality of all R. dominica life stages occurred when using 113.5 g of wheat, exposed for 60 s at a distance of 8.0 cm from the emitter, resulting in mean +/- SE wheat temperatures that ranged between 107.6 +/- 1.4 and 113.5 +/- 0.5 degrees C. Our results with small grain quantities show flameless catalytic infrared technology to be a promising tool for disinfestation of stored wheat.

Background: The diagnosis of malignant melanoma is based upon the histological evaluation of the lesion. As such, the morphological interpretation relies on the expertise of a dermatopathologist. Infrared microimaging is emerging as a new powerful tool to investigate tissue biochemistry. Infrared spectra probe the biochemical constitution of the sample and are real tissue-specific spectroscopic fingerprints., Objectives: To assess the potential of infrared microimaging to aid in the analysis of tissue sections from primary cutaneous melanomas., Methods: Ten samples of melanoma sections from the main histological subtypes were investigated using infrared microimaging combined with multivariate statistical analyses., Results: This methodology yielded highly contrasted colour-coded images that permitted to highlight tissue architecture without any staining. It was possible to discriminate tumour areas from normal epidermis automatically, and intratumoral heterogeneity as revealed by our approach was correlated with the aggressiveness of the tumour., Conclusions: This proof-of-concept study shows that infrared microimaging could help in the diagnosis of primary cutaneous melanoma., (© 2010 The Authors. Journal Compilation © 2010 British Association of Dermatologists.)

Background: This study compared the quality of surgery performed under conventional light with near-infrared (NIR) image-guided surgery using a tumour-targeting probe and a portable clinical grade imaging device in a mouse model of peritoneal carcinomatosis., Methods: Peritoneal carcinomatosis was induced by injection of luciferase-positive tumour cells, leading to the formation of small nodules in the peritoneal cavity. One day after intravenous injection of RAFT-c(RGDfK)4-Alexa Fluor 700, a fluorescent tumour-targeting probe, the surgeon operated using the Fluobeam, a portable device that illuminated the mouse with NIR light and allowed NIR vision. The quality of the surgery was evaluated using bioluminescence, a highly sensitive method that detected the remaining tumour cells, and operating time was measured., Results: Under normal light, the surgeon detected and removed a mean(s.d.) of only 50.6(2.3) per cent of the nodules that were visible under NIR light. The duration of surgery was reduced from 19.5(3.3) min under normal light to 14.0(2.6) min when NIR light was used (P = 0.025). The sensitivity of the NIR system allowed the detection of nodules containing as few as 227 tumour cells., Conclusion: NIR image-guided surgery improved the quality of surgery for peritoneal carcinomatosis by doubling the number of nodules detected and significantly reducing the duration of surgery., (Copyright 2010 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd.)

Aims: Microbial biomass is an important biotechnological parameter. The traditional method for its determination involves an oven-drying step and equilibration to room temperature before weighing, and it is tedious and time consuming. This work studied the utilisation of a moisture analyser consisting of an efficient infrared-heating module and an analytical balance for the determination of microbial biomass by dry weight., Methods and Results: The method duration depended on the sample volume and was between 7 and 40 min for sample volumes of 1-10 ml. The method precision depended on the total dry weight analysed - 10 mg of total dry weight being sufficient to achieve coefficients of variation of 5% or less. Comparison with the conventional oven method provided a correlation coefficient r(2) of 0.99. The recovery of an internal standard ranged between 94.2 and 106.4% with a precision of 1.39-4.53%CV., Conclusions: Validation revealed sufficient method accuracy, precision and robustness and was successfully applied to the study of yeast and bacterial growth kinetics. Techniques are discussed that allow for increased method precision at low biomass concentrations, and equations are provided to estimate required drying time and method precision based on sample volume and total sample dry weight, respectively., Significance and Impact of the Study: This work presents a rapid method for the determination of microbial biomass, allowing for the timely implementation of biomass-based information in biotechnological and laboratory protocols.

Neocortical pyramidal cells (PCs) project to various cortical and subcortical targets. In layer V, the population of thick tufted PCs (TTCs) projects to subcortical targets such as the tectum, brainstem, and spinal cord. Another population of layer V PCs projects via the corpus callosum to the contralateral neocortical hemisphere mediating information transfer between the hemispheres. This subpopulation (corticocallosally projecting cells [CCPs]) has been previously described in terms of their morphological properties, but less is known about their electrophysiological properties, and their synaptic connectivity is unknown. We studied the morphological, electrophysiological, and synaptic properties of CCPs by retrograde labeling with fluorescent microbeads in P13-P16 Wistar rats. CCPs were characterized by shorter, untufted apical dendrites, which reached only up to layers II/III, confirming previous reports. Synaptic connections between CCPs were different from those observed between TTCs, both in probability of occurrence and dynamic properties. We found that the CCP network is about 4 times less interconnected than the TTC network and the probability of release is 24% smaller, resulting in a more linear synaptic transmission. The study shows that layer V pyramidal neurons projecting to different targets form subnetworks with specialized connectivity profiles, in addition to the specialized morphological and electrophysiological intrinsic properties.

