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Preliminary study of a new real-time ultrasound method for measuring spinal and rib rotation in preoperative patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

A portable ultrasound machine with a linear array transducer was used by one observer (ASK) to evaluate the reproducibility for each of spinal (laminal) rotation and rib rotation in 13 preoperative patients with AIS (thoracic 7, thoracolumbar 6, mean Cobb angle 50 degrees, right 9, left 4, age 15.4 years, girls 10). With the subject in a prone position and her head supported, readings of spinal (laminal) and rib rotations were made directly on the back at 18 and 12 levels respectively. The subject was repositioned after walking around the room and a second set of spinal and rib rotations obtained (repeats). Conclusious. Repositioning the patient significantly alters some single level readings of lam inal rotation and rib rotation. Although the mean average spinal rotation and rib rotation each have acceptable reproducibility, repositioning the patient significantly alters the findings. In the appraisal of surgery by ultrasound the positional change reported here for (I) single level laminal rotation and rib rotation, and (2) mean average rotation imposes caution on the interpretation of the findings. The method enables the axial spine-nh rotation differences to be evaluated which is the subject of a separate paper.

Adolescent↗

Developmental changes in left and right ventricular diastolic filling patterns in mice.

Developmental changes in left and right ventricular diastolic filling patterns were determined noninvasively in isoflurane-anesthetized outbred ICR mice. Blood velocities in the mitral and tricuspid orifices were recorded in 16 embryos at days 14.5 (E14.5) and 17.5 of gestation (E17.5) using an ultrasound biomicroscope and also serially in three groups of postnatal mice aged 1-7 days (n = 23), 1-4 wk (n = 18), and 4-12 wk (n = 27) using 20-MHz pulsed Doppler. Postnatal body weight increased rapidly to 8 wk. Heart rate increased rapidly from approximately 180 beats/min at E14.5 to approximately 380 beats/min at 1 wk after birth and then more gradually to plateau at approximately 450 beats/min after 4 wk. Ventricular filling was quantified using the ratio of peak velocity of early ventricular filling due to active relaxation (E wave) to that of the late ventricular filling caused by atrial contraction (A wave) (peak E/A ratio) and the ratio of the peak E velocity to total time-velocity integral of E and A waves (peak E/total TVI ratio). Both ventricles had similar diastolic filling patterns in embryos (peak E/A ratio of 0.28 +/- 0.02 for mitral flow and 0.27 +/- 0.02 for tricuspid flow at E14.5). After birth, mitral peak E/A increased to >1 between the third and fifth day, continued to increase to 2.25 +/- 0.25 at approximately 3 wk, and then remained stable. The tricuspid peak E/A ratio increased much less but stabilized at the same age (increased to 0.79 +/- 0.03 at 3 wk). The peak E/total TVI ratio showed similar left-right differences and changes with development. Age-related changes were largely due to increases in peak E velocity. The results suggest that diastolic function matures approximately 3 wk postnatally, presumably in association with maturation of ventricular recoil and relaxation mechanisms.

Anesthesia↗

Praxis and the right hemisphere.

We report our observations on praxis in a strongly right-handed man following a massive stroke that resulted in virtually complete destruction of the left cerebral hemisphere. Our patient was severely impaired in pantomiming transitive gestures with the left hand and in reproducing novel non-symbolic hand and arm movement sequences. However, overlearned habitual actions like actual object use and intransitive gestures were relatively spared. Performance of axial commands was intact. Gesture recognition and discrimination were also preserved. Based on these findings, we propose that the praxis system of the right hemisphere is strongly biased toward "concrete" or context-dependent execution of familiar, well-established action routines. The right hemisphere is critically dependent on transcallosal contribution from the left hemisphere for control of the left hand in "abstract" or context-independent performance of transitive movements and in learning novel movement sequences. At least in some individuals, the right hemisphere can recognize and discriminate gestures. Possible implications of our findings for the cerebral control of praxis and for recovery from apraxia are discussed.

Aphasia, Broca↗

Contrast perfusion echocardiography: distribution and reproducibility of myocardial contrast enhancement in coronary artery disease.

