Hollow Needle Research Articles

Determination of the source dwell position of an afterloading device with a detector array

It was the aim to develop and test a measurement technique for the source position of an afterloading system using an electronic two-dimensional detector array (2D array). A "GammaMed plus IX" high dose rate afterloading device (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, USA), and a Seven29 2D detector array (PTW Freiburg GmbH, Freiburg, Germany) have been used. A hollow needle has been connected to the afterloading device. Its outer diameter is 3.0 mm and its length about 220mm. A 14 mm thick Perspex slab was fixed in a reproducible position on the 2D array. Above the 14th detector row, a groove was cut in the slab which accommodates the hollow needle in a fixed position relative to the 2D array. In order to define the position of the source, the signals of the detectors in the 14th detector row have been evaluated. A theoretical curve depending on the source position and strength, has been fitted to the acquired detector signals. It has been shown that the reproducibility of the measurement technique - including the reproducibility of the source placement - was within 0.15mm. This method can not only replace film measurements, it is also more exact and less time consuming.

P.356 - Effects of botulinum toxin injections in the cricopharyngeal muscle of OPMD and IBM myopathies with dysphagia

Certain myopathies have dysphagia as a pronounced and very troublesome symptom, but no established treatment exists. Botulinum toxin injection in the cricopharyngeal muscle has at case level been reported to be effective. To systematically evaluate the safety and efficacy of injections of botulinum toxin in the cricopharyngeal muscle in patients with dysphagia due to inclusion body myositis (IBM) or oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD). Patients with confirmed diagnoses of IBM or OPMD and dysphagia were included if no other cause for dysphagia was present, and if dysphagia, assessed by a timed water swallow test, a dysphagia questionnaire and by meal registration, was pronounced. Additional baseline registration included body weight, number of pneumonia episodes, muscle strength and enzyme measurements. Initially, laryngoscopia was performed followed by needle electromyography to confirm activity in the cricopharyngeal muscle and to establish needle placement. Botulinum toxin was then injected through the hollow EMG needle. An individualized dose of 5–10 units was applied bilaterally the first time and the dose was then titrated up with at least 12 weeks' intervals. Suspected side effects were noted at each visit. Outcome measures were change in timed water swallowing test, dysphagia questionnaire and meal registration. 12 subjects were included, 3 with OPMD. Preliminary results from 6 subjects show that 4 felt a clear improvement, whereas 2 were excluded due to that a worsening was suspected based on subjective observations and worsening in the meal registration assessment. In the dysphagia questionnaire, however, every single subject improved (p < 0.001). No overall change was seen in the meal registration assessment and the timed water swallow test. Preliminary results suggest a positive effect on dysphagia of cricopharyngeal botulinum toxin in patients with OPMD and IBM.

Planar binary-phase lens for super-oscillatory optical hollow needles

Optical hollow beams are suitable for materials processing, optical micromanipulation, microscopy, and optical lithography. However, conventional optical hollow beams are diffraction-limited. The generation of sub-wavelength optical hollow beams using a high numerical aperture objective lens and pupil filters has been theoretically proposed. Although sub-diffraction hollow spot has been reported, nondiffracting hollow beams of sub-diffraction transverse dimensions have not yet been experimentally demonstrated. Here, a planar lens based on binary-phase modulation is proposed to overcome these constraints. The lens has an ultra-long focal length of 300λ. An azimuthally polarized optical hollow needle is experimentally demonstrated with a super-oscillatory transverse size (less than 0.38λ/NA) of 0.34λ to 0.42λ, where λ is the working wavelength and NA is the lens numerical aperture, and a large depth of focus of 6.5λ. For a sub-diffraction transverse size of 0.34λ to 0.52λ, the nondiffracting propagation distance of the proposed optical hollow needle is greater than 10λ. Numerical simulation also reveals a good penetrability of the proposed optical hollow needle at an air-water interface, where the needle propagates through water with a doubled propagation distance and without loss of its super-oscillatory property. The proposed lens is suitable for nanofabrication, optical nanomanipulation, super-resolution imaging, and nanolithography applications.