Terahertz pulsed spectroscopy (TPS) and terahertz pulsed imaging (TPI) are two novel techniques for the physical characterization of pharmaceutical drug materials and final solid dosage forms, utilizing spectral information in the far infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. This review focuses on the development and performance of pharmaceutical applications of terahertz technology compared with other tools for physical characterization. TPS can be used to characterize crystalline properties of drugs and excipients. Different polymorphic forms of a drug can be readily distinguished and quantified. Recent developments towards a better understanding of the fundamental theory behind spectroscopy in the far infrared have been discussed. Applications for TPI include the measurement of coating thickness and uniformity in coated pharmaceutical tablets, structural imaging and 3D chemical imaging of solid dosage forms.

The established protocol for DNase I footprinting has been modified to allow multiple parallel reactions to be rapidly performed in 96-well microtitre plates. By scrutinizing every aspect of the traditional method and making appropriate modifications it has been possible to considerably reduce the time, risk of sample loss and complexity of footprinting, whilst dramatically increasing the yield of data (30-fold). A semi-automated analysis system has also been developed to present footprinting data as an estimate of the binding affinity of each tested compound to any base pair in the assessed DNA sequence, giving an intuitive 'one compound-one line' scheme. Here, we demonstrate the screening capabilities of the 96-well assay and the subsequent data analysis using a series of six pyrrolobenzodiazepine-polypyrrole compounds and human Topoisomerase II alpha promoter DNA. The dramatic increase in throughput, quantified data and decreased handling time allow, for the first time, DNase I footprinting to be used as a screening tool to assess DNA-binding agents.

Background: Evaluation of treatments for Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) requires objective response parameters in addition to clinical activity scores. Thermographic monitoring of fingertip re-warming after cold challenge has been widely used but usually requires sophisticated equipment. We have previously shown that fingertip re-warming after cold challenge follows a first-order transient response curve that can be described by a single variable, designated tau., Objectives: Here, we describe a novel device termed a duosensor, which records the tau value upon cold challenge in an automated manner., Methods: We determined tau values in healthy probands, patients with primary or secondary RP associated with autoimmune disease and patients with scleroderma-associated RP following cold challenge, to determine assay variability, sensitivity and specificity., Results: Duosensor-based thermography exhibited low intraindividual variability in healthy probands. As expected, tau values in RP patients were significantly increased compared with controls (8.08 +/- 3.65 min vs. 3.23 +/- 1.65 min). The duosensor-determined tau value yielded a specificity of 94.6% and predictive value of 95.3% for the presence of RP in a retrospective analysis of 139 patients. Furthermore, in a cohort of scleroderma patients with RP, patient self-assessment of RP severity correlated with tau values., Conclusions: Taken together, the present data suggest that tau value determination provides a suitable outcome measure for clinical studies of novel RP treatments. As the duosensor is a simple stand-alone device requiring no supporting equipment and minimal personnel attention, it should allow RP activity monitoring even in clinical settings with minimal technical infrastructure.

O-isopropyl methylphosphonofluoridate, also known as sarin or GB, is a highly toxic organophosphorous compound that exerts its effect by inhibiting the enzyme acetylcholinesterase. While the effects of a single exposure to GB vapor are well characterized, the effects of multiple exposures to GB vapor are less clear. Previous studies in the rat and guinea pig have demonstrated that multiple exposures result in tolerance to the miotic effect of nerve agents. The aim of the present study was to examine potential mechanisms responsible for tolerance to the miotic effect of GB vapor that has been observed in the rat after multiple exposures. Multiple whole-body inhalation exposures to GB vapor were conducted in a dynamic airflow chamber. Exposures lasted 60 min and each of the three exposures occurred at 24-h intervals. The results of the present study demonstrate that the alpha-adrenergic antagonist phentolamine and the beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist propranolol did not affect the development of tolerance to the miotic effect of GB vapor, suggesting that enhanced sympathetic tone to the eye is not responsible for the observed tolerance. Administration of atropine before the first exposure prevented the tolerance to the miotic effect of GB vapor after the third exposure, suggesting that the tolerance is the result of muscarinic receptor desensitization secondary to receptor stimulation. The present study extends the findings of previous studies to strengthen the hypothesis that the miotic tolerance observed in the rat upon repeated exposure to nerve agents is due to desensitization of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors located on the pupillary sphincter.

