Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A method for volumetric retinal tissue oxygen tension imaging

ABSTRACT Purpose: Inadequate retinal oxygenation occurs in many vision-threatening retinal diseases, including diabetic retinopathy, retinal vascular occlusions, and age-related macular degeneration. Therefore, techniques that assess retinal oxygenation are necessary to understand retinal physiology in health and disease. The purpose of the current study is to report a method for the three-dimensional (3D) imaging of retinal tissue oxygen tension (tPO2) in rats. Methods: Imaging was performed in Long Evans pigmented rats under systemic normoxia (N = 6) or hypoxia (N = 3). A vertical laser line was horizontally scanned on the retina and a series of optical section phase-delayed phosphorescence images were acquired. From these images, phosphorescence volumes at each phase delay were constructed and a 3D retinal tPO2 volume was generated. Retinal tPO2 volumes were quantitatively analyzed by generating retinal depth profiles of mean tPO2 (MtPO2) and the spatial variation of tPO2 (SVtPO2). The effects of systemic condition (normoxia/hypoxia) and retinal depth on MtPO2 and SVtPO2 were determined by mixed linear model. Results: Each 3D retinal tPO2 volume was approximately 500 × 750 × 200 μm (horizontal × vertical × depth) and consisted of 45 en face tPO2 images through the retinal depth. MtPO2 at the chorioretinal interface was significantly correlated with systemic arterial oxygen tension (P = 0.007; N = 9). There were significant effects of both systemic condition and retinal depth on MtPO2 and SVtPO2, such that both were lower under hypoxia than normoxia and higher in the outer retina than inner retina (P < 0.001). Conclusion: For the first time, 3D imaging of retinal tPO2 was demonstrated, with potential future application for assessment of physiological alterations in animal models of retinal diseases.
Long-Term Outcomes After ICU Admission Triage in Octogenarians

Objective: To describe ICU admission triage and outcomes in octogenarians. Design: Multicenter prospective observational study. Setting: Three nonuniversity hospitals and three university hospitals in Norway. Patients: Patients 80 years old or older who were referred for ICU admission from November 2013 to October 2014. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: Of the 355 included patients, 105 (29.6%) were refused ICU treatment. Risk factors for ICU refusal in patients considered “too ill/old” were advanced age and low functional status. Risk factors for ICU refusal in patients considered “too well” were advanced age, male sex, university hospital admission, comorbidity, and low Simplified Acute Physiology Score 3. Overall ICU survival was 71.6%. Hospital and 1-year survival were 56.0% and 40.0% in the ICU-admitted, 65.2% and 50.0% in the nonadmitted patients considered too well, and 32.7% and 11.5% in patients considered too ill/old, respectively. The adjusted Kaplan-Meier curves showed significantly lower survival for nonadmitted patients considered too ill/old than for ICU-admitted patients and nonadmitted patients considered too well. At follow-up, triage patients had lower health-related quality of life than an age- and sex-matched control group in the domains of self-care, usual care, and anxiety and depression, and a lower EuroQol visual analog scale scores. Conclusions: Overall, 29.6% of the patients were refused ICU treatment. The adjusted survival analyses showed a significantly higher survival for ICU-admitted octogenarians than for nonadmitted patients who were considered too ill/old, indicating a benefit of ICU admission. Overall, the follow-up of triage patients showed lower health-related quality of life than an age- and sex-matched control population.
Detection of incidental colorectal tumours with 18F‐labelled 2‐fluoro‐2‐deoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography scans: results of a prospective study

Aim This study assessed the clinical significance of incidental colorectal 2‐fluoro‐2‐deoxyglucose (FDG) uptake using 18F‐FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scans and evaluated the importance of colonoscopy when incidental colorectal FDG uptake was observed.
Purification of resveratrol, arachidin‐1, and arachidin‐3 from hairy root cultures of peanut (Arachis hypogaea) and determination of their antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity

