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BMJ Open Ophthalmology Jun 2023To compare subjective levels of comfort and visual experiences related to microscope light in patients undergoing their first cataract surgery with topical anaesthesia... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Comparing microscope light-associated glare and comfort between heads-up 3D digital and conventional microscopes in cataract surgery: a randomised, multicentre, single-blind, controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To compare subjective levels of comfort and visual experiences related to microscope light in patients undergoing their first cataract surgery with topical anaesthesia using a digital microscope (the NGENUITY three-dimensional (3D) visualisation system) or a conventional microscope.
METHODS AND ANALYSIS
A prospective, randomised, single-blinded, parallel-group, multicentre, interventional study. Patients (n=128) were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: the experimental group (n=63) had surgery using the digital microscope and the control group (n=65) had surgery with a conventional microscope. The primary outcome was patients' subjective experience of glare from the microscope light during surgery on a numerical scale from 0 to 10. Key secondary outcomes were patients' subjective levels of comfort and visual experiences related to the microscope light.
RESULTS
The experimental group reported significantly lower levels of glare; median levels were 1.0 (0.0-4.0) for the experimental group vs 3.0 (0.0-6.0) for the control group (p=0.027). They also reported higher levels of comfort; median ratings were 8.0 (6.5-10.0) in the experimental group and 7.0 (5.0-9.0) in controls (p=0.026). There were no group differences in ratings of subjective pain or visual disturbances. Median microscope light intensity was lower in the experimental group than controls; 3425.0 (2296.0-4300.0) Lux vs 24 279.0 (16 000.0-26 500.0) Lux (p<0.0001), respectively.
CONCLUSION
Compared with conventional microscopes, the NGENUITY 3D visualisation system allows surgeons to operate with lower levels of light exposure, resulting in significantly less glare and improved comfort in patients undergoing cataract surgery.
TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER
NCT05085314.
Topics: Humans; Prospective Studies; Glare; Single-Blind Method; Cataract Extraction; Cataract
PubMed: 37493673
DOI: 10.1136/bmjophth-2023-001272 -
Microscopy Research and Technique Jul 2024The outbreak of COVID-19 exposed the inadequacy of our technical tools for home health surveillance, and recent studies have shown the potential of smartphones as a...
The outbreak of COVID-19 exposed the inadequacy of our technical tools for home health surveillance, and recent studies have shown the potential of smartphones as a universal optical microscopic imaging platform for such applications. However, most of them use laboratory-grade optomechanical components and transmitted illuminations to ensure focus tuning capability and imaging quality, which keeps the cost of the equipment high. Here, we propose an ultra-low-cost solution for smartphone microscopy. To realize focus tunability, we designed a seesaw-like structure capable of converting large displacements on one side into small displacements on the other (reduced to ∼9.1%), which leverages the intrinsic flexibility of 3D printing materials. We achieved a focus-tuning accuracy of ∼5 𝜇m, which is 40 times higher than the machining accuracy of the 3D-printed lens holder itself. For microscopic imaging, we used an off-the-shelf smartphone camera lens as the objective and the built-in flashlight as the illumination. To compensate for the resulting image quality degradation, we developed a learning-based image enhancement method. We used the CycleGAN architecture to establish the mapping from smartphone microscope images to benchtop microscope images without pairing. We verified the imaging performance on different biomedical samples. Except for the smartphone, we kept the full costs of the device under 4 USD. We think these efforts to lower the costs of smartphone microscopes will benefit their applications in various scenarios, such as point-of-care testing, on-site diagnosis, and home health surveillance. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: We propose a solution for ultra-low-cost smartphone microscopy. Utilizing the flexibility of 3D-printed material, we can achieve focusing accuracy of ∼5 𝜇m. Such a low-cost device will benefit point-of-care diagnosis and home health surveillance.
Topics: Smartphone; Microscopy; Humans; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Printing, Three-Dimensional; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
PubMed: 38419399
DOI: 10.1002/jemt.24535 -
Medicine and Pharmacy Reports Jul 2023An increased number of clinicians are using magnification to facilitate their vision when carrying out dental examinations and treatments. The best instrument for this... (Review)
Review
An increased number of clinicians are using magnification to facilitate their vision when carrying out dental examinations and treatments. The best instrument for this purpose is the microscope, which has proven to enhance quality, longevity and outcome of clinical work. Its use in some dental specialties (such as endodontics) is now well established, but there is also a role for this equipment in other branches of dentistry. To anticipate the contribution of magnification to dentistry in general, recent research and experimental data on the importance of magnification devices will be considered, from the perspectives of optical issues, diagnosing methods and treatment options. It will be shown that, while the microscope is vital to certain specialties (such as endodontics, periodontics, restorative dentistry and prosthodontics), it has little effect on others (orthodontics, for example). This synthesis of current researchattempts to shed light on the optimal magnification used in certain clinical situations, the distinctive benefits of loupes and microscopes for each dental branch, as well as their drawbacks.
