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At least 397 records · Page 22Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

A technical report on video-assisted thoracoscopy in thoracic spinal surgery. Preliminary description.

STUDY DESIGN: This report is a preliminary description of the efficacy of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in thoracic spinal procedures that otherwise require open thoracotomy. OBJECTIVE: This report sought to describe the efficacy of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in thoracic spinal procedures that otherwise require open thoracotomy. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: In a landmark study that compared video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for peripheral lung lesions with thoracotomy, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery reduced postoperative pain, improved early shoulder girdle function, and shortened hospital stay. METHODS: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was performed in 12 thoracic spinal patients (herniated nucleus pulposus, infection, tumor, or spinal deformity) and is described in detail in this report. RESULTS: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in thoracic spinal surgery resulted in little postoperative pain, short intensive care unit and hospital stays, and little or no morbidity. In the short follow-up period, there was no post-thoracotomy pain syndrome nor neurologic sequelae in these patients. Operative time decreased dramatically as experience was gained with the procedure. CONCLUSION: Given consistently improving surgical skills, a number of thoracic spinal procedures using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, including thoracic discectomy, internal rib thoracoplasty, anterior osteotomy, corpectomy, and fusion, can be performed safely with no additional surgical time or risk to the patient.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The use of attachments in combination implant and natural-tooth fixed partial dentures: a technical report.

When implants and natural teeth are combined, forces on the abutments need to be controlled so that neither the teeth nor the implants sustain excessive amounts of force. The technique described addresses reduction of potentially harmful cantilever effects in a fixed prosthesis that is facultatively removable. A nonrigid attachment is used in the implant crown. Telescopic copings are definitively cemented on the natural teeth. Provisionally cemented overcastings incorporate this nonrigid connection between the pontics and the implant crowns. The means of connection employs a semiprecision attachment in which the female connector is placed within the relatively immobile implant crown. The male connector is placed on the pontic seating into the implant crown. This relationship limits cantilever forces exerted on the natural-tooth abutment. The nonrigid connection of the tooth-supported retainer limits cantilever forces and directs occlusal loads axially in a direction along the long axis of the implant. This arrangement is acceptable as compared to the complete tooth-supported arrangement described by Shillingburg; in this situation, the implant will not migrate. Since 1986, this arrangement has been used clinically without attachment migrations, implant failure, or endodontic therapy, with only minor screw-loosening episodes.

Dental Abutments↗
PubMed1993

The combined pterional/anterior temporal approach for aneurysms of the upper basilar complex: technical report.

A technique for achieving a combined pterional (subfrontal) and anterior temporal exposure for aneurysms of the upper basilar complex is described. The technique is not new, but it does involve several modifications not previously described. A standard pterional skin incision that extends below the zygoma just anterior to the tragus is used. The skin flap is separated from the temporal fascia down to the fat pad over the zygoma; at this point, the superficial layer of the temporalis fascia is incorporated and retracted with the skin flap to expose the zygomaticofrontal process and the zygomatic arch. The muscle is cut anteriorly and inferiorly and is retracted posteriorly over the ear. The bone flap includes the anterior temporal squama down to the temporal floor anteriorly. The pterion and the sphenoidal wings are drilled so as to expose completely the dura over the anterior temporal pole. After opening the dura on a flap centered on the sylvian fissure, the medial cisterns are opened widely and the fissure is opened all the way to the middle cerebral bifurcation. Posterolateral temporal retraction and, when necessary, subpial resection of the anteromedial portion of the uncus enhance the exposure posterolateral to the oculomotor nerve. The advantages of this combined approach are as follows: it combines the more anterior angle of vision offered by the pterional approach with the lateral line of vision offered by the subtemporal approach; it eliminates the need for temporal lobe elevation and it allows simultaneous clipping of other aneurysms of the ipsilateral anterior circle of Willis; and it also reduces the frequency and severity of oculomotor palsy, when compared with the subtemporal approach.

Basilar Artery↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Copy-milled all-ceramic Celay-InCeram crowns for modified CeraOne abutments: a technical report.

