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PubMed1997

[Comparative studies of morphometric and functional results following reconstruction of motor nerves].

In order to determine the value of a reconstructive procedure in the peripheral nerve, experimental studies often evaluate the number and the diameter of myelinated nerve fibers as a parameter for the quality of regeneration. This study addresses the correlation between the number of fibers in a peripheral motor nerve after microsurgical reconstruction and the functional result, expressed as the force of the reinnervated muscle. In a total number of 24 sheep, the motor branch to the rectus femoris muscle was severed. The muscle was reinnervated either by direct neurorrhaphy or by nerve grafting, performed in three different ways (free grafting to the ipsilateral muscle, free grafting to the contralateral muscle, vascularized grafting to the ipsilateral muscle). In the final experiments, the muscle force in the reinnervated muscle was determined by supramaximal electrical stimulation. Number and diameter of myelinated nerve fibers were evaluated by computer-assisted morphometric analysis. Regression analysis of morphometric data and the muscle forces was calculated. No correlation was found between fiber numbers in the nerve graft and the maximal force. However, a positive correlation between the number of myelinated fibers in the motor branch distal to the site of coaptation and the functional result was observed in some cases. The diameter of myelinated fibers had no influence on the functional outcome.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Comparison of histochemical characteristics in various pork groups categorized by postmortem metabolic rate and pork quality.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the variations in histochemical characteristics of muscle samples segregated according to metabolic rates (MR) and pork quality attributes. A total of 231 crossbred Duroc x (Yorkshire x Landrace) pigs was evaluated. Samples of the LM were taken to evaluate histochemical characteristics, postmortem MR, and meat quality. Samples were classified into fast, normal, and slow MR groups based on muscle pH at 45 min and R-value. Drip loss and lightness (L*) were used to assign samples to 1 of 4 quality classes. Pale, soft, and exudative pork belonging in the fast group had the greatest (P < 0.05) percentage of type IIb fibers, and RSE (reddish-pink, soft, and exudative) pork belonging in the fast group had a similar tendency. Additionally, RFN (reddish-pink, firm, and nonexudative) pork belonging in the normal group showed a lower (P < 0.05) percentage of type IIb fibers than PSE or RSE, regardless of MR, and DFD pork had the lowest (P < 0.05) percentage of type IIb fibers. In general, the fast-glycolyzing PSE pork with the lowest pH at both 45 min and 24 h had greater percentages of type IIb fibers than the fast-glycolyzing RFN pork. There were more fiber-type composition differences between quality classes in pork undergoing a fast rate of metabolism compared with pork undergoing a normal rate of metabolism. It can be concluded that muscle histochemical characteristics are associated with early postmortem MR, the extent of glycolysis, and, thereby, pork quality; however, these effects are limited to the pigs exhibiting a fast glycolytic rate.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Photomodulation of axis extension in sparse canopies : role of the stem in the perception of light-quality signals of stand density.

A fiber optic probe inserted into plant tissues was used to investigate the effects of canopy density on the light environment in different organs. The red:far-red ratio inside the stem of Datura ferox L. seedlings and the estimated phytochrome photoequilibrium were strongly reduced by the presence of neighbors forming canopies too sparse to cause any mutual shading at the level of the leaves. In such canopies, changes in plant density had little effects on the light regime inside the leaves of the succulent Aeonium haworthii (S.D.) Webb et Berth., particularly when the lamina was kept nearly normal to the direct rays of the sun. In field experiments using D. ferox and Sinapis alba L. seedlings, the elongation of the internodes responded to various types of localized light-quality treatments that simulated different plant densities in sparse canopies. The responses were quantitatively similar to those elicited by changes in plant density. The evidence supports the hypothesis that, in stands formed by plants of similar size, the red:far-red ratio of the light that impinges laterally on the stems is among the earliest environmental cues that allow plants to detect local canopy density and adjust axis extension accordingly.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

Limitations and requirements of diffusion tensor fiber tracking: an assessment using simulations.