PubMed: 37577013
DOI: 10.15386/mpr-2556 -
Computer Methods and Programs in... Oct 2023Due to the depth of focus (DOF) limitations of the optical systems of microscopes, it is often difficult to achieve full clarity from microscopic biomedical images under...
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
Due to the depth of focus (DOF) limitations of the optical systems of microscopes, it is often difficult to achieve full clarity from microscopic biomedical images under high-magnification microscopy. Multifocus microscopic biomedical image fusion (MFBIF) can effectively solve this problem. Considering both information richness and visual authenticity, this paper proposes a transformer network for MFBIF called TransFusion-Net.
METHODS
TransFusion-Net consists of two modules. One module is an interlayer cross-attention module, which is used to obtain feature mappings under the long-range dependencies observed among multiple nonfocus source images. The other module is a spatial attention upsampling network (SAU-Net) module, which is used to obtain global semantic information after further spatial attention is applied. Thus, TransFusion-Net can simultaneously receive multiple input images from a nonfull-focus microscope and make full use of the strong correlations between the source images to output accurate fusion results in an end-to-end manner.
RESULTS
The fusion results were quantitatively and qualitatively compared with those of eight state-of-the-art algorithms. In the quantitative experiments, five evaluation metrics, Q, Q, Q, Q, and PSNR, were used to evaluate the performance of each method, and the proposed method achieved values of 0.6574, 8.4572, 5.6305, 0.7341, and 89.5685, respectively, which are higher than those of the current state-of-the-art algorithms. In the qualitative experiments, a differential image was used for further validation, and the near-zero residuals visually verified the adequacy of the proposed method for fusion. Furthermore, we showed some fusion results of multifocused biomedical microscopy images to verify the reliability of the proposed method, which shows high-quality fusion results.
CONCLUSION
Multifocus biomedical microscopic image fusion can be accurately and effectively achieved by devising a deep convolutional neural network with joint cross-attention and spatial attention mechanisms.
Topics: Reproducibility of Results; Algorithms; Benchmarking; Electric Power Supplies; Microscopy; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
PubMed: 37487310
DOI: 10.1016/j.cmpb.2023.107688 -
Small Methods Jan 2023Globally new pandemic diseases induce urgent demands for portable diagnostic systems to prevent and control infectious diseases. Smartphone-based portable diagnostic... (Review)
Review
Globally new pandemic diseases induce urgent demands for portable diagnostic systems to prevent and control infectious diseases. Smartphone-based portable diagnostic devices are significantly efficient tools to user-friendly connect personalized health conditions and collect valuable optical information for rapid diagnosis and biomedical research through at-home screening. Deep learning algorithms for portable microscopes also help to enhance diagnostic accuracy by reducing the imaging resolution gap between benchtop and portable microscopes. This review highlighted recent progress and continued efforts in a smartphone-tethered optical platform through portable, automated, and deep-learning-enabled microscopy for personalized diagnostics and remote monitoring. In detail, the optical platforms through smartphone-based microscopes and lens-free holographic microscopy are introduced, and deep learning-based portable microscopic imaging is explained to improve the image resolution and accuracy of diagnostics. The challenges and prospects of portable optical systems with microfluidic channels and a compact microscope to screen COVID-19 in the current pandemic are also discussed. It has been believed that this review offers a novel guide for rapid diagnosis, biomedical imaging, and digital healthcare with low cost and portability.
Topics: Humans; Microscopy; Deep Learning; Smartphone; COVID-19; Lenses
PubMed: 36420919
DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202200979 -
Histochemistry and Cell Biology Apr 2019The process of fluorescence starts with the efficient generation of light that is required for the excitation of fluorophores. As such, light sources are a crucial...
The process of fluorescence starts with the efficient generation of light that is required for the excitation of fluorophores. As such, light sources are a crucial component of a fluorescence microscope. Choosing the right illumination tool can not only improve the quality of experimental results, but also the microscope's economic and environmental footprint. While arc lamps have historically proven to be a reliable light source for widefield fluorescence microscopy, solid-state light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have become the light source of choice for new fluorescence microscopy systems. In this paper, we demonstrate that LEDs have superior light stability on all timescales tested and use less electrical power than traditional light sources when used at lower power outputs. They can be readily switched on and off electronically, have a longer lifetime and they do not contain mercury, and thus are better for the environment. We demonstrate that it is important to measure light source power output during warm-up and switching, as a light source's responsiveness (in terms of power) can be quite variable. Several general protocols for testing light source stability are presented. A detailed life cycle analysis shows that an LED light source can have a fourfold lower environmental impact when compared to a metal halide source.