Experimental Study of Nitrogen Oxides and Ozone Generation by Corona-Like Dielectric Barrier Discharge with Airflow in a Magnetic Field

We investigated nitrogen monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone generation for corona-like dielectric barrier discharge in a stationary magnetic field with airflow. The magnetic field was produced by the permanent magnet. We showed that nitrogen monoxide could be easily generated at relatively low voltages, by application of a magnetic field on the hollow needle to mesh with a dielectric barrier discharge. For higher voltages generation of nitrogen monoxide falls to zero, and generation of nitrogen dioxide and ozone with increasing voltage increases. We also demonstrated that simultaneous application of the magnetic field with airflow through the needle electrode affects the transition of the discharge from the high to the low voltage regime. This transition is accompanied by important changes in the production of nitrogen oxides and ozone. Changes in the discharge regime are reflected by changes in the voltage–current waveforms. The obtained results could be interesting for various biomedical applications or bacterial decontamination of surfaces.

CT-guided cement sacroplasty (CSP) as pain therapy in non-dislocated insufficiency fractures

IntroductionIn elderly patients with reduced bone quality, insufficiency fractures of the sacrum are relatively common and are typically associated with severe disabling pain. The objective of the present study was to examine the feasibility of cement augmentation by CSP, to determine post-interventional leakages and other complications, and to present the outcome of pain over the course of 18 months.Materials and methodsIn 23 patients (20 women and 3 men) with an average age of 81.3 (71–92) years, a total of 41 sacral fractures were detected by MRI, 5 of them unilateral and 18 bilateral. Conservative treatment initially performed over a period of 3 weeks did not bring any satisfactory reduction in the severe disabling pain. The indication for intervention was established after an interdisciplinary case conference. The intervention was performed under intubation anaesthesia. Single-shot antibiotic prophylaxis was given routinely immediately prior to the intervention. Under sterile conditions, a Jamshidi needle was then advanced into the respective fracture zone in the sacrum from dorsal to ventral (short axis) or from lateral to medial transiliac (transiliac axis). After removing the inner needle, a flexible osteotome was inserted through the positioned hollow needle and used to extend the spongious space in the fracture zone and thus prepare a cavity for the cement filling. High-viscosity PMMA cement was then inserted discontinuously with the aid of a pressure gauge under low-dose CT control. Cement leakages were determined in the CT image on the day after the intervention, all cement outside of the cortical boundary being rated as a leakage. Pain was documented on a visual analogue scale (VAS) on the day before the intervention, on the second day, and 6, 12, and 18 months after the intervention. Additionally occurring complications were recorded, and the patients were asked to rate their satisfaction after 6 and 18 months.ResultsCSP was technically feasible in all patients. In the control CT scan, sufficient cement distribution and interlocking with vital bone were found along the course of the fracture in the sacrum. An average of 6.0 ± 0.83 ml of cement was inserted per fracture. Leakage was found in 5 of 41 (12.2%) of the fractures treated, although none were symptomatic. The mean pain score on the VAS was 8.8 ± 0.59 before the intervention, a significant pain reduction (p < 0.0005) was seen on the second post-operative day, with an average value of 2.1 ± 0.36, and this was stable at 2.2 ± 0.28 after 6, 2.3 ± 0.31 after 12, and 2.2 ± 0.41 after 18 months. Now that they no longer experienced disabling pain, all of the patients were fully remobilised and discharged back home. A high level of patient satisfaction was found after 6 and 18 months.ConclusionAs a minimally invasive procedure, CSP is an effective treatment method for rapid, significant, and sustained pain reduction.

