Sample records for study evaluating lateral

  1. Later abortions and mental health: psychological experiences of women having later abortions--a critical review of research.

    PubMed

    Steinberg, Julia R

    2011-01-01

    Some abortion policies in the U.S. are based on the notion that abortion harms women's mental health. The American Psychological Association (APA) Task Force on Abortion and Mental Health concluded that first-trimester abortions do not harm women's mental health. However, the APA task force does not make conclusions regarding later abortions (second trimester or beyond) and mental health. This paper critically evaluates studies on later abortion and mental health in order to inform both policy and practice. Using guidelines outlined by Steinberg and Russo (2009), post 1989 quantitative studies on later abortion and mental health were evaluated on the following qualities: 1) composition of comparison groups, 2) how prior mental health was assessed, and 3) whether common risk factors were controlled for in analyses if a significant relationship between abortion and mental health was found. Studies were evaluated with respect to the claim that later abortions harm women's mental health. Eleven quantitative studies that compared the mental health of women having later abortions (for reasons of fetal anomaly) with other groups were evaluated. Findings differed depending on the comparison group. No studies considered the role of prepregnancy mental health, and one study considered whether factors common among women having later abortions and mental health problems drove the association between later abortion and mental health. Policies based on the notion that later abortions (because of fetal anomaly) harm women's mental health are unwarranted. Because research suggests that most women who have later abortions do so for reasons other than fetal anomaly, future investigations should examine women's psychological experiences around later abortions. Copyright © 2011 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Quantitative stress radiography of the patella and evaluation of patellar laxity before and after lateral release for recurrent dislocation patella.

    PubMed

    Niimoto, Takuya; Deie, Masataka; Adachi, Nobuo; Usman, Muhammad Andry; Ochi, Mitsuo

    2014-10-01

    The aims of the present controlled clinical study were to (1) compare patella laxity determined in the outpatient clinic with that in anaesthetized patients and (2) evaluate patella laxity before and after lateral release. The study evaluated data on 33 knees from 33 patients (average age 19.7 years) between 2007 and 2011. All patients were diagnosed with recurrent dislocation of the patella. Patellar stability was evaluated in each patient thrice: patellas were first imaged in the outpatient clinic prior to surgery at 45° knee flexion with 20 N stress from the medial to lateral side and from the lateral to medial side; then, at the time of surgery, patella stress images were obtained in the same manner before and after the lateral release procedure. Radiological assessments were performed using the medial stress shift ratio (MSSR) and lateral stress shift ratio (LSSR). There were no significant differences in the LSSR and MSSR before surgery (outpatient data) and in anaesthetized patients before the lateral release procedure. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in MSSR at the time of surgery before and after the lateral release procedure. However, LSSR increased significantly after the lateral release procedure. The results of the present study suggest that quantitative patella stress radiography in the outpatient clinic is useful when it comes to investigating laxity of the patella, and that lateral release significantly increases lateral, but not medial, laxity in patients with recurrent patellar dislocation. IV.

  3. Significance of the Lateral Humeral Line for Evaluating Radiocapitellar Alignment in Children.

    PubMed

    Souder, Christopher D; Roocroft, Joanna H; Edmonds, Eric W

    The radiocapitellar line (RCL) was originally described for evaluation of the alignment of the RC joint on lateral images of the elbow. Although, many authors have translated the utilization of RCL into coronal imaging, previous studies have not been performed to confirm validity. The purpose of this paper was to identify an accurate way of evaluating pediatric RC alignment in the coronal plane. Thirty-seven anteroposterior (AP) radiographs of 37 children were evaluated to determine the position of the RC joint in the coronal plane. All had acceptable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies available for comparison. The lateral humeral line (LHL), consisting of a line along the lateral edge of the ossified condyle of the distal humerus parallel to the axis of the distal humeral shaft, was studied as it related to the lateral cortex of the radial neck. Three children with a confirmed diagnosis of a Bado III, lateral displaced radius, Monteggia fracture were also evaluated. The LHL passed along the edge of or lateral to the radial neck on all AP radiographs and all MRI studies. The RCL failed to intersect the capitellum on 2 AP radiographs. On MRI, the RCL also passed lateral to the capitellar ossification center in 3 patients. In addition, the RCL was seen passing through the capitellum at a mean of the lateral 30% (range, 0% to 64%) on AP radiographs and 26% (range, 0% to 48%) on MRI. For all 3 children with a Bado III Monteggia fracture, the LHL crossed the radial neck and the RCL did not intersect the capitellum. The RCL can fail to intersect the capitellar ossification center on AP radiographs and MRI in pediatric elbows without injury. The LHL consistently lies lateral to the radial neck in normal elbows and medial to the lateral aspect of the radial neck on all Bado III fracture-dislocations. It, therefore, can be used as an adjunct in evaluating the RC joint on AP imaging. The RCL most commonly intersects the lateral one third of the ossification center on both plain radiographs and MRIs. Level III-diagnostic.

  4. Association of Frontal and Lateral Facial Attractiveness.

    PubMed

    Gu, Jeffrey T; Avilla, David; Devcic, Zlatko; Karimi, Koohyar; Wong, Brian J F

    2018-01-01

    Despite the large number of studies focused on defining frontal or lateral facial attractiveness, no reports have examined whether a significant association between frontal and lateral facial attractiveness exists. To examine the association between frontal and lateral facial attractiveness and to identify anatomical features that may influence discordance between frontal and lateral facial beauty. Paired frontal and lateral facial synthetic images of 240 white women (age range, 18-25 years) were evaluated from September 30, 2004, to September 29, 2008, using an internet-based focus group (n = 600) on an attractiveness Likert scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being least attractive and 10 being most attractive. Data analysis was performed from December 6, 2016, to March 30, 2017. The association between frontal and lateral attractiveness scores was determined using linear regression. Outliers were defined as data outside the 95% individual prediction interval. To identify features that contribute to score discordance between frontal and lateral attractiveness scores, each of these image pairs were scrutinized by an evaluator panel for facial features that were present in the frontal or lateral projections and absent in the other respective facial projections. Attractiveness scores obtained from internet-based focus groups. For the 240 white women studied (mean [SD] age, 21.4 [2.2] years), attractiveness scores ranged from 3.4 to 9.5 for frontal images and 3.3 to 9.4 for lateral images. The mean (SD) frontal attractiveness score was 6.9 (1.4), whereas the mean (SD) lateral attractiveness score was 6.4 (1.3). Simple linear regression of frontal and lateral attractiveness scores resulted in a coefficient of determination of r2 = 0.749. Eight outlier pairs were identified and analyzed by panel evaluation. Panel evaluation revealed no clinically applicable association between frontal and lateral images among outliers; however, contributory facial features were suggested. Thin upper lip, convex nose, and blunt cervicomental angle were suggested by evaluators as facial characteristics that contributed to outlier frontal or lateral attractiveness scores. This study identified a strong linear association between frontal and lateral facial attractiveness. Furthermore, specific facial landmarks responsible for the discordance between frontal and lateral facial attractiveness scores were suggested. Additional studies are necessary to determine whether correction of these landmarks may increase facial harmony and attractiveness. NA.

  5. Physiological Laterality of Superficial Cerebral Veins on Susceptibility-Weighted Imaging.

    PubMed

    Matsushima, Satoshi; Shimizu, Tetsuya; Gomi, Taku; Fukuda, Kunihiko

    The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether laterality of the superficial cerebral veins can be seen on susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) in patients with no intracranial lesions that affect venous visualization. We retrospectively evaluated 386 patients who underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging including SWI in our institute. Patients with a lesion with the potential to affect venous visualization on SWI were excluded. Two neuroradiologists visually evaluated the findings and scored the visualization of the superficial cerebral veins. Of the 386 patients, 315 (81.6%) showed no obvious laterality on venous visualization, 64 (16.6%) showed left-side dominant laterality, and 7 (1.8%) showed right-side dominant laterality. Left-side dominant physiological laterality exists in the visualization of the superficial cerebral veins on SWI. Therefore, when recognizing left-side dominant laterality of the superficial cerebral veins on SWI, the radiologist must also consider the possibility of physiological laterality.

  6. A Longitudinal Study of Laterality Expression and Teacher Evaluation of Elementary School Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van Camp, Sarah S.

    1978-01-01

    A three-year longitudinal study conducted to assess the incidence of mixed laterality in elementary school children showed that thirty-seven percent of the eighty-two subjects had mixed laterality. No relationship was found between perceptual motor and academic achievement as measured by teacher ratings and mixed laterality. (MF)

  7. Eye-hand laterality and right thoracic idiopathic scoliosis.

    PubMed

    Catanzariti, Jean-François; Guyot, Marc-Alexandre; Agnani, Olivier; Demaille, Samantha; Kolanowski, Elisabeth; Donze, Cécile

    2014-06-01

    The adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) pathogenesis remains unknown. Certain studies have shown that there is a correlation between manual laterality and scoliotic deviation. A full study of manual laterality needs to be paired with one for visual dominance. With the aim of physiopathological research, we have evaluated the manual and visual laterality in AIS. A retrospective study from prospective data collection is used to evaluate the distribution of eye-hand laterality (homogeneous or crossed) of 65 right thoracic AIS (mean age 14.8 ± 1.8 years; mean Cobb angle: 32.8°) and a control group of 65 sex and age-matched (mean age 14.6 ± 1.8 years). The manual laterality was defined by the modified Edinburgh Handedness Inventory. The evaluation of the visual laterality is done using three tests (kaleidoscope test, hole-in-the-card test, distance-hole-in-the-card test). The group of right thoracic AIS presents a significantly higher frequency of crossed eye-hand laterality (63 %) than the control group (63 vs. 29.2 %; p < 0.001). In the AIS group, the most frequent association, within crossed laterality is "right hand dominant-left eye dominant" (82.9 %). There is no relationship with the Cobb angle. Those with right thoracic AIS show a higher occurrence of crossed eye-hand laterality. This could point physiopathological research of AIS towards functional abnormality of the optic chiasma through underuse of cross visual pathways, and in particular accessory optic pathways. It would be useful to explore this by carrying out research on AISs through neuroimaging and neurofunctional exploration.

  8. Diagnosis and treatment of posterior sacroiliac complex pain: a systematic review with comprehensive analysis of the published data.

    PubMed

    King, Wade; Ahmed, Shihab U; Baisden, Jamie; Patel, Nileshkumar; Kennedy, David J; Duszynski, Belinda; MacVicar, John

    2015-02-01

    To assess the evidence on the validity of sacral lateral branch blocks and the effectiveness of sacral lateral branch thermal radiofrequency neurotomy in managing sacroiliac complex pain. Systematic review with comprehensive analysis of all published data. Six reviewers searched the literature on sacral lateral branch interventions. Each assessed the methodologies of studies found and the quality of the evidence presented. The outcomes assessed were diagnostic validity and effectiveness of treatment for sacroiliac complex pain. The evidence found was appraised in accordance with the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system of evaluating scientific evidence. The searches yielded two primary publications on sacral lateral branch blocks and 15 studies of the effectiveness of sacral lateral branch thermal radiofrequency neurotomy. One study showed multisite, multidepth sacral lateral branch blocks can anesthetize the posterior sacroiliac ligaments. Therapeutic studies show sacral lateral branch thermal radiofrequency neurotomy can relieve sacroiliac complex pain to some extent. The evidence of the validity of these blocks and the effectiveness of this treatment were rated as moderate in accordance with the GRADE system. The literature on sacral lateral branch interventions is sparse. One study demonstrates the face validity of multisite, multidepth sacral lateral branch blocks for diagnosis of posterior sacroiliac complex pain. Some evidence of moderate quality exists on therapeutic procedures, but it is insufficient to determine the indications and effectiveness of sacral lateral branch thermal radiofrequency neurotomy, and more research is required. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Language and arithmetic--a study using the intracarotid amobarbital procedure.

    PubMed

    Delazer, Margarete; Karner, Elfriede; Unterberger, Iris; Walser, Gerald; Waldenberger, Peter; Trinka, Eugen; Benke, Thomas

    2005-08-22

    The intracarotid amobarbital procedure is used as a standard procedure in presurgical evaluation to assess hemispheric lateralization of language and memory, but has not been applied to investigate numerical processing. Patients with medically intractable epilepsy (n=20) were consecutively recruited during a presurgical evaluation programme. All 14 patients with left-lateralized language showed better arithmetic performance with the left hemisphere (intracarotid amobarbital procedure right), while five out of six patients with bilateral or right-hemispheric language representation showed better performance with the right hemisphere (intracarotid amobarbital procedure left). Furthermore, in patients with left-lateralized language, an interaction between intracarotid amobarbital procedure and type of arithmetic operation was found. The study suggests a close association between language lateralization and hemispheric specialization for arithmetic processing.

  10. Evaluation of the marsh deer stifle joint by imaging studies and gross anatomy.

    PubMed

    Shigue, D A; Rahal, S C; Schimming, B C; Santos, R R; Vulcano, L C; Linardi, J L; Teixeira, C R

    2015-12-01

    This study aimed to evaluate the stifle joint of marsh deer using imaging studies and in comparison with gross anatomy. Ten hindlimbs from 5 marsh deer (Blastocerus dichotomus) were used. Radiography, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed in each stifle joint. Two hindlimbs were dissected to describe stifle gross anatomy. The other limbs were sectioned in sagittal, dorsal or transverse planes. In the craniocaudal radiographic view, the lateral femoral condyle was broader than the medial femoral condyle. The femoral trochlea was asymmetrical. Subsequent multiplanar reconstruction revealed in the cranial view that the external surface of the patella was roughened, the medial trochlea ridge was larger than the lateral one, and the extensor fossa at the lateral condyle was next to the lateral ridge. The popliteal fossa was better visualized via the lateral view. Sagittal MRI images identified lateral and medial menisci, caudolateral and craniomedial bundles of cranial cruciate ligament, caudal cruciate ligament, patellar ligament and common extensor tendon. In conclusion, the marsh deer stifle presents some anatomical characteristics of the ovine stifle joint. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  11. The etiology of mathematical self-evaluation and mathematics achievement: understanding the relationship using a cross-lagged twin study from age 9 to 12

    PubMed Central

    Luo, Yu L.L.; Kovas, Yulia; Haworth, Claire M.A.; Plomin, Robert

    2011-01-01

    The genetic and environmental origins of individual differences in mathematical self-evaluation over time and its association with later mathematics achievement were investigated in a UK sample of 2138 twin pairs at ages 9 and 12. Self-evaluation indexed how good children think they are at mathematical activities and how much they like those activities. Mathematics achievement was assessed by teachers based on UK National Curriculum standards. At both ages self-evaluation was approximately 40% heritable, with the rest of the variance explained by non-shared environment. The results also suggested moderate reciprocal associations between self-evaluation and mathematics achievement across time, with earlier self-evaluation predicting later performance and earlier performance predicting later self-evaluation. These cross-lagged relationships were genetically rather than environmentally mediated. PMID:22102781

  12. Acoustic reflex patterns in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

    PubMed

    Canale, Andrea; Albera, Roberto; Lacilla, Michelangelo; Canosa, Antonio; Albera, Andrea; Sacco, Francesca; Chiò, Adriano; Calvo, Andrea

    2017-02-01

    The aim of the study is to investigate acoustic reflex testing in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients. Amplitude, latency, and rise time of stapedial reflex were recorded for 500 and 1000 Hz contralateral stimulus. Statistical analysis was performed by the Wilcoxon test and the level of significance was set at 5 %. Fifty-one amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients and ten sex- and age-matched control subjects were studied. Patients were further divided in two groups: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-bulbar (38 cases, with bulbar signs at evaluation) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-spinal (13 cases, without bulbar signs at evaluation). Stapedial reflex was present in all patients. There was a statistically significant difference in the mean amplitude, latency, and rise time between the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients as compared with the controls. Amplitude was lower in both the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-bulbar and the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-spinal patients than in the controls (p < 0.05) and rise time was longer in both patient groups compared with the controls (p < 0.05). These results confirm the presence of abnormal acoustic reflex patterns in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis cases with bulbar signs and, moreover, suggesting a possible subclinical involvement of the stapedial motor neuron even in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-spinal patients. Amplitude and rise time seem to be good sensitive parameters for investigating subclinical bulbar involvement.

  13. Measuring acetabular component position on lateral radiographs - ischio-lateral method.

    PubMed

    Pulos, Nicholas; Tiberi Iii, John V; Schmalzried, Thomas P

    2011-01-01

    The standard method for the evaluation of arthritis and postoperative assessment of arthroplasty treatment is observation and measurement from plain films, using the flm edge for orientation. A more recent employment of an anatomical landmark, the ischial tuberosity, has come into use as orientation for evaluation and is called the ischio-lateral method. In this study, the use of this method was evaluated as a first report to the literature on acetabular component measurement using a skeletal reference with lateral radiographs. Postoperative radiographs of 52 hips, with at least three true lateral radiographs taken at different time periods, were analyzed. Component position was measured with the historical method (using the flm edge for orientation) and with the new method using the ischio-lateral method. The mean standard deviation (SD) for the historical approach was 3.7° and for the ischio-lateral method, 2.2° (p < 0.001). With the historical method, 19 (36.5%) hips had a SD greater than ± 4°, compared to six hips (11.5%) with the ischio-lateral method. By using a skeletal reference, the ischio-lateral method provides a more consistent measurement of acetabular component position. The high intra-class correlation coefficients for both intra- and inter-observer reliability indicate that the angle measured with this simple method, which employs no further technology, increased time, or cost, is consistent and reproducible for multiple observers.

  14. Evaluation of postoperative patient satisfaction after covering the nasal dorsum with upper lateral cartilage: "upper lateral closing".

    PubMed

    Çağıcı, Can Alper

    2017-11-16

    Following nasal hump removal during septorhinoplasty, the middle vault should be reconstructed to avoid functional and esthetic problems. Middle vault reconstruction, however, may result in widening of the middle vault and may need a camouflage graft to cover dorsal irregularities. To present the results of reconstructing the middle vault with a technique that covers the nasal dorsum with upper lateral cartilage, from the viewpoint of patient satisfaction. Retrospective study of patients who underwent septorhinoplasty that included nasal dorsum closure with upper lateral cartilage from December 1, 2014 to January 31, 2016. Those with postoperative follow-up of less than 3 months were excluded. The final study group included 39 patients. The same surgeon performed all septorhinoplasties. The dorsum was closed using an "upper lateral closing" technique that approximated upper lateral cartilages to each other over the septum. Postoperative patient satisfaction was determined using a visual analog scale and the rhinoplasty outcomes evaluation questionnaire. The questionnaire evaluates patient esthetic and functional satisfaction with the operated nose. High scores indicate improved esthetic results. No dorsal irregularities were seen at postoperative follow-up evaluation of the patients. For esthetic nasal appearance, the median visual analogue scale scores was 86%, and the mean for the questionnaire was 77.03%. The natural dome-shaped anatomy of the nasal dorsum was achieved by approximating the upper lateral cartilages to each other. Closing the dorsum with this technique also covers any dorsal irregularities and results in a smooth dorsum. Patients expressed satisfaction with the esthetic and functional aspects of the smooth, attractive nasal dorsum. Copyright © 2017 Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  15. Total resection of any segment of the lateral meniscus may cause early cartilage degeneration: Evaluation by magnetic resonance imaging using T2 mapping.

    PubMed

    Murakami, Koji; Arai, Yuji; Ikoma, Kazuya; Kato, Kammei; Inoue, Hiroaki; Nakagawa, Shuji; Fujii, Yuta; Ueshima, Keiichiro; Fujiwara, Hiroyoshi; Kubo, Toshikazu

    2018-06-01

    The aim of this study was to perform quantitative evaluation of degeneration of joint cartilage using T2 mapping in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after arthroscopic partial resection of the lateral meniscus.The subjects were 21 patients (23 knees) treated with arthroscopic partial resection of the lateral meniscus. MRI was performed for all knees before surgery and 6 months after surgery to evaluate the center of the lateral condyle of the femur in sagittal images for T2 mapping. Ten regions of interest (ROIs) on the articular cartilage were established at 10-degree intervals, from the point at which the femur shaft crossed the lateral femoral condyle joint to the articular cartilage 90° relative to the femur shaft. Preoperative and postoperative T2 values were evaluated at each ROI. Age, sex, body mass index, femorotibial angle, Tegner score, and amount of meniscal resection were evaluated when the T2 value increased more than 6% at 30°.T2 values at approximately 10 °, 20 °, 30 °, 40 °, 50 °, and 60 ° degrees relative to the anatomical axis of the femur were significantly greater postoperatively (3.1, 3.6, 5.5, 4.4, 5.0, 6.4%, respectively) than preoperatively. A >6% increase at 30° was associated with total resection of any segment of the meniscus.Degeneration of the articular cartilage, as shown by the disorganization of collagen arrays at positions approximately 10 °, 20 °, 30 °, 40 °, 50 °, and 60 ° relative to the anatomical axis of the femur, may start soon after arthroscopic lateral meniscectomy. Total resection of any segment of the lateral meniscus may cause T2 elevation of articular cartilage of lateral femoral condyle.

  16. Radiographic Assessment of the Robert and Lateral Views in Trapeziometacarpal Osteoarthrosis.

    PubMed

    Oheb, Jonathan; Lansinger, Yuri; Jansen, Joshua A; Nguyen, Jimmy Q; Porembski, Margaret A; Rayan, Ghazi M

    2015-01-01

    To evaluate the effectiveness of the Robert view in assessing trapeziometacarpal arthrosis and to compare the accuracy of the Robert and lateral views in staging trapeziometacarpal (TM) joint arthrosis. Patient demographics were obtained. Four participating raters reviewed 62 randomly selected thumb x-rays of patients presenting with thumb TM joint pain. Lateral and Robert-hyperpronation views were assessed using an analysis of 13 criteria. X-rays of 62 thumbs for 58 patients were evaluated. The average patients' age was 64 (47-87) and 51 (80%) were females. The majority of X-rays evaluated fell into stage 3. Stage 2 was the second most common level of arthritis encountered and the least was stage 1. More osteophytes were encountered in the trapezium than metacarpal on both the Robert and lateral views. The Robert view was superior in detecting osteophytes on the trapezium than the lateral view. Osteophyte size varied from 1.7 to 2 mm. The lateral view displayed 61 cases with dorsal metacarpal subluxation (98%). The Robert view displayed 48 cases (77%) with radial metacarpal subluxation and 9 cases (15%) with ulnar metacarpal subluxation. Thumb metacarpal adduction deformity was encountered on the lateral view in 20 cases (32%) whereas on the Robert view it was encountered in 14 cases (23%). Subchondral sclerosis was encountered on the Robert view in 56 thumbs (90%) while it was seen on the lateral view in 52 thumbs (84%). Pantrapezial arthritis involving the STT joint was encountered equally in 16 cases (26%) on the Robert view and the lateral views. The study found a moderate level of interrater reliability on both the lateral and Robert views. With the exception of osteophytes encountered on the trapezium versus the metacarpal, there were no other statistically significant findings. This study confirms that each of the Robert and lateral views offer unique information and combining both views enhances the ability to assess radiographic disease severity, and should be the recommended set of X-rays for assessing TM osteoarthrosis.

  17. Lateral line pore diameters correlate with the development of gas bubble trauma signs in several Columbia River fishes

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Morris, R.G.; Beeman, J.W.; VanderKooi, S.P.; Maule, A.G.

    2003-01-01

    Gas bubble trauma (GBT) caused by gas supersaturation of river water continues to be a problem in the Columbia River Basin. A common indicator of GBT is the percent of the lateral line occluded with gas bubbles; however, this effect has never been examined in relation to lateral line morphology. The effects of 115, 125 and 130% total dissolved gas levels were evaluated on five fish species common to the upper Columbia River. Trunk lateral line pore diameters differed significantly (P<0.0001) among species (longnose sucker>largescale sucker>northern pikeminnow≥chinook salmon≥redside shiner). At all supersaturation levels evaluated, percent of lateral line occlusion exhibited an inverse correlation to pore size but was not generally related to total dissolved gas level or time of exposure. This study suggests that the differences in lateral line pore diameters between species should be considered when using lateral line occlusion as an indicator of gas bubble trauma.

  18. Long-term evaluation of posterior lateral meniscus root tears left in situ at the time of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

    PubMed

    Shelbourne, K Donald; Roberson, Troy A; Gray, Tinker

    2011-07-01

    The long-term radiographic and subjective results of patients with posterior lateral meniscus root tears left in situ at the time of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction has not been reported. The authors hypothesized that patients who had posterior lateral meniscus root tears left in situ would have statistically significantly lower subjective scores and greater joint-space narrowing as compared with a control group. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Thirty-three patients who had isolated posterior lateral meniscus root tear and >5 years objective and subjective follow-up were evaluated and compared with a matched control group without meniscal tears based on sex, chronicity of tear, age, and follow-up time. Patients were evaluated subjectively and objectively using the International Knee Documentation Committee criteria. The mean objective follow-up time was 10.6 ± 4.5 years. The mean subjective total score was 84.6 ± 14 in the study group versus 90.5 ± 13 in the control group (P = .09). Radiographs showed lateral joint-space narrowing rated as normal in 19, mild in 10, moderate in 3, and severe in 1 versus the control group, which was normal in 28 and mild in 5 patients. The measured amount of lateral joint-space narrowing compared with the other knee was 1.0 ± 1.6 mm in the study group versus 0 ± 1.1 mm in the controls on 45° flexed posteroanterior radiographs (P < .006). At a mean of 10 years' follow-up of posterior lateral meniscus root tears left in situ, mild lateral joint-space narrowing was measured without significant differences in subjective or objective scores compared with controls. This study provides a baseline that can be used to compare the results of procedures used to treat these tears in other manners.

  19. Initial influence of right versus left lateral recumbency on the radiographic finding of duodenal gas on subsequent survey ventrodorsal projections of the canine abdomen.

    PubMed

    Vander Hart, Daniel; Berry, Clifford R

    2015-01-01

    Identification of the duodenum and potential abnormalities on survey abdominal radiographs is often difficult unless it contains gas. This study investigated the effect of patient positioning on the presence of duodenal gas in survey abdominal radiographs. One hundred dogs receiving a three-view survey abdominal radiographic study were enrolled in a prospective, randomized study where all dogs were divided into two groups. Group A (n = 51) dogs had a left lateral projection first, followed by a ventrodorsal projection, ending with a right lateral projection. Group B (n = 49) dogs had a right lateral projection first, followed by a ventrodorsal projection, ending with a left lateral projection. The presence of gas within the duodenum and level of distribution of gas throughout the duodenum were recorded for all three projections. In addition, the presence or absence of duodenal pseudoulcers was evaluated on all three projections for each dog. The results for the two groups were compared using Chi-square analysis with a P-value of less than 0.05 being considered significant. Results showed that dogs first placed in left lateral recumbency were significantly more likely to have duodenal gas on the subsequent ventrodorsal and right lateral radiographic projections compared to dogs first placed in right lateral recumbency (P-value < 0.0001). Pseudoulcers were seen in 11 dogs that had duodenal gas making the visualization of pseudoulcers on survey abdominal radiographs somewhat commonplace. This study emphasizes the benefit of using initial left lateral abdominal projections prior to other views for subsequent evaluation of the duodenum. © 2014 American College of Veterinary Radiology.

  20. The Morphological Anatomy of the Menisci of the Knee Joint in Human Fetuses

    PubMed Central

    Koyuncu, Esra; Özgüner, Gülnur; Öztürk, Kenan; Bilkay, Cemil; Dursun, Ahmet; Sulak, Osman

    2017-01-01

    Background: Development of the foetal period of the meniscus has been reported in different studies. Aims: Evaluation of lateral and medial meniscus development, typing and the relationship of the tibia during the foetal period. Study Design: Anatomical dissection. Methods: We evaluated 210 knee menisci obtained from 105 human foetuses ranging in age from 9 to 40 weeks’ gestation. Foetuses were divided into four groups, and the intra-articular structure was exposed. We subsequently acquired images (Samsung WB 100 26X Optical Zoom Wide, Beijing, China) of the intra-articular structures with the aid of a millimetric ruler. The images were digitized for morphometric analyses and analysed by using Netcad 5.1 Software (Ak Mühendislik, Ankara, Turkey). Results: The lateral and medial meniscal areas as well as the lateral and the medial articular surface areas of the tibia increased throughout gestation. We found that the medial articular surface areas were larger than the lateral articular surface areas, and the difference was statistically significant. The ratios of the mean lateral and medial meniscal areas to the lateral and medial articular surface areas, respectively, of the tibia decreased gradually from the first trimester to full term. The most common shape of the medial meniscus was crescentic (50%), and that of the lateral meniscus was C-shaped (61%). Conclusion: This study reveals the development of morphological changes and morphometric measurements of the menisci. PMID:28832324

  1. Technique for Chestband Contour Shape-Mapping in Lateral Impact

    PubMed Central

    Hallman, Jason J; Yoganandan, Narayan; Pintar, Frank A

    2011-01-01

    The chestband transducer permits noninvasive measurement of transverse plane biomechanical response during blunt thorax impact. Although experiments may reveal complex two-dimensional (2D) deformation response to boundary conditions, biomechanical studies have heretofore employed only uniaxial chestband contour quantifying measurements. The present study described and evaluated an algorithm by which source subject-specific contour data may be systematically mapped to a target generalized anthropometry for computational studies of biomechanical response or anthropomorphic test dummy development. Algorithm performance was evaluated using chestband contour datasets from two rigid lateral impact boundary conditions: Flat wall and anterior-oblique wall. Comparing source and target anthropometry contours, peak deflections and deformation-time traces deviated by less than 4%. These results suggest that the algorithm is appropriate for 2D deformation response to lateral impact boundary conditions. PMID:21676399

  2. Intra-articular findings in symptomatic minor instability of the lateral elbow (SMILE).

    PubMed

    Arrigoni, Paolo; Cucchi, Davide; D'Ambrosi, Riccardo; Butt, Usman; Safran, Marc R; Denard, Patrick; Randelli, Pietro

    2017-07-01

    Lateral epicondylitis is generally considered an extra-articular condition. The role of minor instability in the aetiology of lateral elbow pain has rarely been considered. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation of lateral ligamentous laxity with aspects of intra-articular lateral elbow pathology and investigate the role of minor instability in lateral elbow pain. Thirty-five consecutive patients aged between 20 and 60 years with recalcitrant lateral epicondylitis who had failed conservative therapy and had no previous trauma or overt instability, were included. The presence of three signs of lateral ligamentous patholaxity and five intra-articular findings were documented during arthroscopy. The relative incidence of each of these was calculated, and the correlation between patholaxity and intra-articular pathology was evaluated. At least one sign of lateral ligamentous laxity was observed in 48.6% of the studied cohort, and 85.7% demonstrated at least one intra-articular abnormal finding. Radial head ballottement was the most common sign of patholaxity (42.9%). Synovitis was the most common intra-articular aspect of pathology (77.1%), followed by lateral capitellar chondropathy (40.0%). A significant correlation was found between the presence of lateral ligamentous patholaxity signs and capitellar chondropathy (p = 0.0409), as well as anteromedial synovitis (p = 0.0408). Almost one half of patients suffering from recalcitrant lateral epicondylitis display signs of lateral ligamentous patholaxity, and over 85% demonstrate at least one intra-articular abnormality. The most frequent intra-articular findings are synovitis and lateral capitellar chondropathy, which correlate significantly with the presence of lateral ligamentous patholaxity. The fact that several patients demonstrated multiple intra-articular findings in relation to laxity provides support to a sequence of pathologic changes that may result from a symptomatic minor instability of the lateral elbow (SMILE) condition. III.

  3. Associated lateral/medial knee instability and its relevant factors in anterior cruciate ligament-injured knees.

    PubMed

    Yuuki, Arata; Muneta, Takeshi; Ohara, Toshiyuki; Sekiya, Ichiro; Koga, Hideyuki

    2017-03-01

    Associations of lateral/medial knee instability with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury have not been thoroughly investigated. The purposes of this study were to investigate whether lateral/medial knee instability is associated with ACL injury, and to clarify relevant factors for lateral/medial knee instability in ACL-injured knees. One hundred and nineteen patients with unilateral ACL-injured knees were included. Lateral/medial knee instability was assessed with varus/valgus stress X-ray examination for both injured and uninjured knees by measuring varus/valgus angle, lateral/medial joint opening, and lateral/medial joint opening index. Manual knee instability tests for ACL were evaluated to investigate associations between lateral/medial knee instability and anterior and/or rotational instabilities. Patients' backgrounds were evaluated to identify relevant factors for lateral/medial knee instability. Damage on the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) on MRI was also evaluated. All parameters regarding lateral knee instability in injured knees were significantly greater than in uninjured knees. There were significant correlations between lateral knee instability and the Lachman test as well as the pivot shift test. Patients with LCL damage had significantly greater lateral joint opening than those without LCL damage on MRI. Sensitivity of LCL damage on MRI to lateral joint opening was 100%, while its specificity was 36%. No other relevant factors were identified. In medial knee instability, there were also correlations between medial knee instability and the Lachman test/pivot shift test. However, the correlations were weak and other parameters were not significant. Lateral knee instability was greater in ACL-deficient knees than in uninjured knees. Lateral knee instability was associated with ACL-related instabilities as well as LCL damage on MRI, whereas MRI had low specificity to lateral knee instability. On the other hand, the association of medial knee instability on ACL-related instability was less than that of lateral knee instability. Level IV, case series with no comparison group. Copyright © 2016 The Japanese Orthopaedic Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Cerebral Lateralization and General Intelligence: Gender Differences in a Transcranial Doppler Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Njemanze, P.C.

    2005-01-01

    The present study evaluated cerebral lateralization during Raven's progressive matrices (RPM) paradigm in female and male subjects. Bilateral simultaneous transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound was used to measure mean blood flow velocities (MBFV) in the right and left middle cerebral arteries (MCAs) in 24 (15 females and 9 males) right-handed…

  5. Association between alcohol consumption and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a meta-analysis of five observational studies.

    PubMed

    E, Meng; Yu, Sufang; Dou, Jianrui; Jin, Wu; Cai, Xiang; Mao, Yiyang; Zhu, Daojian; Yang, Rumei

    2016-08-01

    The purpose of this study is to examine the association between alcohol consumption and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Published literature on the association between alcohol consumption and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis was retrieved from the PubMed and Embase databases. Two authors independently extracted the data. The quality of the identified studies was evaluated according to the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed and publication bias was assessed. Five articles, including one cohort study and seven case-control studies, and a total of 431,943 participants, were identified. The odds ratio for the association between alcohol consumption and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis was 0.57 (95 % confidence interval 0.51-0.64). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses confirmed the result. Evidence for publication bias was detected. Alcohol consumption reduced the risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis compared with non-drinking. Alcohol, therefore, has a potentially neuroprotective effect on the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

  6. Anatomical predisposition of the ankle joint for lateral sprain or lateral malleolar fracture evaluated by radiographic measurements.

    PubMed

    Lee, Kyoung Min; Chung, Chin Youb; Sung, Ki Hyuk; Lee, SeungYeol; Kim, Tae Gyun; Choi, Young; Jung, Ki Jin; Kim, Yeon Ho; Koo, Seung Bum; Park, Moon Seok

    2015-01-01

    Injury mechanism and the amount of force are important factors determining whether a fracture or sprain occurs at the time of an ankle inversion injury. However, the anatomical differences between the ankle fracture and sprain have not been investigated sufficiently. This study was performed to investigate whether an anatomical predisposition of the ankle joint results in a lateral malleolar fracture or lateral ankle sprain. Two groups of consecutive patients, one with lateral malleolar fracture (274 patients, mean age 49.0 years) and the other with lateral ankle sprain (400 patients, mean age 38.4 years), were evaluated. Ankle radiographs were examined for 7 measures: distal tibial articular surface (DTAS) angle, bimalleolar tilt (BT), medial malleolar relative length (MMRL), lateral malleolar relative length (LMRL), medial malleolar slip angle (MMSA), anterior inclination of tibia (AI), and fibular position (FP). After an interobserver reliability test, the radiographic measurements were compared between the 2 groups. Linear regression analysis was performed to correct for age and sex effects between the groups. The fracture group and the sprain group showed significant differences in BT (P = .001), MMSA (P < .001), AI (P = .023), and FP (P < .001). In multiple regression analysis, after adjusting for age and sex effects, fracture and sprain groups showed a significant difference in BT (P = .001), MMRL (P < .001), MMSA (P < .001), and FP (P < .001). The lateral malleolar fracture group tended to show more bony constraint than that of the lateral ankle sprain group. Further 3-dimensional assessment of the bony structure and subsequent biomechanical studies are needed to elucidate the mechanism of injury according to the various types of ankle fractures and ankle sprain. Level III, retrospective comparative study. © The Author(s) 2014.

  7. Evaluation of document location during computer use in terms of neck muscle activity and neck movement.

    PubMed

    Goostrey, Sonya; Treleaven, Julia; Johnston, Venerina

    2014-05-01

    This study evaluated the impact on neck movement and muscle activity of placing documents in three commonly used locations: in-line, flat desktop left of the keyboard and laterally placed level with the computer screen. Neck excursion during three standard head movements between the computer monitor and each document location and neck extensor and upper trapezius muscle activity during a 5 min typing task for each of the document locations was measured in 20 healthy participants. Results indicated that muscle activity and neck flexion were least when documents were placed laterally suggesting it may be the optimal location. The desktop option produced both the greatest neck movement and muscle activity in all muscle groups. The in-line document location required significantly more neck flexion but less lateral flexion and rotation than the laterally placed document. Evaluation of other holders is needed to guide decision making for this commonly used office equipment. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Evaluation of focus laterality in temporal lobe epilepsy: a quantitative study comparing double inversion-recovery MR imaging at 3T with FDG-PET.

    PubMed

    Morimoto, Emiko; Okada, Tomohisa; Kanagaki, Mitsunori; Yamamoto, Akira; Fushimi, Yasutaka; Matsumoto, Riki; Takaya, Shigetoshi; Ikeda, Akio; Kunieda, Takeharu; Kikuchi, Takayuki; Paul, Dominik; Miyamoto, Susumu; Takahashi, Ryosuke; Togashi, Kaori

    2013-12-01

    To quantitatively compare the diagnostic capability of double inversion-recovery (DIR) with F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) for detection of seizure focus laterality in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). This study was approved by the institutional review board, and written informed consent was obtained. Fifteen patients with TLE and 38 healthy volunteers were enrolled. All magnetic resonance (MR) images were acquired using a 3T-MRI system. Voxel-based analysis (VBA) was conducted for FDG-PET images and white matter segments of DIR images (DIR-WM) focused on the whole temporal lobe (TL) and the anterior part of the temporal lobe (ATL). Distribution of hypometabolic areas on FDG-PET and increased signal intensity areas on DIR-WM were evaluated, and their laterality was compared with clinically determined seizure focus laterality. Correct diagnostic rates of laterality were evaluated, and agreement between DIR-WM and FDG-PET was assessed using κ statistics. Increased signal intensity areas on DIR-WM were located at the vicinity of the hypometabolic areas on FDG-PET, especially in the ATL. Correct diagnostic rates of seizure focus laterality for DIR-WM (0.80 and 0.67 for the TL and the ATL, respectively) were slightly higher than those for FDG-PET (0.67 and 0.60 for the TL and the ATL, respectively). Agreement of laterality between DIR-WM and FDG-PET was substantial for the TL and almost perfect for the ATL (κ = 0.67 and 0.86, respectively). High agreement in localization between DIR-WM and FDG-PET and nearly equivalent detectability of them show us an additional role of MRI in TLE. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2013 International League Against Epilepsy.

  9. [Identification of auditory laterality by means of a new dichotic digit test in Spanish, and body laterality and spatial orientation in children with dyslexia and in controls].

    PubMed

    Olivares-García, M R; Peñaloza-López, Y R; García-Pedroza, F; Jesús-Pérez, S; Uribe-Escamilla, R; Jiménez-de la Sancha, S

    In this study, a new dichotic digit test in Spanish (NDDTS) was applied in order to identify auditory laterality. We also evaluated body laterality and spatial location using the Subirana test. Both the dichotic test and the Subirana test for body laterality and spatial location were applied in a group of 40 children with dyslexia and in a control group made up of 40 children who were paired according to age and gender. The results of the three evaluations were analysed using the SPSS 10 software application, with Pearson's chi-squared test. It was seen that 42.5% of the children in the group of dyslexics had mixed auditory laterality, compared to 7.5% in the control group (p < or = 0.05). Body laterality was mixed in 25% of dyslexic children and in 2.5% in the control group (p < or = 0.05) and there was 72.5% spatial disorientation in the group of dyslexics, whereas only 15% (p < or = 0.05) was found in the control group. The NDDTS proved to be a useful tool for demonstrating that mixed auditory laterality and auditory predominance of the left ear are linked to dyslexia. The results of this test exceed those obtained for body laterality. Spatial orientation is indeed altered in children with dyslexia. The importance of this finding makes it necessary to study the central auditory processes in all cases in order to define better rehabilitation strategies in Spanish-speaking children.

  10. User-centered design and evaluation of a next generation fixed-split ergonomic keyboard.

    PubMed

    McLoone, Hugh E; Jacobson, Melissa; Hegg, Chau; Johnson, Peter W

    2010-01-01

    Research has shown that fixed-split, ergonomic keyboards lessen the pain and functional status in symptomatic individuals as well as reduce the likelihood of developing musculoskeletal disorders in asymptomatic typists over extended use. The goal of this study was to evaluate design features to determine whether the current fixed-split ergonomic keyboard design could be improved. Thirty-nine, adult-aged, fixed-split ergonomic keyboard users were recruited to participate in one of three studies. First utilizing non-functional models and later a functional prototype, three studies evaluated keyboard design features including: 1) keyboard lateral inclination, 2) wrist rest height, 3) keyboard slope, and 4) curved "gull-wing" key layouts. The findings indicated that keyboard lateral inclination could be increased from 8° to 14°; wrist rest height could be increased up to 10 mm from current setting; positive, flat, and negative slope settings were equally preferred and facilitated greater postural variation; and participants preferred a new gull-wing key layout. The design changes reduced forearm pronation and wrist extension while not adversely affecting typing performance. This research demonstrated how iterative-evaluative, user-centered research methods can be utilized to improve a product's design such as a fixed-split ergonomic keyboard.

  11. Speckle tracking evaluation of right ventricular functions in children with sickle cell disease.

    PubMed

    Tolba, Osama Abd Rab Elrasol; El-Shanshory, Mohamed Ramadan; El-Gamasy, Mohamed Abd Elaziz; El-Shehaby, Walid Ahmed

    2017-01-01

    Cardiac dysfunction is a risk factor for death in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Aim of the work is to evaluate the right ventricular systolic and diastolic functions by tissue Doppler and speckling tracking imaging in children with SCD. Thirty children with SCD and thirty controls were subjected to clinical, laboratory evaluations, and echocardiographic study using GE Vivid 7 (GE Medical System, Horten, Norway with a 3.5-MHz multifrequency transducer) including; Two-dimensional and tissue Doppler echocardiographic study (lateral tricuspid valve annulus peak E' velocity, lateral tricuspid valve annulus peak A' velocity, E'/A' ratio, isovolumetric relaxation time, lateral tricuspid valve annulus S' and septal S' waves and peak longitudinal systolic strain [PLSS] and time to PLSS) were done in six right ventricular segments. There was a significant decrease in right ventricular systolic and diastolic function in patients group when compared to controls. Children with SCD have impaired right ventricular systolic and diastolic functions when compared to healthy children with early evaluation of the systolic dysfunction by speckle tracking imaging technique.

  12. Impact of contra-lateral breast reshaping on mammographic surveillance in women undergoing breast reconstruction following mastectomy for breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Nava, Maurizio B; Rocco, Nicola; Catanuto, Giuseppe; Falco, Giuseppe; Capalbo, Emanuela; Marano, Luigi; Bordoni, Daniele; Spano, Andrea; Scaperrotta, Gianfranco

    2015-08-01

    The ultimate goal of breast reconstruction is to achieve symmetry with the contra-lateral breast. Contra-lateral procedures with wide parenchymal rearrangements are suspected to impair mammographic surveillance. This study aims to evaluate the impact on mammographic detection of mastopexies and breast reductions for contralateral adjustment in breast reconstruction. We retrospectively evaluated 105 women affected by uni-lateral breast cancer who underwent mastectomy and immediate two-stage reconstruction between 2002 and 2007. We considered three groups according to the contra-lateral reshaping technique: mastopexy or breast reduction with inferior dermoglandular flap (group 1); mastopexy or breast reduction without inferior dermoglandular flap (group 2); no contra-lateral reshaping (group 3). We assessed qualitative mammographic variations and breast density in the three groups. Statistically significant differences have been found when comparing reshaped groups with non reshaped groups regarding parenchymal distortions, skin thickening and stromal edema, but these differences did not affect cancer surveillance. The surveillance mammography diagnostic accuracy in contra-lateral cancer detection was not significantly different between the three groups (p = 0.56), such as the need for MRI for equivocal findings at mammographic contra-lateral breast (p = 0.77) and the need for core-biopsies to confirm mammographic suspect of contra-lateral breast cancer (p = 0.90). This study confirms previous reports regarding the safety of mastopexies and breast reductions when performed in the setting of contra-lateral breast reshaping after breast reconstruction. Mammographic accuracy, sensitivity and specificity are not affected by the glandular re-arrangement. These results provide a further validation of the safety of current reconstructive paradigms. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Meniscal Damage Associated with Increased Local Subchondral Bone Mineral Density: A Framingham Study

    PubMed Central

    Lo, GH; Niu, J; McLennan, CE; DP, Kiel; McLean, RR; Guermazi, A; Genant, HK; McAlindon, TE; Hunter, DJ

    2008-01-01

    Objective Because menisci and the M:L BMD are associated with loading within the knee, we postulated there to be an association between compartment-specific meniscal damage and M:L BMD. We hypothesized that knees with higher M:L BMD, consistent with increased medial subchondral BMD, would be associated with medial meniscal damage, and lower ratios with lateral meniscal damage. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study evaluating participants in the Framingham OA Cohort having MRIs, BMDs, and x-rays of the knee. Medial and lateral meniscal damage were defined on MRI. We performed a logistic regression with medial meniscal damage as the outcome testing M:L BMD groups as predictor variables. We adjusted for age and sex; we used GEE to adjust for correlation between knees. Identical analyses were performed evaluating lateral meniscal damage. Results When evaluating the relation of M:L BMD to medial meniscal damage, the odds ratios (ORs) of prevalent medial meniscal damage from lowest to highest quartile of M:L BMD were 1.0 (referent), 1.9, 2.4 and 8.9, p for trend <0.0001. When evaluating the relation of M:L BMD to lateral meniscal damage, the ORs of prevalent lateral meniscal damage from lowest to highest quartile of M:L BMD were 1.0 (referent), 0.3, 0.2, and 0.2, p for trend =0.001. Conclusions Meniscal damage is associated with higher regional tibial BMD in the same compartment. Our findings highlight the close relationship between meniscal integrity and regional tibial subchondral BMD. PMID:17825586

  14. [Acute injuries of lateral ankle joint ligaments].

    PubMed

    Lacko, M; Sidor, Z; Stolfa, S; Cellár, R; Vasko, G

    2010-08-01

    Acute injuries of the lateral ankle ligaments are one of the most common form of injury involving the musculoskeletal apparatus. Treatment usually range from cast immobilisation or acute surgical repair to functional rehabilitation. The aim of our study was to evaluate the incidence of different grades of acute injuries of lateral ligaments of the ankle joint in our patients group and to compare the results of non surgical versus surgical treatment of third grade injuries. 3148 patients were treated for acute lateral ankle sprain in a period of 5 years at our department. Each patient had stress X-ray of the ankle for evaluation of instability at the first visit. From the 234 patients with third grade injury, 39 were enrolled in our study with non surgical treatment and 18 with surgical treatment. Each group was divided regarding to the age in two subgroups. Functional outcome was evaluated 12 and 24 months after injury with AOFAS clinical rating scale and Sports Ankle Rating System--Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation. Statistical analysis was done with Pearson's Chi quadrate test with P < 0.05. First grade injury was present in 62%, second grade in 31% and only 7% of the patients had third grade injury of the lateral ankle ligaments. Further only third grade injuries were studied. Statistically significant better results were seen in patients under the age of 25, in the patient group with surgical treatment compared to patients over 25 years of age. Also statistically significant better results were seen in patient with surgical treatment to non surgical treatment in each age group. No significant difference was observed in the non surgical treatment group regarding to age. Although the injuries of the ankle ligaments belong to the most common injuries of the musculoskeletal system, there is no consensus in the treatment of such disorders. Our experiences and the results of our study show, that surgical treatment in indicated cases provides better results in residual pain and instability of the ankle joint after acute injury of the lateral ankle ligaments.;

  15. Radiographic evaluation of positional atelectasis in sedated dogs breathing room air versus 100% oxygen.

    PubMed

    Barletta, Michele; Almondia, Donna; Williams, Jamie; Crochik, Sonia; Hofmeister, Erik

    2014-10-01

    This study documents the degree of positional atelectasis in sedated dogs receiving 100% oxygen (O(2)) versus room air. Initial lateral recumbency was determined by an orthopedic study and initial treatment (O(2) or room air) was randomized. Each dog was maintained in lateral recumbency for 15 min, at which time ventrodorsal (VD) and opposite lateral thoracic radiographs were obtained. Each dog was then maintained in the opposite lateral recumbency and received the other treatment for 15 min, followed by a VD and opposite lateral radiograph. Radiographs were scored for severity of pulmonary pattern and mediastinal shift by 3 radiologists. Dogs breathing O(2) had significantly higher scores than dogs breathing room air. If radiographically detectable dependent atelectasis is present, repeat thoracic images following manual positive ventilation and/or position change to the opposite lateral recumbency should be made to rule out the effect of O(2) positional atelectasis and avoid misdiagnosis.

  16. Eliciting and maintaining ruminative thought: the role of social-evaluative threat.

    PubMed

    Zoccola, Peggy M; Dickerson, Sally S; Lam, Suman

    2012-08-01

    This study tested whether a performance stressor characterized by social-evaluative threat (SET) elicits more rumination than a stressor without this explicit evaluative component and whether this difference persists minutes, hours, and days later. The mediating role of shame-related cognition and emotion (SRCE) was also examined. During a laboratory visit, 144 undergraduates (50% female) were randomly assigned to complete a speech stressor in a social-evaluative threat condition (SET; n = 86), in which an audience was present, or a nonexplicit social-evaluative threat condition (ne-SET; n = 58), in which they were alone in a room. Participants completed measures of stressor-related rumination 10 and 40 min posttask, later that night, and upon returning to the laboratory 3-5 days later. SRCE and other emotions experienced during the stressor (fear, anger, and sadness) were assessed immediately posttask. As hypothesized, the SET speech stressor elicited more rumination than the ne-SET speech stressor, and these differences persisted for 3-5 days. SRCE-but not other specific negative emotions or general emotional arousal-mediated the effect of stressor context on rumination. Stressors characterized by SET may be likely candidates for eliciting and maintaining ruminative thought immediately and also days later, potentially by eliciting shame-related emotions and cognitions.

  17. Sealing ability of lateral compaction and tapered single cone gutta-percha techniques in root canals prepared with stainless steel and rotary nickel titanium instruments.

    PubMed

    Koçak, Mustafa M; Darendeliler-Yaman, Sis

    2012-07-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the sealing ability of lateral compaction and tapered single cone gutta-percha techniques in root canals prepared with stainless steel and rotary nickel titanium root canal instruments by fluid filtration method. The root canals were prepared with stainless steel (SS) and nickel titanium (NiTi) instruments. The canals prepared with SS were obturated with lateral compaction technique using .02 tapered cones and the canals prepared with NiTi instruments were obturated with lateral compaction technique using .02 tapered cones or 06 tapered single cones. The amount of leakage was evaluated by fluid filtration model. The results were statistically analyzed with one-way ANOVA. The group prepared with NiTi instruments and filled with lateral compaction technique showed significantly less coronal leakage than the group prepared with SS instruments and filled with lateral compaction technique (p<0.05). There was no statistically difference between apical leakages of groups (p>0.05). Obturation with lateral compaction of gutta-percha provides a superior coronal seal whilst canal instrumentation with engine-driven NiTi files reduces the extent of microleakage in root canals when compared with stainless steel hand instruments. Tapered single cone technique was comparable with lateral compaction technique because of easier application. Key words:Apical leakage, coronal leakage, lateral compaction technique, single cone technique.

  18. Aircraft Carrier Flight Deck Fire Fighting Tactics and Equipment Evaluation Tests

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-02-26

    pattern nozzles; 8. proper fire fighting techniques for possible titanium ignition in an F-14 crash (deleted later by direction of FLSC, being studied ...separately); 9. effect of full fire involvement of "ready for flight" aircraft (deleted later by direction of FLSC, being studied separately). The...to refine and identify specific hardware and tactical requirements generated from the studies conducted during the scoping tests; 3. concept

  19. Medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty improves congruence and restores joint space width of the lateral compartment.

    PubMed

    Khamaisy, Saker; Zuiderbaan, Hendrik A; van der List, Jelle P; Nam, Denis; Pearle, Andrew D

    2016-06-01

    Osteoarthritic progression of the lateral compartment remains a leading indication for medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) revision. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the alterations of the lateral compartment congruence and joint space width (JSW) following medial UKA. Retrospectively, lateral compartment congruence and JSW were evaluated in 174 knees (74 females, 85 males, mean age 65.5years; SD±10.1) preoperatively and six weeks postoperatively, and compared to 41 healthy knees (26 men, 15 women, mean age 33.7years; SD±6.4). Congruence (CI) was calculated using validated software that evaluates the geometric relationship between surfaces and calculates a congruence index (CI). JSW was measured on three sides (inner, middle, outer) by subdividing the lateral compartment into four quarters. The CI of the control group was 0.98 (SD±0.01). The preoperative CI was 0.88 (SD±0.01), which improved significantly to 0.93 (SD±0.03) postoperatively (p<0.001). In 82% of knees, CI improved after surgery, while in 18% it decreased. The preoperative significant JSW differences of the inner (p<0.001) and outer JSW (p<0.001) were absent postoperatively. Our data suggests that a well-conducted medial UKA not only resurfaces the medial compartment but also improves congruence and restores the JSW of the lateral compartment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Lateral Symmetry of Synergies in Lower Limb Muscles of Acute Post-stroke Patients After Robotic Intervention

    PubMed Central

    Tan, Chun Kwang; Kadone, Hideki; Watanabe, Hiroki; Marushima, Aiki; Yamazaki, Masashi; Sankai, Yoshiyuki; Suzuki, Kenji

    2018-01-01

    Gait disturbance is commonly associated with stroke, which is a serious neurological disease. With current technology, various exoskeletons have been developed to provide therapy, leading to many studies evaluating the use of such exoskeletons as an intervention tool. Although these studies report improvements in patients who had undergone robotic intervention, they are usually reported with clinical assessment, which are unable to characterize how muscle activations change in patients after robotic intervention. We believe that muscle activations can provide an objective view on gait performance of patients. To quantify improvement of lateral symmetry before and after robotic intervention, muscle synergy analysis with Non-Negative Matrix Factorization was used to evaluate patients' EMG data. Eight stroke patients in their acute phase were evaluated before and after a course of robotic intervention with the Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL), lasting over 3 weeks. We found a significant increase in similarity between lateral synergies of patients after robotic intervention. This is associated with significant improvements in gait measures like walking speed, step cadence, stance duration percentage of gait cycle. Clinical assessments [Functional Independence Measure-Locomotion (FIM-Locomotion), FIM-Motor (General), and Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Lower Extremity (FMA-LE)] showed significant improvements as well. Our study shows that muscle synergy analysis can be a good tool to quantify the change in neuromuscular coordination of lateral symmetry during walking in stroke patients. PMID:29922121

  1. Lateral directional requirements for a low L/D aeromaneuvering orbital transfer vehicle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gamble, J. D.; Spratlin, K. M.; Skalecki, L. M.

    1984-01-01

    The lateral-directional aerodynamics and control requirements for a low L/D (0.3) aeromaneuvering orbital transfer vehicle are evaluated. A lateral directional RCS control concept that permits a linearized analysis is utilized to evaluate the effect of Dutch Roll frequency and damping on the atmospheric guidance and control performance. The bank rate and acceleration requirements for acceptable performance are defined and the sensitivity to a parameter similar to the lateral control departure parameter but involving the RCS jets is evaluated.

  2. Lateral femoral notch depth is not associated with increased rotatory instability in ACL-injured knees: a quantitative pivot shift analysis.

    PubMed

    Kanakamedala, Ajay C; Burnham, Jeremy M; Pfeiffer, Thomas R; Herbst, Elmar; Kowalczuk, Marcin; Popchak, Adam; Irrgang, James; Fu, Freddie H; Musahl, Volker

    2018-05-01

    A deep lateral femoral notch (LFN) on lateral radiographs is indicative of ACL injury. Prior studies have suggested that a deep LFN may also be a sign of persistent rotatory instability and a concomitant lateral meniscus tear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between LFN depth and both quantitative measures of rotatory knee instability and the incidence of lateral meniscus tears. It was hypothesized that greater LFN depth would be correlated with increased rotatory instability, quantified by lateral compartment translation and tibial acceleration during a quantitative pivot shift test, and incidence of lateral meniscus tears. ACL-injured patients enrolled in a prospective ACL registry from 2014 to 2016 were analyzed. To limit confounders, patients were only included if they had primary ACL tears, no concurrent ligamentous or bony injuries requiring operative treatment, and no previous knee injuries or surgeries to either knee. Eighty-four patients were included in the final analysis. A standardized quantitative pivot shift test was performed pre-operatively under anesthesia in both knees, and rotatory instability, specifically lateral compartment translation and tibial acceleration, was quantified using tablet image analysis software and accelerometer sensors. Standard lateral radiographs and sagittal magnetic resonance images (MRI) of the injured knee were evaluated for LFN depth. There were no significant correlations between LFN depth on either imaging modality and ipsilateral lateral compartment translation or tibial acceleration during a quantitative pivot shift test or side-to-side differences in these measurements. Patients with lateral meniscus tears were found to have significantly greater LFN depths than those without on conventional radiograph and MRI (1.0 vs. 0.6 mm, p < 0.05; 1.2 vs. 0.8 mm, p < 0.05, respectively). There was no correlation between lateral femoral notch depth on conventional radiographs or MRI and quantitative measures of rotatory instability. Concomitant lateral meniscus injury was associated with significantly greater LFN depth. Based on these findings, LFN depth should not be used as an indicator of excessive rotatory instability, but may be an indicator of lateral meniscus injury in ACL-injured patients. Prognostic level IV.

  3. Growth indicators in orthodontic patients. Part 1: comparison of cervical vertebral maturation and hand-wrist skeletal maturation.

    PubMed

    Litsas, G; Ari-Demirkaya, A

    2010-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to predict the skeletal maturation status based on the assessment of cervical vertebrae from lateral cephalometric radiographs and to compare these findings with the skeletal maturity of the same individuals judged from the hand-wrist radiographs. Lateral cephalometric and left hand-wrist radiographs of 393 Caucasian children from 8 to 18 years old were evaluated. On the hand-wrist radiographs the classification of Bjork [1972] and Grave and Brown [1976] was used to assess skeletal maturity (HWSS). Cervical vertebral maturation was also evaluated on lateral cephalometric radiographs using the improved CVMS method described by Baccetti, Franchi, and McNamara [2002]. These methods were correlated using the chi-square test. The chi-square test showed that skeletal maturational values obtained by the CVMS method were significantly correlated with the skeletal values obtained from the hand-wrist analysis for both genders (p<0.05). However, gender differentiation exists in CVMS method regarding the peak of growth spurt. The results of this study show that the CVMS method was compatible with a commonly used hand-wrist analysis method. The lateral cephalometric radiograph belonging to the standard set of records would be sufficient to evaluate skeletal maturity.

  4. Paediatric lateral humeral condyle fractures: internal oblique radiographs alter the course of conservative treatment.

    PubMed

    Kurtulmuş, Tuhan; Sağlam, Necdet; Saka, Gursel; Avcı, Cem Coşkun; Uğurlar, Meriç; Türker, Mehmet

    2014-10-01

    At first presentation of paediatric humeral lateral condyle fractures, radiological methods such as computerised tomography, ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging, arthrography, and internal oblique radiography are used to determine stability. Very few studies show which radiological method should be used to evaluate displacement at follow-up for conservatively treated patients. This study aimed to show that internal oblique radiography is a simple, effective method to determine the subsequent development of fracture displacement in patients with an initially non-displaced or minimally displaced fracture. In this retrospective study, 27 paediatric patients with non-displaced or minimally displaced (<2 mm) humerus lateral condyle fracture were evaluated by elbow anteroposterior radiograph. The degree of fracture displacement was evaluated by anteroposterior then by internal oblique radiographs. The first follow-up was made between the 5th and 8th day and thereafter at intervals of 7-10 days. Of the 27 patients identified with non-displaced or minimally displaced (<2 mm) fracture from the initial anteroposterior radiograph, 16 were accepted as displacement >2 mm as a result of the evaluation of the internal oblique radiography and underwent surgery. At follow-up, 2 of 11 patients were defined with displacement from anteroposterior and internal oblique radiographs and 4 from the internal oblique radiographs and underwent surgery. Conservative treatment was applied to 5 patients. Internal oblique radiography is the best imaging showing subsequent fracture displacement in initially non-displaced or minimally displaced humerus lateral condyle fractures. At the first week follow-up, anteroposterior and particularly internal oblique radiographs should be taken of conservatively treated patients.

  5. Evaluation of the Talar Cartilage in Chronic Lateral Ankle Instability with Lateral Ligament Injury Using Biochemical T2* Mapping: Correlation with Clinical Symptoms.

    PubMed

    Hu, Yiwen; Tao, Hongyue; Qiao, Yang; Ma, Kui; Hua, Yinghui; Yan, Xu; Chen, Shuang

    2018-06-19

    This study aims to quantitatively compare T2* measurements of the talar cartilage between chronic lateral ankle instability (LAI) patients with lateral ligament injury and healthy volunteers, and to assess the association of T2* value with American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score. Nineteen consecutive patients with chronic LAI (LAI group) and 19 healthy individuals (control group) were enrolled. Biochemical magnetic resonance examination of the ankle was performed in all participants using three-dimensional gradient-echo T2* mapping. Total talar cartilage was divided into six subcompartments, including medial anterior (MA), central medial, medial posterior, lateral anterior, central lateral (LC), and lateral posterior regions. T2* values of respective cartilage areas were measured and compared between the two groups using Student t test. AOFAS scoring was performed for clinical evaluation. Then, the association of T2* value with AOFAS score was evaluated by Pearson correlation. The T2* values of total talar cartilage, as well as MA and LC cartilage compartments, in the chronic LAI group were significantly higher than control values (P <.001, P = .039, and P = .014, respectively). Furthermore, the T2* value of MA in the chronic LAI group was negatively correlated with AOFAS score (r =-0.8089, P <.001). Chronic LAI with lateral ligament injury may have a causal connection with early cartilage degeneration in the ankle joint, especially in MA and LC cartilage compartments, as assessed by quantitative T2* measurements. The clinical score correlates highly with T2* value of the MA cartilage compartment, indicating that MA may be the principal cartilage area conferring clinical symptoms. Copyright © 2018 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Old habits die hard; does early urinary catheter removal affect kidney size, bacteriuria and UTI after renal transplantation?

    PubMed

    Akbari, Roghayeh; Rahmani Firouzi, Sedigheh; Akbarzadeh-Pasha, Abazar

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: Renal transplantation is the treatment of choice in chronic renal failure patients. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of urinary catheter removal time on transplanted kidney size and incidence of asymptomatic bacteriuria and urinary tract infections (UTIs). Patients and Methods: This retrospective cohort study evaluated the clinical outcomes of 109 consecutive live donor renal transplant recipients from December 2011 to July 2014. Routine ultrasound examinations were performed on donor's kidney prior to operation and one month later. Kidney volume was calculated. UTI and bacteriuria were evaluated one month later. Patients were divided into two groups based on time of Foley catheter removal (before and after fifth day posttransplantation). Results: In this study 74 males (67.9%) and 35 females (32.1%) were evaluated. Sixty-six patients (57.92%) were in group 1. None of the patients with positive urine culture had UTI but bacteriuria occurred in all of them (21.1%). Bacteriuria time after transplantation and catheter removal was significantly later in group 1 and it was not different in female group but they were later in male group. The mean renal volume increase was positively correlated to renal transplant recipient and donor's age and donor's body mass index (BMI) ( P <0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that the time of catheter removal after kidney transplantation does not affect incidence of UTI but increases the probability of bacteria in men whose catheter was removed within 5 days after transplantation. We also found that the renal volume change is not associated with catheter removal time and bacteriuria.

  7. Efficacy of different irrigation and activation systems on the penetration of sodium hypochlorite into simulated lateral canals and up to working length: an in vitro study.

    PubMed

    de Gregorio, Cesar; Estevez, Roberto; Cisneros, Rafael; Paranjpe, Avina; Cohenca, Nestor

    2010-07-01

    The removal of vital and necrotic pulp tissue, microorganisms, and their toxins is essential for endodontic success. However, the complex anatomy of the root canal system has limited our ability to debride it completely. Hence the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of currently used irrigation and activation systems on the penetration of sodium hypochlorite into simulated lateral canals and to working length in a closed system. One hundred single-rooted teeth were used in this study. A total of 600 simulated lateral canals were created, 6 in each tooth, with 2 lateral canals at 2, 4.5, and 6 mm of working length. To resemble the clinical situation, a closed system was created by coating each root with soft modeling wax. Roots were then randomly assigned to 4 experimental groups: group 1 (n = 20), Endoactivator (sonic activation); group 2 (n = 20), passive ultrasonic (PUI) activation; group 3 (n = 20), F file; group 4 (n = 20), apical negative pressure (ANP) irrigation; and control group 5 (n = 20), positive pressure irrigation. The samples were evaluated by direct observation of the images recorded under the dental operating microscope. The results demonstrated that the ANP irrigation group was superior at reaching working length, and PUI was the most effective at lateral canal penetration. The ANP irrigation system demonstrated limited activation of the irrigant into lateral canals but reached the working length significantly more than the other groups tested. In contrast, PUI group demonstrated significantly more penetration of irrigant into lateral canals but not up to the working length. Copyright 2010 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Evaluation of skeletal maturation by comparing the hand wrist radiograph and cervical vertebrae as seen in lateral cephalogram.

    PubMed

    Mahajan, Shally

    2011-01-01

    Aim of this study was to determine the validity of cervical vertebrae radiographic assessment to predict skeletal maturation. Left-hand wrist and lateral cephalometric radiographs of 100 Bangalore children aged 8-18 years, divided into 10 groups of 10 subjects each with equal distribution of males and females, were measured. On left-hand wrist radiograph, the classification of Fishman was used to assess skeletal maturation. Cervical vertebrae maturation was evaluated with lateral cephalometric radiograph, using the stages developed by Hassel and Farman. The changes in hand wrist and cervical vertebrae were correlated. Significant association was observed between skeletal maturation indicator stages and cervical vertebrae maturation indicator stages. Correlation coefficient was found to be significant (P<0.0001). The results of the study indicated that the cervical vertebrae maturation and hand wrist skeletal maturation was significantly related.

  9. Presurgical evaluation of language using functional magnetic resonance imaging in brain tumor patients with previous surgery.

    PubMed

    Peck, Kyung K; Bradbury, Michelle; Petrovich, Nicole; Hou, Bob L; Ishill, Nicole; Brennan, Cameron; Tabar, Viviane; Holodny, Andrei I

    2009-04-01

    Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is used to assess language laterality in preoperative brain tumor patients. In postsurgical patients, susceptibility artifacts can potentially alter ipsilateral fMRI activation volumes and the assessment of language laterality. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of fMRI to correctly measure language dominance in brain tumor patients with previous surgery because this patient cohort is vulnerable to type II statistical errors and subsequent misjudgment of laterality. Twenty-six right-handed patients with left-hemisphere gliomas (16 with and 10 without previous surgery) underwent preoperative language fMRI. Language laterality was measured using hemispheric and Broca's area regions of interest (ROIs). Hemisphere dominance, as established by laterality measurements, was compared with that determined by intraoperative electrocorticography and behavioral assessments. Localization of primary language cortices was achieved in 24 of 26 patients studied. The hemisphere dominance evaluated by fMRI was verified by intraoperative corticography in only 14 patients (10 with and 4 without previous surgery), and only 12 of them had complete neuropsychological testing. Complete concordance of the laterality with intraoperative electrocorticography and behavioral assessments was found in patients without previous surgery. In patients with previous surgery, concordance was 75% using Broca's area ROI and 88% using hemispheric ROI, notwithstanding susceptibility artifacts. Differences in laterality between pre- and postsurgical patients, based on either hemispheric (P = 0.81) or Broca's area (P = 0.19) ROI measurements were not statistically significant. However, hemispheric ROI analyses were found to be less affected by postsurgical artifacts and may be more suitable for establishing hemisphere dominance. fMRI mapping of eloquent language cortices in brain tumor patients after surgery is feasible and can serve as a useful baseline evaluation for preoperative neurosurgical planning. However, findings should be interpreted with caution in the presence of postsurgical artifacts.

  10. Percutaneous lateral ligament reconstruction with allograft for chronic lateral ankle instability.

    PubMed

    Youn, Hyunkook; Kim, Yong Sang; Lee, Jongseok; Choi, Woo Jin; Lee, Jin Woo

    2012-02-01

    The majority of lateral ankle instability can be treated successfully with conservative method. However, if such treatments fail, surgical treatment should be considered. A wide variety of procedures have been introduced to treat chronic lateral ankle instability. The percutaneous method avoids dissection which is associated with open surgery and can lead to excessive morbidity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes of percutaneous lateral ligament reconstruction with an allograft in the treatment of chronic lateral ankle instability. Between October 2006 and April 2009, percutaneous lateral ligament reconstruction using an allograft was performed on 15 ankles in 13 patients for chronic lateral ankle instability. The patients included in this study satisfied at least one of the following criteria: a previously failed reconstruction of the ligament, severe ankle instability (more than 15 degrees of talar tilt, more than 10 mm of anterior drawer), general laxity of ligaments, body mass index (BMI) higher than 25. The mean followup period was 18.1 (range, 12 to 40) months. The grafted tendon was secured by double tenodeses at both the talus and calcaneus or triple tenodeses which included a fibular tenodesis. The clinical outcomes were evaluated with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain, Karlsson-Peterson ankle score, and patients' subjective satisfaction. The radiological results were evaluated using the varus tilting angle and the anterior displacement distance. The VAS improved from preoperative 3.7 ±2.2 to 1.6 ±1.3 at the last followup (p = 0.002). The Karlsson-Peterson ankle score increased from 54.2 ±8.8 to 80.9 ±7.2 (p = 0.001). Patients were satisfied in 13 cases (86.7%) with excellent or good results. Radiologically, the mean varus tilting angle was 15.5 ±4.4 degrees preoperatively and 7.3 ±3.6 at the last followup (p = 0.001). The anterior drawer distance was 10.1 ±3.3 mm preoperatively and 7.2 ±2.7 mm at last followup (p = 0.001). We believe percutaneous lateral ligament reconstruction with allograft to be a useful method as a salvage procedure for the treatment of severe and complicated types of chronic lateral ankle instability. Furthermore, the minimal invasiveness of this technique provides a good cosmetic outcome and we found it to be a technically easy and fast procedure.

  11. A new distraction arthroplasty device using magnetic force; a cadaveric study.

    PubMed

    Kamei, Goki; Ochi, Mitsuo; Okuhara, Atsushi; Fujimiya, Mineko; Deie, Masataka; Adachi, Nobuo; Nakamae, Atsuo; Nakasa, Tomoyuki; Ohkawa, Shingo; Takazawa, Kobun; Eguchi, Akio; Katou, Tomohiro; Takada, Tsuyoshi; Usman, Muhammad Andry

    2013-04-01

    It is difficult for an articular cartilage injury to repair spontaneously. There are many procedures for treating cartilage injury, however there is no standard procedure for middle-aged patients who have diffuse knee osteoarthritis, especially of the lateral compartment. Therefore, Ochi developed a new distraction device that uses magnetic power to enlarge a joint space and promote cartilage regeneration with microfracture. The purpose of this study is to evaluate this new distraction arthroplasty system by using the cadaveric knee. This study used ten knees from six cadavers that were embalmed by Thiel's methods. The medial and lateral joint space was measured by AP radiographic view before and after distraction, and after weight-bearing to evaluate the joint distraction. The contact pressure of the medial and lateral compartments at the knee extension position by using a prescale film system was measured before and after weight-bearing with a 15 or 30-kg weight-bearing load to evaluate the effectiveness of this device. The lateral joint space significantly increased from the pre-distraction to the post-distraction; however, it did not change significantly between post-distraction and post-weight-bearing. With a 15 or 30-kg weight-bearing load, the contact pressure of the lateral compartment significantly decreased from the pre-distraction to the post-distraction. The most important advantage of this device is that it maintains a continuous distraction tension and enables almost the full range of motion of the knee. We believe that joint distraction by using magnetic force can be a promising option for cartilage injury in middle-aged patients. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Effects of leukocyte-platelet rich fibrin on postoperative complications of direct sinus lifting.

    PubMed

    Gurler, Gokhan; Delilbasi, Cagri

    2016-08-01

    Blood products have been widely used in soft tissue and bone regeneration in oral and maxillofacial surgery. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of leukocyte-platelet rich fibrin (L-PRF) following direct sinus lifting procedure. Twenty-eight patients were included in the study. Direct sinus lifting was performed via lateral window approach under conscious sedation and local anesthesia. Bony window and sinus floor elevation were performed using piezosurgery device. Two groups were formed. In the first group an allogenous bone graft and L-PRF mixture was used as grafting material. The L-PRF membrane was used to close the lateral window. In the second group, only allogenous bone was used for grafting and resorbable collagen membrane was used to close the lateral window. Pain, swelling, sleeping, eating, phonetics, activities of daily living, missed work days and soft tissue healing were evaluated postoperatively. Data of 24 patients were evaluated. Improvements were seen in the studied parameters in the L-PRF group; however, the difference was not significant between the two groups (P>0.05). The use of L-PRF and allogenous bone graft in combination with L-PRF membrane does not significantly improve postoperative complications following direct sinus lifting.

  13. Tuberculosis cervical lymphadenopathy mimics lateral neck metastasis from papillary thyroid carcinoma.

    PubMed

    Kim, Seok-Mo; Jun, Hak Hoon; Chang, Ho-Jin; Chun, Ki Won; Kim, Bup-Woo; Lee, Yong Sang; Chang, Hang-Seok; Park, Cheong Soo

    2016-06-01

    Tuberculosis (TB) lymphadenitis is a frequent cause of lymphadenopathy in areas in which TB is endemic. Cervical lymphadenopathy in TB can mimic lateral neck metastasis (LNM) from papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). This study evaluated the clinicopathological features of patients with PTC and TB lateral neck lymphadenopathy. Of the 9098 thyroid cancer patients who underwent thyroid cancer surgery at the Thyroid Cancer Center of Gangnam Severance Hospital between January 2009 and April 2013, 28 had PTC and showed TB lymphadenopathy of the lateral neck node. The clinicopathological features of these 28 patients were evaluated. Preoperatively, all 28 patients were diagnosed with PTC and showed cervical lymphadenopathy. All had radiological characteristics suspicious of metastasis in lateral neck nodes. Based upon the results from intraoperative frozen sections, lymph node dissection (LND) was not performed on 19 patients. Seven of eight patients who underwent LND had metastasis combined with tuberculous lymphadenopathy, with the remaining patient negative for LNM. Intraoperative sampling and frozen sectioning of lymph nodes suspicious of metastasis can help avoid unnecessary LND for tuberculous lymphadenopathy. © 2014 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

  14. Correlation between permanent tooth eruption pattern and the predominance of the motor function laterality

    PubMed Central

    Veloso-Durán, Ana; Vazquez-Salceda, Carmen M.; López-Jiménez, Julian; Veloso-Durán, Margarita

    2014-01-01

    Objectives: To asses whether dental eruption order can play a role in the early diagnosis of crossed laterality. Study Design: Dental eruption pattern along with eye, ear, hand and foot lateralism were examined on 131 children between 6 to 8 years old from public schools from a multietnic population area of Barcelona city. Statistic methods (Statgraphics Plus 5.1 program) were used to evaluate data recollected. Results: Only foot and dentition lateralities behave as independent variables regarding hand laterality. So dental eruption laterality (along with the foot one) would be one of the parameters more related to hand laterality given that dentition variable relationship is greater that the foot one. This suggests that tooth eruption could be more clinically relevant. Crossed laterality hand-foot is significantly more predominant in men (13%) than in women (1,6%). Meanwhile, the relationship between hand and dentition didn’t show any influence of sex. Conclusions: Dental eruption order, can be used as a good parameter in the determination of the patient’s laterality. Key words:Dentition, dental eruption, motor laterality, crossed laterality. PMID:24608220

  15. Radiographic evaluation of positional atelectasis in sedated dogs breathing room air versus 100% oxygen

    PubMed Central

    Barletta, Michele; Almondia, Donna; Williams, Jamie; Crochik, Sonia; Hofmeister, Erik

    2014-01-01

    This study documents the degree of positional atelectasis in sedated dogs receiving 100% oxygen (O2) versus room air. Initial lateral recumbency was determined by an orthopedic study and initial treatment (O2 or room air) was randomized. Each dog was maintained in lateral recumbency for 15 min, at which time ventrodorsal (VD) and opposite lateral thoracic radiographs were obtained. Each dog was then maintained in the opposite lateral recumbency and received the other treatment for 15 min, followed by a VD and opposite lateral radiograph. Radiographs were scored for severity of pulmonary pattern and mediastinal shift by 3 radiologists. Dogs breathing O2 had significantly higher scores than dogs breathing room air. If radiographically detectable dependent atelectasis is present, repeat thoracic images following manual positive ventilation and/or position change to the opposite lateral recumbency should be made to rule out the effect of O2 positional atelectasis and avoid misdiagnosis. PMID:25320389

  16. Evaluation of maxillary growth: is there any difference using relief incision during palatoplasty?

    PubMed

    Maluf, Ivan; Doro, Ubiratan; Fuchs, Taíse; dos Santos, Diego Esteves; dos Santos Sacomam, Franserg; da Silva Freitas, Renato; Roca, Guilherme Berto

    2014-05-01

    Scar retraction due to exposed bone in palatoplasty is the leading cause of constricted maxilla. Modern techniques have focused on minimizing the effects of scarring by reducing the exposure of the bone area. The objective of the study was to compare the palatal mucoperiosteal detachment with minimal lateral incision, followed by their synthesis, with the maintenance of lateral areas for relaxation (similar to the von Langenbeck technique) and evaluate the transversal development of the maxilla. A prospective, randomized study was conducted, in which the molding of the dental arch of 14 pigs in 2 stages (at 1 month and 5 months) was performed. The pigs were divided into 3 groups: group 1 underwent lateral incision of the palate for mucoperiosteal detachment and maintenance of bone exposure; group 2 underwent mucoperiosteal palatal detachment with lateral access and no bone exposure; and group 3, the control animals, did not undergo any surgical procedures. Measurements of the dental arches were compared between the groups to assess differences in the development of the maxillary transverse diameter. There were no animals lost during the study. Group 1 showed greater growth restriction of the transverse diameter of the maxilla (36%) when compared with groups 2 (56%) and 3 (59%). Groups 2 and 3 showed similar transverse maxillary development, with no statistical difference. The technique of mucoperiosteal detachment without lateral relief incision has the advantage of reducing future morbidity of a constricted maxilla. This study demonstrated that the technique described can reduce rates of maxillary underdevelopment, a significant complication inherent in the procedure for palatoplasty. The lateral incisions reduce maxillary growth by approximately 20% as compared with this technique. Level II of evidence.