Topics: Lighting; Microscopy, Fluorescence
PubMed: 30767050
DOI: 10.1007/s00418-019-01776-6 -
Microscopy Research and Technique Oct 2022This article presents a review after an exhaustive search that yielded 23 works carried out in the last decade for the availability of optical microscopes with open... (Review)
Review
This article presents a review after an exhaustive search that yielded 23 works carried out in the last decade for the availability of optical microscopes with open hardware as a low-cost alternative to commercial systems. These works were developed with the aim of covering needs within several areas such as: Bio Sciences research in institutions with limited resources, diagnosis of diseases and health screenings in large populations in developing countries, and training in educational contexts with a need for high availability of equipment and low replacement cost. The analysis of the selected works allows us to classify the analyzed solutions into two main categories, for which their essential characteristics are enumerated: portable field microscopes and multipurpose automated microscopes. Moreover, this work includes a discussion on the degree of maturity of the solutions in terms of the adoption of practices aligned with the development of Open Science. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Concise review on low-cost microscopes for developing Open Science, exposing the role of smartphone-based microscopy. The work classifies microscopes in two main categories: (1) portable field microscopes, and (2) multipurpose automated microscopes.
Topics: Microscopy; Smartphone
PubMed: 35879870
DOI: 10.1002/jemt.24200 -
Current Protocols Oct 2022When the microscope was first introduced to scientists in the 17 century, it started a revolution. Suddenly, a whole new world, invisible to the naked eye, was opened to...
When the microscope was first introduced to scientists in the 17 century, it started a revolution. Suddenly, a whole new world, invisible to the naked eye, was opened to curious explorers. In response to this realization, Nehemiah Grew, an English plant anatomist and physiologist and one of the early microscopists, noted in 1682 "that Nothing hereof remains further to be known, is a Thought not well Calculated". Since Grew made his observations, the microscope has undergone numerous variations, developing from early compound microscopes-hollow metal tubes with a lens on each end-to the modern, sophisticated, out-of-the-box super-resolution microscopes available to researchers today. In this Overview article, I describe these developments and discuss how each new and improved variant of the microscope led to major breakthroughs in the life sciences, with a focus on the plant field. These advances start with Grew's simple and-at the time-surprising realization that plant cells are as complex as animals cells, and that the different parts of the plant body indeed qualify to be called "organs", then move on to the development of the groundbreaking "cell theory" in the mid-19 century and the description of eu- and heterochromatin in the early 20 century, and finish with the precise localization of individual proteins in intact, living cells that we can perform today. Indeed, Grew was right; with ever-increasing resolution, there really does not seem to be an end to what can be explored with a microscope. © 2022 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Topics: Heterochromatin; History, 17th Century; History, 19th Century; History, 20th Century; Microscopy; Plants
PubMed: 36200878
DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.577 -
Operative Neurosurgery (Hagerstown, Md.) May 2023Microsurgical resection of vestibular schwannoma (VS) is highly challenging, especially because surgical treatment nowadays is mainly reserved for larger (Koos grade 3...
BACKGROUND
Microsurgical resection of vestibular schwannoma (VS) is highly challenging, especially because surgical treatment nowadays is mainly reserved for larger (Koos grade 3 and 4) tumors.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the performance of three-dimensional exoscope use in VS resection in comparison with the operative microscope.
METHODS
Duration of surgery and clinical and radiological results were collected for 13 consecutive exoscopic schwannoma surgeries. Results were compared with 26 preceding microsurgical resections after acknowledging similar surgical complexity between groups by assessment of tumor size (maximum diameter and Koos grade), the presence of meatal extension or cystic components, and preoperative hearing and facial nerve function.
RESULTS
Total duration of surgery was comparable between microscopically and exoscopically operated patients (264 minutes ± 92 vs 231 minutes ± 84, respectively; P = .276). However, operative time gradually decreased in consecutive exoscopic cases and in a multiple regression model predicting duration of surgery, and exoscope use was associated with a reduction of 58.5 minutes (95% CI -106.3 to -10.6; P = .018). Tumor size was identified as the main determinant of duration of surgery (regression coefficient = 5.50, 95% CI 3.20-7.80) along meatal extension and the presence of cystic components. No differences in postoperative hearing preservation and facial nerve function were noted between the exoscope and the microscope.
CONCLUSION
Resection of VS using a foot switch-operated three-dimensional exoscope is safe and leads to comparable clinical and radiological results as resection with the operative microscope.
Topics: Humans; Hearing Tests; Neurilemmoma; Neuroma, Acoustic; Neurosurgical Procedures
PubMed: 36715988
DOI: 10.1227/ons.0000000000000602 -
Biomedical Optics Express May 2020Optical microscopes are an essential tool for both the detection of disease in clinics, and for scientific analysis. However, in much of the world access to...
Optical microscopes are an essential tool for both the detection of disease in clinics, and for scientific analysis. However, in much of the world access to high-performance microscopy is limited by both the upfront cost and maintenance cost of the equipment. Here we present an open-source, 3D-printed, and fully-automated laboratory microscope, with motorised sample positioning and focus control. The microscope is highly customisable, with a number of options readily available including trans- and epi- illumination, polarisation contrast imaging, and epi-florescence imaging. The OpenFlexure microscope has been designed to enable low-volume manufacturing and maintenance by local personnel, vastly increasing accessibility. We have produced over 100 microscopes in Tanzania and Kenya for educational, scientific, and clinical applications, demonstrating that local manufacturing can be a viable alternative to international supply chains that can often be costly, slow, and unreliable.
PubMed: 32499936
DOI: 10.1364/BOE.385729