Antioxidant stilbenoids, such as resveratrol, arachidin‐1, and arachidin‐3, have demonstrated beneficial effects on human health. Although resveratrol is commercially available, arachidin‐1 and arachidin‐3 are not, resulting in an opportunity to explore purification methods and to confirm biological activity. Recently, Arachis hypogaea hairy root cultures (produced via Agrobacterium rhizogenes‐mediated transformation) were reported to secrete stilbenoids into liquid growth media upon elicitation in quantities sufficient for commercial production. The purpose of this study was to purify substantial quantities of resveratrol, arachidin‐1, and arachidin‐3 from A. hypogaea hairy root cultures using centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC), determine the antioxidant activity of these compounds using the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay, and determine the cytotoxicity of the compounds using the 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. In a single run of CPC, resveratrol, arachidin‐1, and arachidin‐3 were separated to a purity of 97.1%, 97.0%, and 91.8%, respectively. Lipid oxidation was inhibited by a 27 and 7 μM dose for reference standards of resveratrol and arachidin‐1, respectively, while oxidation was not inhibited up to a 27 μM dose for reference standard of arachidin‐3. Oxidation was inhibited at a 14, 7, and 14 μM doses for CPC‐purified resveratrol, arachidin‐1, and arachidin‐3, respectively. Arachidin‐1 and arachidin‐3 demonstrated cytotoxicity at 27 and 55 μM in RAW 264.7 and HeLa cell lines, respectively; while resveratrol exhibited no cytotoxicity to either cell line. These results demonstrate the integration of a production and purification system for the manufacturing of A. hypogaea‐derived stilbenoids. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog. , 2010
Dynamic Mechanical Interactions Between Neighboring Airspaces Determine Cyclic Opening and Closure in Injured Lung

Objectives: Positive pressure ventilation exposes the lung to mechanical stresses that can exacerbate injury. The exact mechanism of this pathologic process remains elusive. The goal of this study was to describe recruitment/derecruitment at acinar length scales over short-time frames and test the hypothesis that mechanical interdependence between neighboring lung units determines the spatial and temporal distributions of recruitment/derecruitment, using a computational model. Design: Experimental animal study. Setting: International synchrotron radiation laboratory. Subjects: Four anesthetized rabbits, ventilated in pressure controlled mode. Interventions: The lung was consecutively imaged at ~ 1.5-minute intervals using phase-contrast synchrotron imaging, at positive end-expiratory pressures of 12, 9, 6, 3, and 0 cm H2O before and after lavage and mechanical ventilation induced injury. The extent and spatial distribution of recruitment/derecruitment was analyzed by subtracting subsequent images. In a realistic lung structure, we implemented a mechanistic model in which each unit has individual pressures and speeds of opening and closing. Derecruited and recruited lung fractions (F derecruited, F recruited) were computed based on the comparison of the aerated volumes at successive time points. Measurements and Main Results: Alternative recruitment/derecruitment occurred in neighboring alveoli over short-time scales in all tested positive end-expiratory pressure levels and despite stable pressure controlled mode. The computational model reproduced this behavior only when parenchymal interdependence between neighboring acini was accounted for. Simulations closely mimicked the experimental magnitude of F derecruited and F recruited when mechanical interdependence was included, while its exclusion gave F recruited values of zero at positive end-expiratory pressure greater than or equal to 3 cm H2O. Conclusions: These findings give further insight into the microscopic behavior of the injured lung and provide a means of testing protective-ventilation strategies to prevent recruitment/derecruitment and subsequent lung damage.
Noninvasive Histological Comparison of Bone Growth Patterns Among Fossil and Extant Neonatal Elephantids using Synchrotron Radiation X-Ray Microtomography