  17. Lateral thrust of anterior cruciate ligament-insufficient knees and posterior cruciate ligament-insufficient knees.

    PubMed

    Yoshimura, Ichiro; Naito, Masatoshi; Zhang, Jingfan

    2002-01-01

    Leaving anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) insufficiency and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) insufficiency untreated frequently leads to osteoarthritis (OA). The purpose of this study was to evaluate dynamically the lateral thrust of ACL-insufficient knees and PCL-insufficient knees, and from the findings investigate the relationship between cruciate ligament insufficiency and OA occurrence. An acceleration sensor was attached to the affected and control anterior tibial tubercles, acting in medial-lateral and perpendicular directions. The lateral thrust immediately after heel strike was measured continuously by a telemeter under stabilised walking conditions. When compared to the contralateral healthy knee, the peak value of lateral acceleration immediately after heel strike was significantly larger in the ACL-insufficient knee; and lateral thrust was increased, but not significantly, in the PCL-insufficient knee. Given that lateral thrust of the knee during walking increases due to ACL or PCL injury, it may be a principal contributor to OA progression.

  18. Lingual-Alveolar Contact Pressure during Speech in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Preliminary Findings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Searl, Jeff; Knollhoff, Stephanie; Barohn, Richard J.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: This preliminary study on lingual-alveolar contact pressures (LACP) in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) had several aims: (a) to evaluate whether the protocol induced fatigue, (b) to compare LACP during speech (LACP-Sp) and during maximum isometric pressing (LACP-Max) in people with ALS (PALS) versus healthy controls, (c)…

  19. Dental Anomalies in Different Types of Cleft Lip and Palate: Is There Any Relation?

    PubMed

    Germec Cakan, Derya; Nur Yilmaz, Rahime Burcu; Bulut, Feyza Nur; Aksoy, Ayca

    2018-02-26

    The aims of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of dental anomalies in Turkish patients with different types of cleft lip and palate (CLP) and investigate the relationship between the type of cleft and the dental anomaly. Eighty-eight patients with cleft lip and/or palate (mean age: 14.1 ± 6.4 years) were enrolled in this retrospective study. Dental models, panoramic radiographs, and intraoral photographs of these patients were evaluated to detect any maxillary dental anomaly (number and size anomalies). Two hundred fifty unaffected subjects (mean age: 15.2 ± 7.2 years) composed the control group. Data were evaluated using the independent t test, χ, Fischer exact test, and the odds ratio. Dental anomaly frequency was significantly higher in the cleft group compared with the control group. Tooth agenesis was the most common dental anomaly, followed by microdontia and supernumerary tooth. Lateral incisor agenesis was seen in 69% of the unilateral CLP, in 78% of the bilateral CLP, and in 18% of the cleft palate patients. A significant association was revealed between the right unilateral CLP and the right lateral incisor agenesis (P = 0.0001), the left unilateral CLP and the left lateral incisor agenesis (P = 0.002), and the bilateral CLP and the bilateral lateral incisor agenesis (P = 0.0001). Dental anomalies are more frequently seen in patients with CLP compared with the general population. There is a relationship between the cleft type and the ipsilateral lateral incisor agenesis.

  20. An In-Vitro Evaluation and Comparison of Apical Sealing Ability of Three Different Obturation Technique - Lateral Condensation, Obtura II, and Thermafil.

    PubMed

    Emmanuel, Samson; Shantaram, Kulkarni; Sushil, Kumar C; Manoj, Likhitkar

    2013-04-01

    Success of non-surgical root canal treatment is predicted by meticulous cleaning and shaping of the root canal system, three-dimensional obturation and a well-fitting "leakage-free" coronal restoration. The techniques of obturation that are available have their own relative position in the historical development of filling techniques. Over the years, pitfalls with one technique have often led to the development of newer methods of obturation, along with the recognition that no one method of obturation may satisfy all clinical cases. A total of 120 extracted human permanent anterior maxillary and mandibular single rooted teeth were selected for the present study and divided into 3 groups based on the method of obturation technique. Following the preparation the patency at the apical foramen was confirmed by passing a file #15. After obturation of all three groups, teeth were immersed in 1% of aqueous methylene blue dye for a period of two weeks and then samples were subjected to spectrophotometric analysis. The present study was conducted to evaluate in vitro the spectrophotometric analysis to quantitatively analyze relative amount of dye penetration using lateral condensation (Group I), Obtura II (Group II ), Thermafil obturating technique (Group III) with ZOE sealer used in all groups. Teeth obturated with lateral condensation (Group I) shows mean value of 0.0243 and standard deviation of 0.0056. The Group II thermoplasticized injectable moulded Guttapercha (Obtura II) showed 0.0239 mean and standard deviation value of 0.0045 and Group III Thermafil obturation technique shows 0.0189 as mean value and 0.0035 standard deviation values. Following conclusion was drawn from the present study. Group III i.e., Thermafil obturating technique shows minimum mean apical dye penetration compared to Group II (ObturaII) and Group I (lateral condensation).Lateral condensation shows maximum mean apical dye penetration in all three groups.There is no significant difference between the apical dye penetration of lateral condensation and Obtura II. Obturation, lateral condensation, Obtura II, Thermafil, Spectrophotometer, dye penetration. How to cite this article: Samson E, Kulkarni S, Sushil K C, Likhitkar M. An In-Vitro Evaluation and Comparison of Apical Sealing Ability of Three Different Obturation Technique - Lateral Condensation, Obtura II, and Thermafil. J Int Oral Health 2013; 5(2):35-43.

  1. Management of Chronic Lateral Epicondylitis With Manual Therapy and Local Cryostimulation: A Pilot Study.

    PubMed

    Richer, Nadia; Marchand, Andrée-Anne; Descarreaux, Martin

    2017-12-01

    The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of adding cryostimulation to manual therapy in patients with chronic lateral epicondylitis. The control group (n = 19) was treated with manual therapy consisting of soft-tissue therapy and radial head mobilizations. The experimental group (n = 18) received cryostimulation in addition to manual therapy care similar to that for the control group. Both protocols consisted of 8 treatments over a 4-week period. Outcome measures included pain intensity (visual analog scale), pain-free grip strength (handheld dynamometer), and functional index (Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation questionnaire). Assessments were performed at baseline, postintervention, and 3-month follow-up. Adherence and dropout rates were also considered. Both groups exhibited significant improvements in pain intensity and functional index at postintervention assessments, which were maintained at follow-up. All participants attended the prescribed number of treatments, but 27% were lost at follow-up. Minor adverse events were reported after cryostimulation in 4 cases. This study indicated that it is feasible to complete a clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of adding cryostimulation to manual therapy in patients with chronic lateral epicondylitis. On the basis of these preliminary data, the combination of cryostimulation and manual therapy care did not provide any additional benefits in both the short term and the long term. Manual myofascial point treatment and mobilization techniques yielded positive outcomes in chronic lateral epicondylitis. Further studies should focus on the sole therapeutic effect of cryostimulation in both patients with acute and those with chronic conditions.

  2. Clinical, radiological, and morphological evaluations of posterior horn tears of the lateral meniscus left in situ during anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

    PubMed

    Lee, Dhong Won; Jang, Hyoung Won; Lee, Sung Rak; Park, Jung Ho; Ha, Jeong Ku; Kim, Jin Goo

    2014-02-01

    Recent studies have shown that lateral menisci have a higher healing potential and that they can be treated successfully without symptoms by being left in situ during anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. However, few studies have reported morphological results. Stable posterior horn tears of the lateral meniscus left in situ during ACL reconstruction could be healed spontaneously and would result in not only successful clinical outcomes but also morphological restoration. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Among 367 patients who underwent primary ACL reconstruction between 2008 and 2010, 53 patients who had lateral meniscus tears that were left in situ were analyzed. These patients were evaluated subjectively and radiologically and compared with a matched control group that underwent ACL reconstruction without any other structural disorders. Of the 53 patients with stable posterior horn tears of the lateral meniscus left in situ, 28 patients were assessed by second-look arthroscopic surgery and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The mean follow-up of the study group and the control group was 36.47 and 37.26 months, respectively. There were no statistical differences in postoperative clinical outcomes between the 2 groups. Clinical results of both groups including the Lysholm score, Tegner activity score, and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score significantly improved. In the subgroup composed of 28 patients, follow-up MRI showed 25 (89%) and 24 (86%) healed menisci in sagittal and coronal views, respectively. Twenty-one (75%) were considered to be completely healed, and 5 (18%) were incompletely healed on second-look arthroscopic surgery. Stable posterior horn tears of the lateral meniscus left in situ at the time of ACL reconstruction revealed successful clinical outcomes compared with isolated ACL injuries and showed considerable healing and functional restoration of tears with repeat MRI and second-look arthroscopic surgery. Therefore, leaving stable posterior horn tears of the lateral meniscus in situ during ACL reconstruction should be considered.

  3. Influence of ankle joint plantarflexion and dorsiflexion on lateral ankle sprain: A computational study.

    PubMed

    Purevsuren, Tserenchimed; Kim, Kyungsoo; Batbaatar, Myagmarbayar; Lee, SuKyoung; Kim, Yoon Hyuk

    2018-05-01

    Understanding the mechanism of injury involved in lateral ankle sprain is essential to prevent injury, to establish surgical repair and reconstruction, and to plan reliable rehabilitation protocols. Most studies for lateral ankle sprain posit that ankle inversion, internal rotation, and plantarflexion are involved in the mechanism of injury. However, recent studies indicated that ankle dorsiflexion also plays an important role in the lateral ankle sprain mechanism. In this study, the contributions of ankle plantarflexion and dorsiflexion on the ankle joint were evaluated under complex combinations of internal and inversion moments. A multibody ankle joint model including 24 ligaments was developed and validated against two experimental cadaveric studies. The effects of ankle plantarflexion (up to 60°) and dorsiflexion (up to 30°) on the lateral ankle sprain mechanism under ankle inversion moment coupled with internal rotational moment were investigated using the validated model. Lateral ankle sprain injuries can occur during ankle dorsiflexion, in which the calcaneofibular ligament and anterior talofibular ligament tears may occur associated with excessive inversion and internal rotational moment, respectively. Various combinations of inversion and internal moment may lead to anterior talofibular ligament injuries at early ankle plantarflexion, while the inversion moment acts as a primary factor to tear the anterior talofibular ligament in early plantarflexion. It is better to consider inversion and internal rotation as primary factors of the lateral ankle sprain mechanism, while plantarflexion or dorsiflexion can be secondary factor. This information will help to clarify the lateral ankle sprain mechanism of injury.

  4. Correlation of Lateral Cephalogram and Flexible Laryngoscopy with Sleep Study in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

    PubMed Central

    Narayanan, Anila; Faizal, Bini

    2015-01-01

    Objective. To study the correlation between lateral cephalogram, flexible laryngoscopy, and sleep study in patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Background. Screening tools should be devised for predicting OSA which could be performed on an outpatient basis. With this aim we studied the skeletal and soft tissue characteristics of proven OSA patients. Methods. A prospective study was performed in patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea by sleep study. They were evaluated clinically and subjected to lateral cephalometry and nasopharyngolaryngoscopy. The findings were matched to see if they corresponded to AHI of sleep study in severity. An attempt was made to see whether the data predicted the patients who would benefit from oral appliance or surgery as the definitive treatment in indicated cases. Results. A retropalatal collapse seen on endoscopy could be equated to the distance from mandibular plane to hyoid (MP-H) of lateral cephalometry and both corresponded to severity of AHI. At the retroglossal region, there was a significant correlation with MP-H, length of the soft palate, and AHI. Conclusion. There is significant correlation of lateral cephalogram and awake flexible nasopharyngolaryngoscopy with AHI in OSA. In unison they form an excellent screening tool for snorers. PMID:26689652

  5. Correlation of Lateral Cephalogram and Flexible Laryngoscopy with Sleep Study in Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

    PubMed

    Narayanan, Anila; Faizal, Bini

    2015-01-01

    Objective. To study the correlation between lateral cephalogram, flexible laryngoscopy, and sleep study in patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Background. Screening tools should be devised for predicting OSA which could be performed on an outpatient basis. With this aim we studied the skeletal and soft tissue characteristics of proven OSA patients. Methods. A prospective study was performed in patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea by sleep study. They were evaluated clinically and subjected to lateral cephalometry and nasopharyngolaryngoscopy. The findings were matched to see if they corresponded to AHI of sleep study in severity. An attempt was made to see whether the data predicted the patients who would benefit from oral appliance or surgery as the definitive treatment in indicated cases. Results. A retropalatal collapse seen on endoscopy could be equated to the distance from mandibular plane to hyoid (MP-H) of lateral cephalometry and both corresponded to severity of AHI. At the retroglossal region, there was a significant correlation with MP-H, length of the soft palate, and AHI. Conclusion. There is significant correlation of lateral cephalogram and awake flexible nasopharyngolaryngoscopy with AHI in OSA. In unison they form an excellent screening tool for snorers.

  6. Evaluation of posterior lateral femoral condylar hypoplasia using axial MRI images in patients with complete discoid meniscus.

    PubMed

    Xu, Zhihong; Chen, Dongyang; Shi, Dongquan; Dai, Jin; Yao, Yao; Jiang, Qing

    2016-03-01

    Hypoplasia of the lateral femoral condyle has been reported in discoid lateral meniscus patients, but associated imaging findings in the axial plane have not been characterized. In this study, we aimed to identify differences in the lateral femoral condyle between patients with discoid lateral meniscus and those with normal menisci using axial MRI images. Twenty-three patients (24 knees) with complete discoid lateral meniscus, 43 (45 knees) with incomplete discoid lateral meniscus, and 50 with normal menisci (50 knees) were enrolled and distributed into three groups. Two new angles, posterior lateral condylar angle (PLCA) and posterior medial condylar angle (PMCA), were measured on axial MRI images; the posterior condylar angle (PCA) was also measured. Differences between the three groups in the PLCA, PMCA, PCA, and PLCA/PMCA were analysed. The predictive value of PLCA and PLCA/PMCA for complete discoid lateral meniscus was assessed. In the complete discoid lateral meniscus group, PLCA and PLCA/PMCA were significantly smaller compared with the normal meniscus group and the incomplete discoid lateral meniscus group (P < 0.001). A significantly larger PCA was identified in the complete discoid lateral meniscus group compared with the incomplete discoid lateral meniscus group (P < 0.05) and normal meniscus group (P < 0.05). Both PLCA and PLCA/PMCA showed excellent predictive value for complete discoid lateral meniscus. Hypoplasia of the posterior lateral femoral condyle is typically seen in patients with complete discoid lateral meniscus. PLCA and PLCA/PMCA can be measured from axial MRI images and used as excellent predictive parameters for complete discoid lateral meniscus. Diagnostic study, Level III.

  7. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of ultrasonic versus sonic endodontic systems on canal cleanliness and obturation.

    PubMed

    Kanter, Valerie; Weldon, Emily; Nair, Uma; Varella, Claudio; Kanter, Keith; Anusavice, Kenneth; Pileggi, Roberta

    2011-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to compare 2 irrigation techniques by evaluating canal cleanliness and obturation of lateral/accessory canals. Seventy-five extracted canines were instrumented to a size #40/0.06 taper. The EndoActivator (EA) was compared with an ultrasonic unit for final irrigation. Each unit was used for 1 minute each with 6.15% NaOCl and 17% EDTA. A control group received syringe irrigation. Thirty teeth were sectioned and evaluated for debris removal and open dentinal tubules at 3/5 mm from the apical foramen with a scanning electron microscope. Forty-five teeth were examined for obturation of lateral canals. The EA was significantly better in removing debris at all levels when compared with other treatment groups (P < .05) and resulted in obturation of significantly more numbers of lateral canals (P < .01.) The EA provided better obturation of lateral and accessory canals and resulted in less remaining debris. Copyright © 2011 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. [Comparison of dorso-lateral and dorso-ventral stabilization procedures in the treatment of vertebral fractures].

    PubMed

    Bertram, R; Bessem, H; Diedrich, O; Wagner, U; Schmitt, O

    2003-01-01

    The radiological and clinical outcome of surgical treated thoracolumbal fractures were followed up after 6.7 years. The study encompassed 97 patients. The degrees of the bony deformation and the local kyphosis were measured on the lateral view X-ray at 4 different time points: post trauma, after the operation, before implant removal and at the follow up examination. The clinical outcome was evaluated by the Oswestry score. 74 fractures were treated with a fixateur intern and a dorsal fusion by apposition of autologous bone postero-laterally. 23 fractures were fused in a combined dorso-ventral manner by intervertebral fusion with tricortical autologous bone. The lateral X-rays showed a loss of correction up to 48 % in the dorsal fused group and 10 % loss of correction in the combined group. The local kyphosis increased up to 84 % in the dorsal operated group due to degeneration of the injured disk. The clinical Oswestry score showed no significant difference in both groups. The additional ventral surgery should be evaluated carefully.

  9. Role of an anatomically contoured plate and metal block for balanced stability between the implant and lateral hinge in open-wedge high-tibial osteotomy.

    PubMed

    Jang, Young Woong; Lim, DoHyung; Seo, Hansol; Lee, Myung Chul; Lee, O-Sung; Lee, Yong Seuk

    2018-07-01

    Open-wedge high tibial osteotomy (OWHTO) is a well-established surgical option for medial compartment osteoarthritis of the varus knee. The initial strength of the fixation plate is critical for successful correction maintenance and healing of the osteotomy site. This study was conducted to verify if a newly designed anatomical plate (LCfit) improves the stability of both the medial implant and lateral hinge area, as well as to evaluate how the metal block contributes to both medial and lateral stability. A finite element (FE) tibial model was combined with TomoFix plate, a LCfit plate with and without a metal block. Data analysis was conducted to evaluate the balanced stability, which refers to the enforced lateral stability resulting from redistribution of overall stress. We assessed the balanced stability of the medial implant and lateral hinge area in three cases using the same Sawbones and loads using the tibia FE model. The LCfit plate reduced stress by 23.1% at the lateral hinge compared to the TomoFix plate (TomoFix vs. LCfit: 34.2 ± 23.3 MPa vs. 26.3 ± 17.5 MPa). The LCfit plate with a metal block reduced stress by 40.1% at the medial plate (210.1 ± 64.2 MPa vs. 125.8 ± 65.7 MPa) and by 31.2% (26.3 ± 17.5 MPa vs. 18.1 ± 12.1 MPa) at the lateral hinge area compared to the reduction using the LCfit plate without a metal block. The newly designed fixation system for OWHTO balanced the overall stress distribution and reduced stress at the lateral hinge area compared to that using a conventional fixation system. The addition of the metal block showed additional benefits for balanced stability between the medial implant and lateral hinge area. However, this conclusion could only be drawn using the FE model in this study. Therefore, further clinical studies are necessary to reveal the clinical effect of reduced lateral stress on the occurrence of the lateral hinge fracture and the biologic effect of the metal block on the healing of the medial cortex.

  10. Pencil grips, legibility, and speed of fourth-graders' writing in cursive.

    PubMed

    Koziatek, Susan M; Powell, Nancy J

    2003-01-01

    The purpose of this research was to study how the speed and legibility of fourth-graders handwriting was affected by type of pencil grip on the Evaluation Tool of Children's Handwriting-Cursive. Ninety-five typically developing students and 6 students receiving special education services completed the Evaluation Tool of Children's Handwriting-Cursive (ETCH-C). Photographs were taken of their pencil grips while they wrote the alphabet. One-way ANOVAs were calculated to compare legibility rates and writing speeds by type of pencil grip. Ninety-nine of the students used one of four pencil grips including the dynamic tripod (38 students), the dynamic quadrupod (18), the lateral tripod (22), and the lateral quadrupod (21). One student used the four-finger pencil grip and one used the interdigital pencil grip. Mean cursive writing speeds were similar for all pencil grips except for the interdigital grasp. Speeds obtained were slower than recently published fourth-grade speeds ranging from a mean of 29.45 to 34.75 letters per minute. CONCLUSION. This study found the lateral quadrupod and four-finger pencil grips to be as functional as the dynamic tripod, lateral tripod, and dynamic quadrupod pencil grips. This study provides average handwriting speeds for fourth-grade students on the ETCH-C.

  11. Association between sella turcica bridging and palatal canine impaction: Evaluation using lateral cephalograms and CBCT.

    PubMed

    El Wak, Terry; Akl, Roula; Mati, Myriam; Khoury, Elie; Ghoubril, Joseph

    2018-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to find a correlation between sella turcica bridging and the presence of a palatal impacted canine, using lateral cephalograms and CBCT. We selected the lateral cephalograms and CBCTs of 60 patients meeting specific criteria. The radiographs were analysed to study the relationship between sella turca bridging and several factors. The presence or absence of a partial or total bridging was deducted by measuring the dimensions of the sella turcica and by using an accurate scoring system. Our study did not show any statistically significant association between sella turcica bridging as diagnosed on the lateral cephalogram and the CBCT images and the following factors: age, gender, facial type, skeletal class and the presence of an impacted canine. We found a significant difference for the classification of the sella turcica between these two radiographic methods. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  12. Lateralization of Resting State Networks and Relationship to Age and Gender

    PubMed Central

    Agcaoglu, O.; Miller, R.; Mayer, A.R.; Hugdahl, K.; Calhoun, V.D.

    2014-01-01

    Brain lateralization is a widely studied topic, however there has been little work focused on lateralization of intrinsic networks (regions showing similar patterns of covariation among voxels) in the resting brain. In this study, we evaluate resting state network lateralization in an age and gender-balanced functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) dataset comprising over 600 healthy subjects ranging in age from 12 to 71. After establishing sample-wide network lateralization properties, we continue with an investigation of age and gender effects on network lateralization. All data was gathered on the same scanner and preprocessed using an automated pipeline (Scott et al., 2011). Networks were extracted via group independent component analysis (gICA) (Calhoun, Adali, Pearlson, & Pekar, 2001). Twenty-eight resting state networks discussed in previous (Allen et al., 2011) work were re-analyzed with a focus on lateralization. We calculated homotopic voxelwise measures of laterality in addition to a global lateralization measure, called the laterality cofactor, for each network. As expected, many of the intrinsic brain networks were lateralized. For example, the visual network was strongly right lateralized, auditory network and default mode networks were mostly left lateralized. Attentional and frontal networks included nodes that were left lateralized and other nodes that were right lateralized. Age was strongly related to lateralization in multiple regions including sensorimotor network regions precentral gyrus, postcentral gyrus and supramarginal gyrus; and visual network regions lingual gyrus; attentional network regions inferior parietal lobule, superior parietal lobule and middle temporal gyrus; and frontal network regions including the inferior frontal gyrus. Gender showed significant effects mainly in two regions, including visual and frontal networks. For example, the inferior frontal gyrus was more right lateralized in males. Significant effects of age were found in sensorimotor and visual networks on the global measure. In summary, we report a large-sample of lateralization study that finds intrinsic functional brain networks to be highly lateralized, with regions that are strongly related to gender and age locally, and with age a strong factor in lateralization, and gender exhibiting a trend-level effect on global measures of laterality. PMID:25241084

  13. Lateralization of resting state networks and relationship to age and gender.

    PubMed

    Agcaoglu, O; Miller, R; Mayer, A R; Hugdahl, K; Calhoun, V D

    2015-01-01

    Brain lateralization is a widely studied topic, however there has been little work focused on lateralization of intrinsic networks (regions showing similar patterns of covariation among voxels) in the resting brain. In this study, we evaluate resting state network lateralization in an age and gender-balanced functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) dataset comprising over 600 healthy subjects ranging in age from 12 to 71. After establishing sample-wide network lateralization properties, we continue with an investigation of age and gender effects on network lateralization. All data was gathered on the same scanner and preprocessed using an automated pipeline (Scott et al., 2011). Networks were extracted via group independent component analysis (gICA) (Calhoun et al., 2001). Twenty-eight resting state networks discussed in previous (Allen et al., 2011) work were re-analyzed with a focus on lateralization. We calculated homotopic voxelwise measures of laterality in addition to a global lateralization measure, called the laterality cofactor, for each network. As expected, many of the intrinsic brain networks were lateralized. For example, the visual network was strongly right lateralized, auditory network and default mode networks were mostly left lateralized. Attentional and frontal networks included nodes that were left lateralized and other nodes that were right lateralized. Age was strongly related to lateralization in multiple regions including sensorimotor network regions precentral gyrus, postcentral gyrus and supramarginal gyrus; and visual network regions lingual gyrus; attentional network regions inferior parietal lobule, superior parietal lobule and middle temporal gyrus; and frontal network regions including the inferior frontal gyrus. Gender showed significant effects mainly in two regions, including visual and frontal networks. For example, the inferior frontal gyrus was more right lateralized in males. Significant effects of age were found in sensorimotor and visual networks on the global measure. In summary, we report a large-sample of lateralization study that finds intrinsic functional brain networks to be highly lateralized, with regions that are strongly related to gender and age locally, and with age a strong factor in lateralization, and gender exhibiting a trend-level effect on global measures of laterality. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Multiparity evaluation of calving ease and stillbirth with separate genetic effects by parity.

    PubMed

    Wiggans, G R; Cole, J B; Thornton, L L M

    2008-08-01

    Evaluations that analyze first and later parities as correlated traits were developed separately for calving ease (CE) from over 15 million calving records of Holsteins, Brown Swiss, and Holstein-Brown Swiss crossbreds and for stillbirth (SB) from 7.4 million of the Holstein CE records. Calving ease was measured on a scale of 1 (no difficulty) to 5 (difficult birth); SB status was designated as live or dead within 48 h. Scores for CE and SB were transformed separately for each trait by parity (first or later) and calf sex (male or female) and converted to a unit standard deviation scale. For variance component estimation, Holstein data were selected for the 2,968 bulls with the most records as sire or maternal grandsire (MGS). Six samples were selected by herd; samples ranged in size from 97,756 to 146,138 records. A multiparity sire-MGS model was used to calculate evaluations separately for CE and for SB with first and later parities as correlated traits. Fixed effects were year-season, calf sex, and sire and MGS birth years; random effects were herd-year interaction, sire, and MGS. For later parities, sex effects were separated by parity. The genetic correlation between first and later parities was 0.79 for sire and 0.81 for MGS for CE, and 0.83 for sire and 0.74 for MGS for SB. For national CE evaluations, which also include Brown Swiss, a fixed effect for breed was added to the model. Correlations between solutions on the underlying scale from the January 2008 USDA CE evaluation with those from the multiparity analysis for CE were 0.89 and 0.91 for first- and later-parity sire effects and 0.71 and 0.88 for first- and later-parity MGS effects; the larger value for later parity reflects that later parities comprised 64% of the data. Corresponding correlations for SB were 0.81 and 0.82 for first- and later-parity sire effects and 0.46 and 0.83 for first- and later-parity MGS effects, respectively. Correlations were higher when only bulls with a multiparity reliability of >65% were included. The multiparity analysis accounted for genetic differences in calving performance between first and later parities. Evaluations should become more stable as the portion of a bull's observations from different parities changes over his lifetime. Accuracy of the net merit index can be improved by adjusting weights to use evaluations for separate parities optimally.

  15. Factors affecting femoral rotational angle based on the posterior condylar axis in gap-based navigation-assisted total knee arthroplasty for valgus knee.

    PubMed

    Lee, Sung-Sahn; Lee, Yong-In; Kim, Dong-Uk; Lee, Dae-Hee; Moon, Young-Wan

    2018-01-01

    Achieving proper rotational alignment of the femoral component in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for valgus knee is challenging because of lateral condylar hypoplasia and lateral cartilage erosion. Gap-based navigation-assisted TKA enables surgeons to determine the angle of femoral component rotation (FCR) based on the posterior condylar axis. This study evaluated the possible factors that affect the rotational alignment of the femoral component based on the posterior condylar axis. Between 2008 and 2016, 28 knees were enrolled. The dependent variable for this study was FCR based on the posterior condylar axis, which was obtained from the navigation system archives. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify factors that might predict FCR, including body mass index (BMI), Kellgren-Lawrence grade (K-L grade), lateral distal femoral angles obtained from the navigation system and radiographs (NaviLDFA, XrayLDFA), hip-knee-ankle (HKA) axis, lateral gap under varus stress (LGVS), medial gap under valgus stress (MGVS), and side-to-side difference (STSD, MGVS - LGVS). The mean FCR was 6.1° ± 2.0°. Of all the potentially predictive factors evaluated in this study, only NaviLDFA (β = -0.668) and XrayLDFA (β = -0.714) predicted significantly FCR. The LDFAs, as determined using radiographs and the navigation system, were both predictive of the rotational alignment of the femoral component based on the posterior condylar axis in gap-based TKA for valgus knee. A 1° increment with NaviLDFA led to a 0.668° decrement in FCR, and a 1° increment with XrayLDFA led to a 0.714° decrement. This suggests that symmetrical lateral condylar hypoplasia of the posterior and distal side occurs in lateral compartment end-stage osteoarthritis with valgus deformity.

  16. Comparison of craniofacial linear measurements of 20-40 year-old males and females using digital lateral cephalometric radiography in Indonesia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aurizanti, D.; Suryonegoro, H.; Priaminiarti, M.

    2017-08-01

    Craniofacial characteristics are one of the sex determination parameters of age after puberty. The aim of this study is to obtain linear measurements using lateral cephalometric radiography of adults aged 20-40 years based on sex in Indonesia. Ten linear craniofacial parameters on 100 digital lateral cephalometric radiographs were measured. Inter-intra observer reliability was tested using Technical Error Measurement. The independent t-test and the Mann-Whitney U test were used to evaluate the significance of the findings. There are significant differences between males and females on 10 of the linear measurements using lateral cephalometric radiography. Lateral cephalometric radiography showed that the linear measurements of 10 cephalometic parameters were higher in males than females, so it can be used to determine sex.

  17. Inhibition of Lateral Prefrontal Cortex Produces Emotionally Biased First Impressions: A Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Electroencephalography Study.

    PubMed

    Lapate, Regina C; Samaha, Jason; Rokers, Bas; Hamzah, Hamdi; Postle, Bradley R; Davidson, Richard J

    2017-07-01

    Optimal functioning in everyday life requires the ability to override reflexive emotional responses and prevent affective spillover to situations or people unrelated to the source of emotion. In the current study, we investigated whether the lateral prefrontal cortex (lPFC) causally regulates the influence of emotional information on subsequent judgments. We disrupted left lPFC function using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and recorded electroencephalography (EEG) before and after. Subjects evaluated the likeability of novel neutral faces after a brief exposure to a happy or fearful face. We found that lPFC inhibition biased evaluations of novel faces according to the previously processed emotional expression. Greater frontal EEG alpha power, reflecting increased inhibition by TMS, predicted increased behavioral bias. TMS-induced affective misattribution was long-lasting: Emotionally biased first impressions formed during lPFC inhibition were still detectable outside of the laboratory 3 days later. These findings indicate that lPFC serves an important emotion-regulation function by preventing incidental emotional encoding from automatically biasing subsequent appraisals.

  18. Evaluation of the effects of dorsal versus lateral recumbency on the cardiopulmonary system during anesthesia with isoflurane in red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis).

    PubMed

    Hawkins, Michelle G; Malka, Shachar; Pascoe, Peter J; Solano, Adrian M; Kass, Philip H; Ohmura, Hajime; Jones, James H

    2013-01-01

    To evaluate the effects of dorsal versus lateral recumbency on the cardiopulmonary system during isoflurane anesthesia in red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis). 6 adult 1.1- to 1.6-kg red-tailed hawks. A randomized, crossover study was used to evaluate changes in respiratory rate, tidal volume, minute ventilation, heart rate, mean arterial and indirect blood pressures, and end-tidal Pco(2) measured every 5 minutes plus Paco(2) and Pao(2) and arterial pH measured every 15 minutes throughout a 75-minute study period. Respiratory rate was higher, tidal volume lower, and minute ventilation not different in lateral versus dorsal recumbency. Position did not affect heart rate, mean arterial blood pressure, or indirect blood pressure, although heart rate decreased during the anesthetic period. Birds hypoventilated in both positions and Paco(2) differed with time and position × time interaction. The Petco(2) position × time interaction was significant and Petco(2) was a mean of 7 Torr higher than Paco(2). The Paco(2) in dorsal recumbency was a mean of 32 Torr higher than in lateral recumbency. Birds in both positions developed respiratory acidosis. Differences in tidal volume with similar minute ventilation suggested red-tailed hawks in dorsal recumbency might have lower dead space ventilation. Despite similar minute ventilation in both positions, birds in dorsal recumbency hypoventilated more yet maintained higher Pao(2), suggesting parabronchial ventilatory or pulmonary blood flow distribution changes with position. The results refute the hypothesis that dorsal recumbency compromises ventilation and O(2) transport more than lateral recumbency in red-tailed hawks.

  19. To evaluate the validity of Recurring Esthetic Dental proportion in natural dentition

    PubMed Central

    Shetty, Shilpa; Pitti, Varun; Satish Babu, CL; Surendra Kumar, GP; Jnanadev, KR

    2011-01-01

    Background: Different proportions are described in the literature for smile designing, such as Golden proportion, Golden percentage, Preston's proportion, and recently, Recurring Esthetic Dental (RED) proportion. Aims and Objectives: To evaluate the existence of RED proportion in natural dentition. To determine the relative height of maxillary lateral incisor and canine occurring in natural dentition so that it can be used in any of the above proportions. Materials and Methods: Fifteen male subjects and 15 female subjects in each of the different age groups of 18–23 years, 24–29 years and 30–35 years were selected for this study (total 90). Photographs of the subjects were taken using Nikon D200 camera with 135 mm lens and analyzed using Adobe Photoshop CS4 extended software. The height and width of maxillary central incisors, lateral incisors and canines were found out using the measuring tool provided in the software. Results: Average width ratio and height ratio of maxillary lateral incisor to central incisor and maxillary canine to lateral incisor were calculated to check the existence of RED proportion in natural dentition. Average lateral incisor to central incisor height ratio for “small”- and “medium”-sized teeth was found to be 88% and for “tall”-sized teeth was found to be 84%. Average canine to lateral incisor height ratio for “small”- and “medium”-sized teeth was found to be 106% and for “tall”-sized teeth was found to be 105%. Conclusions: Within the limitations of the study, RED proportion was not seen in natural dentition. PMID:22025841

  20. Later life disability status following incarceration as a prisoner of war.

    PubMed

    Hunt, Stephen C; Orsborn, Mack; Checkoway, Harvey; Biggs, Mary L; McFall, Miles; Takaro, Tim K

    2008-07-01

    Incarceration-related predictors of later life disability in former prisoners of war (POWs) have not been previously described. The objective of this project was to identify aspects of POW incarceration which are associated with later life disability status. Cross-sectional retrospective study of 328 former U.S. military personnel held as POWs (World War II and Korean and Vietnam Wars) who presented for evaluations at a Veterans Affairs medical center between January 1, 1997 and December 31, 2004 outcome measures were: (1) total number of later life disability conditions attributable to incarceration and (2) cumulative percentage later life disability attributable to these conditions. We found significant associations between later life disability and POW experiences, including experiencing or witnessing torture, solitary confinement, forced marches, dysentry, pellagra, vitamin deficiencies, scabies, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Conditions of captivity and health concerns or emotional distress during captivity may contribute to long-term adverse health outcomes as measured by later life disabilities in individuals incarcerated as POWs.

  1. Determination of the normal arthroscopic anatomy of the femoropatellar and cranial femorotibial joints of cattle.

    PubMed

    Nichols, Sylvain; Anderson, David E

    2014-03-01

    The arthroscopic approach and anatomy of the bovine femoropatellar and femorotibial joints are described. A 4-mm diameter, 15-cm long arthroscope with a 30° forward angle view was used. The structures viewed were recorded according to the position of the arthroscope within the joint. The femoropatellar joint was best accessed via a lateral approach, between the middle and lateral patellar ligaments. The axial portion of the medial femorotibial joint was viewed from a medial approach between the middle and medial patellar ligaments and the abaxial portion was viewed from a lateral approach between the middle and the lateral patellar ligaments. The axial portion of the lateral femorotibial joint was viewed from a lateral approach between the middle and the lateral patellar ligaments and the abaxial portion was viewed from a medial approach between the middle and medial patellar ligaments. The results of this study provide guidelines regarding the location of arthroscopic portals to evaluate precisely different areas of the stifle in cattle.

  2. Determination of the normal arthroscopic anatomy of the femoropatellar and cranial femorotibial joints of cattle

    PubMed Central

    Nichols, Sylvain; Anderson, David E.

    2014-01-01

    The arthroscopic approach and anatomy of the bovine femoropatellar and femorotibial joints are described. A 4-mm diameter, 15-cm long arthroscope with a 30° forward angle view was used. The structures viewed were recorded according to the position of the arthroscope within the joint. The femoropatellar joint was best accessed via a lateral approach, between the middle and lateral patellar ligaments. The axial portion of the medial femorotibial joint was viewed from a medial approach between the middle and medial patellar ligaments and the abaxial portion was viewed from a lateral approach between the middle and the lateral patellar ligaments. The axial portion of the lateral femorotibial joint was viewed from a lateral approach between the middle and the lateral patellar ligaments and the abaxial portion was viewed from a medial approach between the middle and medial patellar ligaments. The results of this study provide guidelines regarding the location of arthroscopic portals to evaluate precisely different areas of the stifle in cattle. PMID:24587506

  3. Evaluation of ponticulus posticus on digital lateral cephalograms and cone beam computed tomography in patients with migraine and healthy individuals: a comparative study.

    PubMed

    Sabir, Husain; Kumbhare, Subhash; Rout, Purnendu

    2014-09-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of ponticulus posticus (PP) in patients with migraine. The presence and types of PP were investigated in 100 patients with migraine and 100 healthy controls on digital lateral cephalograms and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans. PP was found in 42% of the patients with migraine and in 19% of the healthy controls on digital lateral cephalograms. CBCT scan found PP in 40 patients with migraine and in 18 healthy controls. The agreement between the occurrence of PP seen on digital lateral cephalograms and that seen on CBCT images was "very good" (κ = 0.92). Significant association was found between PP and migraine. PP is easily visible on lateral cephalograms. For a more accurate diagnosis, CBCT is required. Therefore, radiographic detection of PP must be considered an important task, because this anomaly may be a key indicator of an underlying disease process. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Evaluation of atrial electromechanical delay and its relationship to inflammation and oxidative stress in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

    PubMed

    Acar, Gurkan; Kahraman, Hasan; Akkoyun, Murat; Kilinc, Metin; Zencir, Cemil; Yusufoglu, Edagani; Dirnak, Imran; Sahin, Hatice; Olmez, Soner; Akcay, Ahmet; Ardic, Idris

    2014-05-01

    The aims of this study were to evaluate atrial electromechanical delay, inflammation, and oxidative stress parameters, along with to investigate clinical and laboratory characteristics affecting atrial electromechanical delay in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Forty-three patients with COPD (60.5 ± 9.9 years) and 50 healthy controls (59.6 ± 7.1 years) were included in the study. Atrial electromechanical delay intervals were measured from lateral mitral annulus corrected PA (cPA lateral) and lateral tricuspid annulus (cPA tricuspid) using tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), and corrected for heart rate. Left and right ventricles functions were examined using conventional and TDI. Plasma levels of high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and oxidative stress parameters were also measured. Factors associated with atrial electromechanical delay were evaluated by stepwise multiple regression analysis. Corrected PA lateral and cPA tricuspid were significantly higher in patients with COPD (69.8 ± 10.4 vs. 62.2 ± 8.9 msec, P < 0.001 and 45.4 ± 10.2 vs. 33.5 ± 5.1 msec, P < 0.001, respectively). Plasma levels of hsCRP and malondialdehyde, an indicator of oxidative stress, were increased in patient's group (15.7 ± 31.7 vs. 4.8 ± 4.7 mg/L, P = 0.01 and 17.1 ± 10.3 vs. 11.6 ± 7.9 nmol/L, P = 0.005, respectively). cPA lateral is independently related to lateral Em /Am ratio (β = -0.29, P = 0.004) and forced expiratory volume in 1st second/forced vital capacity (FEV1 /FVC) ratio (β = -0.24, P = 0.02). cPA tricuspid is independently related to only FEV1 /FVC ratio (β = -0.51, P < 0.001). This study shows that atrial electromechanical delay intervals are prolonged in patients with COPD. Prolongation of atrial electromechanical delay measured from lateral tricuspid annulus was independently related with FEV1 /FVC ratio in these patients. © 2013, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Correlation between Forced Vital Capacity and Slow Vital Capacity for the assessment of respiratory involvement in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: a prospective study.

    PubMed

    Pinto, Susana; de Carvalho, Mamede

    2017-02-01

    Slow vital capacity (SVC) and forced vital capacity (FVC) are the most frequent used tests evaluating respiratory function in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). No previous study has determined their interchangeability. To evaluate SVC-FVC correlation in ALS. Consecutive definite/probable ALS and primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) patients (2000-2014) in whom respiratory tests were performed at baseline/4-6months later were included. All were evaluated with revised ALS functional rating scale, the ALSFRS respiratory (R-subscore) and bulbar subscores, SVC, FVC, maximal inspiratory (MIP) and expiratory (MEP) pressures. SVC-FVC correlation was analysed by Pearson product-moment correlation test. Paired t-test compared baseline/follow-up values. Multilinear regression analysis modelled the relationship between tested variables. We included 592 ALS (332 men, mean onset age 62.6 ± 11.8 years, mean disease duration 15.4 ± 15 months) and 19 PLS (11 men, median age 54 years, median disease duration 5.5 years) patients. SVC and FVC predicted values decreased 2.15%/month and 2.08%/month, respectively. FVC and SVC were strongly correlated. Both were strongly correlated with MIP and MEP and moderately correlated with R-subscore for the all population and spinal-onset patients, but weakly correlated for bulbar-onset patients. FVC and SVC were strongly correlated and declined similarly. This correlation was preserved in bulbar-onset ALS and in spastic PLS patients.

  6. Arthroscopic R-LCL plication for symptomatic minor instability of the lateral elbow (SMILE).

    PubMed

    Arrigoni, Paolo; Cucchi, Davide; D'Ambrosi, Riccardo; Menon, Alessandra; Aliprandi, Alberto; Randelli, Pietro

    2017-07-01

    Minor instability has been proposed as a possible aetiology of lateral elbow pain. This study presents the results of the arthroscopic plication of the radial component of the lateral collateral ligament (R-LCL) to reduce minor instability of the lateral elbow. Twenty-seven patients with recalcitrant lateral epicondylitis who had failed conservative therapy and who had no previous trauma or overt instability, were included. R-LCL plication was performed in the presence of at least one sign of lateral ligamentous patholaxity and one intra-articular abnormal finding. Single-assessment numeric evaluation (SANE), Oxford Elbow Score (OES), quickDASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, Hand), patient satisfaction and post-operative range of motion were evaluated. SANE improved from a median of 30 [2-40] points pre-operatively to 90 [80-100] at final follow-up (p < 0.0001), and 96.3% patients obtained good or excellent subjective results. Post-operative median quickDASH was 9.1 [0-25] points and OES 42 [34-48]. Median post-operative flexion was 145°, and extension was 0°. Post-operative flexion was restrained in seven patients and extension in eight patients; 59% of patients reached full ROM at final follow-up. R-LCL plication produces subjective satisfaction and positive clinical results in patients presenting with a symptomatic minor instability of the lateral elbow (SMILE) at 2-year median follow-up. A slight limitation in range of motion is a possible undesired consequence of this intervention. Retrospective case series, Level IV.

  7. American Thyroid Association consensus review and statement regarding the anatomy, terminology, and rationale for lateral neck dissection in differentiated thyroid cancer.

    PubMed

    Stack, Brendan C; Ferris, Robert L; Goldenberg, David; Haymart, Megan; Shaha, Ashok; Sheth, Sheila; Sosa, Julie Ann; Tufano, Ralph P

    2012-05-01

    Cervical lymph node metastases from differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) are common. Thirty to eighty percent of patients with papillary thyroid cancer harbor lymph node metastases, with the central neck being the most common compartment involved. The goals of this study were to: (1) identify appropriate methods for determining metastatic DTC in the lateral neck and (2) address the extent of lymph node dissection for the lateral neck necessary to control nodal disease balanced against known risks of surgery. A literature review followed by formulation of a consensus statement was performed. Four proposals regarding management of the lateral neck are made for consideration by organizations developing management guidelines for patients with thyroid nodules and DTC including the next iteration of management guidelines developed by the American Thyroid Association (ATA). Metastases to lateral neck nodes must be considered in the evaluation of the newly diagnosed thyroid cancer patient and for surveillance of the previously treated DTC patient. Lateral neck lymph nodes are a significant consideration in the surgical management of patients with DTC. When current guidelines formulated by the ATA and by other international medical societies are followed, initial evaluation of the DTC patient with ultrasound (or other modalities when indicated) will help to identify lateral neck lymph nodes of concern. These findings should be addressed using fine-needle aspiration biopsy. A comprehensive neck dissection of at least nodal levels IIa, III, IV, and Vb should be performed when indicated to optimize disease control.

  8. High-Resolution 7T MR Imaging of the Motor Cortex in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

    PubMed

    Cosottini, M; Donatelli, G; Costagli, M; Caldarazzo Ienco, E; Frosini, D; Pesaresi, I; Biagi, L; Siciliano, G; Tosetti, M

    2016-03-01

    Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive motor neuron disorder that involves degeneration of both upper and lower motor neurons. In patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, pathologic studies and ex vivo high-resolution MR imaging at ultra-high field strength revealed the co-localization of iron and activated microglia distributed in the deep layers of the primary motor cortex. The aims of the study were to measure the cortical thickness and evaluate the distribution of iron-related signal changes in the primary motor cortex of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis as possible in vivo biomarkers of upper motor neuron impairment. Twenty-two patients with definite amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and 14 healthy subjects underwent a high-resolution 2D multiecho gradient-recalled sequence targeted on the primary motor cortex by using a 7T scanner. Image analysis consisted of the visual evaluation and quantitative measurement of signal intensity and cortical thickness of the primary motor cortex in patients and controls. Qualitative and quantitative MR imaging parameters were correlated with electrophysiologic and laboratory data and with clinical scores. Ultra-high field MR imaging revealed atrophy and signal hypointensity in the deep layers of the primary motor cortex of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with a diagnostic accuracy of 71%. Signal hypointensity of the deep layers of the primary motor cortex correlated with upper motor neuron impairment (r = -0.47; P < .001) and with disease progression rate (r = -0.60; P = .009). The combined high spatial resolution and sensitivity to paramagnetic substances of 7T MR imaging demonstrate in vivo signal changes of the cerebral motor cortex that resemble the distribution of activated microglia within the cortex of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Cortical thinning and signal hypointensity of the deep layers of the primary motor cortex could constitute a marker of upper motor neuron impairment in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. © 2016 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

  9. Screening for chemicals that affect hair cell death and survival in the zebrafish lateral line.

    PubMed

    Ou, Henry; Simon, Julian A; Rubel, Edwin W; Raible, David W

    2012-06-01

    The zebrafish lateral line is an efficient model system for the evaluation of chemicals that protect and damage hair cells. Located on the surface of the body, lateral line hair cells are accessible for manipulation and visualization. The zebrafish lateral line system allows rapid screens of large chemical libraries, as well as subsequent thorough evaluation of interesting compounds. In this review, we focus on the results of our previous screens and the evolving methodology of our screens for chemicals that protect hair cells, and chemicals that damage hair cells using the zebrafish lateral line. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. An evaluation of string theory for the prediction of dynamic tire properties using scale model aircraft tires

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Clark, S. K.; Dodge, R. N.; Nybakken, G. H.

    1972-01-01

    The string theory was evaluated for predicting lateral tire dynamic properties as obtained from scaled model tests. The experimental data and string theory predictions are in generally good agreement using lateral stiffness and relaxation length values obtained from the static or slowly rolling tire. The results indicate that lateral forces and self-aligning torques are linearly proportional to tire lateral stiffness and to the amplitude of either steer or lateral displacement. In addition, the results show that the ratio of input excitation frequency to road speed is the proper independent variable by which frequency should be measured.

  11. Intensive Reading Remediation in Grade 2 or 3: Are There Effects a Decade Later?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blachman, Benita A.; Schatschneider, Christopher; Fletcher, Jack M.; Murray, Maria S.; Munger, Kristen A.; Vaughn, Michael G.

    2014-01-01

    Despite data supporting the benefits of early reading interventions, there has been little evaluation of the long-term educational impact of these interventions, with most follow-up studies lasting less than 2 years (Suggate, 2010). This study evaluated reading outcomes more than a decade after the completion of an 8-month reading intervention…

  12. Effects of Self-Evaluation Training on Narrative Writing.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ross, John A.; Rolheiser, Carol; Hogaboam-Gray, Anne

    Despite the burgeoning use of authentic assessment, few studies have examined effects on students. In this study, 148 students in 15 grade 4-6 classrooms were taught over an 8-week period how to evaluate their work. Their self-reflections were later compared with those of 148 control group students. Treatment group students became more accurate in…

  13. Comparative evaluation between cervical vertebral morphology and hand-wrist morphology for skeletal maturation assessment.

    PubMed

    Grippaudo, C; Garcovich, D; Volpe, G; Lajolo, C

    2006-05-01

    The aim of the study was to find a correlation between the evaluation of skeletal maturation performed by the study of cervical vertebrae maturation indicators and the evaluation obtained by the hand and wrist maturation indicators. Left hand wrist radiographs and the corresponding lateral cephalograms of 90 patients (48 males and 42 females; aged 6 to 14 years) were paired and a study group of 128 pair of radiographs was obtained, having some patients 2 or more radiographs at different times. Hand and wrist radiographs were evaluated according to the protocol proposed by Grave (scores 0 to 9); corresponding lateral cephalograms were evaluated according to the method reported by Baccetti (scores 1 to 5). Values obtained with the 2 methods were analyzed by Spearman's correlation test. When the values were compared globally in the 2 genders a good correlation was obtained (r=0.795; P<0.001); when the correlation was compared separately in the 2 genders a better correlation was observed in females (r=0.84; P<0.001) than in males (r=0.70; P<0.001). The results obtained clearly underline the accuracy of the skeletal maturation evaluation by the analysis of cervical vertebrae in laterolateral cephalograms which can substitute the hand and wrist radiograph for the skeletal maturation evaluation in orthodontic diagnosis.

  14. Radical lateral body-wall resection for fibrosarcoma with reconstruction using polypropylene mesh and a caudal superficial epigastric axial pattern flap: a prospective clinical study of the technique and results in 6 cats.

    PubMed

    Lidbetter, David A; Williams, Fred A; Krahwinkel, D J; Adams, William H

    2002-01-01

    To describe and evaluate a technique for radical resection of the lateral body wall for treatment of fibrosarcoma with reconstruction using polypropylene mesh and a caudal superficial epigastric axial pattern flap in cats. Prospective, clinical study. Six client-owned cats with fibrosarcoma. Six cats with histologically confirmed fibrosarcoma of the lateral body wall were staged using radiography and/or computer tomography scanning. Preoperative radiotherapy was used in 3 cats. All cats had the lateral abdominal wall resected and reconstructed with polypropylene mesh. A caudal superficial epigastric flap was mobilized and rotated to close the skin deficit. The animals were evaluated after surgery for wound complications, tumor recurrence, and metastasis. Outcome was assessed by patient examination and client consultation. Minor dehiscence of the skin flaps occurred in 2 cats, and 1 other cat was successfully resuscitated from respiratory and cardiac arrest after surgery. All tissue specimens were tumor-free at the surgical margins. Follow-up times ranged from 12 to 21 months, with a mean time of 17.2 months. None of the cats had evidence of local tumor recurrence or metastasis; outcome was judged good to excellent in all cats. Radical lateral body-wall resection and reconstruction is an effective technique for achieving local tumor control with acceptable patient morbidity. Further studies are needed to assess whether the technique will result in improved tumor-free intervals and survival times. Copyright 2002 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeons

  15. Combined medial and lateral anatomic ligament reconstruction for chronic rotational instability of the ankle.

    PubMed

    Buchhorn, Tomas; Sabeti-Aschraf, Manuel; Dlaska, Constantin E; Wenzel, Florian; Graf, Alexandra; Ziai, Pejman

    2011-12-01

    This study aimed to extend knowledge on the arthroscopic evaluation of the unstable ankle joint and the outcome of ligament reconstruction on rotational instability. In contrast to previous studies, we investigated the combined repair of lateral and medial ligaments. Ninety-six patients underwent medial and lateral ligament reconstruction between 2006 and 2008, 81 of whom, with a mean age of 31.9 (range, 14 to 44) years, completed the 12-month followup and were therefore included in this study (Table 1). Clinical, radiographic, and concomitant arthroscopic examination was performed prior to the ligament stabilization. Postoperative followup included clinical and radiographic evaluation after 3, 6, and 12 months. Arthroscopy showed a lesion of the anterior fibulotalar ligament (AFTL), calcaneofibular ligament (CFL), and tibiocalcanear ligament (TCL) (Deep part of deltoid ligament complex) in 67 patients. An avulsion of the proximal insertion point of the ATTL was additionally found in 14 cases. Clinical results 3 months after surgery showed a significant increase in the AOFAS-Hindfoot Score as well as a significant decrease of the Visual Analogue-Scale for pain (VAS) (p < 0.0001). This outcome persisted at the 12-month examination. Rotational instability of the ankle joint in most cases has an injury of the lateral ligaments and a component of the deltoid, the TCL, but rarely with a combined lesion of the TCL and the anterior tibiotalar ligament (ATTL) (Superficial part of deltoid ligament complex). The combined lateral and medial ligament reconstruction with an anchor technique had a good clinical outcome with high patient satisfaction with few complications.

  16. Measuring and evaluating morphological asymmetry in fish: distinct lateral dimorphism in the jaws of scale-eating cichlids.

    PubMed

    Hata, Hiroki; Yasugi, Masaki; Takeuchi, Yuichi; Takahashi, Satoshi; Hori, Michio

    2013-11-01

    The left-right asymmetry of scale-eating Tanganyikan cichlids is described as a unilateral topographical shift of the quadratomandibular joints. This morphological laterality has a genetic basis and has therefore been used as a model for studying negative frequency-dependent selection and the resulting oscillation in frequencies of two genotypes, lefty and righty, in a population. This study aims were to confirm this laterality in Perissodus microlepis Boulenger and P. straeleni (Poll) and evaluate an appropriate method for measuring and testing the asymmetry. Left-right differences in the height of the mandible posterior ends (HMPE) and the angle between the neurocranium and vertebrae of P. microlepis and P. straeleni were measured on skeletal specimens. Snout-bending angle was also measured using a dorsal image of the same individuals following a previous method. To define which distribution model, fluctuating asymmetry (FA), directional asymmetry (DA), or antisymmetry (AS), best fit to the lateral asymmetry of the traits, we provided an R package, IASD. As a result, HMPE and neurocranium-vertebrae angle of both species were best fitted to AS, suggesting that P. microlepis and P. straeleni showed a distinct dimorphism in these traits, although snout-bending angle of P. microlepis was best fitted to FA. Measurement error was low for HMPE comparing the snout-bending angle in P. microlepis, indicating that measuring HMPE is a more accurate method. The scale-eating tribe Perissodini showed distinct antisymmetry in the jaw skeleton and neurocranium-vertebrae angle, and this laterality remains a valid marker for further evolutionary studies.

  17. Measuring and evaluating morphological asymmetry in fish: distinct lateral dimorphism in the jaws of scale-eating cichlids

    PubMed Central

    Hata, Hiroki; Yasugi, Masaki; Takeuchi, Yuichi; Takahashi, Satoshi; Hori, Michio

    2013-01-01

    The left–right asymmetry of scale-eating Tanganyikan cichlids is described as a unilateral topographical shift of the quadratomandibular joints. This morphological laterality has a genetic basis and has therefore been used as a model for studying negative frequency-dependent selection and the resulting oscillation in frequencies of two genotypes, lefty and righty, in a population. This study aims were to confirm this laterality in Perissodus microlepis Boulenger and P. straeleni (Poll) and evaluate an appropriate method for measuring and testing the asymmetry. Left–right differences in the height of the mandible posterior ends (HMPE) and the angle between the neurocranium and vertebrae of P. microlepis and P. straeleni were measured on skeletal specimens. Snout-bending angle was also measured using a dorsal image of the same individuals following a previous method. To define which distribution model, fluctuating asymmetry (FA), directional asymmetry (DA), or antisymmetry (AS), best fit to the lateral asymmetry of the traits, we provided an R package, IASD. As a result, HMPE and neurocranium–vertebrae angle of both species were best fitted to AS, suggesting that P. microlepis and P. straeleni showed a distinct dimorphism in these traits, although snout-bending angle of P. microlepis was best fitted to FA. Measurement error was low for HMPE comparing the snout-bending angle in P. microlepis, indicating that measuring HMPE is a more accurate method. The scale-eating tribe Perissodini showed distinct antisymmetry in the jaw skeleton and neurocranium–vertebrae angle, and this laterality remains a valid marker for further evolutionary studies. PMID:24363893

  18. Friction-reducing devices for lateral patient transfers: a clinical evaluation.

    PubMed

    Baptiste, Andrea; Boda, Sruthi V; Nelson, Audrey L; Lloyd, John D; Lee, William E

    2006-04-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess the performance of lateral transfer devices compared with the traditional draw sheet method in acute care settings through subjective feedback of caregivers actually using the devices. Every 2 weeks, the eight participating acute care units each received one of the devices, which had been randomly selected. Data were collected through caregiver surveys, which rated comfort, ease of use, perceived injury risk, time efficiency, and patient safety. An overall performance rating was calculated as the sum of these five categories. Caregivers rated air-assisted devices significantly higher (p < .05) than other devices. Lateral transfer devices are recommended over the traditional draw sheet method for performing lateral patient transfers. These friction-reducing devices are a cost-effective solution to the load of lateral patient transfers and should be favorably considered when purchasing patient-handling technologies.

  19. Predicting persistence of functional abdominal pain from childhood into young adulthood.

    PubMed

    Horst, Sara; Shelby, Grace; Anderson, Julia; Acra, Sari; Polk, D Brent; Saville, Benjamin R; Garber, Judy; Walker, Lynn S

    2014-12-01

    Pediatric functional abdominal pain has been linked to functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) in adulthood, but little is known about patient characteristics in childhood that increase the risk for FGID in young adulthood. We investigated the contribution of gastrointestinal symptoms, extraintestinal somatic symptoms, and depressive symptoms in pediatric patients with functional abdominal pain and whether these predicted FGIDs later in life. In a longitudinal study, consecutive new pediatric patients, diagnosed with functional abdominal pain in a subspecialty clinic, completed a comprehensive baseline evaluation of the severity of their physical and emotional symptoms. They were contacted 5 to 15 years later and evaluated, based on Rome III symptom criteria, for abdominal pain-related FGIDs, including irritable bowel syndrome, functional dyspepsia, functional abdominal pain syndrome, and abdominal migraine. Controlling for age, sex, baseline severity of abdominal pain, and time to follow-up evaluation, multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the association of baseline gastrointestinal, extraintestinal somatic, and depressive symptoms in childhood with FGID in adolescence and young adulthood. Of 392 patients interviewed an average of 9.2 years after their initial evaluation, 41% (n = 162) met symptom criteria for FGID; most met the criteria for irritable bowel syndrome. Extraintestinal somatic and depressive symptoms at the initial pediatric evaluation were significant predictors of FGID later in life, after controlling for initial levels of GI symptoms. Age, sex, and abdominal pain severity at initial presentation were not significant predictors of FGID later in life. In pediatric patients with functional abdominal pain, assessment of extraintestinal and depressive symptoms may be useful in identifying those at risk for FGID in adolescence and young adulthood. Copyright © 2014 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Residential Wilderness Programs: The Role of Social Support in Influencing Self-Evaluations of Male Adolescents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cook, Emily C.

    2008-01-01

    This qualitative study explores the aspects of a residential wilderness experience that informed self-evaluations in male adolescents, ages 12-16. To assess change in self-evaluations and program factors associated with change, qualitative interviews were conducted with adolescents upon entry to the program and four months later. Participants'…

  1. Influence of ultrasonic and sonic activation of epoxy-amine resin-based sealer on penetration of sealer into lateral canals.

    PubMed

    Arslan, Hakan; Abbas, Aneesh; Karatas, Ertugrul

    2016-11-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of sonic and ultrasonic activation of epoxy-amine resin-based root canal sealer (2Seal; VDW GmbH, München, Germany) on penetration of the sealer into lateral canals compared to non-activated filling. Thirty-six single-rooted human anterior teeth were decoronated and prepared, using the ProTaper rotary system (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) to F4. After the completion of the clearing procedures, lateral canals were created at 2, 4, and 6 mm from the working length. The specimens were randomly divided into a control group (non-activated sealer application) and two experimental groups that received a sealer application with either sonic or ultrasonic activation. The root canals were filled using cold lateral compaction and images were obtained from each lateral canals at 40× magnification using a stereomicroscope. The sealer penetration was evaluated using a four-grade scoring system. The data were evaluated statistically using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests with a 95 % confidence level (P = 0.05). The ultrasonic activation resulted in a better sealer penetration compared with the non-activated and sonically activated groups (P < 0.001). Sonic activation also resulted in better sealer penetration compared to the non-activated group (P < 0.001). The use of the ultrasonic activation of an epoxy-amine resin-based sealer promoted greater sealer penetration into the lateral canals. Sonic activation was not effective as ultrasonic activation, but was more effective than the non-activated group. The ultrasonic activation of an epoxy-amine resin-based sealer could be beneficial in filling procedures.

  2. Spine lateral flexion strength development differences between exercises with pelvic stabilization and without pelvic stabilization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Straton, Alexandru; Gidu, Diana Victoria; Micu, Alexandru

    2015-02-01

    Poor lateral flexor muscle strength can be an important source of lumbar/thoracic back pain in women. The purpose of this study was to evaluate pelvic stabilization (PS) and no pelvic stabilization (NoPS) lateral flexion strength exercise training on the development of isolated right and left lateral flexion strength. Isometric torque of the isolated right and left lateral flexion muscles was measured at two positions (0° and 30° opposed angle range of motion) on 42 healthy women before and after 8 weeks of PS and NoPS lateral flexion strength exercise training. Subjects were assigned in three groups, the first (n=14) trained 3 times/week with PS lateral flexion strength exercise, the second (n=14) trained 3 times/week with NoPS lateral flexion strength exercise and the third (control, n=14) did not train. Post training isometric strength values describing PS and NoPS lateral flexion strength improved in greater extent for the PS lateral flexion strength exercise group and in lesser extent for the NoPS lateral flexion strength exercise group, in both angles (p<0.05) relative to controls. These data indicate that the most effective way of training the spine lateral flexion muscles is PS lateral flexion strength exercises; NoPS lateral flexion strength exercises can be an effective way of training for the spine lateral flexion muscles, if there is no access to PS lateral flexion strength training machines.

  3. [Maxillary advancement osteotomy with sequelae cleft lip and palate: Dilemma between occlusion and aesthetic profile].

    PubMed

    Vigneron, A; Morand, B; Lafontaine, V; Lesne, V; Lesne, C; Bettega, G

    2015-11-01

    Maxillary hypoplasia is a common sequela of cleft lip and palate. Its surgical treatment consists in a maxillary advancement by distraction or by conventional orthognathic surgery but morphological results are unpredictable. Our goal in this study was to see if the esthetical results (on the lip and the nose) of maxillary advancement were correlated to the preservation of lateral incisor space of the cleft side. This retrospective study included 38 patients operated between 2002 and 2013. Unilateral clefts were studied independently from bilateral clefts. Profile aesthetics was evaluated independently and subjectively by two surgeons and scored on an 8-point scale. The result was classified as "good" if the score was superior or equal to 6. The score was correlated to the following parameters: amount of maxillary advancement, upper incisor axis, preservation of the missing lateral incisor space. In the "good result" group, the space of the lateral incisor was less often preserved. The nasolabial angle was more open and the upper central incisor axis more vertical. These results were more pronounced in bilateral clefts, but also found in unilateral clefts. Under reservation of the subjective evaluation and of the small number of patients, it seemed that lateral incisor space closure improved the profile of patients treated by maxillary advancement for cleft lip and palate sequelae. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  4. 76 FR 78823 - Schedule for Rating Disabilities; Evaluation of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-12-20

    ... revising the disability evaluation criterion provided for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to provide an evaluation of 100 percent for any veteran with service-connected ALS. This change is necessary to adequately... to provide a total disability rating for any veteran with service-connected ALS. DATES: Effective...

  5. 75 FR 35711 - Schedule for Rating Disabilities; Evaluation of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-23

    ... revising the evaluation criterion for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to provide a 100-percent evaluation for any veteran with service-connected ALS. This change is necessary to adequately compensate... provide a total disability rating for any veteran with service- connected ALS. DATES: Comments must be...

  6. Comparison of Clinical Efficacy of Lateral and Lateral and Medial Double-plating Fixation of Distal Femoral Fractures.

    PubMed

    Bai, Zhibiao; Gao, Shichang; Hu, Zhenming; Liang, Anlin

    2018-03-20

    The present study was performed to compare the clinical efficacy of lateral plate and lateral and medial double-plating fixation of distal femoral fractures and explore the indication of lateral and medial double-plating fixation of the distal femoral fractures. From March 2006 to April 2014, 48 and 12 cases of distal femoral fractures were treated with lateral plate (single plate) and lateral and medial plates (double plates), respectively. During the surgery, after setting the lateral plate for the distal femoral fractures, if the varus stress test of the knee was positive and the lateral collateral ligament rupture was excluded, lateral and medial double-plating fixation was used for the stability of the fragments. All the patients were followed up at an average period of 15.9 months. The average operation time, the intraoperative hemorrhage and the fracture union time of the two groups were compared. One year after operation, knee function was evaluated by the Kolmert's standard. There was no significant difference in the average operation time, intraoperative hemorrhage, fracture healing time and excellent and good rates of postoperative knee function between two groups. Positive Varus stress test during operation can be an indication for lateral and medial double-plating fixation of distal femoral fractures.

  7. Dental anomalies in an orthodontic patient population with maxillary lateral incisor agenesis.

    PubMed

    Citak, Mehmet; Cakici, Elif Bahar; Benkli, Yasin Atakan; Cakici, Fatih; Bektas, Bircan; Buyuk, Suleyman Kutalmış

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of dental anomalies in a subpopulation of orthodontic patients with agenesis of maxillary lateral incisors (MLI). The material of the present study included the records of the 1964 orthodontic patients. Panoramic radiographs and dental casts were used to analyze other associated eight dental anomalies, including agenesis of other teeth, dens invaginatus, dens evaginatus, peg shaped MLI, taurodontism, pulp stone, root dilaceration and maxillary canine impaction. Out of the 1964 patients examined, 90 were found to have agenesis of MLI, representing a prevalence of 4.6%. The most commonly found associated-anomalies were agenesis of other teeth (23.3%), peg-shaped MLIs (15.6%), taurodontism (42.2%), and dilacerated teeth (18.9%). Permanent tooth agenesis, taurodontism, peg-shaped maxillary lateral incisor, and root dilacerations are frequently associated with maxillary lateral incisor agenesis.

  8. Does creating a subperiosteal tunnel influence the periorbital edema and ecchymosis in rhinoplasty?

    PubMed

    Kara, Cüneyt Orhan; Kara, Inci Gökalan; Topuz, Bülent

    2005-08-01

    The study goal was to determine whether creating a subperiosteal tunnel before lateral osteotomy had an effect on postoperative periorbital edema, ecchymosis, and subconjunctival ecchymosis. Eighteen consecutive patients who underwent septorhinoplasty were included in the study. In all patients lateral osteotomies were carried out bilaterally, after creating a subperiosteal tunnel on a randomly chosen side and without creating a subperiosteal tunnel on the other side. The patients were seen on the second postoperative day, and a different surgeon who was unaware of the side with the periosteal tunnel determined the side of the face with more edema and ecchymosis. Subconjunctival ecchymosis was evaluated and recorded, as well. Creating subperiosteal tunnels before lateral osteotomy statistically increased periorbital ecchymosis. Although there was no statistically significant difference, creating subperiosteal tunnels also increased development and severity of subconjunctival ecchymosis and edema. We suggest performing lateral osteotomy without creating subperiosteal tunnels.

  9. Tracing the evolution of critical evaluation skills in students' use of the Internet.

    PubMed

    Blumberg, P; Sparks, J

    1999-04-01

    This paper documents the evolving uses of the Internet made by public health graduate students and traces the development of their search methods and critical evaluative criteria. Early in the first semester and again six months later, twenty-four graduate students in a problem-based learning curriculum, which emphasizes evidence-based critical thinking skills, were required to describe their most helpful resources and to evaluate these resources critically. The answers were coded for the types of resources the students used, how frequently they were used, and why they were used. Student perception of the usefulness of resources, especially the Internet, and ability to evaluate these resources critically changed greatly. Initially, 96% of the students stated that the Internet was their most helpful resource. Six months later, these students continued to use the Internet; however, it was not their most useful source. At the later point, students had very specific uses for the Internet. Their most frequently used evaluation criterion was the reliability and objectivity of the source of the information. By the end of the first year of study, the majority of the students demonstrated an understanding of the principles of evidence-based practice and applied them to their research and analysis of information resources.

  10. A Split-Mouth Design Comparison for Lateral and Crestal Sinus Lift Techniques with Dental Implants Placements: Short Communication.

    PubMed

    Al-Almaie, Saad; Kavarodi, Abdul Majeed; Alorf, Ali; Alzahrani, Saeed

    2017-01-01

    The objective of this study is to compare and evaluate the effectiveness of implant placement and patient appraisal for two sinus lift techniques using both crestal and lateral techniques for bilateral sinus left in a split-mouth design. All implants were successfully osseointegrated without any clinical complications or peri-implant radiolucency during the follow-up period of maximum 3 years. In terms of outcomes postoperative vertigo showed to be a major concern with the crestal approach, this approach is preferred over the lateral technique because of the reduced time required for the procedure and because it is less invasive. Most patients preferred the crestal approach over the lateral approach due to the delay in implant placement.

  11. Neonatal transection of the corpus callosum affects paw preference lateralization of adult Swiss mice.

    PubMed

    Manhães, Alex C; Krahe, Thomas E; Caparelli-Dáquer, Egas; Ribeiro-Carvalho, Anderson; Schmidt, Sergio L; Filgueiras, Cláudio C

    2003-09-11

    In the present work, the hypothesis that the ontogenetic development of the corpus callosum (CC) affects the establishment of behavioral lateralization was tested by studying paw preference performance in adult Swiss mice that were subjected to mid-sagittal transection of the CC on the first postnatal day. Magnitude and direction of laterality were evaluated independently. No significant differences between groups were found for the magnitude of paw preference. On the other hand, the transected group presented a significant populational bias favoring the left paw that was not present in the control groups. These results lend support to the hypothesis that the development of the CC plays a role in the establishment of the normal pattern of behavioral lateralization.

  12. Biomechanics of lateral lumbar interbody fusion constructs with lateral and posterior plate fixation: laboratory investigation.

    PubMed

    Fogel, Guy R; Parikh, Rachit D; Ryu, Stephen I; Turner, Alexander W L

    2014-03-01

    Lumbar interbody fusion is indicated in the treatment of degenerative conditions. Laterally inserted interbody cages significantly decrease range of motion (ROM) compared with other cages. Supplemental fixation options such as lateral plates or spinous process plates have been shown to provide stability and to reduce morbidity. The authors of the current study investigate the in vitro stability of the interbody cage with a combination of lateral and spinous process plate fixation and compare this method to the established bilateral pedicle screw fixation technique. Ten L1-5 specimens were evaluated using multidirectional nondestructive moments (± 7.5 N · m), with a custom 6 degrees-of-freedom spine simulator. Intervertebral motions (ROM) were measured optoelectronically. Each spine was evaluated under the following conditions at the L3-4 level: intact; interbody cage alone (stand-alone); cage supplemented with lateral plate; cage supplemented with ipsilateral pedicle screws; cage supplemented with bilateral pedicle screws; cage supplemented with spinous process plate; and cage supplemented with a combination of lateral plate and spinous process plate. Intervertebral rotations were calculated, and ROM data were normalized to the intact ROM data. The stand-alone laterally inserted interbody cage significantly reduced ROM with respect to the intact state in flexion-extension (31.6% intact ROM, p < 0.001), lateral bending (32.5%, p < 0.001), and axial rotation (69.4%, p = 0.002). Compared with the stand-alone condition, addition of a lateral plate to the interbody cage did not significantly alter the ROM in flexion-extension (p = 0.904); however, it was significantly decreased in lateral bending and axial rotation (p < 0.001). The cage supplemented with a lateral plate was not statistically different from bilateral pedicle screws in lateral bending (p = 0.579). Supplemental fixation using a spinous process plate was not significantly different from bilateral pedicle screws in flexion-extension (p = 0.476). The combination of lateral plate and spinous process plate was not statistically different from the cage supplemented with bilateral pedicle screws in all the loading modes (p ≥ 0.365). A combination of lateral and spinous process plate fixation to supplement a laterally inserted interbody cage helps achieve rigidity in all motion planes similar to that achieved with bilateral pedicle screws.

  13. Differences between opening versus closing high tibial osteotomy on clinical outcomes and gait analysis.

    PubMed

    Deie, Masataka; Hoso, Takayuki; Shimada, Noboru; Iwaki, Daisuke; Nakamae, Atsuo; Adachi, Nobuo; Ochi, Mitsuo

    2014-12-01

    High tibial osteotomy (HTO) for medial knee osteoarthritis (OA) is mainly performed via two procedures: closing wedge HTO (CW) and opening wedge HTO (OW). In this study, differences between these procedures were assessed by serial clinical evaluation and gait analysis before and after surgery. Twenty-one patients underwent HTO for medial knee OA in 2011 and 2012, with 12 patients undergoing CW and nine undergoing OW. The severity of OA was classified according to the Kellgren-Lawrence classification. The Japanese Orthopedic Association score for assessment of knee OA (JOA score), the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), and the femoral tibial angle (FTA) on X-ray were evaluated. For gait analysis, gait speed, varus moment, varus angle and lateral thrust were calculated. The JOA score and NRS were improved significantly one year postoperatively in both groups. The FTA was maintained in both groups at one year. Varus angle and varus moment were significantly improved in both groups at each postoperative follow-up, when compared preoperatively. Lateral thrust was significantly improved at three months postoperatively in both groups. However, the significant improvement in lateral thrust had disappeared in the CW group six months postoperatively, whereas it was maintained for at least one year in the OW group. This study found that clinical outcomes were well maintained after HTO. OW reduced knee varus moment and lateral thrust, whereas CW had little effect on reducing lateral thrust. Level IV. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. The characteristics and distribution of dental anomalies in patients with cleft.

    PubMed

    Wu, Ting-Ting; Chen, Philip K T; Lo, Lun-Jou; Cheng, Min-Chi; Ko, Ellen Wen-Ching

    2011-01-01

    Dental anomalies associated with different severities of cleft lip and palate have been rarely reported. This retrospective study investigates the characteristics of dental anomalies associated with different types of cleft, and compares the dental anomaly traits based on sex and severity of cleft. Cleft patients born in 1995 with qualified diagnostic records from 7 to 11 years were included for evaluation. Records were retrieved from database of Chang Gung Craniofacial Center, including panoramic radiographs and intraoral photographs. In total, 196 patients with complete records were included in the evaluation. This study compares the dental anomalies associated with each type of cleft. The frequency of dental anomalies in the maxillary incisor area in the cleft palate (CP) group (20%) was significantly lower than that in other groups. The frequency of missing maxillary lateral incisors (MLIs) increased as the cleft severity increased. Supernumerary teeth and missing lower incisors exhibited the opposite trend. No sexual dimorphism appeared in terms of the frequencies of peg laterals and missing MLIs. The distribution patterns of missing MLIs and peg laterals in males, but not in females, were consistent for the three types of unilateral clefts. Regarding the characteristics of dental anomalies among the three unilateral clefts, missing MLIs, supernumerary teeth, and missing lower incisors were found to be related to cleft severity. The maxillary lateral incisor was the most affected tooth in the cleft area. The frequency of missing MLIs and peg laterals was not sexual dimorphic, but the distribution pattern was different between the sexes.