With single-tooth implant restorations, a divergence between implant and crown axes, a lack of interocclusal space, and supracrestal implant placement may result in fabrication problems for the prosthetic crown. It was found that the CeraOne abutment can be modified in three ways: (1) height reduction is possible; (2) a 15-degree taper can be applied; and (3) the cervical shoulder can be reduced in height with a chamfer remaining. For these modified abutments, the Celay-InCeram system was used to create individual, all-ceramic crowns for these modified abutments with improved esthetics.

Aluminum Oxide↗
PubMed1995

Short technical reports. Quantification of ribozyme-mediated RNA cleavage using silver-stained polyacrylamide gels.

A very sensitive, nonradioactive method for the detection of ribozymes, targets for ribozyme cleavage and cleavage products with subsequent densitometric quantification of RNA, has been developed. Amounts as low as 15 ng--corresponding to 0.16 pmol of a 300-nucleotide RNA molecule--can be visualized in denaturating polyacrylamide (PA) gels. This sensitive method allows analysis and quantification of ribozyme-mediated cleavage of in vitro-transcribed short stretches of RNA. The substitution of N'N'-methylene bisacrylamide by piperazine diacrylamide in the PA gels to improve signal-to-noise ratio could not further optimize the contrast. Sensitivity was dependent on the presence of urea in the gel and could be increased 4-fold in a gel without urea.

Densitometry↗
PubMed1995

Short technical reports. Effects of lipopolysaccharide on transfection efficiency in eukaryotic cells.

The suitability of different purification methods for preparation of plasmid DNA for transfection into eukaryotic cells was systematically investigated. The reporter plasmid, pRSVcat, was prepared using several methods, and residual impurities in the preparations were quantitated. Transfection with these preparations was performed with several cell lines (HeLa, Huh7, COS7 and LMH) and two transfection methods: liposome-mediated and calcium phosphate transfection. Transfection efficiencies were determined by measuring chloramphenicol acetyltransferase expression. Higher transfection efficiencies were obtained with plasmid preparations of higher purity (those prepared by anion-exchange chromatography or two rounds of CsCl-gradient centrifugation) than with preparations of lower purity (those prepared using a silica-based DNA adsorption method or a single round of CsCl centrifugation). The results also demonstrated specifically that increasing concentrations of lipopolysaccharides in plasmid preparations directly correlate with decreasing transfection efficiencies.

Adsorption↗
PubMed1995

Short technical reports. Modification of the TRI reagent procedure for isolation of RNA from polysaccharide- and proteoglycan-rich sources.

A modification of the TRI Reagent procedure has been elaborated for isolation of RNA from polysaccharide- and proteoglycan-rich material. In the modified procedure, RNA is precipitated from the aqueous phase by the combined action of isopropanol and a high-salt concentration. Under these conditions, RNA is effectively precipitated while contaminating polysaccharides and proteoglycans remain in the soluble form. The modified precipitation does not prolong or increase the complexity of the TRI Reagent procedure. The new procedure was tested by isolation of RNA from polysaccharide- and proteoglycan-rich tissues such as rat liver and aorta.

1-Propanol↗
PubMed1995

Technical report. Using a world wide web server as a local organizer for protein and DNA sequences.

We have used a local World Wide Web (WWW) server to organize protein and DNA sequences that are used frequently in our laboratory. WWW server programs are available for most computer platforms and are easily set up with minimal computer skills. This approach allows for the easy retrieval of sequence data, which can then be used as input for other analysis programs. This format is especially simple to use in conjunction with WWW database searches. The sequence files may be served to the "public" Internet or kept private by requiring a password for access. Other advantages are (i) sequences can be accessed from multiple computer platforms using the appropriate WWW-browser; (ii) files can be accessed remotely from any computer on the Internet; (iii) only a single sequence format is used, simplifying the updating and archiving of data; and (iv) links to remote files can also be served in addition to local files.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Technical report. Optimizing probe selection in directed heteroduplex analysis using HDprobe 1.1.

