Damage of the ocular surface from indoor suntanning—Insights from in vivo confocal microscopy

PurposeTo evaluate the ocular surface at the microstructural level of adults who habitually undertake indoor-suntanning utilising in vivo confocal microscopy.MethodsParticipants were prospectively recruited and enrolled into either а study group (n = 75) with a history UV indoor tanning, or a control group (n = 75) with no prior history of artificial tanning. The study group participated in voluntary tanning sessions performed with standard equipment and maintained their usual routine for eye protection. Slit lamp biomicroscopy and in vivo confocal microscopy were performed at baseline before undertaking a series of suntanning sessions (10 sessions of 10 min duration over a 15 day period), within three days after the last session, and four weeks after the last session. Control group participants were examined at baseline and 8 weeks later and did not participate in tanning sessions.ResultsAll participants were female with a mean age of 25 ± 4 years and 24 ± 4 years in the study and control groups, respectively. No clinically significant changes were observed in either group over time using slit lamp biomicroscopy (all p ≥ 0.05), however, statistically significant differences were observed between the study and the control group for all corneal layers imaged using confocal microscopy (all p ≤ 0.03). Characteristic cystic conjunctival lesions with dark centres and bright borders were observed in 95% of the study group before and in 100% after the suntanning sessions.ConclusionIndoor suntanning resulted in statistically significant microstructural changes in the cornea and the bulbar conjunctiva that are undetectable with slit lamp biomicroscopy.     

基于差动共焦显微技术的微区拉曼光学系统构建与实验研究

研制了一种基于差动共焦显微技术的微区拉曼光学系统装置,对无机样品进行微区拉曼光谱探测。传统显微共焦拉曼光谱技术没有强调系统的定焦能力,而所研制的光学系统装置利用差动共焦曲线过零点与焦点位置精确对应的特性,采用反馈控制技术,具有长时间定焦功能。在微区拉曼散射信号收集时,采用多模光纤空间耦合技术,以光纤代替传统物理探测针孔,提高了环境抗干扰能力,优化了系统结构和装调性能。实验结果表明:该装置具有较高稳定性,可有效探测单壁碳纳米管在1581.510 cm^-1,2708.065 cm^-1特征峰处的拉曼频移及纯物质硫在153.113 cm^-1,219.917 cm^-1,473.322 cm^-1特征峰处的拉曼频移并且实现碳管的单线检测,满足了光谱探测系统装置设计需求。     

Distinctive Microbial Signatures and Gut-Brain Crosstalk in Pediatric Patients with Coeliac Disease and Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Coeliac disease (CD) and Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) are immune-mediated diseases. Emerging evidence suggests that dysbiosis in the gut microbiome plays a role in the pathogenesis of both diseases and may also be associated with the development of neuropathy. The primary goal in this cross-sectional pilot study was to identify whether there are distinct gut microbiota alterations in children with CD (n = 19), T1DM (n = 18) and both CD and T1DM (n = 9) compared to healthy controls (n = 12). Our second goal was to explore the relationship between neuropathy (corneal nerve fiber damage) and the gut microbiome composition. Microbiota composition was determined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Corneal confocal microscopy was used to determine nerve fiber damage. There was a significant difference in the overall microbial diversity between the four groups with healthy controls having a greater microbial diversity as compared to the patients. The abundance of pathogenic proteobacteria Shigella and E. coli were significantly higher in CD patients. Differential abundance analysis showed that several bacterial amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) distinguished CD from T1DM. The tissue transglutaminase antibody correlated significantly with a decrease in gut microbial diversity. Furthermore, the Bacteroidetes phylum, specifically the genus Parabacteroides was significantly correlated with corneal nerve fiber loss in the subjects with neuropathic damage belonging to the diseased groups. We conclude that disease-specific gut microbial features traceable down to the ASV level distinguish children with CD from T1DM and specific gut microbial signatures may be associated with small fiber neuropathy. Further research on the mechanisms linking altered microbial diversity with neuropathy are warranted.     