A qualitative assessment was undertaken of the echocardiographic distribution of myocardial contrast enhancement after selective intracoronary injections of 2 ml of hand-agitated Urografin solution. The reproducibility and duration of contrast enhancement has also been examined. Forty-five contrast injections were given, 36 into the left and 6 into the right coronary arteries and 3 into bypass grafts of 28 patients undergoing diagnostic arteriography. Myocardial contrast enhancement occurred in 91% of cases. Although contrast enhancement appeared within the expected area of distribution of the artery infused, in no case was enhancement homogeneous. In 4 patients (1 of whom had undergone coronary bypass surgery), contrast enhancement also appeared in areas remote from the expected perfusion territory, in each case due to well established collateral supply seen angiographically. The contrast effect persisted for 71 +/- 26 seconds. Repeat injection in 5 patients (using identical echocardiographic windows) confirmed the reproducibility of the technique. No patient had symptoms related to the injections, although transient left ventricular wall motion abnormalities were observed in 3 cases. High-grade coronary stenoses did not affect distribution of myocardial contrast enhancement, although coronary occlusions produced well defined deficits. Thus, selective intracoronary injections of hand-agitated echocardiographic contrast medium produce regional myocardial enhancement, which probably reflects the perfusion territory of the artery. The technique is safe and reproducible in human subjects. Nevertheless, because regional enhancement after selective coronary injections is not homogeneous, analysis of enhancement deficits is unlikely to provide a clinically useful means of evaluating the functional significance of coronary stenoses.

Angiography↗

Reproducibility of cerebral glucose utilization measured by PET and the [18F]-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose method in resting, healthy human subjects.

The stability of cerebral glucose utilization was examined in nine right-handed, healthy men (age, 24.88 +/- 2.93 years) using positron emission tomography (PET) and the [18F]-fluorodeoxglucose (FDG) method. Each study was run twice at intervals of 1-12 weeks with the subject at rest. The average cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (CMRGlu) was 5.40 +/- 0.71 mg/100 g per min (coefficient of variance, 13.08). The average intraindividual variation of CMRGlu was 7.91% +/- 15.46% (P = 0.13). Metabolic indices (MI: regional/mean cortical CMRGlu) were used to determine the regional cerebral metabolic distribution. The interindividual (coefficient of variance, 7.13) and intraindividual variabilities (average variation, -0.12% +/- 8.76%) of MI were smaller than those of metabolic rates. No reproducible significant asymmetry was observed. The FDG method used with subjects at rest thus yields low intraindividual variability of both cerebral glucose consumption and regional metabolic distribution, even at an interval of several weeks. Cerebral glucose utilization measured under such conditions may act as a reliable reference for determination of the influences of physiological (activation), pharmacological or pathological processes on cerebral glucose metabolism.

Adult↗

Use of myocardial performance index in pediatric patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.

BACKGROUND: The myocardial performance index (MPI) correlates with clinical status in adults with idiopathic pulmonary arterial (PA) hypertension (IPAH). This pediatric study used MPI to assess response to bosentan therapy. METHODS: The study included 12 children with IPAH and 12 healthy control subjects. MPI was correlated with catheterization data at initiation of bosentan and at a median follow-up of 9 months. Therapy responders were defined by a greater than 20% decrease in mean PA pressure. RESULTS: Right ventricular MPI for patients with IPAH was 0.64 +/- 0.30 versus 0.28 +/- 0.03 in control subjects (P < .01). It had a strong correlation with mean PA pressure (R = 0.94; P < .001). Right ventricular MPI decreased significantly in responders (range 20%-44%, mean 25%) with a 5% increase in nonresponders. CONCLUSIONS: Right ventricular MPI in pediatric IPAH correlates with mean PA pressure and response to therapy. This study suggests that this noninvasive Doppler index may be useful to follow up children with IPAH, particularly when tricuspid regurgitation data are insufficient.

Adolescent↗

Measuring reproducibility of regional brain metabolic responses to lorazepam using statistical parametric maps.