The Mn4Ca complex that is involved in water oxidation in PSII is affected by near-infrared (NIR) light in certain redox states and these phenomena can be monitored by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) at low temperature. Here we report the action spectra of the NIR effects in the S2 and S3 states in PSII from plants and the thermophilic cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus elongatus. The action spectra obtained are very similar in both S states, indicating the presence of the same photoactive form of the Mn4Ca complex in both states. Since the chemical nature of the photoactive species is not known, an unequivocal interpretation of this result cannot be made; however, it appears to be more easily reconciled with the view that the redox state of the Mn4Ca cluster does not change from the S2 to the S3 transition, at least in those centers sensitive to NIR light. The temperature dependence of the NIR effect and the action spectra for S2 indicate the presence of structural heterogeneity in the Mn4Ca cluster.

Background: To avoid unnecessary lymphadenectomy in patients with cancer accurate diagnosis of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) is important., Methods: This report examined the initial clinical use of infrared ray electronic endoscopy (IREE) combined with indocyanine green (ICG) injection for SLN detection in 84 patients with gastric cancer not invading the subserosa (75 T1 N0 M0 and nine T2 N0 M0 tumours, according to tumour node metastasis classification)., Results: There were no adverse events after injection of ICG. At least one SLN was detected in all but one patient by both ICG injection alone and by IREE with ICG. Eleven of the 84 patients had lymph node metastasis. SLNs detected by ICG injection alone did not include metastases in four of 11 patients, whereas IREE with ICG detected SLNs containing lymph node metastases in all 11 patients. Moreover, SLNs illuminated by IREE with ICG included all metastases among the 105 regional lymph nodes in the 11 patients; no metastatic lymph nodes were identified among 154 non-SLNs., Conclusion: IREE combined with ICG injection may efficiently detect SLNs that contain metastases in patients with gastric cancer., (Copyright 2004 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd.)

The use of Arabidopsis mutants defective in abscisic acid (ABA) perception has been instrumental in the understanding of stomatal function, in particular, ABA signalling in guard cells. The considerable attention devoted to ABA signalling in guard cells is due in part to (1) the fundamental role of ABA in drought stress and (2) the use of a screening protocol based on the sensitivity of seed germination to ABA. Such a screen has facilitated the isolation of ABA signalling mutants with genetic lesions that exert pleiotropic effects at the whole plant level. As such, there is a requirement for new approaches to complement the seed germination screen. The recent advances made in the use of infrared thermography as a non-invasive, high-throughput tool are reviewed here and the versatility of this technique for screening Arabidopsis defective in stomatal regulation is highlighted., (Copyright 2004 Society for Experimental Biology)

The efficacy of a noninvasive hemoglobin monitoring device (Astrin, Sysmex, Kobe, Japan) was evaluated for healthy volunteers and for patients with hematologic disorders. At the same time, the effects of WBC counts on noninvasive monitoring were studied by clinical evaluation and in ex vivo experiments. The hemoglobin levels determined by the device (Ast-Hb) and a conventional analyzer (T-Hb) were compared. The coefficient of correlation between findings with the Ast-Hb and the T-Hb for healthy volunteers was r = 0.626, whereas that for patients with hematologic disorders was r = 0.762. A comparison of the ratios of measurement errors in hemoglobin levels by Ast-Hb and T-Hb indicated that the number of WBCs had no effect on hemoglobin monitoring. Moreover, ex vivo studies using isolated WBCs and an optical model that imitates blood vessels and tissue in human fingers confirmed these results. Therefore, this new hemoglobin monitoring device can be expected to be useful for continuous hemoglobin monitoring.

This paper reviews and discusses strategies for the use of thermal imaging for studies of stomatal conductance in the field and compares techniques for image collection and analysis. Measurements were taken under a range of environmental conditions and on sunlit and shaded canopies to illustrate the variability of temperatures and derived stress indices. A simple procedure is presented for correcting for calibration drift within the images from the low-cost thermal imager used (SnapShot 225, Infrared Solutions, Inc.). The use of wet and dry reference surfaces as thresholds to eliminate the inclusion of non-leaf material in the analysis of canopy temperature is discussed. An index that is proportional to stomatal conductance was compared with stomatal measurements with a porometer. The advantages and disadvantages of a possible new approach to the use of thermal imagery for the detection of stomatal closure in grapevine canopies, based on an analysis of the temperature of shaded leaves, rather than sunlit leaves, are discussed. Evidence is presented that the temperature of reference surfaces exposed within the canopy can be affected by the canopy water status.