Objective assessment of dry mouth using a non-invasive device

Abstract Background While ablative techniques have been standard of care for the treatment of fine lines and wrinkles, microneedling is a minimally invasive alternative. Objectives The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of microneedling on facial and neck fine lines and wrinkles. Methods 35 subjects between 44 and 65 years old with Fitzpatrick skin types I-IV received four monthly microneedling treatments over the face and neck. Subjects returned one and three months post-treatment. At every visit, high-resolution ultrasonography, optical coherence tomography, transepidermal water loss and BTC-2000 were performed. 0.33mm microbiopsies were collected pre-treatment, before the fourth treatment and three months post-treatment. Results 32 subjects (93.75% female, 6.25% male) completed all seven visits. Facial dermal and epidermal density increased 101.86% and 19.28%, respectively from baseline at three months post-treatment. Facial elasticity increased 28.2% from baseline three months post-treatment. Facial attenuation coefficient increased 15.65% and 17.33% one and three months post-treatment. At study completion, blood flow 300µm deep decreased 25.8% in the face and 42.3% in the neck. Relative collagen type III and elastin gene expression was statistically higher three months post-treatment. However, total elastin protein levels unchanged compared to baseline. 58% of biopsies extracted three months post-treatment showed dermal muscle formation, compared to baseline 15.3%. Conclusions The results illustrate the effects of microneedling treatments. Non-invasive measurements and biopsy data showed changes in skin architecture and collagen/elastin gene expression suggesting skin rejuvenation, with new extracellular matrix production and muscle formation.

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Objective duplex ultrasound evaluation of the extracranial circulation in multiple sclerosis patients undergoing venoplasty of internal jugular vein stenoses: A pilot study

Phlebology The Journal of Venous Disease ◽

10.1177/0268355513515473 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 30 (2) ◽

pp. 98-104 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

P Thibault ◽

W Lewis ◽

S Niblett

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Blood Flow ◽

Cerebral Perfusion ◽

Objective Assessment ◽

Duplex Ultrasound ◽

Additional Parameter ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Venous Circulation ◽

Ultrasound Evaluation ◽

Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Objective Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) is a condition associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) and manifested by stenoses in the extracranial venous circulation. There is a need for an objective non-invasive assessment of CCSVI that is able to accurately identify the location of stenoses and quantify physiological changes in blood flows following treatment. Method A duplex ultrasound method, extracranial duplex ultrasound (ECDU), is described where the internal jugular veins (IJVs) and vertebral veins (VVs) were examined in the supine and sitting position before and after venoplasty in eight patients with clinically diagnosed MS. High-resolution B-mode imaging was used to detect obvious stenoses, intra-luminal membranes, valve abnormalities and vein wall thickening. ECDU was then used to assess blood flow including reflux. To assess obstruction, venous blood volume flows (BVFs) were taken bilaterally from the proximal (J1), mid (J2) and distal (J3) segments of the IJVs and the mid cervical VVs. To assess cerebral perfusion, bilateral BVF measurements were taken, in the supine position only, from the proximal internal carotid arteries (ICA) and mid cervical vertebral arteries (VA). The global arterial cerebral blood flow (GACBF) was then calculated as the sum of the ICA and VA measurements. Results Pre-venography ECDU detected IJV stenoses or obstruction in all patients. Venography findings were consistent with those of the pre-treatment ECDU with the exception of the detection of bilateral IJV stenoses in two patients diagnosed with unilateral IJV stenosis by ECDU. A significant improvement in GACBF was evident following venoplasty ( p < 0.05). A trend to improvement in the post-treatment BVFs of both the IJVs and the mid cervical VVs was also observed. This improvement was most marked in the left VVs ( p = 0.052) and the J2 segment of right IJVs ( p < 0.05). Conclusion The ECDU examination described provides a reliable objective assessment of IJV and VV stenoses and, with the use of BVFs, can quantify the degree of obstruction. These results support the use of ECDU as a non-invasive post-operative assessment of the success of venoplasty. The ability of ECDU to measure GACBF provides an additional parameter to monitor vascular pathophysiology in MS patients. The current findings support the view that the early symptomatic benefits observed after venoplasty for stenoses in the extracranial venous circulation may be the result of increased cerebral perfusion.