Atmospheric pressure plasma in contact with liquid and its application for nanoparticles synthesis

The capabilities of atmospheric pressure gas-liquid interfacial discharge plasma for synthesis of metallic (Ag), oxide (ZnO) and composite (ZnO/Ag) nanoparticles are discussed. The gas-liquid boundary microplasma was generated between a capillary (hollow needle) with flowing argon and liquid surface in ambient air under the normal pressure. To optimize the synthesis process the main characteristics of the discharge plasma were studied using emission spectroscopy by varying the discharge current, gas flow rate and solution composition. The morphology and composition of the generated particles were found to be dependent on both plasma parameters and plasma induced processes in solution. The studies performed suggest that particle nucleation and growth can be attributed to the reduction reactions of the aqueous metal cations by electrons from the microplasma.

CIRSE Guidelines on Percutaneous Needle Biopsy (PNB).

PNB is defined as insertion of a needle into a suspected lesion or an organ for the purpose of obtaining tissue or cells for diagnosis. The procedure is performed under guidance of imaging techniques such as ultrasound (US), fluoroscopy, computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), cone beam CT (CBCT) and positron emission tomography CT (PET-CT). The imaging technique adopted depends on the lesion type and location, patients’ compliance, technique availability and operators’ preferences. PNB includes fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) and core biopsy (CB). FNAB is the use of a thin, hollow needle (18–25 gauge) able to extract cells for cytological evaluation by aspiration and in some cases small tissue pieces for histological examination. CB is the use of a hollow needle (9–20 gauge) [2] with a cutting and/or capturing mechanism that allows the extraction of a piece of tissue for histological evaluation. Technical success of PNB is defined as the procurement of sufficient material to establish a diagnosis and/or guide treatment decisions. Clinical success of PNB is defined as the outcome of patients depending on the results of biopsy, in term of appropriateness of medical or surgical management according to specific guidelines (e.g. selection for oncologic targeted therapies, active surveillance as an alternative to invasive treatment). Complications are stratified on the basis of their outcome (see “Appendix”) [3]. Major complications result in hospital admittance (for outpatient procedures) or prolonged hospitalization (for in-patient procedures), unplanned increase in level of cares, permanent sequelae or death. Minor complications result in no sequelae; they may require therapy or a short (generally overnight) hospital stay [3].

