Procedure for human saphenous veins ex vivo perfusion and external reinforcement.

The mainstay of contemporary therapies for extensive occlusive arterial disease is venous bypass graft. However, its durability is threatened by intimal hyperplasia (IH) that eventually leads to vessel occlusion and graft failure. Mechanical forces, particularly low shear stress and high wall tension, are thought to initiate and to sustain these cellular and molecular changes, but their exact contribution remains to be unraveled. To selectively evaluate the role of pressure and shear stress on the biology of IH, an ex vivo perfusion system (EVPS) was created to perfuse segments of human saphenous veins under arterial regimen (high shear stress and high pressure). Further technical innovations allowed the simultaneous perfusion of two segments from the same vein, one reinforced with an external mesh. Veins were harvested using a no-touch technique and immediately transferred to the laboratory for assembly in the EVPS. One segment of the freshly isolated vein was not perfused (control, day 0). The two others segments were perfused for up to 7 days, one being completely sheltered with a 4 mm (diameter) external mesh. The pressure, flow velocity, and pulse rate were continuously monitored and adjusted to mimic the hemodynamic conditions prevailing in the femoral artery. Upon completion of the perfusion, veins were dismounted and used for histological and molecular analysis. Under ex vivo conditions, high pressure perfusion (arterial, mean = 100 mm Hg) is sufficient to generate IH and remodeling of human veins. These alterations are reduced in the presence of an external polyester mesh.

Iowa School Emergency Procedure Flip Chart, 2012

Basis fill in the blank flip chart for schools to use when planning or implementing an emergency. Produced by the Iowa Department of Education.

Transplantation hépatique : introduction en Suisse d'un nouveau système d'allocation des organes [Liver transplantation: new organ allocation system in Switzerland]

This article describes the new organ allocation system for liver transplantation introduced in Switzerland on July 1, 2007. In its newly adopted transplantation law, Switzerland chose the MELD score (Model for end-stage liver disease), based on three laboratory values: total bilirubin, serum creatinine and INR. Advantages and limitations of the MELD score are discussed. Finally the West Switzerland joint liver transplantation program is briefly introduced. Cet article décrit le nouveau système d'allocation des organes pour la transplantation hépatique, qui a été introduit en Suisse depuis le 1er juillet 2007. En se dotant d'une nouvelle loi sur la transplantation en 2007, la Suisse a en effet opté pour le score MELD (Model for end-stage liver disease), c'est-à-dire un score calculable à partir de trois valeurs de laboratoire : bilirubine totale, créatinine et INR. Les avantages du MELD, mais aussi quelques inconvénients potentiels, sont brièvement décrits. Afin de clarifier le parcours du patient pour lequel une évaluation prétransplantation hépatique spécialisée est indiquée, une brève description du programme romand de transplantation hépatique est présentée.

A Monte Carlo-based procedure for independent monitor unit calculation in IMRT treatment plans.

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) treatment plan verification by comparison with measured data requires having access to the linear accelerator and is time consuming. In this paper, we propose a method for monitor unit (MU) calculation and plan comparison for step and shoot IMRT based on the Monte Carlo code EGSnrc/BEAMnrc. The beamlets of an IMRT treatment plan are individually simulated using Monte Carlo and converted into absorbed dose to water per MU. The dose of the whole treatment can be expressed through a linear matrix equation of the MU and dose per MU of every beamlet. Due to the positivity of the absorbed dose and MU values, this equation is solved for the MU values using a non-negative least-squares fit optimization algorithm (NNLS). The Monte Carlo plan is formed by multiplying the Monte Carlo absorbed dose to water per MU with the Monte Carlo/NNLS MU. Several treatment plan localizations calculated with a commercial treatment planning system (TPS) are compared with the proposed method for validation. The Monte Carlo/NNLS MUs are close to the ones calculated by the TPS and lead to a treatment dose distribution which is clinically equivalent to the one calculated by the TPS. This procedure can be used as an IMRT QA and further development could allow this technique to be used for other radiotherapy techniques like tomotherapy or volumetric modulated arc therapy.

Profiling safety of intravitreal injections for retinoblastoma using an anti-reflux procedure and sterilisation of the needle track.

