University of Alabama

About: University of Alabama is a education organization based out in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 27323 authors who have published 48609 publications receiving 1565337 citations. The organization is also known as: Alabama & Bama.

Reticular pseudodrusen are subretinal drusenoid deposits

Abstract: Purpose: To characterize reticular pseudodrusen, a potential risk factor for late age-related macular degeneration. Design: Retrospective, observational case series. Participants: Fifty-eight eyes of 33 patients with pseudodrusen (20 female). Methods: Consecutive patients with reticular pseudodrusen, diagnosed by their typical appearance and distribution using ophthalmoscopy, the blue channel of color fundus photographs, and near infrared images. The patients were imaged by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT), and correlations were made between the near infrared images and the SD OCT images. The SD OCT findings in patients with pseudodrusen were compared with previously reported histologic findings of subretinal drusenoid deposits. The histologic specimens were reevaluated with the additional knowledge of the clinical information. Main Outcome Measures: Spectral domain optical coherence tomography and histologic characteristics of pseudodrusen. Results: The mean age of the 33 patients was 81.7 years. The correlating SD OCT scans showed collections of granular hyperreflective material above the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), in the subretinal space located primarily between the RPE and the boundary between the inner and outer segments of the photoreceptors (IS/OS boundary). In a more advanced stage, this material formed small mounds that broke through the IS/OS boundary. There were no correlates to the deposits seen under the RPE or in the choroid. These findings were similar in character to previously reported histologic characterization of subretinal drusenoid deposits, which had identified the presence of membranous debris, unesterified cholesterol, and complement within the deposits. Conclusions: Pseudodrusen seen by clinical examination may be subretinal drusenoid deposits seen by histologic examination. This unexpected location suggests that potential pathophysiologic mechanisms on both sides of the RPE need to be taken into account in theories related to the development of age-related macular degeneration. Financial Disclosure(s): Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references. Ophthalmology 2010;117:303–312 © 2010 by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Characterization of a messenger RNA polynucleotide vaccine vector

Abstract: We have constructed mRNA transcripts encoding luciferase and human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) which are capped, polyadenylated, and stabilized by human β-globin 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions. The mRNA construct encoding human CEA directed CEA expression in mouse fibroblasts in vitro following liposome-mediated transfection. The luciferase encoding mRNA transcripts mediated luciferase expression in vivo following i.m. injection. Based on the demonstration of protein expression in vitro and in vivo , the feasibility of using such a vector as a tumor vaccine was examined. In this pilot study, seven mice received 50 µg mRNA transcripts encoding CEA twice weekly for 5 weeks by i.m. injection followed by challenge with syngeneic, CEA-expressing tumor cells. This dose and schedule “primed” an immune response to CEA. Five of seven mRNA-immunized mice demonstrated anti-CEA antibody 3 weeks after tumor challenge whereas control mice had no evidence of antibody response. This strategy might be particularly useful to induce an immune response to a proto-oncogene product or growth factor which poses a risk of inducing malignant transformation consequent to prolonged protein expression.

Dual-frequency pattern scheme for high-speed 3-D shape measurement.

Abstract: A novel dual-frequency pattern is developed which combines a high-frequency sinusoid component with a unit-frequency sinusoid component, where the high-frequency component is used to generate robust phase information, and the unit-frequency component is used to reduce phase unwrapping ambiguities. With our proposed pattern scheme, phase unwrapping can overcome the major shortcomings of conventional spatial phase unwrapping: phase jumping and discontinuities. Compared with conventional temporal phase unwrapped approaches, the proposed pattern scheme can achieve higher quality phase data using a less number of patterns. To process data in real time, we also propose and develop look-up table based fast and accurate algorithms for phase generation and 3-D reconstruction. Those fast algorithms can be applied to our pattern scheme as well as traditional phase measuring profilometry. For a 640 x 480 video stream, we can generate phase data at 1063.8 frames per second and full 3-D coordinate point clouds at 8.3 frames per second. These achievements are 25 and 10 times faster than previously reported studies.

Unstable angina pectoris: National cooperative study group to compare surgical and medical therapy: II. In-Hospital experience and initial follow-up results in patients with one, two and three vessel disease

Abstract: A prospective randomized study comparing intensive medical therapy with urgent coronary bypass surgery for the acute management of patients with unstable angina pectoris was carried out by nine cooperating medical centers under the auspices of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Between 1972 and 1976, a total of 288 patients were entered into the study. All patients had transient S-T or T wave changes, or both, in the electrocardiogram during pain; 90 percent had pain at rest in the hospital, and 76 percent had multivessel coronary disease. The medically and surgically treated patients were comparable with respect to clinical, electrocardiographic and angiographic characteristics and left ventricular function. During the total study period, the hospital mortality rate was 5 percent in the surgical group and 3 percent in the medical group (difference not significant). The rate of in-hospital myocardial infarction was 17 and 8 percent in the respective groups (P In the 1st year after hospital discharge class III or IV angina (New York Heart Association criteria) was more common in medically than in surgically treated patients with one vessel disease (22 percent versus 3 percent, P The results indicate that patients with unstable angina pectoris can be managed acutely with intensive medical therapy, including the administration of propranolol and long-acting nitrates in pharmacologic doses, with adequate control of pain in most patients and no increase in early mortality or myocardial infarction rates. Later, elective surgery can be performed with a low risk and good clinical results if the patient's angina fails to respond to intensive medical therapy.