Microscopic investigation of the formation of a thermoset wheat gluten network in a model system relevant for bread making

Although the impact of heat on molecular properties of wheat gluten is well understood, changes in its microstructure have rarely been studied. Here, formation of the thermoset gluten network in a model system relevant for bread baking was studied with confocal laser scanning microscopy and protein network analysis. From 65 °C onwards, gluten converts from thick aligned protein strands in a highly branched and homogeneous network of small thin protein threads. Neither gliadin incorporation in the network nor application of aqualysin 1, the thermo-active serine peptidase from Thermus aquaticus which recently has been reported to hydrolyse gluten proteins in dough only at temperatures exceeding 80 °C, impacts on the gluten microstructure. As starch causes structure setting itself and thereby decreases protein mobility, molecular scale changes in the gluten network at temperatures exceeding 80 °C brought about by aqualysin 1 do not impact its microstructure.     

激光差动共焦反射式超大曲率半径测量系统研制

针对球面超大曲率半径测量中存在的测量精度低、抗环境干扰能力差的难题,研制了一套激光差动共焦反射式超大曲率半径测量系统。该系统采用反射式测量光路,利用差动共焦响应曲线对被测件的猫眼和反射位置进行高精度定位,并用测长干涉仪记录位置信息,最后结合物镜顶焦距解算出超大曲率半径值。理论分析与实验表明,该系统定焦精度高,测量范围大,抗环境干扰能力强,相对测量误差优于2×10~(-4),-15 m超大曲率半径测量结果的重复性可达1.2×10~(-4),实现了超大曲率半径的高精度测量。     

Tubular dentin sealer penetration after different final irrigation protocols: A confocal laser scanning microscopy study

The aim of this study was to evaluate tubular dentin sealer penetration, comparing different final irrigation protocols using a conventional needle (CONV), EndoActivator system (EAS), EndoVac system (EVS), and ultrasound (PUI). Initially, fifty‐two first maxillary molars with a single canal in the palatal root, without abrupt curvatures, resorptive processes, or previous endodontic treatment were selected for this study. Then, the crowns were sectioned to obtain palatal roots 15 mm in length. The root canals were prepared with the ProTaper Universal System and irrigated with 5% NaOCl. Afterwards, the specimens were divided into four groups (n. 13), according to the final irrigation protocol: CONV, EAS, EVS, and PUI. After filling, slices at 3 mm and 5 mm from the apex were obtained for analysis by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Two‐way comparisons between the groups and the levels were performed with Games Howell's test (p < .05). Tubular dentin sealer penetration was higher at 5 mm compared with 3 mm from the apex (p < .05). The EAS group showed a higher percentage of tubular dentin sealer penetration, compared with the CONV group, at both levels. At 3 mm, there was no statistically significant difference among EAS, EVS, and PUI; however, these groups showed better performance, compared with the CONV group. At 5 mm, there was no statistically significant difference between the EAS and EVS groups, but both showed higher sealer penetration than the PUI group (p < .05). The EAS and EVS groups achieved better degrees of tubular dentin sealer penetration, compared with the other groups.     

激光共聚焦原位观察水泥早期水化(英文)

采用激光共聚焦显微镜对水泥早期水化过程进行原位观察,样品尺寸为35mm×25mm×5mm的水泥压实体,通过滴加水使压实体中的水泥水化。结果表明:压实体的水化对于正常水泥浆体的水化有着很好的参考作用;压实体样品与水接触8h,表面生成大量的水化产物,水化16h,大部分孔洞被水化产物填充,水化1d,水泥水化到达稳定期,微结构逐渐变密实。     

高温激光共聚焦显微镜在钢铁材料中研究进展

介绍了高温激光共聚焦显微镜的工作原理及主要功能,详细汇总了近年来高温激光共聚焦显微镜在钢铁冶金领域、材料研发领域、焊接领域的研究进展,包括钢液在高温熔融过程中夹杂物上浮、聚集、长大行为以及夹杂物聚集的动力学机制研究、相变行为等。利用高温激光共聚焦显微镜研究钢中典型珠光体、贝氏体和马氏体相变基本特征,探讨了不同尺寸粒子在高温对晶界的钉扎、溶解等行为,分析了当前应用过程中存在的主要问题,提出了相应的改进建议,并为后期高温激光共聚焦在钢铁材料领域的应用研究提供参考。