BACKGROUND: The preservation of globe integrity has always been a major concern during the treatment of retinoblastoma for fear of extraocular or metastatic spread. Intravitreal chemotherapy has been attempted as a desperate salvage therapy only for eyes with refractory retinoblastoma. Published data on the safety and efficacy of this route are, however, limited. METHODS: A modified technique of intravitreal injection in eyes with retinoblastoma is described. All children with retinoblastoma who received one or more intravitreal injections using this technique were retrospectively reviewed concerning ocular complications of the injection procedure as well as clinical or histopathological evidence of tumour spread. RESULTS: 30 eyes of 30 children with retinoblastoma received a total of 135 intravitreal injections, with a median follw-up duration of 13.5 months. No extraocular spread was seen on clinical follow-up in any patients and there was no tumour contamination of the retrieved entry sites histopathologically analysed among the five enucleated eyes. No significant ocular side effects were observed except transient localised vitreous haemorrhage (3/135). CONCLUSION: This technique is potentially safe and effective at a low cost and may play a promising role, especially in the treatment of recurrent and/or resistant vitreous disease in retinoblastoma, as an alternative to enucleation and/or external beam radiotherapy. However, this treatment should not replace the primary standard of care of retinoblastoma and should not be considered in group E eyes. Its application should be approved by an ophthalmological-oncological team and it should be performed by an experienced eye surgeon in a tertiary referral centre after careful selection of a tumour-free injection site.

An illustration of the ALLOC 6B location-allocation analysis system, 1984

The programs included in this Discussion Paper no. 17 are Distance, Unravel, Retrench and Alloc 6B that deal with location-allocation analyses first published in 1973 by the Department of Geography, The University of Iowa.

Calibration of a desktop scanner and digital image analysis procedure for quantification of a root morphology

Selostus: Tasoskannerin ja digitaalisen kuva-analyysimenetelmän kalibrointi juurten morfologian kvantifioimiseksi

New microfluidic-based sampling procedure for overcoming the hematocrit problem associated with dried blood spot analysis.

Hematocrit (Hct) is one of the most critical issues associated with the bioanalytical methods used for dried blood spot (DBS) sample analysis. Because Hct determines the viscosity of blood, it may affect the spreading of blood onto the filter paper. Hence, accurate quantitative data can only be obtained if the size of the paper filter extracted contains a fixed blood volume. We describe for the first time a microfluidic-based sampling procedure to enable accurate blood volume collection on commercially available DBS cards. The system allows the collection of a controlled volume of blood (e.g., 5 or 10 μL) within several seconds. Reproducibility of the sampling volume was examined in vivo on capillary blood by quantifying caffeine and paraxanthine on 5 different extracted DBS spots at two different time points and in vitro with a test compound, Mavoglurant, on 10 different spots at two Hct levels. Entire spots were extracted. In addition, the accuracy and precision (n = 3) data for the Mavoglurant quantitation in blood with Hct levels between 26% and 62% were evaluated. The interspot precision data were below 9.0%, which was equivalent to that of a manually spotted volume with a pipet. No Hct effect was observed in the quantitative results obtained for Hct levels from 26% to 62%. These data indicate that our microfluidic-based sampling procedure is accurate and precise and that the analysis of Mavoglurant is not affected by the Hct values. This provides a simple procedure for DBS sampling with a fixed volume of capillary blood, which could eliminate the recurrent Hct issue linked to DBS sample analysis.

General unknown screening procedure for the characterization of human drug metabolites: application to loratadine phase I metabolism.

This article describes the application of a recently developed general unknown screening (GUS) strategy based on LC coupled to a hybrid linear IT-triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (LC-MS/MS-LIT) for the simultaneous detection and identification of drug metabolites following in vitro incubation with human liver microsomes. The histamine H1 receptor antagonist loratadine was chosen as a model compound to demonstrate the interest of such approach, because of its previously described complex and extensive metabolism. Detection and mass spectral characterization were based on data-dependent acquisition, switching between a survey scan acquired in the ion-trapping Q3 scan mode with dynamic subtraction of background noise, and a dependent scan in the ion-trapping product ion scan mode of automatically selected parent ions. In addition, the MS(3) mode was used in a second step to confirm the structure of a few fragment ions. The sensitivity of the ion-trapping modes combined with the selectivity of the triple quadrupole modes allowed, with only one injection, the detection and identification of 17 phase I metabolites of loratadine. The GUS procedure used in this study may be applicable as a generic technique for the characterization of drug metabolites after in vitro incubation, as well as probably in vivo experiments.

