Automatic Determination of Endothelial Cell Density From Donor Cornea Endothelial Cell Images.

Purpose: To determine endothelial cell density (ECD) from real-world donor cornea endothelial cell (EC) images using a self-supervised deep learning segmentation model.

Methods: Two eye banks (Eversight, VisionGift) provided 15,138 single, unique EC images from 8169 donors along with their demographics, tissue characteristics, and ECD. This dataset was utilized for self-supervised training and deep learning inference.

Deep learning segmentation of endothelial cell images using an active learning paradigm with guided label corrections.

Purpose: To create Guided Correction Software for informed manual editing of automatically generated corneal endothelial cell (EC) segmentations and apply it to an active learning paradigm to analyze a diverse set of post-keratoplasty EC images.

Approach: An original U-Net model trained on 130 manually labeled post-Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (EK) images was applied to 841 post-Descemet membrane EK images generating "uncorrected" cell border segmentations. Segmentations were then manually edited using the Guided Correction Software to create corrected labels.

Recognition, diagnostic practices, and cancer outcomes among patients with unintentional weight loss (UWL) in primary care.

Objectives: Identify the incidence, rate of physician recognition, diagnostic practices and cancer outcomes for unintentional weight loss (UWL).

Methods: We completed a secondary analysis of structured and unstructured EHR data collected from adult patients between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021. We used four common definitions to define UWL, excluding patients with known causes of weight loss, intentional weight loss, and pregnancy.

Machine Learning Analysis of Postkeratoplasty Endothelial Cell Images for the Prediction of Future Graft Rejection.

Purpose: This study developed machine learning (ML) classifiers of postoperative corneal endothelial cell images to identify postkeratoplasty patients at risk for allograft rejection within 1 to 24 months of treatment.

Methods: Central corneal endothelium specular microscopic images were obtained from 44 patients after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK), half of whom had experienced graft rejection. After deep learning segmentation of images from all patients' last and second-to-last imaging, time points prior to rejection were analyzed (175 and 168, respectively), and 432 quantitative features were extracted assessing cellular spatial arrangements and cell intensity values.

An informatics infrastructure to catalyze cancer control research and practice.

Purpose: A disconnect often exists between those with the expertise to manage and analyze complex, multi-source data sets, and the clinical, social services, advocacy, and public health professionals who can pose the most relevant questions and best apply the answers. We describe development and implementation of a cancer informatics infrastructure aimed at broadening the usability of community cancer data to inform cancer control research and practice; and we share lessons learned.

Methods: We built a multi-level database known as The Ohio Cancer Assessment and Surveillance Engine (OH-CASE) to link data from Ohio's cancer registry with community data from the U.

Comparison of Donor Corneal Endothelial Cell Density Determined by Eye Banks and by a Central Image Analysis Reading Center Using the Same Image Analysis Method.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate agreement between eye banks (EBs) and an image analysis reading center on endothelial cell density (ECD) determinations using the same image analysis method.

Methods: The Cornea Image Analysis Reading Center (CIARC) determined ECD with a single experienced analyst on EB-obtained central endothelial images from donors intended for keratoplasty from 2 eye banks, Eversight and Lions VisionGift, using the Konan center analysis method. The EBs performed ECD determination on their respective sets of images using the same analysis method with experienced eye bank technicians.

Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of deep learning automatic segmentations of corneal endothelial cell images of reduced image quality obtained following cornea transplant.

We are developing automated analysis of corneal-endothelial-cell-layer, specular microscopic images so as to determine quantitative biomarkers indicative of corneal health following corneal transplantation. Especially on these images of varying quality, commercial automated image analysis systems can give inaccurate results, and manual methods are very labor intensive. We have developed a method to automatically segment endothelial cells with a process that included image flattening, U-Net deep learning, and postprocessing to create individual cell segmentations.

Comparative corneal endothelial cell toxicity of differing intracameral moxifloxacin doses after phacoemulsification.

Purpose: To determine whether intracameral moxifloxacin 500 μg is noninferior to 250 μg for central endothelial cell loss (ECL) after phacoemulsification.