Diffusion tensor fiber tracking potentially can give information about in vivo brain connectivity. However, this technique is difficult to validate due to the lack of a gold standard. Fiber tracking reliability will depend on the quality of the data and on the robustness of the algorithms used. Information about the effects of various anatomical and image acquisition parameters on fiber tracking reliability may be used in the design of imaging sequences and of tracking algorithms. In this study, tracking was performed on two different simulated models to study the effects on tracking quality of SNR, anisotropy, curvature, fiber cross-section, background anisotropy, step size, and interpolation. Tracking was also performed on volunteer data to assess the relevance of the simulations to real data. Our results show that, in general, tracking with high SNR and high anisotropy using interpolation and a low step size gives the most reliable results. Partial volume effects are shown to have a detrimental effect when the background is anisotropic and when tracking narrow fibers. The results derived from real data show similar trends and thus support the findings of the simulations. These simulations may therefore help to determine which structures can be tracked for a given image quality.

Algorithms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Age-related changes in reticulin fibers and other connective tissue elements in the intima of the major intracranial arteries.

The results of post mortem histological studies on the major intracranial arteries from 150 individuals, whose age varied from one day to 80 years are reported. Patients with specific vascular diseases or severe atherosclerosis were excluded. The work resulted in the following conclusions: 1) The existence of 3 types of so-called pseudoelastic fibers can be revealed by light microscopic staining procedures. All of them share some staining characteristics of true elastic fibers. Types 1 and 2 also stain to a certain extent like reticulin fibers. Type 3 pseudoelastic fibers resemble collagen fibers in some of their staining qualities. 2) At birth the internal elastic lamina (IEL) consists of true elastic fibers and type 1 pseudoelastic fibers. 3) These 2 fibers are present throughout life, though from the age of two years, type 2 pseudoelastic fibers become additional but permanent components of IEL. 4) Aging is accompanied by the appearance of collagen fibers. The relative proportion of different fibers within the IEL seems to follow a consistent sequence of changes. 5) The appearance of type 3 pseudoelastic and/or collagen fibers indicates abnormality since it is inevitably associated with loss of elasticity of the vessel wall.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Distribution of putative elastic fibers in rabbit temporomandibular joint tissues.

This study describes the general distribution of putative elastic fibers in the connective tissues that comprise the articular disk and some of the adnexal tissues of the rabbit temporomandibular joint. Joints were removed en bloc and processed for light-microscopic study. The fibroelastic tissues of the bilaminar zone of the articular disk and the various attachments of the disk to the mandibular condyle contained numerous elastic fibers. Since these morphologic data indicate the presence of many elastic fibers, we suggest that the rabbit temporomandibular joint may serve as a model system to study the functional consequences of selectively altering the quality or quantity of elastic fibers in these tissues.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Histochemical changes in pancreatic islets obtained from obese Zucker rats (fa/fa) on a diabetogenic diet. No evidence for non-enzymatic protein glycation in endocrine cells.

Genetically obese Zucker rats (fa/fa) on a diabetogenic diet rich in lard and sucrose develop chronic hyperglycemia accompanied by severe hyperinsulinemia. Non-enzymatically glycated protein content was increased in tendon (p < 0.0001) and aorta (p < 0.04), but not nerve, from hyperglycemic rats as compared to normoglycemic lean litter-mates on a conventional chow diet (mmol furosine/mol tyrosine in tissue hydrolysate from 61-week-old rats: tendon, 29.8 +/- 1.8 vs 25.9 +/- 1.3; aorta, 12.0 +/- 1.0 vs 11.0 +/- 1.1). In pancreatic islets, non-enzymatically glycated protein was neither found in lean rats of any age nor in the obese up to an age of 36 weeks. At an age of 61 weeks, non-enzymatically glycated protein accumulated in islets of obese animals, resulting in levels of 17.02-44.65 mmol furosine/mol tyrosine. This rise in islet glycated protein content was not accompanied by a comparable increase in plasma glycemia, but simultaneous histological examination of pancreatic tissue revealed fibrosis of islets. Fibers were probably of collagenic quality without islet amyloid polypeptide immunoreactivity. Because collagen is known to be highly susceptible to non-enzymatic glycation, we suspect that collagenic fibers but not endocrine cells are the main source of glycated protein accumulation in these islets. Hence, our data do not give evidence that non-enzymatic protein glycation plays a role in the islet degeneration occurring in hyperglycemia. Furthermore, immunohistochemical staining for various endocrine peptides did not suggest loss of any hormone-producing cell type or defective pancreatic hormone production in hyperglycemic old, obese Zucker rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Fused preforms for the fabrication of photonic crystal fibers.