Physiological responses of two tropical weeds to shade: I. Growth and biomass allocation

Ipomoea asarifolia (Desr.) Roem. & Schultz (Convolvulaceae) and Stachytarpheta cayennensis (Rich) Vahl. (Verbenaceae), two weeds found in pastures and crop areas in Brazilian Amazonia, were grown in controlled environment cabinets under high (800-1000 µmol m-² s-¹) and low (200-350 µmol m-² s-¹) light regimes during a 40-day period. For both species leaf dry mass and leaf area per total plant dry mass, and leaf area per leaf dry mass were higher for low-light plants, whereas root mass per total plant dry mass was higher for high-light plants. High-light S. cayennensis allocated significantly more biomass to reproductive tissue than low-light plants, suggesting a probably lower ability of this species to maintain itself under shaded conditions. Relative growth rate (RGR) in I. asarifolia was initially higher for high-light grown plants and after 20 days started decreasing, becoming similar to low-light plants at the last two harvests (at 30 and 40 days). In S. cayennensis, RGR was also higher for high-light plants; however, this trend was not significant at the first and last harvest dates (10 and 40 days). These results are discussed in relation to their ecological and weed management implications.

Distributing State Road Use Tax Funds to Counties, HR-386, 1996

Iowa's county road system serves many critical functions in a changing environment. Many counties with very different social, economic, and demographic circumstances do not have adequate resources to provide the desired level of service on their secondary road systems. How the state's Road Use Tax Fund (RUTF) is distributed among counties is therefore of great importance. This report presents the results of a year-long study of how to distribute RUTF resources among Iowa's 99 counties. The project was undertaken at the request of county engineers who wish to replace the current method of allocation with one that is more stable, comprehensible, and predictable. This report describes the current allocation method, examines how other states distribute road funds to counties, and discusses potential allocation factors that could be included in a revised procedure. The process undertaken to narrow the range of possible formulas and determine the one to recommend is summarized. Finally, the report presents the allocation formula recommended by the project advisory committee, along with how it would operate.

Stream Stabilization in Western Iowa, HR-352, 1994

Stream channel erosion in the deep loess soils region of western Iowa causes severe damage along hundreds of miles of streams in twenty-two counties. The goal of this project was to develop information, systems, and procedures for use in making resource allocation decisions related to the protection of transportation facilities and farmland from damages caused by stream channel erosion. Section one of this report provides an introduction. Section two presents an assessment of stream channel conditions from aerial and field reconnaissance conducted in 1993 and 1994 and a classification of the streams based on a six stage model of stream channel evolution. A Geographic Information System is discussed that has been developed to store and analyze data on the stream conditions and affected infrastructure and assist in the planning of stabilization measures. Section three presents an evaluation of two methods for predicting the extent of channel degradation. Section four presents an estimate of costs associated with damages from stream channel erosion since the time of channelization until 1992. Damage to highway bridges represent the highest costs associated with channel erosion, followed by railroad bridges and right-of-way; loss of agricultural land represents the third highest cost. An estimate of costs associated with future channel erosion on western Iowa streams is also presented in section four. Section four also presents a procedure to estimate the benefits and costs of implementing stream stabilization measures. The final section of this report, section five, presents information on the development of the organizational structure and administrative procedures which are being used to plan, coordinate, and implement stream stabilization projects and programs in western Iowa.

Performance of a chromatographic procedure used in the certification of reference material for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sewage sludge

Semi-automatic capillary gas chromatographic method with classical flame ionization detection, which satisfies the conditions for required performance and gave acceptable results within the framework of an interlaboratory certification programme for PAHs in sewage sludge, is described. The interesting feature of the procedure is that it incorporates automatic operations such as sample fractionation by semi-preparative HPLC, fraction collection at signal level recognition and evaporation under nitrogen flow. Multiple injections in the GC capillary column are performed in the on-column mode via an autosampler with temperature-programmable injector. Automatic data acquisition and chromatogram treatment are made via computer software. This partially automatic procedure releases personnel from tedious and time-consuming tasks and its robust character was validated through the certification of reference material for PAHs in sewage sludge, demonstrating its reliable performance.