  15. Clinical utility of the Wechsler Memory Scale--Fourth Edition (WMS-IV) in predicting laterality of temporal lobe epilepsy among surgical candidates.

    PubMed

    Soble, Jason R; Eichstaedt, Katie E; Waseem, Hena; Mattingly, Michelle L; Benbadis, Selim R; Bozorg, Ali M; Vale, Fernando L; Schoenberg, Mike R

    2014-12-01

    This study evaluated the accuracy of the Wechsler Memory Scale--Fourth Edition (WMS-IV) in identifying functional cognitive deficits associated with seizure laterality in localization-related temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) relative to a previously established measure, the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT). Emerging WMS-IV studies have highlighted psychometric improvements that may enhance its ability to identify lateralized memory deficits. Data from 57 patients with video-EEG-confirmed unilateral TLE who were administered the WMS-IV and RAVLT as part of a comprehensive presurgical neuropsychological evaluation for temporal resection were retrospectively reviewed. We examined the predictive accuracy of the WMS-IV not only in terms of verbal versus visual composite scores but also using individual subtests. A series of hierarchal logistic regression models were developed, including the RAVLT, WMS-IV delayed subtests (Logical Memory, Verbal Paired Associates, Designs, Visual Reproduction), and a WMS-IV verbal-visual memory difference score. Analyses showed that the RAVLT significantly predicted laterality with overall classification rates of 69.6% to 70.2%, whereas neither the individual WMS-IV subtests nor the verbal-visual memory difference score accounted for additional significant variance. Similar to previous versions of the WMS, findings cast doubt as to whether the WMS-IV offers significant incremental validity in discriminating seizure laterality in TLE beyond what can be obtained from the RAVLT. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. A population-based study of anxiety as a precursor for depression in childhood and adolescence.

    PubMed

    Rice, Frances; van den Bree, Marianne B M; Thapar, Anita

    2004-12-13

    Anxiety and depression co-occur in children and adolescents with anxiety commonly preceding depression. Although there is some evidence to suggest that the association between early anxiety and later depression is explained by a shared genetic aetiology, the contribution of environmental factors is less well examined and it is unknown whether anxiety itself is a phenotypic risk factor for later depression. These explanations of the association between early anxiety and later depression were evaluated. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed longitudinally in a U.K. population-based sample of 676 twins aged 5-17 at baseline. At baseline, anxiety and depression were assessed by parental questionnaire. Depression was assessed three years later by parental and adolescent questionnaire. Shared genetic effects between early anxiety and later depression were found. A model of a phenotypic risk effect from early anxiety on later depression provided a poor fit to the data. However, there were significant genetic effects specific to later depression, showing that early anxiety and later depression do not index entirely the same genetic risk. Anxiety and depression are associated over time because they share a partly common genetic aetiology rather than because the anxiety phenotype leads to later depression.

  17. Syndesmosis and lateral ankle sprains in the National Football League.

    PubMed

    Osbahr, Daryl C; Drakos, Mark C; O'Loughlin, Padhraig F; Lyman, Stephen; Barnes, Ronnie P; Kennedy, John G; Warren, Russell F

    2013-11-01

    Syndesmosis sprains in the National Football League (NFL) can be a persistent source of disability, especially compared with lateral ankle injuries. This study evaluated syndesmosis and lateral ankle sprains in NFL players to allow for better identification and management of these injuries. Syndesmosis and lateral ankle sprains from a single NFL team database were reviewed over a 15-year period, and 32 NFL team physicians completed a questionnaire detailing their management approach. A comparative analysis was performed analyzing several variables, including diagnosis, treatment methods, and time lost from sports participation. Thirty-six syndesmosis and 53 lateral ankle sprains occurred in the cohort of NFL players. The injury mechanism typically resulted from direct impact in the syndesmosis and torsion in the lateral ankle sprain group (P=.034). All players were managed nonoperatively. The mean time lost from participation was 15.4 days in the syndesmosis and 6.5 days in the lateral ankle sprain groups (P⩽.001). National Football League team physicians varied treatment for syndesmosis sprains depending on the category of diastasis but recommended nonoperative management for lateral ankle sprains. Syndesmosis sprains in the NFL can be a source of significant disability compared with lateral ankle sprains. Successful return to play with nonoperative management is frequently achieved for syndesmosis and lateral ankle sprains depending on injury severity. With modern treatment algorithms for syndesmosis sprains, more aggressive nonoperative treatment is advocated. Although the current study shows that syndesmosis injuries require longer rehabilitation periods when compared with lateral ankle sprains, the time lost from participation may not be as prolonged as previously reported. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.

  18. Rate of displacement for Jakob Type 1 lateral condyle fractures treated with a cast.

    PubMed

    Zale, C; Winthrop, Z A; Hennrikus, W

    2018-04-01

    The aim of this retrospective study is to report the rate of displacement of Jakob Type 1 lateral condyle fractures that were initially treated in a cast. We performed a retrospective review of all patients that were treated for a non-displaced (Jakob Type 1 < 2 mm) lateral condyle fracture of the humerus at our institution between 2002 and 2015. A total of 59 patients were initially treated with casting. Five fractures displaced and were converted to a closed pinning treatment plan with a conversion rate of 8.5%. There was a mean of 13.2 days (4 to 21) between treatment by initial casting and closed pinning. This study demonstrates an 8.5% displacement and conversion rate from cast treatment to closed pinning for initially non-displaced Jakob Type 1 lateral condyle fractures of the humerus. The internal oblique radiograph is most accurate to determine displacement. We recommend obtaining an internal oblique view at initial evaluation and at follow-up in the cast for lateral condyle fractures. To minimize movement at the fracture site, we recommend treating Jakob Type 1 lateral condyle fractures with a long arm cast with the elbow at 90° and the forearm in the supine position with a sling-loop design. IV - retrospective therapeutic study.

  19. Attitudes to the right- and left: frontal ERP asymmetries associated with stimulus valence and processing goals.

    PubMed

    Cunningham, William A; Espinet, Stacey D; DeYoung, Colin G; Zelazo, Philip David

    2005-12-01

    We used dense-array event-related potentials (ERP) to examine the time course and neural bases of evaluative processing. Participants made good vs. bad (evaluative) and abstract vs. concrete (nonevaluative) judgments of socially relevant concepts (e.g., "murder," "welfare"), and then rated all concepts for goodness and badness. Results revealed a late positive potential (LPP) beginning at about 475 ms post-stimulus and maximal over anterior sites. The LPP was lateralized (higher amplitude and shorter latency) on the right for concepts later rated bad, and on the left for concepts later rated good. Moreover, the degree of lateralization for the amplitude but not the latency was larger when participants were making evaluative judgments than when they were making nonevaluative judgments. These data are consistent with a model in which discrete regions of prefrontal cortex (PFC) are specialized for the evaluative processing of positive and negative stimuli.

  20. Lateral Semicircular Canal Asymmetry in Idiopathic Scoliosis: An Early Link between Biomechanical, Hormonal and Neurosensory Theories?

    PubMed Central

    Hitier, Martin; Hamon, Michèle; Denise, Pierre; Lacoudre, Julien; Thenint, Marie-Aude; Mallet, Jean-François; Moreau, Sylvain; Quarck, Gaëlle

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Despite its high incidence and severe morbidity, the physiopathogenesis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is still unknown. Here, we looked for early anomalies in AIS which are likely to be the cause of spinal deformity and could also be targeted by early treatments. We focused on the vestibular system, which is suspected of acting in AIS pathogenesis and which exhibits an end organ with size and shape fixed before birth. We hypothesize that, in adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis, vestibular morphological anomalies were already present at birth and could possibly have caused other abnormalities. Materials and Methods The vestibular organ of 18 adolescents with AIS and 9 controls were evaluated with MRI in a prospective case controlled study. We studied lateral semicircular canal orientation and the three semicircular canal positions relative to the midline. Lateral semicircular canal function was also evaluated by vestibulonystagmography after bithermal caloric stimulation. Results The left lateral semicircular canal was more vertical and further from the midline in AIS (p = 0.01) and these two parameters were highly correlated (r = -0.6; p = 0.02). These morphological anomalies were associated with functional anomalies in AIS (lower excitability, higher canal paresis), but were not significantly different from controls (p>0.05). Conclusion Adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis exhibit morphological vestibular asymmetry, probably determined well before birth. Since the vestibular system influences the vestibulospinal pathway, the hypothalamus, and the cerebellum, this indicates that the vestibular system is a possible cause of later morphological, hormonal and neurosensory anomalies observed in AIS. Moreover, the simple lateral SCC MRI measurement demonstrated here could be used for early detection of AIS, selection of children for close follow-up, and initiation of preventive treatment before spinal deformity occurs. PMID:26186348

  1. Geometrical effects of conventional and digital prosthodontic planning wax-ups on lateral occlusal contact number, contact area, and steepness.

    PubMed

    Abduo, Jaafar

    2017-01-01

    This study evaluated and compared the effect of conventional and digital wax-ups on three lateral occlusion variables: contact number, contact area, and steepness. Dental casts of 10 patients with Angle Class I relationship were included in the study. All patients required fixed prosthodontic treatment that would affect lateral occlusion. The casts of all patients received conventional and digital wax-ups. For pretreatment, conventional wax-up, and digital wax-up casts, contact number, contact area, and occlusion steepness were measured at four lateral positions, that is, at excursions of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 mm from maximal intercuspation. Lateral occlusion scheme variables were affected by use of diagnostic wax-ups. For all types of casts, contact number decreased as excursion increased. The two types of wax-ups had similar contact number patterns, and contact number was significantly greater for these casts than for pretreatment casts in the earlier stages of excursion. Similarly, contact area gradually decreased with increasing excursion in the pretreatment and conventional and digital wax-up casts. There was only a minimal decrease in occlusion steepness as excursion increased. However, lateral occlusion was generally steeper for digital wax-up casts.

  2. Floating shoulders: Clinical and radiographic analysis at a mean follow-up of 11 years

    PubMed Central

    Pailhes, ReÌ gis; Bonnevialle, Nicolas; Laffosse, JeanMichel; Tricoire, JeanLouis; Cavaignac, Etienne; Chiron, Philippe

    2013-01-01

    Context: The floating shoulder (FS) is an uncommon injury, which can be managed conservatively or surgically. The therapeutic option remains controversial. Aims: The goal of our study was to evaluate the long-term results and to identify predictive factors of functional outcomes. Settings and Design: Retrospective monocentric study. Materials and Methods: Forty consecutive FS were included (24 nonoperated and 16 operated) from 1984 to 2009. Clinical results were assessed with Simple Shoulder Test (SST), Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS), Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE), Short Form-12 (SF12), Disabilities of the Arm Shoulder and Hand score (DASH), and Constant score (CST). Plain radiographs were reviewed to evaluate secondary displacement, fracture healing, and modification of the lateral offset of the gleno-humeral joint (chest X-rays). New radiographs were made to evaluate osteoarthritis during follow-up. Statistical Analysis Used: T-test, Mann-Whitney test, and the Pearson's correlation coefficient were used. The significance level was set at 0.05. Results: At mean follow-up of 135 months (range 12-312), clinical results were satisfactory regarding different mean scores: SST 10.5 points, OSS 14 points, SANE 81%, SF12 (50 points and 60 points), DASH 14.5 points and CST 84 points. There were no significant differences between operative and non-operative groups. However, the loss of lateral offset influenced the results negatively. Osteoarthritis was diagnosed in five patients (12.5%) without correlation to fracture patterns and type of treatment. Conclusions: This study advocates that floating shoulder may be treated conservatively and surgically with satisfactory clinical long-term outcomes. However, the loss of gleno-humeral lateral offset should be evaluated carefully before taking a therapeutic option. PMID:23960364

  3. Evaluation of Stiffness Changes in a High-Rise Building by Measurements of Lateral Displacements Using GPS Technology

    PubMed Central

    Choi, Se Woon; Kim, Ill Soo; Park, Jae Hwan; Kim, Yousok; Sohn, Hong Gyoo; Park, Hyo Seon

    2013-01-01

    The outrigger truss system is one of the most frequently used lateral load resisting structural systems. However, little research has been reported on the effect of installation of outrigger trusses on improvement of lateral stiffness of a high-rise building through full-scale measurements. In this paper, stiffness changes of a high-rise building due to installation of outrigger trusses have been evaluated by measuring lateral displacements using a global positioning system (GPS). To confirm the error range of the GPS measurement system used in the full-scale measurement tests, the GPS displacement monitoring system is investigated through a free vibration test of the experimental model. Then, for the evaluation of lateral stiffness of a high-rise building under construction, the GPS displacement monitoring system is applied to measurements of lateral displacements of a 66-story high-rise building before and after installation of outrigger truss. The stiffness improvement of the building before and after the installation is confirmed through the changes of the natural frequencies and the ratios of the base shear forces to the roof displacements. PMID:24233025

  4. Evaluating the Effect of Three Water Management Techniques on Tomato Crop.

    PubMed

    Elnesr, Mohammad Nabil; Alazba, Abdurrahman Ali; Zein El-Abedein, Assem Ibrahim; El-Adl, Mahmoud Maher

    2015-01-01

    The effects of three water management techniques were evaluated on subsurface drip irrigated tomatoes. The three techniques were the intermittent flow (3 pulses), the dual-lateral drip system (two lateral lines per row, at 15 and 25 cm below soil surface), and the physical barrier (buried at 30 cm below soil surface). Field experiments were established for two successive seasons. Water movement in soil was monitored using continuously logging capacitance probes up to 60 cm depth. The results showed that the dual lateral technique positively increased the yield up to 50%, water use efficiency up to 54%, while the intermittent application improved some of the quality measures (fruit size, TSS, and Vitamin C), not the quantity of the yield that decreased in one season, and not affected in the other. The physical barrier has no significant effect on any of the important growth measures. The soil water patterns showed that the dual lateral method lead to uniform wetting pattern with depth up to 45 cm, the physical barrier appeared to increase lateral and upward water movement, while the intermittent application kept the wetting pattern at higher moisture level for longer time. The cost analysis showed also that the economic treatments were the dual lateral followed by the intermittent technique, while the physical barrier is not economical. The study recommends researching the effect of the dual lateral method on the root growth and performance. The intermittent application may be recommended to improve tomato quality but not quantity. The physical barrier is not recommended unless in high permeable soils.

  5. Wheel climb derailment criteria for evaluation of rail vehicle safety

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1984-01-01

    Criteria for evaluating safety of rail vehicles with respect to wheel climb derailment are reviewed. The relationship between flanging wheel lateral to veritical force ratio at impending derailment and angle of attack, lateral velocity and longitudin...

  6. Medial compressible forefoot sole elements reduce ankle inversion in lateral SSC jumps.

    PubMed

    Fleischmann, Jana; Mornieux, Guillaume; Gehring, Dominic; Gollhofer, Albert

    2013-06-01

    Sideward movements are associated with high incidences of lateral ankle sprains. Special shoe constructions might be able to reduce these injuries during lateral movements. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether medial compressible forefoot sole elements can reduce ankle inversion in a reactive lateral movement, and to evaluate those elements' influence on neuromuscular and mechanical adjustments in lower extremities. Foot placement and frontal plane ankle joint kinematics and kinetics were analyzed by 3-dimensional motion analysis. Electromyographic data of triceps surae, peroneus longus, and tibialis anterior were collected. This modified shoe reduced ankle inversion in comparison with a shoe with a standard sole construction. No differences in ankle inversion moments were found. With the modified shoe, foot placement occurred more internally rotated, and muscle activity of the lateral shank muscles was reduced. Hence, lateral ankle joint stability during reactive sideward movements can be improved by these compressible elements, and therefore lower lateral shank muscle activity is required. As those elements limit inversion, the strategy to control inversion angles via a high external foot rotation does not need to be used.

  7. Why do drivers maintain short headways in fog? A driving-simulator study evaluating feeling of risk and lateral control during automated and manual car following.

    PubMed

    Saffarian, M; Happee, R; Winter, J C F de

    2012-01-01

    Drivers in fog tend to maintain short headways, but the reasons behind this phenomenon are not well understood. This study evaluated the effect of headway on lateral control and feeling of risk in both foggy and clear conditions. Twenty-seven participants completed four sessions in a driving simulator: clear automated (CA), clear manual (CM), fog automated (FA) and fog manual (FM). In CM and FM, the drivers used the steering wheel, throttle and brake pedals. In CA and FA, a controller regulated the distance to the lead car, and the driver only had to steer. Drivers indicated how much risk they felt on a touchscreen. Consistent with our hypothesis, feeling of risk and steering activity were elevated when the lead car was not visible. These results might explain why drivers adopt short headways in fog. Practitioner Summary: Fog poses a serious road safety hazard. Our driving-simulator study provides the first experimental evidence to explain the role of risk-feeling and lateral control in headway reduction. These results are valuable for devising effective driver assistance and support systems.

  8. Prevalence of abnormalities in dental structure, position, and eruption pattern in a population of unilateral and bilateral cleft lip and palate patients.

    PubMed

    Tortora, Chiara; Meazzini, Maria C; Garattini, Giovanna; Brusati, Roberto

    2008-03-01

    To evaluate the dental characteristics of patients subjected to a protocol that included early secondary gingivoalveoloplasty (ESGAP). Panoramic radiographs of 87 patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and 29 with bilateral cleft lip and palate (BCLP) were evaluated. Missing and supernumerary teeth were also quantified on the cleft and noncleft side and in the maxilla and mandible. Crown and root malformations and tooth rotations were quantified. A subsample in permanent dentition was extrapolated to analyze canine eruption patterns. A total of 48.8% of the UCLP patients presented with missing permanent lateral incisors in the cleft area and 6.1% contralaterally. A total of 4.9% presented with missing second maxillary premolars on the cleft site and 1.2% contralaterally. A total of 7.3% presented with supernumerary lateral incisors, and 45% of the BCLP cleft sites presented with missing lateral incisors, while 25% of the cleft sites presented second maxillary premolars agenesis. Five percent of the cleft sites presented with supernumerary lateral incisors. Evaluation of the subsample in permanent dentition showed that 15.5% had a canine retention and 4.4% of the canines had to be surgically exposed. A significant association was observed between canine inclination and retention but not with absence of the lateral incisor. The frequency of dental anomalies in this sample was similar to other cleft populations. As surgical trauma has been suggested to damage forming teeth, the results of this study indicated that ESGAP has no detrimental influence on subsequent dental development.

  9. Association between trochlear morphology and chondromalacia patella: an MRI study.

    PubMed

    Duran, Semra; Cavusoglu, Mehtap; Kocadal, Onur; Sakman, Bulent

    This study aimed to compare trochlear morphology seen in magnetic resonance imaging between patients with chondromalacia patella and age-matched control patients without cartilage lesion. Trochlear morphology was evaluated using the lateral trochlear inclination, medial trochlear inclination, sulcus angle and trochlear angle on the axial magnetic resonance images. Consequently, an association between abnormal trochlear morphology and chondromalacia patella was identified in women. In particular, women with flattened lateral trochlea are at an increased risk of patellar cartilage structural damage. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Effective doses and organ doses in the MIRD-5 phantom exposed to monoenergetic 0.1 MeV to 200 MeV electrons in the LAT direction.

    PubMed

    Katagiri, M; Hikoji, M; Kitaichi, M; Aoki, Y; Sawamura, S

    2001-01-01

    Organ doses and effective doses were calculated using the EGS-4 Monte Carlo simulation code and a MIRD-5 mathematical human phantom placed in a vacuum. For broad right and left lateral beams of monoenergetic (0.1-200 MeV) electrons, conversion coefficients from the incident fluence to organ dose, to effective dose, and to effective dose equivalent were obtained. There were no clear differences between the conversion coefficients in the case of left-lateral (LLAT) and right-lateral (RLAT) irradiation. Therefore, when investigating lateral geometries for electron exposure, it is not necessary to evaluate both directions independently. In general, conversion coefficients for lateral irradiation (LAT) were smaller than those for AP and PA. The difference between the AP and PA conversion coefficients and LAT became smaller with increasing incident energy; at 200 MeV the conversion coefficients were almost independent of the irradiation geometry. The agreement between the results of the present study and those of other studies was acceptable within the statistical uncertainties.

  11. Lateral Compression Properties of Magnesium Alloy Tubes Fabricated via Hydrostatic Extrusion Integrated with Circular ECAP

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lv, Jiuming; Hu, Fangyi; Cao, Quoc Dinh; Yuan, Renshu; Wu, Zhilin; Cai, Hongming; Zhao, Lei; Zhang, Xinping

    2017-03-01

    Hydrostatic extrusion integrated with circular equal channel angular pressing has been previously proposed for fabricating AZ80 magnesium alloy tubes as a method to obtain high-strength tubes for industrial applications. In order to axial tensile strength, circumferential mechanical properties are also important for tubular structures. The tensile properties of AZ80 tubes have been previously studied; however, the circumferential properties have not been examined. In this work, circumferential mechanical properties of these tubes were studied using lateral compression tests. An analytical model is proposed to evaluate the circumferential elongation, which is in good agreement with finite element results. The effects of the extrusion ratio and conical mandrel angle on the circumferential elongation and lateral compression strength are discussed. The strain distribution in the sample during lateral compression testing was found to be inhomogeneous, and cracks initially appeared on the inner surface of the sample vertex. The circumferential elongation and lateral compression strength increased with the extrusion ratio and conical mandrel angle. The anisotropy of the tube's mechanical properties was insignificant when geometric effects were ignored.

  12. Simplified dynamic analysis to evaluate liquefaction-induced lateral deformation of earth slopes: a computational fluid dynamics approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jafarian, Yaser; Ghorbani, Ali; Ahmadi, Omid

    2014-09-01

    Lateral deformation of liquefiable soil is a cause of much damage during earthquakes, reportedly more than other forms of liquefaction-induced ground failures. Researchers have presented studies in which the liquefied soil is considered as viscous fluid. In this manner, the liquefied soil behaves as non-Newtonian fluid, whose viscosity decreases as the shear strain rate increases. The current study incorporates computational fluid dynamics to propose a simplified dynamic analysis for the liquefaction-induced lateral deformation of earth slopes. The numerical procedure involves a quasi-linear elastic model for small to moderate strains and a Bingham fluid model for large strain states during liquefaction. An iterative procedure is considered to estimate the strain-compatible shear stiffness of soil. The post-liquefaction residual strength of soil is considered as the initial Bingham viscosity. Performance of the numerical procedure is examined by using the results of centrifuge model and shaking table tests together with some field observations of lateral ground deformation. The results demonstrate that the proposed procedure predicts the time history of lateral ground deformation with a reasonable degree of precision.

  13. Simulation of automatic precision departures and missed approaches using the microwave landing system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Feather, J. B.

    1987-01-01

    Results of simulated precision departures and missed approaches using MLS guidance concepts are presented. The study was conducted under the Terminal Configured Vehicle (TCV) Program, and is an extension of previous work by DAC under the Advanced Transport Operating System (ATOPS) Technology Studies Program. The study model included simulation of an MD-80 aircraft, an autopilot, and a MLS guidance computer that provided lateral and vertical steering commands. Precision departures were evaluated using a noise abatement procedure. Several curved path departures were simulated with MLS noise and under various environmental conditions. Missed approaches were considered for the same runway, where lateral MLS guidance maintained the aircraft along the extended runway centerline. In both the departures and the missed approach cases, pitch autopilot takeoff and go-around modes of operation were used in conjunction with MLS lateral guidance.

  14. Two types of lateral extension in juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma: diagnostic and therapeutic management.

    PubMed

    Szymańska, Anna; Szymański, Marcin; Czekajska-Chehab, Elżbieta; Szczerbo-Trojanowska, Małgorzata

    2015-01-01

    Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma is a benign, locally aggressive nasopharyngeal tumor. Apart from anterior lateral extension to the pterygopalatine fossa, it may spread laterally posterior to the pterygoid process, showing posterior lateral growth pattern, which is less common and more difficult to identify during surgery. We analyzed the routes of lateral spread, modalities useful in its diagnosis, the incidence of lateral extension and its influence on outcomes of surgical treatment. The records of 37 patients with laterally extending JNA treated at our institution between 1987 and 2011 were retrospectively evaluated. Computed tomography was performed in all patients and magnetic resonance imaging in 17 (46 %) patients. CT and MRI were evaluated to determine routes and extension of JNA lateral spread. Anterior lateral extension to the pterygopalatine fossa occurred in 36 (97 %) patients and further to the infratemporal fossa in 20 (54 %) patients. In 16 (43 %) cases posterior lateral spread was observed: posterior to the pterygoid process and/or between its plates. The recurrence rate was 29.7 % (11/37). The majority of residual lesions was located behind the pterygoid process (7/11). Recurrent disease occurred in 3/21 patients with anterior lateral extension, in 7/15 patients with both types of lateral extensions and in 1 patient with posterior lateral extension. JNA posterior lateral extension may spread behind the pterygoid process or between its plates. The recurrence rate in patients with anterior and/or posterior lateral extension is significantly higher than in patients with anterior lateral extension only. Both CT and MRI allow identification of the anterior and posterior lateral extensions.

  15. A Split-Mouth Design Comparison for Lateral and Crestal Sinus Lift Techniques with Dental Implants Placements: Short Communication

    PubMed Central

    Al-Almaie, Saad; Kavarodi, Abdul Majeed; Alorf, Ali; Alzahrani, Saeed

    2017-01-01

    Objective: The objective of this study is to compare and evaluate the effectiveness of implant placement and patient appraisal for two sinus lift techniques using both crestal and lateral techniques for bilateral sinus left in a split-mouth design. Introduction: All implants were successfully osseointegrated without any clinical complications or peri-implant radiolucency during the follow-up period of maximum 3 years. Methods: In terms of outcomes postoperative vertigo showed to be a major concern with the crestal approach, this approach is preferred over the lateral technique because of the reduced time required for the procedure and because it is less invasive. Results: Most patients preferred the crestal approach over the lateral approach due to the delay in implant placement. PMID:29290838

  16. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy without local anesthesia for chronic lateral epicondylitis.

    PubMed

    Pettrone, Frank A; McCall, Brian R

    2005-06-01

    The use of extracorporeal shock wave therapy for the treatment of lateral epicondylitis is controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of extracorporeal shock wave therapy without local anesthesia to treat chronic lateral epicondylitis. One hundred and fourteen patients with a minimum six-month history of lateral epicondylitis that was unresponsive to conventional therapy were randomized into double-blind active treatment and placebo groups. The protocol consisted of three weekly treatments of either low-dose shock wave therapy without anesthetic or a sham treatment. Patients had a physical examination, including provocation testing and dynamometry, at one, four, eight, and twelve weeks and at six and twelve months after treatment. Radiographs, laboratory studies, and electrocardiograms were also evaluated prior to participation and at twelve weeks. A visual analog scale was used to evaluate pain, and an upper extremity functional scale was used to assess function. Crossover to active treatment was initiated for nonresponsive patients who had received the placebo and met the inclusion criteria after twelve weeks. A total of 108 of the 114 randomized patients completed all treatments and the twelve weeks of follow-up required by the protocol. Sixty-one patients completed one year of follow-up, whereas thirty-four patients crossed over to receive active treatment. A significant difference (p = 0.001) in pain reduction was observed at twelve weeks in the intent-to-treat cohort, with an improvement in the pain score of at least 50% seen in 61% (thirty-four) of the fifty-six patients in the active treatment group who were treated according to protocol compared with 29% (seventeen) of the fifty-eight subjects in the placebo group. This improvement persisted in those followed to one year. Functional activity scores, activity-specific evaluation, and the overall impression of the disease state all showed significant improvement as well (p < 0.05). Crossover patients also showed significant improvement after twelve weeks of active treatment, with 56% (nineteen of thirty-four) achieving an improvement in the pain score of at least 50% (p < 0.0001). These results demonstrate that low-dose shock wave therapy without anesthetic is a safe and effective treatment for chronic lateral epicondylitis.

  17. Reliability of magnetic resonance imaging in evaluating meniscal and cartilage injuries in anterior cruciate ligament-deficient knees.

    PubMed

    Wong, Kenneth Pak Leung; Han, Audrey XinYun; Wong, Jeannie Leh Ying; Lee, Dave Yee Han

    2017-02-01

    The accuracy of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in assessing meniscal and cartilage injuries in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-deficient knees as compared to arthroscopy was evaluated in the present study. The results of all preoperative MR imaging performed within 3 months prior to the ACL reconstruction were compared against intraoperative arthroscopic findings. A total of 206 patients were identified. The location and type of meniscal injuries as well as the location and grade of the cartilage injuries were studied. The negative predictive value, positive predictive value, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of MR imaging for these 206 cases were calculated and analysed. In patients with an ACL injury, the highest incidence of concomitant injury was that of medial meniscus tears, 124 (60.2 %), followed by lateral meniscus tears, 105 (51.0 %), and cartilage injuries, 66 (32.0 %). Twenty-three (11.2 %) patients sustained injuries to all of the previously named structures. MR imaging was most accurate in detecting medial meniscus tears (85.9 %). MR imaging for medial meniscus tears also had the highest sensitivity (88.0 %) and positive predictive value (88.7 %), while MR imaging for cartilage injuries had the largest specificity (84.1 %) and negative predictive value (87.1 %). It was least accurate in evaluating lateral meniscus tears (74.3 %). The diagnostic accuracy of medial meniscus imaging is significantly influenced by age and the presence of lateral meniscus tears, while the duration between MR imaging and surgery has greater impact on the likelihood of lateral meniscus and cartilage injuries actually being present during surgery. The majority of meniscus tears missed by MR imaging affected the posterior horn and were complex in nature. Cartilage injuries affecting the medial femoral condyle or medial patella facet were also often missed by MR imaging. MR imaging remains a reliable tool for assessing meniscus tears and cartilage defects preoperatively. It is most accurate when evaluating medial meniscus tears. However, MR imaging should be used with discretion especially if there is a high index of suspicion of lateral meniscus tears. IV.

  18. Alpha-defensin and the Synovasure lateral flow device for the diagnosis of prosthetic joint infection.

    PubMed

    Marson, B A; Deshmukh, S R; Grindlay, D J C; Scammell, B E

    2018-06-01

    Aims The aim of this review was to evaluate the available literature and to calculate the pooled sensitivity and specificity for the different alpha-defensin test systems that may be used to diagnose prosthetic joint infection (PJI). Materials and Methods Studies using alpha-defensin or Synovasure (Zimmer Biomet, Warsaw, Indiana) to diagnose PJI were identified from systematic searches of electronic databases. The quality of the studies was evaluated using the Quality Assessment of Studies of Diagnostic Accuracy (QUADAS) tool. Meta-analysis was completed using a bivariate model. Results A total of 11 eligible studies were included. The median QUADAS score was 13 (interquartile range 13 to 13) out of 14. Significant conflicts of interest were identified in five studies. The pooled sensitivity for the laboratory alpha-defensin test was 0.95 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.91 to 0.98) and the pooled specificity was 0.97 (95% CI 0.95 to 0.98) for four studies with a threshold level of 5.2 mgl -1 The pooled sensitivity for the lateral flow cassette test was 0.85 (95% CI 0.74 to 0.92) and the pooled specificity was 0.90 (95% CI 0.91 to 0.98). There was a statistically significant difference in sensitivity (p = 0.019), but not specificity (p = 0.47). Conclusion Laboratory-based alpha-defensin testing remains a promising tool for diagnosing PJI. The lateral flow cassette has a significantly lower performance and pooled results are comparable to the leucocyte esterase test. Further studies are required before the widespread adoption of the lateral flow cassette alpha-defensin test. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2018;100-B:703-11.

  19. Kirschner wire fixation of Salter-Harris type IV fracture of the lateral aspect of the humeral condyle in growing dogs. A retrospective study of 35 fractures.

    PubMed

    Cinti, Filippo; Pisani, Guido; Vezzoni, Luca; Peirone, Bruno; Vezzoni, Aldo

    2017-01-16

    To evaluate the use of Kirschner wires for treatment of fractures of the lateral aspect of the humeral condyle in growing dogs. Retrospective analysis of 35 elbow fractures (33 dogs) of the lateral aspect of the humeral condyle treated by insertion of multiple transcondylar and one anti-rotational Kirschner wires. Radiographic and clinical re-evaluations were carried out immediately after surgery, at four weeks and, when required, at eight weeks postoperatively. Long-term follow-up was planned after a minimum of six months. The relationship between different implant configurations and clinical outcome was analysed statistically. Complete functional recovery was seen in 31 elbows (30 dogs), three elbows (2 dogs) had reduction in the range of motion, and one elbow (1 dog) had persistent grade 1 lameness two months postoperatively. Major complications occurred in eight elbows (8 dogs) and all were resolved by implant removal. Implant configuration did not affect outcome. Long-term evaluation in 12 cases with a mean follow-up of four years showed absence of lameness, normal function and no or mild radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis in 11 cases. Fracture of the lateral aspect of the humeral condyle in growing dogs can be successfully treated by multiple transcondylar convergent or parallel Kirschner wires, resulting in adequate fracture healing.

  20. Evaluate the Relative Importance of Subsurface Lateral Energy Exchange to Ground Heat Flux and Energy Balance over the Heterogeneous Surface of a Sub-tropical Wetland

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    CUI, W.; Chui, T. F. M.

    2016-12-01

    Subsurface lateral water and energy exchanges are often ignored in methods involving a surface energy balance under the homogeneity assumption, which may affect the estimation of evapotranspiration over a heterogeneous surface. Wetlands, however, are heterogeneous with vegetated areas and open water, making it difficult to accurately measure and estimate evapotranspiration. This study estimated the subsurface lateral energy exchange between the reed bed and shallow open water of a wetland within Mai Po Nature Reserve in Hong Kong, and further discussed its relative importance to the ground heat flux and energy balance over the wetland surface. An array of water level and temperature sensors were installed in the reed bed and the adjacent water, together with an eddy covariance system. The results suggested that the lateral energy exchange was over 30% of ground heat flux for half of the monitoring period, and should therefore be accounted for during the measurement of ground heat flux. However, the lateral energy exchange could not explain the energy balance disclosure at the site, as the variation was in phase with the residual of energy budget during the summer but was out of phase during the winter. Furthermore, this study developed a convolution model to estimate the lateral energy exchange based on air temperature which is readily available at many sites worldwide. This study overall enhanced our understanding of the subsurface lateral energy exchange, and possibly our estimation of evapotranspiration in heterogeneous environment.

  1. The improvement of postural control in patients with mechanical ankle instability after lateral ankle ligaments reconstruction.

    PubMed

    Li, Hong-Yun; Zheng, Jie-Jiao; Zhang, Jian; Cai, Ye-Hua; Hua, Ying-Hui; Chen, Shi-Yi

    2016-04-01

    Lateral ankle sprain is the most common injury. A previous study demonstrated that patients with mechanical ankle instability suffered deficits in postural control, indicating that structural damage of the lateral ankle ligaments may produce a balance deficit. The purpose of this study was to confirm that lateral ligaments reconstruction could improve postural control in patients with mechanical ankle instability. A total of 15 patients were included in the study. Each patient had a history of an ankle sprain with persistent symptoms of ankle instability and a positive anterior drawer test and had been treated nonoperatively for at least 3 months. All patients were diagnosed with lateral ankle ligaments tear by ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging. They underwent arthroscopic debridement and open lateral ankle ligaments reconstruction with a modified Broström procedure. One day before and 6 months after the operation, all of the participants underwent single-limb postural sway tests. The anterior drawer test and the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society scale score were used to evaluate the clinical results in these patients. At 6 months after the operation, with the patients' eyes closed, there was significantly decreased postural sway in the anteroposterior direction, the circumferential area, and the total path length on the operated ankles compared with those measurements before the operation. With eyes open, however, no difference was found in postural sway before and after the operation. Postural control was improved by reconstructing the lateral ligaments. IV.

  2. Using Reliability and Item Analysis to Evaluate a Teacher-Developed Test in Educational Measurement and Evaluation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Quaigrain, Kennedy; Arhin, Ato Kwamina

    2017-01-01

    Item analysis is essential in improving items which will be used again in later tests; it can also be used to eliminate misleading items in a test. The study focused on item and test quality and explored the relationship between difficulty index (p-value) and discrimination index (DI) with distractor efficiency (DE). The study was conducted among…

  3. Exploratory laboratory study of lateral turbulent diffusion at the surface of an alluvial channel

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sayre, William W.; Chamberlain, A.R.

    1964-01-01

    In natural streams turbulent diffusion is one of the principal mechanisms by which liquid and suspended-particulate contaminants are dispersed in the flow. A knowledge of turbulence characteristics is therefore essential in predicting the dispersal rates of contaminants in streams. In this study the theory of diffusion by continuous movements for homogeneous turbulence is applied to lateral diffusion at the surface of an open channel in which there is uniform flow. An exploratory-laboratory investigation was conducted in which the lateral dispersion at the water surface of a sand-Led flume was studied by measuring the lateral spread from a point source of small floating polyethylene articles. The experiment was restricted to a single set of low and channel geometry conditions. The results of the study indicate that with certain restrictions lateral dispersion in alluvial channels may be successfully described by the theory of diffusion by continuous movements. The experiment demonstrates a means for evaluating the lateral diffusion coefficient and also methods for quantitatively estimating fundamental turbulence properties, such as the intensity and the Lagrangian integral scale of turbulence in an alluvial channel. The experimental results show that with increasing distance from the source the coefficient of lateral turbulent diffusion increases initially but tends toward a constant limiting value. This result is in accordance with turbulent diffusion theory. Indications are that the distance downstream from the source required for the diffusion coefficient to reach its limiting value is actually very small when compared to the length scale of most diffusion phenomena in natural streams which are of practical interest.

  4. Music-induced cortical plasticity and lateral inhibition in the human auditory cortex as foundations for tonal tinnitus treatment.

    PubMed

    Pantev, Christo; Okamoto, Hidehiko; Teismann, Henning

    2012-01-01

    Over the past 15 years, we have studied plasticity in the human auditory cortex by means of magnetoencephalography (MEG). Two main topics nurtured our curiosity: the effects of musical training on plasticity in the auditory system, and the effects of lateral inhibition. One of our plasticity studies found that listening to notched music for 3 h inhibited the neuronal activity in the auditory cortex that corresponded to the center-frequency of the notch, suggesting suppression of neural activity by lateral inhibition. Subsequent research on this topic found that suppression was notably dependent upon the notch width employed, that the lower notch-edge induced stronger attenuation of neural activity than the higher notch-edge, and that auditory focused attention strengthened the inhibitory networks. Crucially, the overall effects of lateral inhibition on human auditory cortical activity were stronger than the habituation effects. Based on these results we developed a novel treatment strategy for tonal tinnitus-tailor-made notched music training (TMNMT). By notching the music energy spectrum around the individual tinnitus frequency, we intended to attract lateral inhibition to auditory neurons involved in tinnitus perception. So far, the training strategy has been evaluated in two studies. The results of the initial long-term controlled study (12 months) supported the validity of the treatment concept: subjective tinnitus loudness and annoyance were significantly reduced after TMNMT but not when notching spared the tinnitus frequencies. Correspondingly, tinnitus-related auditory evoked fields (AEFs) were significantly reduced after training. The subsequent short-term (5 days) training study indicated that training was more effective in the case of tinnitus frequencies ≤ 8 kHz compared to tinnitus frequencies >8 kHz, and that training should be employed over a long-term in order to induce more persistent effects. Further development and evaluation of TMNMT therapy are planned. A goal is to transfer this novel, completely non-invasive and low-cost treatment approach for tonal tinnitus into routine clinical practice.

  5. Music-induced cortical plasticity and lateral inhibition in the human auditory cortex as foundations for tonal tinnitus treatment

    PubMed Central

    Pantev, Christo; Okamoto, Hidehiko; Teismann, Henning

    2012-01-01

    Over the past 15 years, we have studied plasticity in the human auditory cortex by means of magnetoencephalography (MEG). Two main topics nurtured our curiosity: the effects of musical training on plasticity in the auditory system, and the effects of lateral inhibition. One of our plasticity studies found that listening to notched music for 3 h inhibited the neuronal activity in the auditory cortex that corresponded to the center-frequency of the notch, suggesting suppression of neural activity by lateral inhibition. Subsequent research on this topic found that suppression was notably dependent upon the notch width employed, that the lower notch-edge induced stronger attenuation of neural activity than the higher notch-edge, and that auditory focused attention strengthened the inhibitory networks. Crucially, the overall effects of lateral inhibition on human auditory cortical activity were stronger than the habituation effects. Based on these results we developed a novel treatment strategy for tonal tinnitus—tailor-made notched music training (TMNMT). By notching the music energy spectrum around the individual tinnitus frequency, we intended to attract lateral inhibition to auditory neurons involved in tinnitus perception. So far, the training strategy has been evaluated in two studies. The results of the initial long-term controlled study (12 months) supported the validity of the treatment concept: subjective tinnitus loudness and annoyance were significantly reduced after TMNMT but not when notching spared the tinnitus frequencies. Correspondingly, tinnitus-related auditory evoked fields (AEFs) were significantly reduced after training. The subsequent short-term (5 days) training study indicated that training was more effective in the case of tinnitus frequencies ≤ 8 kHz compared to tinnitus frequencies >8 kHz, and that training should be employed over a long-term in order to induce more persistent effects. Further development and evaluation of TMNMT therapy are planned. A goal is to transfer this novel, completely non-invasive and low-cost treatment approach for tonal tinnitus into routine clinical practice. PMID:22754508

  6. Cephalometric skeletal evaluation of patients with Incontinentia Pigmenti

    PubMed Central

    Maahs, Marcia Angelica Peter; Kiszewski, Ana Elisa; Rosa, Rafael Fabiano Machado; Maria, Fernanda Diffini Santa; Prates, Frederico Ballvé; Zen, Paulo Ricardo Gazzola

    2014-01-01

    Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the skeletal characteristics of patients with the rare genetic disease of Incontinentia Pigmenti, by lateral cephalometric analysis on the antero-posterior plane and by frontal cephalometric analysis on the horizontal plane. Methods Lateral skeletal cephalometric analyses were performed according to Steiner for evaluation of antero-posterior direction, and frontal skeletal cephalometric analyses according to Ricketts for evaluation of horizontal direction in 9 patients with IP. Left and right facial widths at the level of the zygomatic arch were also evaluated. The Student t-test was used for paired to a 5% level of significance data. Results The lateral skeletal cephalometric findings were not statistically significant, but the Class II was the most frequent finding (44.4%), followed by Class III (33.3%) and Class I (22.2%). The right maxillo-mandibular width was significantly lower than normal values, and the right facial width was significantly higher than the left, at the level of the zygomatic arch. Conclusions Patients with IP showed more skeletal discrepancies of Class II and III than Class I malocclusion, and had significant horizontal facial skeletal asymmetries. This should alert health professionals to route these patients for orthodontic assessment and possible therapeutic interventions. However, larger samples are needed to better elucidate if these cephalometric findings can be specifically related to IP. PMID:25737924

  7. Using the Wisconsin-Ohio Reference Evaluation Program (WOREP) to Improve Training and Reference Services

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Novotny, Eric; Rimland, Emily

    2007-01-01

    This article discusses a service quality study conducted in the Pennsylvania State University Libraries. The Wisconsin-Ohio Reference Evaluation Program survey was selected as a valid, standardized instrument. We present our results, highlighting the impact on reference training. A second survey a year later demonstrated that focusing on…

  8. Effect of the Rhinoplasty Technique and Lateral Osteotomy on Periorbital Edema and Ecchymosis.

    PubMed

    Kiliç, Caner; Tuncel, Ümit; Cömert, Ela; Şencan, Ziya

    2015-07-01

    The present study aimed to compare edema and ecchymosis in the early and late postoperative periods following the application of different surgical techniques (open and endonasal) and different types of lateral osteotomy (internal and external). The files and photographs of a total of 120 patients whose records were regularly maintained/updated and who underwent septorhinoplasty operation with the same surgeon were retrospectively evaluated. Sixty-nine (57.5%) patients were women and 51 (43.5%) were men. The patients were divided into 4 different groups according to the operations they underwent as follows--Group I: open technique septorhinoplasty + internal/continuous lateral osteotomy; Group II: endonasal rhinoplasty + internal/continuous lateral osteotomy; Group III: open technique septorhinoplasty + external/perforating lateral osteotomy; and Group IV: endonasal rhinoplasty + external/perforating lateral osteotomy. Postoperative edema and ecchymosis, and lateral nasal wall mucosal damage because of osteotomy were evaluated. Postoperative second day edema and ecchymosis scores were statistically significantly better in patients in Group II compared with the patients in Group I (P = 0.010 and P = 0.004, respectively). Postoperative first day edema and postoperative seventh day ecchymosis scores were statistically significantly better in the patients in Group IV compared with the patients in Group III (P = 0.025 and P = 0.011, respectively). Intraoperative bleeding was similar in all groups. The nasal tip was more flexible in patients who underwent closed technique rhinoplasty. Unilateral mucosal damage occurred in 3 patients (4%) with internal lateral osteotomy, whereas no mucosal damage was present in patients with external osteotomy. The difference in the rate of edema and ecchymosis in the early postoperative period between the closed technique rhinoplasty and the open surgical approach was statistically significant, whereas osteotomy did not cause a significant difference. According to these results, the authors suggest endonasal surgery to prevent the development of edema and ecchymosis, whereas the choice of lateral osteotomy should be dependent on the experience of the surgeon.

  9. Comprehensive Laboratory Evaluation of a Highly Specific Lateral Flow Assay for the Presumptive Identification of Bacillus anthracis Spores in Suspicious White Powders and Environmental Samples

    PubMed Central

    Ramage, Jason G.; Prentice, Kristin W.; DePalma, Lindsay; Venkateswaran, Kodumudi S.; Chivukula, Sruti; Chapman, Carol; Bell, Melissa; Datta, Shomik; Singh, Ajay; Hoffmaster, Alex; Sarwar, Jawad; Parameswaran, Nishanth; Joshi, Mrinmayi; Thirunavkkarasu, Nagarajan; Krishnan, Viswanathan; Morse, Stephen; Avila, Julie R.; Sharma, Shashi; Estacio, Peter L.; Stanker, Larry; Hodge, David R.

    2016-01-01

    We conducted a comprehensive, multiphase laboratory evaluation of the Anthrax BioThreat Alert® test strip, a lateral flow immunoassay (LFA) for the rapid detection of Bacillus anthracis spores. The study, conducted at 2 sites, evaluated this assay for the detection of spores from the Ames and Sterne strains of B. anthracis, as well as those from an additional 22 strains. Phylogenetic near neighbors, environmental background organisms, white powders, and environmental samples were also tested. The Anthrax LFA demonstrated a limit of detection of about 106 spores/mL (ca. 1.5 × 105 spores/assay). In this study, overall sensitivity of the LFA was 99.3%, and the specificity was 98.6%. The results indicated that the specificity, sensitivity, limit of detection, dynamic range, and repeatability of the assay support its use in the field for the purpose of qualitatively evaluating suspicious white powders and environmental samples for the presumptive presence of B. anthracis spores. PMID:27661796

  10. Correlation between Driver Subjective Fatigue and Bus Lateral Position in a Driving Simulator.

    PubMed

    Gharagozlou, Faramarz; Mazloumi, Adel; Saraji, Gebraeil Nasl; Nahvi, Ali; Ashouri, Mohammadreza; Mozaffari, Hamed

    2015-08-01

    Driver fatigue as a leading cause of death in the transportation industry can impair the driving performance in long-distance driving task. Studies on the links of driver subjective fatigue and the bus lateral position are still an exploratory issue that requires further investigation. This study aimed to determine the correlation between the driver subjective fatigue and the bus lateral position in a driving simulator. This descriptive-analytical research was conducted on 30 professional male bus drivers participated in a two-hour driving session. The driver subjective fatigue was assessed by the Fatigue Visual Analogue Scale (F-VAS) at 10-min intervals. Simultaneously, the performance measures of lane drifting as the mean and standard deviation of the bus lateral position (SDLP) were calculated during the simulated driving task. Descriptive statistics and the Spearman correlation coefficient were used to describe and analyze the data. Fatigue levels had an increasing trend as the time-on-task of driving increased. Time-on-task of driving had the greatest effect on the fatigue self-evaluation (r = 0.605, p < 0.0001). The results showed a significant correlation between fatigue self-evaluation and bus lateral position (r = 0.567, p < 0.0001). As the time of driving increased, driving performance was affected adversely, as shown by the increase in the SDLP. Even so, the effect of individual differences on driving performance should not be overlooked. This work concludes that predicting the state of a driver fatigue based on the group mean data has some complications for any application.

  11. Correlation between Driver Subjective Fatigue and Bus Lateral Position in a Driving Simulator

    PubMed Central

    Gharagozlou, Faramarz; Mazloumi, Adel; Saraji, Gebraeil Nasl; Nahvi, Ali; Ashouri, Mohammadreza; Mozaffari, Hamed

    2015-01-01

    Background: Driver fatigue as a leading cause of death in the transportation industry can impair the driving performance in long-distance driving task. Studies on the links of driver subjective fatigue and the bus lateral position are still an exploratory issue that requires further investigation. This study aimed to determine the correlation between the driver subjective fatigue and the bus lateral position in a driving simulator. Methods: This descriptive-analytical research was conducted on 30 professional male bus drivers participated in a two-hour driving session. The driver subjective fatigue was assessed by the Fatigue Visual Analogue Scale (F-VAS) at 10-min intervals. Simultaneously, the performance measures of lane drifting as the mean and standard deviation of the bus lateral position (SDLP) were calculated during the simulated driving task. Descriptive statistics and the Spearman correlation coefficient were used to describe and analyze the data. Results: Fatigue levels had an increasing trend as the time-on-task of driving increased. Time-on-task of driving had the greatest effect on the fatigue self-evaluation (r = 0.605, p < 0.0001). The results showed a significant correlation between fatigue self-evaluation and bus lateral position (r = 0.567, p < 0.0001). Conclusion: As the time of driving increased, driving performance was affected adversely, as shown by the increase in the SDLP. Even so, the effect of individual differences on driving performance should not be overlooked. This work concludes that predicting the state of a driver fatigue based on the group mean data has some complications for any application. PMID:26396734

  12. Vehicle performance evaluation in side impact (MDB) using ES-II dummy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ganessh, T. S.; Bansode, Praveen; Revankar, Vidyakant; Kumar, Sunil

    2018-02-01

    Side impact collision is one of the leading causes of death. Protection of people during lateral collision is challenging because of relatively small space available to restraint occupant compared to front. Hence, it is imperative to protect the occupants in side collision. It is a function of vehicle type and restraints for side protection. This paper focuses on evaluation of injury parameters of the ES II dummy during the lateral collision of different vehicles with different spaces, sections and materials. Thus the comparison will enable us to understand the sensitivity of space, B-pillar section and material which affects the injury parameters. This study will help automotive engineers to design side impact crashworthy vehicles.

  13. Role of the source to building lateral separation distance in petroleum vapor intrusion.

    PubMed

    Verginelli, Iason; Capobianco, Oriana; Baciocchi, Renato

    2016-06-01

    The adoption of source to building separation distances to screen sites that need further field investigation is becoming a common practice for the evaluation of the vapor intrusion pathway at sites contaminated by petroleum hydrocarbons. Namely, for the source to building vertical distance, the screening criteria for petroleum vapor intrusion have been deeply investigated in the recent literature and fully addressed in the recent guidelines issued by ITRC and U.S.EPA. Conversely, due to the lack of field and modeling studies, the source to building lateral distance received relatively low attention. To address this issue, in this work we present a steady-state vapor intrusion analytical model incorporating a piecewise first-order aerobic biodegradation limited by oxygen availability that accounts for lateral source to building separation. The developed model can be used to evaluate the role and relevance of lateral vapor attenuation as well as to provide a site-specific assessment of the lateral screening distances needed to attenuate vapor concentrations to risk-based values. The simulation outcomes showed to be consistent with field data and 3-D numerical modeling results reported in previous studies and, for shallow sources, with the screening criteria recommended by U.S.EPA for the vertical separation distance. Indeed, although petroleum vapors can cover maximum lateral distances up to 25-30m, as highlighted by the comparison of model outputs with field evidences of vapor migration in the subsurface, simulation results by this new model indicated that, regardless of the source concentration and depth, 6m and 7m lateral distances are sufficient to attenuate petroleum vapors below risk-based values for groundwater and soil sources, respectively. However, for deep sources (>5m) and for low to moderate source concentrations (benzene concentrations lower than 5mg/L in groundwater and 0.5mg/kg in soil) the above criteria were found extremely conservative as the model results indicated that for such scenarios the lateral screening distance may be set equal to zero. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Systematic Review of the Long-term Surgical Outcomes of Discoid Lateral Meniscus.

    PubMed

    Lee, Yong Seuk; Teo, Seow Hui; Ahn, Jin Hwan; Lee, O-Sung; Lee, Seung Hoon; Lee, Je Ho

    2017-10-01

    To evaluate the surgical treatment of the discoid lateral meniscus (DLM) with long-term follow-up and to search which factors are related to good clinical or radiological outcomes. Search was performed using a MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane database, and each of the selected studies was evaluated for methodological quality using a risk of bias (ROB) covering 7 criteria. Clinical and radiological outcomes with more than 5 years of follow-up were evaluated after surgical treatment of DLM. They were analyzed according to the age, follow-up period, kind of surgery, DLM type, and alignment. Eleven articles (422 DLM cases) were included in the final analysis. Among 7 criteria, 3 criteria showed little ROB in all studies. However, 4 criteria showed some ROB ("Yes" in 63.6% to 81.8%). The minimal follow-up period was 5.5 years (weighted mean follow-up: 9.1 years). Surgical procedures were performed with open or arthroscopic partial central meniscectomy, subtotal meniscectomy, total meniscectomy, or partial meniscectomy with repair. The majority of the studies showed good clinical results. Mild joint space narrowing was reported in the lateral compartment, but none of the knees demonstrated moderate or advanced degenerative changes. Increased age at surgery, longer follow-up period, and subtotal or total meniscectomy could be related to degenerative change. The majority of the complications was osteochondritis dissecans at the lateral femoral condyle (13 cases) and reoperation was performed by osteochondritis dissecans (4 cases), recurrent swelling (2 cases), residual symptom (1 case), stiffness (1 case), and popliteal stenosis (1 case). Good clinical results were obtained with surgical treatment of symptomatic DLM. The progression of degenerative change was minimal and none of the knees demonstrated moderate or advanced degenerative changes. Increased age at surgery, longer follow-up period, and subtotal or total meniscectomy were possible risk factors for degenerative changes. Level IV, systematic review of Level IV studies. Copyright © 2017 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Defining the lateral limits of the endoscopic endonasal transtuberculum transplanum approach: anatomical study with pertinent quantitative analysis.

    PubMed

    Di Somma, Alberto; Torales, Jorge; Cavallo, Luigi Maria; Pineda, Jose; Solari, Domenico; Gerardi, Rosa Maria; Frio, Federico; Enseñat, Joaquim; Prats-Galino, Alberto; Cappabianca, Paolo

    2018-04-20

    OBJECTIVE The extended endoscopic endonasal transtuberculum transplanum approach is currently used for the surgical treatment of selected midline anterior skull base lesions. Nevertheless, the possibility of accessing the lateral aspects of the planum sphenoidale could represent a limitation for such an approach. To the authors' knowledge, a clear definition of the eventual anatomical boundaries has not been delineated. Hence, the present study aimed to detail and quantify the maximum amount of bone removal over the planum sphenoidale required via the endonasal pathway to achieve the most lateral extension of such a corridor and to evaluate the relative surgical freedom. METHODS Six human cadaveric heads were dissected at the Laboratory of Surgical NeuroAnatomy of the University of Barcelona. The laboratory rehearsals were run as follows: 1) preliminary predissection CT scans, 2) the endoscopic endonasal transtuberculum transplanum approach (lateral limit: medial optocarotid recess) followed by postdissection CT scans, 3) maximum lateral extension of the transtuberculum transplanum approach followed by postdissection CT scans, and 4) bone removal and surgical freedom analysis (a nonpaired Student t-test). A conventional subfrontal bilateral approach was used to evaluate, from above, the bone removal from the planum sphenoidale and the lateral limit of the endonasal route. RESULTS The endoscopic endonasal transtuberculum transplanum approach was extended at its maximum lateral aspect in the lateral portion of the anterior skull base, removing the bone above the optic prominence, that is, the medial portion of the lesser sphenoid wing, including the anterior clinoid process. As expected, a greater bone removal volume was obtained compared with the approach when bone removal is limited to the medial optocarotid recess (average 533.45 vs 296.07 mm 2 ; p < 0.01). The anteroposterior diameter was an average of 8.1 vs 15.78 mm, and the laterolateral diameter was an average of 18.77 vs 44.54 mm (p < 0.01). The neurovascular contents of this area were exposed up to the insular segment of the middle cerebral artery. The surgical freedom analysis revealed a possible increased lateral maneuverability of instruments inserted in the contralateral nostril compared with a midline target (average 384.11 vs 235.31 mm 2 ; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Bone removal from the medial aspect of the lesser sphenoid wing, including the anterior clinoid process, may increase the exposure and surgical freedom of the extended endoscopic endonasal transtuberculum transplanum approach over the lateral segment of the anterior skull base. Although this study represents a preliminary anatomical investigation, it could be useful to refine the indications and limitations of the endoscopic endonasal corridor for the surgical management of skull base lesions involving the lateral portion of the planum sphenoidale.

  16. An In vitro Comparison and Evaluation of Sealing Ability of Newly Introduced C-point System, Cold Lateral Condensation, and Thermoplasticized Gutta-Percha Obturating Technique: A Dye Extraction Study.

    PubMed

    Sinhal, Tapati Manohar; Shah, Ruchi Rani Purvesh; Jais, Pratik Subhas; Shah, Nimisha Chinmay; Hadwani, Krupali Dhirubhai; Rothe, Tushar; Sinhal, Neha Nilesh

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study is to compare and to evaluate sealing ability of newly introduced C-point system, cold lateral condensation, and thermoplasticized gutta-percha obturating technique using a dye extraction method. Sixty extracted maxillary central incisors were decoronated below the cementoenamel junction. Working length was established, and biomechanical preparation was done using K3 rotary files with standard irrigation protocol. Teeth were divided into three groups according to the obturation protocol; Group I-Cold lateral condensation, Group II-Thermoplasticized gutta-percha, and Group III-C-Point obturating system. After obturation all samples were subjected to microleakage assessment using dye extraction method. Obtained scores will be statistical analyzed using ANOVA test and post hoc Tukey's test. One-way analysis of variance revealed that there is significant difference among the three groups with P value (0.000 < 0.05). Tukey's HSD post hoc tests for multiple comparisons test shows that the Group II and III perform significantly better than Group I. Group III performs better than Group II with no significant difference. All the obturating technique showed some degree of microleakage. Root canals filled with C-point system showed least microleakage followed by thermoplasticized obturating technique with no significant difference among them. C-point obturation system could be an alternative to the cold lateral condensation technique.

  17. Preoperative Cleft Lip Measurements and Maxillary Growth in Patients With Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate.

    PubMed

    Antonarakis, Gregory S; Tompson, Bryan D; Fisher, David M

    2016-11-01

    Maxillary growth in patients with cleft lip and palate is highly variable. The authors' aim was to investigate associations between preoperative cleft lip measurements and maxillary growth determined cephalometrically in patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (cUCLP). Retrospective cross-sectional study. Children with cUCLP. Preoperative cleft lip measurements were made at the time of primary cheiloplasty and available for each patient. Maxillary growth was evaluated on lateral cephalometric radiographs taken prior to any orthodontic treatment and alveolar bone grafting (8.5 ± 0.7 years). The presence of associations between preoperative cleft lip measurements and cephalometric measures of maxillary growth was determined using regression analyses. In the 58 patients included in the study, the cleft lateral lip element was deficient in height in 90% and in transverse width in 81% of patients. There was an inverse correlation between cleft lateral lip height and transverse width with a β coefficient of -0.382 (P = .003). Patients with a more deficient cleft lateral lip height displayed a shorter maxillary length (β coefficient = 0.336; P = .010), a less protruded maxilla (β coefficient = .334; P = .008), and a shorter anterior maxillary height (β coefficient = 0.306; P = .020) than those with a less deficient cleft lateral lip height. Patients with cUCLP present with varying degrees of lateral lip hypoplasia. Preoperative measures of lateral lip deficiency are related to later observed deficiencies of maxillary length, protrusion, and height.

  18. Early-onset obsessive-compulsive disorder and personality disorders in adulthood.

    PubMed

    Maina, Giuseppe; Albert, Umberto; Salvi, Virginio; Pessina, Enrico; Bogetto, Filippo

    2008-03-15

    Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) often emerges in childhood or adolescence. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether adult patients with prepuberal onset differ from subjects with later onset in terms of personality disorder comorbidity. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Disorders was used to assess 148 patients with a principal diagnosis of OCD according to the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders. The following two subgroups of subjects were selected according to the age at onset of symptomatology: patients with an early-onset (< or =10 years), and patients with a later onset (> or =17 years). Of the 148 patients screened for the present study, 33 (22.3%) had an early onset and 1369 (46.6%) had a later onset. With regard to personality disorders, early-onset patients showed more OC personality disorders (OCPD) than later onset patients. Our finding suggests that OCD in childhood increases the risk for developing OCPD in adulthood, or that early-onset OCD and OCPD share a common pathogenesis.

  19. Does Bipedality Predict the Group-Level Manual Laterality in Mammals?

    PubMed Central

    Giljov, Andrey; Karenina, Karina; Malashichev, Yegor

    2012-01-01

    Background Factors determining patterns of laterality manifestation in mammals remain unclear. In primates, the upright posture favours the expression of manual laterality across species, but may have little influence within a species. Whether the bipedalism acts the same in non-primate mammals is unknown. Our recent findings in bipedal and quadrupedal marsupials suggested that differences in laterality pattern, as well as emergence of manual specialization in evolution might depend on species-specific body posture. Here, we evaluated the hypothesis that the postural characteristics are the key variable shaping the manual laterality expression across mammalian species. Methodology/Principal Findings We studied forelimb preferences in a most bipedal marsupial, brush-tailed bettong, Bettongia penicillata in four different types of unimanual behavior. The significant left-forelimb preference at the group level was found in all behaviours studied. In unimanual feeding on non-living food, catching live prey and nest-material collecting, all or most subjects were lateralized, and among lateralized bettongs a significant majority displayed left-forelimb bias. Only in unimanual supporting of the body in the tripedal stance the distribution of lateralized and non-lateralized individuals did not differ from chance. Individual preferences were consistent across all types of behaviour. The direction or the strength of forelimb preferences were not affected by the animals’ sex. Conclusions/Significance Our findings support the hypothesis that the expression of manual laterality depends on the species-typical postural habit. The interspecies comparison illustrates that in marsupials the increase of bipedality corresponds with the increase of the degree of group-level forelimb preference in a species. Thus, bipedalism can predict pronounced manual laterality at both intra- and interspecific levels in mammals. We also conclude that quadrupedal position in biped species can slightly hinder the expression of manual laterality, but the evoked biped position in quadrupedal species does not necessarily lead to the enhanced manifestation of manual laterality. PMID:23251583

  20. Does bipedality predict the group-level manual laterality in mammals?

    PubMed

    Giljov, Andrey; Karenina, Karina; Malashichev, Yegor

    2012-01-01

    Factors determining patterns of laterality manifestation in mammals remain unclear. In primates, the upright posture favours the expression of manual laterality across species, but may have little influence within a species. Whether the bipedalism acts the same in non-primate mammals is unknown. Our recent findings in bipedal and quadrupedal marsupials suggested that differences in laterality pattern, as well as emergence of manual specialization in evolution might depend on species-specific body posture. Here, we evaluated the hypothesis that the postural characteristics are the key variable shaping the manual laterality expression across mammalian species. We studied forelimb preferences in a most bipedal marsupial, brush-tailed bettong, Bettongia penicillata in four different types of unimanual behavior. The significant left-forelimb preference at the group level was found in all behaviours studied. In unimanual feeding on non-living food, catching live prey and nest-material collecting, all or most subjects were lateralized, and among lateralized bettongs a significant majority displayed left-forelimb bias. Only in unimanual supporting of the body in the tripedal stance the distribution of lateralized and non-lateralized individuals did not differ from chance. Individual preferences were consistent across all types of behaviour. The direction or the strength of forelimb preferences were not affected by the animals' sex. Our findings support the hypothesis that the expression of manual laterality depends on the species-typical postural habit. The interspecies comparison illustrates that in marsupials the increase of bipedality corresponds with the increase of the degree of group-level forelimb preference in a species. Thus, bipedalism can predict pronounced manual laterality at both intra- and interspecific levels in mammals. We also conclude that quadrupedal position in biped species can slightly hinder the expression of manual laterality, but the evoked biped position in quadrupedal species does not necessarily lead to the enhanced manifestation of manual laterality.

  1. Perforations and angulations of 324 cervical medial cortical pedicle screws: a possible guide to avoid lateral perforations with use of pedicle screws in lower cervical spine.

    PubMed

    Mahesh, Bijjawara; Upendra, Bidre; Vijay, Sekharappa; Arun, Kumar; Srinivasa, Reddy

    2017-03-01

    More than half of the perforations reported with usage of cervical pedicle screws (CPS) are lateral perforations, endangering the vertebral artery. The medial cortical pedicle screw (MCPS) technique with partial drilling of the medial cortex shifts the trajectory of pedicle screws medially, decreasing the lateral perforations. To evaluate the decrease in lateral perforations of CPS with use of MCPS technique, in relation to medial angulation. Retrospective analysis and technical report of the MCPS technique and its safety. A total of 58 patients operated on between December 2011 and May 2015 with insertion of pedicle screws from C3 to C7 were included in the study. Axial reconstructed computed tomography (CT) scan images of the inserted screws were evaluated for placement, perforations, and transverse plane angulations using the Surgimap software (Surgimap Spine 1.1.2.271 Intl. 2009 Nemaris LLC). The angulations of screws were analyzed by the type and level of placement through unpaired t test and analysis of variance test. A total of 58 patients operated on between December 2011 and May 2015 with insertion of pedicle screws from C3 to C7 were included in the study. There were 49 males and 9 females. Thirty-seven patients had cervical trauma, 17 had cervical spondylotic myelopathy, two had tumors, and two had ankylosing spondylitis. The average age was 49 years (range 18 to 80 years). The screws were inserted using the MCPS technique. All patients underwent postoperative CT scans with GE Optima CT540 16 slice CT scanner (GE Healthcare Chalfont St. Giles, Buckinghamshire, UK). Axial reconstructed images along the axis of the inserted screws were evaluated for placement and perforations. Further, all the screws were evaluated for transverse plane angulations using the Surgimap software. The angulations of screw were analyzed by the type and level of placement through unpaired t test and analysis of variance test. No funds were received by any of the authors for the purpose of the present study. A total of 324 screws were assessed with postoperative CT scans. Two hundred fifty-six were found to be placed within the pedicle and 68 (20.98%) screws were found to have perforations. Forty screws (12.34%) had grade I medial perforations, 14 screws (4.32%) had grade I lateral perforations, 10 screws (3.08%) had grade II medial perforations, and 4 screws (1.23%) had grade IIlateral perforations. The average angulation of the nonperforated screws (n=256) was 28.6° (43°-17°), that of laterally perforated screws was 20.33° (13°-24°), and that of the medially perforated screws was 34.94° (45°-20°). On statistical analysis with each series, the 99% CI range for the in-screw angles was 27.91° to 29.34°; for the laterally perforated screw series, it was 18.42° to 22.23°; and that for the medially perforated screw series was 32.97° to 36.9°. The MCPS technique represents a shift in the concept of placement of CPS from the cancellous core to the medial cortex, avoiding screw deflection laterally by the thick proximal medial cortex. The present study shows that the lateral perforations can be consistently avoided, with a medial angulation of more than 27.91°, which is the primary concern with the use of pedicle screws in lower cervical spine. Further, the MCPS technique reduces the lateral perforations at a lesser insertion angle, which is technically desirable. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Laterality of radiographic osteoarthritis of the knee.

    PubMed

    Komatsu, Daigo; Ikeuchi, Kazuma; Kojima, Toshihisa; Takegami, Yasuhiko; Amano, Takafumi; Tsuboi, Masaki; Ishiguro, Naoki; Hasegawa, Yukiharu

    2017-05-01

    There are few reports of the laterality in radiological knee osteoarthritis (ROA). This study aimed to evaluate laterality in terms of the minimum joint space width (mJSW) and osteophyte areas (OFs) in a cross-sectorial general population screen and elucidate the association between laterality and risk of osteoarthritis. We enrolled 330 participants (mean age 64.6 years) and examined the presence of ROA (Kellgren-Lawrence grade ≧ 2) laterality in terms of the mJSW and OF on the medial tibia using auto-measuring software. Moreover, we examined the association between laterality and leg dominance. The right and left medial mJSWs were 4.02 ± 0.98 mm and 4.05 ± 1.01 mm, respectively, showing no laterality; the laterals were also similar. The participants who had osteophytes ≥1 mm 2 in the right, left, and bilateral knees were 15, 37, and 57 respectively, with osteophytes being significantly more common in the left knee. The OF was significantly larger in the left knee. Conversely, the medial and lateral mJSWs and OF did not differ according to leg dominance. The prevalence of ROA was higher and the OF was more pronounced in the left knee. However, the mJSW showed no laterality. Additionally, the mJSW and OF showed no differences according to leg dominance.

  3. Comparison of ultrasound-guided posterior transversus abdominis plane block and lateral transversus abdominis plane block for postoperative pain management in patients undergoing cesarean section: a randomized double-blind clinical trial study.

    PubMed

    Faiz, Seyed Hamid Reza; Alebouyeh, Mahmoud Reza; Derakhshan, Pooya; Imani, Farnad; Rahimzadeh, Poupak; Ghaderi Ashtiani, Maryam

    2018-01-01

    Due to the importance of pain control after abdominal surgery, several methods such as transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block are used to reduce the pain after surgery. TAP blocks can be performed using various ultrasound-guided approaches. Two important approaches to do this are ultrasound-guided lateral and posterior approaches. This study aimed to compare the two approaches of ultrasound-guided lateral and posterior TAP blocks to control pain after cesarean section. In this double-blind clinical trial study, 76 patients scheduled for elective cesarean section were selected and randomly divided into two groups of 38 and underwent spinal anesthesia. For pain management after the surgery, one group underwent lateral TAP block and the other group underwent posterior TAP block using 20cc of ropivacaine 0.2% on both sides. Pain intensity was evaluated based on Numerical Analog Scale (NAS) at rest and when coughing, 2, 4, 6, 12, 24 and 36 hours after surgery. The pain at rest in the posterior group at all hours post surgery was lower than the lateral group, especially at 6, 12 and 24 hours after the surgery and the difference was statistically significant ( p =0.03, p <0.004, p =0.001). The results of this study show that ultrasound-guided posterior TAP block compared with the lateral TAP block was more effective in pain control after cesarean section.

  4. Decreasing scoring errors on Wechsler Scale Vocabulary, Comprehension, and Similarities subtests: a preliminary study.

    PubMed

    Linger, Michele L; Ray, Glen E; Zachar, Peter; Underhill, Andrea T; LoBello, Steven G

    2007-10-01

    Studies of graduate students learning to administer the Wechsler scales have generally shown that training is not associated with the development of scoring proficiency. Many studies report on the reduction of aggregated administration and scoring errors, a strategy that does not highlight the reduction of errors on subtests identified as most prone to error. This study evaluated the development of scoring proficiency specifically on the Wechsler (WISC-IV and WAIS-III) Vocabulary, Comprehension, and Similarities subtests during training by comparing a set of 'early test administrations' to 'later test administrations.' Twelve graduate students enrolled in an intelligence-testing course participated in the study. Scoring errors (e.g., incorrect point assignment) were evaluated on the students' actual practice administration test protocols. Errors on all three subtests declined significantly when scoring errors on 'early' sets of Wechsler scales were compared to those made on 'later' sets. However, correcting these subtest scoring errors did not cause significant changes in subtest scaled scores. Implications for clinical instruction and future research are discussed.

  5. Visual laterality responses to different emotive stimuli by red-capped mangabeys, Cercocebus torquatus torquatus.

    PubMed

    de Latude, Marion; Demange, Marianne; Bec, Philippe; Blois-Heulin, Catherine

    2009-01-01

    Hemispheric asymmetry in emotional perception has been put forward by different theories as the right hemisphere theory or the valence theory. But no consensus was found about the role played by both hemispheres. So, in order to test the different theories, we investigated preferential use of one eye in red-capped mangabeys, at the individual as well as at the group level. In this study we investigated the influence of the emotional value of stimuli on the direction and strength of visual preference of 14 red-capped mangabeys. Temporal stability of the bias of use of a given eye was evaluated by comparing our current results to those obtained 2.5 months previously. Two experimental devices, a tube and a box, tested five different stimuli: four food types varying in palatability and a neutral stimulus. The subjects' food preferences were evaluated before testing the laterality. The mangabeys used their left eyes predominantly at the group level for the tube task. The majority of the subjects showed a visual preference at the individual level for the box task, but this bias was not present at the group level. As the palatability of the stimuli increased, the number of lateralized subjects and the number of subjects using preferentially their left eye increased. Similarly, the strength of laterality was related to food preference. Strength of laterality was significantly higher for subjects using their left eye than for subjects using their right eye. Preferential use of a given eye was stable over short periods 2.5 months later. Our data agree with reports on visual laterality for other species. Our results support the valence theory of a hemispheric sharing of control of emotions in relation to their emotional value.

  6. Evaluation of pediatric ATD biofidelity as compared to child volunteers in low-speed far-side oblique and lateral impacts.

    PubMed

    Seacrist, Thomas; Locey, Caitlin M; Mathews, Emily A; Jones, Dakota L; Balasubramanian, Sriram; Maltese, Matthew R; Arbogast, Kristy B

    2014-01-01

    Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of injury and mortality for children. Mitigation of these injuries requires biofidelic anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) to design and evaluate automotive safety systems. Effective countermeasures exist for frontal and near-side impacts but are limited for far-side impacts. Consequently, far-side impacts represent increased injury and mortality rates compared to frontal impacts. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the biofidelity of the Hybrid III and Q-series pediatric ATDs in low-speed far-side impacts, with and without shoulder belt pretightening. Low-speed (2 g) far-side oblique (60°) and lateral (90°) sled tests were conducted using the Hybrid III and Q-series 6- and 10-year-old ATDs. ATDs were restrained by a lap and shoulder belt equipped with a precrash belt pretightener. Photoreflective targets were attached to the head, spine, shoulders, and sternum. ATDs were exposed to 8 low-speed sled tests: 2 oblique nontightened, 2 oblique pretightened, 2 lateral nontightened, 2 lateral pretightened. ATDs were compared with previously collected 9- to 11-year-old (n=10) volunteer data and newly collected 6- to 8-year-old volunteer data (n=7) tested with similar methods. Kinematic data were collected from a 3D target tracking system. Metrics of comparison included excursion, seat belt and seat pan reaction loads, belt-to-torso angle, and shoulder belt slip-out. The ATDs exhibited increased lateral excursion of the head top, C4, and T1 as well as increased downward excursion of the head top compared to the volunteers. Volunteers exhibited greater forward excursion than the ATDs in oblique nontightened impacts. These kinematics correspond to increased shoulder belt slip-out for the ATDs in oblique tests (ATDs=90%; volunteers=36%). Contrarily, similar shoulder belt slip-out was observed between ATDs and volunteers in lateral impacts (ATDs=80%; volunteers=78%). In pretightened impacts, the ATDs exhibited reduced lateral excursion and torso roll-out angle compared to the volunteers. In general, the ATDs overestimated lateral excursion in both impact directions, while underestimating forward excursion of the head and neck in oblique impacts compared to the pediatric volunteers. This was primarily due to pendulum-like lateral bending of the entire ATD torso compared to translation of the thorax relative to the abdomen prior to the lateral bending of the upper torso in the volunteers, likely due to the multisegmented spinal column in the volunteers. Additionally, the effect of belt pretightening on occupant kinematics was greater for the ATDs than the volunteers.

  7. Fluoroscopically guided closed reduction and internal fixation of fractures of the lateral portion of the humeral condyle: prospective clinical study of the technique and results in ten dogs.

    PubMed

    Cook, J L; Tomlinson, J L; Reed, A L

    1999-01-01

    To report a technique for fluoroscopically guided closed reduction with internal fixation of fractures of the lateral portion of the humeral condyle (FLHC) and determine the long-term results in 10 clinical cases. Prospective clinical case study. Ten dogs with 11 fractures. Fractures of the lateral portion of the humeral condyle were stabilized with transcondylar screws and Kirschner wires. Closed reduction and implant placement were achieved using intraoperative fluoroscopic guidance. After fracture repair, postoperative radiographs were evaluated for articular alignment and implant placement. Dogs were evaluated after surgery by means of lameness scores, elbow range of motion (ROM), radiographic assessment, and owner evaluation of function. Postoperative reduction was considered anatomic in 6 fractures with all other fractures having <1.5 mm of malreduction. Follow-up was available for 9 patients from 9 to 21 months after surgery. All of the fractures had healed. One minor (wire migration) and one major (implant failure) complication occurred. Mean lameness scores were 0 (n = 6), 0.5 (n = 2), and 1 (n = 1) at the time of final follow-up. No significant differences were found in follow-up ROM values between affected and unaffected elbows. All of the dogs in this study regained 90-100% of full function, based on owner assessment. Fluoroscopic guidance for closed reduction and internal fixation of FLHC in dogs is an effective technique.

