OCT

Since the founding of the Communities the Treaties have paid very significant attention to the legal articulation of the territorial scope of European law. By the time of the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon the number of Treaty provisions directly dealing with EU territory and establishing different statuses for particular overseas or autonomous regions/countries of the Member States in EU law has grown to ten. The aim of this overview, which has been produced to make part of a much larger Oxford University Press commentary covering all the Treaties in force and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, is to provide a concise analysis of all the ten 'territory' provisions in the Treaties and to specify the meaning of all the different statuses in EU law that particular Member State territories can acquire, the substance of EU law associated with each of the statuses in question, as well as to outline the procedures for status change as they stand today. The overview is arranged to present the relevant provisions in the order of generality and importance, rather than chronologically, giving a solid introduction into the current state of the law on EU territory and EU Law of the Overseas.

Incomplete stent apposition (ISA) is characterized by the lack of contact of at least 1 stent strut with the vessel wall in a segment not overlying a side branch; it is more commonly found in drug-eluting stents than bare-metal stents. The accurate diagnosis of ISA, initially only possible with intravascular ultrasound, can currently be performed with higher accuracy by optical coherence tomography, which also enables strut-level assessment due to its higher axial resolution. Different circumstances related both to the index procedure and to vascular healing might influence ISA occurrence. Although several histopathology and clinical studies linked ISA to stent thrombosis, potential selection bias precluded definitive conclusions. Initial studies usually performed single time point assessments comparing overall ISA percentage and magnitude in different groups (i.e., stent type), thus hampering a comprehensive understanding of its relationship with vascular healing. Serial intravascu...

Aiming at outlining the essential framework of EU citizenship’s specificity in the context of the Overseas Countries and Territories associated with the Union (OCTs), this paper approaches the development of the legal status of EU citizenship as a process of the redefinition of the territorial nature of EU law and analyzes the essential specific features of the functioning of EU citizenship enjoyed by those Member States’ nationals who reside outside the territorial scope of EU law. Member States’ nationals residing in the OCTs are fully fledged EU citizens. The legal specificity of the OCTs framed by the Treaties follows territorial logic, which means that Part II TFEU on EU citizenship fully applies in the OCTs via ratione personae of EU law, empowering all their inhabitants to benefit from applicable rights and freedoms granted to them by the Union which are not in conflict with Part IV TFEU and the logic of association described therein.

Fourier domain Optical coherence microscopy (FDOCM) offers excellent sensitivity and high axial resolution to image the structure of biological tissue. The depth information is extracted in parallel and allows very high volume acquisition rates. The present system uses a diffractionless beam, produced with an axicon lens, to achieve high lateral resolution all while maintaining an extended depth of field (xf). The xfOCM signal reveals the spatial distribution of changes of the refractive index in the sample that scatter the incident light. To identify and validate the functionality of the observed structures can proof difficult. In this work the xfOCM setup was interfaced with a fluorescent lifetime imaging (FLIM) system, working in the Fourier domain and measuring the phase offset between the modulated excitation signal and the returned fluorescence intensity. Both the fluorescence amplitude and lifetime are retrieved. The amplitude contains important information due to the selective labeling of the tissue. The lifetime is very sensitive to the surrounding environment and varies for different fluorophores, adding further contrast. The xfOCM tomograms and FLIM images are acquired in parallel. A complementary view of the sample is obtained that helps to understand and interpret the xfOCM signal. The lifetime measurement provides further contrast to perform functional imaging on biological samples such as the rat hair follicle.

We report optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings in 33 patients who presented with very late stent thrombosis (VLST) after either drug-eluting stent (DES) or bare-metal stent (BMS) implantation. VLST is a potentially life-threatening complication, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In 33 patients (27 DES- and 6 BMS-treated lesions) with definite VLST, OCT images were acquired before either thrombus aspiration or intravascular ultrasonography (IVUS) imaging. The median duration from implantation was 61.5 months in the DES group and 109.1 months in the BMS group. In the overall cohort, combining DES and BMS, 94% showed intraluminal thrombi. VLST was associated with in-stent neointimal rupture in 23 patients (70%); 22 had thrombi near the site of neointimal rupture. Stent malapposition was observed in 14 (42%) lesions, but only 9 of them showed thrombi at the site of stent malapposition; moreover, 6 (18%) stented segments with malapposition also had neointimal rupture. ...

