Sodium Fluorescein for Spinal Intradural Tumors

Technological innovations in spinal intradural tumor surgery simplify treatment. Surgical treatment of cranial benign and malignant pathologies under microscope with sodium (Na)-fluorescein guidance has often been reported, but few studies have focused on spinal intradural tumors. We aimed to investigate the usefulness of Na-fluorescein under yellow filter in intradural spinal tumor surgery by retrospectively reviewing cases involving intramedullary and extramedullary tumors operated under the guidance of Na-fluorescein. Forty-nine adult patients with a diagnosis of spinal intradural tumor operated under a yellow filter (560 nm) microscope using Na-fluorescein dye were included in the study. Demographic data, such as age and sex, neurological status, extent of tumor resection, histopathological diagnosis, Na-fluorescein staining pattern, and its usefulness during surgery were noted and statistically analyzed. Of all recruited patients, 26 women (53.1%) and 23 men (46.9%), were included for analysis. The age range of the patients was 18–64 years, with a mean age of 41.6 ± 13.9. An intradural intramedullary mass was found in 30.6% (n = 15) of the patients, and an intradural extramedullary mass in 69.4% (n: 34). While Na-fluorescein staining was homogeneous in all intradural extramedullary tumors, 73.3% (n: 11) of intradural intramedullary tumors were homogeneous, and 13.3% (n: 2) moderately heterogeneous. In the whole study group, the Na-fluorescein staining pattern was helpful in surgical resection in 47 cases (95.9%). While 34/34 (100%) found it helpful for extramedullary tumors, 13/15 (86.7%) did in intramedullary tumors, and for 2/15 (13.3%) it was not. In conclusion, Na-fluorescein helps in distinguishing tumor from healthy tissue in intradural extramedullary and intramedullary tumor surgery under a yellow filter microscope in most cases, thus providing convenient assistance to surgeons.

New Sensitive Technique For Estimation Of Estrogen Receptors

Background: Estrogens play a key role in the human male reproductive system. Estrogen receptors (ERs: ERα and ERβ) was detected in germ cells from spermatogonia to spermatozoa. Objective: Tto evaluate the different estrogen receptors expressions on the sperm in infertile males using a new technique and apply that on infertile patient with varicocele. Materials and Methods: This study included 200 males, divided into two equal groups. Group1 included fertile males, and group II included infertile males tested according to presence of varicocele with different grades which were classified according to Dubin-Amelar clinical classification of varicocele (1970), 1 m pellet was examined for the expression of the ERα and ERβ using immunocytochemistry stain. The stained sperm was processed in Photoshop program. The estrogen receptors were visualized after magnification and increased resolution in addition using a yellow filter. Percentage of stained sperm with different location in relation to the unstained sperm was counted. Results: There was a strong expression of ER β on the sperm in fertile males while ERα expression very reduced in fertile males and almost absent in all infertile males. Also, there was a statistically significant decrease in both ERα and β expression in infertile males than fertile males and in varicocele. Conclusion: ER technical estimation using immunoassay was better than any other techniques assay because ER could be present, but not function due to dislocation and deposition into wrong position.

TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEMS MENGGUNAKAN VISIBLE LIGHT COMMUNICATION (VLC) SEBAGAI ALAT BANTU TUNANETRA UNTUK MENYEBERANG JALAN