  8. Laterality of basic auditory perception.

    PubMed

    Sininger, Yvonne S; Bhatara, Anjali

    2012-01-01

    Laterality (left-right ear differences) of auditory processing was assessed using basic auditory skills: (1) gap detection, (2) frequency discrimination, and (3) intensity discrimination. Stimuli included tones (500, 1000, and 4000 Hz) and wide-band noise presented monaurally to each ear of typical adult listeners. The hypothesis tested was that processing of tonal stimuli would be enhanced by left ear (LE) stimulation and noise by right ear (RE) presentations. To investigate the limits of laterality by (1) spectral width, a narrow-band noise (NBN) of 450-Hz bandwidth was evaluated using intensity discrimination, and (2) stimulus duration, 200, 500, and 1000 ms duration tones were evaluated using frequency discrimination. A left ear advantage (LEA) was demonstrated with tonal stimuli in all experiments, but an expected REA for noise stimuli was not found. The NBN stimulus demonstrated no LEA and was characterised as a noise. No change in laterality was found with changes in stimulus durations. The LEA for tonal stimuli is felt to be due to more direct connections between the left ear and the right auditory cortex, which has been shown to be primary for spectral analysis and tonal processing. The lack of a REA for noise stimuli is unexplained. Sex differences in laterality for noise stimuli were noted but were not statistically significant. This study did establish a subtle but clear pattern of LEA for processing of tonal stimuli.

  9. Laterality of Basic Auditory Perception

    PubMed Central

    Sininger, Yvonne S.; Bhatara, Anjali

    2010-01-01

    Laterality (left-right ear differences) of auditory processing was assessed using basic auditory skills: 1) gap detection 2) frequency discrimination and 3) intensity discrimination. Stimuli included tones (500, 1000 and 4000 Hz) and wide-band noise presented monaurally to each ear of typical adult listeners. The hypothesis tested was: processing of tonal stimuli would be enhanced by left ear (LE) stimulation and noise by right ear (RE) presentations. To investigate the limits of laterality by 1) spectral width, a narrow band noise (NBN) of 450 Hz bandwidth was evaluated using intensity discrimination and 2) stimulus duration, 200, 500 and 1000 ms duration tones were evaluated using frequency discrimination. Results A left ear advantage (LEA) was demonstrated with tonal stimuli in all experiments but an expected REA for noise stimuli was not found. The NBN stimulus demonstrated no LEA and was characterized as a noise. No change in laterality was found with changes in stimulus durations. The LEA for tonal stimuli is felt to be due to more direct connections between the left ear and the right auditory cortex which has been shown to be primary for spectral analysis and tonal processing. The lack of a REA for noise stimuli is unexplained. Sex differences in laterality for noise stimuli were noted but were not statistically significant. This study did establish a subtle but clear pattern of LEA for processing of tonal stimuli. PMID:22385138

  10. Recall bias in childhood atopic diseases among adults in the Odense Adolescence Cohort Study.

    PubMed

    Mortz, Charlotte G; Andersen, Klaus E; Bindslev-Jensen, Carsten

    2015-11-01

    Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common disease in childhood and an important risk factor for the later development of other atopic diseases. Many publications on childhood AD use questionnaires based on information obtained in adulthood, which introduce the possibility of recall bias. In a prospective cohort study, recall bias was evaluated in 1,501 unselected schoolchildren (mean age 14 years) evaluated for the first time in 1995 with a standardized questionnaire combined with a clinical examination and repeated in 2010. The lifetime prevalence of AD was 34.1% including data obtained both during school age and 15 years later, compared with 23.6% including data only from adulthood. The most important factors for remembering having had AD in childhood were: (i) long duration of dermatitis in childhood; (ii) adult hand eczema; and (iii) concomitant atopic disease. Recall bias for childhood AD affected the results of logistic regression on adult hand eczema and is a significant problem in retrospective epidemiological questionnaire studies evaluating previous AD as a risk factor for development of other diseases.

  11. Analysis of walking variability through simultaneous evaluation of the head, lumbar, and lower-extremity acceleration in healthy youth

    PubMed Central

    Toda, Haruki; Nagano, Akinori; Luo, Zhiwei

    2016-01-01

    [Purpose] The purpose of this study was to clarify whether walking speed affects acceleration variability of the head, lumbar, and lower extremity by simultaneously evaluating of acceleration. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty young individuals recruited from among the staff at Kurashiki Heisei Hospital participated in this study. Eight accelerometers were used to measure the head, lumbar and lower extremity accelerations. The participants were instructed to walk at five walking speeds prescribed by a metronome. Acceleration variability was assessed by a cross-correlation analysis normalized using z-transform in order to evaluate stride-to-stride variability. [Results] Vertical acceleration variability was the smallest in all body parts, and walking speed effect had laterality. Antero-posterior acceleration variability was significantly associated with walking speed at sites other than the head. Medio-lateral acceleration variability of the bilateral hip alone was smaller than the antero-posterior variability. [Conclusion] The findings of this study suggest that the effect of walking speed changes on the stride-to-stride acceleration variability was individual for each body parts, and differs among directions. PMID:27390419

  12. Resting lateralized activity predicts the cortical response and appraisal of emotions: an fNIRS study.

    PubMed

    Balconi, Michela; Grippa, Elisabetta; Vanutelli, Maria Elide

    2015-12-01

    This study explored the effect of lateralized left-right resting brain activity on prefrontal cortical responsiveness to emotional cues and on the explicit appraisal (stimulus evaluation) of emotions based on their valence. Indeed subjective responses to different emotional stimuli should be predicted by brain resting activity and should be lateralized and valence-related (positive vs negative valence). A hemodynamic measure was considered (functional near-infrared spectroscopy). Indeed hemodynamic resting activity and brain response to emotional cues were registered when subjects (N = 19) viewed emotional positive vs negative stimuli (IAPS). Lateralized index response during resting state, LI (lateralized index) during emotional processing and self-assessment manikin rating were considered. Regression analysis showed the significant predictive effect of resting activity (more left or right lateralized) on both brain response and appraisal of emotional cues based on stimuli valence. Moreover, significant effects were found as a function of valence (more right response to negative stimuli; more left response to positive stimuli) during emotion processing. Therefore, resting state may be considered a predictive marker of the successive cortical responsiveness to emotions. The significance of resting condition for emotional behavior was discussed. © The Author (2015). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  13. Efficacy of Superselective Neck Dissection in Detecting Metastasis in Patients with cN0 Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma at High Risk of Lateral Neck Metastasis

    PubMed Central

    An, Changming; Zhang, Xiwei; Wang, Shixu; Zhang, Zongmin; Yin, Yulin; Xu, Zhengang; Tang, Pingzhang; Li, Zhengjiang

    2017-01-01

    Background This study aimed to evaluate superselective neck dissection (SSND) in patients with cN0 papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) at high risk of lateral cervical lymph node (LN) metastasis. Material/Methods This study enrolled 138 patients with PTC who underwent SSND. These patients were at high risk for LN metastasis and the rate of cervical LN metastasis was recorded. Results In all, 146 lateral neck dissections were performed in 138 patients. Intraoperative pathological data revealed LN metastasis from 55 cases, for which Level II and V dissection were performed. Ninety SSNDs were performed in the other 83 patients without metastasis identified in frozen sections. Occult lymph node metastasis (OLNM) rates were 56.8% and 43.5% in the central compartment and lateral neck, respectively. OLNM rates of Level II–VI were 17.8%, 31.5%, 36.3%, 1.4%, and 56.8%, respectively. Level VI metastasis (p<0.001), extra thyroidal extension (p=0.003), and tumor size (p=0.011) were significant factors for lateral neck LN metastasis. Conclusions SSND might be effective for early diagnosis of lateral neck metastases of PTC. Patients with OLNM should receive level II, III, and IV dissection, but level V dissection could be omitted. PMID:28469126

  14. Effect of greater trochanteric epiphysiodesis after femoral varus osteotomy for lateral pillar classification B and B/C border Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease: A retrospective observational study.

    PubMed

    Kwon, Keun-Sang; Wang, Sung Il; Lee, Ju-Hyung; Moon, Young Jae; Kim, Jung Ryul

    2017-08-01

    This is a retrospective observational study. Greater trochanteric epiphysiodesis (GTE) has been recommended to prevent Trendelenburg gait and limitation of the hip joint motion due to trochanteric overgrowth after femoral varus osteotomy (FVO) in Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCPD). However, capital femoral physeal arrest frequently occurs in patients with severe disease (lateral pillar C), so GTE might not be as effective in these patients. The aim of this study was to compare trochanteric growth inhibition due to GTE after FVO between 2 age groups (<8 or >8 years) in patients with lateral pillar B and B/C border LCPD and evaluate the effectiveness of GTE compared with the normal, unaffected hip.This study included 19 children with lateral pillar B and B/C border LCPD in 1 leg who underwent FVO followed by GTE. Of the 19 children, 9 underwent GTE before the age of 8 years and 10 underwent GTE after 8 years of age. On radiographs taken at the immediate postoperative period and at skeletal maturity, the articulo-trochanteric distance (ATD), center-trochanteric distance (CTD), and neck-shaft angle (NSA) were compared between the 2 age groups. The amount of correction was compared between groups. The contralateral, unaffected hip was used as a control for trochanteric growth. The patients were clinically evaluated with Iowa hip score at the final follow-up.There was no significant difference between the 2 age groups in terms of time to GTE, length of follow-up, or lateral pillar classification. In the affected hip, the amount of correction of the ATD, CTD, and NSA was significantly greater in patients < 8 years than in patients > 8 years. However, in the unaffected hip, the change in the ATD, CTD, and NSA did not differ significantly between the 2 groups.We suggest that FVO followed by GTE for lateral pillar B and B/C border LCPD in patients under the age of 8 years can affect growth of the greater trochanter. However, effective growth inhibition due to GTE was not achieved after 8 years of age.

  15. Comparative study of conventional US, contrast enhanced US and enhanced MR for the follow-up of prostatic radiofrequency ablation.

    PubMed

    Feng, Chao; Hu, Bin; Hu, Bing; Chen, Lei; Li, Jia; Huang, Jin

    2017-06-01

    The aim of the present study was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of different imaging methods during follow-up of prostatic radiofrequency ablation. Prostatic radiofrequency ablation (RFA) was performed in 20 healthy beagle dogs. Various imaging examinations were used to monitor the results of RFA, including conventional ultrasound (US), contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and enhanced magnetic resonance (MR). Imaging exams were performed at five phases: Immediately following RFA, one week later, one month later, three months later and six months later. The morphology for each imaging test and histological results were recorded and compared in each phase. Based on the actual results from autopsy, the accuracy of those imaging exams was evaluated. The canine prostate gland demonstrated typical coagulative necrosis immediately following RFA. The lesion would develop into stable cyst if no other complications occurred within the six-month follow-up. Regarding the RFA lesion volume measurement and the reflection of pathological changes, conventional US was not able to accurately measure the volume of RFA lesion and missed many more details concerning the RFA-treated area than CEUS and MR during the three months. The results from CEUS exhibited comparable accuracy to those from enhanced MR at each phase. However, there were no significant differences in the results from US, CEUS and MR at six months, which may contribute to the complete formation of lesion cyst. In the early phase, conventional US was not sufficient for evaluating the efficacy of RFA. Enhanced US and MR provided clear images and accurate information. However, CEUS has the advantage of being more economical, using more convenient equipment and faster scanning, thus identifying it as the more feasible choice. Furthermore, no notable advantages were observed among any image examinations in the long-term follow-up.

  16. Short-term evaluation of arthroscopic management of tennis elbow; including resection of radio-capitellar capsular complex.

    PubMed

    Babaqi, AbdulRahman A; Kotb, Mohammed M; Said, Hatem G; AbdelHamid, Mohamed M; ElKady, Hesham A; ElAssal, Maher A

    2014-06-01

    There has been controversy regarding the pathogenesis and treatment of lateral epicondylitis. Different surgical techniques for the treatment of lateral epicondylitis prescribed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the short-term outcomes of arthroscopic management including resection of the radio-capitellar capsular complex, using different validated scores. In this study, arthroscopic resection of a capsular fringe complex was done beside debridement of the undersurface of Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis (ECRB). Thirty-one patients with recalcitrant lateral epicondylitis for a minimum of 6 months had surgery. In all patients, a collar-like band of radio-capitellar capsular complex was found to impinge on the radial head and subluxate into the radio-capitellar joint with manipulation under direct vision. Outcomes were assessed using Mayo Elbow Performance Index (MEPI), the Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE), and the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH), beside visual analog scale (VAS) for pain and satisfaction criteria. After arthroscopic surgery, overall satisfaction was extremely positive, over the 31 patients, 93.5% of the patients are satisfied. The mean score for pain improved from 8.64 to 1.48 points. The total PRTEE improved from 55.53 to 10.39 points. The mean MEPI score was improved from 61.82 to 94.10 points. DASH score also improved from 24.46 to 4.81 points. All improvements are statistically significant (P < 0.05). Arthroscopic release of ECRB in patients with chronic lateral epicondylitis is a reproducible method with a marked improvement in function within a short period, with special consideration for resection of radio-capitellar capsular complex.

  17. Changes in patellofemoral alignment do not cause clinical impact after open-wedge high tibial osteotomy.

    PubMed

    Lee, Yong Seuk; Lee, Sang Bok; Oh, Won Seok; Kwon, Yong Eok; Lee, Beom Koo

    2016-01-01

    The objectives of this study were (1) to evaluate the clinical and radiologic outcomes of open-wedge high tibial osteotomy focusing on patellofemoral alignment and (2) to search for correlation between variables and patellofemoral malalignment. A total of 46 knees (46 patients) from 32 females and 14 males who underwent open-wedge high tibial osteotomy were included in this retrospective case series. Outcomes were evaluated using clinical scales and radiologic parameters at the last follow-up. Pre-operative and final follow-up values were compared for the outcome analysis. For the focused analysis of the patellofemoral joint, correlation analyses between patellofemoral variables and pre- and post-operative weight-bearing line (WBL), clinical score, posterior slope, Blackburn Peel ratio, lateral patellar tilt, lateral patellar shift, and congruence angle were performed. The minimum follow-up period was 2 years and median follow-up period was 44 months (range 24-88 months). The percentage of weight-bearing line was shifted from 17.2 ± 11.1 to 56.7 ± 12.7%, and it was statistically significant (p < 0.01). Regarding the clinical results, statistical significance was observed using all scores (p < 0.01). In the radiologic evaluation, patellar descent was observed with statistical significance (p < 0.01). Last follow-up lateral patellar tilt was decreased with statistical significance (p < 0.01). In correlation analysis between variables of patellofemoral malalignment, the pre-operative weight-bearing line showed an association with the change in lateral patellar tilt and lateral patellar shift (correlation coefficient: 0.3). After open-wedge high tibial osteotomy, clinical results showed improvement, compared to pre-operative values. The patellar tilt and lateral patellar shift were not changed; however, descent of the patella was observed. Therefore, mild patellofemoral problems should not be a contraindication of the open-wedge high tibial osteotomy. Case series, Level IV.

  18. Comparison Between Steroid and 2 Different Sites of Botulinum Toxin Injection in the Treatment of Lateral Epicondylalgia: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Active Drug-Controlled Pilot Study.

    PubMed

    Guo, Yao-Hong; Kuan, Ta-Shen; Chen, Kuan-Lin; Lien, Wei-Chih; Hsieh, Pei-Chun; Hsieh, I-Chieh; Chiu, Szu-Hao; Lin, Yu-Ching

    2017-01-01

    To compare the effects of 2 different injection sites of low doses of botulinum toxin type A with steroid in treating lateral epicondylalgia. Double-blind, randomized, active drug-controlled trial. Tertiary medical center. Patients with lateral epicondylalgia for >6 months were recruited from a hospital-based outpatient population (N=26). A total of 66 patients were approached, and 40 were excluded. No participant withdrew because of adverse effects. Patients were randomly assigned into 3 groups: (1) botulinum toxin epic group (n=8), who received 20U of botulinum toxin injection into the lateral epicondyle; (2) botulinum toxin tend group (n=7), who received 20U of botulinum toxin injected into tender points of muscles; and (3) steroid group (n=11), who received 40mg of triamcinolone acetonide injected into the lateral epicondyle. A visual analog scale, a dynamometer, and the Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation were used to evaluate the perception of pain, maximal grip strength, and functional status, respectively. Outcome measures were assessed before intervention and at 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks after treatment. The primary outcome measure was a visual analog scale. At 4 weeks after injection, the steroid group was superior to the botulinum toxin tend group in improvement on the visual analog scale (P=.006), grip strength (P=.03), and Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (P=.02). However, these differences were not observed at the 8-, 12-, and 16-week follow-up assessments. There was no significant difference between the steroid and botulinum toxin epic groups. Injections with botulinum toxin and steroid effectively reduced pain and improved upper limb function in patients with lateral epicondylalgia for at least 16 weeks. The onset of effect was earlier in the steroid and botulinum toxin epic groups than in the botulinum toxin tend group. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Ultrasonography in the diagnosis of nasal bone fractures: a comparison with conventional radiography and computed tomography.

    PubMed

    Lee, In Sook; Lee, Jung-Hoon; Woo, Chang-Ki; Kim, Hak Jin; Sol, Yu Li; Song, Jong Woon; Cho, Kyu-Sup

    2016-02-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the diagnostic efficacy of ultrasonography (US) with radiography and multi-detector computed tomography (CT) for the detection of nasal bone fractures. Forty-one patients with a nasal bone fracture who underwent prospective US examinations were included. Plain radiographs and CT images were obtained on the day of trauma. For US examinations, radiologist used a linear array transducer (L17-5 MHz) in 24 patients and hockey-stick probe (L15-7 MHz) in 17. The bony component of the nose was divided into three parts (right and left lateral nasal walls, and midline of nasal bone). Fracture detection by three modalities was subjected to analysis. Furthermore, findings made by each modality were compared with intraoperative findings. Nasal bone fractures were located in the right lateral wall (n = 28), midline of nasal bone (n = 31), or left lateral wall (n = 31). For right and left lateral nasal walls, CT had greater sensitivity and specificity than US or radiography, and better agreed with intraoperative findings. However, for midline fractures of nasal bone, US had higher specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value than CT. Although two US evaluations showed good agreements at all three sites, US findings obtained by the hockey-stick probe showed closer agreement with intraoperative findings for both lateral nasal wall and midline of nasal bone. Although CT showed higher sensitivity and specificity than US or radiography, US found to be helpful for evaluating the midline of nasal bone. Furthermore, for US examinations of the nasal bone, a smaller probe and higher frequency may be required.

  20. Evaluation of the molecular lipid organization in millimeter-sized stratum corneum by synchrotron X-ray diffraction.

    PubMed

    Suzuki, T; Uchino, T; Hatta, I; Miyazaki, Y; Kato, S; Sasaki, K; Kagawa, Y

    2018-04-29

    The aim of this study was to investigate whether the lamellar and lateral structure of intercellular lipid of stratum corneum (SC) can be evaluated from millimeter-sized SC (MSC) by X-ray diffraction. A 12 mm × 12 mm SC sheet from hairless mouse was divided into 16 pieces measuring 3 mm × 3 mm square. From another sheet, 4 pieces of ultramillimeter-sized SC (USC:1.5 mm × 1.5 mm square) were prepared. Small and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (SAXD and WAXD) measurements were performed on each piece. For MSC and USC, changes in the lamellar and lateral structure after the application of d-limonene were measured. The intensity of SAXD peaks due to the lamellar phase of long periodicity phase (LPP) and WAXD peaks due to the lateral hydrocarbon chain-packing structures varied in MSC and USC pieces, although over the 12 mm × 12 mm SC sheet. These results indicated that the intercellular lipid components and their proportion appeared nearly uniform. Application of d-limonene on MSC and USC piece with strong peaks in SAXD and the WAXD resulted in the disappearance of peaks due to the lamellar phase of LPP and decrease in peak intensity for the lateral hydrocarbon chain-packing structures. These changes are consistent with normal-sized sample results. We found that the selection of a sample piece with strong diffraction peaks due to the lamellar and lateral structure enabled evaluation of the SC structure in small-sized samples by X-ray diffraction. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. The Case Study as Research Heuristic: Lessons from the R&D Value Mapping Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bozeman, Barry; Klein, Hans K.

    1999-01-01

    Examines the role of prototype case studies as the foundation for later evaluation through two studies from the "R&D Value Mapping Project," a study that will involve more than 30 cases. Explores the usefulness of case studies in defining and assessing subsequent research efforts. (SLD)

  2. Reducing the critical particle diameter in (highly) asymmetric sieve-based lateral displacement devices.

    PubMed

    Dijkshoorn, J P; Schutyser, M A I; Sebris, M; Boom, R M; Wagterveld, R M

    2017-10-26

    Deterministic lateral displacement technology was originally developed in the realm of microfluidics, but has potential for larger scale separation as well. In our previous studies, we proposed a sieve-based lateral displacement device inspired on the principle of deterministic lateral displacement. The advantages of this new device is that it gives a lower pressure drop, lower risk of particle accumulation, higher throughput and is simpler to manufacture. However, until now this device has only been investigated for its separation of large particles of around 785 µm diameter. To separate smaller particles, we investigate several design parameters for their influence on the critical particle diameter. In a dimensionless evaluation, device designs with different geometry and dimensions were compared. It was found that sieve-based lateral displacement devices are able to displace particles due to the crucial role of the flow profile, despite of their unusual and asymmetric design. These results demonstrate the possibility to actively steer the velocity profile in order to reduce the critical diameter in deterministic lateral displacement devices, which makes this separation principle more accessible for large-scale, high throughput applications.

  3. The Etiology of Mathematical Self-Evaluation and Mathematics Achievement: Understanding the Relationship Using a Cross-Lagged Twin Study from Ages 9 to 12

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Luo, Yu L. L.; Kovas, Yulia; Haworth, Claire M. A.; Plomin, Robert

    2011-01-01

    The genetic and environmental origins of individual differences in mathematical self-evaluation over time and its association with later mathematics achievement were investigated in a UK sample of 2138 twin pairs at ages 9 and 12. Self-evaluation indexed how good children think they are at mathematical activities and how much they like those…

  4. Morphology of the dorsal and lateral calcaneocuboid ligaments.

    PubMed

    Dorn-Lange, Nadja V; Nauck, Tanja; Lohrer, Heinz; Arentz, Sabine; Konerding, Moritz A

    2008-09-01

    The dorsolateral calcaneocuboid ligaments have different configurations. In the literature they are only described as either the dorsal or lateral calcaneocuboid ligament. However, recent reconstructive surgical techniques may benefit from a better understanding of the anatomy. The aims of this study were to classify the morphology and attachments of the dorso-lateral calcaneocuboid ligaments and to determine their dimensions. The dorso-lateral aspects of the calcaneocuboid joint of 30 cadaver feet were dissected to expose the associated ligaments. Further, we evaluated possible bony landmarks of the calcaneus that could imply which shape or course the ligament would have in a specific individual. Our findings showed a wide variety of configurations in shape, number, and attachment sites. A constant dorsal ligament and an additional narrower lateral ligament was detectable in half of the cases. The majority of the dorso-lateral calcaneocuboid ligament-complex had an upward course and fanning out from proximal to distal. No bony predictor for the ligaments' shape or course was found. The dorso-lateral ligament-complex of the calcaneocuboid joint revealed a wide variety of configurations. Better understanding of the anatomy of these ligaments may aid in the anatomic reconstruction of these ligaments.

  5. 40 CFR 57.502 - Evaluation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... and workplan of the study shall be approved, if adequate, by the issuing agency and included in the NSO. The study shall commence no later than the date when the NSO becomes effective and an analysis of... workplan for a study adequate to assess the sources of significant fugitive emissions from the smelter and...

  6. 40 CFR 57.502 - Evaluation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... and workplan of the study shall be approved, if adequate, by the issuing agency and included in the NSO. The study shall commence no later than the date when the NSO becomes effective and an analysis of... workplan for a study adequate to assess the sources of significant fugitive emissions from the smelter and...

  7. Evaluating lateral boundary conditions in MATCH using retrieved observations from satellites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Andersson, Emma; Kahnert, Michael; Simpson, David; Devasthale, Abhay

    2015-04-01

    The role of hemispheric transport has gained large attention in regional chemical transport models due to its impact on both climate, air quality and visibility. The hemispheric transport in regional models are represented by the lateral boundary conditions (LBCs), where the inflow boundary specifies the domain beyond the model region and the outflow region will impact the stability of the advective transport solution. This study focuses on evaluating and implement LBCs from global chemical transport models for two important atmospheric tracers: carbon monoxide (CO) and ozone (O3). LBCs are derived from the hemispheric European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP) model and the Model for Ozone and Related chemical Tracers (MOZART-4) over the time periods 2006-2012 and 2011-2012 respectively. Evaluation is done with observational data retrieved from the satellite sensors Measurements Of the Pollution In The Troposphere (MOPITT) and the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI). The implementation of the LBCs is done in the regional chemical transport model Multiple scale atmospheric transport and chemistry (MATCH), developed by the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI). The MATCH model is mostly used in simulations of the air quality over Europe on both on regional and local scales. In this study the model the domain is set over Europe. The LBC evaluation is done for the tropospheric column by smoothing the LBCs using satellite averaging kernels and a priori information. By retrieving the average profile for each month and lateral boundary, possible biases and also what global model that might be better suited for the LBCs in MATCH. The implementation will show how these biases proliferate through the MATCH model, and it will possibly be compared to satellite retrieved data from the sensor Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder (AIRS) inboard the satellite Aqua.

  8. Effect of Foot Progression Angle and Lateral Wedge Insole on a Reduction in Knee Adduction Moment.

    PubMed

    Tokunaga, Ken; Nakai, Yuki; Matsumoto, Ryo; Kiyama, Ryoji; Kawada, Masayuki; Ohwatashi, Akihiko; Fukudome, Kiyohiro; Ohshige, Tadasu; Maeda, Tetsuo

    2016-10-01

    This study evaluated the effect of foot progression angle on the reduction in knee adduction moment caused by a lateral wedged insole during walking. Twenty healthy, young volunteers walked 10 m at their comfortable velocity wearing a lateral wedged insole or control flat insole in 3 foot progression angle conditions: natural, toe-out, and toe-in. A 3-dimensional rigid link model was used to calculate the external knee adduction moment, the moment arm of ground reaction force to knee joint center, and the reduction ratio of knee adduction moment and moment arm. The result indicated that the toe-out condition and lateral wedged insole decreased the knee adduction moment in the whole stance phase. The reduction ratio of the knee adduction moment and the moment arm exhibited a close relationship. Lateral wedged insoles decreased the knee adduction moment in various foot progression angle conditions due to decrease of the moment arm of the ground reaction force. Moreover, the knee adduction moment during the toe-out gait with lateral wedged insole was the smallest due to the synergistic effect of the lateral wedged insole and foot progression angle. Lateral wedged insoles may be a valid intervention for patients with knee osteoarthritis regardless of the foot progression angle.

  9. Laterality in the first Neolithic and Chalcolithic farming communities in northern Iberia.

    PubMed

    Dominguez-Ballesteros, Eder; Arrizabalaga, Alvaro

    2015-05-01

    Laterality is a quality, widespread throughout the vertebrate kingdom. It consists in assigning different roles to each side of the body by granting predominance to one of the sides. Humans too display this quality and the specialization of each hemisphere in our brain was already present in the first vertebrates. We usually refer to right-handed and left-handed people depending on the upper limb that is assigned the dominant role. For a long time, it has been thought that the proportion of left-handed people in a population has remained constant in all cultures and during our evolution. However, laterality is affected by sociocultural influences and varies geographically and chronologically. Using archaeological remains, it is possible to obtain information about the laterality of our ancestors and determine laterality indices for past populations. We developed an experimental programme to determine which characteristics of a polished axe indicate the laterality of its maker. We describe a method based on the orientation of the edge and we study the Neolithic and Chalcolithic farming communities in northern Iberia to evaluate the laterality in those populations. The right/left laterality ratio for the Neolithic and Chalcolithic populations is very similar to the range detected for modern non-industrial societies.

  10. Speed management work plan

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1978-09-01

    This report describes the results of a before-and-after study to evaluate the effectiveness of dynamic sign systems in alerting motorists to the presence of narrow bridges on two lane rural highways. Vehicle speed and lateral placement (perpendicular...

  11. Assessment of the post-implant final left ventricular lead position: a comparative study between radiographic and angiographic modalities.

    PubMed

    Kumar, Prabhat; Blendea, Dan; Nandigam, Veena; Moore, Stephanie A; Heist, E Kevin; Singh, Jagmeet P

    2010-10-01

    Post-implant lateral and postero-anterior chest X-rays (CXR) are often utilized to determine the final LV lead tip position after cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). This study sought to compare post-implant standard CXRs with intra-procedural rotational coronary venous angiography (RCVA) to localize the final LV lead position. Sixty-four patients undergoing CRT (69.2 ± 11.4 years; males 68.7%; ischemic cardiomyopathy 59.4%; NYHA class 2.9 ± 0.5 and LV ejection fraction 24% ± 9%) were included in the study. RCVA was done by recording a rapid 4-second isocentric cine-loop from RAO 55° to LAO 55° (120 frames). Conventional CXR method (CC) and a composite CXR strategy (CM) based on two-view CXR were separately compared with RCVA. The most common pacing site was lateral (64.1%), followed by postero-lateral (23.4%) and antero-lateral (10.9%). In 73.4% (47) cases, the LV lead position was misclassified by CC as compared to RCVA. Among the 47 (73.4%) cases misclassified by CC approach, 35 had lateral LV lead position misclassified by CC as postero-lateral (77%), posterior (20%) and antero-lateral (3%). On the other hand, CM strategy classified the LV lead position correctly in 46 (71.9%) of the patients (p < 0.0001). The composite CXR strategy is a useful method for post-procedure LV lead localization. Due to its simplicity, it can be widely applied in post-implant evaluation of LV lead position in CRT patients.

  12. A comparison between over-the-head and lateral cardiopulmonary resuscitation with a single rescuer by bag-valve mask

    PubMed Central

    Nasiri, Ebrahim; Nasiri, Reza

    2014-01-01

    Context: mask fixation in the lateral position is difficult during CPR. Aim: the aim of this study is to compare the lateral CPR for the use of bag-valve mask by single paramedic rescuer as well as over-the-head CPR on the chest compression and ventilation on the manikin. Settings and Design: Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. The design of this study was a randomized cross-over trial. Methods: participants learned a standardized theoretical introduction CPR according to the 2010 guidelines. The total number of chest compressions per two minutes was measured. Total number of correct and wrong ventilation per two minutes was evaluated. Statistical Analysis: we used Wilcoxon signed-rank test to analyze the non-normally distributed data in dependence groups A. P-value of more than 0.05 was considered to show statistical significance. Results: there were 100 participants (45 women and 55 men) who participated in the study from September to March, 2011. The compression and ventilation rate in lateral CPR was lower than OTH CPR. Around 51% of participants had correct chest compression rate more than 90 beats per minute in lateral CPR and 65% of them had equal or more than ten correct ventilations per minute. Conclusions: in conclusion, this study confirmed that in a simulated CPR model over-the-head position CPR led to a better BLS than the lateral position CPR by a single paramedic student with a BVM device. We also concluded that by this new BVM fixation method on the face of the patients in the lateral position CPR can be a good alternative over-the-head mask fixation by a single trained rescuer. PMID:24665237

  13. Lateral movement and stability of channel banks near four highway crossings in southwestern Mississippi

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Turnipseed, D. Phil

    1994-01-01

    Channel meandering in alluvial streams has caused localized channel instability that has resulted in bridge failure and loss of human life in Mississippi. The U.S. Geological Survey, in coopera- tion with the Mississippi Department of Transpor- tation, conducted a study to develop a better methodology for defining and estimating channel meandering. For this report, river reaches near four bridge sites with current lateral movement of channel banks were selected for study. The lateral movement of channel banks was studied by mapping meanders from aerial photographs taken at various times, evaluating available discharge measurements, and measuring existing channel geometry and soil strength properties at these sites. Rapid, unre- stricted meander cuts and sandy banks are charac- teristic of the sites. Lateral movement was signi- ficant upstream from all four sites, and only one bridge site did not have significant lateral channel-bank movement during the study period. The development of cutbanks and localized channel-bank erosion have caused unstable conditions at three of the sites. Maps of tops of channel indicate significant lateral movement of channel banks upstream and downstream of all four sites and near the bridges at three of four sites. No significant movement occurred at the U.S. Highway 98 crossing of the Bogue Chitto near Tylertown from 1941 to 1991 despite large floods in 1983 and 1990. Slope stability analyses indicated this site to be marginally stable. The maximum lateral movement indicated from maps of tops of channel banks was 680 feet of northward movement of the right (north) bank of the Homochitto River near the State Highway 33 crossing at Rosetta from 1941 to 1983.

  14. Qualitative and quantitative aspects of pain in lateral posterior thoracotomy patients.

    PubMed

    Xavier, Thaiza Teixeira; Torres, Gilson de Vasconcelos; da Rocha, Vera Maria

    2006-01-01

    Descriptive study that proposed to compare the qualitative and quantitative behavior of the pain in lateral posterior thoracotomy patients. The sample was consisted of 18 individuals with an average age of 44 years. The instruments used were physiotherapy evaluation form, numerical pain scale and McGill questionnaire for pain. The pain on the numerical pain scale was considered moderate(5) for both sexes. The descriptors of the McGill questionnaire choosen by the patients with higher frequency were: in the sensorial component, beat4, pointed1, shock2, final and pull2; in the afetive component, tired1, bored1, punishald1 and miserable1 and in the evaluative component was flat. The characteristics of pain in the sensorial group were more evidents on male group. No significant statistical difeferences were observed between quantitative answers concerning pain between the men and women. On the qualitative aspects , was observed an predominancy of the same descriptors of pain in afetive component for both sexes. Pain intensity was categorized as moderate. No significant statistical difference were observed between the pain on the post-operatory lateral posterior thoracotomy. These data demonstrate a necessity for an analysis with a larger study group.

  15. MOSFET-BJT hybrid mode of the gated lateral bipolar junction transistor for C-reactive protein detection.

    PubMed

    Yuan, Heng; Kwon, Hyurk-Choon; Yeom, Se-Hyuk; Kwon, Dae-Hyuk; Kang, Shin-Won

    2011-10-15

    In this study, we propose a novel biosensor based on a gated lateral bipolar junction transistor (BJT) for biomaterial detection. The gated lateral BJT can function as both a BJT and a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) with both the emitter and source, and the collector and drain, coupled. C-reactive protein (CRP), which is an important disease marker in clinical examinations, can be detected using the proposed device. In the MOSFET-BJT hybrid mode, the sensitivity, selectivity, and reproducibility of the gated lateral BJT for biosensors were evaluated in this study. According to the results, in the MOSFET-BJT hybrid mode, the gated lateral BJT shows good selectivity and reproducibility. Changes in the emitter (source) current of the device for CRP antigen detection were approximately 0.65, 0.72, and 0.80 μA/decade at base currents of -50, -30, and -10 μA, respectively. The proposed device has significant application in the detection of certain biomaterials that require a dilution process using a common biosensor, such as a MOSFET-based biosensor. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Input/output properties of the lateral vestibular nucleus

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Boyle, R.; Bush, G.; Ehsanian, R.

    2004-01-01

    This article is a review of work in three species, squirrel monkey, cat, and rat studying the inputs and outputs from the lateral vestibular nucleus (LVN). Different electrophysiological shock paradigms were used to determine the synaptic inputs derived from thick to thin diameter vestibular nerve afferents. Angular and linear mechanical stimulations were used to activate and study the combined and individual contribution of inner ear organs and neck afferents. The spatio-temporal properties of LVN neurons in the decerebrated rat were studied in response to dynamic acceleration inputs using sinusoidal linear translation in the horizontal head plane. Outputs were evaluated using antidromic identification techniques and identified LVN neurons were intracellularly injected with biocytin and their morphology studied.

  17. Degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis: correlation with Oswestry Disability Index and MR imaging.

    PubMed

    Sirvanci, Mustafa; Bhatia, Mona; Ganiyusufoglu, Kursat Ali; Duran, Cihan; Tezer, Mehmet; Ozturk, Cagatay; Aydogan, Mehmet; Hamzaoglu, Azmi

    2008-05-01

    Because neither the degree of constriction of the spinal canal considered to be symptomatic for lumbar spinal stenosis nor the relationship between the clinical appearance and the degree of a radiologically verified constriction is clear, a correlation of patient's disability level and radiographic constriction of the lumbar spinal canal is of interest. The aim of this study was to establish a relationship between the degree of radiologically established anatomical stenosis and the severity of self-assessed Oswestry Disability Index in patients undergoing surgery for degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis. Sixty-three consecutive patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis who were scheduled for elective surgery were enrolled in the study. All patients underwent preoperative magnetic resonance imaging and completed a self-assessment Oswestry Disability Index questionnaire. Quantitative image evaluation for lumbar spinal stenosis included the dural sac cross-sectional area, and qualitative evaluation of the lateral recess and foraminal stenosis were also performed. Every patient subsequently answered the national translation of the Oswestry Disability Index questionnaire and the percentage disability was calculated. Statistical analysis of the data was performed to seek a relationship between radiological stenosis and percentage disability recorded by the Oswestry Disability Index. Upon radiological assessment, 27 of the 63 patients evaluated had severe and 33 patients had moderate central dural sac stenosis; 11 had grade 3 and 27 had grade 2 nerve root compromise in the lateral recess; 22 had grade 3 and 37 had grade 2 foraminal stenosis. On the basis of the percentage disability score, of the 63 patients, 10 patients demonstrated mild disability, 13 patients moderate disability, 25 patients severe disability, 12 patients were crippled and three patients were bedridden. Radiologically, eight patients with severe central stenosis and nine patients with moderate lateral stenosis demonstrated only minimal disability on percentage Oswestry Disability Index scores. Statistical evaluation of central and lateral radiological stenosis versus Oswestry Disability Index percentage scores showed no significant correlation. In conclusion, lumbar spinal stenosis remains a clinico-radiological syndrome, and both the clinical picture and the magnetic resonance imaging findings are important when evaluating and discussing surgery with patients having this diagnosis. MR imaging has to be used to determine the levels to be decompressed.

  18. Spatial correlation of atmospheric wind at scales relevant for large scale wind turbines

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bardal, L. M.; Sætran, L. R.

    2016-09-01

    Wind measurements a short distance upstream of a wind turbine can provide input for a feedforward wind turbine controller. Since the turbulent wind field will be different at the point/plane of measurement and the rotor plane the degree of correlation between wind speed at two points in space both in the longitudinal and lateral direction should be evaluated. This study uses a 2D array of mast mounted anemometers to evaluate cross-correlation of longitudinal wind speed. The degree of correlation is found to increase with height and decrease with atmospheric stability. The correlation is furthermore considerably larger for longitudinal separation than for lateral separation. The integral length scale of turbulence is also considered.

  19. [Development of image quality assurance support system using image recognition technology in radiography in lacked images of chest and abdomen].

    PubMed

    Shibuya, Toru; Kato, Kyouichi; Eshima, Hidekazu; Sumi, Shinichirou; Kubo, Tadashi; Ishida, Hideki; Nakazawa, Yasuo

    2012-01-01

    In order to provide a precise radiography for diagnosis, it is required that we avoid radiography with defects by having enough evaluation. Conventionally, evaluation was performed only by observation of a radiological technologist (RT). The evaluation support system was developed for providing a high quality assurance without depending on RT observation only. The evaluation support system, called as the Image Quality Assurance Support System (IQASS), is characterized in that "image recognition technology" for the purpose of diagnostic radiography of chest and abdomen areas. The technique of the system used in this study. Of the 259 samples of posterior-anterior (AP) chest, lateral chest, and upright abdominal x-rays, the sensitivity and specificity was 93.1% and 91.8% in the chest AP, 93.3% and 93.6% in the chest lateral, and 95.0% and 93.8% in the upright abdominal x-rays. In the light of these results, it is suggested that AIQAS could be applied to practical usage for the RT.

  20. The Effect of Lateral Ankle Ligament Repair in Muscle Reaction Time in Patients with Mechanical Ankle Instability.

    PubMed

    Li, H-Y; Zheng, J-J; Zhang, J; Hua, Y-H; Chen, S-Y

    2015-11-01

    Studies have shown that functional ankle instability can result in prolonged muscle reaction time. However, the deficit in muscle reaction time in patients with mechanical ankle instability (MAI) and the effect of lateral ankle ligament repair on muscle reaction time are unclear. The purpose of this study was to identify the deficit in muscle reaction time, and to evaluate the role of lateral ligament repair in improving muscle reaction time in MAI patients. Sixteen MAI patients diagnosed with lateral ankle ligament tears by ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging underwent arthroscopic debridement and open lateral ankle ligament repair with a modified Broström procedure. One day before the operation, reaction times of the tibialis anterior and peroneus longus muscles were recorded following sudden inversion perturbation while walking on a custom walkway, and anterior drawer test (ADT) and American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scale score were evaluated. Six months postoperatively, muscle reaction time, ADT and AOFAS scale score were reevaluated, and muscle reaction times in 15 healthy controls were also recorded. Preoperatively, the affected ankles in the MAI group had significantly delayed tibialis anterior and peroneus longus muscles reaction times compared with controls. Six months after the operation, median AOFAS scale scores were significantly greater than preoperatively, and ADT was negative in the MAI group. However, the affected ankles in the MAI group showed no difference in muscle reaction time compared with preoperative values. MAI patients had prolonged muscle reaction time. The modified Broström procedure produced satisfactory clinical outcomes in MAI patients, but did not shorten reaction times of the tibialis anterior and peroneus longus muscles. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  1. Lateral Radiographic Landmarks for ACL and LCL Footprint Origins During All-Epiphyseal Femoral Drilling in Skeletally Immature Knees.

    PubMed

    Shea, Kevin G; Cannamela, Peter C; Fabricant, Peter D; Terhune, E Bailey; Polousky, John D; Milewski, Matthew D; Ganley, Theodore J; Anderson, Allen F

    2017-03-15

    This study was conducted to evaluate the spatial relationship of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and lateral collateral ligament (LCL) femoral footprint origins in knee specimens from skeletally immature donors as viewed on lateral radiographs. Fourteen cadaver specimens of skeletally immature knees from children between 7 and 11 years old at the time of death were examined through gross dissection. Metallic pins were placed at the center of the ACL and LCL femoral footprints, and computed tomography (CT) scans were performed. Sagittal plane CT images were merged to create a view analogous to an intraoperative C-arm image with overlaid ACL and LCL ligament footprints. Ligament origins were then measured as a percent of the epiphyseal depth (% P-A [posterior-anterior]) and height (% P-D [proximal-distal]). The ACL origin was centered at a point located 14% (14% P-A) of the total lateral femoral condyle (LFC) depth from the most posterior aspect of the LFC and 38% (38% P-D) of the LFC height from the most proximal aspect of the posterior physis. The LCL origin was centered at a point 27% P-A and 37% P-D. When viewed on a sagittal CT reconstruction analogous to a perfect lateral intraoperative fluoroscopic view, the ACL footprint origin is posterior and slightly inferior to the LCL origin. Both origins are distal to the distal femoral physis and are posterior to the origin of the popliteus. This study demonstrates a consistent relationship between the origin of the ACL and LCL, which may be useful in guiding safe tunnel placement during all-epiphyseal ACL reconstruction in skeletally immature knees. This anatomic reference can be used intraoperatively to guide and radiographically evaluate ACL tunnel placement while avoiding the LCL origin in skeletally immature patients.

  2. Correlation between static radiographic measurements and intersegmental angular measurements during gait using a multisegment foot model.

    PubMed

    Lee, Dong Yeon; Seo, Sang Gyo; Kim, Eo Jin; Kim, Sung Ju; Lee, Kyoung Min; Farber, Daniel C; Chung, Chin Youb; Choi, In Ho

    2015-01-01

    Radiographic examination is a widely used evaluation method in the orthopedic clinic. However, conventional radiography alone does not reflect the dynamic changes between foot and ankle segments during gait. Multiple 3-dimensional multisegment foot models (3D MFMs) have been introduced to evaluate intersegmental motion of the foot. In this study, we evaluated the correlation between static radiographic indices and intersegmental foot motion indices. One hundred twenty-five females were tested. Static radiographs of full-leg and anteroposterior (AP) and lateral foot views were performed. For hindfoot evaluation, we measured the AP tibiotalar angle (TiTA), talar tilt (TT), calcaneal pitch, lateral tibiocalcaneal angle, and lateral talcocalcaneal angle. For the midfoot segment, naviculocuboid overlap and talonavicular coverage angle were calculated. AP and lateral talo-first metatarsal angles and metatarsal stacking angle (MSA) were measured to assess the forefoot. Hallux valgus angle (HVA) and hallux interphalangeal angle were measured. In gait analysis by 3D MFM, intersegmental angle (ISA) measurements of each segment (hallux, forefoot, hindfoot, arch) were recorded. ISAs at midstance phase were most highly correlated with radiography. Significant correlations were observed between ISA measurements using MFM and static radiographic measurements in the same segment. In the hindfoot, coronal plane ISA was correlated with AP TiTA (P < .001) and TT (P = .018). In the hallux, HVA was strongly correlated with transverse ISA of the hallux (P < .001). The segmental foot motion indices at midstance phase during gait measured by 3D MFM gait analysis were correlated with the conventional radiographic indices. The observed correlation between MFM measurements at midstance phase during gait and static radiographic measurements supports the fundamental basis for the use of MFM in analysis of dynamic motion of foot segment during gait. © The Author(s) 2014.

  3. A PET/CT approach to spinal cord metabolism in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

    PubMed

    Marini, Cecilia; Cistaro, Angelina; Campi, Cristina; Calvo, Andrea; Caponnetto, Claudia; Nobili, Flavio Mariano; Fania, Piercarlo; Beltrametti, Mauro C; Moglia, Cristina; Novi, Giovanni; Buschiazzo, Ambra; Perasso, Annalisa; Canosa, Antonio; Scialò, Carlo; Pomposelli, Elena; Massone, Anna Maria; Bagnara, Maria Caludia; Cammarosano, Stefania; Bruzzi, Paolo; Morbelli, Silvia; Sambuceti, Gianmario; Mancardi, Gianluigi; Piana, Michele; Chiò, Adriano

    2016-10-01

    In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, functional alterations within the brain have been intensively assessed, while progression of lower motor neuron damage has scarcely been defined. The aim of the present study was to develop a computational method to systematically evaluate spinal cord metabolism as a tool to monitor disease mechanisms. A new computational three-dimensional method to extract the spinal cord from (18)F-FDG PET/CT images was evaluated in 30 patients with spinal onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and 30 controls. The algorithm identified the skeleton on the CT images by using an extension of the Hough transform and then extracted the spinal canal and the spinal cord. In these regions, (18)F-FDG standardized uptake values were measured to estimate the metabolic activity of the spinal canal and cord. Measurements were performed in the cervical and dorsal spine and normalized to the corresponding value in the liver. Uptake of (18)F-FDG in the spinal cord was significantly higher in patients than in controls (p < 0.05). By contrast, no significant differences were observed in spinal cord and spinal canal volumes between the two groups. (18)F-FDG uptake was completely independent of age, gender, degree of functional impairment, disease duration and riluzole treatment. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a higher mortality rate in patients with standardized uptake values above the fifth decile at the 3-year follow-up evaluation (log-rank test, p < 0.01). The independence of this value was confirmed by multivariate Cox analysis. Our computational three-dimensional method enabled the evaluation of spinal cord metabolism and volume and might represent a potential new window onto the pathophysiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

  4. Improved accuracy in Risser sign grading with lateral spinal radiography

    PubMed Central

    2008-01-01

    Development of the ossification of the iliac crest is used to assess the remaining spinal growth. The clinical value of the Risser sign has been questioned because of its inaccuracy in grades 3 and 4. Estimation of the Risser sign based on the lateral spinal radiograph has not been reported. The aim of the study was to evaluate the course of ossification of the iliac apophysis along its full extension and to investigate relevance of the lateral spinal radiograph for more accurate Risser sign grading. Cross sectional analysis of spinal frontal and lateral long cassette standing spinal radiographs of 201 girls aged from 10.2 to 20.0 years were done. On the lateral spinal view, the ossification of the posterior part of the iliac apophysis was quantified at four grades: absent (A), partial (B), complete (C) or fused (D). The position of the posterior superior iliac spine was studied on both views as well as in pelvic specimens. The results showed that the posterior one-third portion of the iliac apophysis was sagittally oriented and obscured on the frontal radiograph by the sacroiliac junction. It could be studied on the lateral radiograph and revealed a different grading of the apophysis excursion in 58 of 201 (29%) patients, comparing to the frontal view. Both advanced or delayed ossification was observed and assessed with Lateral Risser Modifiers. Twenty-five percent of the patients at Risser 0 or 1 or 2 demonstrated a simultaneous ossification of the most anterior and the most posterior part of the iliac crest. The Risser grades of capping or fusion could be more precisely diagnosed using lateral radiograph in complement to the frontal one. The conclusions drawn from this study were: (1) Currently used Risser sign grading does not consider the actual excursion of the iliac apophysis, because one-third of the apophysis cannot be observed on the frontal radiograph. (2) Iliac apophysis full excursion or fusion can be more accurately estimated when the lateral spinal radiograph is analyzed with Lateral Risser Modifiers. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00586-008-0794-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. PMID:18946691

  5. Improved accuracy in Risser sign grading with lateral spinal radiography.

    PubMed

    Kotwicki, Tomasz

    2008-12-01

    Development of the ossification of the iliac crest is used to assess the remaining spinal growth. The clinical value of the Risser sign has been questioned because of its inaccuracy in grades 3 and 4. Estimation of the Risser sign based on the lateral spinal radiograph has not been reported. The aim of the study was to evaluate the course of ossification of the iliac apophysis along its full extension and to investigate relevance of the lateral spinal radiograph for more accurate Risser sign grading. Cross sectional analysis of spinal frontal and lateral long cassette standing spinal radiographs of 201 girls aged from 10.2 to 20.0 years were done. On the lateral spinal view, the ossification of the posterior part of the iliac apophysis was quantified at four grades: absent (A), partial (B), complete (C) or fused (D). The position of the posterior superior iliac spine was studied on both views as well as in pelvic specimens. The results showed that the posterior one-third portion of the iliac apophysis was sagittally oriented and obscured on the frontal radiograph by the sacroiliac junction. It could be studied on the lateral radiograph and revealed a different grading of the apophysis excursion in 58 of 201 (29%) patients, comparing to the frontal view. Both advanced or delayed ossification was observed and assessed with Lateral Risser Modifiers. Twenty-five percent of the patients at Risser 0 or 1 or 2 demonstrated a simultaneous ossification of the most anterior and the most posterior part of the iliac crest. The Risser grades of capping or fusion could be more precisely diagnosed using lateral radiograph in complement to the frontal one. The conclusions drawn from this study were: (1) Currently used Risser sign grading does not consider the actual excursion of the iliac apophysis, because one-third of the apophysis cannot be observed on the frontal radiograph. (2) Iliac apophysis full excursion or fusion can be more accurately estimated when the lateral spinal radiograph is analyzed with Lateral Risser Modifiers.

  6. Serum microRNAs in patients with genetic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and pre-manifest mutation carriers.

    PubMed

    Freischmidt, Axel; Müller, Kathrin; Zondler, Lisa; Weydt, Patrick; Volk, Alexander E; Božič, Anže Lošdorfer; Walter, Michael; Bonin, Michael; Mayer, Benjamin; von Arnim, Christine A F; Otto, Markus; Dieterich, Christoph; Holzmann, Karlheinz; Andersen, Peter M; Ludolph, Albert C; Danzer, Karin M; Weishaupt, Jochen H

    2014-11-01

    Knowledge about the nature of pathomolecular alterations preceding onset of symptoms in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is largely lacking. It could not only pave the way for the discovery of valuable therapeutic targets but might also govern future concepts of pre-manifest disease modifying treatments. MicroRNAs are central regulators of transcriptome plasticity and participate in pathogenic cascades and/or mirror cellular adaptation to insults. We obtained comprehensive expression profiles of microRNAs in the serum of patients with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, asymptomatic mutation carriers and healthy control subjects. We observed a strikingly homogenous microRNA profile in patients with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis that was largely independent from the underlying disease gene. Moreover, we identified 24 significantly downregulated microRNAs in pre-manifest amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mutation carriers up to two decades or more before the estimated time window of disease onset; 91.7% of the downregulated microRNAs in mutation carriers overlapped with the patients with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Bioinformatic analysis revealed a consensus sequence motif present in the vast majority of downregulated microRNAs identified in this study. Our data thus suggest specific common denominators regarding molecular pathogenesis of different amyotrophic lateral sclerosis genes. We describe the earliest pathomolecular alterations in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mutation carriers known to date, which provide a basis for the discovery of novel therapeutic targets and strongly argue for studies evaluating presymptomatic disease-modifying treatment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  7. Nasal Sculpting: Calculated and Predictable Tip Elevation With Cephalic Trim

    PubMed Central

    Redstone, Jeremiah S.; Nguyen, Jonathan; North, Durham Alan; Hazani, Ron; Drury, Brad; Yoder, Eric M.; Cooperman, Ross D.; Yoder, Virginia; Little, Jarrod A.; Florman, Larry D.; Wilhelmi, Bradon J.

    2015-01-01

    Background: Rhinoplasty techniques to affect nasal tip rotation are well described. Cephalic alar trim is a powerful method for achieving tip elevation. Previous studies and texts provide aesthetic guidelines for nasolabial angles. Often, surgeon experience determines the degree of lower lateral cartilage resection to achieve optimal results. This study analyzes the change in tip elevation with measured resections of the lower lateral cartilages. This can aid the surgeon in accurately predicting the effect of cephalic alar trim on tip elevation. Methods: Ten fresh cadaveric dissections were performed to determine the change in nasolabial angles after cephalic trim of the lower lateral cartilage. Closed rhinoplasty technique was performed using marginal and intercartilaginous incisions to expose the lower lateral cartilage. Caliper measurements of the lower lateral cartilage were recorded. Serial cephalic trim was performed in 25% increments. True lateral photographs were obtained before and after each serial excision. Nasolabial angle measurements were obtained using a digital goniometer for digital photo analysis. Results: Four female and 6 male cadavers were evaluated. The mean initial nasolabial angle was 106° ± 2°. The mean lower lateral cartilage width was 9.45 ± 1.38 mm. Serial 25% reductions in lower lateral cartilage height resulted in a mean total nasolabial angle change of 7.4°, 12.9°, and 19.6°, respectively. The mean incremental change in the nasolabial angle was 6.47° ± 1.25°. Conclusion: The nasolabial angle is an essential aesthetic feature. Cephalic trim is a key maneuver in affecting the nasolabial angle. A 25% lower lateral cartilage cephalic trim correlates with an average change in the nasolabial angle of 6.47°. Knowledge of the cephalic trim to nasolabial angle relationship aids in achieving desired tip elevation. PMID:26171091

  8. Tract-Specific Diffusion Tensor Imaging Reveals Laterality of Neurological Symptoms in Patients with Cervical Compression Myelopathy.

    PubMed

    Maki, Satoshi; Koda, Masao; Saito, Junya; Takahashi, Sho; Inada, Taigo; Kamiya, Koshiro; Ota, Mitsutoshi; Iijima, Yasushi; Masuda, Yoshitada; Matsumoto, Koji; Kojima, Masatoshi; Takahashi, Kazuhisa; Obata, Takayuki; Yamazaki, Masashi; Furuya, Takeo

    2016-12-01

    Patients with cervical compression myelopathy (CCM) generally present bilateral neurological symptoms in their extremities. However, a substantial portion of patients with CCM exhibit laterality of neurological symptoms. The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between intrinsic structural damage and laterality of symptoms using spinal cord diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of the corticospinal tract. We enrolled 10 healthy volunteers and 40 patients with CCM in this study. We evaluated motor function using the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) motor score for left and right extremities. For DTI acquisitions, a 3.0-T magnetic resonance imaging system with diffusion-weighted spin-echo sequence was used. Regions-of-interest in the lateral column tracts were determined. We determined the correlations between fractional anisotropy (FA) and ASIA motor scores. An FA asymmetry index was calculated using left and right regions-of-interest. Four patients exhibited laterality of symptoms in their extremities, for which left and right ASIA scores correlated moderately with FA in the left and right lateral columns, respectively (left: ρ = 0.64, P < 0.001; right: ρ = 0.67, P < 0.001). The area under the receiver-operator characteristic curve showed that the FA asymmetry index indicated laterality of symptoms. Using tract-specific DTI, we demonstrated that microstructural damages in the left and right corticospinal tracts correlated with corresponding neurological symptoms in the ipsilateral side and the FA asymmetry index could indicate laterality in neurological symptoms of patients with CCM. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Hemispheric Predominance Assessment of Phonology and Semantics: A Divided Visual Field Experiment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cousin, Emilie; Peyrin, Carole; Baciu, Monica

    2006-01-01

    The aim of the present behavioural experiment was to evaluate the most lateralized among two phonological (phoneme vs. rhyme detection) and the most lateralized among two semantic ("living" vs. "edible" categorization) tasks, within the dominant hemisphere for language. The reason of addressing this question was a practical one: to evaluate the…

  10. Distinct frontal regions subserve evaluation of linguistic and emotional aspects of speech intonation.

    PubMed

    Wildgruber, D; Hertrich, I; Riecker, A; Erb, M; Anders, S; Grodd, W; Ackermann, H

    2004-12-01

    In addition to the propositional content of verbal utterances, significant linguistic and emotional information is conveyed by the tone of speech. To differentiate brain regions subserving processing of linguistic and affective aspects of intonation, discrimination of sentences differing in linguistic accentuation and emotional expressiveness was evaluated by functional magnetic resonance imaging. Both tasks yielded rightward lateralization of hemodynamic responses at the level of the dorsolateral frontal cortex as well as bilateral thalamic and temporal activation. Processing of linguistic and affective intonation, thus, seems to be supported by overlapping neural networks comprising partially right-sided brain regions. Comparison of hemodynamic activation during the two different tasks, however, revealed bilateral orbito-frontal responses restricted to the affective condition as opposed to activation of the left lateral inferior frontal gyrus confined to evaluation of linguistic intonation. These findings indicate that distinct frontal regions contribute to higher level processing of intonational information depending on its communicational function. In line with other components of language processing, discrimination of linguistic accentuation seems to be lateralized to the left inferior-lateral frontal region whereas bilateral orbito-frontal areas subserve evaluation of emotional expressiveness.

  11. ArthroBroström Lateral Ankle Stabilization Technique: An Anatomic Study.

    PubMed

    Acevedo, Jorge I; Ortiz, Cristian; Golano, Pau; Nery, Caio

    2015-10-01

    Arthroscopic ankle lateral ligament repair techniques have recently been developed and biomechanically as well as clinically validated. Although there has been 1 anatomic study relating suture and anchor proximity to anatomic structures, none has evaluated the ArthroBroström procedure. To evaluate the proximity of anatomic structures for the ArthroBroström lateral ankle ligament stabilization technique and to define ideal landmarks and "safe zones" for this repair. Descriptive laboratory study. Ten human cadaveric ankle specimens (5 matched pairs) were screened for the study. All specimens underwent arthroscopic lateral ligament repair according to the previously described ArthroBroström technique with 2 suture anchors in the fibula. Three cadaveric specimens were used to test the protocol, and 7 were dissected to determine the proximity of anatomic structures. Several distances were measured, including those of different anatomic structures to the suture knots, to determine the "safe zones." Measurements were obtained by 2 separate observers, and statistical analysis was performed. None of the specimens revealed entrapment by either of the suture knots of the critical anatomic structures, including the superficial peroneal nerve (SPN), sural nerve, peroneus tertius tendon, peroneus brevis tendon, or peroneus longus tendon. The internervous safe zone between the intermediate branch of the SPN and sural nerve was a mean of 51 mm (range, 39-64 mm). The intertendinous safe zone between the peroneus tertius and peroneus brevis was a mean of 43 mm (range, 37-49 mm). On average, a 20-mm (range, 8-36 mm) safe distance was maintained from the most medial suture to the intermediate branch of the SPN. The amount of inferior extensor retinaculum (IER) grasped by either suture knot varied from 0 to 12 mm, with 86% of repairs including the retinaculum. The results indicate that there is a relatively wide internervous and intertendinous safe zone when performing the ArthroBroström technique for lateral ankle stabilization. While none of the critical anatomic structures was entrapped by the suture knots, it was evident that the IER was included in a majority of the repairs. This study further defines the proximity of adjacent anatomic structures and establishes the anatomic safe zones for the ArthroBroström lateral ankle stabilization procedure. By defining this relatively risk-free zone, surgeons who are not as experienced with arthroscopic lateral ligament repair techniques may approach arthroscopic suture passage with more confidence. © 2015 The Author(s).

  12. Lateral ventricle morphology analysis via mean latitude axis.

    PubMed

    Paniagua, Beatriz; Lyall, Amanda; Berger, Jean-Baptiste; Vachet, Clement; Hamer, Robert M; Woolson, Sandra; Lin, Weili; Gilmore, John; Styner, Martin

    2013-03-29

    Statistical shape analysis has emerged as an insightful method for evaluating brain structures in neuroimaging studies, however most shape frameworks are surface based and thus directly depend on the quality of surface alignment. In contrast, medial descriptions employ thickness information as alignment-independent shape metric. We propose a joint framework that computes local medial thickness information via a mean latitude axis from the well-known spherical harmonic (SPHARM-PDM) shape framework. In this work, we applied SPHARM derived medial representations to the morphological analysis of lateral ventricles in neonates. Mild ventriculomegaly (MVM) subjects are compared to healthy controls to highlight the potential of the methodology. Lateral ventricles were obtained from MRI scans of neonates (9-144 days of age) from 30 MVM subjects as well as age- and sex-matched normal controls (60 total). SPHARM-PDM shape analysis was extended to compute a mean latitude axis directly from the spherical parameterization. Local thickness and area was straightforwardly determined. MVM and healthy controls were compared using local MANOVA and compared with the traditional SPHARM-PDM analysis. Both surface and mean latitude axis findings differentiate successfully MVM and healthy lateral ventricle morphology. Lateral ventricles in MVM neonates show enlarged shapes in tail and head. Mean latitude axis is able to find significant differences all along the lateral ventricle shape, demonstrating that local thickness analysis provides significant insight over traditional SPHARM-PDM. This study is the first to precisely quantify 3D lateral ventricle morphology in MVM neonates using shape analysis.

  13. Low-loss lateral-extensional piezoelectric filters on ultrananocrystalline diamond.

    PubMed

    Fatemi, Hediyeh; Abdolvand, Reza

    2013-09-01

    In this work, lateral-extensional thin-film piezoelectric- on-diamond (TPoD) filters with very low insertion loss (IL) values (<4 dB) are reported. Two different lateral-extensional modes of a resonant structure are coupled together to realize a two-pole filter. The filters of this work exhibit low IL values, with fractional bandwidth between 0.08% and 0.2%, and have a very small footprint. This paper reports on the lowest IL in the literature for lateral-extensional thin-film piezoelectric filters with 50 Ω terminations in the GSM frequency band (~900 MHz). The narrow-band filters of this work are fabricated on three ultrananocrystalline diamond substrates to achieve higher frequencies without excessive reduction in the feature size. The paper also thoroughly studies the parameters that affect the performance of such filters and then discussions are evaluated by the statistical data collected from the fabricated wafers.

  14. Endoscopic versus open bursectomy of lateral malleolar bursitis.

    PubMed

    Choi, Jae Hyuck; Lee, Kyung Tai; Lee, Young Koo; Kim, Dong Hyun; Kim, Jeong Ryoul; Chung, Woo Chull; Cha, Seung Do

    2012-06-01

    Compare the result of endoscopic versus open bursectomy in lateral malleolar bursitis. Prospective evaluation of 21 patients (22 ankles) undergoing either open or endoscopic excision of lateral malleolar bursitis. The median age was 64 (38-79) years old. The median postoperative follow-up was 15 (12-18) months. Those patients undergoing endoscopic excision showed a higher satisfaction rate (excellent 9, good 2) than open excision (excellent 4, good 3, fair 1). The wounds also healed earlier in the endoscopic group although the operation time was slightly longer. One patient in the endoscopic group had recurrence of symptoms but complications in the open group included one patient with skin necrosis, one patient with wound dehiscence, and two patients of with superficial peroneal nerve injury. Endoscopic resection of the lateral malleolar bursitis is a promising technique and shows favorable results compared to the open resection. Therapeutic studies-Investigating the result of treatment, Level II.

  15. Efficacy of lateral- versus medial-approach hip joint capsule denervation as surgical treatments of the hip joint pain; a neuronal tract tracing study in the sheep

    PubMed Central

    Sienkiewicz, Waldemar; Dudek, Agnieszka; Czaja, Krzysztof; Janeczek, Maciej; Chrószcz, Aleksander; Kaleczyc, Jerzy

    2018-01-01

    Objective To evaluate efficacy of denervation of the of the hip joint capsule (HJC), as a treatment of hip joint pain. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that HJC denervation will significantly reduce the number of sensory neurons innervating the capsule. Study design Denervation of the HJC from a medial or lateral approach was followed by retrograde tracing of sensory neurons innervating the capsule. Animals Twenty adult male sheep (30–40 kg of body weight; Polish merino breed) were used in the study. Methods The hip joint was denervated from medial (n = 5) or lateral (n = 5) surgical approaches. Immediately after denervation, the retrograde neural tract tracer Fast Blue (FB) was injected into the HJC. An additional ten animals (n = 5 for medial and n = 5 for lateral approach) received the same treatment without HJC denervation to provide the appropriate controls. Results Results of the study revealed that the vast majority of retrogradely labelled sensory neurons innervating the HJC originate from fifth lumbar to second sacral dorsal root ganglia. Both the medial and the lateral denervations significantly reduced the number of sensory neurons innervating the HJC (39.2% and 69.0% reduction respectively). Conclusions These results show that denervation of the HJC is an effective surgical procedure for reduction of the sensory neuronal input to the HJC. Moreover, the lateral approach was found to be significantly more effective for reducing sensory innervation as compared to the medial one. PMID:29329303

  16. Using marketing research methods to evaluate a stage-specific intervention.

    PubMed

    Poscente, Neila; Rothstein, Marsha; Irvine, M Jane

    2002-01-01

    To show how marketing methods can be used to distribute and evaluate a health promotion intervention. Mass media promotion was used to communicate a physical activity resource. Brief telephone interviews were used to screen callers and recruit participants into a controlled trial. Follow-up was conducted 3 months later. Information was gained about the attitudes and motivation of callers. The majority of participants (study and control) made significant changes in their activity levels. The study demonstrated that even when mass media channels are used, market segmentation can be achieved and program evaluation conducted.

  17. Ultrasound-guided evaluation of the lumbar subarachnoid space in lateral and sitting positions in pregnant patients to receive elective cesarean operation.

    PubMed

    Gulay, Ucarli; Meltem, Turkay; Nadir, Sinikoglu Sitki; Aysin, Alagol

    2015-01-01

    The aim was to compare visibility of the spinal space in sitting and lateral positions, number of attempts, spinal needle depth, skin-dura mater distance and the possible complications; in application of spinal anesthesia, using ultrasound in pregnant patients scheduled to receive elective cesarean operations. The study was conducted prospective-randomly after receiving approval from the ethics committee and the patients' permission. ASA I-II 50 pregnant patients were divided into two groups. The patients in Group SP were those placed in a sitting position and the patients in Group LP were those placed in a lateral position. In both groups, the skin-dura mater distance was recorded through an out-of plane technique accompanied by ultrasound. The depth of the spinal needle was measured. The number of attempts, the level of attempts recorded. The degree of visibility of the vertebral space was observed through ultrasound and was numerically scored. Intraoperative and postoperative complications were recorded. There was no difference between the number of attempts, Modified Bromage Scale and mean measurements of skin-dura mater distance observed through ultrasound. The mean needle depths of Group LP were statistically found significantly higher than Group SP (p=0.002). Our study supports the notion that access to the skin-dura mater distance is longer in the lateral decubitus position when skin-dura mater distance is evaluated by measuring needle depth.

  18. SU-E-T-81: A Study On Correlation Between Gamma Analysis for Midline and Lateralized Tumors Using VMAT

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kumar, Syam; Anjana

    Purpose: To evaluate the fluence for the midline and lateralized tumors for VMAT technique using 2D seven29 detector array combined with the Octavius phantom. Methods: 60 cases that are already being treated with volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) have selected for this study. This includes tumors situated at the medial and lateral. Medial refers to the tumor situated at the midline of the body and lateral means toward the side or away from the midline of the body. Verification plans were created for each treatment plan in Varian Eclipse treatment planning system (version10, Varian medical systems, Palo Alto,CA) with themore » 2D Seven29 detector array and the Octavius phantom(PTW, Freiburg, Germany). Measurements were performed on a Varian Clinac 2100 iX, linear accelerator equipped with a millennium 120 leaf collimator. Analysis was done by comparing the fluence measured for the tumors situated on the midline and tumors situated laterally. Results: Fluence measured for all the delivered plans were analyzed using Verisoft software (PTW, Freiburg, Germany). The gamma pass percentage for midline tumors were found to be higher compared with the lateralized ones. The standard deviation between gamma values for midline and lateralized tumors is 2.18 and 3.5 respectively. Also the standard deviation between the point doses for midline and lateralized tumors is 0.38 and 0.29 respectively. The average gamma passing rate for midline tumors is 96.55% and for lateralized tumors are 94.94% for 3%DD and 3mm DTA criteria. From the T test, it was found that there is no significant difference between the gamma pass percentage between midline and lateralized tumors with p value of 0.28. Conclusion: There is no particular correlation found in the gamma pass criteria for midline and lateralized tumors.« less

  19. Ironic Effects of Drawing Attention to Story Errors

    PubMed Central

    Eslick, Andrea N.; Fazio, Lisa K.; Marsh, Elizabeth J.

    2014-01-01

    Readers learn errors embedded in fictional stories and use them to answer later general knowledge questions (Marsh, Meade, & Roediger, 2003). Suggestibility is robust and occurs even when story errors contradict well-known facts. The current study evaluated whether suggestibility is linked to participants’ inability to judge story content as correct versus incorrect. Specifically, participants read stories containing correct and misleading information about the world; some information was familiar (making error discovery possible), while some was more obscure. To improve participants’ monitoring ability, we highlighted (in red font) a subset of story phrases requiring evaluation; readers no longer needed to find factual information. Rather, they simply needed to evaluate its correctness. Readers were more likely to answer questions with story errors if they were highlighted in red font, even if they contradicted well-known facts. Though highlighting to-be-evaluated information freed cognitive resources for monitoring, an ironic effect occurred: Drawing attention to specific errors increased rather than decreased later suggestibility. Failure to monitor for errors, not failure to identify the information requiring evaluation, leads to suggestibility. PMID:21294039

  20. The Neural Response to Maternal Stimuli: An ERP Study

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Lili; Gu, Ruolei; Cai, Huajian; Luo, Yu L. L.; Zhang, Jianxin

    2014-01-01

    Mothers are important to all humans. Research has established that maternal information affects individuals' cognition, emotion, and behavior. We measured event-related potentials (ERPs) to examine attentional and evaluative processing of maternal stimuli while participants completed a Go/No-go Association Task that paired mother or others words with good or bad evaluative words. Behavioral data showed that participants responded faster to mother words paired with good than the mother words paired with bad but showed no difference in response to these others across conditions, reflecting a positive evaluation of mother. ERPs showed larger P200 and N200 in response to mother than in response to others, suggesting that mother attracted more attention than others. In the subsequent time window, mother in the mother + bad condition elicited a later and larger late positive potential (LPP) than it did in the mother + good condition, but this was not true for others, also suggesting a positive evaluation of mother. These results suggest that people differentiate mother from others during initial attentional stage, and evaluative mother positively during later stage. PMID:25375157

  1. Effects Five Years Later: The Michigan School Readiness Program Evaluation through Age 10.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Xiang, Zongping; Schweinhart, Lawrence J.

    This follow-up study examined the outcomes of children who had participated in the Michigan School Readiness Program (MSRP), a preschool program for 4-year-olds identified as being at risk for school failure, up to 5 years following their participation in the program. For the evaluation, 338 children who had participated in the state-funded…

  2. Assessing tear film on soft contact lenses with lateral shearing interferometry.

    PubMed

    Szczesna, Dorota H

    2011-11-01

    Evaluating precorneal tear film is one of important clinical measurements for assessing health of anterior eye. Contact lens wear is known to influence the quality of tear film. The aim was to evaluate the applicability of lateral shearing interferometry technique in the noninvasive assessment of the effects of contact lens replacement modality and its water content on tear film stability. Sixteen regular soft contact lens wearers took place in the study. Lateral shearing interferometry measurements, in suppressed blinking conditions, were taken in the mornings and afternoons, after a minimum of 5 hours of lens wear for the daily lenses, and after 2 weeks and 1 month for the fortnightly and monthly lens replacement modalities, respectively. Significant differences (paired bootstrap-based Behrens-Fisher test, P < 0.05) in the tear film surface quality were found between all considered pairs of replacement modalities except for the daily and fortnightly lenses measured in the afternoon of the first day of wear. Significant worsening (paired bootstrap-based Behrens-Fisher test, P < 0.001) of tear film quality was found for the low water content materials. Lateral shearing interferometry is a powerful method for the noninvasive assessment of tear film surface quality on soft contact lenses that may find, in future, its use in the clinical assessment of anterior eye's health.

  3. Effects of Textured Insoles on Balance in People with Parkinson’s Disease

    PubMed Central

    Qiu, Feng; Cole, Michael H.; Davids, Keith W.; Hennig, Ewald M.; Silburn, Peter A.; Netscher, Heather; Kerr, Graham K.

    2013-01-01

    Background Degradation of the somatosensory system has been implicated in postural instability and increased falls risk for older people and Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. Here we demonstrate that textured insoles provide a passive intervention that is an inexpensive and accessible means to enhance the somatosensory input from the plantar surface of the feet. Methods 20 healthy older adults (controls) and 20 participants with PD were recruited for the study. We evaluated effects of manipulating somatosensory information from the plantar surface of the feet using textured insoles. Participants performed standing tests, on two different surfaces (firm and foam), under three footwear conditions: 1) barefoot; 2) smooth insoles; and 3) textured insoles. Standing balance was evaluated using a force plate yielding data on the range of anterior-posterior and medial-lateral sway, as well as standard deviations for anterior-posterior and medial-lateral sway. Results On the firm surface with eyes open both the smooth and textured insoles reduced medial-lateral sway in the PD group to a similar level as the controls. Only the textured insole decreased medial-lateral sway and medial-lateral sway standard deviation in the PD group on both surfaces, with and without visual input. Greatest benefits were observed in the PD group while wearing the textured insoles, and when standing on the foam surface with eyes closed. Conclusions Data suggested that textured insoles may provide a low-cost means of improving postural stability in high falls-risk groups, such as people with PD. PMID:24349486

  4. Laterality of Oral Clefts and Academic Achievement.

    PubMed

    Gallagher, Emily R; Collett, Brent R; Barron, Sheila; Romitti, Paul; Ansley, Timothy; Wehby, George L

    2017-02-01

    Children with isolated oral clefts have lower academic performance when compared with unaffected peers, yet few studies have examined specific attributes of clefts that may modify this risk. Oral clefts have nonrandom laterality, with left-sided clefts being more common than right-sided clefts, a pattern that may be genetically or environmentally influenced. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between cleft laterality and academic achievement in a population-based sample of children with and without isolated oral clefts. The study included 292 children with isolated unilateral cleft lip with or without cleft palate identified by using the Iowa Registry for Congenital and Inherited Disorders matched with 908 unaffected classmates. This group provided 1953 child-grade observations for cases and 6829 for classmates. Academic achievement was evaluated by using high-quality standardized test data on multiple academic domains as well as use of special education. We found that children with right-sided clefts had similar achievement scores and usage of special education services compared with their unaffected classmates. Children with left-sided clefts had lower reading scores than children with right-sided clefts by nearly 7 percentiles (P < .05). They also had lower scores on all evaluated domains by 4 to 6 percentiles and greater use of special education services by 6 percentage points than their classmates. Children with left-sided clefts had poorer academic performance than their classmates or children with right-sided clefts, who showed similar academic achievement compared with their unaffected classmates. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  5. Assessment of Anatomical Knowledge and Core Trauma Competency Vascular Skills.