V4-03 CT/MRI-US FUSION GUIDED RENAL MASS BIOPSY: INITIAL EXPERIENCE

You have accessJournal of UrologyImaging/Uroradiology1 Apr 2017V4-03 CT/MRI-US FUSION GUIDED RENAL MASS BIOPSY: INITIAL EXPERIENCE Andre Abreu, Sameer Chopra, Carlee Beckler, Masakatsu Oishi, Nariman Ahmadi, Toshitaka Shin, Andre Berger, Mihir Desai, Monish Aron, Inderbir Gill, and Osamu Ukimura Andre AbreuAndre Abreu More articles by this author , Sameer ChopraSameer Chopra More articles by this author , Carlee BecklerCarlee Beckler More articles by this author , Masakatsu OishiMasakatsu Oishi More articles by this author , Nariman AhmadiNariman Ahmadi More articles by this author , Toshitaka ShinToshitaka Shin More articles by this author , Andre BergerAndre Berger More articles by this author , Mihir DesaiMihir Desai More articles by this author , Monish AronMonish Aron More articles by this author , Inderbir GillInderbir Gill More articles by this author , and Osamu UkimuraOsamu Ukimura More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2017.02.902AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES The Real-time Virtual Sonography (RVS) system allows image-fusion of real-time live US with pre-operative contrast-enhanced CT/MRI. Both real-time US and fused-image of CT are real-timely displayed in parallel in US-machine. The objectives are to assess the feasibility and safety of a pilot study for offie RVS-guided renal mass biopsy (RMB). METHODS Pre-operative: After 8 hours of fasting, the patient is placed in prone position in outpatient facility and monitored. US/CT registration: The DICOM data of a previous CT scan or MRI is loaded into the RVC system. The image is rotate to be at the same orientation of the patient. The kidney of interest and the plane with a reference point that a shows a good window to puncture the renal mass is selected.The kidney of interest is then US-scanned and the images are compared with the CT scan. When the images match to each other the plane with the reference point is fused with pre-operative contrast CT scan using the RVS system. The kidney is scanned and the best location to target the renal mass is selected. Co-axial needle technique: A 17G hollow needle is connected to a needle-guide under 21-degree inclination and attached to the US probe. Under local anesthesia, a 17G hollow-needle, is first placed along the planned puncturing dotted-line toward the renal mass up to the Gerota′s fascia. Biopsy: A 18G biopsy-gun is inserted through the co-axial-outersheath, advanced along the planned puncturing dotted-line upto the tumor and is fired to obtain the biopsy-tissue from the tumor. Usually two to three cores are taken, all through the hollow needle. RESULTS From April to June of 2014, 13 patients underwent RMB. Only single-use of local anesthesia was required in all cases. Co-axial needle technique facilitated (i) visualization of the biopsy-needle in live US, (ii) multiple-sampling through it, and (iii) decreasing the seeding risk of malignant cells. RVS system facilitated targeting the contrast-enhanced lesion, as it improved visualization of important anatomical landmarks. Intra-operatively accompanied pathology-team was important to determine the adequacy of tissue-sampling. Biopsy histology was concordant with surgical specimen in 7 of 10 patients undergoing surgery. Additionally, 2 patients with histology of oncocytoma chose active surveillance. There were no complications. CONCLUSIONS Outpatient RMB performed by urologist is safe and promising. This was achieved using local anesthesia, co-axial needle technique, and intra-operative co-operation with pathology-team, and introduction of real-time image-fusion technology of live US with contrast CT/MRI. © 2017FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 197Issue 4SApril 2017Page: e376 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2017MetricsAuthor Information Andre Abreu More articles by this author Sameer Chopra More articles by this author Carlee Beckler More articles by this author Masakatsu Oishi More articles by this author Nariman Ahmadi More articles by this author Toshitaka Shin More articles by this author Andre Berger More articles by this author Mihir Desai More articles by this author Monish Aron More articles by this author Inderbir Gill More articles by this author Osamu Ukimura More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Endoscopic closure after intraluminal surgery.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection is established as a curative endoscopic method for gastrointestinal epithelial neoplasms with a high possibility of complete en bloc resection; however, postoperative adverse events of bleeding and delayed perforation remain. To prevent or minimize them, several techniques for endoscopic mucosal closure have been introduced, such as using endoscopic clips, combined use of hemoclips and supplement devices, and specially designed endoscopic suturing devices. Furthermore, endoscopic full-thickness suturing technique for gastrointestinal wall defect has been developed based on the concept in natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery and endoscopic full-thickness resection. Several closure techniques, including over-the-scope clip, threaded bars inserted in a hollow needle, stitches or staplers, and a curved needle and thread are reported. Secure closure of the iatrogenic defect may further expand the range of therapeutic endoscopy. Accumulation of evidence for the efficacy of endoscopic closure and establishment of these techniques are desired.

An Interaction between the Inner Rod Protein YscI and the Needle Protein YscF Is Required to Assemble the Needle Structure of the Yersinia Type Three Secretion System

The type III secretion system is a highly conserved virulence mechanism that is widely distributed in Gram-negative bacteria. It has a syringe-like structure composed of a multi-ring basal body that spans the bacterial envelope and a projecting needle that delivers virulence effectors into host cells. Here, we showed that the Yersinia inner rod protein YscI directly interacts with the needle protein YscF inside the bacterial cells and that this interaction depends on amino acid residues 83-102 in the carboxyl terminus of YscI. Alanine substitution of Trp-85 or Ser-86 abrogated the binding of YscI to YscF as well as needle assembly and the secretion of effectors (Yops) and the needle tip protein LcrV. However, yscI null mutants that were trans-complemented with YscI mutants that bind YscF still assembled the needle and secreted Yops, demonstrating that a direct interaction between YscF and YscI is critical for these processes. Consistently, YscI mutants that did not bind YscF resulted in greatly decreased HeLa cell cytotoxicity. Together, these results show that YscI participates in needle assembly by directly interacting with YscF.