Setting: Aravind Eye Care System.

Design: Prospective masked randomized study.

Facilitating Cancer Epidemiologic Efforts in Cleveland via Creation of Longitudinal De-Duplicated Patient Data Sets.

Background: Cleveland, Ohio, is home to three major hospital systems serving approximately 80% of the Northeast Ohio population. The Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals Health System, and MetroHealth are direct competitors for primary and specialty care, and patient overlap between these systems is high. Fragmentation of health data that exist in silos at these health systems produces an overestimation of disease burden due to double and sometimes triple counting of patients.

Machine learning for segmenting cells in corneal endothelium images.

Images of the endothelial cell layer of the cornea can be used to evaluate corneal health. Quantitative biomarkers extracted from these images such as cell density, coefficient of variation of cell area, and cell hexagonality are commonly used to evaluate the status of the endothelium. Currently, fully-automated endothelial image analysis systems in use often give inaccurate results, while semi-automated methods, requiring trained image analysis readers to identify cells manually, are both challenging and time-consuming.

Postoperative Endothelial Cell Density Is Associated with Late Endothelial Graft Failure after Descemet Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty.

Purpose: To determine whether preoperative endothelial cell density (ECD) and postoperative ECD after Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) are associated with late endothelial graft failure (LEGF) in the Cornea Preservation Time Study (CPTS).

Design: Cohort study within a multicenter, randomized clinical trial.

Participants: A total of 1007 individuals (1223 study eyes), mean age 70 years, undergoing DSAEK for Fuchs' dystrophy (94% of eyes) or pseudophakic or aphakic corneal edema (PACE) (6% of eyes) and followed for up to 5 years.

Corneal Endothelial Cell Density and Morphology After Phacoemulsification in Patients With Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma and Cataracts: 2-Year Results of a Randomized Multicenter Trial.

Purpose: To evaluate corneal endothelial cell density (ECD) and morphology 2 years after phacoemulsification in subjects from the COMPASS trial (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01085357) who had mild-to-moderate primary open-angle glaucoma and visually significant cataracts.

Methods: The central corneal endothelium was evaluated by serial specular microscopy at 0 to 24 months.

Donor, Recipient, and Operative Factors Associated With Increased Endothelial Cell Loss in the Cornea Preservation Time Study.

Importance: Determining factors associated with endothelial cell loss after Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) could improve long-term graft survival.

Objective: To evaluate the associations of donor, recipient, and operative factors with endothelial cell density (ECD) 3 years after DSAEK in the Cornea Preservation Time Study.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This cohort study was a secondary analysis of data collected in a multicenter, double-masked, randomized clinical trial.

Effects of Repeated Intravitreal Aflibercept Injection on the Corneal Endothelium in Patients With Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Outcomes From the RE-VIEW Study.

Purpose: The effects of repeated intravitreal aflibercept injection (IAI) on the corneal endothelium were studied in patients with unilateral neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Methods: RE-VIEW was a phase 4, open-label, single-arm, multicenter study. Patients received IAI every 8 weeks after 3 monthly doses.

Donor Endothelial Cell Density Measurements Do Not Change Immediately After DMEK Preparation.

Purpose: To evaluate a single eye bank's measurement of endothelial cell density (ECD) of Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) grafts before and after preparation using 2 separate counting methods.

Methods: A series of 60 donor tissues were prepared for DMEK surgery. One to 4 specular images of the central endothelium were taken both before and after preparation, and ECDs were evaluated for a total of 345 unique images.

Endothelial morphometric measures to predict endothelial graft failure after penetrating keratoplasty.

Importance: Endothelial morphometric measures have potential value in predicting graft failure after penetrating keratoplasty.

Objective: To determine whether preoperative and/or postoperative central morphometric measures (endothelial cell density [ECD], coefficient of variation [CV], and percentage of hexagonality [HEX]) and their postoperative changes are predictive of graft failure caused by endothelial decompensation after penetrating keratoplasty to treat a moderate-risk condition, principally Fuchs dystrophy or pseudophakic corneal edema.