The people with visual impairment have problems in mobility and orientation, especially in the outdoor environment. Recently, traffic lights systems, which is a facility where someone crosses do not support visually implaired people so they still need help from others in crossing the road. In this study, a system that integrates traffic lights is implemented using Visible Light Communication (VLC) technology, where the VLC transmitter is mounted on a traffic light, and the VLC receiver is installed as a wearable device that can be used with the audio information signal. The measurement is done by considering the use of color filters. The measurement results show that the transmitter system has been able to send signals with audio frequencies from 300 Hz to 4000 Hz. Besides that, receiving an information signal consisting of a audio signal from a transmitter mounted on a traffic light with a red, yellow and green color filter can be received by a VLC receiver that is placed on a visually impaired person of good quality with the signal voltage received above 4 Vpp, where the use of a yellow filter shows the best signal reception results with a voltage output of 5.00 Vpp at a frequency of 2400 Hz compared to other color filters.ABSTRAK: Penyandang tuna netra memiliki masalah dalam hal mobilitas dan orientasi, khususnya di lingkungan luar (outdoor). Pada sistem yang terdapat pada lampu lalu lintas (traffic light) yang merupakan fasilitas dimana seseorang menyebrang saat ini belum mendukung penyandang tuna netra, sehingga sampai saat ini masih membutuhkan bantuan orang lain dalam menyebrang jalan. Pada penelitian ini, sebuah sistem yang diintegrasikan pada lampu lalu lintas diimplementasikan menggunakan teknologi Visible Light Communication (VLC), dimana VLC transmitter dipasang pada lampu lalu lintas dan VLC receiver dipasang sebagai wearable device dengan sinyal informasi suara digunakan oleh penyandang tunanetra sehingga dapat menerima informasi mengenai kondisi lampu lalu lintas pada saat itu. Pengujian sistem dilakukan dengan mempertimbangkan penggunaan filter berwarna. Hasil pengukuran menunjukan bahwa sistem transmitter telah dapat mengirimkan sinyal dengan frekuensi suara dari 300 Hz sampai 4000 Hz. Disamping itu, penerimaan sinyal informasi berupa sinyal suara dari transmitter yang terpasang pada lampu lalu lintas dengan filter warna Merah, Kuning dan Hijau telah dapat diterima oleh receiver yang ditempatkan pada penyandang tuna netra dengan kualitas baik dengan tegangan sinyal yang diterima diatas 4 Vpp, dimana penggunaan filter warna kuning menunjukan hasil penerimaan sinyal yang paling baik dengan tegangan output 5,00 Vpp pada frekuensi 2400 Hz dibandingkan dibandingkan penggunaan filter warna lainnya

Colors before and after cataract surgery: A study of color constancy and discrimination

Cataract surgery replaces the aged human lens with a transparent silicone implant. The new lens removes optical distortions and light scattering media, as well as a yellow filter. This talk describes the appearances of natural scenes before and after cataract surgery. While Color Constancy experiments showed small changes, color discrimination experiments had large changes. These results provide a mechanistic signature of Color Constancy and Discrimination.

A yellow filter improves response times to low-contrast targets and traffic hazards

Purpose: Anecdotal evidence suggests that some sunglass users prefer yellow tints for outdoor activities such as driving, and research has suggested that such tints improve the apparent contrast and brightness of real-world objects. The aim of this study was to establish whether yellow filters resulted in objective improvements in performance for visual tasks relevant to driving.Methods: Response times of nine young (age 31.4 ± 6.7 years) and nine older (age 74.6 ± 4.8) adults were measured using (a) video presentations of traffic hazards (driving hazard perception task), and (b) a simple low-contrast grating which appeared at random peripheral locations on a computer screen. Response times were compared when participants wore a yellow filter (with and without a linear polariser) versus a neutral density filter (with and without a linear polariser). All lens combinations were matched to have similar luminance transmittances (approximately 27%). Results: In the driving hazard perception task, the young but not the older participants responded significantly more rapidly to hazards when wearing a yellow filter than with a luminance matched neutral density filter (mean difference 450 ms). In the low-contrast grating task, younger participants also responded more quickly for the yellow filter condition but only when combined with a polariser. Although response times increased with increasing stimulus eccentricity for the low-contrast grating task, for the younger participants this slowing of response times with increased eccentricity was reduced in the presence of a yellow filter, indicating that perception of more peripheral objects may be improved by this filter combination. Conclusions: Yellow filters improve response times for younger adults for visual tasks relevant to driving.