Spectral imaging of thermal damage induced during microwave ablation in the liver

Induction of thermal damage to tissue through delivery of microwave energy is frequently applied in surgery to destroy diseased tissue such as cancer cells. Minimization of unwanted harm to healthy tissue is still achieved subjectively, and the surgeon has few tools at their disposal to monitor the spread of the induced damage. This work describes the use of optical methods to monitor the time course of changes to the tissue during delivery of microwave energy in the porcine liver. Multispectral imaging and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy are used to monitor temporal changes in optical properties in parallel with thermal imaging. The results demonstrate the ability to monitor the spatial extent of thermal damage on a whole organ, including possible secondary effects due to vascular damage. Future applications of this type of imaging may see the multispectral data used as a feedback mechanism to avoid collateral damage to critical healthy structures and to potentially verify sufficient application of energy to the diseased tissue.Comment: 4pg,6fig. Copyright 2018 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other work

The Irish Dairy Industry: Globalisation, Competition, Recession, & Consumerism

In today’s global environment, the dairy farmer and his herd have lost major importance and influence as a consequence of a variety of factors, among them the Industrial revolution, continued and increasing consumerism, the technological explosion, and the ever-expanding concentration of people in urban areas. This research study examines the Irish dairy industry in its current format. The objective of this study is to look at what dairy farmers need to do to grow and expand their business efficiently and effectively. The major challenge for the industry is to attract a new generation of knowledgeable workers to the land. This needs to be balanced by ensuring that both the deep traditions and the experienced culture of farming generations remain at the heart of agricultural practice. The future of the Irish Dairy industry will be scrutinised over the next few years as reforms take place and economies adjust, amid the expectation that world markets will stabilise. The proposed abolition of milk quotas in 2015 will be one of the most significant landmarks in farming history since Ireland’s entry into the European Union in 1973, and the introduction of milk quotas in 1984. This study also examines whether Ireland will remain on its current trend of a steady decline of individuals holding farms, and if the industry will become a gathering of “multi-nationals”, similar to other commodity markets. Can the Irish dairy farming community formalise a strategy together to ensure that all members make a substantial contribution and have an input in its future success? After an extensive review of the relevant pertinent literature, a qualitative methodology was applied for this current research. Face to face interviews were conducted with relevant and appropriate people, including the current Irish Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Simon Coveney T.D. Nine interviews were completed for the purpose of this study, and contributors were purposely chosen because of their expertise in the area. The study reveals that the outlook for the Irish dairy industry is a positive one, but it will be important for the industry to closely examine comparative situations, in particular to give attention to the New Zealand model. Findings suggest that dairying post 2015 can do the same for rural Ireland as it did for the South Island of New Zealand 20 years ago. Caution must also be exercised that Ireland does not experience the same social implications as the New Zealanders did. This study has found that grass-based milk production is an area where Ireland has a real, sustainable, competitive, and international advantage. The focus and ambition of the future should be for the dairy industry to turn the land of green hills and mountains into the land of the green ‘notes’, preferably euro notes. This study will benefit the dairy industry, farming organisations, entrepreneurs, legislators and political leaders in analysing the industry and determining its future

Representations of LGBT people in Vietnamese online newspapers:A corpus-assisted critical discourse study

While corpus linguistic research on gender and sexuality is prevalent in English-speaking media contexts, it remains underexplored in others, such as in the Vietnamese media. This study employs a c.390,000-word corpus of Vietnamese online news articles to investigate the discursive representation of LGBT individuals. We first discuss the methodological challenges of working with a corpus of Vietnamese and how these may be overcome. Then, through the synergy of corpus linguistics and critical discourse analysis, we explore the thematic representation of the Vietnamese LGBT community. Our findings show that LGBT individuals are often depicted negatively, for example, through associations with HIV/AIDS and risky gender-affirming surgeries. However, our study also reveals a shift towards more inclusive representations, through a positive focus on diverse gender and sexual identities. We conclude by discussing the ideological implications of these representations and some methodological insights for corpus-based research on the Vietnamese language.</p