ABSTRACT How is the bone tissue in skeletal supports of a neonatal elephant organized, and how does this histological structure differ among the neonates of modern species, mammoths, and insular dwarfs? We used synchrotron X-ray microtomography (SR-µCT) to obtain high-resolution image-‘slices’ noninvasively, from the femoral and tibial diapbyses of neonatal African elephants, a young juvenile Asian elephant, Columbian mammoths, and California Channel Island pygmy mammoths. The results compared favorably in level of detail with histological sectioning, but without the shrinkage, distortion, or loss of tissue inevitable with histology. From the tomography images we were able to rank by ontogenetic stage specimens of taxa that are otherwise difficult to categorize because they vary greatly in size; from these images we observed that laminar fibrolamellar bone predominated and were able to quantify vascular patterns. Bones of the Columbian mammoth typically had the thickest and largest number of laminae, whereas the insular dwarfs were notable in their variability. A distinct change in tissue microstructure marks the boundary between prenatal and postnatal periosteal bone deposition. Qualitatively, patterns of early bone growth of elephantids resemble those in many young tetrapods that grow into large adults, including sauropod dinosaurs.
Fed‐batch bioreactor performance and cell line stability evaluation of the artificial chromosome expression technology expressing an IgG1 in chinese hamster ovary cells

The artificial chromosome expression (ACE) technology system uses an engineered artificial chromosome containing multiple site‐specific recombination acceptor sites for the rapid and efficient construction of stable cell lines. The construction of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines expressing an IgG1 monoclonal antibody (MAb) using the ACE system has been previously described (Kennard et al., Biotechnol Bioeng. 2009;104:540‐553). To further demonstrate the manufacturing feasibility of the ACE system, four CHO cell lines expressing the human IgG1 MAb 4A1 were evaluated in batch and fed‐batch shake flasks and in a 2‐L fed‐batch bioreactor. The batch shake flasks achieved titers between 0.7 and 1.1 g/L, whereas the fed‐batch shake flask process improved titers to 2.5–3.0 g/L. The lead 4A1 ACE cell line achieved titers of 4.0 g/L with an average specific productivity of 40 pg/(cell day) when cultured in a nonoptimized 2‐L fed‐batch bioreactor using a completely chemically defined process. Generational stability characterization of the lead 4A1‐expressing cell line demonstrated that the cell line was stable for up to 75 days in culture. Product quality attributes of the 4A1 MAb produced by the ACE system during the stability evaluation period were unchanged and also comparable to existing expression technologies such as the CHO‐dhfr system. The results of this evaluation demonstrate that a clonal, stable MAb‐expressing CHO cell line can be produced using ACE technology that performs competitively using a chemically defined fed‐batch bioreactor process with comparable product quality attributes to cell lines generated by existing technologies. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog. , 2011
Two‐phase bioreactor system for cell‐laden hydrogel assembly

Bottom‐up approach is a potentially useful tool for hydrogel assembly of cell‐laden individual building blocks. In this article, we assembled individual building blocks of photocrosslinkable microgels in a rapid and controlled manner. Individual building blocks of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) microgels with square and hexagonal shapes were fabricated by using a photolithography technique. Individual building blocks of PEG microgels were assembled on a hydrophobic mineral oil phase in a bioreactor with a magnetic stirrer. The hydrophobic mineral oil minimized the surface free energy to assemble hydrophilic PEG microgels on a two‐phase oil‐aqueous solution interface. We used the hydrophobic effect as a driving force for the hydrogel assembly. Various types of the hydrogel assembly were generated by controlling the stirring rate. As stirring speed increased, the percentage of linear, branched, and closely packed hydrogel assembly was increased. However, the percentage of random assembly was reduced by increasing stirring rate. The stirring time also played an important role in controlling the types of hydrogel assembly. The percentage of linear, branched, and closely packed hydrogel assembly was improved by increasing stirring time. Therefore, we performed directed cell‐laden hydrogel assembly using a two‐phase bioreactor system and optimized the stirring rate and time to regulate the desired types of hydrogel assembly. Furthermore, we analyzed cell viability of hydrogel linear assembly with square shapes, showing highly viable even after secondary photocrosslinking reaction. This bioreactor system‐based hydrogel assembly could be a potentially powerful approach for creating tissue microarchitectures in a three‐dimensional manner. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog. , 2011
Prescription Drug Use, Health Services Utilization, and Health Problems in Rural Appalachian Kentucky