Design: In a subset of Cornea Donor Study participants with graft failure, a central reading center determined preoperative and postoperative ECD, CV, and HEX from available central endothelial specular images.

Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty: three-year graft and endothelial cell survival compared with penetrating keratoplasty.

Purpose: To assess 3-year outcomes of Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) in comparison with penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) from the Cornea Donor Study (CDS).

Design: Prospective, multicenter, nonrandomized clinical trial.

Participants: A total of 173 subjects undergoing DSAEK for a moderate risk condition (principally Fuchs' dystrophy or pseudophakic corneal edema) compared with 1101 subjects undergoing PKP from the CDS.

Effect of incision width on graft survival and endothelial cell loss after Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty.

Purpose: To assess the effect of incision width (5.0 and 3.2 mm) on graft survival and endothelial cell loss 6 months and 1 year after Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK).

Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty outcomes compared with penetrating keratoplasty from the Cornea Donor Study.

Purpose: To assess outcomes 1 year after Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) in comparison with penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) from the Specular Microscopy Ancillary Study (SMAS) of the Cornea Donor Study.

Design: Multicenter, prospective, nonrandomized clinical trial.

Participants: A total of 173 subjects undergoing DSAEK for a moderate risk condition (principally Fuchs' dystrophy or pseudophakic/aphakic corneal edema) compared with 410 subjects undergoing PKP from the SMAS who had clear grafts with at least 1 postoperative specular image within a 15-month follow-up period.

Effects of Alzheimer's disease on different cortical layers: the role of intrinsic differences in Abeta susceptibility.

Alzheimer's disease is late life dementia associated with significant neurodegeneration in both cortical and subcortical regions. During the approximately 10 year course of the disease, neurons are lost in a progressive pattern that is relatively consistent among individuals. One example of this is the progression of disease pathology found in both the neocortex and archicortex.

Biochemical characterization and localization of the dual specificity kinase CLK1.

CLK1 was one of the first identified dual specificity kinases and is the founding member of the 'LAMMER' family of kinases. We have established the substrate site specificity of CLK1. We report here that truncation of the N terminus of CLK1 resulted in a dramatic increase in CLK1 enzymatic activity, indicating that the N terminus acts as a negative regulatory domain.

The dual specificity protein kinase CLK3 is abundantly expressed in mature mouse spermatozoa.

CLK3, a member of the LAMMER family of dual-specificity protein kinases, is abundantly expressed in the reproductive system of male mice. Specifically, high levels of CLK3 protein expression are found in mature spermatozoa in the testis and epididymis. The majority of the CLK3 protein in the testis is a full-length kinase-containing form, and only a small amount of a catalytically inactive N-terminally truncated splice variant protein product is observed.

Expression of TrkB receptor isoforms in the developing avian visual system.

The expression of novel TrkB receptor transcripts has been characterized to understand the potentially diverse roles of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the developing avian visual system. In situ localization with an extracellular domain probe common to all TrkB transcripts labeled a sub-population of large retinal ganglion cells as well as many associated visual nuclei, including the neuronal layers within the tectum that receive retinal innervation. Because of the potential for structurally and functionally distinct receptors derived from the TrkB gene locus, cDNA cloning and reverse transcription-PCR analysis were used to further analyze receptor isoform expression in the retina and tectum.

Effect of the K+/H+ ionophore nigericin on response of A549 cells to photodynamic therapy and tert-butylhydroperoxide.

The K+/H+ ionophore nigericin dramatically increases killing of V79 cells and A549 cells by photodynamic therapy (PDT) sensitized by chloroaluminum phthalocyanine. Previous studies suggested that the interaction between PDT and nigericin is related to the ability of this ionophore to reduce intracellular pH (pHi). The present study was undertaken to test the possibility that nigericin, by lowering pHi, inhibits reductive detoxification of PDT-produced peroxides by enzymes of the glutathione (GSH) redox cycle and the pentose cycle.