High-throughput nanofiber produced by needleless electrospinning using a metal dish as the spinneret

In the research field of functional materials, electrospinning has become one of the most effective methods to produce nanofiber. The traditional electrospinning method often uses a hollow metal needle to prepare nanofiber with minimal throughput. In this paper, we used needleless electrospinning technology to produce high-throughput nanofiber by using a metal dish as the spinneret. A finite element method has been adopted to investigate electric potential and electric field strength of the spinneret under different applied voltages and collection distance. The effects of different process parameters, including solution concentration, applied voltage and collection distance, on the throughput and diameter of nanofiber have been investigated in the experiment. Narrow distribution nanofiber can be prepared successfully. This novel method of using a metal dish as the spinneret will make a contribution to the development of needleless electrospinning for the production of high-throughput nanofiber.

Fabrication of Stainless Steel Microneedle with Laser-Cut Sharp Tip and its Penetration and Blood Sampling Performance

The demand for minimally invasive injection needles or needle-shaped tools is growing from those who carry out medical practices such as blood or insulin injections. Applying the mosquito biomimetic, we have used a femtosecond laser to fabricate minimally invasive microneedles out of ultrafine hollow SUS304 pipes, 50μm in outer diameter and 20μm in inner diameter. When such a stainless steel needle tip is angled at 15°, it has the lowest penetration resistance, two and a half times lower than that of the finest hollow needle that is commercially available. A blood suction experiment with a newly developed microneedle has demonstrated that 2.8μellof blood can be drawn out in 20 seconds. Such stainless steel microneedles fabricated by femtosecond lasers have great potential as minimally invasive and mass-producible blood sampling needles to be used for diabetic inspections.

Real-time electromagnetic seed drop detection for permanent implants brachytherapy: Technology overview and performance assessment.

To describe the principles and report on the performance of a novel real-time electromagnetic (EM) seed drop detection technology for permanent implants brachytherapy procedures. A novel EM hollow needle prototype was recently developed by Philips. It possesses standard 3D tracking capability as well as a seed drop detection mechanism, both performed from a single custom built EM sensor. The detection mechanism is based on the magnetic permeability changes in the sensor as the seeds pass through. Drop position estimates are generated by the tracking information at the dropping instants. Three validation experiments were carried out in this study. First, the robustness of the detection mechanism was tested in free air with four different seed types. Detection waveforms were measured and commented. The accuracy of the seed drop position estimates was then evaluated using both 2D and 3D experiments. The procedures consisted of dropping seeds in phantoms, recording the drop position estimates, and finally registering the resulting spatial distributions on reference ones obtained by accurate modalities. Seeds were dropped on a specially designed plastic support adapted to brachytherapy template dimensions for 2D experiments, and true seed positions (reference distribution) were obtained by optical detection. In 3D experiments, seeds were dropped in edible gelatin and reference distributions were obtained by localizing the implants from CT scans of the phantoms. All four seed types were correctly detected by the needle prototype. In total, 250 seeds were dropped on the plastic support, and 96 were dropped in gelatin phantoms. The detection rate was 100% in both cases. The minimum, maximum, and average drop position errors were, respectively, 0.1(+1.6/ - 0.1), 2.9(+1.4/ - 1.5), and 0.9(+1.4/ - 0.7) mm for 2D, and 0.1(+1.0/ - 0.1), 2.1(+1.1/ - 0.8), and 0.6(+1.2/ - 0.5) mm for 3D experiments. The hollow needle prototype combines both EM tracking and automatic seed drop detection in a compact and convenient form. The EM detection mechanism is robust, and the seed drop position estimates appear sufficiently accurate for potential integration of the technology to current brachytherapy treatment planning systems. In that context, it would serve as a valuable tool for rapid dosimetry validation in real-time treatment delivery.