    PubMed

    Granite, Guinevere; Pugh, Kristy; Chen, Hegang; Longinaker, Nyaradzo; Garofalo, Evan; Shackelford, Stacy; Shalin, Valerie; Puche, Adam; Pasley, Jason; Sarani, Babak; Henry, Sharon; Bowyer, Mark; Mackenzie, Colin

    2018-03-01

    Surgical residents express confidence in performing specific vascular exposures before training, but such self-reported confidence did not correlate with co-located evaluator ratings. This study reports residents' self-confidence evaluated before and after Advanced Surgical Skills for Exposure in Trauma (ASSET) cadaver-based training, and 12-18 mo later. We hypothesize that residents will better judge their own skill after ASSET than before when compared with evaluator ratings. Forty PGY2-7 surgical residents performed four procedures: axillary artery (AA), brachial artery (BA), femoral artery exposure and control (FA), and lower extremity fasciotomy (FAS) at the three evaluations. Using 5-point Likert scales, surgeons self-assessed their confidence in anatomical understanding and procedure performance after each procedure and evaluators rated each surgeon accordingly. For all the three evaluations, residents consistently rated their anatomical understanding (p < 0.04) and surgical performance (p < 0.03) higher than evaluators for both FA and FAS. Residents rated their anatomical understanding and surgical performance higher (p < 0.005) than evaluators for BA after training and up to 18 mo later. Only for third AA evaluation were there no rating differences. Residents overrate their anatomical understanding and performance abilities for BA, FA, and FAS even after performing the procedures and being debriefed three times in 18 mo.

  6. Neurovascular Structures at Risk With Curved Retrograde TTC Fusion Nails.

    PubMed

    de Cesar Netto, Cesar; Johannesmeyer, David; Cone, Brent; Araoye, Ibukunoluwa; Hudson, Parke William; Sahranavard, Bahman; Johnson, Michael; Shah, Ashish

    2017-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess the risk of iatrogenic injury to plantar neurovascular structures of the foot during insertion of a curved retrograde tibiotalocalcaneal (TTC) fusion nail. Ten below-knee thawed fresh-frozen cadaveric specimens underwent curved retrograde nailing of the ankle. The shortest distance between the nail and the main plantar neurovascular branches and injured structures were recorded during dissection. We also evaluated the relative position of these structures along 2 lines (AB, connecting the calcaneus to the first metatarsal, and BC, connecting the first and fifth metatarsal). The lateral plantar artery was found to be in direct contact with the nail 70% of the time, with a macroscopic laceration 30% of the time. The Baxter nerve was injured 20% of the time, as was the lateral plantar nerve. The medial plantar artery and nerve were never injured. The most proximal structure to cross line AB was the Baxter nerve followed by the lateral plantar artery, the nail, the lateral plantar nerve, and the medial plantar nerve. Our cadaveric anatomic study found that the most common structures at risk for iatrogenic injury by lateral curved retrograde TTC fusion nails were the lateral plantar artery and nerve, and the Baxter nerve. Determination of a true neurovascular safe zone is challenging and therefore warrants careful operative dissection to minimize neurovascular injuries.

  7. Comparative analysis of upper airway volume with lateral cephalograms and cone-beam computed tomography.

    PubMed

    Feng, Xin; Li, Gang; Qu, Zhenyu; Liu, Lin; Näsström, Karin; Shi, Xie-Qi

    2015-02-01

    In this study, we aimed to evaluate the adenoidal nasopharyngeal ratio (ANR) on lateral cephalograms by assessing upper airway volumes using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images as the validation method. Fifty-five patients were included in the study, and it was essential that the lateral cephalograms and CBCT images taken at their examinations were not more than 1 week apart. There were 32 subjects in group A (age ≤15 years) and 23 subjects in group B (age >15 years). The ANR was measured on the lateral cephalograms. The area and volumetric measurements of the nasopharynx and the total upper airway were obtained from CBCT images. Repeated measurements of the ANR and airway volume were performed on 10 subjects by 2 observers. Group A had a higher correlation (r = -0.78) between the ANR and the nasopharynx volume than did group B (r = -0.57). The ANR had a weak correlation with the total upper airway volume (group A, r = -0.48; group B, r = -0.32). Both measurements made on lateral cephalograms and CBCT were highly reproducible in terms of intraobserver and interobserver agreement. Based on our results, the measurement of the ANR on lateral cephalograms can be used as an initial screening method to estimate the nasopharynx volumes of younger patients (age ≤15 years). Copyright © 2015 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Space Tug systems study. Volume 2: Compendium

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1974-01-01

    Possible storable propellant configurations and program plans are evaluated for the space tug. Alternatives examined include: use of existing expendable stages modified for use with shuttle, followed by a space tug at a later date; use of a modified growth version of existing expendable stages for greater performance and potential reuse, followed by a space tug at a later date; use of a low development cost, reusable, interim space tug available at shuttle initial operational capability (IOC) that could be evolved to greater system capabilities at a later date; and use a direct developed tug with maximum potential to be available at some specified time after space shuttle IOC. The capability options were narrowed down to three final options for detailed program definition.

  9. Sexual dimorphism of the planum temporale in schizophrenia: A MRI study.

    PubMed

    Delvecchio, Giuseppe; Pigoni, Alessandro; Perlini, Cinzia; Barillari, Marco; Ruggeri, Mirella; Altamura, Alfredo Carlo; Bellani, Marcella; Brambilla, Paolo

    2017-10-01

    Anatomical alterations in the superior temporal gyrus have been consistently reported in patients with schizophrenia, and they have mostly been linked to positive symptoms, including hallucinations and thought disorders. The superior temporal gyrus is considered one of the most asymmetric and lateralized structure of the human brain, and the process of lateralization seems to vary according to gender in the normal population. However, although it has been consistently suggested that patients with schizophrenia did not show normal brain lateralization in several regions, only few studies investigated it in the superior temporal gyrus and its sub-regions considering the effects of gender. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate sexual dimorphism in superior temporal gyrus volumes in a sample of patients with schizophrenia compared to age- and gender-matched healthy controls. A total of 72 right/left-handed males (40 schizophrenia patients and 32 healthy controls) and 45 right/left-handed females (18 schizophrenia patients and 27 healthy controls) underwent clinical evaluation and a 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging scan. Gray and white matter volumes of regions of interest within the superior temporal gyrus were manually detected, including the Heschl's gyrus and the planum temporale. Female patients with schizophrenia presented a reduction in left planum temporale gray matter volumes ( F = 4.58, p = 0.03) and a lack of the normal planum temporale asymmetry index ( t = 0.27; p = 0.79) compared to female controls ( t = 5.47; p = 0.001). No differences were found between males for any volumes or laterality indices. Finally, in female patients with schizophrenia, Heschl's gyrus gray and white matter volumes negatively correlated with positive symptoms ( r = -0.56, p = 0.01). Our results showed that sexual dimorphism plays a key role on planum temporale in schizophrenia, underlining the importance of gender as a modulator of brain morphology and lateralization of schizophrenia.

  10. Meniscal healing after meniscal repair: a CT arthrography assessment.

    PubMed

    Pujol, Nicolas; Panarella, Ludovico; Selmi, Tarik Ait Si; Neyret, Philippe; Fithian, Donald; Beaufils, Philippe

    2008-08-01

    Studies evaluating healing of repaired meniscus are rare and primarily retrospective. The aim of this study was to assess whether there were different healing rates for arthroscopic meniscal repair with respect to the different zones of the meniscus. This study was conducted to assess outcomes and to document anatomic characteristics of the repaired meniscus with postoperative arthrography combined with computed tomography (arthro-CT), particularly the dimensions and healing of the repaired meniscus. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Fifty-three arthroscopic meniscal repairs were prospectively evaluated between 2002 and 2004 in 2 orthopaedic departments. There were 36 medial and 17 lateral torn menisci. All ACL tears (n = 31, 58.5%) underwent reconstruction. Patients were preoperatively evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging. Clinical evaluation included International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scores before the operation and 6 and 12 months afterward. Healing criteria were evaluated at 6 months by arthro-CT scan. Three parameters were evaluated--healing in thickness (Henning criteria), overall healing rate, and reduction in the width of the remaining meniscus. According to the objective IKDC score, 26 patients were graded A, 20 B, and 4 C (92% good results). The mean subjective IKDC score was 78.9 (standard deviation [SD], 16.2). According to Henning's criteria, 58% of the menisci healed completely, 24% partially, and 18% failed. The overall healing rate was 73.1% (SD, 38.5). Twenty tears located in the posterior part had a healing rate of 59.8% (SD, 46.0). Nineteen tears extending from the posterior to the middle part had a healing rate of 79.2% (SD, 28.2). Isolated tears located in the posterior part had a lower healing rate (P < .05). There was a 9% +/- 1.2% reduction in the width of the remaining medial meniscus in the middle and posterior repaired portions (P < .02). There was a 15% +/- 14% reduction in the width of the remaining lateral meniscus in the middle repaired portion (P < .01). Complete healing of the posterior segment was associated with reduction in the width of the meniscus (P < .04). A modern technique using all-inside fixation or outside-in sutures provided good clinical and anatomic outcomes. No statistically significant effect on ACL reconstruction or laterality (medial vs lateral) on overall healing after meniscal repair was identified. Partial healing occurred often, with a stable tear on a narrowed and painless meniscus. The posterior segment healing rate remained low, suggesting a need for further technical improvements.

  11. Wood tie track resistance characterization and correlations study

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1995-01-01

    The work presented here is part of a major program to evaluate lateral buckling of continuous welded rail (CWR) tracks. The program to develop the technical information to support safety guidelines and specifications for track buckling prevention is ...

  12. Depth estimation of multi-layered impact damage in PMC using lateral thermography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Whitlow, Travis; Kramb, Victoria; Reibel, Rick; Dierken, Josiah

    2018-04-01

    Characterization of impact damage in polymer matrix composites (PMCs) continues to be a challenge due to the complex internal structure of the material. Nondestructive characterization approaches such as normal incident immersion ultrasound and flash thermography are sensitive to delamination damage, but do not provide information regarding damage obscured by the delaminations. Characterization of material state below a delamination requires a technique which is sensitive to in-plane damage modes such as matrix cracking and fiber breakage. Previous studies of the lateral heat flow through a composite laminate showed that the diffusion time was sensitive to the depth of the simulated damage zone. The current study will further evaluate the lateral diffusion model to provide sensitivity limits for the modeled flaw dimensions. Comparisons between the model simulations and experimental data obtained using a concentrated heat source and machined targets will also be presented.

  13. Personality Disorders in Later Life: Questions about the Measurement, Course, and Impact of Disorders

    PubMed Central

    Oltmanns, Thomas F.; Balsis, Steve

    2011-01-01

    Lifespan perspectives have played a crucial role in shaping our understanding of many forms of psychopathology. Unfortunately, little attention has been given to personality disorders in middle adulthood and later life. Several issues are responsible for this deficiency, including difficulty applying the diagnostic criteria for personality disorders to older people and challenges in identifying appropriate samples of older participants. The goal of this review is to explore the benefits of considering older adults in the study of personality disorders. Later life offers a unique opportunity for investigators to consider links between personality pathology and consequential outcomes in people’s lives. Many domains are relevant, including health, longevity, social adjustment, marital relationships, and the experience of major life events. We review each domain and consider ways in which the study of middle-aged and older adults challenges researchers to evaluate how personality disorders in general are defined and measured. PMID:21219195

  14. Studying hemispheric lateralization during a Stroop task through near-infrared spectroscopy-based connectivity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Lei; Sun, Jinyan; Sun, Bailei; Luo, Qingming; Gong, Hui

    2014-05-01

    Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a developing and promising functional brain imaging technology. Developing data analysis methods to effectively extract meaningful information from collected data is the major bottleneck in popularizing this technology. In this study, we measured hemodynamic activity of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) during a color-word matching Stroop task using NIRS. Hemispheric lateralization was examined by employing traditional activation and novel NIRS-based connectivity analyses simultaneously. Wavelet transform coherence was used to assess intrahemispheric functional connectivity. Spearman correlation analysis was used to examine the relationship between behavioral performance and activation/functional connectivity, respectively. In agreement with activation analysis, functional connectivity analysis revealed leftward lateralization for the Stroop effect and correlation with behavioral performance. However, functional connectivity was more sensitive than activation for identifying hemispheric lateralization. Granger causality was used to evaluate the effective connectivity between hemispheres. The results showed increased information flow from the left to the right hemispheres for the incongruent versus the neutral task, indicating a leading role of the left PFC. This study demonstrates that the NIRS-based connectivity can reveal the functional architecture of the brain more comprehensively than traditional activation, helping to better utilize the advantages of NIRS.

  15. PERINATAL EXPOSURE TO ESTROGENIC COMPOUNDS AND THE SUBSEQUENT EFFECTS ON THE PROSTRATE OF THE ADULT RAT: EVALUATION OF INFLAMMATION IN THE VENTRAL AND LATERAL LOBES

    EPA Science Inventory

    Perinatal exposure to estrogenic compounds and the subsequent effects on the prostate of the adult rat: evaluation of inflammation in the ventral and lateral lobes.

    Stoker TE, Robinette CL, Cooper RL.

    Endocrinology Branch, Reproductive Toxicology Division, National ...

  16. Evaluation of a lateral flow immunoassay for field identification of Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Australia

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    In an effort to improve surveillance capacity for the exotic red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, a lateral flow immunoassay (LFA) was recently evaluated by Biosecurity Queensland staff in Australia. The purpose of the research was to assess the ability of the fire ant LFA to discriminate S. i...

  17. Efficacy of peloid therapy in patients with chronic lateral epicondylitis: a randomized, controlled, single blind study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ökmen, Burcu Metin; Eröksüz, Rıza; Altan, Lale; Aksoy, Meliha Kasapoğlu

    2017-11-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the effect of peloid on pain, functionality, daily life activities, and quality of life of lateral epicondylitis (LE) patients. In this randomized, controlled, single-blind study, 75 patients who were diagnosed with chronic LE were enrolled to the study. Patients were randomized into two groups using the random number table. The patients in the first group (group 1) ( n = 33), were given lateral epicondylitis band (LEB) (during the day for 6 weeks) + peloid therapy (five consecutive days a week for 2 weeks), and the second group (group 2) ( n = 32), received LEB treatment alone. The patients were assessed by using Patient Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE) and Nottingham Health Profile (NHP). The data were obtained before treatment (W0), immediately after treatment (W2), and 1 month after treatment (W6). In analysis of the collected data, the Wilcoxon signed rank test for intra-group comparisons and Mann-Whitney U test for comparisons between groups were used. Both in groups 1 and 2, there was a statistically significant improvement in all the evaluation parameters at W2 and W6 when compared to W0 ( p < 0.05). In comparison of difference scores between groups, although there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups at W2 when compared to W0 ( p > 0.05), a statistically significant difference was found in favor of group 1 for all the evaluation parameters at W6 ( p < 0.05). Our results have shown that peloid treatment could be effective in providing improvement in pain relief, function, daily life activities, and quality of life in LE patients.

  18. The role of tendinitis in fibromyalgia syndrome.

    PubMed

    Genç, Hakan; Saracoğlu, Meryem; Duyur, Burcu; Erdem, Hatice Rana

    2003-08-30

    Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FS) is a common disease characterized by diffuse, widespread pain and multiple tender points. The syndrome has been subclassified as primary (PFS) and secondary (SFS) fibromyalgia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of common tendinitis (rotator cuff tendinitis, bicipital tendinitis, lateral epicondylitis, De-Quervain's tendinitis and pes anserinus tendinitis) in FS. Twenty female patients with PFS, 20 with SFS and 20 female controls, matched by age and body mass index, participated in the study. Existence of common tendinitis was evaluated with specific examination methods. Right and left rotator cuff tendinitis, pes anserinus tendinitis and left lateral epicondylitis were significantly more common in patients with PFS and SFS than in control subjects. As a result, considering the central hyperexcitability present in the fibromyalgia patients, concomitant pathologies such as tendinitis which lead to shoulder, arm, and leg pain must be evaluated. Follow up and therapy for the disease must be planned according to these factors which are not only probable symptoms of FS, but also leading causes for the occurrence and continuity of the pain in this disease.

  19. Simultaneous skull-stripping and lateral ventricle segmentation via fast multi-atlas likelihood fusion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tang, Xiaoying; Kutten, Kwame; Ceritoglu, Can; Mori, Susumu; Miller, Michael I.

    2015-03-01

    In this paper, we propose and validate a fully automated pipeline for simultaneous skull-stripping and lateral ventricle segmentation using T1-weighted images. The pipeline is built upon a segmentation algorithm entitled fast multi-atlas likelihood-fusion (MALF) which utilizes multiple T1 atlases that have been pre-segmented into six whole-brain labels - the gray matter, the white matter, the cerebrospinal fluid, the lateral ventricles, the skull, and the background of the entire image. This algorithm, MALF, was designed for estimating brain anatomical structures in the framework of coordinate changes via large diffeomorphisms. In the proposed pipeline, we use a variant of MALF to estimate those six whole-brain labels in the test T1-weighted image. The three tissue labels (gray matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid) and the lateral ventricles are then grouped together to form a binary brain mask to which we apply morphological smoothing so as to create the final mask for brain extraction. For computational purposes, all input images to MALF are down-sampled by a factor of two. In addition, small deformations are used for the changes of coordinates. This substantially reduces the computational complexity, hence we use the term "fast MALF". The skull-stripping performance is qualitatively evaluated on a total of 486 brain scans from a longitudinal study on Alzheimer dementia. Quantitative error analysis is carried out on 36 scans for evaluating the accuracy of the pipeline in segmenting the lateral ventricle. The volumes of the automated lateral ventricle segmentations, obtained from the proposed pipeline, are compared across three different clinical groups. The ventricle volumes from our pipeline are found to be sensitive to the diagnosis.

  20. Anthropometric and Anthroposcopic Analysis of Periorbital Features in Malaysian Population: An Inter-racial Study.

    PubMed

    Packiriswamy, Vasanthakumar; Kumar, Pramod; Bashour, Mounir

    2018-05-03

    In oculoplastic operations, knowledge of the dimensions of periorbital features based on age, gender, and race is essential for achieving better aesthetic result. This article seeks to determine the racial and gender differences of periorbital features among Malaysian Malay (MM), Malaysian Indian (MI), and Malaysian Chinese (MI) subjects. Evaluation of periorbital features was done on photographs of 200 MM, 200 MI, and 200 MC subjects, aged 18 to 26 years. The measured values were evaluated by an independent t -test. A significant difference was found between MM and MI in all measurements except interbrow distance in males, eyebrow thickness in females, and apex to lateral limbus distance in both sexes. Between MI and MC the difference was insignificant for interbrow distance in male groups, apex to lateral limbus distance in females, and palpebral fissure inclination and eyebrow apex angle in both sexes. Between MM and MC, significant differences were found for eyebrow thickness and medial canthus tilt in female group. Male groups showed significant difference for apex to lateral limbus and lateral canthus distance and eyebrow apex angle. Eyebrow height, palpebral fissure width, and intercanthal distance were significantly different in both sexes. Sexual dimorphism was found for all measurements in MI, but MM and MC showed insignificant difference for eyebrow apex angle. Four types of epicanthus were observed in MM and MC and three types in MI. Eyebrow apex between lateral limbus and lateral canthus was the most common position in all racial groups. Significant racial and gender differences exist for certain periorbital measurements. The knowledge of these differences is expected to influence the surgical outcome. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

  1. Randomized clinical efficacy of superficial peeling with 85% lactic acid versus 70% glycolic acid.

    PubMed

    Prestes, Paula Souza; Oliveira, Márcia Motta Maia de; Leonardi, Gislaine Ricci

    2013-01-01

    Peeling is a procedure which aims to accelerate the process of skin exfoliation. Development of formulations containing lactic acid at 85% or glycolic acid at 70% and the evaluation of these formulations on clinical efficacy in reduction of fine wrinkles. Preliminary stability tests were carried out and an in vivo study was performed with three groups with 9 representatives each. One was the control group, which used only sunscreen; another one used lactic acid+sunscreen, and the last group used acid glycolic+sunscreen. Clinical efficacy was assessed with a CCD color microscope, through the digitization of images before and after treatment. The applications were carried out by a dermatologist, once a mont h every 30 days, during 3 months. The area with wrinkles was calculated by planimetry point counting, in accordance with Mandarin-de-Lacerda. The formulations were stable in the visual and Ph evaluation. There was no improvement in the control group; for lactic acid, there was significant improvement after the second peeling application on the outer lateral area of the right eye and after the third application on the outer lateral area of the left eye. For the glycolic acid group, there was significant improvement in the outer lateral area of the left eye after the first application, and of the right eye region, after three applications. The formulations used must be kept under refrigeration and should be manipulated every 30 days. Both peelings were effective in reducing fine wrinkles of the outer lateral eye area after three applications (p ≤ 0.05%). It was observed that peeling efficacy in the external-lateral region of one eye might be different compared with that in skin of the external-lateral region of the other eye, relative to the speed of skin improvement.

  2. Congruence and joint space width alterations of the medial compartment following lateral unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.

    PubMed

    Zuiderbaan, H A; Khamaisy, S; Thein, R; Nawabi, D H; Pearle, A D

    2015-01-01

    Progressive degenerative changes in the medial compartment of the knee following lateral unicompartmental arthroplasty (UKA) remains a leading indication for revision surgery. The purpose of this study is to evaluate changes in the congruence and joint space width (JSW) of the medial compartment following lateral UKA. The congruence of the medial compartment of 53 knees (24 men, 23 women, mean age 13.1 years; sd 62.1) following lateral UKA was evaluated pre-operatively and six weeks post-operatively, and compared with 41 normal knees (26 men, 15 women, mean age 33.7 years; sd 6.4), using an Interactive closest point algorithm which calculated the congruence index (CI) by performing a rigid transformation that best aligns the digitised tibial and femoral surfaces. Inner, middle and outer JSWs were measured by sub-dividing the medial compartment into four quarters on pre- and post-operative, weight bearing tunnel view radiographs. The mean CI of knees following lateral UKA significantly improved from 0.92 (sd 0.06) pre-operatively to 0.96 (sd 0.02) (p < 0.001) six weeks post-operatively. The mean CI of the healthy control group was 0.99 sd 0.01. Post-operatively, the mean inner JSW increased (p = 0.006) and the outer decreased (p = 0.002). The JSW was restored post-operatively as no significant differences were noted in all three locations compared with the control group (inner JSW p = 0.43; middle JSW p = 0.019, outer JSW p = 0.51). Our data suggest that a well conducted lateral UKA may improve the congruence and normalise the JSW of the medial compartment, potentially preventing progression of degenerative change. ©2015 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.

  3. Childhood temporal lobe epilepsy: correlation between electroencephalography and magnetic resonance spectroscopy: a case-control study.

    PubMed

    Azab, Seham Fa; Sherief, Laila M; Saleh, Safaa H; Elshafeiy, Mona M; Siam, Ahmed G; Elsaeed, Wafaa F; Arafa, Mohamed A; Bendary, Eman A; Sherbiny, Hanan S; Elbehedy, Rabab M; Aziz, Khalid A

    2015-04-18

    The diagnosis of epilepsy should be made as early as possible to give a child the best chance for treatment success and also to decrease complications such as learning difficulties and social and behavioral problems. In this study, we aimed to assess the ability of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in detecting the lateralization side in patients with Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) in correlation with EEG and MRI findings. This was a case-control study including 40 patients diagnosed (clinically and by EEG) as having temporal lobe epilepsy aged 8 to 14 years (mean, 10.4 years) and 20 healthy children with comparable age and gender as the control group. All patients were subjected to clinical examination, interictal electroencephalography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic examination (MRS) was performed to the patients and the controls. According to the findings of electroencephalography, our patients were classified to three groups: Group 1 included 20 patients with unitemporal (lateralized) epileptic focus, group 2 included 12 patients with bitemporal (non-lateralized) epileptic focus and group 3 included 8 patients with normal electroencephalography. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy could lateralize the epileptic focus in 19 patients in group 1, nine patients in group2 and five patients in group 3 with overall lateralization of (82.5%), while electroencephalography was able to lateralize the focus in (50%) of patients and magnetic resonance imaging detected lateralization of mesial temporal sclerosis in (57.5%) of patients. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy is a promising tool in evaluating patients with epilepsy and offers increased sensitivity to detect temporal pathology that is not obvious on structural MRI imaging.

  4. Comparison of the effects of sodium hyaluronate-chondroitin sulphate and corticosteroid in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis: a prospective randomized trial.

    PubMed

    Tosun, Haci Bayram; Gumustas, Seyitali; Agir, Ismail; Uludag, Abuzer; Serbest, Sancar; Pepele, Demet; Ertem, Kadir

    2015-09-01

    Hyaluronic acid and glycosaminoglycans have shown positive effects in improving lateral epicondylitis and other tendinosis conditions. Therefore, we designed a prospective, randomized study to compare the effects of a combined sodium hyaluronate and chondroitin sulfate (HA + CS) injection versus a triamcinolone injection in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis. In total, 57 consecutive patients with clinically diagnosed lateral epicondylitis were divided randomly into two groups. In the HA + CS group, 25 patients received a single injection of a solution containing an HA + CS combination and prilocaine HCl, while the 32 patients in the triamcinolone group received a single injection of a solution of triamcinolone and prilocaine HCl. We evaluated the pain and function outcome measures using the Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE) questionnaire at the beginning of the study, and 3 and 6 months after the injection. Additionally, the Minimum Clinically Important Difference values and percentage changes in the PRTEE subscale scores between the assessments were calculated. No serious adverse events were reported throughout the study. The mean pain and function scores for the HA + CS and triamcinolone groups had significantly improved at 3 months, but the mean function scores in the HA + CS group were statistically significantly better when compared to the triamcinolone group. At 6 months, both groups had significantly improved mean pain and function scores, compared to the baseline scores; however, the mean pain and function scores in the 6-month HA + CS treatment group were better than in the 6-month triamcinolone group. The relative change for the mean total score in the HA + CS group was much better when compared with the triamcinolone group, and the HA + CS treatment group showed clinically significant improvement when compared with triamcinolone group at 3 and 6 months. This study supports the idea that for a single injection treatment of patients with lateral epicondylitis, a combination injection of HA + CS may offer better pain benefits for 6 months after injection, when compared to triamcinolone. Level II, Randomized Clinical Trial, Prospective Comparative Study.

  5. Distribution of tissue characteristics of coronary plaques evaluated by integrated backscatter intravascular ultrasound: Differences between the inner and outer vessel curvature.

    PubMed

    Sato, Hironobu; Kawasaki, Masanori; Morita, Norihiko; Fujiwara, Hisayoshi; Minatoguchi, Shinya

    2015-12-01

    The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the tissue characteristics of plaques with moderate or mild stenosis in the inner and outer curvature of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) using integrated backscatter intravascular ultrasound. We evaluated 66 plaques with moderate stenosis (plaque burden >50% but ≤75%) and 49 plaques with mild stenosis (plaque burden >30% but ≤50%) in 66 patients undergoing percutaneous intervention to the LAD. All plaques were >10mm away from any side branch or previously implanted stents. We divided vessel cross-sections into four quadrants (inner curvature, outer curvature, clockwise lateral side, and counterclockwise lateral side) using the septal branch as a landmark for the inner curvature. We averaged relative lipid area, relative fibrous area, and relative calcified area in minimal lumen area (MLA), three cross-sections proximal to the site of MLA, and three cross-sections distal to the site of MLA. In plaques with moderate stenosis, the relative lipid area in the inner curvature was significantly greater than in the outer curvature and lateral sides, whereas there was no significant difference in plaques with mild stenosis. The present study provides new findings that lipid pool is clustered in the inner curvature and fibrous tissue is clustered in the outer curvature of plaques with moderate stenosis in non-branching LAD lesions. Copyright © 2015 Japanese College of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Dynamic weight bearing analysis is effective for evaluation of tendinopathy using a customized corridor with multi-directional force sensors in a rat model.

    PubMed

    Wu, Po-Ting; Hsu, Chieh-Hsiang; Su, Fong-Chin; Jou, I-Ming; Chen, Shih-Yao; Wu, Chao-Liang; Su, Wei-Ren; Kuo, Li-Chieh

    2017-08-18

    Few studies discuss kinetic changes in tendinopathy models. We propose a customized corridor to evaluate dynamic weight bearing (DWB) and shearing forces. Sixty rats were randomly given ultrasound-assisted collagenase injections (Collagenase rats) or needle punctures (Control rats) in their left Achilles tendons, and then evaluated 1, 4, and 8 weeks later. The Collagenase rats always had significantly (p < 0.001) higher histopathological and ultrasound feature scores than did the Controls, significantly lower DWB values in the injured than in the right hindlimbs, and compensatorily higher (p < 0.05) DWB values in the contralateral than in the left forelimbs. The injured hindlimbs had lower outward shearing force 1 and 4 weeks later, and higher (p < 0.05) push-off shearing force 8 weeks later, than did the contralateral hindlimbs. Injured Control rat hindlimbs had lower DWB values than did the contralateral only at week 1. The Collagenase rats had only lower static weight bearing ratios (SWBRs) values than did the Controls at week 1 (p < 0.05). Our customized corridor showed changes in DWB compatible with histopathological and ultrasound feature changes in the rat tendinopathy model. The hindlimb SWBRs did not correspond with any tendinopathic changes.

  7. A comparison of MRI and clinical examination of acute lateral ankle sprains.

    PubMed

    Frey, C; Bell, J; Teresi, L; Kerr, R; Feder, K

    1996-09-01

    Because of its excellent soft tissue contrast and ability to demonstrate soft tissue structures, magnetic resonance imaging is ideally suited to the evaluation of the soft tissues surrounding the ankle, including the lateral collateral ligaments. This study was undertaken to compare the clinical evaluation of 15 patients who suffered inversion injuries of the ankle with the results found on magnetic resonance imaging within 48 hours of the injury. Physical examination was found to be 100% accurate in the diagnosis of grade III ligament injuries but only 25% accurate in the diagnosis of grade II injuries. Clinicians most often underestimate the damage with a grade II ligament tear. Furthermore, other associated injuries, such as significant capsule ruptures and tendon damage, were often overlooked at physical examination.

  8. Gemcitabine and capecitabine as third- or later-line therapy for refractory advanced colorectal cancer: a retrospective study.

    PubMed

    Salgado, Mercedes; Reboredo, Margarita; Mendez, Juan Carlos; Quintero, Guillermo; Pellón, María Luz; Romero, Carlos; Jorge, Mónica; Montes, Ana Fernández; Valladares-Ayerbes, Manuel; Ramos, Manuel; Varela, Silvia; Alonso, Miguel Ángel

    2013-09-01

    To evaluate gemcitabine plus capecitabine as third-line or later-line therapy in patients with refractory advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) who maintain a good performance status (PS). We retrospectively evaluated patients who had failed at least two lines of therapy or had contraindication to standard therapy and received gemcitabine (1,000 mg/m(2), d1 biweekly) plus capecitabine (1,700 mg/m(2)/day, d1-7 every two weeks) in a compassionate use program. Thirty-nine patients were enrolled. The majority (85%) had ECOG PS 1. Gemcitabine plus capecitabine was administered as third- and fourth-line in 49% and 23% of patients, respectively; and as fifth-line or later-line in 28%. A clinical benefit of 21% was found. The median progression-free survival and overall survival were 3.0 and 7.3 months, respectively. Toxicity was mild to moderate, with no reported grade 4 toxicities. Gemcitabine plus capecitabine was safe and well-tolerated. While the efficacy of this regimen was modest in terms of response, the survival data were acceptable and consistent with previous publications on this setting.

  9. Three-dimensional knee motion before and after high tibial osteotomy for medial knee osteoarthritis.

    PubMed

    Takemae, Takashi; Omori, Go; Nishino, Katsutoshi; Terajima, Kazuhiro; Koga, Yoshio; Endo, Naoto

    2006-11-01

    High tibial osteotomy (HTO) is an established surgical option for treating medial knee osteoarthritis. HTO moves the mechanical load on the knee joint from the medial compartment to the lateral compartment by changing the leg alignment, but the effects of the operation remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the change in three-dimensional knee motion before and after HTO, focusing on lateral thrust and screw home movement, and to investigate the relationship between the change in knee motion and the clinical results. A series of 19 patients with medial knee osteoarthritis who had undergone HTO were evaluated. We performed a clinical assessment, radiological evaluation, and motion analysis at 2.4 years postoperatively. The clinical assessment was performed using the Japanese Orthopaedic Association knee score. The score was significantly improved in all patients after operation. Motion analysis revealed that lateral thrust, which was observed in 18 of the 20 knees before operation, was reduced to 7 knees after operation. Regarding active terminal extension of the knee, three patterns of rotational movement were observed before operation: screw home movement (external rotation), reverse screw home movement (internal rotation), and no rotation. By contrast, after operation, only reverse screw home movement and no rotation were observed; the screw home movement disappeared in all patients. In the knees with reverse screw home movement after operation, the preoperative score was significantly lower than those in the knees with no rotation after operation. Kinetically, HTO was useful for suppressing lateral thrust in medial knee osteoarthritis, although the rotational movement of the knee joint was unchanged.

  10. Resting-State Seed-Based Analysis: An Alternative to Task-Based Language fMRI and Its Laterality Index.

    PubMed

    Smitha, K A; Arun, K M; Rajesh, P G; Thomas, B; Kesavadas, C

    2017-06-01

    Language is a cardinal function that makes human unique. Preservation of language function poses a great challenge for surgeons during resection. The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of resting-state fMRI in the lateralization of language function in healthy subjects to permit its further testing in patients who are unable to perform task-based fMRI. Eighteen healthy right-handed volunteers were prospectively evaluated with resting-state fMRI and task-based fMRI to assess language networks. The laterality indices of Broca and Wernicke areas were calculated by using task-based fMRI via a voxel-value approach. We adopted seed-based resting-state fMRI connectivity analysis together with parameters such as amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF). Resting-state fMRI connectivity maps for language networks were obtained from Broca and Wernicke areas in both hemispheres. We performed correlation analysis between the laterality index and the z scores of functional connectivity, amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation, and fALFF. Pearson correlation analysis between signals obtained from the z score of fALFF and the laterality index yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.849 ( P < .05). Regression analysis of the fALFF with the laterality index yielded an R 2 value of 0.721, indicating that 72.1% of the variance in the laterality index of task-based fMRI could be predicted from the fALFF of resting-state fMRI. The present study demonstrates that fALFF can be used as an alternative to task-based fMRI for assessing language laterality. There was a strong positive correlation between the fALFF of the Broca area of resting-state fMRI with the laterality index of task-based fMRI. Furthermore, we demonstrated the efficacy of fALFF for predicting the laterality of task-based fMRI. © 2017 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

  11. Comparison of fMRI paradigms assessing visuospatial processing: Robustness and reproducibility

    PubMed Central

    Herholz, Peer; Zimmermann, Kristin M.; Westermann, Stefan; Frässle, Stefan; Jansen, Andreas

    2017-01-01

    The development of brain imaging techniques, in particular functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), made it possible to non-invasively study the hemispheric lateralization of cognitive brain functions in large cohorts. Comprehensive models of hemispheric lateralization are, however, still missing and should not only account for the hemispheric specialization of individual brain functions, but also for the interactions among different lateralized cognitive processes (e.g., language and visuospatial processing). This calls for robust and reliable paradigms to study hemispheric lateralization for various cognitive functions. While numerous reliable imaging paradigms have been developed for language, which represents the most prominent left-lateralized brain function, the reliability of imaging paradigms investigating typically right-lateralized brain functions, such as visuospatial processing, has received comparatively less attention. In the present study, we aimed to establish an fMRI paradigm that robustly and reliably identifies right-hemispheric activation evoked by visuospatial processing in individual subjects. In a first study, we therefore compared three frequently used paradigms for assessing visuospatial processing and evaluated their utility to robustly detect right-lateralized brain activity on a single-subject level. In a second study, we then assessed the test-retest reliability of the so-called Landmark task–the paradigm that yielded the most robust results in study 1. At the single-voxel level, we found poor reliability of the brain activation underlying visuospatial attention. This suggests that poor signal-to-noise ratios can become a limiting factor for test-retest reliability. This represents a common detriment of fMRI paradigms investigating visuospatial attention in general and therefore highlights the need for careful considerations of both the possibilities and limitations of the respective fMRI paradigm–in particular, when being interested in effects at the single-voxel level. Notably, however, when focusing on the reliability of measures of hemispheric lateralization (which was the main goal of study 2), we show that hemispheric dominance (quantified by the lateralization index, LI, with |LI| >0.4) of the evoked activation could be robustly determined in more than 62% and, if considering only two categories (i.e., left, right), in more than 93% of our subjects. Furthermore, the reliability of the lateralization strength (LI) was “fair” to “good”. In conclusion, our results suggest that the degree of right-hemispheric dominance during visuospatial processing can be reliably determined using the Landmark task, both at the group and single-subject level, while at the same time stressing the need for future refinements of experimental paradigms and more sophisticated fMRI data acquisition techniques. PMID:29059201

  12. Ligamentous Injuries and the Risk of Associated Tissue Damage in Acute Ankle Sprains in Athletes: A Cross-sectional MRI Study.

    PubMed

    Roemer, Frank W; Jomaah, Nabil; Niu, Jingbo; Almusa, Emad; Roger, Bernard; D'Hooghe, Pieter; Geertsema, Celeste; Tol, Johannes L; Khan, Karim; Guermazi, Ali

    2014-07-01

    Ankle joint injuries are extremely common sports injuries, with the anterior talofibular ligament involved in the majority of ankle sprains. There have been only a few large magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies on associated structural injuries after ankle sprains. To describe the injury pattern in athletes who were referred to MRI for the assessment of an acute ankle sprain and to assess the risk of associated traumatic tissue damage including lateral and syndesmotic ligament involvement. Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. A total of 261 ankle MRI scans of athletes with acute ankle sprains were evaluated for: lateral and syndesmotic ligament injury; concomitant injuries to the deltoid and spring ligaments and sinus tarsi; peroneal, flexor, and extensor retinacula and tendons; traumatic and nontraumatic osteochondral and osseous changes; and joint effusion. Patients were on average 22.5 years old, and the average time from injury to MRI was 5.7 days. Six exclusive injury patterns were defined based on lateral and syndesmotic ligament involvement. The risk for associated injuries was assessed by logistic regression using ankles with no or only low-grade lateral ligament injuries and no syndesmotic ligament damage as the reference. With regard to the injury pattern, there were 103 ankles (39.5%) with complete anterior talofibular ligament disruption and no syndesmotic injury, and 53 ankles (20.3%) had a syndesmotic injury with or without lateral ligament damage. Acute osteochondral lesions of the lateral talar dome were seen in 20 ankles (7.7%). The percentage of chronic lateral osteochondral lesions was 1.1%. The risk for talar bone contusions increased more than 3-fold for ankles with complete lateral ligament ruptures (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 3.43; 95% CI, 1.72-6.85) but not for ankles with syndesmotic involvement. The risk for associated deltoid ligament injuries increased for ankles with complete lateral ligament injuries (aOR, 4.04; 95% CI, 1.99-8.22) compared with patients with no or only low-grade lateral ligament injuries. About 20% of athletes referred for MRI after suffering an acute ankle sprain had evidence of a syndesmotic injury regardless of lateral ligament involvement, while more than half had evidence of any lateral ligament injury without syndesmotic involvement. Concomitant talar osseous and deltoid ligament injuries are common. © 2014 The Author(s).

  13. Effects of Lateral and Medial Wedged Insoles on Knee and Ankle Internal Joint Moments During Walking in Healthy Men.

    PubMed

    Fukuchi, Claudiane A; Lewinson, Ryan T; Worobets, Jay T; Stefanyshyn, Darren J

    2016-11-01

    Wedged insoles have been used to treat knee pathologies and to prevent injuries. Although they have received much attention for the study of knee injury, the effects of wedges on ankle joint biomechanics are not well understood. This study sought to evaluate the immediate effects of lateral and medial wedges on knee and ankle internal joint loading and center of pressure (CoP) in men during walking. Twenty-one healthy men walked at 1.4 m/sec in five footwear conditions: neutral, 6° (LW6) and 9° (LW9) lateral wedges, and 6° (MW6) and 9° (MW9) medial wedges. Peak internal knee abduction moments and angular impulses, internal ankle inversion moments and angular impulses, and mediolateral CoP were analyzed. Analysis of variance with post hoc analysis and Pearson correlations were performed to detect differences between conditions. No differences in internal knee joint loading were found between neutral and any of the wedge conditions. However, as the wedge angle increased from medial to lateral, the internal ankle inversion moment (LW6: P = .020; LW9: P < .001; MW6: P = .046; MW9: P < .001) and angular impulse (LW9: P = .012) increased, and the CoP shifted laterally (LW9: P < .001) and medially (MW9: P < .001) compared with the neutral condition. Neither lateral nor medial wedges were effective in altering internal knee joint loading during walking. However, the greater internal ankle inversion moment and angular impulse observed with lateral wedges could lead to a higher risk of ankle injury. Thus, caution should be taken when lateral wedges need to be prescribed.

  14. How much articular displacement can be detected using fluoroscopy for tibial plateau fractures?

    PubMed

    Haller, Justin M; O'Toole, Robert; Graves, Matthew; Barei, David; Gardner, Michael; Kubiak, Erik; Nascone, Jason; Nork, Sean; Presson, Angela P; Higgins, Thomas F

    2015-11-01

    While there is conflicting evidence regarding the importance of anatomic reduction for tibial plateau fractures, there are currently no studies that analyse our ability to grade reduction based on fluoroscopic imaging. The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of fluoroscopy in judging tibial plateau articular reduction. Ten embalmed human cadavers were selected. The lateral plateau was sagitally sectioned, and the joint was reduced under direct visualization. Lateral, anterior-posterior (AP), and joint line fluoroscopic views were obtained. The same fluoroscopic views were obtained with 2mm displacement and 5mm displacement. The images were randomised, and eight orthopaedic traumatologists were asked whether the plateau was reduced. Within each pair of conditions (view and displacement from 0mm to 5mm) sensitivity, specificity, and intraclass correlations (ICC) were evaluated. The AP-lateral view with 5mm displacement yielded the highest accuracy for detecting reduction at 90% (95% CI: 83-94%). For the other conditions, accuracy ranged from (37-83%). Sensitivity was highest for the reduced lateral view (79%, 95% CI: 57-91%). Specificity was highest in the AP-lateral view 98% (95% CI: 93-99%) for 5mm step-off. ICC was perfect for the AP-lateral view with 5mm displacement, but otherwise agreement ranged from poor to moderate at ICC=0.09-0.46. Finally, there was no additional benefit to including the joint-line view with the AP and lateral views. Using both AP and lateral views for 5mm displacement had the highest accuracy, specificity, and ICC. Outside of this scenario, agreement was poor to moderate and accuracy was low. Applying this clinically, direct visualization of the articular surface may be necessary to ensure malreduction less than 5mm. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. The Effect of a Community Project on Sense of Community among Social Work Students: An Exploratory Evaluative Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boehm, Amnon; Moin, Victor

    2014-01-01

    This article evaluates the effect of a community project that was adopted by the students of a school of social work in Israel. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was used. The pretest was administered during the planning stage of the project and the posttest a year later, during the implementation period. The findings show a significant…

  16. Addressing Adolescent Depression in Schools: Evaluation of an In-Service Training for School Staff in the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Valdez, Carmen R.; Budge, Stephanie L.

    2012-01-01

    This study evaluated an adolescent depression in-service training for school staff in the United States. A total of 252 school staff (e.g., teachers, principals, counselors) completed assessments prior to and following the in-service and a subsample of these staff participated in focus groups following the in-service and three months later.…

  17. Cocaine Self-Administration in Male and Female Rats Perinatally Exposed to PCBs: Evaluating Drug Use in an Animal Model of Environmental Contaminant Exposure

    PubMed Central

    Miller, Mellessa M.; Meyer, Abby E.; Sprowles, Jenna L. N.; Sable, Helen J. K.

    2017-01-01

    Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are ubiquitous environmental toxicants known to adversely impact human health. Ortho-substituted PCBs affect the nervous system, including the brain dopaminergic system. The reinforcing effects of psychostimulants are typically modulated via the dopaminergic system, so this study used a preclinical (i.e., rodent) model to evaluate whether developmental contaminant exposure altered intravenous self-administration (i.v. SA) for the psychostimulant cocaine. Long Evans rats were perinatally exposed to 6 or 3 mg/kg/day of PCBs throughout gestation and lactation and compared to non-exposed controls. Rats were trained to lever press for a food reinforcer in an operant chamber under a fixed-ratio 5 (FR5) schedule and later underwent jugular catheterization. Food reinforcers were switched for infusions of 250 μg of cocaine, but the response requirement to earn the reinforcer remained. Active lever presses and infusions were higher in males during response acquisition and maintenance. The same sex effect was observed during later sessions which evaluated responding for cocaine doses ranging from 31.25 – 500 μg. PCB-exposed males (not females) exhibited an increase in cocaine infusions (with a similar trend in active lever presses) during acquisition, but no PCB-related differences were observed during maintenance, examination of the cocaine dose-response relationship, or progressive ratio sessions. Overall, these results indicated perinatal PCB exposure enhanced early cocaine drug-seeking in this preclinical model of developmental contaminant exposure (particularly the males), but no differences were seen during later cocaine SA sessions. As such, additional questions regarding substance abuse proclivity may be warranted in epidemiological studies evaluating environmental contaminant exposures. PMID:28287790

  18. Over-the-top ACL Reconstruction Plus Extra-articular Lateral Tenodesis With Hamstring Tendon Grafts: Prospective Evaluation With 20-Year Minimum Follow-up.

    PubMed

    Zaffagnini, Stefano; Marcheggiani Muccioli, Giulio Maria; Grassi, Alberto; Roberti di Sarsina, Tommaso; Raggi, Federico; Signorelli, Cecilia; Urrizola, Francisco; Spinnato, Paolo; Rimondi, Eugenio; Marcacci, Maurilio

    2017-12-01

    There are few published studies with very long-term follow-up of combined intra- and extra-articular anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. To analyze clinical and radiographic outcomes of over-the-top ACL reconstruction plus extra-articular lateral tenodesis with autologous hamstrings at minimum 20-year follow-up. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Of 60 originally eligible patients who underwent over-the-top ACL reconstruction with double-stranded hamstring tendon (leaving intact graft tibial insertions) and extra-articular lateral plasty (performed with the remnant part of tendons), 52 were prospectively evaluated at a minimum 20-year follow-up (mean follow-up, 24 years; 41 men, 11 women; mean age at time of surgery, 25.5 ± 7.6 years). Twenty-nine patients were available for prospective evaluations: clinical (Lysholm, Tegner, and objective International Knee Documentation Committee [IKDC]), instrumented (KT-2000), and radiographic (standard, long-standing, and Merchant views). Subjective KOOS (Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score) and objective inertial sensor pivot-shift analysis (KiRA) were carried out at final follow-up. Twenty-three patients were investigated by phone interview for subjective Tegner score and documented complications, rerupture, or revision surgery. At final follow-up, mean Lysholm score was 85.7 ± 14.6; median Tegner score, 4 (range, 3-5); sport activity resumption, 86.2%; and objective IKDC score, good or excellent in 86% of patients (31%, A; 55%, B). Only 3 of 26 patients (12%) had >5-mm manual maximum KT-2000 side-to-side difference. KiRA system documented positive pivot-shift (>0.9-m/s 2 tibial acceleration side-to-side difference) in these 3 of 26 patients (12%). Statistically significant changes were as follows: decrease in Tegner score from 7 (range, 6-8) at 5-year follow-up to 4 (range, 3-5) at 10 years ( P < .0001) and decrease in Lysholm score from 96.1 ± 7.3 at 10-year follow-up to 85.7 ± 14.6 at 20 years ( P = .0003). Radiographic evaluation demonstrated significant difference of medial joint space between injured and healthy knees in patients with concomitant medial meniscectomy (n = 8, 3.2 ± 0.6 vs 5.0 ± 1.8 mm, P = .0114). No significant differences were reported regarding lateral or patellofemoral joint space. One patient (2%) experienced rerupture, with 3 of 52 (5.8%) having a contralateral ACL injury (excluded from KT-2000 and radiographic evaluations). Overall, 4 of 29 clinical failures (objective IKDC, KT-2000) and 1 rerupture among 52 patients were registered at final follow-up. Studied surgical technique demonstrated good results in laxity control at 20-year minimum follow-up. The lateral extra-articular plasty associated with ACL reconstruction did not generate lateral knee or patellofemoral osteoarthritis. The factor increasing osteoarthritis was meniscectomy.

  19. Task complexity, posture, age, sex: which is the main factor influencing manual laterality in captive Cercocebus torquatus torquatus?

    PubMed

    Laurence, Agathe; Wallez, Catherine; Blois-Heulin, Catherine

    2011-09-01

    Behavioural asymmetries reflect brain asymmetry in nonhuman primates (NHP) as in humans. By investigating manual laterality, researchers can study the evolution of brain hemisphere specialisation. Three dominant theories aim to establish an evolutionary scenario. The most recent theory relates different levels of manual laterality to task complexity. Our investigation aimed to evaluate the importance of two extrinsic factors (posture and the need for manual coordination) and two intrinsic factors (age and sex) on the expression of manual laterality by red-capped mangabeys. We observed 19 captive-born mangabeys, in spontaneous situations and under experimental conditions (seven experimental tasks varying in complexity). No directionality was observed in hand preference at the group level whatever the task. But our data revealed an effect of task complexity: more subjects were lateralised than not lateralised for the bipedal task and for the three most complex tasks. Finally, we evidenced an age and a sex effect. We compare our results with data for several other primate species and discuss them in the light of different manual laterality theories.

  20. Assessment of skeletal maturation based on cervical vertebrae in CBCT.

    PubMed

    Shim, Jocelyne J; Heo, Giseon; Lagravère, Manuel O

    2012-12-01

    Diagnosis of skeletal age in adolescents helps orthodontists select and time treatments. Currently this is done using lateral cephalometric radiographs. This study evaluates the application of the conventional method in cone-beam computer tomographic (CBCT) images to bring forth assessment of skeletal maturation in three-dimensions. Ninety-eight lateral cephalometric radiographs and CBCT scans were collected from orthodontic patients between 11 to 17 years of age over an 18-month period. CBCT scans were examined in seven sagittal slices based on cervical vertebral maturation staging (CVMS). Collected CVMS values were compared with those from corresponding lateral cephalometric radiograph. CVMS measured from CBCT and lateral cephalometric radiographs were the same on average. However, they were not consistent with each other and scored interclass correlation coefficient of 0.155 in validity test. Interoperator reliability was weak (0.581). Adaptation of cervical vertebrae maturation staging in CBCT requires further clarifications or modifications to become consistent with lateral cephalometric examinations and to become a reliable method. Alternatively, a completely new method may be developed consisting of maturational indicators or landmarks unique to CBCT imaging. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  1. Numerical Modeling of Methane Leakage from a Faulty Natural Gas Well into Fractured Tight Formations.

    PubMed

    Moortgat, Joachim; Schwartz, Franklin W; Darrah, Thomas H

    2018-03-01

    Horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing have enabled hydrocarbon recovery from unconventional reservoirs, but led to natural gas contamination of shallow groundwaters. We describe and apply numerical models of gas-phase migration associated with leaking natural gas wells. Three leakage scenarios are simulated: (1) high-pressure natural gas pulse released into a fractured aquifer; (2) continuous slow leakage into a tilted fractured formation; and (3) continuous slow leakage into an unfractured aquifer with fluvial channels, to facilitate a generalized evaluation of natural gas transport from faulty natural gas wells. High-pressure pulses of gas leakage into sparsely fractured media are needed to produce the extensive and rapid lateral spreading of free gas previously observed in field studies. Transport in fractures explains how methane can travel vastly different distances and directions laterally away from a leaking well, which leads to variable levels of methane contamination in nearby groundwater wells. Lower rates of methane leakage (≤1 Mcf/day) produce shorter length scales of gas transport than determined by the high-pressure scenario or field studies, unless aquifers have low vertical permeabilities (≤1 millidarcy) and fractures and bedding planes have sufficient tilt (∼10°) to allow a lateral buoyancy component. Similarly, in fractured rock aquifers or where permeability is controlled by channelized fluvial deposits, lateral flow is not sufficiently developed to explain fast-developing gas contamination (0-3 months) or large length scales (∼1 km) documented in field studies. Thus, current efforts to evaluate the frequency, mechanism, and impacts of natural gas leakage from faulty natural gas wells likely underestimate contributions from small-volume, low-pressure leakage events. © 2018, National Ground Water Association.

  2. The effectiveness and safety of combining laser-assisted liposuction and abdominoplasty.

    PubMed

    Aboelatta, Yasser Abdallah; Abdelaal, Mohammed Mahmoud; Bersy, Nada Abdelsatar

    2014-02-01

    Lipoabdominoplasty is nearly a daily aesthetic procedure. Despite the emergence of laser-assisted liposuction, to date, it has not been clearly evaluated combined with abdominoplasty. This prospective study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of laser-assisted liposuction relative to traditional liposuction combined with high-lateral-tension abdominoplasty. This study investigated 36 consecutive female patients who underwent high-lateral-tension abdominoplasty combined with liposuction of the upper central abdomen and both flanks. The patients were divided into three equal groups based on the technique used for liposuction. Group 1 underwent conventional liposuction with abdominoplasty. Group 2 underwent a mixture of conventional and laser-assisted liposuction with abdominoplasty. Group 3 underwent laser-assisted liposuction with abdominoplasty. The patients in groups 2 and 3 had a better aesthetic outcome than those in group 1 with regard to abdominal contour and skin tightness. No major complications were observed in groups 1 and 2. The patients in group 3 had a higher incidence of complications (3 seromas, 3 central necroses and dehiscence), and one patient underwent secondary sutures. Laser-assisted liposuction combined with abdominoplasty in the lateral abdomen seems to be a safe technique with good aesthetic outcomes. Although the combined use of laser-assisted liposuction in the lateral and central abdomen can achieve relatively better aesthetic results, it is associated with significant complications, and its use cannot be supported. Proper laser parameters in the central abdominal area still need further study. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

  3. Effect of elbow and forearm position on contact pressure between the extensor origin and the lateral side of the capitellum.

    PubMed

    Tanaka, Yoshitaka; Aoki, Mitsuhiro; Izumi, Tomoki; Wada, Takuro; Fujimiya, Mineko; Yamashita, Toshihiko

    2011-01-01

    Bone-to-tendon contact in the origin of the common extensor tendons is considered to be one of the causes of lateral epicondylitis. Some factors, including elbow and forearm position, varus stress to the elbow, or contraction of the wrist extensor tendons, are considered to affect this bone-to-tendon contact. However, no studies have evaluated the effect of the elbow and forearm position on bone-tendon interface. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of the position of the elbow and forearm on the contact pressure of the tendinous origin of the common wrist and finger extensors. We used 8 fresh cadaveric upper extremities. Contact pressure between the origin of the common extensor tendons and the lateral side of the capitellum was measured with a pressure sensor and was compared among various conditions, including elbow flexion angle (0°, 30°, 60°, and 90°), forearm rotation position (neutral and 81.5° pronation position), and varus stress load of the elbow (none, gravity on the forearm, and gravity on the forearm +1.96 Nm). Contact pressure was also measured during tension force of the extensor carpi radialis longus, extensor carpi radialis brevis, and extensor digitorum communis by 0, 9.8, and 19.6 N. Contact pressure was significantly increased with the elbow extension position, forearm pronation position, and varus stress to the elbow under tension of the extensor carpi radialis longus or extensor carpi radialis brevis. This study provides data about the amount of contact pressure between bone and tendon at the origin of the common extensor tendons in the elbow. This information may lead to a better understanding of, and better treatment for, lateral epicondylitis. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  4. Lateral Opening-wedge Distal Femoral Osteotomy: Pain Relief, Functional Improvement, and Survivorship at 5 Years.

    PubMed

    Cameron, James I; McCauley, Julie C; Kermanshahi, Arash Y; Bugbee, William D

    2015-06-01

    Distal femoral varus osteotomy may be used to treat valgus knee malalignment or to protect a knee compartment in which cartilage restoration surgery (such as osteochondral or meniscus allografting) has been performed. Medial closing-wedge osteotomy has demonstrated good success in treatment of osteoarthritis in published series, but few studies have evaluated distal femoral lateral opening-wedge osteotomy in terms of correction of deformity, pain and function, and survivorship. (1) Does lateral opening-wedge osteotomy lead to accurate correction? (2) What pain and function levels do patients experience after lateral opening-wedge osteotomy? (3) What are the nonunion, complication, and reoperation rates after lateral opening-wedge osteotomy? Between 2000 and 2010, we performed 40 distal femoral osteotomies. Two knees (two patients) underwent a medial closing-wedge osteotomy and were excluded from the present study. Thirty-eight knees (97%) in 36 patients were lateral opening-wedge varus-producing osteotomies; of those, 31 knees (82%) in 30 patients had followup at a minimum of 2 years (mean, 5 years; SD, 2; range, 2-12 years) and comprised the study population. The indications for osteotomy included symptomatic lateral compartment arthritis with clinical valgus deformity or a cartilage or meniscal defect in the lateral compartment with clinical valgus alignment. The study population was stratified into two groups based on reason for osteotomy: patients with isolated symptomatic lateral compartment arthritis (arthritis group; 19 knees [61%]) and patients who underwent joint preservation procedures including osteochondral allograft transplantation or meniscal allograft transplantation (joint preservation group; 12 knees [39%]). Data collection from our institution's osteotomy database included patient demographics, lower extremity coronal alignment, and operative details. Pain and function were measured preoperatively and postoperatively using the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score. Time to radiographic union, complications, and reoperations were recorded. Twenty-one of 31 knees had postoperative radiographic data available for review. Of these, seven of 15 knees in the arthritis group and three of six knees in the joint preservation group were within the correction goal of ± 3° from neutral mechanical alignment. In the arthritis group, the mean IKDC total score improved from 47 (SD, 15) preoperatively to 67 (SD, 10) postoperatively. In the joint preservation group, the mean IKDC total score improved from 36 (SD, 12) preoperatively to 62 (SD, 18) postoperatively. One nonunion occurred in the arthritis group. No postoperative complications were experienced. Ten knees in the arthritis group and six knees in the joint preservation group had additional surgery after the osteotomy, consisting primarily of hardware removal, arthroscopy for cartilage-related conditions, or conversion to arthroplasty. Survivorship at 5 years, with conversion to arthroplasty as the endpoint, was 74% in the arthritis group and 92% in the joint preservation group. Lateral opening-wedge distal femoral osteotomy was less accurate in correction of valgus deformity than expected, but the procedure was associated with improved knee pain and function scores. Our clinical and radiographic results are comparable to published series evaluating medial closing-wedge distal femoral osteotomy. Achieving our desired correction of ± 3° from neutral alignment was clinically difficult. An improved method of preoperative templating and refinement of the intraoperative technique may improve this. Future studies with more patients and longer followup will provide clarity on this topic. Level IV, therapeutic study.

  5. Morphodynamics of a tidal ridge system in the southwestern Yellow Sea: HF radar study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhong, Yao-Zhao; Li, Yan; Wu, Xiong-Bin; Gao, Shu; Zhou, Tao; Wang, Ya Ping; Gao, Jian-Hua

    2018-06-01

    A radial tidal ridge system is present throughout the coastal waters of the southwestern Yellow Sea (China) with varied and complicated ridges and channels between them. A newly designed ground-wave high-frequency (HF radar), with full-coverage and high spatial-temporal resolution, was employed in this study to measure the surface currents and bathymetric features correlated wave celerity in the study area from July 17 to August 6, 2011. We found that the spatial distribution pattern of the tidal channels is generally stable with periodic adjustments during a spring-neap tidal cycle and with higher degree of spatial orderliness from neap to spring tides than from spring to neap tides; the nearshore part of the channels is most stable in lateral, the middle part is relatively lateral unstable, and the offshore part changes complicatedly; flood-dominated channels and ebb-dominated ridges are identified using HF radar signals. The horizontal Kelvin number (Keh) is workable in lateral stability evaluation. This study reveals the potential of HF radar in morphodynamic studies on shallow coastal waters.

  6. Contribution of Lateral Column Lengthening to Correction of Forefoot Abduction in Stage IIb Adult Acquired Flatfoot Deformity Reconstruction.

    PubMed

    Chan, Jeremy Y; Greenfield, Stephen T; Soukup, Dylan S; Do, Huong T; Deland, Jonathan T; Ellis, Scott J

    2015-12-01

    Correction of forefoot abduction in stage IIb adult acquired flatfoot likely depends on the amount of lateral column lengthening (LCL) performed, although this represents only one aspect of a successful reconstruction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between common reconstructive variables and the observed change in forefoot abduction. Forty-one patients who underwent flatfoot reconstruction involving an Evans-type LCL were assessed retrospectively. Preoperative and postoperative anteroposterior (AP) radiographs of the foot at a minimum of 40 weeks (mean, 2 years) after surgery were reviewed to determine correction in forefoot abduction as measured by talonavicular coverage (TNC) angle, talonavicular uncoverage percent, talus-first metatarsal (T-1MT) angle, and lateral incongruency angle. Fourteen demographic and intraoperative variables were evaluated for association with change in forefoot abduction including age, gender, height, weight, body mass index, as well as the amount of LCL and medializing calcaneal osteotomy performed, LCL graft type, Cotton osteotomy, first tarsometatarsal fusion, flexor digitorum longus transfer, spring ligament repair, gastrocnemius recession and any one of the modified McBride/Akin/Silver procedures. Two variables significantly affected the change in lateral incongruency angle. These were weight (P = .04) and the amount of LCL performed (P < .001). No variables were associated with the change in TNC angle, talonavicular uncoverage percent, or T-1MT angle. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that LCL was the only significant predictor of the change in lateral incongruency angle. The final regression model for LCL showed a good fit (R2 = 0.70, P < .001). Each millimeter of LCL corresponded to a 6.8-degree change in lateral incongruency angle. Correction of forefoot abduction in flatfoot reconstruction was primarily determined by the LCL procedure and could be modeled linearly. We believe that the lateral incongruency angle can serve as a valuable preoperative measurement to help surgeons titrate the proper amount of correction performed intraoperatively. © The Author(s) 2015.

  7. An Evaluation of Past Special Education Programs and Services Provided to Incarcerated Young Offenders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ingalls, Lawrence; Hammond, Helen; Trussell, Robert P.

    2011-01-01

    This study investigated the past special education programs and services provided to children and youth who later became incarcerated. Participants in this study were inmates from a medium security state correctional facility in the southwest region of the United States. All inmates involved in this study were identified as having a disability and…

  8. Measurements of Eustachian tube dilation by video endoscopy.

    PubMed

    Poe, Dennis S; Pyykkö, Ilmari

    2011-07-01

    1. To create techniques for measurement of parameters of Eustachian tube (ET) dilation as observed with video endoscopy. 2. To study correlations of the parameters between healthy subjects and patients with ET dysfunction to determine if they may be important for clinical or investigational use. Prospective study in an academic center. 3 groups of adults: healthy subjects, otitis media with effusion (OME), patulous ET. Video software analyses were performed on video recordings from subjects' transnasal endoscopy to measure parameters of the tubal dilation cycle. 24 ETs of 15 healthy subjects, 24 ETs of 15 patulous ET and 20 ETs of 13 OME patients. Mean values for healthy subjects: cycle time 995 ms (SD 404.7), valve opening time 10.5 ms (SD 6.34), torus rotation time 176 ms (SD 151.5 and angle of torus rotation 34.2° (SD 14.3). Palatal elevation, measured as a percentage of torus height was 34.8% (SD 16.6) and excursion of the antero-lateral wall 35.5 % (SD 16.3). Lateral excursion of the antero-lateral wall was significantly less in patulous ET (18.7%, SD 15.1, p = 0.001) and in dilatory dysfunction (23.9%, SD 21.7, p = 0.048). The other parameters were not statistically different between healthy subjects and patients. Lateral excursion of the ET's antero-lateral wall was significantly reduced in OME and patulous ET patients compared with healthy subjects. Evaluation of the excursion of the lateral wall of the ET, which is due to TVP muscle action, may be an important parameter for further clinical and research study.

  9. Increased in vivo glial activation in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: assessed with [(11)C]-PBR28.

    PubMed

    Zürcher, Nicole R; Loggia, Marco L; Lawson, Robert; Chonde, Daniel B; Izquierdo-Garcia, David; Yasek, Julia E; Akeju, Oluwaseun; Catana, Ciprian; Rosen, Bruce R; Cudkowicz, Merit E; Hooker, Jacob M; Atassi, Nazem

    2015-01-01

    Evidence from human post mortem, in vivo and animal model studies implicates the neuroimmune system and activated microglia in the pathology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The study aim was to further evaluate in vivo neuroinflammation in individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis using [(11)C]-PBR28 positron emission tomography. Ten patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (seven males, three females, 38-68 years) and ten age- and [(11)C]-PBR28 binding affinity-matched healthy volunteers (six males, four females, 33-65 years) completed a positron emission tomography scan. Standardized uptake values were calculated from 60 to 90 min post-injection and normalized to whole brain mean. Voxel-wise analysis showed increased binding in the motor cortices and corticospinal tracts in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis compared to healthy controls (p FWE < 0.05). Region of interest analysis revealed increased [(11)C]-PBR28 binding in the precentral gyrus in patients (normalized standardized uptake value = 1.15) compared to controls (1.03, p < 0.05). In patients those values were positively correlated with upper motor neuron burden scores (r = 0.69, p < 0.05), and negatively correlated with the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis functional rating scale (r = -0.66, p < 0.05). Increased in vivo glial activation in motor cortices, that correlates with phenotype, complements previous histopathological reports. Further studies will determine the role of [(11)C]-PBR28 as a marker of treatments that target neuroinflammation.

  10. Influence of inward pressure of the transducer on lateral abdominal muscle thickness during ultrasound imaging.

    PubMed

    Ishida, Hiroshi; Watanabe, Sususmu

    2012-09-01

    Controlled laboratory study, technical note. The purpose of this study was to quantify changes in the thickness of the transversus abdominis, internal oblique, and external oblique muscles induced by different inward pressures of the transducer during ultrasound imaging (USI). USI of the lateral abdominal muscles is increasingly used in managing musculoskeletal dysfunction. However, to the best of our knowledge, no study has evaluated the influence of different inward pressures of the transducer on the lateral abdominal muscle thickness during USI. Thirty healthy male volunteers participated in this study. The thickness of the transversus abdominis, internal oblique, and external oblique muscles was measured with USI by the same rater in 4 conditions of inward pressures of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 N. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC1,1), with 95% confidence intervals, were calculated, and a repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to assess the influence of inward pressure on the thickness of the lateral abdominal muscles. The thickness of the transversus abdominis, internal oblique, and external oblique muscles was significantly different among the 4 conditions (P<.038). The mean difference between the 0.5-N and 4.0-N conditions was greater than the minimal detectable change of the 0.5-N condition in the lateral abdominal muscles. The difference in magnitude produced by the forces under different conditions was meaningful. When using a technique that involves a handheld transducer, the examiner should attempt to maintain consistent inward pressure of the transducer during USI to quantify the thickness of lateral abdominal muscles. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2012;42(9):815-818, Epub 19 April 2012. doi:10.2519/jospt.2012.4064.

  11. Value of lateral blood pool imaging in patients with suspected stress fractures of the tibia.

    PubMed

    Mohan, Hosahalli K; Clarke, Susan E M; Centenara, Martin; Lucarelli, Amanda; Baron, Daniel; Fogelman, Ignac

    2011-03-01

    To critically evaluate the use of lateral blood pool imaging in athletes with lower limb pain and with a clinical suspicion of stress fracture. Two experienced nuclear medicine physicians evaluated 3-phase bone scans using 99mTc-methylene diphosphonate performed in 50 consecutive patients referred from a specialist sports injury clinic for suspected tibial stress fracture. The vascularity to the tibia as seen on the blood pool (second phase) images in the anterior/posterior views was compared with the lateral/medial view assessments. Stress fractures were presumed to be present when on the delayed images (third phase) there was a focal or fusiform area of increased tracer uptake involving the tibial cortex. Shin splints which are a recognized cause of lower limb pain in athletes mimicking stress fracture were diagnosed if increased tracer uptake was seen extending along the posterior tibial surface with no significant focal or fusiform area of uptake within this. Inter-reviewer agreement for the assessment of vascularity was also assessed using Cohen's Kappa scores. Twenty-four stress fractures in 24 patients and 66 shin splints in 40 patients were diagnosed. In 18 patients stress fracture and shin splints coexisted. In 10 patients no tibial pathology was identified. Of the 24 patients diagnosed with stress fractures, lateral/medial blood pool imaging was superior in the assessment of blood pool activity (P < 0.001) identifying increased vascularity in 21 cases compared with the anterior/posterior views positive in only 11 cases. The inter-reviewer agreement was near perfect for lateral/medial views, κ = 0.86 while very good for anterior/posterior views, κ = 0.68. In patients with suspected tibial stress fractures, lateral views of the tibia provide the optimal method for evaluation of vascularity. Prospective studies with quantitative or semi-quantitative assessment of skeletal vascularity could provide supplementary information relating to the pathophysiology of stress fractures, for example, the time scale of vascular changes after a tibial stress fracture, and potentially could have clinical relevance as to the assessment of the severity of stress fractures and their prognosis.

  12. Evaluating Connectivity for two mid-sized mammals Across Riparian Corridors using Wildlife Crossing Monitoring and Species Distribution Modeling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jeong, S.

    2016-12-01

    The movement of wildlife can be constrained by river renovation projects owing to the presence of artificial structures. This study evaluates lateral connectivity, the ability to cross from habitat on one side of the river, through riparian vegetation, embankments, and the river to the other, of two mammal species, the leopard cat (Felis bengalensis euptilura) and water deer (Hydropotes inermis). We used 34 months of monitoring on 250 m stream segments on the Seom river, in South Korea to model the lateral connectivity of the stream between suitable habitats on either side of the steam. Habitat suitability within the landscape was determined using species distribution modelingand was used to determine where we thought the animals would want to pass across the river. We compared the predicted crossing locations to observed crossings.We assessed lateral connectivity suitability with maximum entropy and logistic regression models, and species' presences detected from snow tracking, heat sensor cameras, and scat or other signs, as well as landscape variables. Leopard cats prefer upland forest, while water deer prefer the forest edge and riparian corridor. For both target species, the best riparian habitats were characterized by the presence of vegetation cover on the embankment and by at least one side of an embankment being adjacent to farmland or forest cover. The lateral connectivity for the two target species showed different requirements. Water deer cross through large culverts with an openness ratio of 0.7 or under bridges, whereas leopard cats utilized drainage pipes and culvert boxes with a much smaller openness ratio. Stream reaches located close to a river tributary had the highest connectivity values, and areas modeled as good habitat for both species thatlink watershed and riparian habitats showed high connectivity values. Artifacts such as steep banks, concrete embankments, and adjacent roads were found to degrade the lateral connectivity of wildlife. These outcomes can be used to identify suitable riparian wildlife habitats of mammals, to evaluate lateral connectivity of riparian corridors for mammals, and to develop criteria for river conservation and restoration in highly urbanized developing countries. [

  13. Biomechanical evaluation of a biomimetic spinal construct.

    PubMed

    Wang, Tian; Ball, Jonathon R; Pelletier, Mattew H; Walsh, William R

    2014-12-01

    Laboratory spinal biomechanical tests using human cadaveric or animal spines have limitations in terms of disease transmission, high sample variability, decay and fatigue during extended testing protocols. Therefore, a synthetic biomimetic spine model may be an acceptable substitute. The goal of current study is to evaluate the properties of a synthetic biomimetic spine model; also to assess the mechanical performance of lateral plating following lateral interbody fusion. Three L3/4 synthetic spinal motion segments were examined using a validated pure moment testing system. Moments (±7.5 Nm) were applied in flexion-extension (FE), lateral bending (LB) and axial rotation (AR) at 1Hz for total 10000 cycles in MTS Bionix. An additional test was performed 12 hours after 10000 cycles. A ±10 Nm cycle was also performed to allow provide comparison to the literature. For implantation evaluation, each model was tested in the 4 following conditions: 1) intact, 2) lateral cage alone, 3) lateral cage and plate 4) anterior cage and plate. Results were analysed using ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey's HSD test. Range of motion (ROM) exhibited logarithmic growth with cycle number (increases of 16%, 37.5% and 24.3% in AR, FE and LB respectively). No signification difference (p > 0.1) was detected between 4 cycles, 10000 cycles and 12 hour rest stages. All measured parameters were comparable to that of reported cadaveric values. The ROM for a lateral cage and plate construct was not significantly different to the anterior lumbar interbody construct for FE (p = 1.00), LB (p = 0.995) and AR (p = 0.837). Based on anatomical and biomechanical similarities, the synthetic spine tested here provides a reasonable model to represent the human lumbar spine. Repeated testing did not dramatically alter biomechanics which may allow non-destructive testing between many different procedures and devices without the worry of carry over effects. Small intra-specimen variability and lack of biohazard makes this an attractive alternative for in vitro spine biomechanical testing. It also proved an acceptable surrogate for biomechanical testing, confirming that a lateral lumbar interbody cage and plate construct reduces ROM to a similar degree as anterior lumbar interbody cage and plate constructs.

  14. Acute hematogenous septic arthritis of the knee in adults.

    PubMed

    Sreenivas, T; Nataraj, A R; Menon, Jagdish

    2013-10-01

    To evaluate the factors associated with acute hematogenous septic arthritis of the knee in adults and to assess the outcome after open knee arthrotomy. We performed a prospective evaluation of 26 adult patients with acute nongonococcal septic arthritis of the knee presenting within 7 days. All patients underwent open knee arthrotomy, and final evaluation by means of Knee society score of the affected knee was compared with the contra lateral normal knee. The average duration of symptoms at the time of presentation was 3.9 days. Staphylococcus aureus was the commonest bacteria isolated in 17 (65.4 %) patients. The average duration of follow-up in our study was 18.5 months. In our study, Knee society score decreases as the age of the patient advances (P < 0.05) and also it was found to be low (P < 0.05) in the affected knee as compared to contra lateral normal knee. Our study shows that age of the patient at presentation is critical as it shows significant reduction in knee score. This explains that the septic arthritis may contribute to the progression of age-related degeneration of the knee joint. There appears to be no definite contributing factors or conditions associated with acute hematogenous septic arthritis of the knee in adults, although further study may be warranted regarding this matter.

  15. A Study of Cleft Palate Speakers with Marginal Velopharyngeal Competence.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hardin, M. A.; And Others

    1986-01-01

    The study examined a previously hypothesized model for a subgroup of cleft palate speakers with marginal velopharyngeal competence during speech. Evaluation of 52 5- and 6-year-olds with appropriate lateral X-ray results indicated that most met fewer than three of the other five criteria required by the model. (Author/DB)

  16. An Evaluation of the Left-Brain vs. Right-Brain Hypothesis with Resting State Functional Connectivity Magnetic Resonance Imaging

    PubMed Central

    Nielsen, Jared A.; Zielinski, Brandon A.; Ferguson, Michael A.; Lainhart, Janet E.; Anderson, Jeffrey S.

    2013-01-01

    Lateralized brain regions subserve functions such as language and visuospatial processing. It has been conjectured that individuals may be left-brain dominant or right-brain dominant based on personality and cognitive style, but neuroimaging data has not provided clear evidence whether such phenotypic differences in the strength of left-dominant or right-dominant networks exist. We evaluated whether strongly lateralized connections covaried within the same individuals. Data were analyzed from publicly available resting state scans for 1011 individuals between the ages of 7 and 29. For each subject, functional lateralization was measured for each pair of 7266 regions covering the gray matter at 5-mm resolution as a difference in correlation before and after inverting images across the midsagittal plane. The difference in gray matter density between homotopic coordinates was used as a regressor to reduce the effect of structural asymmetries on functional lateralization. Nine left- and 11 right-lateralized hubs were identified as peaks in the degree map from the graph of significantly lateralized connections. The left-lateralized hubs included regions from the default mode network (medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, and temporoparietal junction) and language regions (e.g., Broca Area and Wernicke Area), whereas the right-lateralized hubs included regions from the attention control network (e.g., lateral intraparietal sulcus, anterior insula, area MT, and frontal eye fields). Left- and right-lateralized hubs formed two separable networks of mutually lateralized regions. Connections involving only left- or only right-lateralized hubs showed positive correlation across subjects, but only for connections sharing a node. Lateralization of brain connections appears to be a local rather than global property of brain networks, and our data are not consistent with a whole-brain phenotype of greater “left-brained” or greater “right-brained” network strength across individuals. Small increases in lateralization with age were seen, but no differences in gender were observed. PMID:23967180

  17. An evaluation of the left-brain vs. right-brain hypothesis with resting state functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging.

    PubMed

    Nielsen, Jared A; Zielinski, Brandon A; Ferguson, Michael A; Lainhart, Janet E; Anderson, Jeffrey S

    2013-01-01

    Lateralized brain regions subserve functions such as language and visuospatial processing. It has been conjectured that individuals may be left-brain dominant or right-brain dominant based on personality and cognitive style, but neuroimaging data has not provided clear evidence whether such phenotypic differences in the strength of left-dominant or right-dominant networks exist. We evaluated whether strongly lateralized connections covaried within the same individuals. Data were analyzed from publicly available resting state scans for 1011 individuals between the ages of 7 and 29. For each subject, functional lateralization was measured for each pair of 7266 regions covering the gray matter at 5-mm resolution as a difference in correlation before and after inverting images across the midsagittal plane. The difference in gray matter density between homotopic coordinates was used as a regressor to reduce the effect of structural asymmetries on functional lateralization. Nine left- and 11 right-lateralized hubs were identified as peaks in the degree map from the graph of significantly lateralized connections. The left-lateralized hubs included regions from the default mode network (medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, and temporoparietal junction) and language regions (e.g., Broca Area and Wernicke Area), whereas the right-lateralized hubs included regions from the attention control network (e.g., lateral intraparietal sulcus, anterior insula, area MT, and frontal eye fields). Left- and right-lateralized hubs formed two separable networks of mutually lateralized regions. Connections involving only left- or only right-lateralized hubs showed positive correlation across subjects, but only for connections sharing a node. Lateralization of brain connections appears to be a local rather than global property of brain networks, and our data are not consistent with a whole-brain phenotype of greater "left-brained" or greater "right-brained" network strength across individuals. Small increases in lateralization with age were seen, but no differences in gender were observed.

