Oxygen extraction fraction before and during light flicker stimulation is reported in human subjects for the first time. Oxygen extraction fraction decreased during light flicker stimulation, indicating the change in DO2 exceeded that of MO2. This technology is potentially useful for the detection of changes in OEF response to light flicker in physiological and pathological retinal conditions.

PurposeTo test the hypothesis that retinal vascular diameter and hemoglobin oxygen saturation alterations, according to stages of diabetic retinopathy (DR), are discernible with a commercially available scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO).MethodsOne hundred eighty-one subjects with no diabetes (No DM), diabetes with no DR (No DR), nonproliferative DR (NPDR), or proliferative DR (PDR, all had photocoagulation) underwent imaging with an SLO with dual lasers (532 nm and 633 nm). Customized image analysis software determined the diameters of retinal arteries and veins (DA and DV) and central retinal artery and vein equivalents (CRAE and CRVE). Oxygen saturations of hemoglobin in arteries and veins (SO2A and SO2V) were estimated from optical densities of vessels on images at the two wavelengths. Statistical models were generated by adjusting for effects of sex, race, age, eye, and fundus pigmentation.ResultsDA, CRAE, and CRVE were reduced in PDR compared to No DM (P ≤ 0.03). DV and CRVE were similar between No DM and No DR, but they were higher in NPDR than No DR (P ≤ 0.01). Effect of stage of disease on SO2A differed by race, being increased relative to No DM in NPDR and PDR in Hispanic participants only (P ≤ 0.02). Relative to No DM, SO2V was increased in NPDR and PDR (P ≤ 0.05).ConclusionsAlterations in retinal vascular diameters and SO2 by diabetic retinopathy stage can be detected with a widely available SLO, and covariates such as race can influence the results.

The conjunctival microcirculation is accessible for direct visualization and quantitative assessment of microvascular hemodynamic properties. Currently available methods to assess hemodynamics in the conjunctival microvasculature use manual or semi-automated algorithms, which can be inefficient for application to a large number of microvessels within the microvascular network. We present an automated image analysis method for measurements of diameter and blood velocity in microvessels. The method was applied to conjunctival microcirculation images acquired in 15 healthy human subjects. Frangi filtering, thresholding, and morphological closing were applied to automatically segment microvessels, while variance filtering was used to detect blood flow. Diameter and blood velocity were measured in arterioles and venules within the conjunctival microvascular network, and blood flow and wall shear rate were calculated. Repeatability and validity of hemodynamic measurements were established. The automated image analysis method allows reliable, rapid and quantitative assessment of hemodynamics in the conjunctival microvascular network and can be potentially applied to microcirculation images of other tissues.

Opportunities to provide clinical immersion experiences to bioengineering undergraduate students have expanded over the last several years. These programs allow students to observe the clinical environment in order to better understand workflow processes, the context in which medical equipment is used, and identify unmet needs firsthand. While each program focuses on identifying unmet needs, these experiences vary in content and implementation. Here we discuss features of clinical immersion programs, share details of our program after six years, and present data regarding post-graduation employment of our participants. Students who participated in the University of Illinois at Chicago Clinical Immersion Program are not more likely to pursue careers in industry as compared to non-participants, nor do they demonstrate an ability to find a job more quickly than non-participants. However, participants who did enter into industry self-reported that the program was impactful to both their career interests and ability to find their first employment position.