Coolsnap videocamera

De-calcified BM and spleen samples were fixed with 2.5% glutaraldehyde in 0.1 cacodylate buffer, pH 7.6 (Sigma) for 2 h at 4°C, post-fixed with osmium tetroxide (Sigma) for 60 min at 4°C, alcohol dehydrated and embedded in Spur resin (Poliscience, Warrington, PA, USA). Semi- and ultra-thin sections were cut with a Reichert ultramicrotome (Depew, NY, USA). Semi-thin sections were stained with Methylene-blue. Ultra-thin sections were assembled on 200 mesh copper grids and counterstained with uranyl acetate and lead citrate. Morphological observations were performed with EM 109 Zeiss (Oberkochen, Germany) and images were acquired with AXIOSKOPE microscope (ZEISS, Jena, Germany) equipped with a Coolsnap Videocamera. All quantifications were done by eye examination.

Prior to surgery and after a follow up period of 4 months, participants underwent a battery of subjective and objective evaluations. Each patient was subjected to a complete ENT clinical examination. Nasal endoscopy was performed to evaluate the extent of the enlargement of the concha. The subjective severity of nasal obstruction was assessed by using a standard 10 cm Visual Analogue Scale. Mucociliary transport time was performed using the saccharin transit time [21 (link)].
Anterior Active Rhinomanometry was performed using ATMOS 300 rhinomanometer. The measurements were obtained at a sample pressure point of 150 Pa before and after application of 0.1 % naphazoline hydrochloride.
Digital images were acquired by means of a ZEISS Axioskop light microscope equipped with a Coolsnap video camera and MetaMorph software.

To assess the lipid content of the foam cells, an Oil Red O staining assay was used. Cells were fixed in formalin for 30 min (10%), then washed twice with PBS and stained with Oil Red O solution (Sigma-Aldrich) for 15 min. After washing with PBS, foam cells were observed with a ZEISS Axioskop 40 (CarlZeiss) light microscope equipped with a Coolsnap VideoCamera. Metamorph (Molecular Devices) software was used for acquiring computerized images. For quantitative analysis, staining with Oil Red O of the macrophage foam cells was extracted with 60% isopropanol to measure the absorbance at a wavelength of 492 nm. The number of foam cells formed in each condition was calculated in triplicate manually and presented as percentage of total cells.