  18. The posterior transtriceps approach for elbow arthrography: a forgotten technique?

    PubMed

    Lohman, M; Borrero, C; Casagranda, B; Rafiee, B; Towers, J

    2009-05-01

    To evaluate the technical feasibility of performing elbow MR arthrography via a posterior approach through the triceps. The images of 19 patients with elbow MR arthrography via a posterior transtriceps approach were retrospectively studied. The injections were performed by four musculoskeletal radiologists, using fluoroscopic guidance and a 22- or 25-gauge needle. The fluoroscopic and subsequent MR images were reviewed by two musculoskeletal radiologists and evaluated for adequacy of joint capsular distention, degree and location of contrast leakage, and presence of gas bubbles. The injection was diagnostic in all 19 patients, with a sufficient amount of contrast agent seen in the elbow joint. No significant contrast leakage occurred in 12 patients who received injections of 8 cc or less of contrast agent, but moderate contrast leakage occurred in 6/7 patients who received injections of greater than 8 cc. Contrast leakage generally occurred within the triceps myotendinous junction. No gas bubbles were identified in the injected joints. Patients often present for MR arthrography of the elbow with medial or lateral elbow pain. Contrast leakage during a radiocapitellar approach may complicate evaluation of the lateral collateral ligament or the common extensor tendon origin. Transtriceps MR arthrography offers an alternative to the more commonly used radiocapitellar approach. With injected volumes not exceeding 8 cc, the risk of significant contrast leakage is small. An advantage of the transtriceps injection is that contrast leakage through the posterior needle tract does not interfere with evaluation of the lateral structures.

  19. Influence of body position on the displacement of nasal prongs in preterm newborns receiving continuous positive airway pressure

    PubMed Central

    Brunherotti, Marisa Afonso Andrade; Martinez, Francisco Eulógio

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Objective: To evaluate the influence of body position on the displacement of nasal prongs in preterm infants. Methods: This prospective, randomized, crossover study enrolled infants born at a mean gestational age of 29.7±2 weeks, birth weight of 1353±280g and 2.9±2.2 days of life, submitted to continuous positive airway pressure by nasal prongs. The main outcome was the number of times that the nasal prongs were displaced following infant positioning in the following body positions: prone, right lateral, left lateral, and supine, according to a pre-established random order. Moreover, cardiorespiratory variables (respiratory rate, heart rate, and oxygen saturation) were evaluated for each body position. Data for each position were collected every 10 min, over a period of 60 min. An occurrence was defined when the nasal prongs were displaced from the nostrils after 3 min in the desired position, requiring intervention of the examiner. Results: Among the 16 studied infants, the occurrence of nasal prong displacement was only observed in the prone position (9 infants - 56.2%) and in the left lateral position (2 infants - 12.5%). The number of times that the prongs were displaced was 11 in the prone position (7 within the first 10min) and 2 in the left lateral position (1 within the first 10min). No clinically significant changes were observed in the cardiorespiratory variables. Conclusions: Maintenance of the nasal prongs to provide adequate noninvasive respiratory support was harder in the prone position. PMID:26116326

  20. Women's labor force participation in later life: the effects of early work and family experiences.

    PubMed

    Pienta, A M; Burr, J A; Mutchler, J E

    1994-09-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a model of labor force participation among a group of older women in the United States. A comprehensive measure of women's combined work and family experiences across the adult life course was created. Employing data from the 1984 Survey of Income and Program Participation, we applied multinomial logistic regression techniques to examine the association between work-family experiences and later life labor supply. Our findings generally support an attachment hypothesis, showing that women who were the most work-oriented throughout the life course were more likely than women who experienced family-related spells of nonlabor-market activity to participate in the labor force, either full-time or part-time, later in life.

  1. Thalamic functional connectivity predicts seizure laterality in individual TLE patients: application of a biomarker development strategy.

    PubMed

    Barron, Daniel S; Fox, Peter T; Pardoe, Heath; Lancaster, Jack; Price, Larry R; Blackmon, Karen; Berry, Kristen; Cavazos, Jose E; Kuzniecky, Ruben; Devinsky, Orrin; Thesen, Thomas

    2015-01-01

    Noninvasive markers of brain function could yield biomarkers in many neurological disorders. Disease models constrained by coordinate-based meta-analysis are likely to increase this yield. Here, we evaluate a thalamic model of temporal lobe epilepsy that we proposed in a coordinate-based meta-analysis and extended in a diffusion tractography study of an independent patient population. Specifically, we evaluated whether thalamic functional connectivity (resting-state fMRI-BOLD) with temporal lobe areas can predict seizure onset laterality, as established with intracranial EEG. Twenty-four lesional and non-lesional temporal lobe epilepsy patients were studied. No significant differences in functional connection strength in patient and control groups were observed with Mann-Whitney Tests (corrected for multiple comparisons). Notwithstanding the lack of group differences, individual patient difference scores (from control mean connection strength) successfully predicted seizure onset zone as shown in ROC curves: discriminant analysis (two-dimensional) predicted seizure onset zone with 85% sensitivity and 91% specificity; logistic regression (four-dimensional) achieved 86% sensitivity and 100% specificity. The strongest markers in both analyses were left thalamo-hippocampal and right thalamo-entorhinal cortex functional connection strength. Thus, this study shows that thalamic functional connections are sensitive and specific markers of seizure onset laterality in individual temporal lobe epilepsy patients. This study also advances an overall strategy for the programmatic development of neuroimaging biomarkers in clinical and genetic populations: a disease model informed by coordinate-based meta-analysis was used to anatomically constrain individual patient analyses.

  2. Evaluation of New Mexico's anti-DWI efforts

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2000-02-01

    This study is an assessment of the effects of the introduction of omnibus anti-DWI legislation in New Mexico. Several changes to New Mexico's DWI laws were introduced in the later half of 1993 and the beginning of 1994. New Mexico further initiated a...

  3. Surgical Treatment of Combined Posterior Root Tears of the Lateral Meniscus and ACL Tears

    PubMed Central

    Pan, Fengyu; Hua, Shan; Ma, Zhuang

    2015-01-01

    Background The treatment of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture complicated with posterior lateral meniscus root (PLMR) tears remains controversial. The goal of this study was to evaluate clinical outcomes of PLMR tear refixation versus left untreated at the time of reconstruction. Material/Methods From August 2001 to January 2012, 31 patients who undergone repair of PLMR tears were evaluated and compared with a matched control group with untreated PLMR tears. Clinical evaluation consisted of the Lysholm scale, subjective International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) questionnaires, and radiographic evaluation with MRI. Results Regarding to the Lysholm score and the subjective questionnaire score, there were no statistical difference between the 2 groups. However, patients after operative treatment reach higher functional scores and lower rates of osteoarthritis (normal: group A, 80%, and group B, 48%, respectively) with statistical significance (P<0.05) compared to the matched control group. Conclusions Surgical and conservative treatment of the PLMR can both effectively improve knee function. However, a tendency towards higher functional scores and lower rates of osteoarthritis for patients with operative treatment was observed. PMID:25959903

  4. Posterior, Lateral, and Anterior Hip Pain Due to Musculoskeletal Origin: A Narrative Literature Review of History, Physical Examination, and Diagnostic Imaging.

    PubMed

    Battaglia, Patrick J; D'Angelo, Kevin; Kettner, Norman W

    2016-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to present a narrative review of the literature of musculoskeletal causes of adult hip pain, with special attention to history, physical examination, and diagnostic imaging. A narrative review of the English medical literature was performed by using the search terms "hip pain" AND "anterior," "lateral," and "posterior." Additionally, specific entities of hip pain or pain referral sources to the hip were searched for. We used the PubMed search engine through January 15, 2016. Musculoskeletal sources of adult hip pain can be divided into posterior, lateral, and anterior categories. For posterior hip pain, select considerations include lumbar spine and femoroacetabular joint referral, sacroiliac joint pathology, piriformis syndrome, and proximal hamstring tendinopathy. Gluteal tendinopathy and iliotibial band thickening are the most common causes of lateral hip pain. Anterior hip pain is further divided into causes that are intra-articular (ie, labral tear, osteoarthritis, osteonecrosis) and extra-articular (ie, snapping hip and inguinal disruption [athletic pubalgia]). Entrapment neuropathies and myofascial pain should also be considered in each compartment. A limited number of historical features and physical examination tests for evaluation of adult hip pain are supported by the literature and are discussed in this article. Depending on the clinical differential, the gamut of diagnostic imaging modalities recommended for accurate diagnosis include plain film radiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, skeletal scintigraphy, and ultrasonography. The evaluation of adult hip pain is challenging. Clinicians should consider posterior, lateral, and anterior sources of pain while keeping in mind that these may overlap.

  5. An in vitro evaluation of the degree of pulp tissue dissolution through different root canal irrigation protocols.

    PubMed

    Amato, Massimo; Pantaleo, Giuseppe; Abtellatif, Dina; Blasi, Andrea; Gagliani, Massimo; Iandolo, Alfredo

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study is to evaluate in vitro , using artificial lateral canals, the rate of dissolution of the pulp tissue through different protocols of canal irrigation. One hundred artificial canals provided with lateral canals have been used. Each lateral canal was filled with pulp tissue and calibrated to 0.002 mg. All canals were irrigated using five different protocols. Five groups have been used for the experiment: Group A, distilled water (control); Group B, preheated NaOCl; Group C, NaOCl heated inside the canal; Group D, NaOCl ultrasonically activated; and Group E, NaOCl heated inside the canal with ultrasonic activation. All samples were weighed through professional microbalance in three different phases: before insertion of the pulp tissue into the lateral canal, after insertion of the pulp tissue and, finally, after different protocols of irrigation. A statistical analysis with Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney test was performed. The partial dissolution of the pulp tissue inside the artificial lateral canal occurs only using the protocol with NaOCl heated inside the canal with ultrasonic activation. Other irrigation protocols are not able to dissolve the pulp tissue. The main objective of endodontic therapy is the removal of damaged tissues and bacteria. Modern literature highlights that it is impossible to remove all the pulp tissues and bacteria from the whole endodontic space. Hence, to achieve excellence and get positive results in the short and long term, it is necessary to use techniques and technologies that may increase the degree of root canal detersion.

  6. On the parametrization of lateral dose profiles in proton radiation therapy.

    PubMed

    Bellinzona, V E; Ciocca, M; Embriaco, A; Fontana, A; Mairani, A; Mori, M; Parodi, K

    2015-07-01

    The accurate evaluation of the lateral dose profile is an important issue in the field of proton radiation therapy. The beam spread, due to Multiple Coulomb Scattering (MCS), is described by the Molière's theory. To take into account also the contribution of nuclear interactions, modern Treatment Planning Systems (TPSs) generally approximate the dose profiles by a sum of Gaussian functions. In this paper we have compared different parametrizations for the lateral dose profile of protons in water for therapeutical energies: the goal is to improve the performances of the actual treatment planning. We have simulated typical dose profiles at the CNAO (Centro Nazionale di Adroterapia Oncologica) beamline with the FLUKA code and validated them with data taken at CNAO considering different energies and depths. We then performed best fits of the lateral dose profiles for different functions using ROOT and MINUIT. The accuracy of the best fits was analyzed by evaluating the reduced χ(2), the number of free parameters of the functions and the calculation time. The best results were obtained with the triple Gaussian and double Gaussian Lorentz-Cauchy functions which have 6 parameters, but good results were also obtained with the so called Gauss-Rutherford function which has only 4 parameters. The comparison of the studied functions with accurate and validated Monte Carlo calculations and with experimental data from CNAO lead us to propose an original parametrization, the Gauss-Rutherford function, to describe the lateral dose profiles of proton beams. Copyright © 2015 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Arthroscopic approach and intra-articular anatomy of the dorsal and plantar synovial compartments of the bovine tarsocrural joint.

    PubMed

    Lardé, Hélène; Nichols, Sylvain; Babkine, Marie; Desrochers, André

    2017-01-01

    To determine arthroscopic approaches to the dorsal and plantar synovial compartments of the tarsocrural joint in adult cattle, and to describe the arthroscopic intra-articular anatomy from each approach. Ex vivo study. Fresh adult bovine cadavers (n = 7). Two tarsocrural joint were injected with latex to determine arthroscopic portal locations and arthroscopy of the tarsocrural joint of 12 tarsi was performed. The dorsolateral approach was made through the large pouch located between the long digital extensor and peroneus longus tendons. The dorsomedial approach was made just medial to the common synovial sheath of the tibialis cranialis, peroneus tertius, and long digital extensor tendons. The plantarolateral and plantaromedial approaches were made lateral and medial to the tarsal tendon sheath, respectively. Each approach allowed visualization of the distal tibia articulating with the proximal trochlea of the talus. Consistently observed structures included the distal intermediate ridge of the tibia, and the medial and lateral trochlear ridges and trochlear groove of the talus. Lateral and medial malleoli were best assessed from dorsal approaches. From the lateral approaches evaluation of the abaxial surface of the lateral trochlear ridge allowed visualization of the fibulocalcaneal joint. From the plantar approaches additional observed structures included the coracoid process of the calcaneus, plantar trochlea of the talus, and plantar talotibial and talofibular ligaments. In cattle, the dorsolateral and plantarolateral approaches allowed for the best evaluation of the dorsal and plantar aspects of the tarsocrural joint, respectively. © 2017 The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

  8. Evaluating Stiffness of Fibreglass and Thermoplastic Splint Materials and Inter-fragmentary Motion in a Canine Tibial Fracture Model.

    PubMed

    Wagoner, Amanda L; Allen, Matthew J; Zindl, Claudia; Litsky, Alan; Orsher, Robert; Ben-Amotz, Ron

    2018-04-16

     Various materials are used to construct splints for mid-diaphyseal tibial fracture stabilization. The objective of this study was to compare construct stiffness and inter-fragmentary bone motion when fibreglass (FG) or thermoplastic (TP) splints are applied to either the lateral or cranial aspect of the tibia in a mid-diaphyseal fracture model.  A coaptation bandage was applied to eight cadaveric canine pelvic limbs, with a custom-formed splint made of either FG or TP material applied to either the lateral or cranial aspect of the osteotomized tibia. Four-point bending tests were performed to evaluate construct stiffness and inter-fragmentary motion in both frontal and sagittal planes.  For a given material, FG or TP, construct stiffness was not affected by splint location. Construct stiffness was significantly greater with cranial FG splints than with cranial TP splints ( p  < 0.05), but this difference was not significant when comparing splints applied laterally ( p  = 0.15). Inter-fragmentary motions in the sagittal and frontal planes were similar across splint types for cranial splints, but for lateral splints there was a 64% reduction in frontal plane motion when FG was used as the splint material ( p  = 0.03).  FG produces a stiffer construct, but the difference is not reflected in a reduction in inter-fragmentary motion. For lateral splints, FG splints are associated with reduced inter-fragmentary motion as compared with TP and may therefore have slight superiority for this application. Schattauer GmbH Stuttgart.

  9. Hemispheric laterality and self-rated personality traits.

    PubMed

    Killgore, W D; DellaPietra, L; Casasanto, D J

    1999-12-01

    Cerebral hemispheric lateralization and personality traits were evaluated in 154 undergraduate and nonclinical volunteers. Personality ratings did not differ significantly between groups defined on the basis of hand, eye, or ear preference.

  10. Reference Values for Human Posture Measurements Based on Computerized Photogrammetry: A Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Macedo Ribeiro, Ana Freire; Bergmann, Anke; Lemos, Thiago; Pacheco, Antônio Guilherme; Mello Russo, Maitê; Santos de Oliveira, Laura Alice; de Carvalho Rodrigues, Erika

    The main objective of this study was to review the literature to identify reference values for angles and distances of body segments related to upright posture in healthy adult women with the Postural Assessment Software (PAS/SAPO). Electronic databases (BVS, PubMed, SciELO and Scopus) were assessed using the following descriptors: evaluation, posture, photogrammetry, physical therapy, postural alignment, postural assessment, and physiotherapy. Studies that performed postural evaluation in healthy adult women with PAS/SAPO and were published in English, Portuguese and Spanish, between the years 2005 and 2014 were included. Four studies met the inclusion criteria. Data from the included studies were grouped to establish the statistical descriptors (mean, variance, and standard deviation) of the body angles and distances. A total of 29 variables were assessed (10 in the anterior views, 16 in the lateral right and left views, and 3 in the posterior views), and its respective mean and standard deviation were calculated. Reference values for the anterior and posterior views showed no symmetry between the right and left sides of the body in the frontal plane. There were also small differences in the calculated reference values for the lateral view. The proposed reference values for quantitative evaluation of the upright posture in healthy adult women estimated in the present study using PAS/SAPO could guide future studies and help clinical practice. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  11. Progression and effect of cognitive-behavioral changes in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

    PubMed

    Bock, Meredith; Duong, Y-Nhy; Kim, Anthony; Allen, Isabel; Murphy, Jennifer; Lomen-Hoerth, Catherine

    2017-12-01

    To prospectively evaluate the progression of cognitive-behavioral function in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and examine the association of cognitive-behavioral deficits with disease progression, patient quality of life (QOL), and caregiver burden. We evaluated cognitive-behavioral function using the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Cognitive Behavioral Screen at enrollment and after 7 months in a cohort of patients with ALS. Paired t tests were used to evaluate the change in the 2 assessments. Linear regression and Kruskal-Wallis tests were applied to investigate how initial cognitive or behavioral status related to outcomes. The mean test-retest interval was 6.8 months (SD 1.6). Cognitive status of the study population (n = 49) overall did not change over the study period ( p = 0.06) despite progression of motor weakness ( p < 0.001), though small subsets of the sample demonstrate cognitive change. Patients initially classified as behaviorally normal showed increased behavioral problems over time ( t = -2.8, p = 0.009). Decline in cognitive (β = -1.3, p = 0.03) and behavioral (β = -0.76, p = 0.002) status predicted increasing caregiver burden. Behavioral abnormalities predicted decline in forced vital capacity and ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised score ( p = 0.008, 0.012) in the study population and patient QOL in the most severely affected group ( t = 4.3, p = 0.003). Cognitive-behavioral change is a key aspect of disease heterogeneity in ALS. Executive function in ALS overall remains stable over 7 months as detected by an administered screening tool. However, patients may develop caregiver-reported behavioral symptoms in that time period. Screening for caregiver-reported symptoms has a particular utility in predicting future clinical decline, increased caregiver burden, and worsening patient QOL.

  12. High degree of patient satisfaction after percutaneous treatment of lateral tibia plateau fractures.

    PubMed

    Elsøe, Rasmus; Larsen, Peter; Rasmussen, Sten; Hansen, Hans Ager; Eriksen, Christian Berre

    2016-01-01

    The outcomes and complications following surgical treatment of tibial plateau fractures have been widely reported. The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of life (QoL), functional and radiological outcomes after lateral tibial plateau fractures, Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen (AO) type 41-B2 and B3, treated with minimally invasive bone tamp reduction, allograft and percutaneous screw fixation. This study was a cross-sectional study and a retrospective review and clinical evaluation of patients treated with minimally invasive bone tamp reduction, allograft and percutaneous screw fixation after lateral tibial plateau fractures between 2005 and 2010. The patients completed a clinical examination, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and a questionnaire for evaluation of QoL (Eq5D-5L). A total of 28 patients agreed to participate (71%). The mean follow-up time was 2.5 years. Maintained anatomical joint reduction and alignment was achieved in 23 cases. The mean Eq5D-5L index was 0.850. The mean KOOS scores were: pain = 79.9, ADL = 80.8, symptoms = 73.0, QoL = 61.3 and sport = 54.4. Compared with Eq5D-5L reference norms, patients did not report significantly lower scores. Compared with a KOOS reference group, patients reported significantly lower KOOS scores in three subscales. Tibial plateau fractures AO type 41-B2 and 41-B3 treated with minimally invasive bone tamp reduction, allograft and percutaneous screw fixation showed a high rate of anatomical reduction (82%), a low rate of complications (3.5%) and a high level of satisfactory patient-reported QoL. none. not relevant.

  13. Scanning mass spectrometer for quantitative reaction studies on catalytically active microstructures.

    PubMed

    Roos, M; Kielbassa, S; Schirling, C; Häring, T; Bansmann, J; Behm, R J

    2007-08-01

    We describe an apparatus for spatially resolving scanning mass spectrometry which is able to measure the gas composition above catalytically active microstructures or arrays of these microstructures with a lateral resolution of better than 100 mum under reaction conditions and which allows us to quantitatively determine reaction rates on individual microstructures. Measurements of the three-dimensional gas composition at different vertical distances and separations between active structures allow the evaluation of gas phase mass transport effects. The system is based on a piezoelectrically driven positioning substage for controlled lateral and vertical positioning of the sample under a rigidly mounted capillary probe connecting to a mass spectrometer. Measurements can be performed at pressures in the range of <10(-2)-10 mbars and temperatures between room temperature and 450 degrees C. The performance of the setup is demonstrated using the CO oxidation reaction on Pt microstructures on Si with sizes between 100 and 300 mum and distances in the same order of magnitude, evaluating CO(2) formation and CO consumption above the microstructures. The rapidly decaying lateral resolution with increasing distance between sample and probe underlines the effects of (lateral) gas transport in the room between sample and probe. The reaction rates and apparent activation energy obtained from such measurements agree with previous data on extended surfaces, demonstrating the feasibility of determining absolute reaction rates on individual microstructures.

  14. Objective Brow Height Measurements Following Pretrichial Brow Lift and Upper Lid Blepharoplasty.

    PubMed

    Martin, Matthew; Shah, Christopher T; Attawala, Payal; Neaman, Keith; Meldrum, Melissa; Hassan, Adam S

    2016-01-01

    As the ptotic brow drops below the supraorbital rim, it can exacerbate dermatochalasis by pushing the adjacent skin of the upper lid further down. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes associated with a combined pretrichial brow lift and upper lid blepharoplasty in patients with dermatochalasis and mild to moderate brow ptosis. A retrospective case series of 46 patients with dermatochalasis and mild to moderate brow ptosis treated with a combined, bilateral pretrichial brow lift and upper lid blepharoplasty from January 2008 to December 2011. Main outcome measures included measurements of brow lift at 3 months post-operatively, complications encountered, patient satisfaction and surgeon satisfaction. Outcomes from 46 patients were evaluated. The mean brow lift was 1.85 mm at the lateral canthus, 1.54 mm at the lateral limbus, 1.31 mm at the mid-pupil, and 1.07 mm at the medial limbus. Brow lift at the lateral canthus was significantly more elevated than at the medial limbus (P < 0.001). Minor complications were encountered in seven of 46 patients (15.2%). Mean patient satisfaction score was 3.20 and surgeon satisfaction 3.24 (max = 4, very satisfied). The modified pretrichial brow lift offered effective lateral lift that complements an upper lid blepharoplasty. This technique was met with a high degree of patient and surgeon satisfaction, and had a minimal complication profile.

  15. Osteosynthesis in situ for lateral condyle nonunion in children.

    PubMed

    Park, Hoon; Hwang, Jin Ho; Kwon, Yong Uk; Kim, Hyun Woo

    2015-06-01

    This study investigated the efficacy of osteosynthesis in situ by evaluating the functional and cosmetic results in children with nonunion of lateral condyle fractures. Sixteen consecutive patients were treated with in situ fixation consisting of minimal curettage of fracture gap and screw compression of metaphyseal fragments without bone grafting. The mean age at the time of surgery was 5.6 years (range, 1 to 10 y). The mean interval between the initial lateral condylar fracture and surgery was 4.8 months (range, 3 to 12 mo). The average amount of displacement measured on radiographs was 6.6 mm medially and 7.4 mm laterally. Outcome was assessed by clinical and radiologic evaluation at the latest follow-up. All patients achieved bony union. The mean duration of follow-up was 45.4 months (range, 24 to 67 mo). The range of motion and flexion contracture improved postoperatively in all patients. There was no evidence of premature growth arrest, osteonecrosis, or fishtail deformity until last follow-up. The overall result was excellent in 5, good in 10, and fair in 1 patient. However, 3 patients developed valgus or varus deformities of >10 degrees. Osteosynthesis in situ can be an effective and safe treatment for achieving bone union and improved elbow motion and preventing avascular necrosis. However, valgus or varus deformities may occur after this procedure and corrective osteotomy may be necessary. Level IV - case series.

  16. A study of the birth weight-obesity relation using a longitudinal cohort and sibling and twin pairs.

    PubMed

    The, Natalie S; Adair, Linda S; Gordon-Larsen, Penny

    2010-09-01

    Sibling and twin study designs provide control for confounding factors that are typically unmeasured in traditional cohort studies. Using nationally representative data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health collected at 3 visits during 1994-2002, the authors evaluated the longitudinal association between birth weight and later obesity in a traditional cohort study (n = 13,763; ages 11-21 years at baseline), controlling for sex, age, race/ethnicity, and parental education. Among persons with a nonobese mother, high birth weight (>4 kg) participants were more likely than normal birth weight (>/=2.5-

  17. Impacted maxillary canines and root resorption of adjacent teeth: A retrospective observational study.

    PubMed

    Guarnieri, R; Cavallini, C; Vernucci, R; Vichi, M; Leonardi, R; Barbato, E

    2016-11-01

    The prevalence of impacted maxillary canine is reported to be between 1% and 3%. The lack of monitoring and the delay in the treatment of the impacted canine can cause different complications such as: displacement of adjacent teeth, loss of vitality of neighbouring teeth, shortening of the dental arch, follicular cysts, canine ankylosis, recurrent infections, recurrent pain, internal resorption of the canine and the adjacent teeth, external resorption of the canine and the adjacent teeth, combination of these factors. An appropriate diagnosis, accurate predictive analysis and early intervention are likely to prevent such undesirable effects. The objective is to evaluate, by means of a retrospective observational study, the possibility of carrying out a predictive analysis of root resorption adjacent to the impacted canines by means of orthopantomographs, so as to limit the prescription of additional 3D radiography. 120 subjects with unilateral or bilateral maxillary impacted canine were examined and 50 patients with 69 impacted maxillary canine (22 male, 28 female; mean age: 11.7 years) satisfied the inclusion criteria of the study. These patients were subjected to a basic clinical and radiographic investigation (orthopantomographs and computerized tomography). All panoramic films were viewed under standardized conditions for the evaluation of two main variables: maxillary canine angulations (a, b, g angles) and the overlapping between the impacted teeth and the lateral incisor (Analysis of Lindauer). Binary logistic regression was used to estimate the likelihood of resorbed lateral incisors depending on sector location and angle measurements. Results indicated that b angle has the greatest influence on the prediction of root resorption (predictive value of b angle = 76%). If β angle <18° and Lindauer = I, the probability of resorption is 0.06. Evaluation of b angle and superimposition lateral incisor/impacted canine analysed on orthopantomographs could be one of the evaluation criteria for prescribing second level examination (CT and CTCB) and for detecting root resorption of impacted maxillary canine adjacent teeth.

  18. Evaluation of an X-Ray Dose Profile Derived from an Optically Stimulated Luminescent Dosimeter during Computed Tomographic Fluoroscopy.

    PubMed

    Hasegawa, Hiroaki; Sato, Masanori; Tanaka, Hiroshi

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate scatter radiation dose to the subject surface during X-ray computed tomography (CT) fluoroscopy using the integrated dose ratio (IDR) of an X-ray dose profile derived from an optically stimulated luminescent (OSL) dosimeter. We aimed to obtain quantitative evidence supporting the radiation protection methods used during previous CT fluoroscopy. A multislice CT scanner was used to perform this study. OSL dosimeters were placed on the top and the lateral side of the chest phantom so that the longitudinal direction of dosimeters was parallel to the orthogonal axis-to-slice plane for measurement of dose profiles in CT fluoroscopy. Measurement of fluoroscopic conditions was performed at 120 kVp and 80 kVp. Scatter radiation dose was evaluated by calculating the integrated dose determined by OSL dosimetry. The overall percent difference of the integrated doses between OSL dosimeters and ionization chamber was 5.92%. The ratio of the integrated dose of a 100-mm length area to its tails (-50 to -6 mm, 50 to 6 mm) was the lowest on the lateral side at 80 kVp and the highest on the top at 120 kVp. The IDRs for different measurement positions were larger at 120 kVp than at 80 kVp. Similarly, the IDRs for the tube voltage between the primary X-ray beam and scatter radiation was larger on the lateral side than on the top of the phantom. IDR evaluation suggested that the scatter radiation dose has a high dependence on the position and a low dependence on tube voltage relative to the primary X-ray beam for constant dose rate fluoroscopic conditions. These results provided quantitative evidence supporting the radiation protection methods used during CT fluoroscopy in previous studies.

  19. Evaluation of an X-Ray Dose Profile Derived from an Optically Stimulated Luminescent Dosimeter during Computed Tomographic Fluoroscopy

    PubMed Central

    Hasegawa, Hiroaki; Sato, Masanori; Tanaka, Hiroshi

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate scatter radiation dose to the subject surface during X-ray computed tomography (CT) fluoroscopy using the integrated dose ratio (IDR) of an X-ray dose profile derived from an optically stimulated luminescent (OSL) dosimeter. We aimed to obtain quantitative evidence supporting the radiation protection methods used during previous CT fluoroscopy. A multislice CT scanner was used to perform this study. OSL dosimeters were placed on the top and the lateral side of the chest phantom so that the longitudinal direction of dosimeters was parallel to the orthogonal axis-to-slice plane for measurement of dose profiles in CT fluoroscopy. Measurement of fluoroscopic conditions was performed at 120 kVp and 80 kVp. Scatter radiation dose was evaluated by calculating the integrated dose determined by OSL dosimetry. The overall percent difference of the integrated doses between OSL dosimeters and ionization chamber was 5.92%. The ratio of the integrated dose of a 100-mm length area to its tails (−50 to −6 mm, 50 to 6 mm) was the lowest on the lateral side at 80 kVp and the highest on the top at 120 kVp. The IDRs for different measurement positions were larger at 120 kVp than at 80 kVp. Similarly, the IDRs for the tube voltage between the primary X-ray beam and scatter radiation was larger on the lateral side than on the top of the phantom. IDR evaluation suggested that the scatter radiation dose has a high dependence on the position and a low dependence on tube voltage relative to the primary X-ray beam for constant dose rate fluoroscopic conditions. These results provided quantitative evidence supporting the radiation protection methods used during CT fluoroscopy in previous studies. PMID:26151914

  20. Guide to reporting highway statistics

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1996-07-01

    This paper reports a cooperative project between teams at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and Cornell University to evaluate the effect of lateral spreading on pile foundations. Centrifuge tests of lateral spreading and the corresponding perma...

  1. Cerclage wire and lag screw fixation of the lateral malleolus in supination and external rotation fractures of the ankle.

    PubMed

    Bajwa, Amarjit S; Gantz, D E

    2005-01-01

    Wound dehiscence and exposed lateral hardware can occur after open reduction internal fixation of lateral malleolus. The bulk of a lateral plate and the minimum soft tissue over the lateral malleolus may contribute to this situation. The objective of this study was to evaluate a series of patients with lateral malleolar fractures treated with operative reduction using minimal hardware. We wanted to observe whether there was any loss of reduction and whether there were any incidences of soft tissue disruption. Fifty-two patients with long spiral fracture of the lateral malleolus in a supination-external rotation injury were treated with two or three 3.5-mm lag screws inserted 1 cm apart and 1 or 2 circlage wires. Less rigid fixation was supplemented with a below-the-knee plaster cast. All patients were followed up until clinical and radiological evidence of fracture healing at 6, 10, and 14 weeks postoperatively. By 10 weeks, all patients were full weight bearing, although most patients still limped. At 14 weeks' follow-up, there were no infections or wound dehiscences. All patients were able to return to their activities of daily living. All the fractures had united without loss of original position. Two fractures of the posterior bone spikes seen during surgery united uneventfully. Long spiral fractures of the lateral malleolus of the ankle can be treated successfully with 2 or 3 lag screws and circlage wires without compromising the outcome of the fracture healing.

  2. Open-wedge high tibial osteotomy: incidence of lateral cortex fractures and influence of fixation device on osteotomy healing.

    PubMed

    Dexel, Julian; Fritzsche, Hagen; Beyer, Franziska; Harman, Melinda K; Lützner, Jörg

    2017-03-01

    Open-wedge high tibial osteotomy (HTO) is an established treatment for young and middle-aged patients with medial compartment knee osteoarthritis and varus malalignment. Although not intended, a lateral cortex fracture might occur during this procedure. Different fixation devices are available to repair such fractures. This study was performed to evaluate osteotomy healing after fixation with two different locking plates. Sixty-nine medial open-wedge HTO without bone grafting were followed until osteotomy healing. In patients with an intact lateral hinge, no problems were noted with either locking plate. A fracture of the lateral cortex occurred in 21 patients (30.4 %). In ten patients, the fracture was not recognized during surgery but was visible on the radiographs at the 6-week follow-up. Lateral cortex fracture resulted in non-union with the need for surgical treatment in three out of eight (37.5 %) patients using the newly introduced locking plate (Position HTO Maxi Plate), while this did not occur with a well-established locking plate (TomoFix) (0 out of 13, p = 0.023). With regard to other adverse events, no differences between both implants were observed. In cases of lateral cortex fracture, fixation with a smaller locking plate resulted in a relevant number of non-unions. Therefore, it is recommended that bone grafting, another fixation system, or an additional lateral fixation should be used in cases with lateral cortex fracture. III.

  3. Life Course Associations between Victimization and Aggression: Distinctive and Cumulative Contributions

    PubMed Central

    Logan-Greene, Patricia; Nurius, Paula S.; Hooven, Carole; Thompson, Elaine Adams

    2014-01-01

    The connections between early maltreatment and later aggression are well established in the literature, however gaps remain in our understanding of developmental processes. This study investigates the cascading life course linkages between victimization experiences from childhood through early adulthood and later aggressive behavior. The diverse, at-risk sample is of particular importance to child and adolescent specialists, as it represents highly vulnerable youth accessible through conventional school settings. In addition to direct pathways from proximal life periods, path analysis revealed significant indirect mediated pathways through which earlier life victimization contributes to aggressive behaviors in later life periods as well as revictimization. Multivariate regressions support theorized cumulative effects of multi-form victimization as well as distinct contributions of victimization domains (emotional, witnessing, physical, property, and sexual) in explaining aggressive behavior. Consistent with theorizing about the developmental impact of early maltreatment, results bolster the importance of interrupting pathways from victimization to revictimization and later aggression. Findings are evaluated in light of implications for early identification and prevention programming. PMID:26190900

  4. Evaluation of ivermectin against later fourth-stage Strongylus vulgaris in ponies at two and five weeks after treatment.

    PubMed

    Slocombe, J O; McCraw, B M

    1984-10-01

    The efficacy of ivermectin against later fourth-stage Strongylus vulgaris larvae was studied in pony foals at 14 and 35 days after treatment. These foals had been reared parasite-free, inoculated with 500 infective larvae and 56 days later given either ivermectin at 200 micrograms/kg or a placebo intramuscularly. At necropsy, foals were examined for lesions and larvae grossly and histologically. Ivermectin was found to be highly effective (98.6%) against later fourth-stage larvae in five foals which were examined at 35 days after treatment, but not in five others examined at 14 days (72.5%). In some foals larvae were found in the tunica media of the ileocolic arteries. The conformation of these larvae appeared normal, but there were degenerative changes which suggested that they were dying or dead. Questions as to how the larvae attained that site and the consequences of their presence there were raised.

  5. Evaluation of ivermectin against later fourth-stage Strongylus vulgaris in ponies at two and five weeks after treatment.

    PubMed Central

    Slocombe, J O; McCraw, B M

    1984-01-01

    The efficacy of ivermectin against later fourth-stage Strongylus vulgaris larvae was studied in pony foals at 14 and 35 days after treatment. These foals had been reared parasite-free, inoculated with 500 infective larvae and 56 days later given either ivermectin at 200 micrograms/kg or a placebo intramuscularly. At necropsy, foals were examined for lesions and larvae grossly and histologically. Ivermectin was found to be highly effective (98.6%) against later fourth-stage larvae in five foals which were examined at 35 days after treatment, but not in five others examined at 14 days (72.5%). In some foals larvae were found in the tunica media of the ileocolic arteries. The conformation of these larvae appeared normal, but there were degenerative changes which suggested that they were dying or dead. Questions as to how the larvae attained that site and the consequences of their presence there were raised. Images Fig. 1.,Fig. 2.,Fig. 3.,Fig. 4.,Fig. 5.,Fig. 6. PMID:6391639

  6. A histologic, histomorphometric, and radiographic comparison between two complexes of CenoBoen/CenoMembrane and Bio-Oss/Bio-Gide in lateral ridge augmentation: A clinical trial.

    PubMed

    Amoian, Babak; Moudi, Ehsan; Majidi, Maryam Seyed; Ali Tabatabaei, S M

    2016-09-01

    Several grafting materials have been used for alveolar ridge augmentation. The literature lacks researches to compare CenoBone to other grafting materials. The aim of this study was to compare CenoBone/CenoMembrane complex to Bio-Oss/Bio-Gide complex in lateral alveolar bone augmentation in terms of radiographic, histologic, and histomorphometric parameters. In this randomized controlled trial, ten patients who needed lateral ridge augmentation were selected and augmentations were done using either of CenoBone/CenoMembrane or Bio-Oss/Bio-Gide complexes. In the re-entry surgery in 6 months following augmentation, core biopsies were taken and clinical, radiographic, histologic, and histomorphometric evaluations were performed. No statistically significant difference was seen between groups except for the number of blood vessels and percentage of residual graft materials. CenoBone seems to present a comparable lateral ridge augmentation to Bio-Oss in.

  7. [Self-evaluation of physical, cognitive and mood symptoms in a cohort of traumatic and vascular brain injury patients participating in social and neuropsychological remediation programmes].

    PubMed

    Thomas-Antérion, C; Truche, A; Sciéssère, K; Guyot, E; Hibert, O; Paris, N

    2005-01-01

    We studied 23 vascular or traumatic head injury subjects, five years after their injury. Neuropsychological testing included language tests, memory performance, frontal lobe tests and standard tests of intelligence (QI). Behavior was evaluated with the neuropsychiatric interview (NPI). Using an analogic visual scale, subjects performed a self-evaluation of their memory, language, attention, physical and thymic complaints. Neuropsychological assessment was heterogeneous but seemed to show severe impairment. Mean NPI score was 31.4: 91 percent of patients showed depression or anxiety and 78 percent of them showed irritability. Mean memory and thymic complaints were scored 6 on the analogic visual scale. Thymic complaint was not correlated with neuropsychological tests but with physical complaints. Thymic complaint was correlated with NPI score. Language complaint was correlated with VIQ, attentional complaint was correlated with PIQ, memory complaint with memory tests. In a second part, we studied 21 patients again 6 months later and 14 patients 1 year later. Mean complaints were scored over 5 after 6 months and over 4 after 1 year. With neuropsychological remediation and social activities, memory complaints improved significantly after 6 months and attentional and thymic complaints after 1 year. Using of analogical visual scales appears to be feasible: patients were able to evaluate their difficulties. This could be useful to elaborate remediation programs and evaluate outcome.

  8. Effects of a continuous lateral turning device on pressure relief.

    PubMed

    Do, Nam Ho; Kim, Deog Young; Kim, Jung-Hoon; Choi, Jong Hyun; Joo, So Young; Kang, Na Kyung; Baek, Yoon Su

    2016-01-01

    [Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the pressure-relieving effects of a continuous lateral turning device on common pressure ulcer sites. [Subjects] Twenty-four healthy adults participated. [Methods] The design of our continuous lateral turning device was motivated by the need for an adequate pressure-relieving device for immobile and/or elderly people. The procedure of manual repositioning is embodied in our continuous lateral turning device. The interface pressure and time were measured, and comfort grade was evaluated during sessions of continuous lateral turning at 0°, 15°, 30°, and 45°. We quantified the pressure-relieving effect using peak pressure, mean pressure, and pressure time integration. [Results] Participants demonstrated pressure time integration values below the pressure-time threshold at 15°, 30°, and 45° at all the common pressure ulcer sites. Moreover, the most effective angles for pressure relief at the common pressure ulcer sites were 30° at the occiput, 15° at the left scapula, 45° at the right scapula, 45° at the sacrum, 15° at the right heel, and 30° at the left heel. However, angles greater than 30° induced discomfort. [Conclusion] Continuous lateral turning with our specially designed device effectively relieved the pressure of targeted sites. Moreover, the suggested angles of continuous lateral turning can be used to relieve pressure at targeted sites.

  9. The Use of a Novel Approach for the Instrumentation of a Cone-beam Computed Tomography-discernible Lateral Canal in an Unusual Maxillary Incisor: Case Report.

    PubMed

    Chaniotis, Antonis; Filippatos, Christos G

    2017-06-01

    Lateral and apical ramifications of the main root canal create potential pathways through which bacteria can spread and remain unaffected by treatment procedures. It is a challenge for the specialty to find techniques that can predictably reach, disinfect, and obturate these ramifications. Here, we report the use of a novel instrumentation approach to aid in the negotiation and management of a lateral canal discernible on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in an unusual maxillary central incisor. A 23-year-old female patient was referred for evaluation and possible treatment of tooth 9. The periapical radiographic examination revealed pulp chamber obliteration, existence of a lateral lesion, and a possible complex internal root canal anatomy. The CBCT evaluation revealed the existence of a lateral lesion, a periapical lesion, an additional distopalatal canal, and a lateral canal exiting at the lateral lesion. The diagnosis of asymptomatic apical and lateral periodontitis of tooth 9 was reached. CBCT-aided access cavity preparation and scouting resulted in the successful negotiation of all canals, main and lateral. A novel instrumentation technique with precurved controlled memory files was used for the mechanical preparation of the lateral canal to a 25/04 enlargement. Obturaton of the lateral canal was achieved with a single gutta-percha cone and AH Plus Root Canal Sealer. At the 2-year follow-up, the patient was asymptomatic, and the 2-dimensional radiographic examinations revealed resolution of both the periapical and the lateral lesions. This case report describes the application of a novel instrumentation technique for the mechanical debridement of an infected lateral canal discernible on CBCT and reinforces the importance of treating the root canals as systems that possesses anatomic intricacies that need to be addressed. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Patient education about schizophrenia: initial expectations and later satisfaction.

    PubMed

    Ascher-Svanum, H; Rochford, S; Cisco, D; Claveaux, A

    2001-01-01

    This study investigated patients' expectations prior to participation in an education program about coping with schizophrenia, and their evaluations of the program upon its completion. Adult inpatients diagnosed with schizophrenic disorders (N = 123) responded anonymously to a preintervention expectation measured and a postintervention evaluation questionnaire. Results point to high expectations of this illness self-management education program, and a high level of satisfaction upon its completion, with a self-fulfilling prophecy effect, in which those with high expectations later reported greater satisfaction. Patients perceived, however, a differential level of helpfulness of the program's nine content areas, and rated learning about diagnosis and medication management as most helpful. Content areas that were rated less helpful included prevalence of schizophrenia, its psychosocial rehabilitation, and use of community resources. Implications for clinical practice in patient education are identified and discussed.

  11. Cerebral hemodynamic lateralization during memory tasks as assessed by functional transcranial Doppler (fTCD) sonography: effects of gender and healthy aging.

    PubMed

    Bracco, Laura; Bessi, Valentina; Alari, Fabiana; Sforza, Angela; Barilaro, Alessandro; Marinoni, Marinella

    2011-06-01

    Previous neuropsychological, lesional and functional imaging studies deal with the lateralization of memory processes, suggesting that they could be determined by the stage of processing (encoding vs retrieval) or by content (verbal vs non-verbal stimuli). The aims of the present study were: 1) to investigate if tasks that can be carried out using different strategies depending on the verbalizability of the material induce a lateralization of the mean cerebral blood flow velocity (mCBFV) in the middle cerebral arteries (MCAs), as monitored by a functional transcranial Doppler (fTCD); 2) to evaluate if these patterns of cerebral activation differ in relation to age, gender and task performance. Using TCD bilateral monitoring, we recorded mCBFV variations in 35 male and 35 female healthy, right-handed volunteers, classified as "young" (age range 21-40 years, n=35) or "old"(age range 41-60 years, n=35), performing four different cognitive tasks: encoding and recognition of Geometric Figures (GF), encoding and recall of Object Localization (OL) on a picture, encoding of a verbal Room Description (RD) and Arithmetic Skill (AS). We found a significant right lateralization for the OL recall phase, and a significant left lateralization for RD and AS. When we took into consideration gender, age and performance, there was a strong effect of age on both OL encoding and recall phase, with significant right lateralization in young volunteers not seen in the older ones. No difference in gender was detected. We found a gender×performance interaction for RD, with poor performance females showing significant left lateralization. According to our findings, hemispheric lateralization during memory encoding is material specific in both men and women, depending on the verbalizability of the material. mCBFV right lateralization during scene encoding and recall appears lost in older people, suggesting that healthy elderly could take advantage of mixed verbal and non-verbal strategies. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Srl. All rights reserved.

  12. Empowerment Evaluation: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fetterman, David; Wandersman, Abraham

    2007-01-01

    Empowerment evaluation continues to crystallize central issues for evaluators and the field of evaluation. A highly attended American Evaluation Association conference panel, titled "Empowerment Evaluation and Traditional Evaluation: 10 Years Later," provided an opportunity to reflect on the evolution of empowerment evaluation. Several…

  13. Evaluation of Pile Response Due to Liquefaction - Induced Lateral Spreading of the Ground

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1995-01-01

    In order to obtain regional perspectives on the major problems and issues to be addressed in the International Border Crossing Study, required by Congress in Section 6015 of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, a series of ni...

  14. UNDERSTANDING AND APPLYING ENVIRONMENTAL RELATIVE MOLDINESS INDEX - ERMI

    EPA Science Inventory

    This study compared two binary classification methods to evaluate the mold condition in 271 homes of infants, 144 of which later developed symptoms of respiratory illness. A method using on-site visual mold inspection was compared to another method using a quantitative index of ...

  15. Flight Studies of Problems Pertinent to High-Speed Operation of Jet Transports

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Butchart, Stanley P.; Fischel, Jack; Tremant, Robert A.; Robinson, Glenn H.

    1959-01-01

    A flight investigation was made to assess the potential operational problems of jet transports in the transonic cruise range. In this study a large multiengine jet airplane having geometric characteristics fairly representative of the jet transport was used; however, in order to ensure general applicability of the results, the aerodynamic characteristics of the test airplane were varied to simulate a variety of jet- transport airplanes. Some of the specific areas investigated include: (1) an overall evaluation of longitudinal stability and control characteristics at transonic speeds, with an assessment of pitch-up characteristics, (2) the effect of buffeting on airplane operational speeds and maneuvering, (3) the desirable lateral-directional damping characteristics, (4) the desirable lateral-control characteristics, (5) an assessment of over-speed and speed-spread requirements, including the upset maneuver, and (6) an assessment of techniques and airplane characteristics for rapid descent and slow-down. The results presented include pilots' evaluation of the various problem areas and specific recommendations for possible improvement of jet-transport operations in the cruising speed range.

  16. Talonavicular joint arthroscopic portals: A cadaveric study of feasibility and safety.

    PubMed

    Xavier, Gabriel; Oliva, Xavier Martin; Rotinen, Mauri; Monzo, Mariano

    2016-09-01

    The objectives of the study were to evaluate the safety of hypothetical arthroscopic portals from talonavicular joint and to evaluate their reproducibility and enforceability. 19 cadaveric feet were marked and four arthroscopic portals were made (medial, dorsomedial, dorsolateral and lateral). The specimens were dissected in layers and the distances between neurovascular structures and the trocars were measured. Medial and dorsomedial portals were in average 8.3 and 8.7, respectively, to the saphenous vein and nerve. Dorsolateral portal was in average 8.1mm to the deep peroneal nerve and dorsalis pedis artery, and 9.1mm to the medial dorsal cutaneous branch of the superficial peroneal nerve. Lateral portal was in average 12.3mm to the intermediate dorsal cutaneous branch of the superficial peroneal nerve. Tested portals shown to have a good safety margin for the foot neurovascular deep dorsal structures and an acceptable safety margin for the superficial neurovascular structures. Copyright © 2015 European Foot and Ankle Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Inversion of left-right asymmetry alters performance of Xenopus tadpoles in nonlateralized cognitive tasks.

    PubMed

    Blackiston, Douglas J; Levin, Michael

    2013-08-01

    Left-right behavioural biases are well documented across the animal kingdom, and handedness has long been associated with cognitive performance. However, the relationship between body laterality and cognitive ability is poorly understood. The embryonic pathways dictating normal left-right patterning have been molecularly dissected in model vertebrates, and numerous genetic and pharmacological treatments now facilitate experimental randomization or reversal of the left-right axis in these animals. Several recent studies showed a link between brain asymmetry and strongly lateralized behaviours such as eye use preference. However, links between laterality of the body and performance on cognitive tasks utilizing nonlateralized cues remain unknown. Xenopus tadpoles are an established model for the study of early left-right patterning, and protocols were recently developed to quantitatively evaluate learning and memory in these animals. Using an automated testing and training platform, we tested wild-type, left-right-randomized and left-right-reversed tadpoles for their ability to learn colour cues in an automated assay. Our results indicate that animals with either randomization or reversal of somatic left-right patterning learned more slowly than wild-type siblings, although all groups were able to reach the same performance optimum given enough training sessions. These results are the first analysis of the link between body laterality and learning of nonlateralized cues, and they position the Xenopus tadpole as an attractive and tractable model for future studies of the links between asymmetry of the body, lateralization of the brain and behaviour.

  18. Test-retest reliability of a handheld dynamometer for measurement of isometric cervical muscle strength.

    PubMed

    Vannebo, Katrine Tranaas; Iversen, Vegard Moe; Fimland, Marius Steiro; Mork, Paul Jarle

    2018-03-02

    There is a lack of test-retest reliability studies of measurements of cervical muscle strength, taking into account gender and possible learning effects. To investigate test-retest reliability of measurement of maximal isometric cervical muscle strength by handheld dynamometry. Thirty women (age 20-58 years) and 28 men (age 20-60 years) participated in the study. Maximal isometric strength (neck flexion, neck extension, and right/left lateral flexion) was measured on three separate days at least five days apart by one evaluator. Intra-rater consistency tended to improve from day 1-2 measurements to day 2-3 measurements in both women and men. In women, the intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) for day 2 to day 3 measurements were 0.91 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.82-0.95) for neck flexion, 0.88 (95% CI, 0.76-0.94) for neck extension, 0.84 (95% CI, 0.68-0.92) for right lateral flexion, and 0.89 (95% CI, 0.78-0.95) for left lateral flexion. The corresponding ICCs among men were 0.86 (95% CI, 0.72-0.93) for neck flexion, 0.93 (95% CI, 0.85-0.97) for neck extension, 0.82 (95% CI, 0.65-0.91) for right lateral flexion and 0.73 (95% CI, 0.50-0.87) for left lateral flexion. This study describes a reliable and easy-to-administer test for assessing maximal isometric cervical muscle strength.

  19. Changes in in vivo knee contact forces through gait modification.

    PubMed

    Kinney, Allison L; Besier, Thor F; Silder, Amy; Delp, Scott L; D'Lima, Darryl D; Fregly, Benjamin J

    2013-03-01

    Knee osteoarthritis (OA) commonly occurs in the medial compartment of the knee and has been linked to overloading of the medial articular cartilage. Gait modification represents a non-invasive treatment strategy for reducing medial compartment knee force. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a variety of gait modifications that were expected to alter medial contact force. A single subject implanted with a force-measuring knee replacement walked using nine modified gait patterns, four of which involved different hiking pole configurations. Medial and lateral contact force at 25, 50, and 75% of stance phase, and the average value over all of stance phase (0-100%), were determined for each gait pattern. Changes in medial and lateral contact force values relative to the subject's normal gait pattern were determined by a Kruskal-Wallis test. Apart from early stance (25% of stance), medial contact force was most effectively reduced by walking with long hiking poles and wide pole placement, which significantly reduced medial and lateral contact force during stance phase by up to 34% (at 75% of stance) and 26% (at 50% of stance), respectively. Although this study is based on data from a single subject, the results provide important insight into changes in medial and lateral contact forces through gait modification. The results of this study suggest that an optimal configuration of bilateral hiking poles may significantly reduce both medial and lateral compartment knee forces in individuals with medial knee osteoarthritis. Copyright © 2012 Orthopaedic Research Society.

  20. Excessive lateral patellar translation on axial computed tomography indicates positive patellar J sign.

    PubMed

    Xue, Zhe; Song, Guan-Yang; Liu, Xin; Zhang, Hui; Wu, Guan; Qian, Yi; Feng, Hua

    2018-03-20

    The purpose of the study was to quantify the patellar J sign using traditional computed tomography (CT) scans. Fifty-three patients (fifty-three knees) who suffered from recurrent patellar instability were included and analyzed. The patellar J sign was evaluated pre-operatively during active knee flexion and extension. It was defined as positive when there was obvious lateral patellar translation, and negative when there was not. The CT scans were performed in all patients with full knee extension; and the parameters including bisect offset index (BOI), patellar-trochlear-groove (PTG) distance, and patellar lateral tilt angle (PLTA) were measured on the axial slices. All the three parameters were compared between the J sign-positive group (study group) and the J sign-negative group (control group). In addition, the optimal thresholds of the three CT scan parameters for predicting the positive patellar J sign were determined with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and the diagnostic values were assessed by the area under the curve (AUC). Among the fifty-three patients (fifty-three knees), thirty-seven (70%) showed obvious lateral patellar translation, which were defined as positive J sign (study group), and the remaining sixteen (30%) who showed no lateral translation were defined as negative J sign (control group). The mean values of the three CT parameters in the study group were all significantly larger compared to the control group, including BOI (121 ± 28% vs 88 ± 12%, P = 0.038), PTG distance (5.2 ± 6.6 mm vs - 4.4 ± 5.2 mm, P < 0.05), and PLTA (34.9 ± 10.5° vs 25.7 ± 3.4°, P = 0.001). Furthermore, the evaluation of ROC analysis showed that the AUC of BOI was the largest (AUC = 0.906) among the three parameters, and the optimal threshold of BOI to predict the positive patellar J sign was 97.5% (Sensitivity = 83.3%, Specificity = 87.5%). In this study, the prevalence of positive patellar J sign was 70%. The BOI measured from the axial CT scans of the knee joint can be used as an appropriate predictor to differentiate the positive J sign from the negative J sign, highlighting that the excessive lateral patellar translation on axial CT scan indicates positive patellar J sign. IV.

  1. The nootropic properties of ginseng saponin Rb1 are linked to effects on anxiety.

    PubMed

    Churchill, James D; Gerson, Jennifer L; Hinton, Kendra A; Mifek, Jennifer L; Walter, Michael J; Winslow, Cynthia L; Deyo, Richard A

    2002-01-01

    Previous studies have shown that crude ginseng extracts enhance performance on shock-motivated tasks. Whether such performance enhancements are due to memory-enhancing (nootropic) properties of ginseng, or to other non-specific effects such as an influence on anxiety has not been determined. In the present study, we evaluated both the nootropic and anxiolytic effects of the ginseng saponin Rb1. In the first experiment, 80 five-day-old male chicks received intraperitoneal injections of 0, 0.25, 2.5 or 5.0 mg/kg Rb1. Performance on a visual discrimination task was evaluated 15 minutes, 24 and 72 hours later. Acquisition of a visual discrimination task was unaffected by drug treatment, but the number of errors was significantly reduced in the 0.25 mg/kg group during retention trials completed 24 and 72 hours after injection. Animals receiving higher dosages showed trends towards enhancement initially, but demonstrated impaired performance when tested 72 hours later. Rb1 had no effect on response rates or body weight. In the second experiment, 64 five-day-old male chicks received similar injections of Rb1 (0, 0.25, 2.5 or 5.0 mg/kg) and separation distress was evaluated 15 minutes, 24 and 72 hours later. Rb1 produced a change in separation distress that depended on the dose and environmental condition under which distress was recorded. These data suggest that Rb1 can improve memory for a visual discrimination task and that the nootropic effect may be related to changes in anxiety.

  2. Influence of irrigation and obturation techniques on artificial lateral root canal filling capacity.

    PubMed

    Silva, Emmanuel J; Herrera, Daniel R; Souza-Júnior, Eduardo J; Teixeira, João M

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of two different irrigation protocols on artificial lateral root canal filling capacity using different obturation techniques. Sixty single-root human teeth were used. Two artificial lateral canals were created in the apical third. Root canals were instrumented up to a 45 K-file to the working length. Before each file, root canals were irrigated either with 2 mL of 2.5% NaOCl or 2% chlorhexidine gel with further irrigation with saline solution and 3 mL of 17% EDTA. Specimens were randomly divided into three groups according to the obturation technique: (1) lateral compaction technique; (2) Tagger hybrid technique; and (3) thermoplasticized technique using BeeFill 2 in 1. All groups used AH Plus as the root canal sealer. The specimens were decalcified and cleared in methyl salicylate. The total length of lateral canals was observed under X30 magnification with a stereomicroscope and measured on the buccal and lingual root surfaces using Leica IM50 software. The data were submitted to ANOVA and Tukey test (p < 0.05). Among the obturation techniques, BeeFill 2 in 1 showed deeper penetration into all lateral canals than the lateral compaction or Tagger hybrid techniques (p < 0.05). The lateral compaction group showed the worst results (p < 0.05). Irrigants did not affect the outcome; there was no difference between NaOCl and chlorhexidine when the same obturation technique was used (p > 0.05). Regardless of the irrigant used during endodontic procedures, the thermoplasticized techniques showed higher penetration behavior for filling artificial lateral canals than the lateral compaction technique.

  3. Presurgical cleft lip anthropometrics and dental arch relationships in patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate.

    PubMed

    Antonarakis, Gregory S; Adibfar, Alex; Tompson, Bryan D; Paedo, D; Daskalogiannakis, John; Fisher, David M

    2015-05-01

    To investigate associations between anthropometric lip measurements and dental arch relationships in patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (CUCLP). Retrospective cross-sectional study. Children with CUCLP. Anthropometric lip measurements, made immediately prior to lip repair, were available for each patient. The dental arch relationships were evaluated on dental study casts (8.6 ± 0.9 years) taken prior to any orthodontic treatment and prior to alveolar bone graft, using the modified Huddart and Bodenham (MHB) scoring system. The presence of associations between anthropometric lip measurements and dental arch relationships was determined using linear regression analysis. In the 63 patients included in the study, the cleft lateral lip element was deficient in height in 87% and in transverse width in 86% of patients. Patients with more deficient cleft-side lateral lip height were more likely to present with more negative MHB scores (r = .443; P < .001). Conversely, patients with more deficient cleft-side lateral lip transverse width more often presented with more positive MHB scores (r = .281; P = .025). In patients with CUCLP, there is a wide variability in the degree of deficiency of the cleft-side lateral lip element, both in the vertical and in the transverse dimension. The extent of this deficiency may, in part, predict the resulting dental arch relationships.

  4. In-Plane Ultrasound-Guided Knee Injection Through a Lateral Suprapatellar Approach: A Safe Technique.

    PubMed

    Chagas-Neto, Francisco A; Taneja, Atul K; Gregio-Junior, Everaldo; Nogueira-Barbosa, Marcello H

    2017-06-01

    This study aims to describe a technique for in-plane ultrasound-guided knee arthrography through a lateral suprapatellar approach, reporting its accuracy and related complications. A retrospective search was performed for computed tomography and magnetic resonance reports from June 2013 through June 2015. Imaging studies, puncture descriptions, and guided-procedure images were reviewed along with clinical and surgical history. A fellowship-trained musculoskeletal radiologist performed all procedures under sterile technique and ultrasound guidance with the probe in oblique position on the lateral suprapatellar recess after local anesthesia with the patient on dorsal decubitus, hip in neutral rotation, and 30 to 45 degrees of knee flexion. A total of 86 consecutive subjects were evaluated (mean, 55 years). All subjects underwent intra-articular injection of contrast, which was successfully reached in the first attempt in 94.2% of the procedures (81/86), and in the second attempt in 5.8% (5/86) after needle repositioning without a second puncture. There were no postprocedural reports of regional complications at the puncture site, such as significant pain, bleeding, or vascular lesions. Our study demonstrates that in-plane ultrasound-guided injection of the knee in semiflexion approaching the lateral suprapatellar recess is a safe and useful technique to administer intra-articular contrast solution, as an alternative method without radiation exposure.

  5. Outcomes of a pilates-based intervention for individuals with lateral epicondylosis: A pilot study.

    PubMed

    Dale, Lucinda M; Mikuski, Connie; Miller, Jacqueline

    2015-01-01

    Core stability and flexibility, features of Pilates exercise, can reduce loads to the upper extremities. Reducing loads is essential to improve symptoms for individuals with lateral epicondylosis. Although Pilates exercise has gained popularity in healthy populations, it has not been studied for individuals with lateral epicondylosis. The purpose of this study was to determine if adding Pilates-based intervention to standard occupational therapy intervention improved outcomes as measured by the Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE) more than standard intervention for individuals with lateral epicondylosis. Participants (N= 17) were randomized to the standard intervention group or Pilates-based intervention group. All participants received standard intervention. The Pilates-based intervention group additionally completed abdominal strengthening, postural correction, and flexibility. For both groups, paired t-tests showed significantly improved PRTEE scores, 38.1 for the Pilates-based intervention group, and 22.9 for the standard intervention group. Paired t-test showed significantly improved provocative grip strength and pain for both groups. Independent t-tests showed no significant difference between groups in improved scores of PRTEE, pain, and provocative grip. Although the Pilates-based intervention group showed greater improvement in PRTEE outcome, provocative grip, and pain, scores were not significantly better than those of the standard intervention group, warranting further research.

  6. Near-infrared spectroscopic study and the Wada test for presurgical evaluation of expressive and receptive language functions in glioma patients: with a case report of dissociated language functions.

    PubMed

    Sato, Yosuke; Uzuka, Takeo; Aoki, Hiroshi; Natsumeda, Manabu; Oishi, Makoto; Fukuda, Masafumi; Fujii, Yukihiko

    2012-02-29

    Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has proven to be useful for the evaluation of language lateralization in healthy subjects, infants, and epileptic patients. This study for the first time investigated the expressive and receptive language functions separately, using NIRS in presurgical glioma patients. We also describe a special case with dissociated pattern of language functions. Ten glioma patients were examined. Using NIRS, the hemodynamic changes during a verb generation task or story listening task were measured in the cerebral hemisphere on either side covering the language areas. Following the NIRS study, the Wada test was performed in all the patients. The NIRS study revealed increases of oxyhemoglobin and decreases of deoxyhemoglobin in the language areas elicited by both tasks. In 9 patients, who were all right-handed, the expressive and receptive language functions were lateralized to the left hemisphere. The results of the NIRS study were completely consistent with those of the Wada test. In the remaining 1 patient with a right sided insular glioma, who was right-handed, the NIRS study revealed stronger activation of the right inferior frontal region during the verb generation task, and stronger activation of the left superior temporal region during the story listening task. This dissociated language function was validated by the Wada test and the postoperative neurological course. These results demonstrate that a NIRS study using our technique is extremely valuable for preoperative assessment of the language functions and exemplifies how a preoperative NIRS study can allow detection of unforeseen language lateralization. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Application of Novel Lateral Tire Force Sensors to Vehicle Parameter Estimation of Electric Vehicles.

    PubMed

    Nam, Kanghyun

    2015-11-11

    This article presents methods for estimating lateral vehicle velocity and tire cornering stiffness, which are key parameters in vehicle dynamics control, using lateral tire force measurements. Lateral tire forces acting on each tire are directly measured by load-sensing hub bearings that were invented and further developed by NSK Ltd. For estimating the lateral vehicle velocity, tire force models considering lateral load transfer effects are used, and a recursive least square algorithm is adapted to identify the lateral vehicle velocity as an unknown parameter. Using the estimated lateral vehicle velocity, tire cornering stiffness, which is an important tire parameter dominating the vehicle's cornering responses, is estimated. For the practical implementation, the cornering stiffness estimation algorithm based on a simple bicycle model is developed and discussed. Finally, proposed estimation algorithms were evaluated using experimental test data.

  8. Does the Alpha-defensin Immunoassay or the Lateral Flow Test Have Better Diagnostic Value for Periprosthetic Joint Infection? A Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Eriksson, Hannah K; Nordström, Jakob; Gabrysch, Katja; Hailer, Nils P; Lazarinis, Stergios

    2018-05-01

    Measuring alpha-defensin concentrations in synovial fluid may help to diagnose periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). There are two commercially available methods for measuring alpha-defensin in synovial fluid: the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based Synovasure® alpha-defensin immunoassay, which gives a numeric readout within 24 hours, and the Synovasure lateral flow test, which gives a binary readout within 20 minutes. There is no compilation of the existing literature to support the use of one of these two tests over the other. Does the immunoassay or the lateral flow test have better diagnostic value (sensitivity and specificity) in diagnosing PJI? We followed PRISMA guidelines and identified all studies on alpha-defensin concentration in synovial fluid as a PJI diagnostic marker, indexed to April 14, 2017, in PubMed, JSTOR, Google Scholar, and OVID databases. The search retrieved 1578 records. All prospective and retrospective studies on alpha-defensin as a PJI marker (PJI classified according to the criteria of the Musculoskeletal Infection Society) after THA or TKA were included in the analysis. All studies used only one of the two commercially available test methods, but none of them was comparative. After excluding studies with overlapping patient populations, four studies investigating the alpha-defensin immunoassay and three investigating the lateral flow test remained. Alpha-defensin immunoassay studies included 482 joints and lateral flow test studies included 119. The quality of the trials was assessed according to the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) tool. The heterogeneity among studies was evaluated by the I index, indicating that the heterogeneity of the included studies was low. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios, and receiver operating curves were calculated for each method and compared with each other. The alpha-defensin immunoassay had superior overall diagnostic value compared with the lateral flow test (area under the curve, 0.98 versus 0.75) with higher sensitivity (96% [90%-98%] versus 71% [55%-83%], p < 0.001), but no difference in specificity with the numbers available (96% [93%-97%] versus 90% [81%-95%], p = 0.060). Measurement of alpha-defensin in synovial fluid is a valuable complement to existing diagnostic criteria, and the immunoassay test detects PJI more accurately than the lateral flow test. The lateral flow test has lower sensitivity, making it difficult to rule out infection, but its relatively high specificity combined with the advantage of a quick response time can make it useful to rule in infection perioperatively. Level III, diagnostic study.

  9. Biopsychosocial Characteristics of Children Who Later Murder: A Prospective Study

    PubMed Central

    Lewis, Dorothy Otnow; Moy, Ernest; Jackson, Lori D.; Aaronson, Robert; Restifo, Nicholas; Serra, Susan; Simos, Alexander

    2007-01-01

    The authors document the childhood neuropsychiatric and family characteristics of nine male subjects who were clinically evaluated as adolescents and were later arrested for murder. Those subjects are compared with 24 incarcerated delinquents who did not go on to commit violent offenses. The future murderers displayed a constellation of biopsychosocial characteristics that included psychotic symptoms, major neurological impairment, a psychotic first-degree relative, violent acts during childhood, and severe physical abuse. The authors relate this combination of factors to prediction of violence and discuss ethical issues that are involved in intervention to prevent violence. PMID:4037127

  10. Subclinical seizures as a pitfall in 18F-FDG PET imaging of temporal lobe epilepsy.

    PubMed

    Tafti, Bashir Akhavan; Mandelkern, Mark; Berenji, Gholam Reza

    2014-09-01

    A 61-year-old man with history of heroin abuse, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and hypertension was evaluated for seizures. MRI findings were concerning for temporal epilepsy. A brain 18F-FDG PET study showed a hypermetabolic focus in the left temporal lobe, although the patient was asymptomatic during the scan. Later review of electroencephalography recordings revealed a subclinical seizure during imaging. A whole-body 18F-FDG PET scan performed 4 days later for cancer screening purposes, during which the electroencephalography tracings were normal, showed no abnormal metabolic activity in the brain.

  11. Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation Questionnaire on lateral elbow tendinopathy for French-speaking patients.

    PubMed

    Kaux, Jean-François; Delvaux, François; Schaus, Jean; Demoulin, Christophe; Locquet, Médéa; Buckinx, Fanny; Beaudart, Charlotte; Dardenne, Nadia; Van Beveren, Julien; Croisier, Jean-Louis; Forthomme, Bénédicte; Bruyère, Olivier

    Translation and validation of algo-functional questionnaire. The lateral elbow tendinopathy is a common injury in tennis players and physical workers. The Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE) Questionnaire was specifically designed to measure pain and functional limitations in patients with lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow). First developed in English, this questionnaire has since been translated into several languages. The aims of the study were to translate and cross-culturally adapt the PRTEE questionnaire into French and to evaluate the reliability and validity of this translated version of the questionnaire (PRTEE-F). The PRTEE was translated and cross-culturally adapted into French according to international guidelines. To assess the reliability and validity of the PRTEE-F, 115 participants were asked twice to fill in the PRTEE-F, and once the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire (DASH) and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Internal consistency (using Cronbach's alpha), test-retest reliability (using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement and minimal detectable change), and convergent and divergent validity (using the Spearman's correlation coefficients respectively with the DASH and with some subscales of the SF-36) were assessed. The PRTEE was translated into French without any problems. PRTEE-F showed a good test-retest reliability for the overall score (ICC 0.86) and for each item (ICC 0.8-0.96) and a high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.98). The correlation analyses revealed high correlation coefficients between PRTEE-F and DASH (convergent validity) and, as expected, a low or moderate correlation with the divergent subscales of the SF-36 (discriminant validity). There was no floor or ceiling effect. The PRTEE questionnaire was successfully cross-culturally adapted into French. The PRTEE-F is reliable and valid for evaluating French-speaking patients with lateral elbow tendinopathy. Copyright © 2016 Hanley & Belfus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Lateralized hybrid faces: evidence of a valence-specific bias in the processing of implicit emotions.

    PubMed

    Prete, Giulia; Laeng, Bruno; Tommasi, Luca

    2014-01-01

    It is well known that hemispheric asymmetries exist for both the analyses of low-level visual information (such as spatial frequency) and high-level visual information (such as emotional expressions). In this study, we assessed which of the above factors underlies perceptual laterality effects with "hybrid faces": a type of stimulus that allows testing for unaware processing of emotional expressions, when the emotion is displayed in the low-frequency information while an image of the same face with a neutral expression is superimposed to it. Despite hybrid faces being perceived as neutral, the emotional information modulates observers' social judgements. In the present study, participants were asked to assess friendliness of hybrid faces displayed tachistoscopically, either centrally or laterally to fixation. We found a clear influence of the hidden emotions also with lateral presentations. Happy faces were rated as more friendly and angry faces as less friendly with respect to neutral faces. In general, hybrid faces were evaluated as less friendly when they were presented in the left visual field/right hemisphere than in the right visual field/left hemisphere. The results extend the validity of the valence hypothesis in the specific domain of unaware (subcortical) emotion processing.

  13. Evaluation of a new nanoparticle-based lateral-flow immunoassay for the exclusion of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT).

    PubMed

    Sachs, Ulrich J; von Hesberg, Jakob; Santoso, Sentot; Bein, Gregor; Bakchoul, Tamam

    2011-12-01

    Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is an adverse complication of heparin caused by HIT antibodies (abs) that recognise platelet factor 4-heparin (PF4/hep) complexes. Several laboratory tests are available for the confirmation and/or refutation of HIT. A reliable and rapid single-sample test is still pending. It was the objective of this study to evaluate a new lateral-flow immunoassay based on nanoparticle technology. A cohort of 452 surgical and medical patients suspected of having HIT was evaluated. All samples were tested in two IgG-specific ELISAs, in a particle gel immunoassay (PaGIA) and in a newly developed lateral-flow immunoassay (LFI-HIT) as well as in a functional test (HIPA). Clinical pre-test probability was determined using 4T's score. Platelet-activating antibodies were present in 34/452 patients, all of whom had intermediate to high clinical probability. PF4/hep abs were detected in 79, 87, 86, and 63 sera using the four different immunoassays. The negative predictive values (NPV) were 100% for both ELISA tests and LFI-HIT but only 99.2% for PaGIA. There were less false positives (n=29) in the LFI-HIT compared to any other test. Additionally, significantly less time was required to perform LFI-HIT than to perform the other immunoassays. In conclusion, a newly developed lateral-flow assay, LFI-HIT, was capable of identifying all HIT patients in a cohort in a short period of time. Beside an NPV of 100%, the rate of false-positive signals is significantly lower with LFI-HIT than with other immunoassay(s). These performance characteristics suggest a high potency in reducing the risk and costs in patients suspected of having HIT.

  14. The use of tibial tuberosity-trochlear groove indices based on joint size in lower limb evaluation.

    PubMed

    Ferlic, Peter Wilhelm; Runer, Armin; Dirisamer, Florian; Balcarek, Peter; Giesinger, Johannes; Biedermann, Rainer; Liebensteiner, Michael Christian

    2018-05-01

    The correlation between tibial tuberosity-trochlear groove distance (TT-TG) and joint size, taking into account several different parameters of knee joint size as well as lower limb dimensions, is evaluated in order to assess whether TT-TG indices should be used in instead of absolute TT-TG values. This study comprised a retrospective analysis of knee CT scans, including 36 cases with patellofemoral instability (PFI) and 30 controls. Besides TT-TG, five measures of knee joint size were evaluated in axial CT slices: medio-lateral femur width, antero-posterior lateral condylar height, medio-lateral width of the tibia, width of the patella and the proximal-distal joint size (TT-TE). Furthermore, the length of the femur, the tibia and the total leg length were measured in the CT scanogram. Correlation analysis of TT-TG and the other parameters was done by calculating the Spearman correlation coefficient. In the PFI group lateral condylar height (r = 0.370), tibia width (r = 0.406) and patella width (r = 0.366) showed significant moderate correlations (p < 0.03) with TT-TG. Furthermore, we found a significant correlation between TT-TG and tibia length (r = 0.371) and total leg length (r = 381). The control group showed no significant correlation between TT-TG and knee joint size or between TT-TG and measures of lower limb length. Tibial tuberosity-trochlear groove distance correlates with several parameters of knee joint size and leg length in patients with patellofemoral instability. Application of indices determining TT-TG as a ratio of joint size could be helpful in establishing the indication for medial transfer of the tibial tuberosity in patients with PFI. Level III.

  15. Behavioral asymmetries in ticks - Lateralized questing of Ixodes ricinus to a mechatronic apparatus delivering host-borne cues.

    PubMed

    Benelli, Giovanni; Romano, Donato; Rocchigiani, Guido; Caselli, Alice; Mancianti, Francesca; Canale, Angelo; Stefanini, Cesare

    2018-02-01

    Ticks are considered among the most dangerous arthropod vectors of disease agents to both humans and animals worldwide. Lateralization contributes to biological fitness in many animals, conferring important functional advantages, therefore studying its role in tick perception would critically improve our knowledge about their host-seeking behavior. In this research, we evaluated if Ixodes ricinus (L.) (Ixodiidae) ticks have a preference in using the right or the left foreleg to climb on a host. We developed a mechatronic device moving a tuft of fox skin with fur as host-mimicking combination of cues. This engineered approach allows to display a realistic combination of both visual and olfactory host-borne stimuli, which is prolonged over the time and standardized for each replicate. In the first experiment, the mechatronic apparatus delivered host-borne cues frontally, to evaluate the leg preference during questing as response to a symmetrical stimulus. In the second experiment, host-borne cues were provided laterally, in an equal proportion to the left and to the right of the tick, to investigate if the host direction affected the questing behavior. In both experiments, the large majority of the tested ticks showed individual-level left-biased questing acts, if compared to the ticks showing right-biased ones. Furthermore, population-level left-biased questing responses were observed post-exposure to host-mimicking cues provided frontally or laterally to the tick. Overall, this is the first report on behavioral asymmetries in ticks of medical and veterinary importance. Moreover, the mechatronic apparatus developed in this research can be exploited to evaluate the impact of repellents on tick questing in highly reproducible standardized conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Comparison of Lateral Window and Osteotome Techniques in Sinus Augmentation: Histological and Histomorphometric Evaluation

    PubMed Central

    Esfahanizadeh, N.; Rokn, A. R.; Paknejad, M.; Motahari, P.; Daneshparvar, H.; Shamshiri, AR.

