Chem/bio sensing with non-classical light and integrated photonics

Modern quantum technology currently experiences extensive advances in applicability in communications, cryptography, computing, metrology and lithography. Harnessing this technology platform for chem/bio sensing scenarios is an appealing opportunity enabling ultra-sensitive detection schemes. This is further facilliated by the progress in fabrication, miniaturization and integration of visible and infrared quantum photonics. Especially, the combination of efficient single-photon sources together with waveguiding/sensing structures, serving as active optical transducer, as well as advanced detector materials is promising integrated quantum photonic chem/bio sensors. Besides the intrinsic molecular selectivity and non-destructive character of visible and infrared light based sensing schemes, chem/bio sensors taking advantage of non-classical light sources promise sensitivities beyond the standard quantum limit. In the present review, recent achievements towards on-chip chem/bio quantum photonic sensing platforms based on N00N states are discussed along with appropriate recognition chemistries, facilitating the detection of relevant (bio)analytes at ultra-trace concentration levels. After evaluating recent developments in this field, a perspective for a potentially promising sensor testbed is discussed for reaching integrated quantum sensing with two fiber-coupled GaAs chips together with semiconductor quantum dots serving as single-photon sources.

Optic Nerve Degeneration and Potential Neuroprotection: Implications for Glaucoma

In order to study the course of optic nerve degeneration and devise possible ways to achieve neuroprotection, a well-controlled, animal model of partial crush injury of the optic nerve was used. Following the controlled partial crush injury of the rat optic nerve, quantitative morphological and electrophysiological measurements were made of primary and secondary neuronal losses. The neuroprotective effects of NMDA-receptor antagonists and α2-adrenoreceptor agonists were also studied. The results suggested that the ongoing progression of the optic nerve degeneration in glaucoma might be a consequence of the toxic extracellular environment produced by neurons that degenerate as a result of the primary cause of the disease (such as increased IOP).

Fibrinolysis, Fibrinogen and Factor XIII in New Born Infants

Fibrinolysis and the last stage of clotting were examined in 20 healthy infants on days 1-4 after birth. Plasminogen was constantly at half its normal level: 1.2-1.4 u/ml. The euglobulin lysis was increased only on day 1 in 50% of the cases. The mean values on days 1 and 4 showed a statistically significant difference: 0.45 ± 0.20 and 0.14 ± 0.05 (t = 2.1 p < 0.05). Fibrinogen was low or low normal at birth (mean values: 230 ± 57 mg%) but increased significantly in the next days reaching a mean of 293 ± 41 mg% on day 4 (t = 3.6 ρ < 0.001). Factor XIII was normal in all cases. Increased fibrinolysis in day 1 is probably due to a high level of activator at birth and the low plasminogen and fibrinogen are probably a consequence of the physiological „immaturity” of the liver.

Putting it all together: How disordered temporality is core to the phenomenology and neurobiology of mania

Disturbances of temporality in mania, underemphasized in present-day accounts, are nonetheless core to understanding both the phenomenology and the neurobiology of the disorder:

– phenomenology: already in 1954, Binswanger had articulated that persons with mania live almost exclusively in the present and hardly at all into the future. Especially in the larger scheme of things, their future is already here. There is no “advancing, developing or maturing,” anticipations have already been achieved, and all that I strive for is basically present if you will just get out of my way! A half century ago, Binswanger summed up the consequence of manic temporality: the manic self, not living into the future, “is not… an existential self.” This presentation will further describe phenomenological characteristics of such a self in mania;

– findings from contemporary neuroscience correlate remarkably well with the above phenomenology, importantly clarifying present and future therapeutic interventions. Of critical importance in mania, clocks in our brains afford receptor sites for the lithium ion. Once bound to the receptor, lithium potently inhibits the circadian rhythm regulator glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) and profoundly alters the biological cascade that it initiates. In this presentation, by taking a close look, step-by-step, we will clarify how lithium disrupts mania rhythm dysregulation and restores a more “normalized” temporality. The consequence is no less than the return of the existential self. We will also briefly glance, in this presentation, at the window that lithium cellular efficacy offers for treatment options “after lithium.”

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Dual Diagnosis and Treatment: The Experience of a Multiprofessional Team in Mental Health

Introduction

The work was developed with the people hospitalized in the period of 1 year in a psychiatric clinic in Rio de Janeiro city, Brazil. 175 patients who presented dual diagnosis were evaluated.

Objectives

The research aims to know the distribution of the most frequent psychiatric diagnosis associated with the disorders for the use of psychoactive substances. The work also has as objective to assess the treatment of patients carrying these disorders so that there is a better efficiency of the individual treatment plan.

Methods

The work consisted of the evaluation of all patients who were admitted to the clinic in the period of 1 year, using the ICD-10 for the diagnosis of dual pathologies. All the patients were assessed by the multiprofessional team, composed by general practicioner, psychiatrist, psychologist, pharmaceutic, therapist in chemical dependence, family therapist and physiotherapist. The patients were treated with the use of psychopharms, cognitive behavioral psychotherapy, 12-step program, art therapy and moderate physical activity. Family members of all patients were also interviewed.