Rural states like Kentucky now lead the nation in the illicit diversion of narcotic prescription drugs. In order to understand this phenomenon, we examine the currently popularly abused prescription drug OxyContin® by comparing differences in drug use, health services use, and criminality among a nontreatment group of rural Appalachian probationers who reported using OxyContin® (n = 101) with nonusers of OxyContin® (n = 194). Although OxyContin® users were younger, a number of differences emerged. OxyContin® users exhibited higher levels of use for 15 illicit drugs examined; used more detoxification services; attended more AA/NA meetings; reported more depression, anxiety, trouble concentrating, and violence; and reported more crime for 16 crimes. We discuss the implications of OxyContin® use including the possibility that it may be a marker for other illicit rural drug use.
The mesocolon: a prospective observational study

Aim The aim of this study was to characterize formally the mesocolic anatomy during and following total mesocolic excision. Total mesocolic excision may improve survival in patients with colon cancer. Although this requires a detailed knowledge of normal and variant mesocolic anatomy, the latter is poorly characterized. No studies have prospectively characterized the anatomy of the entire mesocolon.
Study of Violent Asphyxial Deaths: a 10 - Year Retrospective Study

An analysis of cases of violent asphyxial deaths for 10 years at Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College, Nanded, Maharashtra State, India is presented. Total 554 violent asphyxial deaths were grouped for study purpose, which comprises 5.9% of all medico-legal autopsies performed during January 2001 to December 2010. Males constitute 63.2% of all the cases with male:female ratio 1.71:1. The study showed the highest deaths in the age group of 21–30 years (31.9%). Drowning (49.1%) and hanging (46.6%) constitute major cause of death among violent asphyxial deaths followed by ligature strangulation (2.5%), Throttling (0.5%), Smothering (0.5%), Traumatic asphyxia (0.5%) and choking (0.2%). The distribution of manner of death showed commonest method of asphyxiation was suicide (57.4%), followed by accidental (30.68%) and homicidal (5.05%).
Association Between Hospital Case Volume of Sepsis, Adherence to Evidence-Based Processes of Care and Patient Outcomes

Objectives: We sought to explore potential mechanisms underlying hospital sepsis case volume-mortality associations by investigating implementation of evidence-based processes of care. Design: Retrospective cohort study. We determined associations of sepsis case volume with three evidence-based processes of care (lactate measurement during first hospital day, norepinephrine as first vasopressor, and avoidance of starch-based colloids) and assessed their role in mediation of case volume-mortality associations. Setting: Enhanced administrative data (Premier, Charlotte, NC) from 534 U.S. hospitals. Subjects: A total of 287,914 adult patients with sepsis present at admission between July 2010 and December 2012 of whom 58,045 received a vasopressor for septic shock during the first 2 days of hospitalization. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: Among patients with sepsis, 1.9% received starch, and among patients with septic shock, 68.3% had lactate measured and 64% received norepinephrine as initial vasopressor. Patients at hospitals with the highest case volume were more likely to have lactate measured (adjusted odds ratio quartile 4 vs quartile 1, 2.8; 95% CI, 2.1–3.7) and receive norepinephrine as initial vasopressor (adjusted odds ratio quartile 4 vs quartile 1, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.6–2.7). Case volume was not associated with avoidance of starch products (adjusted odds ratio quartile 4 vs quartile 1, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.45–1.2). Adherence to evidence-based care was associated with lower hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.70–0.94) but did not strongly mediate case volume-mortality associations (point estimate change ⩽ 2%). Conclusions: In a large cohort of U.S. patients with sepsis, select evidence-based processes of care were more likely implemented at high-volume hospitals but did not strongly mediate case volume-mortality associations. Considering processes and case volume when regionalizing sepsis care may maximize patient outcomes.
Starch self‐processing in transgenic sweet potato roots expressing a hyperthermophilic α‐amylase