    2012-01-01

    Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the lateral window and osteotome techniques for sinus lifting using histological and histomorphometric methods. Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial 10 patients (a total number of 14 sinus areas) who needed implant treatment in the atrophic posterior maxilla were enrolled. In all the cases the residual bone height between the sinus floor and the alveolar crest was less than 5 mm. Sinus augmentation was performed. The treatment modality for a given residual bone height was selected randomly and Bio-Oss was applied in all the cases as the graft material. After a healing period of about 10 months, in all the cases, the implants were placed and biopsies of alveolar crestal bone were obtained at the same time; biopsy specimens were evaluated using histological and histomorphometric methods. Fisher’s exact and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to compare distribution of variables in the two groups. Statistical significance was defined at P<0.05. Results: The new bone was located in direct contact with the biomaterial without any gaps. This viable bone consisted of lacunae containing osteocytes. Infiltration of inflammatory cells did not exhibit any significant differences between the two techniques. Foreign body reaction was not observed in any cases. Histomorphometric evaluations demonstrated that The mean values of the new bone in the lateral window and osteotome techniques were 30±6.0 and 25.2±5.2, respectively, with no significant differences between the two groups.. Moreover, the average quantity of residual biomaterial and connective tissue were similar for the two groups. Conclusion: The nature and the volume of the new bone in lateral window and osteotome techniques were the same. PMID:23119133

  17. Language Lateralization in Children Aged 10 to 11 Years: A Combined fMRI and Dichotic Listening Study

    PubMed Central

    Norrelgen, Fritjof; Lilja, Anders; Ingvar, Martin; Gisselgård, Jens; Fransson, Peter

    2012-01-01

    Objective The aims of this study were to develop and assess a method to map language networks in children with two auditory fMRI protocols in combination with a dichotic listening task (DL). The method is intended for pediatric patients prior to epilepsy surgery. To evaluate the potential clinical usefulness of the method we first wanted to assess data from a group of healthy children. Methods In a first step language test materials were developed, intended for subsequent implementation in fMRI protocols. An evaluation of this material was done in 30 children with typical development, 10 from the 1st, 4th and the 7th grade, respectively. The language test material was then adapted and implemented in two fMRI protocols intended to target frontal and posterior language networks. In a second step language lateralization was assessed in 17 typical 10–11 year olds with fMRI and DL. To reach a conclusion about language lateralization, firstly, quantitative analyses of the index data from the two fMRI tasks and the index data from the DL task were done separately. In a second step a set of criteria were applied to these results to reach a conclusion about language lateralization. The steps of these analyses are described in detail. Results The behavioral assessment of the language test material showed that it was well suited for typical children. The results of the language lateralization assessments, based on fMRI data and DL data, showed that for 15 of the 17 subjects (88%) a conclusion could be reached about hemispheric language dominance. In 2 cases (12%) DL provided critical data. Conclusions The employment of DL combined with language mapping using fMRI for assessing hemispheric language dominance is novel and it was deemed valuable since it provided additional information compared to the results gained from each method individually. PMID:23284796

  18. Relationship between Lateral Femoral Bowing and Varus Knee Deformity Based on Two-Dimensional Assessment of Side-to-Side Differences.

    PubMed

    Cho, Myung-Rae; Lee, Young Sik; Choi, Won-Kee

    2018-03-01

    The objective was to evaluate the relationship between side-to-side differences of lateral femoral bowing and varus knee deformity based on two-dimensional (2D) assessment in unilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA). A total of 143 patients with varus knee osteoarthritis who underwent unilateral TKA were enrolled. We evaluated the side-to-side differences of the frontal lower limb alignment by assessing lateral femoral bowing, anatomical medial distal femoral angle, and anatomical medial proximal tibial angle (aMPTA). The average values of all anatomical indices were significantly different between the operated side and the non-operated side (p<0.05). The side-to-side difference in hip knee ankle (HKA) angle had a statistically significant correlation with that in lateral femoral bowing (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.259; p=0.002) and that in aMPTA. Linear regression analysis showed 0.199° of side-to-side difference in lateral femoral bowing was associated with 1° of side-to-side difference in bilateral HKA angle. The side-to-side difference in lateral femoral bowing showed a tendency to increase in proportion to varus knee deformity based on 2D assessment in unilateral TKA patients.

  19. Numerical Evaluation of Lateral Diffusion Inside Diffusive Gradients in Thin Films Samplers

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Using numerical simulation of diffusion inside diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) samplers, we show that the effect of lateral diffusion inside the sampler on the solute flux into the sampler is a nonlinear function of the diffusion layer thickness and the physical sampling window size. In contrast, earlier work concluded that this effect was constant irrespective of parameters of the sampler geometry. The flux increase caused by lateral diffusion inside the sampler was determined to be ∼8.8% for standard samplers, which is considerably lower than the previous estimate of ∼20%. Lateral diffusion is also propagated to the diffusive boundary layer (DBL), where it leads to a slightly stronger decrease in the mass uptake than suggested by the common 1D diffusion model that is applied for evaluating DGT results. We introduce a simple correction procedure for lateral diffusion and demonstrate how the effect of lateral diffusion on diffusion in the DBL can be accounted for. These corrections often result in better estimates of the DBL thickness (δ) and the DGT-measured concentration than earlier approaches and will contribute to more accurate concentration measurements in solute monitoring in waters. PMID:25877251

  20. Potential and Limitations of Neural Decompression in Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion-A Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Lang, Gernot; Perrech, Moritz; Navarro-Ramirez, Rodrigo; Hussain, Ibrahim; Pennicooke, Brenton; Maryam, Farah; Avila, Mauricio J; Härtl, Roger

    2017-05-01

    Extreme lateral interbody fusion (ELIF) is a powerful tool for interbody fusion and coronal deformity correction. However, evidence regarding the success of ELIF in decompressing foraminal, lateral recess, and central canal stenosis is lacking. We performed a systematic review of current literature on the potential and limitations of ELIF to indirectly decompress neural elements. A literature search using PubMed, Cochrane, and ScienceDirect databases was performed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses criteria. Information on study design, sample size, population, procedure, number and location of involved levels, follow-up time, and complications as well as information on conflict of interest was extracted and evaluated. We selected 20 publications including 1080 patients for review. Most publications (90%) were retrospective case series. Most frequent indications for ELIF included degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, and degenerative scoliosis. Most studies revealed significant improvement in radiographic and clinical outcome after ELIF. Mean foraminal area, central canal area, and subarticular diameter increased by 31.6 mm 2 , 28.5 mm 2 , and 0.85 mm. ELIF successfully improved foraminal stenosis. Contradictory results were found for indirect decompression of central canal stenosis. Data on lateral recess stenosis were scarce. Current data suggest ELIF to be an efficient technique in decompression of foraminal stenosis. Evidence on decompression of central canal or lateral recess stenosis via ELIF is low, and results are inconsistent. Most studies are limited by study design, sample size, and potential conflicts of interest. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Evaluating fMRI methods for assessing hemispheric language dominance in healthy subjects.

    PubMed

    Baciu, Monica; Juphard, Alexandra; Cousin, Emilie; Bas, Jean François Le

    2005-08-01

    We evaluated two methods for quantifying the hemispheric language dominance in healthy subjects, by using a rhyme detection (deciding whether couple of words rhyme) and a word fluency (generating words starting with a given letter) task. One of methods called "flip method" (FM) was based on the direct statistical comparison between hemispheres' activity. The second one, the classical lateralization indices method (LIM), was based on calculating lateralization indices by taking into account the number of activated pixels within hemispheres. The main difference between methods is the statistical assessment of the inter-hemispheric difference: while FM shows if the difference between hemispheres' activity is statistically significant, LIM shows only that if there is a difference between hemispheres. The robustness of LIM and FM was assessed by calculating correlation coefficients between LIs obtained with each of these methods and manual lateralization indices MLI obtained with Edinburgh inventory. Our results showed significant correlation between LIs provided by each method and the MIL, suggesting that both methods are robust for quantifying hemispheric dominance for language in healthy subjects. In the present study we also evaluated the effect of spatial normalization, smoothing and "clustering" (NSC) on the intra-hemispheric location of activated regions and inter-hemispheric asymmetry of the activation. Our results have shown that NSC did not affect the hemispheric specialization but increased the value of the inter-hemispheric difference.

  2. The Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions Framework for Competency-Based Education: A Grounded Theory Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Butland, Mark James

    2017-01-01

    Colleges facing pressures to increase student outcomes while reducing costs have shown an increasing interest in competency-based education (CBE) models. Regional accreditors created a joint policy on CBE evaluation. Two years later, through this grounded theory study, I sought to understand from experts the nature of this policy, its impact, and…

  3. Effectiveness of IMPACT:Ability to Improve Safety and Self-Advocacy Skills in Students with Disabilities--Follow-Up Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dryden, Eileen M.; Desmarais, Jeffrey; Arsenault, Lisa

    2017-01-01

    Background: Research shows that individuals with disabilities are more likely to experience abuse than their peers without disabilities. Yet, few evidenced-based abuse prevention interventions exist. This study examines whether positive outcomes identified previously in an evaluation of IMPACT:Ability were maintained 1 year later. Methods: A…

  4. Lateral dampers for thrust bearings

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hibner, D. H.; Szafir, D. R.

    1985-01-01

    The development of lateral damping schemes for thrust bearings was examined, ranking their applicability to various engine classes, selecting the best concept for each engine class and performing an in-depth evaluation. Five major engine classes were considered: large transport, military, small general aviation, turboshaft, and non-manrated. Damper concepts developed for evaluation were: curved beam, constrained and unconstrained elastomer, hybrid boost bearing, hydraulic thrust piston, conical squeeze film, and rolling element thrust face.

  5. Temporal Lobe White Matter Asymmetry and Language Laterality in Epilepsy Patients

    PubMed Central

    Ellmore, Timothy M.; Beauchamp, Michael S.; Breier, Joshua I.; Slater, Jeremy D.; Kalamangalam, Giridhar P.; O’Neill, Thomas J.; Disano, Michael A.; Tandon, Nitin

    2009-01-01

    Recent studies using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) have advanced our knowledge of the organization of white matter subserving language function. It remains unclear, however, how DTI may be used to predict accurately a key feature of language organization: its asymmetric representation in one cerebral hemisphere. In this study of epilepsy patients with unambiguous lateralization on Wada testing (19 left and 4 right lateralized subjects; no bilateral subjects), the predictive value of DTI for classifying the dominant hemisphere for language was assessed relative to the existing standard - the intra-carotid Amytal (Wada) procedure. Our specific hypothesis is that language laterality in both unilateral left- and right-hemisphere language dominant subjects may be predicted by hemispheric asymmetry in the relative density of three white matter pathways terminating in the temporal lobe implicated in different aspects of language function: the arcuate (AF), uncinate (UF), and inferior longitudinal fasciculi (ILF). Laterality indices computed from asymmetry of high anisotropy AF pathways, but not the other pathways, classified the majority (19 of 23) of patients using the Wada results as the standard. A logistic regression model incorporating information from DTI of the AF, fMRI activity in Broca’s area, and handedness was able to classify 22 of 23 (95.6%) patients correctly according to their Wada score. We conclude that evaluation of highly anisotropic components of the AF alone has significant predictive power for determining language laterality, and that this markedly asymmetric distribution in the dominant hemisphere may reflect enhanced connectivity between frontal and temporal sites to support fluent language processes. Given the small sample reported in this preliminary study, future research should assess this method on a larger group of patients, including subjects with bihemispheric dominance. PMID:19874899

  6. The safe zone for hip arthroscopy: a cadaveric assessment of central, peripheral, and lateral compartment portal placement.

    PubMed

    Robertson, William J; Kelly, Bryan T

    2008-09-01

    This study evaluated 11 arthroscopic portals (4 central, 4 peripheral, and 3 peritrochanteric) with regard to their proximity to neurovascular structures and the extra-articular path taken before entering their intended compartments. We established 11 standard portals in 10 cadaveric hips, under arthroscopic and fluoroscopic visualization, using 3/16-inch Steinmann pins. Each hip was dissected, and the relation of the pins to the pertinent anatomy was recorded to the nearest 1 mm. Only 2 of the 11 portals, the anterior and midanterior portals, came within 2 cm of a neurovascular structure before entering their respective compartments. The anterior portal placed the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve at risk, lying at a mean of 15.4 mm (range, 1 to 28 mm) away. The midanterior portal lies a mean of 19.2 mm (range, 5 to 42 mm) from the ascending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery. In addition, a small terminal branch of this artery courses a mean of 14.7 mm (range, 2 to 33 mm) and 10.1 mm (range, 1 to 23 mm) from the anterior portal and midanterior portal, respectively. This study showed that 11 arthroscopic portals can be safely inserted into the central, peripheral, and peritrochanteric compartments of the hip. The midanterior and anterior portals pass in close proximity to a small terminal branch of the ascending lateral circumflex femoral artery. The greatest risk still comes from the proximity of the anterior portal to the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve. However, a slightly more lateral location seems to provide substantial benefits. This study investigated 11 arthroscopic hip portals inserted in a standardized fashion. This knowledge should help surgeons place the necessary portals both safely and accurately.

  7. Analysis of the postural stability in individuals with or without signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorder.

    PubMed

    Ries, Lilian Gerdi Kittel; Bérzin, Fausto

    2008-01-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the stability and the distribution of weight of individuals with TMD (Temporomandibular Disorder) when placed in an orthostatic position. Forty female volunteers, participating in this study, were distributed into a control and a TMD group. Clinical examinations of the craniomandibular system and of the neck were performed. Postural stability was evaluated using a stabilographic platform. Through this system, the sway index (SI), the maximum medial-lateral distance (MMLD), the maximum anterior-posterior distance (MAPD) and the medial-lateral symmetry (MLS) could be determined. Tests were performed in the mandibular rest position and during isometric and isotonic contraction. The variables were analyzed through repeated measures ANOVA. The level of significance was p < 0.05. The results of this study indicate that individuals with TMD present more pain in the cervical region (p < 0.05). The group with TMD showed a significant reduction in SI (p < 0.05), MMLD (p < 0.05) and MLS (p < 0.01). Individuals with TMD presented greater postural asymmetry, and cervical pain demonstrated a potential link with an increase in postural stability.

  8. Hip arthroscopy using the lateral approach.

    PubMed

    Glick, J M

    1988-01-01

    The benefits of hip arthroscopy are apparent. It produces little postoperative morbidity and can be performed on an outpatient basis. The prompt recovery from the operation is also beneficial, particularly for elderly patients. Distraction of the hip by traction on a fracture table is necessary. Suggested indications for this procedure include synovectomy and synovial biopsy; removal of loose bodies; removal of debris after a closed reduction of a fracture-dislocation; evaluation and treatment of osteochondritis dissecans; evaluation for arthroplasty; and unresolved hip pain. Whether the lateral approach is useful in the following situations is yet to be explored: (1) Evaluation of pediatric conditions such as Legg-Perthes disease and congenital dislocated hip; (2) treatment of localized infection; (3) removal of entrapped methylmethacrylate in total hip replacement; and (4) reducing and fixating an acetabular fracture (M. Brennan, oral communication, April 6, 1987). Arthroscopy of the hip joint by the lateral approach is a valuable addition to the evaluation and treatment of hip disorders.

  9. Early diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mimic syndromes: pros and cons of current clinical diagnostic criteria.

    PubMed

    Cortés-Vicente, Elena; Pradas, Jesús; Marín-Lahoz, Juan; De Luna, Noemi; Clarimón, Jordi; Turon-Sans, Janina; Gelpí, Ellen; Díaz-Manera, Jordi; Illa, Isabel; Rojas-Garcia, Ricard

    2017-08-01

    To describe the frequency and clinical characteristics of patients referred to a tertiary neuromuscular clinic as having amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) but who were re-diagnosed as having an ALS mimic syndrome, and to identify the reasons that led to the revision of the diagnosis. We reviewed the final diagnosis of all patients prospectively registered in the Sant Pau-MND register from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2015. A detailed clinical evaluation and a clinically-guided electrophysiological study were performed at first evaluation. Twenty of 314 (6.4%) patients included were re-diagnosed as having a condition other than ALS, in 18 cases already at first evaluation. An alternative specific diagnosis was identified in 17 of those 20, consisting of a wide range of conditions. The main finding leading to an alternative diagnosis was the result of the electrophysiological study. Fifty per cent did not fulfil the El Escorial revised criteria (EECr) for ALS. The most common clinical phenotype at onset in patients with ALS mimic syndromes was progressive muscular atrophy (PMA). Misdiagnosing ALS is still a common problem. Early identification of ALS mimic syndromes is possible based on atypical clinical features and a clinically-guided electrophysiological study. Patients should be attended in specialised centres. The application of EECr helps to identify ALS misdiagnoses.

  10. [Mobility of a polyethylene tibial insert in a mobile total knee prosthesis].

    PubMed

    Castel, E; Roger, B; Camproux, A; Saillant, G

    1999-03-01

    We have studied the mobility of a mobile tibial implant in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) by a radiographical evaluation. We analyzed mobility of the polyethylene tibial insert of 15 "G2S" TKA implanted for one year or more. We established a dynamic radiographical evaluation. We used 3 weight-bearing radiographs: AP in extension and two lateral (one in extension and one at 90 degrees of flexion), two AP with femoral internal and external rotation, 2 strict lateral X-rays in neutral rotation in antero-posterior replacement with a 25 kilograms strength Telos, and 2 AP in varus and valgus with Telos. Wilcoxon's test and Fisher's exact test were used for statistical evaluation. Our study demonstrated preservation of the polyethylene mobility in tibial TKA implant in all movements: in rotation, in antero-posterior translation with Telos, and even in antero-posterior translation during physiological condition with flexion-extension weight-bearing radiographs. Statistical tests were very significant. We noticed that flexion induced anterior translation of tibial polyethylene when PCL was preserved. This study answered to our question whether mobility of TKA tibial implant persists after implantation. This mobility should reduce loosening forces to the tibia and stress in the polyethylene component. Now we have to determine the amplitude of mobility required to reach this objective.

  11. Diagnosis and classification of chondral knee injuries: comparison between magnetic resonance imaging and arthroscopy.

    PubMed

    Danieli, Marcus Vinicius; Guerreiro, João Paulo Fernandes; Queiroz, Alexandre deOliveira; Pereira, Hamilton daRosa; Tagima, Susi; Marini, Marcelo Garcia; Cataneo, Daniele Cristina

    2016-05-01

    To compare the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of patients undergoing knee arthroscopy for chondral lesions. The hypothesis was that MRI displays low sensitivity in the diagnosis and classification of chondral injuries. A total of 83 knees were evaluated. The MRIs were performed using the same machine (GE SIGNA HDX 1.45 T). The MRI results were compared with the arthroscopy findings, and an agreement analysis was performed. Thirty-eight of the 83 MRI exams were evaluated by another radiologist for inter-observer agreement analysis. These analyses were performed using the kappa (κ) coefficient. The highest incidence of chondral injury was in the patella (14.4 %). The κ coefficient was 0.31 for the patellar surface; 0.38 for the trochlea; 0.46 for the medial femoral condyle; 0.51 for the lateral femoral condyle; and 0.19 for the lateral plateau. After dividing the injuries into two groups (ICRS Grades 0-II and Grades III and IV), the following κ coefficients were obtained as follows: 0.49 (patella); 0.53 (trochlea); 0.46 (medial femoral condyle); 0.43 (medial plateau); 0.67 (lateral femoral condyle); and 0.51 (lateral plateau). The MRI sensitivity was 76.4 % (patella), 88.2 % (trochlea), 69.7 % (medial femoral condyle), 85.7 % (medial plateau), 81.8 % (lateral femoral condyle) and 75 % (lateral plateau). Comparing the radiologists' evaluations, the following κ coefficients were obtained as follows: 0.73 (patella); 0.63 (trochlea); 0.84 (medial femoral condyle); 0.72 (medial plateau); 0.77 (lateral femoral condyle); and 0.91 (lateral plateau). Compared with arthroscopy, MRI displays moderate sensitivity for detecting and classifying chondral knee injuries. It is an important image method, but we must be careful in the assessment of patients with suspected chondral lesions. III.

  12. Midline shift and lateral guidance angle in adults with unilateral posterior crossbite.

    PubMed

    Rilo, Benito; da Silva, José Luis; Mora, María Jesús; Cadarso-Suárez, Carmen; Santana, Urbano

    2008-06-01

    Unilateral posterior crossbite is a malocclusion that, if not corrected during infancy, typically causes permanent asymmetry. Our aims in this study were to evaluate various occlusal parameters in a group of adults with uncorrected unilateral posterior crossbite and to compare findings with those obtained in a group of normal subjects. Midline shift at maximum intercuspation, midline shift at maximum aperture, and lateral guidance angle in the frontal plane were assessed in 25 adults (ages, 17-26 years; mean, 19.6 years) with crossbites. Midline shift at maximum intercuspation was zero (ie, centric midline) in 36% of the crossbite subjects; the remaining subjects had a shift toward the crossbite side. Midline shift at maximum aperture had no association with crossbite side. Lateral guidance angle was lower on the crossbite side than on the noncrossbite side. No parameter studied showed significant differences with respect to the normal subjects. Adults with unilateral posterior crossbite have adaptations that compensate for the crossbite and maintain normal function.

  13. The utility of elementary school TOCA-R scores in identifying later criminal court violence among adolescent females.

    PubMed

    Petras, Hanno; Ialongo, Nicholas; Lambert, Sharon F; Barrueco, Sandra; Schaeffer, Cindy M; Chilcoat, Howard; Kellam, Sheppard

    2005-08-01

    To evaluate the utility of a teacher-rating instrument (Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation-Revised [TOCA-R]) of aggressive behavior during elementary school years in identifying girls at risk of later criminal court violence. A community epidemiological sample of 845 urban public school girls was rated at six time points during elementary school regarding their level of aggressive/disruptive behavior (75% of whom were African American). Criminal violence was measured using juvenile court records. Logistic regression was used to study the strength of the association between early indicators of aggressive behavior and adolescent females' violent outcomes. An extension of the traditional receiver operating characteristics analysis was used to study the accuracy of identifying girls at risk of violence under three different screening and intervention scenarios. For girls, teacher ratings of aggression were a strong and consistent predictor of later violence across grades 1-5 and were strongest in fifth grade. Three screening scenarios were compared to determine the optimal identification threshold. The screening scenario with a focus on minimizing false negatives yielded the highest value (kappa = 0.803). This study supports other studies indicating that early levels of aggressive behavior are strong and robust predictors of later violence among girls but are of limited utility in the early identification of girls at risk, especially when the focus is on reducing both false positives and negatives.

  14. [Effect of gestational diabetes on adiposity indicators during the first 18 years of life; systematic review].

    PubMed

    Jiménez Cruz, Arturo; Ortega Cisneros, Armando; Bacardí Gascón, Montserrat

    2014-02-01

    Gestational diabetes has been associated with obesity later in life. However, reported results have not been consistent and the methods used have shown weakness. To analize prospective and retrospective cohort studies that assess the gestational diabetes effects on adiposity indicators in the offspring during their first 18 years. A search was made for prospective or retrospective cohort studies registered in Medline/ Pubmed database, from January 2011 to September 2013 that evaluated the gestational diabetes effects on adiposity indicators at birth or after birth. Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. A total of 472,959 pairs of mother and child were studied. Children age at the moment of evaluation ranged from birth to 18 years. In nine out of eleven articles an association between gestational diabetes and adiposity indicators was observed. In seven studies adjustments for potential confounders (pre gestational BMI, maternal age) were made. In five of those an association between gestational diabetes and adiposity was found. The results of this review indicate that the evidence showing that gestational diabetes increase adiposity indicators later in life is moderate. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

  15. Evaluation of Land use Regression Models for NO2 in El Paso, Texas, USA

    EPA Science Inventory

    Developing suitable exposure estimates for air pollution health studies is problematic due to spatial and temporal variation in concentrations and often limited monitoring data. Though land use regression models (LURs) are often used for this purpose, their applicability to later...

  16. Reducing economic risk in areally anisotropic formations with multiple-lateral horizontal wells

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Smith, J.; Economides, M.J.; Frick, T.P.

    1995-12-31

    Well orientation is critical to horizontal well performance in areally anisotropic reservoirs. A horizontal well, drilled normal to the direction of maximum permeability, will have higher productivity than one drilled in any other arbitrary direction. Currently, horizontal permeability magnitudes and even indications of direction are rarely measured in the field. Based on well performance modeling and economic evaluation, this study attempts to determine the relative attractiveness of horizontal wells with multiple-laterals. The work exposes the economic risk in ignoring horizontal permeability magnitudes and directions and demonstrates the importance of adequate reservoir testing. A new rationalization for multiple-lateral horizontal wells ismore » the reduction of the economic risk associated with poor reservoir characterization in areally anisotropic formations while increasing the incremental net present value (NPV) over single-horizontal wells.« less

  17. The relationship of post-event processing to self-evaluation of performance in social anxiety.

    PubMed

    Brozovich, Faith; Heimberg, Richard G

    2011-06-01

    Socially anxious and control participants engaged in a social interaction with a confederate and then wrote about themselves or the other person (i.e., self-focused post-event processing [SF-PEP] vs. other-focused post-event processing [OF-PEP]) and completed several questionnaires. One week later, participants completed measures concerning their evaluation of their performance in the social interaction and the degree to which they engaged in post-event processing (PEP) during the week. Socially anxious individuals evaluated their performance in the social interaction more poorly than control participants, both immediately after and 1 week later. Socially anxious individuals assigned to the SF-PEP condition displayed fewer positive feelings about their performance compared to the socially anxious individuals in the OF-PEP condition as well as controls in either condition. Also, the trait tendency to engage in PEP moderated the effect of social anxiety on participants' evaluation of their performance in the interaction, such that high socially anxious individuals with high trait PEP scores evaluated themselves in the interaction more negatively at the later assessment. These results suggest that PEP and other self-evaluative processes may perpetuate the cycle of social anxiety. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  18. Susceptibility-weighted imaging of the venous networks around the brain stem.

    PubMed

    Cai, Ming; Zhang, Xiao-Fen; Qiao, Hui-Huang; Lin, Zhong-Xiao; Ren, Chuan-Gen; Li, Jian-Ce; Chen, Cheng-Chun; Zhang, Nu

    2015-02-01

    The venous network of the brainstem is complex and significant. Susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) is a practical technique which is sensitive to veins, especially tiny veins. Our purpose of this study was to evaluate the visualization of the venous network of brainstem by using SWI at 3.0 T. The occurrence rate of each superficial veins of brainstem was evaluated by using SWI on a 3 T MR imaging system in 60 volunteers. The diameter of the lateral mesencephalic vein and peduncular vein were measured by SWI using the reconstructed mIP images in the sagittal view. And the outflow of the veins of brainstem were studied and described according to the reconstructed images. The median anterior pontomesencephalic vein, median anterior medullary vein, peduncular vein, right vein of the pontomesencephalic sulcus, and right lateral anterior pontomesencephalic vein were detected in all the subjects (100%). The outer diameter of peduncular vein was 1.38 ± 0.26 mm (range 0.8-1.8 mm). The lateral mesencephalic vein was found in 75% of the subjects and the mean outer diameter was 0.81 ± 0.2 mm (range 0.5-1.2 mm). The inner veins of mesencephalon were found by using SWI. The venous networks around the brain stem can be visualized by SWI clearly. This result can not only provide data for anatomical study, but also may be available for the surgical planning in the infratentorial region.

  19. Long-term impact of ankle sprains on postural control and fascial densification.

    PubMed

    Kalichman, Leonid; Lachman, Hila; Freilich, Naama

    2016-10-01

    To evaluate the effect of a past ankle sprain (AS) on postural control and fascial changes in the adjacent body segment. 20 young, healthy subjects with a history (≥6 months) of significant (Grades 2, 3) lateral ASs and 20 controls with no history of AS were recruited to cross-sectional case-control study. All subjects performed the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT). The Stecco method was used to evaluate fascial densification in the calf and upper foot areas. The leg with the AS in the study group vs. the right leg in the control group exhibited significant differences (lower scores of SEBT test in the AS group) for the following directions: anterior (p < 0.001), antero-lateral (p < 0.001), posterior (P = 0.028), postero-medial (P = 0.001), medial (P = 0.001), antero-medial (p < 0.001). A comparison between the leg with an AS in the study group and the right leg in the control group showed a significantly high prevalence of fascial densification for the talus internal rotation (p = 0.014), talus retromotion (p = 0.001), talus lateral (p = 0.040) and pes external rotation (p = 0.060) points. There are long term effects of an AS on postural control and on the sensitivity and movability of the fascia in the calf and foot. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Comparison of Effectiveness of Supervised Exercise Program and Cyriax Physiotherapy in Patients with Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis): A Randomized Clinical Trial

    PubMed Central

    Viswas, Rajadurai; Ramachandran, Rejeeshkumar; Korde Anantkumar, Payal

    2012-01-01

    Objective. To compare the effectiveness of supervised exercise program and Cyriax physiotherapy in the treatment of tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis). Design. Randomized clinical trial. Setting. Physiotherapy and rehabilitation centre. Subjects. This study was carried out with 20 patients, who had tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis). Intervention. Group A (n = 10) had received supervised exercise program. Group B (n = 10) was treated with Cyriax physiotherapy. All patients received three treatment sessions per week for four weeks (12 treatment sessions). Outcome measures. Pain was evaluated using a visual analogue scale (VAS), and functional status was evaluated by completion of the Tennis Elbow Function Scale (TEFS) which were recorded at base line and at the end of fourth week. Results. Both the supervised exercise program and Cyriax physiotherapy were found to be significantly effective in reduction of pain and in the improvement of functional status. The supervised exercise programme resulted in greater improvement in comparison to those who received Cyriax physiotherapy. Conclusion. The results of this clinical trial demonstrate that the supervised exercise program may be the first treatment choice for therapist in managing tennis elbow. PMID:22629225

  1. Correlation between hip function and knee kinematics evaluated by three-dimensional motion analysis during lateral and medial side-hopping.

    PubMed

    Itoh, Hiromitsu; Takiguchi, Kohei; Shibata, Yohei; Okubo, Satoshi; Yoshiya, Shinichi; Kuroda, Ryosuke

    2016-09-01

    [Purpose] Kinematic and kinetic characteristics of the limb during side-hopping and hip/knee interaction during this motion have not been clarified. The purposes of this study were to examine the biomechanical parameters of the knee during side hop and analyze its relationship with clinical measurements of hip function. [Subjects and Methods] Eleven male college rugby players were included. A three-dimensional motion analysis system was used to assess motion characteristics of the knee during side hop. In addition, hip range of motion and muscle strength were evaluated. Subsequently, the relationship between knee motion and the clinical parameters of the hip was analyzed. [Results] In the lateral touchdown phase, the knee was positioned in an abducted and externally rotated position, and increasing abduction moment was applied to the knee. An analysis of the interaction between knee motion and hip function showed that range of motion for hip internal rotation was significantly correlated with external rotation angle and external rotation/abduction moments of the knee during the lateral touchdown phase. [Conclusion] Range of motion for hip internal rotation should be taken into consideration for identifying the biomechanical characteristics in the side hop test results.

  2. Correlation between hip function and knee kinematics evaluated by three-dimensional motion analysis during lateral and medial side-hopping

    PubMed Central

    Itoh, Hiromitsu; Takiguchi, Kohei; Shibata, Yohei; Okubo, Satoshi; Yoshiya, Shinichi; Kuroda, Ryosuke

    2016-01-01

    [Purpose] Kinematic and kinetic characteristics of the limb during side-hopping and hip/knee interaction during this motion have not been clarified. The purposes of this study were to examine the biomechanical parameters of the knee during side hop and analyze its relationship with clinical measurements of hip function. [Subjects and Methods] Eleven male college rugby players were included. A three-dimensional motion analysis system was used to assess motion characteristics of the knee during side hop. In addition, hip range of motion and muscle strength were evaluated. Subsequently, the relationship between knee motion and the clinical parameters of the hip was analyzed. [Results] In the lateral touchdown phase, the knee was positioned in an abducted and externally rotated position, and increasing abduction moment was applied to the knee. An analysis of the interaction between knee motion and hip function showed that range of motion for hip internal rotation was significantly correlated with external rotation angle and external rotation/abduction moments of the knee during the lateral touchdown phase. [Conclusion] Range of motion for hip internal rotation should be taken into consideration for identifying the biomechanical characteristics in the side hop test results. PMID:27799670

  3. Evaluation of hip fracture risk in relation to fall direction.

    PubMed

    Nankaku, Manabu; Kanzaki, Hideto; Tsuboyama, Tadao; Nakamura, Takashi

    2005-11-01

    The purpose of this study is to evaluate hip fracture risk in relation to fall direction, and to elucidate factors that influence the impact force in falls on the hip. Eight healthy volunteers performed deliberate falls in three directions (lateral, posterolateral and posterior) on a force platform covered by a mattress of 13 cm thickness. Fall descent motions and impact postures were examined by a three-dimensional analyzer. The maximum ground force reaction, velocity of the greater trochanter at impact, and activity of quadriceps and gluteus medius were measured. In all trials of lateral and posterolateral falls, but not of posterior falls, the subjects hit their greater trochanter directly on the mattress. The impact forces were between 2,000 N and 4,000 N. Posterolateral falls showed significantly higher velocity at impact than did posterior falls. The height and the lower limb length exhibited positive correlations with the impact force in all directions of fall. In the lateral fall, there was a positive correlation between the activity of quadriceps and the impact force. In view of the impact point, force, and velocity, the posterolateral fall seemed to carry the highest risk of hip fracture.

  4. [Comparable disorder of the body schema in patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and phantom pain].

    PubMed

    Reinersmann, A; Haarmeyer, G S; Blankenburg, M; Frettlöh, J; Krumova, E K; Ocklenburg, S; Maier, C

    2011-09-01

    In patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) a disruption of the body schema has been shown in an altered cortical representation of the hand and in delayed reaction times (RT) in the hand laterality recognition task. However, the role of attentional processes or the effect of isolated limb laterality training has not yet been clarified. The performance of healthy subjects (n = 38), CRPS patients (n = 12) and phantom limb pain (PLP) patients (n = 12) in a test battery of attentional performance (TAP) and in a limb laterality recognition task was compared and the effect of limb laterality training in CRPS patients and healthy subjects evaluated. The RTs of both CRPS and PLP patients were significantly slower than those of healthy subjects despite normal TAP values. The CRPS and PLP patients showed bilaterally delayed RTs. Through training RTs improved significantly but the RTs of CRPS patients remained slower than those of healthy subjects. In this study an equal disruption of the body schema was found in both CRPS and PLP patients which cannot be accounted for by attentional processes. For CRPS patients this disorder cannot be fully reversed by isolated limb laterality recognition training.

  5. Sexual dimorphism of sulcal length asymmetry in the cerebrum of adult cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis).

    PubMed

    Imai, Noritaka; Sawada, Kazuhiko; Fukunishi, Katsuhiro; Sakata-Haga, Hiromi; Fukui, Yoshihiro

    2011-12-01

    The present study aimed to quantitatively clarify the gross anatomical asymmetry and sexual dimorphism of the cerebral hemispheres of cynomolgus monkeys. While the fronto-occipital length of the right and left cerebral hemispheres was not different between sexes, a statistically significant rightward asymmetry was detected in the cerebral width at the perisylvian region in females, but not in males (narrower width of the left side in the females). An asymmetry quotient of the sulcal lengths revealed a rightward asymmetry in the inferior occipital sulcus and a leftward asymmetry in the central and intraparietal sulci in both sexes. However, the laterality of the lengths of other sulci was different for males and females. The arcuate sulcus was directed rightward in males but there was no rightward bias in females. Interestingly, the principle sulcus and lateral fissure were left-lateralized in the males, but right-lateralized in the females. The results suggest that lateralization patterns are regionally and sexually different in the cerebrum of cynomolgus monkeys. The present results provide a reference for quantitatively evaluating the normality of the cerebral cortical morphology in cynomolgus monkeys. © 2011 The Authors. Congenital Anomalies © 2011 Japanese Teratology Society.

  6. Increased spatial granularity of left brain activation and unique age/gender signatures: a 4D frequency domain approach to cerebral lateralization at rest.

    PubMed

    Agcaoglu, O; Miller, R; Mayer, A R; Hugdahl, K; Calhoun, V D

    2016-12-01

    Cerebral lateralization is a well-studied topic. However, most of the research to date in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been carried out on hemodynamic fluctuations of voxels, networks, or regions of interest (ROIs). For example, cerebral differences can be revealed by comparing the temporal activation of an ROI in one hemisphere with the corresponding homotopic region in the other hemisphere. While this approach can reveal significant information about cerebral organization, it does not provide information about the full spatiotemporal organization of the hemispheres. The cerebral differences revealed in literature suggest that hemispheres have different spatiotemporal organization in the resting state. In this study, we evaluate cerebral lateralization in the 4D spatiotemporal frequency domain to compare the hemispheres in the context of general activation patterns at different spatial and temporal scales. We use a gender-balanced resting fMRI dataset comprising over 600 healthy subjects ranging in age from 12 to 71, that have previously been studied with a network specific voxel-wise and global analysis of lateralization (Agcaoglu, et al. NeuroImage, 2014). Our analysis elucidates significant differences in the spatiotemporal organization of brain activity between hemispheres, and generally more spatiotemporal fluctuation in the left hemisphere especially in the high spatial frequency bands, and more power in the right hemisphere in the low and middle spatial frequencies. Importantly, the identified effects are not visible in the context of a typical assessment of voxelwise, regional, or even global laterality, thus our study highlights the value of 4D spatiotemporal frequency domain analyses as a complementary and powerful tool for studying brain function.

  7. Interrater reliability among epilepsy centers: multicenter study of epilepsy surgery.

    PubMed

    Haut, Sheryl R; Berg, Anne T; Shinnar, Shlomo; Cohen, Hillel W; Bazil, Carl W; Sperling, Michael R; Langfitt, John T; Pacia, Steven V; Walczak, Thaddeus S; Spencer, Susan S

    2002-11-01

    To measure the interrater reliability of presurgical testing and surgical decisions among epilepsy centers. Seven centers participating in an ongoing, prospective multicenter study of resective epilepsy surgery agreed to conform to a detailed protocol regarding presurgical evaluation and surgery. To assess quality assurance, each center independently reviewed 21 randomly selected surgical cases for preoperative study lateralization and localization, and surgical decisions. Interrater reliability was assessed by using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), validated for use with multiple raters, and calculated in a two-way random model based on absolute agreement. Agreement for ICC values: > or = 0.75, excellent; 0.60-0.74, good; 0.40-0.59, fair; < or = 0.39, poor. One center was excluded for missing data. Agreement was excellent for extracranial EEG lateralization (0.8039), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lateralization (0.9521) and localization (0.9130), Wada lateralization (0.9453), and intracranial EEG localization (0.7905). Agreement was good for extracranial EEG localization (0.7384) and neuropsychological testing lateralization (0.7178) and localization (0.6891). Consensus about the decision to perform intracranial monitoring was fair (0.5397), in part reflecting one center's tendency toward intracranial monitoring. Overall agreements on whether to perform surgery (0.8311) and specific surgery recommended (0.8164) were excellent. High interrater reliability among six epilepsy centers was present for interpretation of most components of presurgical testing. Although consensus for the decision to perform intracranial monitoring was only fair, agreements for the ultimate decision about resective surgery and specific choice of resection were excellent. We believe that this study demonstrates the feasibility of implementing multicenter protocols for neurologic management, especially those involving localization, as well as protocols combining study results with clinical decision making.

  8. Diagnostic considerations of lateral column foot pain in athletes.

    PubMed

    Traister, Eric; Simons, Stephen

    2014-01-01

    Foot maladies are often classified descriptively by general foot locations, i.e., forefoot, midfoot, and rearfoot. However, common vernacular verbiage, implicating a common biomechanical purpose, also applies pathology to the medial or lateral foot column. Although imprecisely defined, lateral column injuries to the foot encompass conditions that affect any of the lateral side of the foot from the calcaneus to the toes. The lateral column of the foot includes the calcaneus, the cuboid, the fourth and fifth metatarsals as well as the calcaneocuboid, cuboido-metatarsal, and intermetatarsal joints. It may be helpful to think in a "lateral column" fashion when evaluating and treating certain lateral foot injuries, load patterns, and biomechanical or anatomical faults. Misdiagnosed injuries in this area of the foot can be a source of great morbidity to the athlete. It is important for the clinician to be aware of common conditions presenting as pain to the lateral side of the foot.

  9. Application of Novel Lateral Tire Force Sensors to Vehicle Parameter Estimation of Electric Vehicles

    PubMed Central

    Nam, Kanghyun

    2015-01-01

    This article presents methods for estimating lateral vehicle velocity and tire cornering stiffness, which are key parameters in vehicle dynamics control, using lateral tire force measurements. Lateral tire forces acting on each tire are directly measured by load-sensing hub bearings that were invented and further developed by NSK Ltd. For estimating the lateral vehicle velocity, tire force models considering lateral load transfer effects are used, and a recursive least square algorithm is adapted to identify the lateral vehicle velocity as an unknown parameter. Using the estimated lateral vehicle velocity, tire cornering stiffness, which is an important tire parameter dominating the vehicle’s cornering responses, is estimated. For the practical implementation, the cornering stiffness estimation algorithm based on a simple bicycle model is developed and discussed. Finally, proposed estimation algorithms were evaluated using experimental test data. PMID:26569246

  10. Relationship between severity of shoulder subluxation and soft-tissue injury in hemiplegic stroke patients.

    PubMed

    Huang, Shih-Wei; Liu, Sen-Yung; Tang, Hao-Wei; Wei, Ta-Sen; Wang, Wei-Te; Yang, Chao-Pin

    2012-09-01

    The aims of this study were: (i) to determine whether the severity of post-hemiplegic shoulder subluxation in stroke patients correlates with soft-tissue injury; and (ii) to determine the shoulder subluxation measurement cut-off points that are indications for further ultrasound examination for soft-tissue injuries in these patients. Cross-sectional study. A total of 39 stroke patients with shoulder subluxation. Shoulder subluxation was evaluated by physical examination, radiography and ultrasound. Soft-tissue injuries were assessed by ultrasound. Subluxation parameters were entered into stepwise logistic regression analyses to predict biceps and supraspinatus tendonitis. With the assumption that shoulder subluxation can be a predisposing factor for tendonitis, receiver operating characteristic curves for shoulder subluxation parameters of the affected side were used to determine cut-off points for optimal sensitivity and specificity of biceps and supraspinatus tendonitis. Shoulder subluxation lateral distance, measured by physical examination, is a predictor for supraspinatus tendonitis (odds ratio = 34.9, p = 0.036). Further ultrasound investigation for soft-tissue injury is indicated when subluxation lateral distance, measured by physical examination is ≥ 2.25 cm or, measured by radiographic examination, ≥ 3.18 cm for lateral distance, ≥ 3.08 cm for vertical distance, or ≥ 2.65 cm for horizontal distance. When post-hemiplegic shoulder subluxation measurements exceed the above-mentioned cut-off points in physical or radiographic examinations, further ultrasound evaluation for soft-tissue injury is recommended.

  11. Lateral dimension-dependent antibacterial activity of graphene oxide sheets.

    PubMed

    Liu, Shaobin; Hu, Ming; Zeng, Tingying Helen; Wu, Ran; Jiang, Rongrong; Wei, Jun; Wang, Liang; Kong, Jing; Chen, Yuan

    2012-08-21

    Graphene oxide (GO) is a promising precursor to produce graphene-family nanomaterials for various applications. Their potential health and environmental impacts need a good understanding of their cellular interactions. Many factors may influence their biological interactions with cells, and the lateral dimension of GO sheets is one of the most relevant material properties. In this study, a model bacterium, Escherichia coli ( E. coli ), was used to evaluate the antibacterial activity of well-dispersed GO sheets, whose lateral size differs by more than 100 times. Our results show that the antibacterial activity of GO sheets toward E. coli cells is lateral size dependent. Larger GO sheets show stronger antibacterial activity than do smaller ones, and they have different time- and concentration-dependent antibacterial activities. Large GO sheets lead to most cell loss after 1 h incubation, and their concentration strongly influences antibacterial activity at relative low concentration (<10 μg/mL). In contrast, when incubating with small GO sheets up to 4 h, the inactivation rate of E. coli cells continues increasing. The increase of small GO sheet concentration also results in persistent increases in their antibacterial activity. In this study, GO sheets with different lateral sizes are all well dispersed, and their oxidation capacity toward glutathione is similar, consistent with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy results. This suggests the lateral size-dependent antibacterial activity of GO sheets is caused by neither their aggregation states, nor oxidation capacity. Atomic force microscope analysis of GO sheets and cells shows that GO sheets interact strongly with cells. Large GO sheets more easily cover cells, and cells cannot proliferate once fully covered, resulting in the cell viability loss observed in the followed colony counting test. In contrast, small GO sheets adhere to the bacterial surfaces, which cannot effectively isolate cells from environment. This study highlights the importance of tailoring the lateral dimension of GO sheets to optimize the application potential with minimal risks for environmental health and safety.

  12. An evaluation of the hydrologic relevance of lateral flow in snow at hillslope and catchment scales

    Treesearch

    David Eiriksson; Michael Whitson; Charles H. Luce; Hans Peter Marshall; John Bradford; Shawn G. Benner; Thomas Black; Hank Hetrick; James P. McNamara

    2013-01-01

    Lateral downslope flow in snow during snowmelt and rain-on-snow (ROS) events is a well-known phenomenon, yet its relevance to water redistribution at hillslope and catchment scales is not well understood. We used dye tracers, geophysical methods, and hydrometric measurements to describe the snow properties that promote lateral flow, assess the relative velocities of...

  13. A scoping review of pediatric economic evaluation 1980-2014: do trends over time reflect changing priorities in evaluation methods and childhood disease?

    PubMed

    Sullivan, Shannon M; Tsiplova, Kate; Ungar, Wendy J

    2016-10-01

    Economic evaluations conducted in children have unique features compared to adults. Important developments in pediatric economic evaluation in recent years include new options for valuing health states for cost-utility analysis (CUA) and shifting child health priorities. The Pediatric Economic Database Evaluation (PEDE) project includes a comprehensive database of pediatric health economic evaluations published since 1980. The objective of this scoping review was to identify trends over time in the use of CUA and other analytic techniques, and the therapeutic areas chosen for study. Areas covered: Medical and grey literature were searched, key characteristics were extracted, frequencies were tabulated and cross-tabulations were performed. Differences between early (1980 and 1999) and late (2000 and 2014) periods were assessed using a chi-squared statistic. Of the 2,776 pediatric economic evaluations published between 1980 and 2014, substantially more were cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs) and CUAs than cost benefit analyses and cost minimization analyses (63.9 and 24.9% versus 7.6 and 3.6%, respectively). This pattern was consistent regardless of the type of intervention, disease or age group studied. A trend toward higher proportions of CUAs and CEAs was evident in the later period (X 2 p < 0.0001). Other significant trends included a higher proportion of studies of preventive interventions (X 2 p < 0.0001), and more studies in children aged 1 to 12 years and fewer in perinates in the later period (X 2 p < 0.0001). Overall the most common disease class studied was infectious diseases (29.2%). Expert commentary: Pediatric economic evaluation continues to grow in volume and methodologic complexity. While CUAs have increased, whether their quality has improved remains unknown. Although most studies are in infectious disease, the volume of publications may not align with emerging child health priorities such as adolescent health, injury, developmental disabilities, mental health, and the use of personalized medicine. Increasing economic evaluations in these areas will enhance pediatric decision-making.

  14. Noninvasive monopolar capacitive-coupled radiofrequency for the treatment of pain associated with lateral elbow tendinopathies: 1-year follow-up.

    PubMed

    Weber, Tobias; Kabelka, Bernd

    2012-03-01

    To evaluate noninvasive monopolar capacitive-coupled radiofrequency (mcRF) for the treatment of pain associated with lateral elbow tendinopathies. Prospective, single-center, single-arm, 1-year follow-up. Private sports medicine practice. Thirty-nine consecutive patients with diagnosis of lateral elbow tendinopathy (including 3 bilateral cases, for a total of 42 elbows) participated in the study. All patients had been unsuccessfully treated with a variety of nonoperative therapies (eg, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroid injections, and braces) for at least 3 months before they were enrolled in the study. Patients were treated with mcRF technology in the office without local anesthetic or any particular preparation. Anatomic landmarks and careful determination of the most tender point defined the area treated; rapid and precise mcRF pulses were delivered covering the area in a staggered fashion; and 10 additional pulses were delivered directly to the point of maximum tenderness (total of 100 pulses). Patients returned to activities of daily living without restriction and were instructed to avoid nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and/or ice over the treated area. Physical therapy or other treatment modalities were disallowed. The presence of pain before enrollment ranged from 15 weeks to 2 years (average, 32 weeks). Visual analog scores at rest, with regular activity, and with triggering events were gathered at 3, 6, and 12 months. The Nirschl Tennis Elbow Questionnaire and patient satisfaction also were used to evaluate study outcomes. Follow-up average was 423 days (range, 330-487 days). On the basis of the study's multifactorial success criteria, 81% of participants had successful outcomes. Furthermore, 89% of the patients who completed the study were completely or moderately satisfied with the outcome. Outcomes of this study suggest that noninvasive mcRF may have a role in the treatment of pain associated with lateral elbow tendinopathies. The noninvasive nature of the procedure and the safety and efficacy suggested by this study may offer significant advantages over current treatment alternatives. Further research in the form of a randomized clinical trial is recommended. Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Quantitative assessment of the entire right ventricle from one acoustic window: an attractive approach.

    PubMed

    McGhie, Jackie S; Menting, Myrthe E; Vletter, Wim B; Frowijn, René; Roos-Hesselink, Jolien W; van der Zwaan, Heleen B; Soliman, Osama I I; Geleijnse, Marcel L; van den Bosch, Annemien E

    2017-07-01

    The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the feasibility and establish normal values of functional right ventricle (RV) parameters as assessed in our four, long-axis view RV model using iRotate echocardiography. Furthermore, we evaluated the potential use of this model in patients with abnormally loaded RVs. One hundred and fifty-five healthy subjects aged 20-72 years (≥28 subjects per decile) were prospectively recruited. We used non-dedicated RV speckle-tracking software to test the feasibility and to establish normal range values of peak systolic global longitudinal RV strain (RV-GLS) from the RV free-walls (septum was excluded). Also normal range values for: dimensions, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) and tricuspid annular peak systolic velocity (TDI-S') were established. The feasibility of RV-GLS was 88, 84, and 62%, respectively, in the lateral, inferior, and anterior free wall. Mean RV-GLS normal values were -24.5 ± 4.9% for lateral wall and -25.4 ± 5.0% for anterior wall. Mean RV-GLS in the inferior wall was -23.2 ± 4.4% in the aortic (Ao) view and -20.7 ± 5.0% in the coronal (CV) view. The feasibility of mean RV-GLS was 100% in the anterior, lateral, and inferior walls in abnormally dilated RVs. The feasibility of all RV parameters assessed in the four-view iRotate model is good to excellent. Normal values for RV dimension and function of the anterior, inferior, and lateral RV walls have been established. Further studies and dedicated RV speckle-tracking software are warranted to discover the full potential of this new technique. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  16. Tibial component considerations in bicruciate-retaining total knee arthroplasty: A 3D MRI evaluation of proximal tibial anatomy.

    PubMed

    Saxena, Vishal; Anari, Jason B; Ruutiainen, Alexander T; Voleti, Pramod B; Stephenson, Jason W; Lee, Gwo-Chin

    2016-08-01

    Restoration of normal anatomy and proper ligament balance are theoretical prerequisites for reproducing physiological kinematics with bicruciate-retaining total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The purpose of this study was to use a 3D MRI technique to evaluate the topography of the proximal tibia and outline considerations in tibial component design for bicruciate-retaining TKA. We identified 100 consecutive patients (50 males and 50 females) between ages 20 and 40 years with knee MRIs without arthritis, dysplasia, ACL tears, or prior knee surgery. A novel 3D MRI protocol coordinating axial, coronal, and sagittal images was used to measure: 1) medial and lateral posterior tibial slopes; 2) medial and lateral coronal slopes; and 3) distance from the anterior tibia to the ACL footprint. There was no overall difference in medial and lateral posterior tibial slopes (5.5° (95% CI 5.0 to 6.0°) vs. 5.4° (95% CI 4.8 to 6.0°), respectively (p=0.80)), but 41 patients had side-to-side differences greater than 3°. The medial coronal slope was greater than the lateral coronal slope (4.6° (95% CI 4.0 to 5.1°) vs. 3.3° (95% CI 2.9 to 3.7°), respectively (p<0.0001)). Females had less clearance between the anterior tibia and ACL footprint than males (10.8mm (95% CI 10.4 to 11.2mm) vs. 13.0mm (95% CI 12.5 to 13.5mm), respectively (p<0.0001)). Due to highly variable proximal tibial topography, a monoblock bicruciate-retaining tibial baseplate may not reproduce normal anatomy in all patients. Level IV - Anatomic research study. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Influence of timing of sexual debut and first marriage on sexual behaviour in later life: findings from four survey rounds in the Kisesa cohort in northern Tanzania

    PubMed Central

    Żaba, B; Isingo, R; Wringe, A; Marston, M; Slaymaker, E; Urassa, M

    2009-01-01

    Objectives: To evaluate quality of sexual debut and first marriage data, measure trends and study the association of risky sexual behaviour in youth with adult risk behaviour. Methods: Reports on age at first sex (AFS) and age at first marriage (AFM) from the Kisesa cohort study, 1994–2004, were evaluated for consistency and used to describe trends in median age-at-event and time spent single but sexually active in different birth cohorts. The association of these variables with marital stability and numbers of partners at later ages was explored using statistical regression techniques. Results: AFS and AFM were inconsistently reported by 32% and 33% of respondents, respectively, but there was no general tendency to report lower or higher ages at a later report date. In 10-year birth cohorts born between 1950–9 and 1980–9, male median AFS declined from 18.1 to 17.0 years and female median AFM rose from 16.2 to 16.6 years. Young people of both sexes currently spend longer sexually active but unmarried than previously. Early marriage is statistically associated with remarriage and polygamy; longer time between sexual debut and marriage is associated with higher numbers of partners at later stages of life. Conclusion: Inconsistent reporting of age-at-event introduces noise but does not bias estimates of population level indicators. Lengthening time spent single and sexually active suggests that men and women entering first marriage will have been exposed to increased numbers of non-marital partners. Successful youth interventions may also influence adult behaviour. PMID:19307336

  18. Fixation and its role in the causation, laterality and location of pterygium: a study in amblyopes and non-amblyopes.

    PubMed

    Sudhalkar, A

    2012-03-01

    To evaluate the role of fixation in causing pterygium and determining its laterality and location. This is a prospective, observational, case-control study. Cases were defined as patients with primary pterygium who had unilateral amblyopia with eccentric fixation. Controls were age-matched patients with primary pterygium, but without amblyopia and eccentric fixation. All patients underwent complete ocular, orthoptic, and systemic examination and a detailed risk-factor assessment (latitude of residence, exposure to sunlight, sand, and a high-reflectance environment). The role of fixation in the causation, laterality and location of pterygium was evaluated. Fisher's exact test, the unpaired t-test, and odds ratio (OR) were carried out to determine the significance of the observations. The mean age of subjects was 47.1±5.25 years in cases (n=107) and 48.2±4.75 years in controls (n=310; P=0.78). As far as known risk factors were concerned, both groups were evenly matched. Among the cases, 88 (82.2%) patients demonstrated suppression of the amblyopic eye and 19 (17.8%) patients had abnormal retinal correspondence (ARC). Patients with suppression had a unilateral pterygium in the better (fixating) eye, whereas those with ARC had bilateral pterygia. Among the controls, 192 (61.9%) eyes had bilateral pterygia and 118 (38.1%) eyes had unilateral pterygium. In controls, the dominant eye had a higher prevalence of pterygium. All patients in both groups had a nasal pterygium. Pterygium and fixation were strongly associated (P=0.007; Fisher's exact test; OR -15.98; P=0.008). Fixation appears to have an important role in causing pterygium and determining its location and laterality.

  19. Evaluation of periosteal fixation of lateral rectus and partial VRT for cases of exotropic Duane retraction syndrome.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Pradeep; Tomer, Ruchi; Menon, Vimla; Saxena, Rohit; Sharma, Anudeepa

    2014-02-01

    The purpose of this study is to evaluate the lateral rectus periosteal fixation and partial vertical rectus transpositioning (VRT) as treatment modalities to correct exotropic Duane retraction syndrome (Exo-DRS). Prospective interventional case study of cases of Exo-DRS with limitation of adduction. A total of 13 patients were subdivided into two groups. Six patients underwent only lateral rectus periosteal fixation (group A) and seven patients also underwent partial VRT (group B). Assessment involved prism bar cover test, abduction and adduction range, extent of binocular single visual field and exophthalmometry. These tests were repeated at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months post-operatively and data analyzed. The pre-operative mean values and ranges were 26.2 Δ (22-35) exotropia for group A and -21.3 Δ (14-30) exotropia for group B. The post-operative mean and range was +0.6 Δ esotropia (+20 to -8) for group A and 8 Δ (-2 to -20) exotropia for group B. Mean grade of limitation of abduction changed from -3.8 to -3.6 versus -3.6 to -2.8 and mean grade of limitation of adduction changed from -1.9 to -0.7 versus -1.5 to -0.5 in the groups A and B respectively. Mean binocular single visual field changed from 14.7° to 23.3° in group A and 11.8° to 26.4° in the group B respectively. Lateral rectus periosteal fixation is an effective surgery to correct the exodeviation, anomalous head posture and improving adduction in Exo-DRS and partial VRT in addition is effective in improving abduction and binocular single visual fields.

  20. Evaluation of periosteal fixation of lateral rectus and partial VRT for cases of exotropic Duane retraction syndrome

    PubMed Central

    Sharma, Pradeep; Tomer, Ruchi; Menon, Vimla; Saxena, Rohit; Sharma, Anudeepa

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the lateral rectus periosteal fixation and partial vertical rectus transpositioning (VRT) as treatment modalities to correct exotropic Duane retraction syndrome (Exo-DRS). Materials and Methods: Prospective interventional case study of cases of Exo-DRS with limitation of adduction. A total of 13 patients were subdivided into two groups. Six patients underwent only lateral rectus periosteal fixation (group A) and seven patients also underwent partial VRT (group B). Assessment involved prism bar cover test, abduction and adduction range, extent of binocular single visual field and exophthalmometry. These tests were repeated at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months post-operatively and data analyzed. Results: The pre-operative mean values and ranges were 26.2Δ (22-35) exotropia for group A and −21.3Δ (14-30) exotropia for group B. The post-operative mean and range was +0.6Δ esotropia (+20 to −8) for group A and 8Δ (−2 to −20) exotropia for group B. Mean grade of limitation of abduction changed from −3.8 to −3.6 versus −3.6 to −2.8 and mean grade of limitation of adduction changed from −1.9 to −0.7 versus −1.5 to −0.5 in the groups A and B respectively. Mean binocular single visual field changed from 14.7° to 23.3° in group A and 11.8° to 26.4° in the group B respectively. Conclusion: Lateral rectus periosteal fixation is an effective surgery to correct the exodeviation, anomalous head posture and improving adduction in Exo-DRS and partial VRT in addition is effective in improving abduction and binocular single visual fields. PMID:24618490

  1. Changes in the T2 value of cartilage after meniscus transplantation over 1 year.

    PubMed

    Park, Sun-Young; Lee, Sang Hoon; Lee, Min Hee; Chung, Hye Won; Shin, Myung Jin

    2017-04-01

    To evaluate the changes in the mean T2 values of articular cartilage on serial follow-up images up to 1 year in patients who underwent lateral meniscus allograft transplantation (MAT). Fifty-two patients who underwent lateral MAT surgery at our hospital were evaluated preoperatively and at 2 days, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after MAT using 3.0-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that included T2 mapping. T2 value changes according to the arthroscopic grading of chondromalacia were evaluated in the lateral and medial compartment. Lysholm scores were obtained pre- and postoperatively. The T2 values of cartilage were significantly increased 2 days after operation, and then gradually reduced to the baseline level after 1 year in both compartments. In morphologic assessment performed after 1 year, most areas (92.9 %) showed no interval change of chondromalacia grade. Lyshom knee scores increased significantly from the mean preoperative value of 62.5 (range, 23-95) to 89.7 (range, 64-100) at 1 year (p < 0.001). Mean T2 values of cartilage following MAT exhibited a return to baseline level after 1 year. T2 measurement can be a useful tool for quantitative evaluation of postoperative cartilage changes compared to conventional MRI. • T2 mapping provides objective data for longitudinal monitoring following surgery. • Increased cartilage T2 values post-MAT returned to baseline in one year. • Further studies are required to predict the chondroprotective effect of MAT.

  2. Does Humeral Component Lateralization in Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty Affect Rotator Cuff Torque? Evaluation in a Cadaver Model.

    PubMed

    Chan, Kevin; Langohr, G Daniel G; Mahaffy, Matthew; Johnson, James A; Athwal, George S

    2017-10-01

    Humeral component lateralization in reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) may improve the biomechanical advantage of the rotator cuff, which could improve the torque generated by the rotator cuff and increase internal and external rotation of the shoulder. The purpose of this in vitro biomechanical study was to evaluate the effect of humeral component lateralization (or lateral offset) on the torque of the anterior and posterior rotator cuff. Eight fresh-frozen cadaveric shoulders from eight separate donors (74 ± 8 years; six males, two females) were tested using an in vitro simulator. All shoulders were prescreened for soft tissue deficit and/or deformity before testing. A custom RTSA prosthesis was implanted that allowed five levels of humeral component lateralization (15, 20, 25, 30, 35 mm), which avoided restrictions imposed by commercially available designs. The torques exerted by the anterior and posterior rotator cuff were measured three times and then averaged for varying humeral lateralization, abduction angle (0°, 45°, 90°), and internal and external rotation (-60°, -30°, 0°, 30°, 60°). A three-way repeated measures ANOVA (abduction angle, humeral lateralization, internal rotation and external rotation angles) with a significance level of α = 0.05 was used for statistical analysis. Humeral lateralization only affected posterior rotator cuff torque at 0° abduction, where increasing humeral lateralization from 15 to 35 mm at 60° internal rotation decreased external rotation torque by 1.6 ± 0.4 Nm (95% CI, -0.07 -1.56 Nm; p = 0.06) from 4.0 ± 0.3 Nm to 2.4 ± 0.6 Nm, respectively, but at 60° external rotation increased external rotation torque by 2.2 ± 0.5 Nm (95% CI, -4.2 to -0.2 Nm; p = 0.029) from 6.2 ± 0.5 Nm to 8.3 ± 0.5 Nm, respectively. Anterior cuff torque was affected by humeral lateralization in more arm positions than the posterior cuff, where increasing humeral lateralization from 15 to 35 mm when at 60° internal rotation increased internal rotation torque at 0°, 45°, and 90° abduction by 3.2 ± 0.5 Nm (95% CI, 1.1-5.2 Nm; p = 0.004) from 6.6 ± 0.6 Nm to 9.7 ± 0.6 Nm, 4.0 ± 0.3 Nm (95% CI, 2.8-5.0 Nm; p < 0.001) from 1.7 ± 1.0 Nm to 5.6 ± 0.9 Nm, and 2.2 ± 0.2 Nm (95% CI, 1.4-2.9 Nm; p < 0.001) from 0.6 ± 0.6 Nm to 2.8 ± 0.6 Nm, respectively. In neutral internal and external rotation, increasing humeral lateral offset from 15 to 35 mm increased the internal rotation torque at 45˚ and 90˚ abduction by 1.5 ± 0.3 Nm (95% CI, 0.2-2.7 Nm; p = 0.02) and 1.3 ± 0.2 Nm (95% CI, 0.4-2.3 Nm; p < 0.001), respectively. Humeral component lateralization improves rotator cuff torque. The results of this preliminary in vitro cadaveric study suggest that the lateral offset of the RTSA humeral component plays an important role in the torque generated by the anterior and posterior rotator cuff. However, further studies are needed before clinical application of these results. Increasing humeral offset may have adverse effects, such as the increased risk of implant modularity, increasing tension of the cuff and soft tissues, increased costs often associated with design modifications, and other possible as yet unforeseen negative consequences.

  3. The influence of a change in the meniscus cross-sectional shape on the medio-lateral translation of the knee joint and meniscal extrusion

    PubMed Central

    Daszkiewicz, Karol; Witkowski, Wojciech; Chróścielewski, Jacek; Ferenc, Tomasz; Baczkowski, Boguslaw

    2018-01-01

    Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of a change in the meniscus cross sectional shape on its position and on the biomechanics of a knee joint. Methods One main finite element model of a left knee joint was created on the basis of MRI images. The model consisted of bones, articular cartilages, menisci and ligaments. Eight variants of this model with an increased or decreased meniscus height were then prepared. Nonlinear static analyses with a fixed flexion/extension movement for a compressive load of 1000 N were performed. The additional analyses for those models with a constrained medio-lateral relative bone translation allowed for an evaluation of the influence of this translation on a meniscus external shift. Results It was observed that a decrease in the meniscus height caused a decrease in the contact area, together with a decrease in the contact force between the flattened meniscus and the cartilage. For the models with an increased meniscus height, a maximal value of force acting on the meniscus in a medio-lateral direction was obtained. The results have shown that the meniscus external shift was approximately proportional to the meniscus slope angle, but that relationship was modified by a medio-lateral relative bone translation. It was found that the translation of the femur relative to the tibia may be dependent on the geometry of the menisci. Conclusions The results have suggested that a change in the meniscus geometry in the cross sectional plane can considerably affect not only the meniscal external shift, but also the medio-lateral translation of the knee joint as well as the congruency of the knee joint. PMID:29447236

  4. The influence of a change in the meniscus cross-sectional shape on the medio-lateral translation of the knee joint and meniscal extrusion.

    PubMed

    Luczkiewicz, Piotr; Daszkiewicz, Karol; Witkowski, Wojciech; Chróścielewski, Jacek; Ferenc, Tomasz; Baczkowski, Boguslaw

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of a change in the meniscus cross sectional shape on its position and on the biomechanics of a knee joint. One main finite element model of a left knee joint was created on the basis of MRI images. The model consisted of bones, articular cartilages, menisci and ligaments. Eight variants of this model with an increased or decreased meniscus height were then prepared. Nonlinear static analyses with a fixed flexion/extension movement for a compressive load of 1000 N were performed. The additional analyses for those models with a constrained medio-lateral relative bone translation allowed for an evaluation of the influence of this translation on a meniscus external shift. It was observed that a decrease in the meniscus height caused a decrease in the contact area, together with a decrease in the contact force between the flattened meniscus and the cartilage. For the models with an increased meniscus height, a maximal value of force acting on the meniscus in a medio-lateral direction was obtained. The results have shown that the meniscus external shift was approximately proportional to the meniscus slope angle, but that relationship was modified by a medio-lateral relative bone translation. It was found that the translation of the femur relative to the tibia may be dependent on the geometry of the menisci. The results have suggested that a change in the meniscus geometry in the cross sectional plane can considerably affect not only the meniscal external shift, but also the medio-lateral translation of the knee joint as well as the congruency of the knee joint.

  5. The effect of lateral eccentricity on failure loads, kinematics, and canal occlusions of the cervical spine in axial loading.

    PubMed

    Van Toen, C; Melnyk, A D; Street, J; Oxland, T R; Cripton, P A

    2014-03-21

    Current neck injury criteria do not include limits for lateral bending combined with axial compression and this has been observed as a clinically relevant mechanism, particularly for rollover motor vehicle crashes. The primary objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of lateral eccentricity (the perpendicular distance from the axial force to the centre of the spine) on peak loads, kinematics, and spinal canal occlusions of subaxial cervical spine specimens tested in dynamic axial compression (0.5 m/s). Twelve 3-vertebra human cadaver cervical spine specimens were tested in two groups: low and high eccentricity with initial eccentricities of 1 and 150% of the lateral diameter of the vertebral body. Six-axis loads inferior to the specimen, kinematics of the superior-most vertebra, and spinal canal occlusions were measured. High speed video was collected and acoustic emission (AE) sensors were used to define the time of injury. The effects of eccentricity on peak loads, kinematics, and canal occlusions were evaluated using unpaired Student t-tests. The high eccentricity group had lower peak axial forces (1544 ± 629 vs. 4296 ± 1693 N), inferior displacements (0.2 ± 1.0 vs. 6.6 ± 2.0 mm), and canal occlusions (27 ± 5 vs. 53 ± 15%) and higher peak ipsilateral bending moments (53 ± 17 vs. 3 ± 18 Nm), ipsilateral bending rotations (22 ± 3 vs. 1 ± 2°), and ipsilateral displacements (4.5 ± 1.4 vs. -1.0 ± 1.3 mm, p<0.05 for all comparisons). These results provide new insights to develop prevention, recognition, and treatment strategies for compressive cervical spine injuries with lateral eccentricities. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  6. Reaction of the lateral periodontium of dogs' teeth to contaminated and noncontaminated perforations filled with mineral trioxide aggregate.

    PubMed

    Holland, Roberto; Bisco Ferreira, Luciana; de Souza, Valdir; Otoboni Filho, José Arlindo; Murata, Sueli Satomi; Dezan, Eloi

    2007-10-01

    It has been shown that the mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) used to seal lateral/furcal perforations stimulates the deposition of newly formed cementum. Nevertheless, when the site of the perforation is contaminated, the healing process might occur under less favorable conditions. This study evaluated the repair healing process of noncontaminated and contaminated lateral perforations filled with MTA and the effect of previously filling the contaminated perforations with a bactericidal agent. Thirty lateral root perforations were prepared in endodontically treated dog's teeth, thus forming 3 groups with 10 specimens each. In group 1 the perforations were immediately sealed with MTA. In group 2 the perforations were left open for 7 days and thereafter sealed with MTA. In group 3 the perforations were left open for 7 days, filled temporarily with a calcium hydroxide-based paste for 14 days, and then sealed with MTA. The animals were killed after 90 days, and the pieces were prepared for histomorphologic and histomicrobiologic evaluations. The statistical analysis showed that group 1 had significantly better repair than groups 2 (P < .05) and 3 (P < .05), which validates the superior results obtained when MTA was immediately used to seal root perforations. Groups 2 and 3 had statistically similar repair to each other (P > .05). There were a larger number of cases of complete or partial biologic seal in group 1 compared with the contaminated groups. It might be concluded that the lateral root perforations sealed with MTA after contamination presented worse repair than the noncontaminated, immediately sealed perforations. The temporary filling with a bactericidal agent (calcium hydroxide-based paste) did not improve the repair of perforations exposed to contamination, and the contaminated groups presented similar results to each other.

  7. Location of the tibial tunnel aperture affects extrusion of the lateral meniscus following reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament.

    PubMed

    Kodama, Yuya; Furumatsu, Takayuki; Miyazawa, Shinichi; Fujii, Masataka; Tanaka, Takaaki; Inoue, Hiroto; Ozaki, Toshifumi

    2017-08-01

    The anterior root of the lateral meniscus provides functional stability to the meniscus. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between the position of the tibial tunnel and extrusion of the lateral meniscus after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, where extrusion provides a proxy measure of injury to the anterior root. The relationship between extrusion and tibial tunnel location was retrospectively evaluated from computed tomography and magnetic resonance images of 26 reconstructed knees, contributed by 25 patients aged 17-31 years. A measurement grid was used to localize the position of the tibial tunnel based on anatomical landmarks identified from the three-dimensional reconstruction of axial computed tomography images of the tibial plateaus. The reference point-to-tibial tunnel distance (mm) was defined as the distance from the midpoint of the lateral edge of the grid to the posterolateral aspect of the tunnel aperture. The optimal cutoff of this distance to minimize post-operative extrusion was identified using receiver operating curve analysis. Extrusion of the lateral meniscus was positively correlated to the reference point-to-tibial tunnel distance (r 2  = 0.64; p < 0.001), with a cutoff distance of 5 mm having a sensitivity to extrusion of 83% and specificity of 93%. The mean extrusion for a distance >5 mm was 0.40 ± 0.43 mm, compared to 1.40 ± 0.51 mm for a distance ≤5 mm (p < 0.001). Therefore, a posterolateral location of the tibial tunnel aperture within the footprint of the anterior cruciate ligament decreases the reference point-to-tibial tunnel distance and increases extrusion of the lateral meniscus post-reconstruction. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:1625-1633, 2017. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Randomized clinical efficacy of superficial peeling with 85% lactic acid versus 70% glycolic acid*

    PubMed Central

    Prestes, Paula Souza; de Oliveira, Márcia Motta Maia; Leonardi, Gislaine Ricci

    2013-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Peeling is a procedure which aims to accelerate the process of skin exfoliation. OBJECTIVES Development of formulations containing lactic acid at 85% or glycolic acid at 70% and the evaluation of these formulations on clinical efficacy in reduction of fine wrinkles. METHODS Preliminary stability tests were carried out and an in vivo study was performed with three groups with 9 representatives each. One was the control group, which used only sunscreen; another one used lactic acid+sunscreen, and the last group used acid glycolic+sunscreen. Clinical efficacy was assessed with a CCD color microscope, through the digitization of images before and after treatment. The applications were carried out by a dermatologist, once a mont h every 30 days, during 3 months. The area with wrinkles was calculated by planimetry point counting, in accordance with Mandarin-de-Lacerda. RESULTS The formulations were stable in the visual and Ph evaluation. There was no improvement in the control group; for lactic acid, there was significant improvement after the second peeling application on the outer lateral area of the right eye and after the third application on the outer lateral area of the left eye. For the glycolic acid group, there was significant improvement in the outer lateral area of the left eye after the first application, and of the right eye region, after three applications. The formulations used must be kept under refrigeration and should be manipulated every 30 days. CONCLUSIONS Both peelings were effective in reducing fine wrinkles of the outer lateral eye area after three applications (p≤0.05%). It was observed that peeling efficacy in the external-lateral region of one eye might be different compared with that in skin of the external-lateral region of the other eye, relative to the speed of skin improvement. PMID:24474097

  9. Numerical Evaluation of Forces on Piled Bridge Foundations in Laterally Spreading Soil

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2017-04-01

    The response of piled bridge foundations to liquefaction-induced lateral soil deformation is an important design consideration in seismically active regions. Recent research and case history data suggest that three-dimensional deformation of the appr...

  10. The Development of Self-Regulation across Early Childhood

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Montroy, Janelle J.; Bowles, Ryan P.; Skibbe, Lori E.; McClelland, Megan M.; Morrison, Frederick J.

    2016-01-01

    The development of early childhood self-regulation is often considered an early life marker for later life successes. Yet little longitudinal research has evaluated whether there are different trajectories of self-regulation development across children. This study investigates the development of behavioral self-regulation between the ages of 3 and…

  11. DEVELOPMENT OF THE EPA RELATIVE MOLDINESS INDEX© AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO HEALTH

    EPA Science Inventory

    This study compared two binary classification methods to evaluate the mold condition in 271 homes of infants, 144 of which later developed symptoms of respiratory illness. A method using on-site visual mold inspection was compared to another method using a quantitative index of ...

  12. Predicting Reading Ability for Bilingual Latino Children Using Dynamic Assessment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Petersen, Douglas B.; Gillam, Ronald B.

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated the predictive validity of a dynamic assessment designed to evaluate later risk for reading difficulty in bilingual Latino children at risk for language impairment. During kindergarten, 63 bilingual Latino children completed a dynamic assessment nonsense-word recoding task that yielded pretest to posttest gain scores,…

  13. Phonological Treatment Efficacy and Developmental Norms.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gierut, Judith A.; And Others

    1996-01-01

    Two studies, one within subjects and the other across subjects, evaluated the efficacy of teaching sounds in developmental sequence to nine young children (ages three to five). Treatment of later-acquired phonemes led to systemwide changes in untreated sound classes, whereas treatment of early-acquired phonemes did not. Findings suggest…

  14. Does Right-Sided Language Lateralization on BOLD-fMRI Affect Postoperative Language Outcome for AVM Patients?

    PubMed

    Liu, Zhi; Deng, Xiaofeng; Cao, Yong; Zhao, Yuanli; Zhao, Jizong; Wang, Shuo

    2017-01-01

    For cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) involving language areas, right-sided language lateralization on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been reported, which is regarded as language cortex reorganization. The authors attempted to study if this right-sided language lateralization affects postoperative language outcome. Clinical and imaging data of 43 right-handed AVM patients who underwent preoperative fMRI were retrospectively reviewed. All lesions involved the language cortex, with the Broca area involved in 13 patients and the Wernicke area involved in 30 patients. Lateralization indices (LI) of BOLD signal activations were calculated to determine language lateralization. All patients underwent craniotomy and total resection. Western aphasia battery (WAB) was used to evaluate language functions preoperatively, 1-2 weeks after surgery and 6-30 months after surgery. On preoperative fMRI, right-sided lateralization was observed in 18 patients (41.9%, R Group), including 3 with rightsided lateralization in the Broca area alone, 14 in the Wernicke area alone, and 1 in both areas. The other 25 patients were non-rightsided lateralized (NR Group). One week after surgery, 7 patients in the R Group (38.9%) and 11 patients in the NR Group (44.0%) had language function deterioration, and no significant difference was found (p=0.983). At long-term follow-up, 3 patients in the R Group (16.7%) and 4 patients in the NR Group (16.0%) still had aphasia, and no significant difference was observed (p=1.000). Although right-sided lateralization on fMRI might suggest language cortex reorganization, it is not a factor predicting better postoperative language outcome for AVM patients.

  15. A computed tomography study in the location of greater palatine artery in South Indian population for maxillary osteotomy

    PubMed Central

    Packiaraj, I.; Retnakumar, K.; Anusuya, G. Sai; Rajambigai, M. Aarti; Baskaran, M.; Devadoss, Vimal Joseph

    2016-01-01

    Introduction: The greater palatine artery is one of the important feeding vessel to the maxilla. The surgeon should know the surgical anatomy of greater palatine artery to avoid trauma in maxilla which leads to ischemic problems. Aim: The CT evaluation of the distance between Pyriform aperture and the greater palatine foramen in various ages of both sexes. Result: The distance varies according to sex and age which are measured by CT and standardised. Discussion: The lateral nasal osteotomy can be done upto 25 mm depth, instead of 20 mm. Conclusion: By this study it shows that the lateral nasal wall osteotomy can be performed without injury to greater palatine artery. PMID:27829768

  16. Lateral patellar dislocation: mechanism of disease, radiographic presentation, and management.

    PubMed

    Abramov, Michael; Stock, Harlan

    2013-04-01

    Lateral patellar dislocation is a common injury occurring in young active adults. The mechanism is that of twisting injury to the knee on a planted foot with valgus stress. Several predisposing factors, including femoral trochlear dysplasia, patella alta, and lateralization of the tibial tuberosity, contribute to patellar instability and lateral patellar dislocation. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the knee is the modality of choice to evaluate underlying bone contusion patterns, associated soft-tissue injuries, and additional complex ligamentous and osteochondral injuries, many of which are not apparent on conventional radiographs.