Treatment of chronic subdural hematoma by novel YL-1 hollow needle aspiration drainage system (697 cases report).

It is written to discuss the effect and syndromes of novel YL-1 hollow needle aspiration drainage system to treat chronic subdural hematoma. Collecting clinical data about 697 patients with chronic subdural hematoma in neurosurgery of People' Hospital in North Jiangsu from January 2004 to December 2014, including clinical manifestation, imaging data, operation time, postoperative complications and prognostic factors and so on. 593 patients got cured, 53 patients with recurrence, 19 patients with acute subdural hematoma, 13 patients with poor drainage, 9 case of patients with acute epidural hematoma, puncture failure in 6 cases, 3 cases of pulmonary infection, one got intracranial hemorrhage (brain stem and basal ganglia hemorrhage). The total time of the operation is 15-28min, the mean time is 18±3.6min, the average retention time of novel YL-1 hollow needle aspiration drainage system was 2.6±1.3days, the average use of urokinase was 30,000±2.10,000 units. It takes a short time for novel YL-1 hollow needle aspiration drainage system to treat chronic subdural hematoma without any syndromes like brain tissue injury, tension pneumocrania, intracranial infection and so on. The clinical cure rate is 85.08%, recurrence rate is 7.6%. Using novel YL-1 hollow needle aspiration drainage system to treat chronic subdural hematoma is such a minimally invasive surgical technology which has a higher curative rate, small damage, is also easy to operate with security and less severe complications.

The role for the Xen gel stent implant in glaucoma treatment

SummaryTrabeculectomy is till the gold standard in glaucoma surgery because it is an effective technique to lower intra‐ocular pressure. However, this surgical technique is associated with a risk of vision‐threatening complications. Therefore, great efforts have been made in the past decade to develop a safer alternative. A plethora of surgical implants have been developed, targeting Schlemms canal, the suprachoroisal or the subconjunctival space.The XEN gel implant is a collagen‐derived device which is implanted ab‐interno using an inserter with a hollow needle. This is the only minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) which targets the subconjunctival space, thus creating a filtering bleb. During this lecture, the techology, implantation technique and practical tips and tricks for per‐ and postoperative management will be discusssed. Moreover, the one‐year efficacy and safety results of an ongoing phase IV trial (the APEX study) will be presented.

Biological accidents in last-year medical students from three hospitals in Lima Peru.

To determine the frequency and characteristics of biological accidents in last-year medical students from three hospitals in Lima. Cross-sectional study performed at three Public Health Insurance hospitals in Lima, in December 2014. The study population comprised last-year medical interns. Biological accidents were recorded with a questionnaire of exposure to blood and body fluids based on the formats used by the Exposure Prevention Information Network system and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We inquired about occurrence and number of biological accidents as well as the characteristics of the last accident. Categorical data are presented as absolute and percentage frequencies and numeric data, as median and interquartile ranges. We collected 100 respondents; 85% of them had had a biological accident during the last year, with a median of 2 and interquartile range of 3. The most frequent type of exposure was percutaneous (71.8%) and the most common device was the hollow needle (54.1%). The most frequent place of occurrence and activities at the moment of exposure were at the delivery room (44.7%), while supervising a vaginal delivery (24.7%), and during suturing (24.7%). Three accidents involved high-risk patients, but only one student received antiviral prophylaxis; 49.4% attributed the cause of the accident to fatigue, and 75.3% of accidents are not reported. Gloves are the most used protective barrier (95%). The frequency of biological accidents among last-year medical students is high. Underreporting and inappropriate use of protective barriers increase the risk of medical students for biological accidents.