Abstract: This article analyses the phenomenon of regional citizenships in the Member States of the European Union by focusing on the citizenships of the Member State territories lying (at least partially) outside the territorial scope of the acquis. It has been demonstrated ...

We present a novel detection scheme for Fourier domain optical coherence microscopy (FDOCM). A Bessel-like interference pattern with a strong central lobe was created with an axicon lens. This pattern was then imaged by a telescopic system into the sample space to obtain a laterally highly confined illumination needle, extending over a long axial range. For increased efficiency, the detection occurs decoupled from the illumination, avoiding a double pass through the axicon. Nearly constant transverse resolution of ~1.5μm along a focal range of 200μm with a maximum sensitivity of 105dB was obtained. A broad bandwidth Ti:Sapphire laser allowed for an axial resolution of 3μm in air, providing the nearly isotropic resolution necessary to access the microstructure of biological tissues. Together with the speed- and sensitivity-advantage of FDOCT, this system can perform in vivo measurements in a minimally invasive way. Tomograms of the mouse mammary gland and the mouse follicle, recorded in vitro, revealed biologically relevant structural details. Images acquired with classical microscopy techniques, involving stained and fluorescent samples, validate these structures and emphasize the high contrast of the tomograms. It is comparable to the contrast achieved with classical techniques, but employing neither staining, labeling nor slicing of the samples, stressing the high potential of FDOCM for minimally invasive in vivo small animal imaging.

A novel combined photoacoustic tomography (PAT), optical resolution photoacoustic microscopy (ORPAM) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) instrument has been developed for imaging biological tissues. The system is based on the use of a Fabry-Perot (FP) polymer film ultrasound sensor. This is designed to be transparent to wavelengths between 590nm and 1200nm so that photoacoustic excitation laser pulses in this spectral range can be transmitted through the sensor into the underlying tissue to allow backward mode operation. The dual PAT-ORPAM capability of the system was demonstrated by imaging a tissue phantom composed of 7μm diameter carbon fibres immersed in an optically scattering liquid. The lateral and vertical spatial resolutions in ORPAM mode are approximately 7μm and 10μm respectively for sub-mm depths. In PAT mode, the lateral spatial resolution is less than 50μm for depths up to 5mm and the vertical resolution is approximately 10μm. The transparent nature of the FP polymer film ultrasound sensor offers a convenient platform for combining other optical imaging modalities with PAT and ORPAM. To illustrate this, a frequency-domain OCT system operating at 1060nm was integrated into the system and combined PAT/OCT images of the skin of a mouse were obtained in vivo.

The chemistry of salt is of great importance due to its immense potential from the daily life use to the synthetic chemistry like as workup material, as reagents, as phase transfer catalyst, as acid, as base, as catalyst, as agents for asymmetric synthesis, for some specific reaction transformation, to increase yield, decrease reaction time, ecofriendly synthesis, handling easiness and many more. This review summarizes the overall basic background of salts like how it is formed, nature of salt, generalized application of salts in daily life to synthetic chemistry, its application on other diverse fields, and list of individual categories of major commercially available salts with some structure. Besides having a lot of information on the internet about salts, this review tries to focus on a generalized overview that could be helpful for all to understand salt chemistry.