Directed heteroduplex analysis (DHDA) has proven to be a powerful technique for rapid geotyping in human populations. This strategy should also have widespread utility in differentiating closely related organisms of medical and public health importance through identification of DNA sequence polymorphisms. Identifying an optimal probe sequence for use in DHDA has required empirical testing of both the positive and negative strands of a number of potential probes. To identify optimal probes more efficiently, a computer program has been developed that predicts the number of potential stable and unstable mismatches between a probe and its target sequences in DHDA. This information can then be used to predict--from among a group of potential probes--which one will be the most successful in differentiating closely related homologues of a targeted gene sequence. This approach was tested on a number of probe and target sequences derived from the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4 gene of the West African black fly, Simulium damnosum sensu lato. The number of unstable mismatches predicted to occur in a given heteroduplex by the computer program was found to be important in differentiating closely related species. Therefore, this strategy is useful in identifying informative probes in the development of new DHDA-based assays.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

A technical report reviewing the use of the 11-mm Gamma nail: interoperative femur fracture incidence.

Two years after the first large series on the Gamma nail, the authors analyze 119 surgical procedures for proximal femur fractures performed using the 11 mm Gamma nail. The study was performed by 24 surgeons (from six orthopedics departments) at different levels of learning, as in the previous study. The small-sized nail allows an easier surgical procedure and a manual introduction of the nail even in small femurs, as suggested by the previous experience. A careful operative technique and a 2 mm overreaming, which was almost always adopted, explains the decrease in interoperative and postoperative complications (evaluated in 88 cases), compared to the last case report published in 1991. No interoperative shaft fractures occurred in 119 nailings.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Bone densitometry: patients with asymptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism part I. Technical report.

Many studies document bone loss at diagnosis in patients with PHPT (including mild PHPT) that is greater than would be expected in comparable persons without this condition. However, there is no general agreement regarding the severity of bone mass loss in these patients and the rate at which it progresses. A few studies suggest that such accelerated osteoporosis may be self-limited, with patients showing no further decline in BMD after diagnosis. There is insufficient evidence to conclude that PTH-related bone loss is associated with an increased risk of fracture. The few studies that have evaluated the risk of fracture in these patients are conflicting. Some evidence also suggest that, like bone loss in these patients, fracture risk may change during the course of the disease. One study found that patients with PHPT (including those with mild hypercalcemia) were more likely than matched controls to have a history of fractures prior to diagnosis, but that both groups had similar rates of fractures during followup. Moreover, the studies of fractures suffer from several limitations, such as nonrandomization of patients, different definitions of vertebral fractures, small study populations, and short followup times. There is also insufficient evidence to determine the effect of parathyroidectomy on the incidence of fractures in patients with mild PHPT, partly because the natural history of this condition is incompletely understood. Although studies demonstrate that patients with PHPT gain bone mass following parathyroidectomy, the bone reparation is incomplete and bone mass density remains below normal, even though the hyperparathyroidism is cured. Currently, decisions to perform parathyroidectomy are based on signs and symptoms of bone disease, metabolically active renal stones, decreased renal function, fatigue and/or depression, and high levels of serum calcium. Although the use of bone mass measurements has been advocated to aid clinical decisions regarding the risks and benefits of surgery, specific bone changes that indicate the need for parathyroidectomy have not been clearly established. There are virtually no prospective data that evaluate decisions to operate based upon bone mass measurements nor randomized clinical trials comparing the outcome of surgically treated patients with those who have not had surgery. Based on the literature, bone mass measurements cannot predict who among asymptomatic patients will require parathyroidectomy. There is some evidence that nonsurgically treated patients and those who remained hypercalcemic after unsuccessful surgery lost bone at the same percentage rate as normal control subjects.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Direct bladder stimulation with suture electrodes promotes voiding in a spinal animal model: a technical report.

To determine the efficacy of a new electrode for direct bladder stimulation, five male cats were instrumented during anesthesia. Multistranded, 316LVM, stainless-steel, wire electrodes were implanted on the bladder wall serosa above the trigone area. The electrodes were made with a needle attached to the end that was cut off after suturing the electrode in place. Additional instrumentation included tubes for pressure recording and filling, and hook electrodes for leg and pelvic floor EMG recording. Bladder filling and stimulation studies were conducted in tethered animals 1 to 2 weeks following recovery. Chronic studies were conducted following recovery in tethered animals. To test these electrodes in a spinal cord injury (SCI) model, a T-1 level complete lesion was performed on the above instrumented animals. Spinal animals had successful direct bladder stimulation that induced active contractions and voiding both before and after SCI, but voiding rates were higher more than 2 weeks after SCI and at larger initial bladder volumes. Optimum stimulation parameters consisted of 40 pulses per second, 300 microseconds to 1 ms pulse duration, a stimulation period of 3 to 4 s, and 10 to 40 mA. Urethral resistance, indicated by a urethral function measure, showed that stimulation had no adverse effect on urethral function, and fluoroscopy showed an open membranous urethra during stimulation and voiding. The cat has a small penile urethra that is the flow rate controlling zone. The suture electrode did not corrode, erode into the bladder, or become dislodged, and appears suitable for chronic implantation.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Three-dimensional kinematics of the shoulder complex during wheelchair propulsion: a technical report.

