Does visual fatigue from 3D displays affect autonomic regulation and heart rhythm?

Most investigations into the negative effects of viewing stereoscopic 3D content on human health have addressed 3D visual fatigue and visually induced motion sickness (VIMS). Very few, however, have looked into changes in autonomic balance and heart rhythm, which are homeostatic factors that ought to be taken into consideration when assessing the overall impact of 3D video viewing on human health. In this study, 30 participants were randomly assigned to two groups: one group watching a 2D video, (2D-group) and the other watching a 3D video (3D-group). The subjects in the 3D-group showed significantly increased heart rates (HR), indicating arousal, and an increased VLF/HF (Very Low Frequency/High Frequency) ratio (a measure of autonomic balance), compared to those in the 2D-group, indicating that autonomic balance was not stable in the 3D-group. Additionally, a more disordered heart rhythm pattern and increasing heart rate (as determined by the R-peak to R-peak (RR) interval) was observed among subjects in the 3D-group compared to subjects in the 2D-group, further indicating that 3D viewing induces lasting activation of the sympathetic nervous system and interrupts autonomic balance.

Human polyoma JC virus minor capsid proteins, VP2 and VP3, enhance large T antigen binding to the origin of viral DNA replication: evidence for their involvement in regulation of the viral DNA replication

JC virus (JCV) lytically infects the oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system in a subset of immunocompromized patients and causes the demyelinating disease, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. JCV replicates and assembles into infectious virions in the nucleus. However, understanding the molecular mechanisms of its virion biogenesis remains elusive. In this report, we have attempted to shed more light on this process by investigating molecular interactions between large T antigen (LT-Ag), Hsp70 and minor capsid proteins, VP2/VP3. We demonstrated that Hsp70 interacts with VP2/VP3 and LT-Ag; and accumulates heavily in the nucleus of the infected cells. We also showed that VP2/VP3 associates with LT-Ag through their DNA binding domains resulting in enhancement in LT-Ag DNA binding to Ori and induction in viral DNA replication. Altogether, our results suggest that VP2/VP3 and Hsp70 actively participate in JCV DNA replication and may play critical roles in coupling of viral DNA replication to virion encapsidation.

SU-E-T-283: Carbon Ion Therapy Innovations in Dosimetry and Dose Delivery

OBJECTIVE

Carbon ion particle therapy delivers sharp Bragg's peaks, and hence can produce dose delivery of very high precision and conformality. To complement this characteristic, particle therapy centers implement a number of technologies unique to these centers, and are not commonly known to the medical physics community. This work outlines these adopted technologies.

METHODS

Particle therapy centers develop technologies to meet the needs of patient safety, dose delivery accuracy, and imaging requirements complementing these state-of-the-art centers. Through the use of literature reviews and publicly available documents, we produced a compilation of some of these innovations, a number of them unique to the centers themselves.

RESULTS

The centers based in Bloomington, USA, Chiba, Japan, Harima Japan, Gunma, Japan, Heidelberg, Germany, and Pavia, Italy were reviewed. Interestingly, 60% of centers reviewed developed in-house innovations to address the needs of particle therapy, and all but one had at least one technology unique to its center. For example, Bloomington's MPRI developed a 3D dosimeter used in particle beam measurement. The patient couch systems implemented in Chiba, Japan and now Gunma, Japan are unique to the centers. Heidelberg's HIT developed the world's first carbon ion gantry. Italy's CNAO has a unique patient positioning system.

CONCLUSIONS

Particle therapy centers, despite being at the forefront of technology in delivering radiation to patients, have not widely disclosed treatment delivery strategies and dosimetry techniques, despite the material being potentially useful to the radiotherapy community. This work is an effort in comparing and contrasting these innovations.

A comparison of paediatric soccer, gaelic football and rugby injuries presenting to an emergency department in Ireland

OBJECTIVES

Children presenting with sport related injuries (SRIs) as a result of soccer, rugby and gaelic football are frequently seen in an emergency medicine (EM) setting in Ireland. A comparison of the demographics of injuries in these three sports has however not previously been performed. The purpose of this study was to provide up-to-date data on the nature of these SRIs.

METHOD

Data was collected retrospectively on all children (<17 years of age), injured in these three sports, presenting to an emergency medicine department over 6 months, and was entered into a database for analysis.

RESULTS

Retrospective analysis was performed on 23,000 charts, and 409 SRIs were identified over a 6-month period. None of the children reported using any form of protective gear, and 27% reported a previous presentation to the emergency department with a SRI. Most injuries were as a result of soccer (56%), with 24% occurring in gaelic football, and 20% occurring in rugby. The predominant mechanism of injury was different in each sport, in soccer-falls (38%), in gaelic football-collisions with objects (balls) (37%), and in rugby-collision with persons (55%). Although the predominant type of injury in soccer and gaelic football was a fracture, accounting for 50% and 42% of injuries, respectively, in rugby however, skin/soft tissue injuries presented more commonly, accounting for 44% of injuries. When the general site of injury was investigated, the upper limb accounted for the majority of SRIs in each sport. In the management of SRIs, oral analgesics were prescribed in 50%, however, it was observed that no use was made of topical, intramuscular or rectal analgesic routes of administration. In addition it was observed that RICE/general injury advice was given in only 27%, physiotherapy was requested in 2%, and no injury prevention advice was given to any child. Overall, 8% required admission.

CONCLUSIONS

The data provided from this study may raise awareness of the nature of SRIs affecting children in each of these three sports, and may be useful in formulating much needed injury prevention strategies.

Borderline ovarian tumors: A study of 100 cases

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Background: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the patients with borderline ovarian tumors. Methods: Clinical features, treatment and survival status of 100 patients with borderline ovarian tumors were retrospectively evaluated between 1998 and 2005. Results: Mean age was 37.75 (Range: 15–72) years. 22 cases were in postmenapausal status. Histopathological diagnosis was serous, musinous, endometrioid and clear cell in 54%, 41%, 2%, 3% of the patients, respectively. 19 cases underwent restaging laparotomy. In 52 cases fertility sparing surgery was performed. 70 patients had stage IA, 8 patients had stage IB, 16 cases had stage IC, 2 cases had stage IIIA, 3 cases cases had stage IIIB and a case had stage IIIC disease. 22 cases were administered chemotherapy because of advanced stage disease. All cases were alive. 5 year disease free survival of 51 cases was 100%. Conclusions: Borderline ovarian tumors have excellent prognosis and conservative surgery can be performed in young patients with early stage disease.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Multi-atom resonant photoemission: A method for determining near-neighbor atomic identities and bonding

Measurements and theoretical calculations are reported for an interatomic multi-atom resonant photoemission (MARPE) effect that permits direct determination of near-neighbor atomic identities (atomic numbers). MARPE occurs when the photon energy is tuned to a core-level absorption edge of an atom neighboring the emitting atom, with the emitting level having a lower binding energy than the resonant level. Large peak-intensity enhancements of 33 to 105 percent and energy-integrated effects of 11 to 29 percent were seen in three metal oxides. MARPE should also be sensitive to bond distance, bonding type, and magnetic order, and be observable via the secondary processes of x-ray fluorescence and Auger decay.