A novel approach for the fabrication of high-quality preforms for use in the fabrication of photonic crystal fibers is described. The preforms are fabricated in a multistep process that involves stacking a bundle with rods and (or) tubes of two dissimilar glasses, fusing the bundle, and then etching the fused bundle in acid to remove one of the two glasses. The procedure for fabrication of the fused preforms is similar to that used in the fabrication of microchannel plate glass and yields periodically spaced, uniform, round channels that extend through the length of the preform.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1994

Rural connections. Iowa hospitals are establishing communications link to better serve rural areas.

The Sisters of Mercy Health Corporation, with 14 hospitals in Iowa, and the Mercy Health Centers of Central Iowa, with 13 hospitals in the state, believe fiber-optic technology may provide solutions to the inadequacies inherent in the rural healthcare delivery system. Since 1989, Iowa has committed more than $100 million toward the development and installation of a statewide fiber-optic communication network. The Iowa Communication Network (ICN) was originally envisioned as a means of providing voice, data, and interactive video capabilities to state government agencies, libraries, schools, and colleges. Currently, only hospitals with medical education programs are authorized to use the network, but others are expected to be allowed to soon. Realizing the potential benefits telemedicine and the ICN posed, in June 1993 the Sisters of Mercy Health Corporation and the Mercy Health Centers of Central Iowa jointly established the Midwest Rural Telemedicine Consortium (MRTC) to enhance rural residents' access to primary healthcare through integrated communications systems. The MRTC is trying to secure federal funding to conduct a demonstration project in eight hospitals. The project's goal is to determine how the use of telemedicine applications, specifically fiber-optic applications, affects access, quality, and costs in providing specialty healthcare services to rural patients.

Catholicism↗
PubMed2004

The potential of Raman spectroscopy as a process analytical technique during formulations of topical gels and emulsions.

PURPOSE: The primary objective of this study is to investigate the possibility of using Raman spectroscopy as a process analytical technique (PAT) for quality control during manufacturing of topical dosage forms. METHODS: A fiber-optic Raman probe was used to monitor the formulation of pharmaceutical gel and emulsion in laboratory scale. Raman shifts of typical commercial raw materials used in topical dosage forms were measured to ascertain the potential of this technique for monitoring and analyzing topical products. Spectra of some well-characterized topical gels manufactured in our laboratory were also measured. RESULTS: Commercial raw materials were found to be Raman sensitive. Due to the difference in chemical composition, raw materials exhibit characteristic peaks that can be exploited to monitor formulation processes. Spectra taken during formulation of an emulsion using Carbopol Ultrez as thickener and Tefose as emulsifying agent show changes in Raman shifts immediately after major formulation steps. CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this work suggest that Raman spectroscopy can be a valuable process analytical technique for quality control of topical gel and cream formulations.

Acrylic Resins↗
PubMed2003

[Functional properties of Sphagnum magellanicum fiber and its direct use in formulation of bakery products].

Characterization of functional properties of Sphagnum magellanicum fiber were investigated. Water absortion (WAC) and water retention (WRC) capacities, swelling capacity (SC); organic molecule absortion capacity (OMAC) and cationic interchange capacity (CIC) were evaluated, as well as its incorporation as fiber source to bakery produts. Diferent particles sizes were selected to evaluate their effects on the functional properties of moss fiber: T1(1.4 mm);T2(1.0 mm); T3(0.42 mm); T4(0.18 mm). Best results of CAA, CRA; SC and OMRC were obtained with T3, whereas best values of CIC were attained with T1. An optimized formulation of fiber enriched bread was developed analizing simultaneously the effect of four independent variables (yeast, moss fiber, fluffy agent and shortening) on the sensory quality of products. Shelf life studies were carried out by storing samples of fiber enriched breads at 20 degrees C and 6 degrees C. At the end of the study, refrigerated samples showed better sensory quality stability.

Bread↗
PubMed2002

Novel circular-beam equalizing techniques that use graded-index fiber optics for a high-power laser diode.