UNLABELLED: Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) is a method for localizing differences in brain activation patterns without the need for anatomic predefined constraints. The purpose of this study was to assess the reproducibility of the patterns of activation obtained with SPM for baseline measures and for metabolic changes in response to lorazepam on a test-retest design. The results were compared with those we previously published using region-of-interest (ROI) methods. METHODS: Sixteen healthy right-handed men were scanned twice with PET and [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG): before placebo and before lorazepam (30 microg/kg). The same double FDG procedure was repeated 6-8 wk later to assess test-retest reproducibility. Image datasets were analyzed by using SPM95 software. Difference images between baseline and lorazepam were compared for the first and second evaluations, both for relative decreases as well as increases in metabolism. Significance level was systematically varied to P < 0.001, P < 0.01 and P < 0.05. RESULTS: There were no differences in the baseline SPM maps obtained for the first and second evaluations. SPM showed similar, although not identical, differences in response to lorazepam between the two evaluations. Both evaluations showed significant decreases in occipital cortex (9.7% and 10%) and significant relative increases in left temporal pole (6.8% and 10.4%). However, the second evaluation showed a decrease in the left frontal cortex (areas 6 and 8), which was not present in the first evaluation. The results were very similar to those we had obtained with ROI methods, except for the activation in the left temporal pole, which we had not observed with ROI analyses. CONCLUSION: Although the overall pattern of lorazepam-induced activation depicted by SPM was reproducible in pattern and magnitude, there were some differences that included a left frontal area of deactivation during the second but not the first evaluation. Results with SPM are similar to those with the ROI method, and, because it systematically analyses the whole brain, SPM can uncover patterns not seen with the ROI method.

Adult↗

Effect of potential confounding factors on the thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) trial frame count and its reproducibility.

BACKGROUND: The potential factors that introduce variability into TIMI frame count (TFC) have not been systematically investigated. The goal of this study was to determine if nitrate use, dye injection rate, catheter size, the phase of the cardiac cycle in which dye is injected, or heart rate affect the TFC and to investigate the reproducibility of the TFC. METHODS AND RESULTS: The dye injection rate was increased 1 mL/s, and angiography was repeated. A coronary angiogram was taken first with an 8F catheter and then with a 6F catheter. After taking angiograms, intracoronary nitrate was given to the patient, and the second angiography was performed. Basal heart rate was increased 20 beats/min, and angiography was repeated. Dye injection was performed at the beginning of systole and diastole. The TFC was not significantly changed by increasing the dye injection rate (P=0.467) or by changing catheter size (P=0.693). Nitrate administration significantly increased the TFC from 26.4+/-11.9 to 32.8+/-13.3 frames (P<0.001). Dye injection at the beginning of diastole significantly decreased the TFC from 30.1+/-8.8 to 24.4+/-7.9 frames (P<0.001) for the left coronary artery and from 24.16+/-4.49 to 21. 24+/-4.45 frames (P<0.001) for the right coronary artery. Increasing heart rate significantly decreased the TFC from 30.4+/-6.1 to 25. 3+/-7.2 frames (P<0.001). Intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility of the TFC was good (mean difference, 1.33+/-1.24 and 2.57+/-1.72 frames, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Nitrate use, heart rate, and the phase of the cardiac cycle in which dye is injected had significant effects on the TFC. Therefore, studies comparing TFC need to consider these factors, and the use of nitrates should be either standardized or randomized.

Adult↗

Lactulose hydrogen breath test in orocecal transit assessment. Critical evaluation by means of scintigraphic method.

Orocecal transit time can be studied easily using the hydrogen breath test with lactulose, but the method has some important limitations. The orocecal transit time of 10 patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome was measured twice, at a one-week interval, by breath test and scintigraphy simultaneously using an aqueous solution of 20 g lactulose containing 74 MBq of [99mTc]DTPA. Abdominal radioactivity and alveolar hydrogen values obtained every 5 min were noted and used to obtain the following: orocecal transit time by the two methods; ileocecal lactulose flow; total and per gram of lactulose hydrogen production; mean hydrogen concentration during the right colon filling; and measurement error of the breath test with respect to the scintigraphy. In the case of the breath test, the orocecal transit time intrapatient reproducibility was better (coefficient of variation = 13.5%) when a hydrogen threshold increment of 5 ppm was used; the best correlation with the scintigraphic measurement was observed at this threshold (r = 0.90, P < 0.001). The breath test overestimated orocecal transit time with the error correlating negatively and significantly with the total hydrogen production and, particularly, the mean hydrogen concentration (r = 0.79, P < 0.01): for a mean hydrogen concentration of more than 15 ppm, the error was negligible, while within this value there was a noticeable overestimation. To conclude, the lactulose hydrogen breath test is capable of giving an accurate measurement of orocecal transit time if a hydrogen threshold increment of 5 ppm is chosen and if the mean hydrogen concentration in the first 30 min of the right colon filling is taken into account.

