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Biomedical subjects

A Travlos

Publications and source records attributed to A Travlos.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Structural study of very thin anodic alumina films on silicon by anodization in citric acid aqueous solution.

The formation of thin alumina films on a silicon substrate by anodization in a mild acid, specifically in 1% wt citric acid aqueous solution, is investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We present a comparative study between two cases of starting material: pure aluminum and an alloy of aluminum with 1% silicon. In both cases the thickness of the Al layer was less than 50 nm. It was observed that under exactly the same conditions, in the first case the anodization was stopping before anodizing the whole film and a remaining non-anodized Al layer was always present, while in the second case, the Al layer was fully anodized, resulting in an alumina matrix with a very high density of silicon nanocrystals of uniform sizes embedded in it. In both cases the alumina film was compact and amorphous.

Aluminum Oxide↗
PubMed2001

Nonneurologic hand pain versus carpal tunnel syndrome: do psychological measures differentiate?

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether psychological measures would differentiate a group of patients with physician-diagnosed nonneurologic hand pain from patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Many patients, who also displayed symptoms of psychological distress, were referred to an electrodiagnostic clinic with a diagnosis of possible CTS; they subsequently had normal nerve conduction studies. DESIGN: Sixty patients with hand pain were referred to either of two university clinics for electrophysiologic testing, were assigned to either the CTS or nonneurologic group, and were compared on a series of psychometric tests. RESULTS: The Beck Depression Inventory and McGill Pain Questionnaire showed that the physician-assigned nonneurologic patients have a greater degree of depression, use more affective adjectives, and choose more words on the McGill Pain Questionnaire than the physician-assigned CTS group. The nonneurologic group also scored higher on indices of self-reported disability on the Pain Disability Inventory in five of seven categories. Although the CTS group perceived more control over their pain, no differences were observed in the types of coping strategies used on the Coping Strategy Questionnaire. Finally, the nonneurologic group had more Workers' Compensation Board claims. CONCLUSION: Evidence of important psychological issues in some patients with hand pain suggests a need for greater awareness among treating physicians.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Monopolar needle evaluation of paraspinal musculature in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions and the effects of aging.

Motor unit characteristics (phases, turns, amplitude, duration, and area) were measured using a monopolar needle and narrowed bandpass (500 Hz to 10 kHz) in cervical, thoracic, and lumbar paraspinal muscles in 66 subjects (36 women and 30 men) aged 22-81 years (mean age 45.7 years). Cervical motor units were of lower amplitude and area than thoracic and lumbar motor units (P = 0.0001), respectively. The durations of lumbar motor units were longer and larger than cervical and thoracic motor units (P = 0.0004). Analysis of covariance of the measured characteristics against age showed no significance in the cervical and thoracic regions. In lumbar paraspinal motor units, phases and turns increased significantly with age (P = 0.044 and P = 0.016, respectively). The increase was < 1.0 phase over 30 years. Motor unit amplitude increased with aging (P = 0.055) showing an increase of 360 microV over a 30-year time period. It is appropriate to assess the number of phases and turns, as well as the duration of the motor units in the cervical and thoracic (but not lumbar) spines in addition to seeking evidence of spontaneous, single fiber discharges.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Cerebrospinal fluid cell count following spinal cord injury.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) changes after spinal cord injury (SCI) were evaulated by retrospective analysis of all patients admitted to the Acute Spinal Cord Injury Unit (ASCIU) at University Hospital, Shaughnessy Site in Vancouver, British Columbia. A total of 1,917 admissions occurred during the 10-year study period with 1,151 due to acute trauma. The charts of all patients with SCI due to trauma were reviewed to identify patients in whom a CSF puncture was performed for any reason. Traumatic SCI is associated with elevations in the corrected white blood cell count (cWBC) that we believe reflect an inflammatory response to injury. The elevation in cWBC is greatest in the first week after injury. Elevations in cWBC more than 1 week after injury do occur but are uncommon. The white cell differential count consists primarily of lymphocytes and polymorphonucleocytes. Three weeks after injury cell counts should be normal. Protein levels are elevated after trauma and should not be used to assess the presence of infection. LP should be part of the septic workup of SCI patients just as it would be for any other population if meningitis is a consideration.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Steroid psychosis: a cause of confusion on the acute spinal cord injury unit.

The use of glucocorticoids has long been known to be associated with a number of side effects. The current use of high-dose methylprednisolone in spinal cord injured patients puts this population at increased risk. In particular, the risk of acute psychotic reactions is increased because it is a dose response relationship. Conservative estimates report an incidence of 5.7%. These reactions place the patient at increased risk of further spinal cord injury and worsening neurologic deficit. We present two cases of possible steroid psychosis in which the mental status changes did indeed place the patients at risk of further injury.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Transcranial magnetic stimulation for detection of preclinical cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

Twenty-three patients, mean age 50.4 years, with cervical radiculopathy at C7 or more rostrally, were studied with electromyography, CT scans (in 16 cases) and transcranial magnetic stimulation. None had overt evidence of myelopathy. Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) were recorded from the hand muscles (C8/T1), and latency, amplitude, and the MEP/CMAP ratio and central motor delay between the hand motor cortex and the lower cervical spine were measured. One or more of these were abnormal in 15 of 23 cases (65%). The most common abnormality was a reduced MEP/CMAP ratio. The findings indicate that physiologic dysfunction of the spinal cord, caudal to a radiculopathy, frequently accompanies a radiculopathy and may antedate overt cervical spondylotic myelopathy. This may be valuable in directing more timely surgical intervention.

Action Potentials↗