Genetic Dissection of the Signaling Cascade that Controls Activation of the Shigella Type III Secretion System from the Needle Tip.

Many Gram-negative bacterial pathogens use type III secretion systems (T3SSs) for virulence. The Shigella T3SS consists of a hollow needle, made of MxiH and protruding from the bacterial surface, anchored in both bacterial membranes by multimeric protein rings. Atop the needle lies the tip complex (TC), formed by IpaD and IpaB. Upon physical contact with eukaryotic host cells, T3S is initiated leading to formation of a pore in the eukaryotic cell membrane, which is made of IpaB and IpaC. Through the needle and pore channels, further bacterial proteins are translocated inside the host cell to meditate its invasion. IpaD and the needle are implicated in transduction of the host cell-sensing signal to the T3S apparatus. Furthermore, the sensing-competent TC seems formed of 4 IpaDs topped by 1 IpaB. However, nothing further is known about the activation process. To investigate IpaB’s role during T3SS activation, we isolated secretion-deregulated IpaB mutants using random mutagenesis and a genetic screen. We found ipaB point mutations in leading to defects in secretion activation, which sometimes diminished pore insertion and host cell invasion. We also demonstrated IpaB communicates intramolecularly and intermolecularly with IpaD and MxiH within the TC because mutations affecting these interactions impair signal transduction.

Spin–orbit photonic interaction engineering of Bessel beams

Interaction between the polarization and spatial degrees of freedom of a light field has become a powerful tool to tailor the amplitude and phase of light beams. This usually implies the use of space-variant photonic elements involving sophisticated fabrication technologies. Here we report on the optical spin–orbit engineering of the intensity, phase, and polarization structure of Bessel light beams using a homogeneous birefringent axicon. Various kinds of spatially modulated free-space light fields are predicted depending on the nature of the incident light field impinging on the birefringent axicon. In particular, we present the generation of bottle beam arrays, hollow beams with periodic modulation of the core size, and hollow needle beams with periodic modulation of the orbital angular momentum. An experimental attempt is also reported. The proposed structured light fields may find applications in long-distance optical manipulation endowed with self-healing features, periodic atomic waveguides, contactless handling of high aspect ratio micro-objects, and optical shearing of matter.

Visual outcome of hydrophilic and hydrophobic foldable posterior chamber intraocular lenses in cataract surgery

Introduction: As there is no pharmacological treatment for cataract, the standard treatment is surgical removal of the opacified lens and implantation of an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). The standard method of cataract extraction today is phacoemulsification. In this method, the crystalline lens is emulsified and aspirated away through a hollow needle that vibrates at high (ultrasonic) frequency, which is inserted through a centrally placed opening in the anterior capsular sac. Methodology: Patient will then undergo phacoemulsification with implantation of a foldable posterior chamber intraocular lens, which will be done by a single surgeon, using the same technique. Patients will be randomly assigned to either of the two groups, ie hydrophilic acrylic foldable IOL and hydrophobic acrylic foldable IOL, until the target sample size has been achieved. The type of lens (hydrophilic/hydrophobic) will be noted for further studies. Results: The first day postoperative vision is comparable between the two groups, with Hydrophilic lenses having visual outcome of 6/12 in 15 cases out of 40, and visual outcome of 6/9 in 12 cases out of 40, and Hydrophobic lenses having visual outcome of 6/12 in 17 cases out of 40, and visual outcome of 6/9 in 14 cases out of 40. (p value = 0.328). Conclusion: Both IOL are equally beneficial in the visual rehabilitation of the patient. Keywords: Cataract surgery, Intraocular lenses, Visual outcome