There is considerable interest in the therapeutic and adverse outcomes of drug interactions at the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB). These include altered efficacy of drugs used in the treatment of CNS disorders, such as AIDS dementia and malignant tumors, and enhanced neurotoxicity of drugs that normally penetrate poorly into the brain. BBB- and BCSFB-mediated interactions are possible because these interfaces are not only passive anatomical barriers, but are also dynamic in that they express a variety of influx and efflux transporters and drug metabolizing enzymes. Based on studies in rodents, it has been widely postulated that efflux transporters play an important role at the human BBB in terms of drug delivery. Furthermore, it is assumed that chemical inhibition of transporters or their genetic ablation in rodents is predictive of the magnitude of interaction to be expected at the human BBB. However, studies in humans challenge this well-established paradigm and claim that such drug interactions will be lesser in magnitude but yet may be clinically significant. This review focuses on current known mechanisms of drug interactions at the blood-brain and blood-CSF barriers and the potential impact of such interactions in humans. We also explore whether such drug interactions can be predicted from preclinical studies. Defining the mechanisms and the impact of drug-drug interactions at the BBB is important for improving efficacy of drugs used in the treatment of CNS disorders while minimizing their toxicity as well as minimizing neurotoxicity of non-CNS drugs.

There is considerable interest in the therapeutic and adverse outcomes of drug interactions at the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB). These include altered efficacy of drugs used in the treatment of CNS disorders, such as AIDS dementia and malignant tumors, and enhanced neurotoxicity of drugs that normally penetrate poorly into the brain. BBB- and BCSFB-mediated interactions are possible because these interfaces are not only passive anatomical barriers, but are also dynamic in that they express a variety of influx and efflux transporters and drug metabolizing enzymes. Based on studies in rodents, it has been widely postulated that efflux transporters play an important role at the human BBB in terms of drug delivery. Furthermore, it is assumed that chemical inhibition of transporters or their genetic ablation in rodents is predictive of the magnitude of interaction to be expected at the human BBB. However, studies in humans challenge this well-established paradigm and claim that such drug interactions will be lesser in magnitude but yet may be clinically significant. This review focuses on current known mechanisms of drug interactions at the blood-brain and blood-CSF barriers and the potential impact of such interactions in humans. We also explore whether such drug interactions can be predicted from preclinical studies. Defining the mechanisms and the impact of drug-drug interactions at the BBB is important for improving efficacy of drugs used in the treatment of CNS disorders while minimizing their toxicity as well as minimizing neurotoxicity of non-CNS drugs.

This paper, written in the Dutch language, provides a brief analysis of the legal options in the context of EU law available after the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon to the overseas territories of the EU Member States. The emphasis is put on two fundamental options: the status of an Outermost Region and that of an Overseas Country or Territory Associated with the EU. The paper draws on the example of the potential application of these statuses in EU law to the overseas territories of the Kingdom of the Netherlands following the splitting up of the Federation of the Netherlands Antilles.

This short paper written in the French language provides an overview of the evolving status of the overseas parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the context of European integration from the beginning of the fifties until the recent reform which reshaped the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom in October 2010.

Bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BRS) represent a novel approach to provide transient vessel support to drug-delivery capability without the long-term limitations of metallic drug-eluting stents (DES). The technology has the potential to overcome many of the safety concerns associated with metallic DES and possibly even convey further clinical benefit. In particular, the BRS are designed to provide short-term lumen support, and after being completely bioresorbed, eliminate the permanent caging typical of metallic DES. However, this technology has required new imaging modalities and methodologies for its assessment because the design, degradation rate, loss of mechanical property, and drug deliverability may affect its safety and efficacy. We provide an overview of all existing methods for assessing bioresorbable devices, from noninvasive to invasive, from light to sound based, and from morphological to functional parameters.

To determine the safety and efficacy of low-voltage, external-beam, stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) for patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Randomized, double-masked, sham-controlled, multicenter, clinical trial. A total of 230 participants with neovascular AMD who received ≥ 3 ranibizumab or bevacizumab injections within the preceding year and requiring treatment at enrollment. Participants received 16 Gray, 24 Gray, or sham SRT. All arms received pro re nata (PRN) ranibizumab for 12 months, with PRN bevacizumab or ranibizumab thereafter. Mean number of PRN injections; best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA); loss of <15 Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study letters; change in optical coherence tomography central subfield thickness; and change in angiographic total lesion area and choroidal neovascularization (CNV) area. At year 2, the 16 and 24 Gray arms received fewer PRN treatments compared with sham (mean 4.5, P = 0.008; mean 5.4, P = 0.09; ...