Botryomycosis is an uncommon, chronic infection of the skin most often caused by Staphylococcus aureus. It has been successfully treated using carbon dioxide laser vaporization in a case in which antibiotic therapy failed, and surgical excision was not feasible.

PURPOSE This paper describes the preliminary testing of a new laser, the thulium fiber laser, as a potential replacement for the holmium:YAG laser for multiple applications in urology. MATERIALS AND METHODS A 40 W thulium fiber laser operating at a wavelength of 1.94 microm delivered radiation in a continuous-wave or pulsed mode (10 msec) through either 300-microm- or 600-microm-core low-OH s...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Selective photodamage of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is a new technique to treat a variety of retinal diseases without causing adverse effects to surrounding tissues such as the neural retina including the photoreceptors and the choroid. In this study, the mechanism of cell damage after laser irradiation was investigated. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS Si...

Although cannabis may have potential therapeutic value, inhalation of a combustion product is an undesirable delivery system. The aim of the study was to investigate vaporization using the Volcano((R)) device as an alternative means of delivery of inhaled Cannabis sativa. Eighteen healthy inpatient subjects enrolled to compare the delivery of cannabinoids by vaporization to marijuana smoked in ...

PURPOSE To evaluate the effectiveness, recurrence rate, and complications of carbon-dioxide laser vaporization in the treatment of Bartholin's gland cysts. METHODS A retrospective study including 127 patients with symptomatic Bartholin' gland cysts submitted to carbon-dioxide laser vaporization at our institution from January 2005 to June 2011. Patients with Bartholin's gland abscesses and th...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Potassium-titanyl-phosphate (KTP) laser photoselective vaporization prostatectomy (PVP) is a relatively new technology for the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). We reviewed our initial experience regarding the efficacy and safety of this technique for symptomatic and obstructive BPH. MATERIAL AND METHODS During the last year, 35 patients with a mean...

Dystrophic calcification can be defined as a calcification that occurs in degenerated or necrotic tissue. It is associated with multiple clinical conditions, such as collagen vascular diseases. It involves the deposition of calcium in soft tissues despite no generalized disturbance in the calcium or phosphorus metabolism, and this is often seen at sites of previous inflammation or damage. Potas...

1. National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) Namiki 1-2-1, Tsukuba, Ibaragi 305-8564, JAPAN 2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Tokyo 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, JAPAN ABSTRACT Metal-carbon binary clusters generated by the laser vaporization of Ni/Co and Ni/Y loaded graphite samples used for the macroscopic production of SWNTs wer...

A new velocity-map imaging apparatus equipped with a laser-vaporization supersonic cluster source and a time-of-flight mass spectrometer is described for high-resolution photoelectron spectroscopy studies of size-selected cluster anions. Vibrationally cold anion clusters are produced using a laser-vaporization supersonic cluster source, size-selected by a time-of-flight mass spectrometer, and t...