Feature Articles

Lasers in Cardiothoracic Surgery

Transmyocardial laser revascularization (TMR) is emerging as a potential treatment option for path end-stage coronary artery disease who are not candidates for coronary angioplasty or bypass surgery.

by Patrick W. Domkowski, G. Chad Hughes, John E. Scarborough, Luis H. Diodato, Monica L. Smith, Kevin P. Landolfo, and James E. Lowe
Ultraviolet Rays Tested in Fight Against Tuberculosis

The use of ultraviolet germicidal irradiation for the disinfection of airborne infectious particles to prevent transmission of diseases is an old technology that has yet to mature due to a lack of real world testing. Enough has been learned through extensive research and long experience, however, to make the technology useful today while researchers continue to learn. Greater knowledge, through ongoing re- search and closely monitored installations, may determine conclusively whether UVGI air-mixing systems can make a ben- eficial difference in TB control. If proof can be established in difficult settings such as homeless shelters that TB spread can be reduced by UVGI, the technology can be applied broadly. Clinics, prisons, long- term care facilities, schools, and public transportation networks are examples of sites where this cost-effective strategy could be applied.

by Tyler Krupa
The Origins of 3D Optical Imaging of Cataracts

What do optical biomedical imaging applied to cataract re- search and aerial photogrammetry have in common? The work of Theodor Scheimpflug, an Austrian optics pioneer of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, connects these diverse fields. This fascinating story illustrates the fundamental connection between optical developments for military aerial photogrammetry and today’s world of biomedical imaging. It also demonstrates that in the rapidly evolving field of optics, one can never predict what will develop from one’s research.

by Barry R. Masters

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