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Non-invasive assessment of vasospasm following aneurysmal SAH using C-arm FDCT parenchymal blood volume measurement in the neuro-interventional suite: Technical feasibility

Interventional Neuroradiology ◽

10.1177/1591019915582376 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

pp. 479-489 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Mudassar Kamran ◽

Jonathan Downer ◽

Rufus Corkill ◽

James V Byrne

Keyword(s):

Blood Volume ◽

Objective Assessment ◽

Transcranial Doppler Sonography ◽

Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage ◽

Mr Perfusion ◽

Treatment Unit ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Major Vessel ◽

Parenchymal Blood Volume ◽

Perfusion Maps

Introduction Cerebral vasospasm is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) surviving the initial ictus. Commonly used techniques for vasospasm assessment are digital subtraction angiography and transcranial Doppler sonography. These techniques can reliably identify only the major vessel spasm and fail to estimate its haemodynamic significance. To overcome these issues and to enable comprehensive non-invasive assessment of vasospasm inside the interventional suite, a novel protocol involving measurement of parenchymal blood volume (PBV) using C-arm flat detector computed tomography (FDCT) was implemented. Materials and methods Patients from the neuro-intensive treatment unit (ITU) with suspected vasospasm following aneurysmal SAH were scanned with a biplane C-arm angiography system using an intravenous contrast injection protocol. The PBV maps were generated using prototype software. Contemporaneous clinically indicated MR scan including the diffusion- and perfusion-weighted sequences was performed. C-arm PBV maps were compared against the MR perfusion maps. Results Distribution of haemodynamic impairment on C-arm PBV maps closely matched the pattern of abnormality on MR perfusion maps. On visual comparison between the two techniques, the extent of abnormality indicated PBV to be both cerebral blood flow and cerebral blood volume weighted. Conclusion C-arm FDCT PBV measurements allow an objective assessment of the severity and localisation of cerebral hypoperfusion resulting from vasospasm. The technique has proved feasible and useful in very sick patients after aneurysmal SAH. The promise shown in this early study indicates that it deserves further evaluation both for post-SAH vasospasm and in other relevant clinical settings.

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Developing non‐invasive, objective assessment tools for social apathy in neurocognitive disorders: The role of action kinematics

Alzheimer s & Dementia ◽

10.1002/alz.047204 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 (S6) ◽

Author(s):

Valeria Manera ◽

Guenda Gualperti ◽

Erika Rovini ◽

Radia Zeghari ◽

Gianmaria Mancioppi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Objective Assessment ◽

Neurocognitive Disorders ◽

Assessment Tools ◽

Non Invasive

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Efficacy and Applicability of Astrim, a Portable Non-invasive Device Evaluating Hemoglobin and Peripheral Circulation

Health Evaluation and Promotion ◽

10.7143/jhep.33.557 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 33 (6) ◽

pp. 557-563

Author(s):

Tamaki MATSUMOTO ◽

Noriyuki TATSUMI

Keyword(s):

Peripheral Circulation ◽

Non Invasive ◽

Invasive Device

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Pelvic floor exercises - a clinical study

Asian Journal of Medical Sciences ◽

10.3126/ajms.v5i3.9113 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 5 (3) ◽

pp. 95-98 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Manidip Pal

Keyword(s):

Pelvic Floor ◽

Objective Assessment ◽

Medical Science ◽

Pelvic Organ ◽

Subjective Feeling ◽

First Line ◽

Non Invasive ◽

First Line Therapy ◽

Line Therapy ◽

Pelvic Floor Exercise

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of pelvic floor exercise. Materials and methods: Hundred (100) patients of pelvic organ prolapse (POP), stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and overactive bladder (OAB) were included. They were advised pelvic floor exercise in stepwise incremental manner. Each time exercise comprised of 10 seconds holding up and 10 seconds relaxation. To start with it was 5 times each in the morning, noon, evening and night; making it 20 times per day. Every week 5 times increment. So by 5th week it was 25 times each in the morning, noon, evening and night; making it 100 times per day. After 6 months patients were assessed by their subjective feeling of improvement and clinical assessment. Results: After 6 months of therapy patients subjective feeling of improvement for POP, SUI and OAB were 73%, 84.1%, 58.3% respectively; though objective assessment did not show this much improvement. Conclusion: Pelvic floor exercise is an easy, effective and non-invasive tool that can be considered as first line therapy for these patients. Asian Journal of Medical Science, Volume-5(3) 2014: 95-98 http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ajms.v5i3.9113

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