This issue of ACTA, printed and electronic

The cover illustration is a schematic drawing showing surgical technique for retinal vein cannulation and tissue plasminogen injection. This is reported by van Overdam et al. in this issue of Acta. Chan et al. in China review conflicting reports on the efficacy of corneal collagen cross-linking in infectious keratitis. Klefter et al. in Denmark measure increased retinal oxygen extraction in hyperglycaemia in patients with diabetes. van den Akken-van Marle et al. in Leiden recommend a risk factor guided screening programme for retinopathy of prematurity. Lin et al. in Taiwan correlate diabetic polyneuropathy and retinopathy in a nationwide study. vRezar et al. in Vienna report long-term benefits from anti-VEGF treatment for macular oedema in BRVO. Early treatment gives better visual outcome. Hautamäki et al. in Helsinki suggest that interleukin-8 may play a role in neovascularization in AMD. Fauser et al. in Köln measured elevated local inflammatory cytokines in neovascular AMD eyes. van Overdam et al. in Rotterdam show a surgical technique for retinal vein cannulation and tissue plasminogen injection in CRVO. Peters et al. in Sweden associate visual field index under 50% and/or mean defect worse than 18 dB with poor quality of life. Matlach et al. in Germany find trabeculectomy to reduce IOP more than canaloplasty, but with more complications. Rönnback et al. in Copenhagen and Singapore find genotype–phenotype heterogeneity in autosomal dominant optic atrophy. Mathew et al. in Houston and Uppsala find lamellar splitting in histological examination of keratoconus. Ekström and Taube in Uppsala suggest that pseudoexfoliation is a risk factor for cataract formation. Aclimandos et al. in UK, Belgium, France and Switzerland inform us about EBO's subspeciality examinations. Pérez-Cambrodí et al. in Spain and Poland review cataract aspiration with hollow needle in antiquity. The following articles are published in the electronic issue of ACTA and are accessible on www.actaophtalmologica.com, where you can also access the printed articles. Anitua et al. in Spain and USA examine the use of blood derived formulations used for the treatment of ocular surface disorders. Aptel et al. in France find great variation in progression visual field damage in POAG. Pillunat et al. in Germany stress nocturnal blood pressure dips in patients with glaucoma and relate this to daytime blood pressure measurements. Hussnain et al. in USA found more decline in corneal hysteresis in patients with glaucoma, but diabetes had no impact. Sheu et al. in Taiwan examined the effect of anti-VEGF drugs on retinal pigment epithelial cells and found variable effects on mitochondrial bioenergetics. Murakami et al. in Japan found reduced blood flow in macula to be associated with visual deterioration. Achiron et al. in Israel quantify metamorphopsia in DME and other macular diseases. Petrovic et al. in Slovenia and Czeck Republic relate a gene for reactive oxygen species modulation to the progression of diabetic retinopathy. García et al. in Spain and USA confirm the role of complement factor H gene in AMD and found variable effects of different haplotypes. Vagge et al. in Italy used near-infrared reflectance to image choroidal lesions in neurofibromatosis. Stemplewitz et al. in Germany found reduce macular volume and retinal nerve fibre thickness in patients with Parkinson's disease. Hoskin et al. in Australia emphasize the risk of fishing accidents and the need for eye protection. Vestergaard et al. in Odense find penetrating eye injuries to be most common in young men. Kuiper et al. in Utrecht discuss aqueous humour versus vitreal measurements of interleukins in diagnosis of ocular lymphoma. Tachibana et al. in Japan find improvement in horizontal but not vertical metamorphopsia following epiretinal membrane peeling. Suh et al. in Korea connect a connective tissue growth factor gene with pseudoexfoliation. Tode et al. in Germany use anti-interleukin-6 treatment for necrotizing scleritis. Örnek et al. in Turkey report transient thinning of choroid with bevacizumab injections for DME. Fonollosa et al. in Spain used a kinase inhibitor, vemurafenib to treat macular oedema in uveitis. Schäffer et al. in Austria relate anterior vitreous attachment and pseudophakic retinal detachments. I wish you a Merry Christmas, happy holidays and a prosperous New Year!