Sweet potato is a major crop in the southeastern United States, which requires few inputs and grows well on marginal land. It accumulates large quantities of starch in the storage roots and has been shown to give comparable or superior ethanol yields to corn per cultivated acre in the southeast. Starch conversion to fermentable sugars (i.e., for ethanol production) is carried out at high temperatures and requires the action of thermostable and thermoactive amylolytic enzymes. These enzymes are added to the starch mixture impacting overall process economics. To address this shortcoming, the gene encoding a hyperthermophilic α‐amylase from Thermotoga maritima was cloned and expressed in transgenic sweet potato, generated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens‐mediated transformation, to create a plant with the ability to self‐process starch. No significant enzyme activity could be detected below 40°C, but starch in the transgenic sweet potato storage roots was readily hydrolyzed at 80°C. The transgene did not affect normal storage root formation. The results presented here demonstrate that engineering plants with hyperthermophilic glycoside hydrolases can facilitate cost effective starch conversion to fermentable sugars. Furthermore, the use of sweet potato as an alternative near‐term energy crop should be considered. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog. , 2011
Interval Surgical Sterilization and Obesity

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to compare the complication rate of hysteroscopic tubal occlusion with interval laparoscopic tubal sterilization among obese and nonobese women. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of all women undergoing interval tubal sterilization through laparoscopic tubal ligation or hysteroscopic approach (Essure) between September 2009 and December 2011 at a single large academic medical center. Data collected included sociodemographics, body mass index (BMI), medical history, surgical time, and complications including unintended surgery; bleeding from the fallopian tube; blood transfusion; cervical laceration; uterine perforation; fluid overload; infection; hospital admission; and failure to perform the sterilization by the intended route. RESULTS: We reviewed a total of 436 laparoscopic tubal ligations and 275 Essure procedures. The mean age at time of sterilization was 33.7 years (standard deviation 6.3). The laparoscopic tubal ligation group had a slightly lower BMI than the Essure group (mean 28.1 compared with 29.6 kg/m2, P=.01) but a similar number of comorbidities (44.5% compared with 48.0%, P=.4) and prior abdominal surgeries (23.6% compared with 26.9%, P=.3). Median surgical time was significantly higher in the laparoscopic tubal ligation group (29 compared with 15 minutes, P<.001). There was no significant difference in overall complications with 30 (6.9%) in the laparoscopic tubal ligation group and 19 (6.9%) in the Essure group. There was a trend toward lower overall complication rates with a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or higher in the Essure group compared with the laparoscopic tubal ligation group, eight (5.9%) compared with one (1%) (odds ratio 0.16, 95% confidence interval 0.01–1.02, P=.08). CONCLUSION: Although not statistically significant, among obese women, there were fewer complications in the Essure group.
Purification, immobilization, and characterization of a specific lipase from Staphylococcus warneri EX17 by enzyme fractionating via adsorption on different hydrophobic supports

Staphylococcus warneri strain EX17 produces three lipases with different molecular weights of 28, 30, and 45 kDa. The 45 kDa fraction (SWL‐45) has been purified from crude protein extracts by one chromatographic step based on the selective adsorption of this lipase by interfacial activation on different hydrophobic supports at low ionic strength. The adsorption of SWL‐45 on octyl‐Sepharose increased the enzyme activity by 60%, but the other lipases were also adsorbed on this support. Using butyl‐Toyopearl, which is a lesser hydrophobic support, the purification factor was close to 20, and the only protein band detected on the sodium dodecyl sulfate‐polyacrylamide electrophoresis analysis gel was that corresponding to the SWL‐45, which could be easily desorbed from the support by incubation with triton X‐100, producing a purified enzyme. SWL‐45 was immobilized under very mild conditions on cyanogen bromide Sepharose, showing similar activities and stability as for its soluble form but without intermolecular interaction. The effects of different detergents over the activity of the immobilized SWL‐45 were analyzed, which was hyperactivated by factors of 1.3 and 2.5 with 0.01% Tween 80 and 0.1% Triton X‐100, respectively, while ionic detergents produced detrimental effects on the enzyme activity even at very low concentrations. Optimal reaction conditions and the effect of other additives on the enzyme activity were also investigated. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog. , 2011