We demonstrate a novel method of equalizing a laser diode (LD) beam into a circular beam. This method uses the twist effect of graded index (GI) fiber optics. An asymmetric LD beam with beam qualities of M2 = 500 in the slow axis and M2 = 4 in the fast axis is converted successfully into a symmetric circular beam with a beam quality of M2 = 175. The circular-output beam with 92% coupling efficiency from the fiber input to the fiber output is obtained with a 5-m-long GI1200 (1200 means a core diameter of 1200 microm) fiber for a 2-W LD array. We extend the experiments to a higher-power source with higher asymmetric beam qualities of M2 = 3000 and M2 = 4. By slightly bending the GI10000 (10000 means a core diameter of 10,000 microm) fiber, we have succeeded in generating a symmetric beam with a improved beam quality of M2 = 2000. The average beam quality is preserved when the asymmetric ratio is not high, and the beam quality degradation ratio is investigated up to asymmetric ratios of 750.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1997

Influence of energy supplementation on grazing ruminants: requirements and responses.

Energy requirements of grazing livestock seem to be poorly defined. Requirements generated from measurements in pen-fed animals present both theoretical and practical concerns when they are applied to grazing situations. In mature ruminants a majority of energy used for maintenance seems to be consumed by visceral tissues. Moreover, factors that affect visceral energy use are poorly understood. Energy supplementation to meet requirements and production demands is often practiced during periods of summer dormancy and in winter months. Source of supplemental energy varies widely and includes grains, readily digestible fiber sources, and high-quality forages. Intake and digestibility can be reduced or unaffected by energy supplementation. In some cases, lower levels of energy supplementation have been shown to increase utilization of grazed forage. Reductions in ruminal pH, often cited as the major cause of reduced fiber digestion, may not always explain reductions in intake and digestibility associated with energy supplementation. Livestock production is usually either enhanced or unaffected by energy supplementation. Additional research regarding energy requirements of grazing ruminants, visceral energy use, and mechanisms associated with reductions in intake and digestibility of grazed forage resulting from energy supplementation is warranted.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

[Existant quality problems and suggestions for quality control of medical absorbent cotton].

In the process of acid hydrolysis of medical absorbent cotton, we have discovered that some of the domestic manufactured medical absorbent cotton is mixed with wasted non-cotton chemical fiber. If the cotton is used in medical treatments, the chemical fiber will cause irritation, allergy and inflammation, so it's very harmful. But the non-cotton fiber content is not stipulated in the standard of YY0330-2002, and no testing method for it is available. In this paper we discuss the existent quality problems, the control and the test method for non-cotton chemical fiber in medical absorbent cotton.

Bandages↗
PubMed2005

Ultrastructure of individual and compound starch granules in isolation preparation from a high-quality, low-amylose rice, ilpumbyeo, and its mutant, G2, a high-dietary fiber, high-amylose rice.

The ultrastructures of isolated starch granules from Ilpumbyeo (IP), a low-amylose japonica rice, and its mutant, Goami2 (G2), a high-amylose rice, which have extreme contrasts in physicochemical properties, cooking qualities (Kang, H. J.; Hwang, I. K.; Kim, K. S.; Choi, H. C. Comparative structure and physicochemical properties of Ilpumbyeo, a high-quality japonica rice, and its mutant, Suweon 464. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2003, 51, 6598-6603. Kim, K. S.; Kang, H. J.; Hwang, I. K.; Hwang, H. G.; Kim, T. Y.; Choi, H. C. Comparative ultrastructure of Ilpumbyeo, a high-quality japonica rice, and its mutant, Suweon 464: Scanning and transmission electron microscopy studies. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2004, 52, 3876-3883), and susceptibility to amylolytic enzymes (Kim, K. S.; Kang, H. J.; Hwang, I. K.; Hwang, H. G.; Kim, T. Y.; Choi, H. C. Fibrillar microfilaments associated with a high-amylose rice, Goami2, a mutant of Ilpumbyeo, a high-quality japonica rice. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2005, 53, 2600-2608), were compared. In isolated preparation, IP consisted entirely of well-separated individual starch granules (ISG), whereas G2 consisted of two populations, the large voluminous bodies and the smaller forms, the ISGs. High-voltage electron microscopy revealed that each of the voluminous bodies consisted of tightly packed smaller subunits, the ISGs, indicating that they represent the compound starch granules (CSGs) of G2. This suggests that the structural as well as functional unit of G2 involved in food processing is, unlike IP and other ordinary rices, not ISG but is primarily CSG. ISGs located at the periphery of CSGs were fused to each other with adjacent ones forming a thick band or wall encircling the entire circumference. The periphery of ISGs separated from CSGs of G2 consisted of thin radially oriented filaments arranged side by side along the entire granule surface, whereas no such filaments occurred in ISG of IP. It appears that the thick band and the peripheral filaments surrounding CSGs and ISGs, respectively, function as a structural barrier that limits the entrance of water into the granules and subsequent absorption, causing the low swelling power, incomplete gelatinization, and finally poor quality of cooked rice in G2.