Results

In the evaluation conducted by the team, it was found the following distribution of the most frequent diagnosis associated to disorder for the use of psychoactive substances: depression (26.3%), personality disorder (22.9%), bipolar disorder (22.3%), non-schizophrenic psychosis (12.6%), schizophrenia (9.1%), and other diagnosis (6.8%).

Conclusions

The formulation of the dual diagnosis provided a better approach of the patients on the part of the team, promoting the strengthening of the therapeutic bond and causing positive impact on the evolution of these disorders.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Validation of a Multiplexed Gene Signature Assay for Diagnosis of Canine Cancers from Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Tissues

Background

Use of molecular‐based diagnostics for companion animals is impeded by availability of technology platforms, tissue acquisition requirements, and species‐specific reagents.

Hypothesis/Objectives

To validate a quantitative nuclease protection assay (qNPA) to simultaneously measure RNA expression of multiple genes in archived formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded (FFPE) tumors from dogs.

Animals

All tumor biopsy samples were collected retrospectively from surgical biopsies and in the care of veterinarians.

Methods

Retrospective case series. A qNPA 96‐well ArrayPlate was built using 30 canine‐specific genes, 5 housekeeping genes, positive and negative controls with qualified gene‐specific oligonucleotides. Pearson's correlation, coefficient of variation (CV), and multivariate analysis were used to determine analytical performance using 40 FFPE dog tumors. Once validated, 70 FFPE dog tumors were analyzed for differences in gene expression using hierarchical clustering and analysis of variance of log transformed data. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to correlate gene expression and protein expression in a subset of tumors.

Results

The assay was linear with decreasing sample input (R² = 0.978), reproducible within and between 96‐well plates (r = 0.988 and 0.95, respectively) and between different laboratories (CV = 0.96). Hierarchical cluster analysis showed grouping of tumors by histogenesis and oncogenes. Significant differences were found between BCl2, E2F transcription factor 1, MDM2, COX‐2, MET proto‐oncogene receptor kinase, and other biologically relevant gene expression in tumor subtypes. Immunohistochemistry confirmed protein expression.

Conclusions and Clinical Implications

Because this technology works reliably on FFPE specimens, it can help expedite the broad introduction of multiplexed genomic information for improved diagnostics and discovery of new targets for therapies in veterinary oncology.

How Does Fluoride Concentration in the Tooth Affect Apatite Crystal Size?

Despite fluoride’s (F) well-documented ability to prevent caries, the effects of F concentrations on enamel and dentin apatite crystals are unknown. The present study examined the hypothesis that tooth F concentration and tooth crystallite size correlate. One hundred human unerupted third molars were studied—53 from Fortaleza-Brazil (F water 0.7 ppm), 23 from Toronto (1.0 ppm), and 24 from Montreal (0.2 ppm). F concentration was analyzed by Neutron Activation Analysis and apatite crystal size by powder x-ray diffraction. A positive correlation between dentin F concentration and enamel crystallite length and width was found. Enamel crystallite length was significantly greater in teeth from Fortaleza than in teeth from Toronto (p = 0.011) and Montreal (p = 0.003). Enamel crystallite widths were significantly greater in Fortaleza teeth compared with those from Toronto (p = 0.020) and Montreal (p < 0.001). No difference in the dentin crystallite size was seen in the 3 regions. Thus, tooth F concentration and crystallite size correlate.

How Does Fluoride Affect Dentin Microhardness and Mineralization?

Fluoride (F) has been a useful instrument in caries prevention. However, only limted data exist on the effect of its long-term use on dentin mineralization patterns and microhardness. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of tooth F concentration ([F]) and dental fluorosis (DF) severity on dentin microhardness and mineralization. We collected 137 teeth in Montreal and Toronto, Canada, and Fortaleza, Brazil, where optimum or suboptimum levels of water F were 0.2 ppm, 1 ppm, and 0.7 ppm, respectively. Teeth were analyzed for DF severity, dentin [F], enamel [F], dentin microhardness, and dentin mineralization. Dentin [F] correlated with DF severity; enamel [F] correlated with dentin microhardness and dentin mineralization; DF severity correlated with dentin microhardness. Genetic factors ( e.g., DF severity) and environmental factors ( e.g., tooth [F]) influenced the mechanical properties (microhardness) of the teeth, while only the environmental factors influenced their material properties ( e.g., mineralization). Fortaleza teeth were harder and less mineralized and presented higher dentin [F] values. Montreal teeth presented lower levels of DF when compared with both Toronto and Fortaleza teeth.

Fabrication and optical characterization of large scale membrane containing InP/AlGaInP quantum dots

Single-photon sources with a high extraction efficiency are a prerequisite for applications in quantum communication and quantum computation schemes. One promising approach is the fabrication of a quantum dot containing membrane structure in combination with a solid immersion lens and a metal mirror. We have fabricated an 80 nm thin semiconductor membrane with incorporated InP quantum dots in an AlGaInP double hetero barrier via complete substrate removal. In addition, a gold layer was deposited on one side of the membrane acting as a mirror. The optical characterization shows in detail that the unique properties of the quantum dots are preserved in the membrane structure.