Measuring and reducing surgical staff stress in a realistic operating room setting using EDA monitoring and smart hearing protection

BackgroundStress is a critical factor in the operating room (OR) and affects both the performance and well-being of surgical staff. Measuring and mitigating this stress

Gradient-specified optimization based on muscle surface mesh and moment arm as an effect-oriented approach of automated musculotendon path modeling

There is more to musculotendon path modeling than aligning a cable to reflect the geometric features of a muscle-tendon unit. From the perspective of simulation

Adaptation to free-living drives loss of beneficial endosymbiosis through metabolic trade-offs

Symbioses are widespread (1) and underpin the function of diverse ecosystems (2-6), but their evolutionary stability is challenging to explain (7,8). Fitness trade-offs between con-trasting

Hippocampal representations differentiate reactive and anticipatory responses during foraging under threat

Adaptive behavior under threat requires balancing reward pursuit against the risk of harm. During approach-avoidance conflict, animals often pause at decision points, but whether these

Frontal Brain Injury Reduces Sensitivity to Reward-Predictive Cues and Remodels the Nucleus Accumbens

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are more than mere lesions and generate a persistent secondary pathology. This, combined with functional reorganization of circuits post-injury, may explain

Three-dimensional topography of Descemet’s membrane in Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy using laser scanning confocal microscopy and white-light interferometry

April 8, 2026

Aim: To evaluate the potential of a three-dimensional microscope combining Laser scanning confocal imaging and white-light interferometry for quantitative topographic characterisation of Descemet’s membrane (DM) in Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD). Methods: Descemet’s membranes were collected from 38 FECD patients undergoing endothelial keratoplasty and 4 healthy donors. After flat-mounting on glass slide and drying, specimens were analysed using the VK-X3000 system (KEYENCE). Entire samples were reconstructed by image stitching at low magnification (x10) in white-light interferometry mode (0.01nm axial resolution). Higher magnifications (x20-x150) in confocal mode (12nm axial resolution) enabled detailed structural analysis. Three-dimensional height maps were generated to calculate standardised surface roughness parameters. Guttae and other DM features were classified according to spatial organisation and elevation profiles. Results: White-light interferometry enabled full-field mapping of whole 8mm diameter DMs with nanometric vertical resolution (~2 hours/sample). Surface roughness (Sa) was higher in FECD than in controls (median+/-IQR: 0.571+/-0.259 m vs 0.239+/-0.161 m ; p = 0.0018). In FECD, three zones were identified: central (guttae buried in the posterior fibrillar layer; Sa 0.442 +/- 0.112 m), paracentral (large uncovered guttae; Sa 0.562+/-0.170 m ; p = 0.0423), and outer zone (no confluent guttae; Sa 0.261+/-0.143 m ; p < 0.0001). Confocal 3D imaging revealed radial striae, embossments and furrows in the DM, confluent central guttae, and fused or buried structures. Conclusions: Combining white-light interferometry and confocal microscopy enables label-free, high-resolution surface characterisation of DM in FECD, providing quantitative metrics to compare histological subtypes and supporting the predominance of radial structural organisation.

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