Methods for the three-dimensional (3-D) kinematic analysis of the shoulder complex (humerus relative to trunk) are presented and their use demonstrated in this analysis of shoulder motion during wheelchair propulsion. Ten subjects propelled two different wheelchairs (adjustable and conventional chairs) while the motions of the left arm and trunk were measured using a video tracking system. Eulerian angles described the sequence-dependent rotations of the humerus relative to the trunk. Wheel angular velocity and acceleration, hand position on the handrim, and duration of cycle subphases were also measured. Selected temporal and kinematic parameters were derived from the time-normalized average cycle of each subject on each wheelchair. Within-subject variation of these parameters according to wheelchair type were compared using a two-tailed t-test for paired observations. The adjustable chair made available a larger propulsion are compared with the conventional chair. Only the minimum amount of elevation demonstrated a significant difference between chairs (the conventional chair had a smaller minimum than the adjustable chair) at the corrected significance level of p < 0.001. Other differences, though not statistically significant, were still informative. Less shoulder internal rotation but more overall shoulder motion was observed during recovery phase in the adjustable chair as compared with the conventional chair. The methods presented for measuring the 3-D kinematics of the shoulder complex during wheelchair propulsion proved feasible for future use in studies that will address shoulder kinetics, energy requirements, wheelchair design, and chronic use disorders.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Changes in the American interventional radiology literature: comparison over a 10-year time period.

PURPOSE: To determine the changes that occurred regarding interventional radiologic research in the major American radiology journals between 1992-1993 and 2002-2003. METHODS: Articles published in three major American radiology journals (Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, American Journal of Roentgenology, and Radiology) during two distinct 24-month time periods (1992-1993 and 2002-2003) were evaluated. All articles judged to be pertinent to the interventional radiologic community were included. Investigations included in journal subheadings other than "interventional" or "vascular radiology" were included if the emphasis of the article was on a vascular imaging modality or peripheral intervention. Exclusions included: case reports, technical reports, letters to the editor, breast interventions, and primary neurointerventions. Data were collected regarding the affiliations of the primary author (nationality, hospital type, department); primary category of interest of the investigation; funding information; and study design variables. Two-by-two chi-squared statistical analyses were performed comparing the variables from the early and late data sets. RESULTS: A total of 405 articles met the inclusion criteria for the early data set (1992-1993); 488 articles met the inclusion criteria for the late data set (2002-2003). Variables that demonstrated a statistically significant decrease from the early data set to the late data set included: articles in which the primary author was from a department of radiology (91.1% vs. 86.3%; p < 0.025); articles written by a primary author who was American (69.4% vs. 44.6%; p < 0.001); and articles with a primary category of investigation that had a nonvascular intervention focus (22.7% vs. 11.9%; p < 0.001). Variables that demonstrated a statistically significant increase from the early data set to the late data set included primary authors from Western Europe (18.0% vs. 30.1%; p < 0.001) and Asia (6.6% vs. 18.4%; p < 0.001), the primary field of investigation, with significant increases noted for primary cancer interventions (6.5% vs. 13.3%; p < 0.001), gynecologic interventions (0.2% vs. 4.5%; p < 0.001), stent-grafts (0 vs. 2.9%; p < 0.001), and spine interventions (0 vs. 1.8%; p < 0.01). Studies receiving funding also demonstrated a significant increase when comparing the early and late data sets (11.3% vs. 23.0%, respectively; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Articles published in the American radiologic literature have changed significantly over the past 10 years. Primary authors are more likely to be nonradiologists and less likely to be American. Investigations dealing primarily with nonvascular interventions are less common; however, some forms of intervention (particularly cancer interventions) are seen more frequently in the literature. The percentage of funded projects has more than doubled in the same time frame.

Periodicals as Topic↗