Amylose↗
PubMed2003

Novel infrared optical probes for process monitoring and analysis based on next-generation silver halide fibers.

Mid-infrared spectroscopy has proved to be a powerful method for the study of various samples and chemical media as found in different industrial processes. In general, the analysis of such samples takes advantage of the fact that multiple analytes can be quantified simultaneously and rapidly without the need for additional reagents. When compared to near-infrared spectroscopy, for which quartz fiber probes can be successfully applied, the application of previously used mid-infrared fiber materials was restricted due to deficiencies with regard to their optical transmission and mechanical properties. Progress in the quality of infrared transparent silver halide fibers and their extrusion with different cross-sections enabled us to construct several flexible fiber-optic probes of different geometries which are particularly suitable and inert for process monitoring. Transmission and attenuated total reflection measurement techniques have mainly been employed for the analysis of liquid and gaseous media. One larger field, for which results are reported, is chemical reactor monitoring. Other applications are concerned with bio-reactor monitoring, or quasi-continuous measurements for the food industry. Infrared spectroscopic cosmetic assays for determining the chemical composition of skin-care formulations are a further promising field of application, for which an example is given.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1997

Glass pipette-carbon fiber microelectrodes for evoked potential recordings.

Current methods for recording field potentials with tungsten electrodes make it virtually impossible to use the same recording electrode also as a lesioning electrode, for example for histological confirmation of the recorded site, because the lesioning procedure usually wears off the tungsten tip. Therefore, the electrode would have to be replaced after each lesioning procedure, which is a very high cost solution to the problem. We present here a low cost, easy to make, high quality glass pipette-carbon fiber microelectrode that shows resistive, signal/noise and electrochemical coupling advantages over tungsten electrodes. Also, currently used carbon fiber microelectrodes often show problems with electrical continuity, especially regarding electrochemical applications using a carbon-powder/resin mixture, with consequent low performance, besides the inconvenience of handling such a mixture. We propose here a new method for manufacturing glass pipette-carbon fiber microelectrodes with several advantages when recording intracerebral field potentials.

Animals↗
PubMed2026

Genomic selection in timothy (Phleum pratense L.): a comprehensive evaluation of prediction models, multi-trait strategies, and forward validation across Norwegian environments.

This study presents a comprehensive evaluation of genomic selection (GS) in timothy (Phleum pratense L.), comparing nine prediction models across yield and quality traits at two Norwegian locations. Forward validation with independent full-sib (FS2) families revealed a substantial generalization gap, highlighting the need for realistic accuracy assessment in polyploid forage breeding. Timothy (Phleum pratense L.) is the most important forage grass in Northern Europe, yet genomic selection has not been systematically evaluated in this hexaploid species. We assessed 889 FS2-families originating from biparental crosses among 49 cultivars/populations. The FS2-families were genotyped with 30,698 SNP markers derived from genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) and field tested for three harvest years at a highland and a lowland continental location in Southern Norway. Nine genomic prediction models were compared for six yield traits (dry matter yield per cut and total) and six quality traits (protein, digestibility, and fiber fractions) across three cuts/year. Within-training cross-validation accuracies were moderate to high (mean r = 0.62), with Random Forest and SVR consistently outperforming GBLUP. However, forward validation using 213 independent FS2-families revealed dramatically lower accuracies (mean r = 0.16), with only 16 of 30 trait-dataset combinations reaching statistical significance (p < 0.05). Genomic heritabilities (GREML), estimated across environments, ranged from near zero for the quality traits to 0.55 for the yield traits. Multi-trait models improved accuracy by 3-5% over single-trait approaches, while FS2 families-by-environment interaction models with Random Forest achieved the highest within-training accuracy (mean r = 0.71). Marker density analysis showed accuracy plateauing at approximately 15000 SNPs. Genetic correlations among the yield component traits were estimated by multi-trait REML; correlations among the quality traits could not be estimated reliably because their genomic heritabilities were low. A multi-trait selection index identified top-performing FS2-families for further crossing recommendations. These results provide a benchmark for GS implementation in hexaploid timothy and emphasize that cross-validation substantially overestimates prediction accuracy for truly independent material.

Norway↗