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The safety and efficacy of an implantable left atrial pressure (LAP) monitoring system is being evaluated in a clinical trial setting. Because the number of available specimens from the clinical trial for histopathology analysis is limited, it is beneficial to maximize the usage of each available specimen by relying on integrated microscopy techniques. The aim of this study is to demonstrate how a comprehensive pathology analysis of a single specimen may be reliably achieved using integrated microscopy techniques. Integrated microscopy techniques consisting of high-resolution gross digital photography followed by micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) scanning, low-vacuum scanning electron microscopy (LVSEM), and microground histology with special stains were applied to the same specimen. Integrated microscopy techniques were applied to eight human specimens. Micro-CT evaluation was beneficial for pinpointing the location and position of the device within the tissue, and for identifying any areas of interest or structural flaws that required additional examination. Usage of LVSEM was reliable in analyzing surface topography and cell type without destroying the integrity of the specimen. Following LVSEM, the specimen remained suitable for embedding in plastic and sectioning for light microscopy, using the positional data gathered from the micro-CT to intersect areas of interest in the slide. Finally, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and methylene blue staining was deployed on the slides with high-resolution results. The integration of multiple techniques on a single specimen maximized the usage of the limited number of available specimens from the clinical trial setting. Additionally, this integrated microscopic evaluation approach was found to have the added benefit of providing greater assurance of the derived conclusions because it was possible to cross-validate the results from multiple tests on the same specimen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors report on the operation of complementary metal-oxide semiconductor microelectromechanical system (MEMS) scanning probe microscope (SPM) with integrated three-dimensional electrothermal actuation and three-axis position sensing. Conventional SPM makes use of piezoelectric positioning systems which are bulky (leading to thermal drift and poor vibration immunity) and suffer from inherent creep (leading to image distortion). The scanner design is intended to leverage the myriad physical benefits of dimensional scaling to improve the performance and to reduce the barrier to entry for SPM ownership when compared to the state-of-the-art. However, the integration of multiple electrothermal actuators on chip introduces several complications owing to coupling between electrical, thermal and mechanical domains. The focus of this Letter is to discuss the origins of these effects, and the strategies that are implemented to mitigate them. Specifically, the authors discuss the open-loop and closed-loop control methods that are used to drive the lateral and vertical actuators and propose and verify a method to compensate for the parasitic effects observed in the piezoresistive force sensors. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first integrated MEMS-SPM with multiple imaging modes that can image a sample without the need for off-chip scanners or laser-based position sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents eight biopsy cases which described the pathology of feline cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) which were presented to the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory. It compares the findings of the histologic analysis of the subjects with CL based on sex, age, Texas County of origin, biopsy date, and clinical outcome. An overview is given on the incidence of CL in humans and cats in every counties in Texas.

An on-line diagnostic system is described for detecting problems in the latter stages of low-pressure power turbines. The system uses internally mounted acoustic sensors to identify the existence and location of propagating blade cracks, blade row damage and its location, blade flutter, aerodynamic events such as condensation shock, and transient torsional events such as those caused by water induction.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to develop a simple technique for detecting monoclonality at the DNA level in B lymphocyte populations in formalin fixed, paraffin wax embedded material. Sections were dewaxed and dehydrated, and the DNA was extracted by boiling in water for 45 minutes. A semi-nested PCR was performed to amplify the V-D-J region of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene. The product was electrophoresed and viewed under ultraviolet light after ethidium bromide staining. Specimens from 26 B cell lymphomas produced a monoclonal band in 24 cases and no amplification in two cases; monoclonality was specific for this disorder. Specimens from seven T cell lymphomas produced no amplification; specimens from nine reactive nodes produced a broad smear of polyclonal material; and specimens from 12 cases of carcinoma produced either no amplification or polyclonal material. As detection of monoclonality is strongly suggestive of neoplastic disease, this technique is likely to be of value in routine diagnosis, because of its speed, simplicity, and applicability to fixed, embedded material. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]