Motor simulation of a shock absorber

The use of modern control theory to produce an electrical motor simulation of a Formula 1, Grand Pnx, passive motorcycle front suspension shock absorber is investigated. It is shown, using a test-rig comprising two permanent magnet DC motors directly coupled, that desired shock absorber responses to load forces can be achieved using model reference control. The controller feedback in this test rig is provided via a high resolution rotary position sensor. A stochastic Kalman filter is used to produce estimates of the load(disturbance), force and velocity from this position information. All states are then used in the controller. A mass, spring and damper model is chosen as a suitable representation of a shock absorber, and is assumed sufficiently complex to justify the control techniques used. This linear model is translated using mathematical techniques into a rotary equivalent that is compatible for use in the controller. This translation takes into account thermal effects, as well as kinematic requirements encountered by the motor on the basis of load-force data taken from the front suspension of a Formula 1 motorcycle in race conditions. The parameters of the mass spring and damper model are found from simple static tests using the shock absorber removed from the bike

Expression profiling of metalloproteinases and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases in normal and degenerate human achilles tendon

To profile the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression for the 23 known genes of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), 19 genes of ADAMTS, 4 genes of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), and ADAM genes 8, 10, 12, and 17 in normal, painful, and ruptured Achilles tendons. Tendon samples were obtained from cadavers or from patients undergoing surgical procedures to treat chronic painful tendinopathy or ruptured tendon. Total RNA was extracted and mRNA expression was analyzed by quantitative real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction, normalized to 18S ribosomal RNA. In comparing expression of all genes, the normal, painful, and ruptured Achilles tendon groups each had a distinct mRNA expression signature. Three mRNA were not detected and 14 showed no significant difference in expression levels between the groups. Statistically significant (P < 0.05) differences in mRNA expression, when adjusted for age, included lower levels of MMPs 3 and 10 and TIMP-3 and higher levels of ADAM-12 and MMP-23 in painful compared with normal tendons, and lower levels of MMPs 3 and 7 and TIMPs 2, 3, and 4 and higher levels of ADAMs 8 and 12, MMPs 1, 9, 19, and 25, and TIMP-1 in ruptured compared with normal tendons. The distinct mRNA profile of each tendon group suggests differences in extracellular proteolytic activity, which would affect the production and remodeling of the tendon extracellular matrix. Some proteolytic activities are implicated in the maintenance of normal tendon, while chronically painful tendons and ruptured tendons are shown to be distinct groups. These data will provide a foundation for further study of the role and activity of many of these enzymes that underlie the pathologic processes in the tendon

Ribozyme-based insulator parts buffer synthetic circuits from genetic context

Synthetic genetic programs are built from circuits that integrate sensors and implement temporal control of gene expression. Transcriptional circuits are layered by using promoters to carry the signal between circuits. In other words, the output promoter of one circuit serves as the input promoter to the next. Thus, connecting circuits requires physically connecting a promoter to the next circuit. We show that the sequence at the junction between the input promoter and circuit can affect the input-output response (transfer function) of the circuit. A library of putative sequences that might reduce (or buffer) such context effects, which we refer to as 'insulator parts', is screened in Escherichia coli. We find that ribozymes that cleave the 5′ untranslated region (5′-UTR) of the mRNA are effective insulators. They generate quantitatively identical transfer functions, irrespective of the identity of the input promoter. When these insulators are used to join synthetic gene circuits, the behavior of layered circuits can be predicted using a mathematical model. The inclusion of insulators will be critical in reliably permuting circuits to build different programs.Life Technologies, Inc.United States. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA CLIO N66001-12-C-4018)United States. Office of Naval Research (N00014-10-1-0245)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (CCF-0943385)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (AI067699)National Science Foundation (U.S.). Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center (SynBERC, SA5284-11210

What are the factors that discourage companies in the Irish commercial sector from investigating energy saving options?

To implement an energy saving measure, companies must first decide to investigate the options available. Representative survey data shows that almost half of companies in the Irish commercial sector do not take this step. This paper explores the barriers and drivers of this. Two logit models are fit to data to estimate the influence of variables, representing company and building characteristics, on the likelihoods of a company investigating either a fabric upgrade or a behaviour change measure. Companies are more likely to investigate a fabric upgrade that: own the building they operate from, make energy related decisions locally, have more than 10 employees, have had a recent renovation, accept longer paybacks, and apply a case by case approach to budget decisions. Hotels and offices were found to have a higher likelihood of investigating fabric options. Lack of knowledge of building floor area reduced the likelihood of investigation of both fabric upgrade and behavioural options. Much of the previous research is concerned with the final adoption of measures; this analysis adds additional insights by identifying the factors that determine if a company is likely to investigate the options available