Adult↗

Right ventricular volume estimation using an ellipsoidal shell model and single-plane magnetic resonance imaging.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether accurate right ventricular volumes could be obtained using an ellipsoidal shell model with magnetic resonance (MR) image measurements from a single imaging plane. METHODS: An initial retrospective patient study included 10 patients with congenital cardiac defects who had undergone same-day or next-day radiographic contrast ventriculography. An expanded study included MR scans of a total of 29 patients with congenital cardiac defects. Magnetic resonance scans of 10 healthy volunteers were also included in part of the study. Right ventricular volumes were calculated from (1) model-based calculations using single-plane cine MR imaging, and (2) multislice calculations based on contrast angiography. RESULTS: Regression of angiography-based volumes against MR-based volumes showed high correlation (r = 0.97, see = 12.5 mL) and slope near unity. Regression of right against left stroke volumes, both calculated from MR data, showed excellent correlation (r = 0.90, see = 11.6 ml) and slope near unity. CONCLUSIONS: The ellipsoidal shell model can be used to reliably estimate right ventricular volume using single-plane MR images.

Adolescent↗

A coupled oscillator model of disordered interlimb coordination in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Coordination between the left and right limbs during cyclic movements, which can be characterized by the amplitude of each limb's oscillatory movement and relative phase, is impaired in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). A pedaling exercise on an ergometer in a recent clinical study revealed several types of coordination disorder in PD patients. These include an irregular and burst-like amplitude modulation with intermittent changes in its relative phase, a typical sign of chaotic behavior in nonlinear dynamical systems. This clinical observation leads us to hypothesize that emergence of the rhythmic motor behaviors might be concerned with nonlinearity of an underlying dynamical system. In order to gain insight into this hypothesis, we consider a simple hard-wired central pattern generator model consisting of two identical oscillators connected by reciprocal inhibition. In the model, each oscillator acts as a neural half-center controlling movement of a single limb, either left or right, and receives a control input modeling a flow of descending signals from higher motor centers. When these two control inputs are tonic-constant and identical, the model has left-right symmetry and basically exhibits ordered coordination with an alternating periodic oscillation. We show that, depending on the intensities of these two control inputs and on the difference between them that introduces asymmetry into the model, the model can reproduce several behaviors observed in the clinical study. Bifurcation analysis of the model clarifies two possible mechanisms for the generation of disordered coordination in the model: one is the spontaneous symmetry-breaking bifurcation in the model with the left-right symmetry. The other is related to the degree of asymmetry reflecting the difference between the two control inputs. Finally, clinical implications by the model's dynamics are briefly discussed.

Ataxia↗

New and reproducible technique for experimentally induced middle cerebral artery stenosis.

A reproducible technique has been developed to create reversible middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis in the cat. Under pentobarbital anesthesia, the right eye was enucleated, MCA dissected and a suture looped around the vessel. A short segment of thicker suture was set horizontally on the MCA. The looped suture was then tied and the segment suture removed, resulting in partial stenosis. The knot could be easily removed, restoring blood flow. Perfusion and diffusion-sensitive magnetic resonance (MR) images were obtained over the next 6 hours to document cerebral blood flow abnormalities and developing ischemic changes, respectively. Laser-Doppler was performed to further document reduced flow through the ipsilateral hemisphere following MCA stenosis. Histopathologic sections were assessed for ischemic damage. Our results show this to be a reliable model of MCA stenosis and reperfusion, which is suitable for the evaluation of acute cerebral perfusion abnormalities resulting from arterial stenosis.

Animals↗

rCBF landscapes during motor performance and motor ideation of a graphic gesture.

The regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) distribution was measured by 133xenon inhalation using a gamma camera in 18 right-handed volunteers, 6 subjects performing a graphic task (writing numbers in letters) with the right hand, 6 subjects imagining the same task, and 6 subjects were assessed during two rest periods to determine the reproducibility of the technique. The mean rCBF increased between 10% and 25% (P less than 0.01) during both motor performance and motor ideation. However, there were regional differences. While motor performance activated mainly the rolandic regions bilaterally, motor ideation gave prefrontal and premotor rCBF augmentations. In both situations there was significant bilateral increase in regions corresponding to the cerebellum.

Adult↗

A critical review of published competency-to-confess measures.

