Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to P Camarata.
The authors describe a concept of converting microsurgical instruments into endoscopes and demonstrate prototype devices. These instruments combine the benefits of microsurgery (multiple instruments, tactile feedback, bimanual manipulation, magnification) with those of endoscopy (minimally invasiveness, indirect line of vision).
Spatial localization with the spectroscopic imaging technique is normally implemented with the Fourier-transform approach, yielding rectangular voxels, with potentially significant cross-voxel contamination. Multidimensional Fourier-series window (FSW) is an alternate approach that generates single voxels of predetermined shape, with minimal out-of-voxel contamination. The spatial location of the voxel is shifted by means of postacquisition processing. A two-dimensional circular voxel is introduced, which for many in vivo applications is a good match of the region of interest. Phantom images illustrate the spatial distribution of signal intensity within the circular FSW voxels. Phantom spectroscopic studies show excellent spatial localization, with no detectable out-of-voxel contamination. The circular FSW voxel approach is implemented in human and animal model studies, demonstrating the technique's utility. This arbitrary shape approach can be extended to three dimensions, defining, for example, cylinders, spheres, or ellipsoids.
The physiological role of the amphibian paraphysis was studied by removing the paraphysis from bullfrog tadpoles (Rana catesbeiana) and observing change in frog weight, bone development, and parathyroid glands 22 months later. Development was similar in control and paraphysectomized frogs until 6 months when the experimental frogs began to show greater weight gain which persisted for the remaining 16 months. At the time of sacrifice (22 months after paraphysectomy), the parathyroid glands of the experimental frogs were enlarged with a tenfold increase in wet weight and a sevenfold increase in dry weight. The glands from experimental frogs had numerous cysts filled with eosinophilic staining material; histologically the cell nuclei were rounded and the cytoplasm was vesiculated. At the time of sacrifice the experimental frogs had knoblike deformities along the shafts of the long bones. These deformities were due to callus formation around spontaneous bone fractures as revealed by X-rays of the tibia-fibulas and femurs. The dry weight was greater but calcium content less in femurs from experimental frogs. These findings indicate the paraphysis plays a role in calcium metabolism, possibly by producing a factor necessary for calcium action on cells.