The development of standardized assessments for competency-to-confess evaluations has remained largely neglected for the last several decades. Groundbreaking research was conducted on Miranda waivers during the late 1970s, but researchers have failed to sustain programmatic research. This critical review focuses on four published Miranda measures (Comprehension of Miranda Rights, Comprehension of Miranda Rights-Recognition, Comprehension of Miranda Vocabulary, and Function of Rights in Interrogation). When evaluated by contemporary standards, the validation of these measures is very limited. Major improvements are needed for interrater reliability, test-retest reliability, content validity, construct validity, and criterion-related validity.

Civil Rights↗

Transient Brugada-type electrocardiographic abnormalities in renal failure reversed by dialysis.

The Brugada syndrome (BRS) is a hereditary cardiac condition (characteristically with a gene mutation affecting sodium channel function) identified by an elevated terminal portion of the QRS complex (prominent J wave) followed by a descending ST-segment elevation ending in a negative T wave in the right precordial leads, and malignant tachyarrhythmias in patients without demonstrable structural heart disease. We report a patient with a previous history of epilepsy treated with psychotropic drugs (with a sodium channel blocking effect) and chronic renal failure on haemodialysis who developed hyperkalaemia (6.6 mmol/l) and ECG findings resembling BRS. This condition was manifested by the prominent J wave, the coved-type ST-segment elevation and the negative T wave in the right precordial leads. These ECG changes disappeared after haemodialysis when the potassium became normal. Subsequently, a flecainide test did not reproduce ST-segment elevation. We conclude that hyperkalaemia associated with cardiac membrane active drugs may cause ECG changes mimicking the Brugada syndrome.

Adult↗

[A new objective visual acuity test: an automated preferential looking].

BACKGROUND: The Preferential Looking test using Teller acuity cards is widely used for preverbal children but has some weaknesses, in particular because it is examiner dependent and at best half-objective. We tested a new automated method in a pilot study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In our preferential looking setting we project separate images into the left and right eye. This permits measuring each eye without having to cover the other. An infrared oculography system documents objectively and reproducibly whether or not the stimulus is seen. A square is shown which moves consecutively in a square formation on a background that has the same average brightness. Charting an XY-plot of the eye position results in a square with two diagonals, if the stimulus is seen. By using a specific baby examination unit, this test is already feasible in babies. In this study, the new setting was tested on two children. RESULTS: In two healthy children we found a good correlation between visual acuities determined with the new method and Teller visual acuity charts. Fogging one eye in each of the children resulted in fixation loss of the stimulus when the required visual acuity rose above the fogging value. CONCLUSIONS: This new technique permits one to perform an objective preferential looking test without the need of verbal answers. Larger studies have to validate these preliminary results.

Attention↗

Psychological reactance: factor structure and internal consistency of the Questionnaire for the Measurement of Psychological Reactance.

Psychological reactance, the theory that people resist attempts to constrain either their thoughts or their behaviors (J. W. Brehm, 1966), has been an influential concept in social psychology. In an attempt to measure reactance, J. Merz (1983) developed the Questionnaire for the Measurement of Psychological Reactance (QMPR). Subsequent researchers (S.-M. Hong & R. Ostini, 1989; R. K. Tucker & P. Y. Byers, 1987) have debated both the exact factor structure and the psychometric stability of the QMPR. In the present study, 898 undergraduates completed the QMPR. Factor analysis suggested that psychological reactance is multidimensional. The authors found 3 factors underlying the QMPR, but the QMPR provided unreliable estimates for each of those factors. According to the results, the QMPR as currently written is psychometrically unsatisfactory.

Adolescent↗

A study to validate the method based on DIMOND quality criteria for cardiac angiographic images.

A method based on image quality criteria (QC) for cine-angiography was developed to measure the quality of cine-angiograms (CA). A series of 30 CA for left ventriculography (LV) and left and right coronary angiography (LCA, RCA) have been scored and 172 readings were obtained. Standard deviation of quality scores indicated the reproducibility of the method. Each part of CA was examined separately, giving scores for LV, LCA and RCA and a total score (TS), with clinical (C) and technical (T) criteria defined and examined separately. In 83% of the studies TS was >0.8 and with standard deviation from 0.02 to 0.21. In general, LV had a lower score and greater disagreement compared with RCA and LCA. Disagreement was greater in T, compared with C. In conclusion, these results indicate that QC, translated into a scoring system, yields reproducible data on the quality of cardiac images.

Cineangiography↗