  17. Correlation between permanent tooth eruption pattern and the predominance of the motor function laterality.

    PubMed

    Veloso-Durán, Ana; Vazquez-Salceda, Ma Carmen; López-Jiménez, Julian; Veloso-Durán, Margarita; Puigdollers, Andreu

    2014-09-01

    To asses whether dental eruption order can play a role in the early diagnosis of crossed laterality. Dental eruption pattern along with eye, ear, hand and foot lateralism were examined on 131 children between 6 to 8 years old from public schools from a multietnic population area of Barcelona city. Statistic methods (Statgraphics Plus 5.1 program) were used to evaluate data recollected. Only foot and dentition lateralities behave as independent variables regarding hand laterality. So dental eruption laterality (along with the foot one) would be one of the parameters more related to hand laterality given that dentition variable relationship is greater that the foot one. This suggests that tooth eruption could be more clinically relevant. Crossed laterality hand-foot is significantly more predominant in men (13%) than in women (1,6%). Meanwhile, the relationship between hand and dentition didn't show any influence of sex. Dental eruption order, can be used as a good parameter in the determination of the patient's laterality.

  18. Comparison of distal chevron osteotomy with and without lateral soft tissue release for the treatment of hallux valgus.

    PubMed

    Lee, Ho-Jin; Chung, Jin-Wha; Chu, In-Tak; Kim, Yoon-Chung

    2010-04-01

    A lateral soft tissue release is often performed with distal chevron osteotomy for the correction of hallux valgus deformities. However, many complications of lateral soft tissue release have been reported. To define the necessity of lateral soft tissue release, the authors compared the clinical and radiographic results of distal chevron osteotomy with and without it. 86 consecutive patients (152 feet) were enrolled in this prospective study. In Group A, 45 patients (74 feet) underwent a chevron osteotomy with lateral soft tissue release. In Group B, 41 patients (78 feet) underwent a chevron osteotomy without it. Mean followup was 1.7 years and 2.1 years, respectively. The hallux valgus angle (HVA) and intermetatarsal angle (IMA), and AOFAS score were measured preoperatively, and 1-year followup postoperatively and complications were evaluated. The change in HVA, IMA and AOFAS score were insignificant (p > 0.05) between Group A and Group B, however, the range of motion of the first metatarsophalangeal joint was significantly less in Group A (p < 0.05). Complications of digital neuritis and cosmetically dissatisfied scarring of the dorsal web space were seen only in Group A. No cases had avascular necrosis of the metatarsal head, malunion or nonunion. Lateral soft tissue release may not be needed for mild or moderate hallux valgus deformities which may prevent decreased range of motion of the first metatarsophalangeal joint, neuritis of dorsal or plantar lateral digital nerve and cosmetic dissatisfaction of a dorsal scar.

  19. Early Place-Value Understanding as a Precursor for Later Arithmetic Performance--A Longitudinal Study on Numerical Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moeller, K.; Pixner, S.; Zuber, J.; Kaufmann, L.; Nuerk, H. C.

    2011-01-01

    It is assumed that basic numerical competencies are important building blocks for more complex arithmetic skills. The current study aimed at evaluating this interrelation in a longitudinal approach. It was investigated whether first graders' performance in basic numerical tasks in general as well as specific processes involved (e.g., place-value…

  20. An Empirical Study Comparing Curriculum-Embedded Assessment and Traditional Aptitude Measures for Predicting Job-Related Outcomes for Students with Disabilities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Swisher, Judith D.; Green, Samuel B.

    1998-01-01

    This study examined whether a curriculum-embedded assessment, the Practical Assessment Exploration System (PAES), could be used with students with disabilities to predict job-related outcomes three to five years later. Results with 103 students assessed in seventh and eighth grades suggest that the PAES offers some promise for evaluating student…

  1. Precommercial thinning intensity in longleaf pine: effect on product volume and value

    Treesearch

    John S. Kush; William D. Boyer; Ralph S. Meldahl; George A. Ward

    1998-01-01

    The possible benefit of precommercial thinning in longleaf pine was evaluated from a spacing study initiated in 1967 on the Escambia Experimental Forest in Brewton, AL. The study was established in dense, naturally established, seedling stands 9 years from seed. Plots were thinned to densities of 300, 600, 900, 1200, and 1500 trees/acre. Later, the initial range of...

  2. Celebrating fifty years of research and applications in reminiscence and life review: state of the art and new directions.

    PubMed

    Westerhof, Gerben J; Bohlmeijer, Ernst T

    2014-04-01

    Fifty years ago, psychiatrist Robert Butler (1963) published an influential article on the recollection and evaluation of personal memories in later life. We discuss the major insights and applications in psychological gerontology that were inspired by Butler. Reminiscence and life review serve to create bonds between people, to cope with important life events, and to attribute meaning to life. We discuss a heuristic framework that relates reminiscence and life review to individual and contextual characteristics as well as to psychological resources and mental health and well-being. The increasing evidence is discussed that different types of interventions can effectively promote mental health and well-being in later life. We propose that processes of reminiscence and life review need further study. This can partly be achieved within the current research tradition by longitudinal studies and good trials that also address the processes accounting for effects of interventions. Synergy with psychological studies on autobiographical remembering and life stories will provide further innovation in the field, as these studies provide new methods and evidence of processes linked to the recollection and evaluation of personal memories. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Objective Brow Height Measurements Following Pretrichial Brow Lift and Upper Lid Blepharoplasty

    PubMed Central

    Martin, Matthew; Shah, Christopher T; Attawala, Payal; Neaman, Keith; Meldrum, Melissa; Hassan, Adam S

    2016-01-01

    Background: As the ptotic brow drops below the supraorbital rim, it can exacerbate dermatochalasis by pushing the adjacent skin of the upper lid further down. Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes associated with a combined pretrichial brow lift and upper lid blepharoplasty in patients with dermatochalasis and mild to moderate brow ptosis. Materials and Methods: A retrospective case series of 46 patients with dermatochalasis and mild to moderate brow ptosis treated with a combined, bilateral pretrichial brow lift and upper lid blepharoplasty from January 2008 to December 2011. Main outcome measures included measurements of brow lift at 3 months post-operatively, complications encountered, patient satisfaction and surgeon satisfaction. Results: Outcomes from 46 patients were evaluated. The mean brow lift was 1.85 mm at the lateral canthus, 1.54 mm at the lateral limbus, 1.31 mm at the mid-pupil, and 1.07 mm at the medial limbus. Brow lift at the lateral canthus was significantly more elevated than at the medial limbus (P < 0.001). Minor complications were encountered in seven of 46 patients (15.2%). Mean patient satisfaction score was 3.20 and surgeon satisfaction 3.24 (max = 4, very satisfied). Conclusions: The modified pretrichial brow lift offered effective lateral lift that complements an upper lid blepharoplasty. This technique was met with a high degree of patient and surgeon satisfaction, and had a minimal complication profile. PMID:27398009

  4. Age of first exposure to football and later-life cognitive impairment in former NFL players

    PubMed Central

    Stamm, Julie M.; Bourlas, Alexandra P.; Baugh, Christine M.; Fritts, Nathan G.; Daneshvar, Daniel H.; Martin, Brett M.; McClean, Michael D.; Tripodis, Yorghos

    2015-01-01

    Objective: To determine the relationship between exposure to repeated head impacts through tackle football prior to age 12, during a key period of brain development, and later-life executive function, memory, and estimated verbal IQ. Methods: Forty-two former National Football League (NFL) players ages 40–69 from the Diagnosing and Evaluating Traumatic Encephalopathy using Clinical Tests (DETECT) study were matched by age and divided into 2 groups based on their age of first exposure (AFE) to tackle football: AFE <12 and AFE ≥12. Participants completed the Wisconsin Card Sort Test (WCST), Neuropsychological Assessment Battery List Learning test (NAB-LL), and Wide Range Achievement Test, 4th edition (WRAT-4) Reading subtest as part of a larger neuropsychological testing battery. Results: Former NFL players in the AFE <12 group performed significantly worse than the AFE ≥12 group on all measures of the WCST, NAB-LL, and WRAT-4 Reading tests after controlling for total number of years of football played and age at the time of evaluation, indicating executive dysfunction, memory impairment, and lower estimated verbal IQ. Conclusions: There is an association between participation in tackle football prior to age 12 and greater later-life cognitive impairment measured using objective neuropsychological tests. These findings suggest that incurring repeated head impacts during a critical neurodevelopmental period may increase the risk of later-life cognitive impairment. If replicated with larger samples and longitudinal designs, these findings may have implications for safety recommendations for youth sports. PMID:25632088

  5. Age of first exposure to football and later-life cognitive impairment in former NFL players.

    PubMed

    Stamm, Julie M; Bourlas, Alexandra P; Baugh, Christine M; Fritts, Nathan G; Daneshvar, Daniel H; Martin, Brett M; McClean, Michael D; Tripodis, Yorghos; Stern, Robert A

    2015-03-17

    To determine the relationship between exposure to repeated head impacts through tackle football prior to age 12, during a key period of brain development, and later-life executive function, memory, and estimated verbal IQ. Forty-two former National Football League (NFL) players ages 40-69 from the Diagnosing and Evaluating Traumatic Encephalopathy using Clinical Tests (DETECT) study were matched by age and divided into 2 groups based on their age of first exposure (AFE) to tackle football: AFE <12 and AFE ≥12. Participants completed the Wisconsin Card Sort Test (WCST), Neuropsychological Assessment Battery List Learning test (NAB-LL), and Wide Range Achievement Test, 4th edition (WRAT-4) Reading subtest as part of a larger neuropsychological testing battery. Former NFL players in the AFE <12 group performed significantly worse than the AFE ≥12 group on all measures of the WCST, NAB-LL, and WRAT-4 Reading tests after controlling for total number of years of football played and age at the time of evaluation, indicating executive dysfunction, memory impairment, and lower estimated verbal IQ. There is an association between participation in tackle football prior to age 12 and greater later-life cognitive impairment measured using objective neuropsychological tests. These findings suggest that incurring repeated head impacts during a critical neurodevelopmental period may increase the risk of later-life cognitive impairment. If replicated with larger samples and longitudinal designs, these findings may have implications for safety recommendations for youth sports. © 2015 American Academy of Neurology.

  6. Rapid Salmonella detection in experimentally inoculated equine faecal and veterinary hospital environmental samples using commercially available lateral flow immunoassays.

    PubMed

    Burgess, B A; Noyes, N R; Bolte, D S; Hyatt, D R; van Metre, D C; Morley, P S

    2015-01-01

    Salmonella enterica is the most commonly reported cause of outbreaks of nosocomial infections in large animal veterinary teaching hospitals and the closure of equine hospitals. Rapid detection may facilitate effective control practices in equine populations. Shipping and laboratory testing typically require ≥48 h to obtain results. Lateral flow immunoassays developed for use in food-safety microbiology provide an alternative that has not been evaluated for use with faeces or environmental samples. We aimed to identify enrichment methods that would allow commercially available rapid Salmonella detection systems (lateral flow immunoassays) to be used in clinical practice with equine faecal and environmental samples, providing test results in 18-24 h. In vitro experiment. Equine faecal and environmental samples were inoculated with known quantities of S. enterica serotype Typhimurium and cultured using 2 different enrichment techniques for faeces and 4 enrichment techniques for environmental samples. Samples were tested blindly using 2 different lateral flow immunoassays and plated on agar media for confirmatory testing. In general, commercial lateral flow immunoassays resulted in fewer false-negative test results with enrichment of 1 g faecal samples in tetrathionate for 18 h, while all environmental sample enrichment techniques resulted in similar detection rates. The limit of detection from spiked samples, ∼4 colony-forming units/g, was similar for all methods evaluated. The lateral flow immunoassays evaluated could reliably detect S. enterica within 18 h, indicating that they may be useful for rapid point-of-care testing in equine practice applications. Additional evaluation is needed using samples from naturally infected cases and the environment to gain an accurate estimate of test sensitivity and specificity and to substantiate further the true value of these tests in clinical practice. © 2014 EVJ Ltd.

  7. Comparison of the different kinematic patterns during lateral bending between subjects with and without recurrent low back pain.

    PubMed

    Sung, Paul S; Danial, Pamela; Lee, Dongchul C

    2016-10-01

    Lateral bending is a prerequisite for various functional activities of daily life, which require combined three-dimensional motion. Even though a number of studies have evaluated spinal kinematic changes during lateral bending, the literature reveals a lack of data based on limb dominance. The purpose of this study was to compare kinematic angular displacement of the spinal regions for dominant and non-dominant lateral bending in subjects with and without recurrent low back pain. Forty-four right hand dominant individuals with recurrent low back pain (43.1 [17.4] years) and without low back pain (39.7 [18.7] years) participated in this study. All participants were asked to perform trunk lateral bending to the dominant and non-dominant sides with a bar, three times repeatedly. The outcome measures included three-dimensional angular displacements for the three regions of the spine (upper thorax, lower thorax, and lumbar spine). Lumbar rotation (degrees) increased to the dominant side in the low back pain group (9.29 [1.06]) compared to the control group (6.20 [1.02]) with increased rotation in the upper thorax as well (t=-2.09, p=0.04). However, the upper thorax rotation increased in the low back pain group to the non-dominant side (t=2.08, p=0.03) and to the dominant side (t=-2.35, p=0.02). There was a group interaction with planes (F=5.82, p=0.02) during lateral bending. Although lower thorax motion was not different between groups, increased lumbar spine and upper thorax rotations to the dominant side in the low back pain group were evident during lateral bending. This directional asymmetry should be carefully monitored to understand increased lumbar rotation to the dominant side in subjects with recurrent low back pain. The interactions between group and plane explain compensation strategies through increased lumbar rotation to the dominant side with decreased lateral bending of the upper thorax in subjects with recurrent low back pain. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Experience of childhood abuse and later number of remaining teeth in older Japanese: a life-course study from Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study project.

    PubMed

    Matsuyama, Yusuke; Fujiwara, Takeo; Aida, Jun; Watt, Richard G; Kondo, Naoki; Yamamoto, Tatsuo; Kondo, Katsunori; Osaka, Ken

    2016-12-01

    From a life-course perspective, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) such as childhood abuse are known risk factors for adult diseases and death throughout life. ACEs could also cause poor dental health in later life because they could induce poor dental health in childhood, initiate unhealthy behaviors, and lower immune and physiological functions. However, it is not known whether ACEs have a longitudinal adverse effect on dental health in older age. This study aimed to investigate the association between experience of childhood abuse until the age of 18 and current number of remaining teeth among a sample of older Japanese adults. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES), a large-scale, self-reported survey in 2013 including 27 525 community-dwelling Japanese aged ≥65 years (response rate=71.1%). The outcome, current number of remaining teeth was used categorically: ≥20, 10-19, 5-9, 1-4, and no teeth. Childhood abuse was defined as having any experience of physical abuse, psychological abuse, and psychological neglect up until the age of 18 years. Ordered logistic regression models were applied. Of the 25 189 respondents who indicated their number of remaining teeth (mean age: 73.9; male: 46.5%), 14.8% had experience of childhood abuse. Distributions of ≥20, 10-19, 5-9, 1-4, and no teeth were as follows: 46.6%, 22.0%, 11.4%, 8.2%, and 11.8% among respondents with childhood abuse, while 52.3%, 21.3%, 10.3%, 6.6%, and 9.5% among respondents without childhood abuse. Childhood abuse was significantly associated with fewer remaining teeth after adjusting for covariates including socioeconomic status (odds ratio=1.14; 95% confidence interval: 1.06, 1.22). Childhood abuse could have a longitudinal adverse effect on later dental health in older age. This study emphasizes the importance of early life experiences on dental health throughout later life. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Effect of localizer radiograph on radiation dose associated with automatic exposure control: human cadaver and patient study.

    PubMed

    Singh, Sarabjeet; Petrovic, Dean; Jamnik, Ethen; Aran, Shima; Pourjabbar, Sarvenaz; Kave, Maggie L; Bradley, Stephen E; Choy, Garry; Kalra, Mannudeep K

    2014-01-01

    To evaluate the effect of localizing radiograph on computed tomography (CT) radiation dose associated with automatic exposure control with a human cadaver and patient study. Institutional review board approved the study with a waiver of informed consent. Two chest CT image series with fixed tube current and combined longitudinal-angular automatic exposure control (AEC) were acquired in a human cadaver (64-year-old man) after each of the 8 combinations of localizer radiographs (anteroposterior [AP], AP lateral, AP-posteroanterior [PA], lateral AP, lateral PA, PA, PA-AP, and PA lateral). Applied effective milliampere second, volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) and image noise were recorded for all 24-image series. Volume CT dose indexes were also recorded in 20 patients undergoing chest and abdominal CT after PA and PA-lateral radiographs with the use of AEC. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance and linear correlation tests. With AEC, the CTDIvol fluctuates with the number and projection of localizer radiographs (P < 0.0001). Lowest CTDIvol values are seen when 2 orthogonal localizer radiographs are acquired, whereas highest values are seen when single PA or AP-PA projection localizer radiographs are acquired for planning (P < 0.0001). In 20 patients, CT scanning with AEC after acquisition of 2 orthogonal projection localizer radiographs was associated with significant reduction in radiation dose compared to PA projection radiographs alone (P < 0.0001). When scanning with AEC, acquisition of 2 orthogonal localizer radiographs is associated with lower CTDIvol compared to a single localizer radiograph.

  10. Lateral Intercondylar Ridge: Is it a reliable landmark for femoral ACL insertion?: An anatomical study.

    PubMed

    Bhattacharyya, Rahul; Ker, Andrew; Fogg, Quentin; Spencer, Simon J; Joseph, Jibu

    2018-02-01

    Incorrect femoral tunnel placement is the most common cause of graft failure during Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Reconstruction. A reliable landmark can minimize errors. To identify whether the Lateral Intercondylar Ridge (LIR) is a consistent anatomical structure and define its relationship with the femoral ACL insertion. Phase 1: we studied 23 femoral dry bone specimens macroscopically. Using a digital microscribe, the medial surface of the lateral femoral condyle was reconstructed (3D) to evaluate whether there was an identifiable bony ridge. Phase 2: 7 cadaveric specimens with intact soft tissues were dissected to identify the femoral ACL insertion. A 3D reconstruction of the femoral ACL insertion and the surface allowed us to define the relationship between the LIR and the ACL insertion. All specimens had a defined LIR on the medial surface of the lateral femoral condyle. The ridge was consistently located just anterior to the femoral ACL insertion. The ACL footprint was present in the depression between the ridge and the Inferior Articular Cartilage Margin (IACM). The mean distance from the midpoint of the IACM to the LIR was 10.1 mm. This is the first study to use the microscribe to digitally reconstruct the medial surface of the lateral femoral condyle. It shows that the LIR is a consistent anatomical structure that defines the anterior margin of the femoral ACL insertion, which guides femoral tunnel placement. Our findings support the ruler technique, which is a commonly used method for anatomic single bundle ACL reconstruction. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Evaluation of the diagnostic accuracy of four-view radiography and conventional computed tomography analysing sacral and pelvic fractures in dogs.

    PubMed

    Stieger-Vanegas, S M; Senthirajah, S K J; Nemanic, S; Baltzer, W; Warnock, J; Bobe, G

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of our study was (1) to determine whether four-view radiography of the pelvis is as reliable and accurate as computed tomography (CT) in diagnosing sacral and pelvic fractures, in addition to coxofemoral and sacroiliac joint subluxation or luxation, and (2) to evaluate the effect of the amount of training in reading diagnostic imaging studies on the accuracy of diagnosing sacral and pelvic fractures in dogs. Sacral and pelvic fractures were created in 11 canine cadavers using a lateral impactor. In all cadavers, frog-legged ventro-dorsal, lateral, right and left ventro-45°-medial to dorsolateral oblique frog leg ("rollover 45-degree view") radiographs and a CT of the pelvis were obtained. Two radiologists, two surgeons and two veterinary students classified fractures using a confidence scale and noted the duration of evaluation for each imaging modality and case. The imaging results were compared to gross dissection. All evaluators required significantly more time to analyse CT images compared to radiographic images. Sacral and pelvic fractures, specifically those of the sacral body, ischiatic table, and the pubic bone, were more accurately diagnosed using CT compared to radiography. Fractures of the acetabulum and iliac body were diagnosed with similar accuracy (at least 86%) using either modality. Computed tomography is a better method for detecting canine sacral and some pelvic fractures compared to radiography. Computed tomography provided an accuracy of close to 100% in persons trained in evaluating CT images.

  12. How stressful are 105 days of isolation? Sleep EEG patterns and tonic cortisol in healthy volunteers simulating manned flight to Mars.

    PubMed

    Gemignani, Angelo; Piarulli, Andrea; Menicucci, Danilo; Laurino, Marco; Rota, Giuseppina; Mastorci, Francesca; Gushin, Vadim; Shevchenko, Olga; Garbella, Erika; Pingitore, Alessandro; Sebastiani, Laura; Bergamasco, Massimo; L'Abbate, Antonio; Allegrini, Paolo; Bedini, Remo

    2014-08-01

    Spaceflights "environment" negatively affects sleep and its functions. Among the different causes promoting sleep alterations, such as circadian rhythms disruption and microgravity, stress is of great interest also for earth-based sleep medicine. This study aims to evaluate the relationships between stress related to social/environmental confinement and sleep in six healthy volunteers involved in the simulation of human flight to Mars (MARS500). Volunteers were sealed in a spaceship simulator for 105 days and studied at 5 specific time-points of the simulation period. Sleep EEG, urinary cortisol (24 h preceding sleep EEG recording) and subjectively perceived stress levels were collected. Cognitive abilities and emotional state were evaluated before and after the simulation. Sleep EEG parameters in the time (latency, duration) and frequency (power and hemispheric lateralization) domains were evaluated. Neither cognitive and emotional functions alterations nor abnormal stress levels were found. Higher cortisol levels were associated to: (i) decrease of sleep duration, increase of arousals, and shortening of REM latency; (ii) reduction of delta power and enhancement of sigma and beta in NREM N3; and (iii) left lateralization of delta activity (NREM and REM) and right lateralization of beta activity (NREM). Stressful conditions, even with cortisol fluctuations in the normal range, alter sleep structure and sleep EEG spectral content, mirroring pathological conditions such as primary insomnia or insomnia associated to depression. Correlations between cortisol fluctuations and sleep changes suggest a covert risk for developing allostatic load, and thus the need to develop ad-hoc countermeasures for preventing sleep alterations in long lasting manned space missions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Evaluation of efficacy of a pulse oximeter to assess pulp vitality.

    PubMed

    Sadique, Mohammed; Ravi, S V; Thomas, Kunjamma; Dhanapal, Prasanth; Simon, Elsy P; Shaheen, Mohammed

    2014-06-01

    To evaluate the efficacy of pulse oximeter as a pulp vitality tester. The sample group consisted of 60 patients of age 15 to 30 years with normal maxillary anterior teeth. Thirty nonvital teeth with complete endodontic fillings were tested as control group. Systemic oxygen saturation values from the patient's fingers served as the control sample for comparison of pulp oxygen saturation values. Readings were recorded on index fingers first; teeth were then evaluated by placing sensor onto the tooth. Nonvital teeth recorded oxygen saturation values of 0%. The mean value for central incisor was 85.11 (SD ± 2.07), for lateral incisors 80.21 (SD ± 2.03) and for canines 89.55 (SD ± 1.09). Their control values (patient's index fingers) averaged 95.88% (SD ± 0.66). Pearson's correlation analysis showed a correlation of 0.11 for central incisors, 0.19 for lateral incisors and 0.12 for canines. This study confirms that pulse oximeter is effective equipment for pulp vitality testing. Pulse oximeter evidences the actual method of evaluating the pulp vitality compared to contemporary methods. How to cite the article: Sadique M, Ravi SV, Thomas K, Dhanapal P, Simon EP, Shaheen M. Evaluation of efficacy of a pulse oximeter to assess pulp vitality. J Int Oral Health 2014;6(3):70-2.

  14. Evaluation of grades 3 and 4 chondromalacia of the knee using T2*-weighted 3D gradient-echo articular cartilage imaging.

    PubMed

    Murphy, B J

    2001-06-01

    To determine the accuracy of T2*-weighted three-dimensional (3D) gradient-echo articular cartilage imaging in the identification of grades 3 and 4 chondromalacia of the knee. A retrospective evaluation of 80 patients who underwent both arthroscopic and MRI evaluation was performed. The 3D images were interpreted by one observer without knowledge of the surgical results. The medial and lateral femoral condyles, the medial and lateral tibial plateau, the patellar cartilage and trochlear groove were evaluated. MR cartilage images were considered positive if focal reduction of cartilage thickness was present (grade 3 chondromalacia) or if complete loss of cartilage was present (grade 4 chondromalacia). Comparison of the 3D MR results with the arthroscopic findings was performed. Eighty patients were included in the study group. A total of 480 articular cartilage sites were evaluated with MRI and arthroscopy. Results of MR identification of grades 3 and 4 chondromalacia, all sites combined, were: sensitivity 83%, specificity 97%, false negative rate 17%, false positive rate 3%, positive predictive value 87%, negative predictive value 95%, overall accuracy 93%. The results demonstrate that T2*-weighted 3D gradient-echo articular cartilage imaging can identify grades 3 and 4 chondromalacia of the knee.

  15. Maxillary anterior ridge augmentation with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2.

    PubMed

    Edmunds, Ryan K; Mealey, Brian L; Mills, Michael P; Thoma, Daniel S; Schoolfield, John; Cochran, David L; Mellonig, Jim

    2014-01-01

    No human studies exist on the use of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2 (rhBMP-2) on an absorbable collagen sponge (ACS) as a sole graft material for lateral ridge augmentation in large ridge defect sites. This series evaluates the treatment outcome of maxillary anterior lateral ridge augmentation with rhBMP-2/ACS. Twenty patients were treated with rhBMP-2/ACS and fixation screws for space maintenance. Cone beam volumetric tomography measurements were used to determine gain in ridge width, and a bone core biopsy was obtained. The mean horizontal ridge gain was 1.2 mm across sites, and every site gained width.

  16. Development of a single-axis ultrasonic levitator and the study of the radial particle oscillations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baer, Sebastian; Andrade, Marco A. B.; Esen, Cemal; Adamowski, Julio Cezar; Ostendorf, Andreas

    2012-05-01

    This work describes the development and analysis of a new single-axis acoustic levitator, which consists of a 38 kHz Langevin-type piezoelectric transducer with a concave radiating surface and a concave reflector. The new levitator design allows to significantly reducing the electric power necessary to levitate particles and to stabilize the levitated sample in both radial and axial directions. In this investigation the lateral oscillations of a levitated particle were measured with a single point Laser Doppler Vibrometer (LDV) and an image evaluation technique. The lateral oscillations were measured for different values of particle diameter, particle density and applied electrical power.

  17. Drilling through lateral transmuscular portal lowers the risk of suprascapular nerve injury during arthroscopic SLAP repair.

    PubMed

    Kocaoglu, Baris; Ulku, Tekin Kerem; Sayilir, Safiye; Ozbaydar, Mehmet Ugur; Bayramoglu, Alp; Karahan, Mustafa

    2017-10-01

    The aim of our study was to evaluate the risk of medial glenoid perforation and possible injury to suprascapular nerve during arthroscopic SLAP repair using lateral transmuscular portal. Ten cadaveric shoulder girdles were isolated and drilled at superior glenoid rim from both anterior-superior portal (1 o'clock) and lateral transmuscular portal (12 o'clock) for SLAP repairs. Drill hole depth was determined by the manufacturer's drill stop (20 mm), and any subsequent drill perforations through the medial bony surface of the glenoid were directly confirmed by dissection. The bone tunnel depth and subsequent distance to the suprascapular nerve, scapular height and width, were compared for investigated locations. Four perforations out of ten (40 %) occurred through anterior-superior portal with one associated nerve injury. One perforation out of ten (10 %) occurred through lateral transmuscular portal without any nerve injury. The mean depth was calculated as 17.6 mm (SD 3) for anterior-superior portal and 26.5 mm (SD 3.6) for lateral transmuscular portal (P < 0.001). It is anatomically possible that suprascapular nerve could sustain iatrogenic injury during labral anchor placement during SLAP repair. However, lateral transmuscular portal at 12 o'clock drill entry location has lower risk of suprascapular nerve injury compared with anterior-superior portal at 1 o'clock drill entry location.

  18. Biomechanical mechanism of lateral trunk lean gait for knee osteoarthritis patients.

    PubMed

    Tokuda, Kazuki; Anan, Masaya; Takahashi, Makoto; Sawada, Tomonori; Tanimoto, Kenji; Kito, Nobuhiro; Shinkoda, Koichi

    2018-01-03

    The biomechanical mechanism of lateral trunk lean gait employed to reduce external knee adduction moment (KAM) for knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients is not well known. This mechanism may relate to the center of mass (COM) motion. Moreover, lateral trunk lean gait may affect motor control of the COM displacement. Uncontrolled manifold (UCM) analysis is an evaluation index used to understand motor control and variability of the motor task. Here we aimed to clarify the biomechanical mechanism to reduce KAM during lateral trunk lean gait and how motor variability controls the COM displacement. Twenty knee OA patients walked under two conditions: normal and lateral trunk lean gait conditions. UCM analysis was performed with respect to the COM displacement in the frontal plane. We also determined how the variability is structured with regards to the COM displacement as a performance variable. The peak KAM under lateral trunk lean gait was lower than that under normal gait. The reduced peak KAM observed was accompanied by medially shifted knee joint center, shortened distance of the center of pressure to knee joint center, and shortened distance of the knee-ground reaction force lever arm during the stance phase. Knee OA patients with lateral trunk lean gait could maintain kinematic synergy by utilizing greater segmental configuration variance to the performance variable. However, the COM displacement variability of lateral trunk lean gait was larger than that of normal gait. Our findings may provide clinical insights to effectively evaluate and prescribe gait modification training for knee OA patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. The relationship between caregiving self-efficacy and depressive symptoms in family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer disease: a longitudinal study.

    PubMed

    Grano, Caterina; Lucidi, Fabio; Violani, Cristiano

    2017-07-01

    Caregiving for a relative with dementia has been associated with negative consequences for mental health. Self-efficacy has been shown to correlate negatively with depression but the long-term association between caregiver burden, caregiver self-efficacy, and depressive symptoms, remains still largely unexplored. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether different self-efficacy domains partially mediated the relationship between caregiving burden and depression. A three-wave design was used, with initial assessment and follow-ups three months later and one year later. One hundred seventy caregivers of patients with AD responded to measures of caregiver burden, caregiving self-efficacy, and depressive symptoms. Data were analyzed by means of structural equation models. The tested model provided support for the guiding hypothesis. Burden at the time of the first assessment (T1) significantly influenced depression one year later and the relationship between burden at time one and depressive symptoms one year later was partially mediated by self-efficacy for controlling upsetting thoughts. The findings of the present study provide evidence that, along a considerable length of time, the effects of caregiver burden on depressive symptoms can be explained by the caregivers' efficacy beliefs in controlling upsetting thoughts related to the caregiving tasks. Interventions for caregivers of patients with AD may help them in tackling negative thoughts about the caregiving role.

  20. Examination of center of pressure displacement and muscle activity of the hip girdle muscles on lateral movement in the sitting position, focusing on kinematic features before and after the start of exercise.

    PubMed

    Ikeda, Kouji; Suehiro, Kenji; Kizu, Akito; Kunieda, Hideki; Takasaki, Hirokazu; Suzuki, Toshiaki

    2017-03-01

    [Purpose] This study aimed to evaluate the kinematic characteristics at the start of lateral movement in the sitting position, for application in physical therapy. [Subjects and Methods] Eleven healthy male subjects (mean age, 24.8 ± 3.7 years) were included in the study after they provided informed consent. The electromyographic activities of the tensor fascia lata, gluteus medius, and rectus femoris, and the center of pressure (COP) displacement during lateral reach in the sitting position were measured. The task was recorded on video for analysis. [Results] In almost all subjects, before the beginning of the task, the electromyographic activity in the opposite side of each studied muscle was recorded, and the opposite and anterior displacement of the COP was observed. The video analysis revealed that all subjects showed lateral displacement of the thoracic part of the trunk after the start of the task. However, the lumbar region and pelvis maintained their starting positions. [Conclusion] COP displacement occurred in the reverse reaction before the task, and this involved the hip girdle muscles of the opposite side. A reverse reaction displaced the pelvis to the opposite side to ensure instability of posture through side tilting of the trunk at the beginning of the task.

  1. Examination of center of pressure displacement and muscle activity of the hip girdle muscles on lateral movement in the sitting position, focusing on kinematic features before and after the start of exercise

    PubMed Central

    Ikeda, Kouji; Suehiro, Kenji; Kizu, Akito; Kunieda, Hideki; Takasaki, Hirokazu; Suzuki, Toshiaki

    2017-01-01

    [Purpose] This study aimed to evaluate the kinematic characteristics at the start of lateral movement in the sitting position, for application in physical therapy. [Subjects and Methods] Eleven healthy male subjects (mean age, 24.8 ± 3.7 years) were included in the study after they provided informed consent. The electromyographic activities of the tensor fascia lata, gluteus medius, and rectus femoris, and the center of pressure (COP) displacement during lateral reach in the sitting position were measured. The task was recorded on video for analysis. [Results] In almost all subjects, before the beginning of the task, the electromyographic activity in the opposite side of each studied muscle was recorded, and the opposite and anterior displacement of the COP was observed. The video analysis revealed that all subjects showed lateral displacement of the thoracic part of the trunk after the start of the task. However, the lumbar region and pelvis maintained their starting positions. [Conclusion] COP displacement occurred in the reverse reaction before the task, and this involved the hip girdle muscles of the opposite side. A reverse reaction displaced the pelvis to the opposite side to ensure instability of posture through side tilting of the trunk at the beginning of the task. PMID:28356627

  2. A Smart Unconscious? Procedural Origins of Automatic Partner Attitudes in Marriage

    PubMed Central

    Murray, Sandra L.; Holmes, John G.; Pinkus, Rebecca T.

    2010-01-01

    The paper examines potential origins of automatic (i.e., unconscious) attitudes toward one’s marital partner. It tests the hypothesis that early experiences in conflict-of-interest situations predict one’s later automatic inclination to approach (or avoid) the partner. A longitudinal study linked daily experiences in conflict-of-interest situations in the initial months of new marriages to automatic evaluations of the partner assessed four years later using the Implicit Associations Test. The results revealed that partners who were initially (1) treated less responsively and (2) evidenced more self-protective and less connectedness-promoting “if-then” contingencies in their thoughts and behavior later evidenced less positive automatic partner attitudes. However, these factors did not predict changes in love, satisfaction, or explicit beliefs about the partner. The findings hint at the existence of a “smart” relationship unconscious that captures behavioral realities conscious reflection can miss. PMID:20526450

  3. Evaluation of the tire pressure influence on the lateral forces that occur between tire and road

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cordoş, N.; Todoruţ, A.; Barabás, I.

    2017-10-01

    The main objective of the paper is to capture the behavior of a vehicle on a race circuit, depending on the different inflation pressures of the tires (underpressure and overpressure). Taking into account that in the cornering the forces and the moments of inertia rise due the vehicle mass, and an inertial force decomposes in two components, one in the longitudinal plane and one in the transverse plane, the work aims the assessing the lateral forces that appear, to the contact between the tires and the tread, depending on the inflation pressure. The results have a graphic interpretation, enabling a comparative study of them. Results have been obtained regarding the lateral tire forces that occur between the tire and the road. The differences between these forces were particularly noticeable in cornering, and the differences between these forces were interpreted according to the tire inflation pressure.

  4. Optimisation of lateral car dynamics taking into account parameter uncertainties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Busch, Jochen; Bestle, Dieter

    2014-02-01

    Simulation studies on an active all-wheel-steering car show that disturbance of vehicle parameters have high influence on lateral car dynamics. This motivates the need of robust design against such parameter uncertainties. A specific parametrisation is established combining deterministic, velocity-dependent steering control parameters with partly uncertain, velocity-independent vehicle parameters for simultaneous use in a numerical optimisation process. Model-based objectives are formulated and summarised in a multi-objective optimisation problem where especially the lateral steady-state behaviour is improved by an adaption strategy based on measurable uncertainties. The normally distributed uncertainties are generated by optimal Latin hypercube sampling and a response surface based strategy helps to cut down time consuming model evaluations which offers the possibility to use a genetic optimisation algorithm. Optimisation results are discussed in different criterion spaces and the achieved improvements confirm the validity of the proposed procedure.

  5. Field observation of advance warning/advisory signage for passive railway crossings with restricted lateral sightline visibility: an experimental investigation.

    PubMed

    Ward, N J; Wilde, G J

    1995-04-01

    This study evaluated a newly proposed series of signs intended for passive crossings with restrictions to lateral sightline visibility. These signs provide advance warning of a crossing and the restriction to lateral visibility. In addition, the signs advise motorists to come to a complete stop before crossing. Motorist behaviour was examined before and after installation of these signs at a rural passive crossing. A second site was observed in parallel to control partially for any confounding effects. Results indicated that motorists reduced speed and searched approach quadrants longer at points in the approachway after installation of the signs. However, there was no reliable increase in the number of motorists coming to complete stop, engaging in search behaviours, or classified as safe. The results are discussed in terms of reasons for the lack of compliance with the sign advisory.

  6. Predictors of Study Attrition in a Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating a Perinatal Home-Visiting Program with Mothers with Psychosocial Vulnerabilities

    PubMed Central

    Foulon, Stéphanie; Greacen, Tim; Pasquet, Blandine; Dugravier, Romain; Saïas, Thomas; Guedeney, Nicole; Guedeney, Antoine; Tubach, Florence

    2015-01-01

    Objective Randomised controlled trials evaluating perinatal home-visiting programs are frequently confronted with the problem of high attrition rates. The aim of the present study is to identify predictors of study attrition in a trial evaluating a perinatal home-visiting program in France. Materials and Methods CAPEDP is a French randomized trial comparing a perinatal home-visiting program using psychologists versus usual care (N = 440). The first assessment was at inclusion into the trial at the 27th week of pregnancy and the final assessment when the child reached the age of two. Attrition rates were calculated at 3 and 24 months postpartum. Stepwise logistic regression was used to identify predictors of early (between inclusion and 3 months postpartum) and later (between 3 and 24 months postpartum) attrition among social, psychological and parenting factors. Results Attrition rates were 17% and 63% at 3 and 24 months respectively. At 24 months, there was significantly more attrition in the control arm (70.6%) compared to the intervention arm (55.2%). Five independent predictors of early attrition were identified: having already had an abortion; having greater attachment insecurity as measured with the Vulnerable Attachment Style Questionnaire (VASQ); having lower global severity of psychiatric symptoms as assessed with the Symptom Check-List (SCL-90) at inclusion, being neither currently employed nor studying; and declaring no tobacco consumption during pregnancy. Being randomized into the control arm, having undergone early parental loss before age 11 and having lower global severity of psychiatric symptoms (SCL-90) at 3 months postpartum were the only variables associated with later attrition. Conclusion This study provides key information for identifying mothers who may require specific support to avoid study attrition in trials evaluating a home-visiting program. PMID:26554839

  7. Biomechanical study of anterior spinal instrumentation configurations

    PubMed Central

    Cloutier, Luc P.; Grimard, Guy

    2007-01-01

    The biomechanical impact of the surgical instrumentation configuration for spine surgery is hard to evaluate by the surgeons in pre-operative situation. This study was performed to evaluate different configurations of the anterior instrumentation of the spine, with simulated post-operative conditions, to recommend configurations to the surgeons. Four biomechanical parameters of the anterior instrumentation with simulated post-operative conditions have been studied. They were the screw diameter (5.5–7.5 mm) and its angle (0°–22.5°), the bone grip of the screw (mono–bi cortical) and the amount of instrumented levels (5–8). Eight configurations were tested using an experimental plan with instrumented synthetic spinal models. A follower load was applied and the models were loaded in flexion, torsion and lateral bending. At 5 Nm, average final stiffness was greater in flexion (0.92 Nm/°) than in lateral bending (0.56 Nm/°) and than in torsion (0.26 Nm/°). The screw angle was the parameter influencing the most the final stiffness and the coupling behaviors. It has a significant effect (p ≤ 0.05) on increasing the final stiffness for a 22.5° screw angle in flexion and for a coronal screw angle (0°) in lateral bending. The bi-cortical bone grip of the screw significantly increased the initial stiffness in flexion and lateral bending. Mathematical models representing the behavior of an instrumented spinal model have been used to identify optimal instrumentation configurations. A variation of the angle of the screw from 22.5° to 0° gave a global final stiffness diminution of 13% and a global coupling diminution of 40%. The screw angle was the most important parameter affecting the stiffness and the coupling of the instrumented spine with simulated post-operative conditions. Information about the effect of four different biomechanical parameters will be helpful in preoperative situations to guide surgeons in their clinical choices. PMID:17205240

  8. Variable parameter McCarthy-Muskingum routing method considering lateral flow

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yadav, Basant; Perumal, Muthiah; Bardossy, Andras

    2015-04-01

    The fully mass conservative variable parameter McCarthy-Muskingum (VPMM) method recently proposed by Perumal and Price (2013) for routing floods in channels and rivers without considering lateral flow is extended herein for accounting uniformly distributed lateral flow contribution along the reach. The proposed procedure is applied for studying flood wave movement in a 24.2 km river stretch between Rottweil and Oberndorf gauging stations of Neckar River in Germany wherein significant lateral flow contribution by intermediate catchment rainfall prevails during flood wave movement. The geometrical elements of the cross-sectional information of the considered routing river stretch without considering lateral flow are estimated using the Robust Parameter Estimation (ROPE) algorithm that allows for arriving at the best performing set of bed width and side slope of a trapezoidal section. The performance of the VPMM method is evaluated using the Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiency criterion as the objective function to be maximized using the ROPE algorithm. The twenty-seven flood events in the calibration set are considered to identify the relationship between 'total rainfall' and 'total losses' as well as to optimize the geometric characteristics of the prismatic channel (width and slope of the trapezoidal section). Based on this analysis, a relationship between total rainfall and total loss of the intermediate catchment is obtained and then used to estimate the lateral flow in the reach. Assuming the lateral flow hydrograph is of the form of inflow hydrograph and using the total intervening catchment runoff estimated from the relationship, the uniformly distributed lateral flow rate qL at any instant of time is estimated for its use in the VPMM routing method. All the 27 flood events are simulated using this routing approach considering lateral flow along the reach. Many of these simulations are able to simulate the observed hydrographs very closely. The proposed approach of accounting lateral flow using the VPMM method is independently verified by routing flood hydrograph of 6 flood events which are not used in the total rainfall vs total loss relationship established for the intervening catchment of the studied river reach. Close reproduction of the outflow hydrographs of these independent events using the proposed VPMM method accounting for lateral flow demonstrate the practical utility of the method.

  9. Evaluation of the effects of a VEGFR-2 inhibitor compound on alanine aminotransferase gene expression and enzymatic activity in the rat liver

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Traditional assessment of drug-induced hepatotoxicity includes morphological examination of the liver and evaluation of liver enzyme activity in serum. The objective of the study was to determine the origin of drug-related elevation in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity in the absence of morphologic changes in the liver by utilizing molecular and immunohistochemical techniques. Methods Sixteen female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 2 groups (control and treated, n = 4 per group) and treated rats were dosed orally twice daily (400 mg/kg/day) for 7 days with a VEGFR-2 compound (AG28262), which in a previous study caused ALT elevation without morphological changes. Serum of both treated and control animals were evaluated on day 3 of treatment and at day 8. Three separate liver lobes (caudate, right medial, and left lateral) were examined for determination of ALT tissue activity, ALT gene expression and morphological changes. Results ALT activity was significantly (p < 0.01) elevated on day 3 and further increased on day 8. Histologic changes or increase in TUNEL and caspase3 positive cells were not observed in the liver lobes examined. ALT gene expression in the caudate lobe was significantly up-regulated by 63%. ALT expression in the left lateral lobe was not significantly affected. Statistically significant increased liver ALT enzymatic activity occurred in the caudate (96%) and right medial (41%) lobes but not in the left lateral lobe. Conclusions AG28262, a VEFG-r2 inhibitor, causes an increase in serum ALT, due in part to both gene up-regulation. Differences between liver lobes may be attributable to differential distribution of blood from portal circulation. Incorporation of molecular data, such as gene and protein expression, and sampling multiple liver lobes may shed mechanistic insight to the evaluation of hepatotoxicity. PMID:21846403

  10. Evaluation of the effects of a VEGFR-2 inhibitor compound on alanine aminotransferase gene expression and enzymatic activity in the rat liver.

    PubMed

    Fuentealba, Carmen; Bera, Monali; Jessen, Bart; Sace, Fred; Stevens, Greg J; Trajkovic, Dusko; Yang, Amy H; Evering, Winston

    2011-08-17

    Traditional assessment of drug-induced hepatotoxicity includes morphological examination of the liver and evaluation of liver enzyme activity in serum. The objective of the study was to determine the origin of drug-related elevation in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity in the absence of morphologic changes in the liver by utilizing molecular and immunohistochemical techniques. Sixteen female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 2 groups (control and treated, n = 4 per group) and treated rats were dosed orally twice daily (400 mg/kg/day) for 7 days with a VEGFR-2 compound (AG28262), which in a previous study caused ALT elevation without morphological changes. Serum of both treated and control animals were evaluated on day 3 of treatment and at day 8. Three separate liver lobes (caudate, right medial, and left lateral) were examined for determination of ALT tissue activity, ALT gene expression and morphological changes. ALT activity was significantly (p < 0.01) elevated on day 3 and further increased on day 8. Histologic changes or increase in TUNEL and caspase3 positive cells were not observed in the liver lobes examined. ALT gene expression in the caudate lobe was significantly up-regulated by 63%. ALT expression in the left lateral lobe was not significantly affected. Statistically significant increased liver ALT enzymatic activity occurred in the caudate (96%) and right medial (41%) lobes but not in the left lateral lobe. AG28262, a VEFG-r2 inhibitor, causes an increase in serum ALT, due in part to both gene up-regulation. Differences between liver lobes may be attributable to differential distribution of blood from portal circulation. Incorporation of molecular data, such as gene and protein expression, and sampling multiple liver lobes may shed mechanistic insight to the evaluation of hepatotoxicity.

  11. Altered biomechanical strategies and medio-lateral control of the knee represent incomplete recovery of individuals with injury during single leg hop.

    PubMed

    Roos, Paulien E; Button, Kate; Sparkes, Valerie; van Deursen, Robert W M

    2014-02-07

    Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury can result in failure to return to pre-injury activity levels and future osteoarthritis predisposition. Single leg hop is used in late rehabilitation to evaluate recovery and inform treatment but biomechanical understanding of this activity is insufficient. This study investigated single leg hop for distance aiming to evaluate if ACL patients had recovered: (1) landing strategies and (2) medio-lateral knee control. We hypothesized that patients with reconstructive surgery (ACLR) would have more similar landing strategies and knee control to healthy controls than patients treated conservatively (ACLD). 16 ACLD and 23 ACLR subjects were compared to 20 healthy controls (CONT). Kinematic and ground reaction force data were collected while subjects hopped their maximum distance. The main output parameters were hop distance, peak knee flexor angles and extensor moments and Fluency (a measure introduced to represent medio-lateral knee control). Statistical differences between ACL and control groups were analyzed using a general linear model univariate analysis, with COM velocity prior to landing as covariate. Hop distance was the smallest for ACLD and largest for CONT (p<0.001; ACLD 57.1±14.1; ACLR 75.1±17.8; CONT 77.7±14.07% height). ACLR used a similar kinematic strategy to CONT, but had a reduced peak knee extensor moment (p<0.001; ACLD 0.32±0.14; ACLR 0.31±0.16; CONT 0.42±0.13 BW.height). Fluency was reduced in both ACLD and ACLR (p=0.006; ACLD 0.13±0.34; ACLR 0.14±0.34; CONT 0.17±0.41s). Clinical practice uses hopping distance to evaluate ACL patients' recovery. This study demonstrated that aspects such as movement strategies and knee control need to be evaluated. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  12. Defining the lateral and accessory views of the patella: an anatomic and radiographic study with implications for fracture treatment.

    PubMed

    Berkes, Marschall B; Little, Milton T M; Pardee, Nadine C; Lazaro, Lionel E; Helfet, David L; Lorich, Dean G

    2013-12-01

    The majority of orthopaedic surgeons rely on a lateral fluoroscopic image to assess reduction during patella fracture osteosynthesis. However, a comprehensive radiographic description of the lateral view of the patella has not been performed previously, and no accessory views to better visualize specific anatomic features have been developed. The purpose of this study was to provide a detailed anatomic description of all radiographic features of the true lateral of the patella, describe reproducible accessory views for assessing specific features of the patella, and demonstrate their utility in a fracture model. Twelve cadaver knee specimens free of patellofemoral pathology were used, and imaging was performed using standard C-arm fluoroscopy. For each specimen, a true lateral radiographic projection of the patella was obtained and distinct features were noted. Next, an arthrotomy was made and steel wire was contoured and fixed to various anatomic regions of the patella so as to obliterate the radiographic densities on the true lateral projection, thus confirming their anatomic correlation. Ideal views of the lateral and medial facets themselves were determined using radiographic markers and varying amounts of internal or external rotation of the specimen. Last, a transverse osteotomy was created in each patella and the ability of the true lateral and accessory views to detect malreduction was assessed. The true lateral projection of the patella was obtained with the limb in neutral alignment. Constant radiographic features of the lateral view of the patella include the articular tangent, a secondary articular density of variable length, and a dorsal cortical density. The articular tangent was produced by the central ridge between the medial and lateral facets in all specimens. The secondary articular density was created by a confluence of the edge of the lateral and edge of the medial facets in 5 patellas, a confluence of the edge of the lateral facet and the intersection of the odd and medial facets in 6 patellas, and the edge of the lateral facet alone in 1 patella. The edge of the lateral facet gave a constant contribution to the appearance of the secondary articular density in all cases. A distinct accessory view of the tangent of the lateral facet could be seen with an average of 17 degrees of patella external rotation (range, 12-35 degrees), and the tangent of the medial facet with an average of 26.5 degrees of internal rotation (range, 15-45 degrees). These accessory views were better able to visualize malreduction than the single lateral projection in a fracture model in all specimens. Described here is a comprehensive description of the true lateral radiographic view of the patella and accessory views. These views can be used in the evaluation of minimally displaced patella fractures if a computerized tomography is not desired to better assess the true amount of displacement and when assessing intraoperative reduction during patella fracture osteosynthesis.

  13. Orthodontic intrusion of maxillary incisors: a 3D finite element method study

    PubMed Central

    Saga, Armando Yukio; Maruo, Hiroshi; Argenta, Marco André; Maruo, Ivan Toshio; Tanaka, Orlando Motohiro

    2016-01-01

    Objective: In orthodontic treatment, intrusion movement of maxillary incisors is often necessary. Therefore, the objective of this investigation is to evaluate the initial distribution patterns and magnitude of compressive stress in the periodontal ligament (PDL) in a simulation of orthodontic intrusion of maxillary incisors, considering the points of force application. Methods: Anatomic 3D models reconstructed from cone-beam computed tomography scans were used to simulate maxillary incisors intrusion loading. The points of force application selected were: centered between central incisors brackets (LOAD 1); bilaterally between the brackets of central and lateral incisors (LOAD 2); bilaterally distal to the brackets of lateral incisors (LOAD 3); bilaterally 7 mm distal to the center of brackets of lateral incisors (LOAD 4). Results and Conclusions: Stress concentrated at the PDL apex region, irrespective of the point of orthodontic force application. The four load models showed distinct contour plots and compressive stress values over the midsagittal reference line. The contour plots of central and lateral incisors were not similar in the same load model. LOAD 3 resulted in more balanced compressive stress distribution. PMID:27007765

  14. Efficient estimation and large-scale evaluation of lateral chromatic aberration for digital image forensics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gloe, Thomas; Borowka, Karsten; Winkler, Antje

    2010-01-01

    The analysis of lateral chromatic aberration forms another ingredient for a well equipped toolbox of an image forensic investigator. Previous work proposed its application to forgery detection1 and image source identification.2 This paper takes a closer look on the current state-of-the-art method to analyse lateral chromatic aberration and presents a new approach to estimate lateral chromatic aberration in a runtime-efficient way. Employing a set of 11 different camera models including 43 devices, the characteristic of lateral chromatic aberration is investigated in a large-scale. The reported results point to general difficulties that have to be considered in real world investigations.

  15. Track lateral shift : fundamentals and state-of-the-art review

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1996-02-01

    This report presents a review of the state of the art of track lateral shift analysis, with improved concepts for safety evaluation of high speed trains generating track shift forces. The mechanics of track shift and the resulting track failure modes...

  16. Development and validation of a lateral MREs isolator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xing, Zhi-Wei; Yu, Miao; Fu, Jie; Zhao, Lu-Jie

    2015-02-01

    A novel lateral vibration isolator utilizing magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) with the field-dependent damping and stiffness was proposed in order to improve the adaptive performance. First, soft silicone rubber MREs with a highly adjustable shear storage modulus was fabricated. Then, the lateral MREs isolator was developed with a unique laminated structure of MRE layers and steel plates, which enables to withstand large vertical loads and adapts to the situation of large lateral displacement. Also, the electromagnetic analysis and design employed electromagnetic finite element method (FEM) to optimize magnetic circuit inside the proposed device. To evaluate the effectiveness of the lateral MREs isolator, a series of experimental tests were carried out under various applied magnetic fields. Experimental results show that the proposed MREs isolator can triumphantly change the lateral stiffness and equivalent damping up to 140% and 125%, respectively. This work demonstrates the performance of the designed lateral MREs isolator and its capacity in vibration mitigation for the complex situation.

  17. Role of fine needle aspiration cytology in the preoperative investigation of branchial cysts.

    PubMed

    Slater, Jacqueline; Serpell, Jonathan W; Woodruff, Stacey; Grodski, Simon

    2012-01-01

    Successful preoperative diagnosis of a branchial cyst requires a systematic approach. The aim of this study was to evaluate methods of investigation of a lateral neck swelling suspicious for a branchial cyst, and to highlight cases where a less benign cause for the swelling should be suspected and therefore management altered appropriately. A retrospective case study of 24 patients with presumed branchial cysts managed operatively was undertaken. Demographic, clinical, imaging, cytology and histopathological data were analysed to formulate an approach to the work-up of a lateral neck swelling suspected to be a branchial cyst. All 24 patients presented with a lateral neck mass thought to be a branchial cyst preoperatively underwent preoperative fine-needle aspiration cytology. The overall accuracy of cytology in predicting a benign branchial cyst histopathologically was 83.3% (20 out of 24). Successful preoperative diagnosis of a branchial cyst requires a combination of imaging and cytology. If there is concern that a lateral neck swelling is not a branchial cyst on clinical, imaging or cytological features, then a full preoperative work-up, including computed tomography scan of the neck and upper aero-digestive tract endoscopy should be performed, prior to an excisional biopsy. © 2011 The Authors. ANZ Journal of Surgery © 2011 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

  18. Combination of lateral and PA view radiographs to study development of knee OA and associated pain

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Minciullo, Luca; Thomson, Jessie; Cootes, Timothy F.

    2017-03-01

    Knee Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, affecting millions of people around the world. The effects of the disease have been studied using the shape and texture features of bones in PosteriorAnterior (PA) and Lateral radiographs separately. In this work we compare the utility of features from each view, and evaluate whether combining features from both is advantageous. We built a fully automated system to independently locate landmark points in both radiographic images using Random Forest Constrained Local Models. We extracted discriminative features from the two bony outlines using Appearance Models. The features were used to train Random Forest classifiers to solve three specific tasks: (i) OA classification, distinguishing patients with structural signs of OA from the others; (ii) predicting future onset of the disease and (iii) predicting which patients with no current pain will have a positive pain score later in a follow-up visit. Using a subset of the MOST dataset we show that the PA view has more discriminative features to classify and predict OA, while the lateral view contains features that achieve better performance in predicting pain, and that combining the features from both views gives a small improvement in accuracy of the classification compared to the individual views.

  19. Characterising the effect of global and local geometric imperfections on the numerical performance of a brace member

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hassan, M. S.; Goggins, J.; Salawdeh, S.

    2015-07-01

    A numerical imperfection study is carried out on a hot rolled tubular brace member under displacement controlled amplitudes. An appropriate range of global and local imperfections is used in the finite element analyses to evaluate the initial-post buckling compressive strength, lateral storey drift, energy dissipation and mid-length lateral deformation of the brace member. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of the geometrical imperfection on the numerical performance, and to determine an amplitude range that can be used unequivocally for numerical modelling of brace members. It is shown that the amplitude of global imperfections has an effect on the initial response, whereas the amplitude of local imperfections has influence on the resistance capacity of the brace member at higher ductility level. Based on the results, a refined range of amplitude of global and local imperfections is proposed. This range is found to have a good agreement with design standards. In addition, an already established equation to find lateral deformation is compared to results from the analyses and found that the equation with some modification can be used accurately in design. In this paper, a modification factor is proposed in the equation to find the lateral deformation to account for the imperfection amplitude in the numerical analyses of brace members.

  20. [MRI in chronic epicondylitis humeri radialis using 1.0 T equipment--contrast medium administration necessary?].

    PubMed

    Herber, S; Kalden, P; Kreitner, K F; Riedel, C; Rompe, J D; Thelen, M

    2001-05-01

    Evaluation of the diagnostic value and confidence of contrast-enhanced MR imaging in patients with lateral epicondylitis in comparison to clinical diagnosis. 42 consecutive patients with clinically proven chronic lateral epicondylitis and 10 elbow joints of healthy controls have been examined on a 1.0 T MR-unit. Criteria for inclusion in the prospective study were: persistent pain and a failed conservative therapy. The MR protocol included STIR sequence, a native, T2-weighted, fat-suppressed TSE sequence, and a Flash-2-D sequence. Also, fat-suppressed, T1-weighted SE sequences before and after administration of Gd-DTPA contrast media have been recorded. In 39/42 patients the STIR sequence showed an increased SI of the common extensor tendon. Increased MR signal of the lateral collateral ligament combined with a thickening and a partial rupture or a full thickness tear have been observed in 15/42 cases. A bone marrow edema at the lateral epicondilus was noticed in 6 of the studied patients and a joint effusion in 18/42 patients. After administration of contrast media we noticed an average increase of SI by about 150%. However, enhanced MR imaging did not provide additional information. In MR imaging of chronic epicondylitis administration of gadolinium-DTPA does not provide additional information.

  1. Self-Perceived Cooking Skills in Emerging Adulthood Predict Better Dietary Behaviors and Intake 10 Years Later: A Longitudinal Study.

    PubMed

    Utter, Jennifer; Larson, Nicole; Laska, Melissa N; Winkler, Megan; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

    2018-05-01

    To determine whether perceived cooking skills in emerging adulthood predicts better nutrition a decade later. Data were collected as part of the Project Eating and Activity in Teens and Young Adults longitudinal study. Participants reported on adequacy of cooking skills in 2002-2003 (age 18-23 years) and subsequently reported on nutrition-related outcomes in 2015-2016 (age 30-35 years) (n = 1,158). Separate regression models were used to examine associations between cooking skills at age 18-23 years and each subsequent outcome. One fourth of participants described their cooking skills as very adequate at 18-23 years, with no statistically significant differences by sociodemographic characteristics. Reports of very adequate cooking skills at age 18-23 years predicted better nutrition-related outcomes 10 years later, such as more frequent preparation of meals including vegetables (P < .001) and less frequent fast food consumption (P < .001). Developing adequate cooking skills by emerging adulthood may have long-term benefits for nutrition over a decade later. Ongoing and new interventions to enhance cooking skills during adolescence and emerging adulthood are warranted but require strong evaluation designs that observe young people over a number of years. Copyright © 2018 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Coracoclavicular stabilization using a suture button device for Neer type IIB lateral clavicle fractures.

    PubMed

    Cho, Chul-Hyun; Jung, Jae-Hoon; Kim, Beom-Soo

    2017-05-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the radiologic and clinical outcomes of coracoclavicular (CC) stabilization using a suture button device for Neer type IIB lateral clavicle fractures. Eighteen consecutive patients with Neer type IIB fractures were treated with CC stabilization using a TightRope device (Arthrex, Naples, FL, USA). The mean follow-up period was 46.6 months (range, 24-75 months). Radiologic outcomes were assessed using serial plain radiographs. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the visual analog scale pain score; University of California, Los Angeles score; American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score; and subjective shoulder value. Intraoperative and postoperative complications were also evaluated. Of the 18 cases, 17 (94.4%) showed complete bony union. The mean final visual analog scale pain score was 1.1; University of California, Los Angeles score, 31.3; American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, 88.6; and subjective shoulder value, 88.5%. Four complications were observed: (1) intraoperative coracoid process fracture, (2) nonunion, (3) delayed union, and (4) shoulder stiffness. The case with a coracoid process fracture during coracoid tunnel generation was converted to the K-wire tension band technique. CC stabilization using a suture button device for Neer type IIB lateral clavicle fractures yielded satisfactory radiologic and clinical outcomes. The major advantage of this technique is that implant removal is not required. Copyright © 2017 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Radiographical definition of the proximal tibiofibular joint - A cross-sectional study of 2984 knees and literature review.

    PubMed

    Hey, Hwee Weng Dennis; Ng, Li Wen Nathaniel; Ng, Yau Hong; Sng, Wei Zhong Jonathan; Manohara, Ruben; Thambiah, Joseph Shanthakumar

    2016-06-01

    Proximal tibiofibular joint (PTFJ) injuries are not uncommon but relatively understudied. This study evaluates the effectiveness of 2 radiographic methods in assessing the integrity of the PTFJ. This is a cross-sectional study of 2984 consecutive patients with knee X-rays done in a single institution over a 4-month period. A total of 5968 knee X-rays were assessed using 2 methods-[1] The direction in which the fibula points to in relation to the lateral femoral epicondyle on anteroposterior view and Blumensaat line on lateral view. [2] The degree of tibiofibular overlap as percentage of widest portion of the fibula head. Sensitivity and specificity of these methods in diagnosing a disrupted PTFJ are calculated. Variables including quality of X-rays, weight-bearing status of AP views and degree of knee flexion on lateral views are also recorded. Univariate analysis was carried out to investigate the association between variables using chi-square test for nominal data and student t-test for continuous data. The fibular points towards the lateral femoral epicondyle on AP view in 94.4% of the patients and points towards the posterior half of the Blumensaat line on lateral view in 98.1% of the patients. Using this method, weight-bearing X-rays are significantly associated with the direction the fibula is pointing (p<0.01) on the AP view and the degree of knee flexion is associated with the direction the fibula is pointing (p<0.01) on the lateral view. The AP tibiofibular overlap ranges from >0% to <75% in 94.1% of the patients and the lateral tibiofibular overlap ranges from >0% to <75% in 84.5% of the patients. This method is associated with whether true orthogonal X-rays of the knees are taken (p=0.048). The direction in which the fibula is pointing and the percentage of tibiofibular overlap are highly specific radiographic methods useful in defining the PTFJ. The first method requires a weight-bearing view on AP assessment and >20 degrees of flexion on lateral assessment. True orthogonal AP and lateral views are required for the second method to be used. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Quantitative Analysis of Geometry and Lateral Symmetry of Proximal Middle Cerebral Artery.

    PubMed

    Peter, Roman; Emmer, Bart J; van Es, Adriaan C G M; van Walsum, Theo

    2017-10-01

    The purpose of our work is to quantitatively assess clinically relevant geometric properties of proximal middle cerebral arteries (pMCA), to investigate the degree of their lateral symmetry, and to evaluate whether the pMCA can be modeled by using state-of-the-art deformable image registration of the ipsi- and contralateral hemispheres. Individual pMCA segments were identified, quantified, and statistically evaluated on a set of 55 publicly available magnetic resonance angiography time-of-flight images. Rigid and deformable image registrations were used for geometric alignment of the ipsi- and contralateral hemispheres. Lateral symmetry of relevant geometric properties was evaluated before and after the image registration. No significant lateral differences regarding tortuosity and diameters of contralateral M1 segments of pMCA were identified. Regarding the length of M1 segment, 44% of all subjects could be considered laterally symmetrical. Dominant M2 segment was identified in 30% of men and 9% of women in both brain hemispheres. Deformable image registration performed significantly better (P < .01) than rigid registration with regard to distances between the ipsi- and the contralateral centerlines of M1 segments (1.5 ± 1.1 mm versus 2.8 ± 1.2 mm respectively) and between the M1 and the anterior cerebral artery (ACA) branching points (1.6 ± 1.4 mm after deformable registration). Although natural lateral variation of the length of M1 may not allow for sufficient modeling of the complete pMCA, deformable image registration of the contralateral brain hemisphere to the ipsilateral hemisphere is feasible for localization of ACA-M1 branching point and for modeling 71 ± 23% of M1 segment. Copyright © 2017 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. [Emotion Recognition in Patients with Peripheral Facial Paralysis - A Pilot Study].

    PubMed

    Konnerth, V; Mohr, G; von Piekartz, H

    2016-02-01

    The perception of emotions is an important component in enabling human beings to social interaction in everyday life. Thus, the ability to recognize the emotions of the other one's mime is a key prerequisite for this. The following study aimed at evaluating the ability of subjects with 'peripheral facial paresis' to perceive emotions in healthy individuals. A pilot study was conducted in which 13 people with 'peripheral facial paresis' participated. This assessment included the 'Facially Expressed Emotion Labeling-Test' (FEEL-Test), the 'Facial-Laterality-Recognition Test' (FLR-Test) and the 'Toronto-Alexithymie-Scale 26' (TAS 26). The results were compared with data of healthy people from other studies. In contrast to healthy patients, the subjects with 'facial paresis' show more difficulties in recognizing basic emotions; however the results are not significant. The participants show a significant lower level of speed (right/left: p<0.001) concerning the perception of facial laterality compared to healthy people. With regard to the alexithymia, the tested group reveals significantly higher results (p<0.001) compared to the unimpaired people. The present pilot study does not prove any impact on this specific patient group's ability to recognize emotions and facial laterality. For future studies the research question should be verified in a larger sample size. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  6. Evaluation of Prismo imprint.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-05-01

    The purpose of this research project is to evaluate the constructability and performance of Prismo Imprint synthetic overlays (manufacturer later changed to Ennis Paint, Inc.). Imprint is being evaluated as an alternative to brick pavers. This produc...

  7. Does right lateral decubitus position change retroperitoneal oblique corridor? A radiographic evaluation from L1 to L5.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Fan; Xu, Haocheng; Yin, Bo; Tao, Hongyue; Yang, Shuo; Sun, Chi; Wang, Yitao; Yin, Jun; Shao, Minghao; Wang, Hongli; Xia, Xinlei; Ma, Xiaosheng; Lu, Feizhou; Jiang, Jianyuan

    2017-03-01

    To determine if the retroperitoneal oblique corridor will be affected by right lateral decubitus position. Forty volunteers were randomly enrolled and MRI scan was performed from L1 to L5 in supine and right lateral decubitus positions, respectively. In images across the center of each disc, O was defined as the center of a disc and A (supine) or A' (right lateral decubitus) was located in left lateral border of the aorta or the iliac artery; B (supine) or B' (right lateral decubitus) was on the anterior medial border of the psoas. The distance of AB and A'B' (Recorded as A-Ps and A-Pr, respectively) at each level was recorded and compared to each other. The relationships between A-Pr, sex, BMI and relative psoas cross-sectional area (PCSA) at each level were also evaluated. A-Pr was significantly smaller than A-Ps at L1/2, L2/3 and L3/4 (All p < 0.05); there was no significantly difference of A-Pr between all levels (p = 0.105), but L1/2 seemed to be larger than L3/4, followed by L2/3 and L4/5; A-Pr at each level was not affected by sex (All p > 0.05); linear relationships were found between A-Pr, BMI and PCSA at L1/2 and L3/4. ROC at L1/2, L2/3 and L3/4 will significantly decrease from supine to right lateral decubitus position and the reason may be due to the relaxed psoas deformation. Using MRI images in supine position for pre-operatively ROC evaluation is not accurate. Spine surgeon should also be more cautious when OLIF is performed at L4/5 where ROC is the smallest. Patients from Asia and those with strong psoas major at L1/2 and L3/4 are also associated with relatively narrow ROC.

  8. Acupuncture for lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow): study protocol for a randomized, practitioner-assessor blinded, controlled pilot clinical trial.

    PubMed

    Shin, Kyung-Min; Kim, Joo-Hee; Lee, Seunghoon; Shin, Mi-Suk; Kim, Tae-Hun; Park, Hyo-Ju; Lee, Min-Hee; Hong, Kwon-Eui; Lee, Seungdeok; Choi, Sun-Mi

    2013-06-14

    Lateral epicondylitis is the most frequent cause of pain around the elbow joint. It causes pain in the region of the elbow joint and results in dysfunction of the elbow and deterioration of the quality of life. The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of ipsilateral acupuncture, contralateral acupuncture and sham acupuncture on lateral epicondylitis. Forty-five subjects with lateral epicondylitis will be randomized into three groups: the ipsilateral acupuncture group, contralateral acupuncture group and the sham acupuncture group. The inclusion criteria will be as follows: (1) age between 19 and 65 years with pain due to one-sided lateral epicondylitis that persisted for at least four weeks, (2) with tenderness on pressure limited to regions around the elbow joint, (3) complaining of pain during resistive extension of the middle finger or the wrist, (4) with average pain of NRS 4 or higher during the last one week at a screening visit and (5) voluntarily agree to this study and sign a written consent. Acupuncture treatment will be given 10 times in total for 4 weeks to all groups. Follow up observations will be conducted after the completion of the treatment, 8 weeks and 12 weeks after the random assignment. Ipsilateral acupuncture group and contralateral acupuncture group will receive acupuncture on LI4, TE5, LI10, LI11, LU5, LI12 and two Ashi points. The sham acupuncture group will receive treatment on acupuncture points not related to the lateral epicondylitis using a non-invasive method. The needles will be maintained for 20 minutes. The primary outcome will be differences in the visual analogue scale (VAS) for elbow pain between the groups. The secondary outcome will be differences in patient-rated tennis elbow evaluation (PRTEE), pain-free/maximum grip strength (Dynamometer), pressure pain threshold, clinically relevant improvement, patient global assessment, and the EQ-5D. The data will be analyzed with the paired t-test and ANCOVA (P <0.05). The results of this study will allow evaluation of contralateral acupuncture from two aspects. First, if the contralateral acupuncture shows the effects similar to ipsilateral acupuncture, this will establish clinical basis for contralateral acupuncture. Second, if the effects of contralateral acupuncture are not comparable to the effects of ipsilateral acupuncture, but are shown to be similar to the effects of the sham acupuncture, we can establish the basis for using the same acupoints of the unaffected side as a control in acupuncture clinical studies. This trial has been registered with the 'Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS)', Republic of Korea: KCT0000628.

  9. Acupuncture for lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow): study protocol for a randomized, practitioner-assessor blinded, controlled pilot clinical trial

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Lateral epicondylitis is the most frequent cause of pain around the elbow joint. It causes pain in the region of the elbow joint and results in dysfunction of the elbow and deterioration of the quality of life. The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of ipsilateral acupuncture, contralateral acupuncture and sham acupuncture on lateral epicondylitis. Methods/design Forty-five subjects with lateral epicondylitis will be randomized into three groups: the ipsilateral acupuncture group, contralateral acupuncture group and the sham acupuncture group. The inclusion criteria will be as follows: (1) age between 19 and 65 years with pain due to one-sided lateral epicondylitis that persisted for at least four weeks, (2) with tenderness on pressure limited to regions around the elbow joint, (3) complaining of pain during resistive extension of the middle finger or the wrist, (4) with average pain of NRS 4 or higher during the last one week at a screening visit and (5) voluntarily agree to this study and sign a written consent. Acupuncture treatment will be given 10 times in total for 4 weeks to all groups. Follow up observations will be conducted after the completion of the treatment, 8 weeks and 12 weeks after the random assignment. Ipsilateral acupuncture group and contralateral acupuncture group will receive acupuncture on LI4, TE5, LI10, LI11, LU5, LI12 and two Ashi points. The sham acupuncture group will receive treatment on acupuncture points not related to the lateral epicondylitis using a non-invasive method. The needles will be maintained for 20 minutes. The primary outcome will be differences in the visual analogue scale (VAS) for elbow pain between the groups. The secondary outcome will be differences in patient-rated tennis elbow evaluation (PRTEE), pain-free/maximum grip strength (Dynamometer), pressure pain threshold, clinically relevant improvement, patient global assessment, and the EQ-5D. The data will be analyzed with the paired t-test and ANCOVA (P <0.05). Discussion The results of this study will allow evaluation of contralateral acupuncture from two aspects. First, if the contralateral acupuncture shows the effects similar to ipsilateral acupuncture, this will establish clinical basis for contralateral acupuncture. Second, if the effects of contralateral acupuncture are not comparable to the effects of ipsilateral acupuncture, but are shown to be similar to the effects of the sham acupuncture, we can establish the basis for using the same acupoints of the unaffected side as a control in acupuncture clinical studies. Trial registration This trial has been registered with the ‘Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS)’, Republic of Korea: KCT0000628. PMID:23768129

  10. Arthroscopic and 3D CT Scan Evaluation of Femoral Footprint of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament in Chronic ACL Deficient Knees.

    PubMed

    Das, Anupam; Yadav, C S; Gamanagatti, Shivanand; Pandey, R M; Mittal, Ravi

    2018-06-13

    The outcome of single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction depends largely on the anatomic placement of bone tunnel. The lateral intercondylar ridge (LIR) and bifurcate ridge (BR) are useful bony landmarks for femoral tunnel placement. The purpose of our study was to compare the bony landmarks of ACL footprint on femur by three-dimensional computed tomography (3D CT) scan and arthroscopy in chronic ACL-deficient knees. Fifty patients above 18 years of age who were diagnosed of having ACL tear were selected for the study. All the cases were more than 6 months old since the injury. Preoperative 3D CT scan of the affected knee was obtained for each of them. They underwent single-bundle anatomic ACL reconstruction. Measurements were done on the preoperative 3D CT and arthroscopy to quantify the position of the LIR and BR. The proximodistal distance of lateral femoral condyle was 21.41+/-2.5 mm on CT scan and 22.02+/-2.02 mm on arthroscopy. On preoperative 3D CT scan, the midpoint of the LIR was found to be located at a mean distance of 11.17±2.11 mm from the proximal margin of the lateral femoral condyle. On arthroscopy, it was at 10.18+/-1.52 mm from the proximal margin the lateral femoral condyle. The "bifurcate ridge"(BR) was not visible in any of the cases during arthroscopy or CT scan. We concluded that LIR is an easily identifiable bony landmark on arthroscopy in all cases. It can also be identified on CT scans. BR is not identified both on arthroscopy and CT scans in chronic ACL tears. The arthroscopic measurements of bony landmarks are quite close to those of CT scan. Midpoint of LIR is at 52.185% of the proximodistal distance on CT scan evaluation and it is at 46.21% on arthroscopic evaluation. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

  11. Developmental and Behavioral Performance of Internationally Adopted Preschoolers: A Pilot Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jacobs, Emma; Miller, Laurie C.; Tirella, Linda G.

    2010-01-01

    Most international adoptees (IA) have rapid catch-up of the delays common at arrival. However, it is not known whether development at arrival predicts later abilities or school readiness. Therefore, we comprehensively evaluated language, fine motor, visual reception (VR), executive function (EF), attention (ATT), and sensory skills (SS) in IA…

  12. Development of Anxiety Disorders in a Traumatized Pediatric Population: A Preliminary Longitudinal Evaluation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cortes, Adriana M.; Saltzman, Kassey M.; Weems, Carl F.; Regnault, Heather P.; Reiss, Allan L.; Carrion, Victor G.

    2005-01-01

    Objective: The current study was conducted to determine if post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology predicted later development of non-PTSD anxiety disorders in children and adolescents victimized by interpersonal trauma. Methods: Thirty-four children with a history of interpersonal trauma and no initial diagnosis of anxiety disorder…

  13. Skeletal Muscle Regeneration in a Rat (Rattus norvegicus) Model with CorMatrix and Adipose Derived Stem Cells

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-07-16

    outcome or training benefit the DoD/USAF? Yes. This study provided evidence that extracellular matrix made from swine small intestinal submucosa does...Isometric functional testing was implemented prior to euthanasia 2 FDGXXX at 10 months to further evaluate healing at later time points

  14. Survival and growth of hardwood seedlings following preplanting-root treatments and treeshelters

    Treesearch

    Felix, Jr. Ponder

    1997-01-01

    The study evaluated the influence of root collar diameter, number of large lateral roots, preplanting-root treatments (biostimulant called Roots and a moisture loss retardant called supersorb) and tree shelters on 1-0 black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) and northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) seedlings. Four years after outplanting,...

  15. Functional Amnesia: Clinical Description and Neuropsychological Profile of 10 Cases

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kritchevsky, Mark; Chang, Judy; Squire, Larry R.

    2004-01-01

    We carried out the first neuropsychological study of a series of patients with functional amnesia. We evaluated 10 patients, first with a neurological examination and then with three tests of anterograde amnesia and four tests of retrograde amnesia. Excluding one patient who later admitted to malingering, all patients had a significant premorbid…

  16. Spoken Language Production in Young Adults: Examining Syntactic Complexity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nippold, Marilyn A.; Frantz-Kaspar, Megan W.; Vigeland, Laura M.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: In this study, we examined syntactic complexity in the spoken language samples of young adults. Its purpose was to contribute to the expanding knowledge base in later language development and to begin building a normative database of language samples that potentially could be used to evaluate young adults with known or suspected language…

  17. Spanish and English Early Literacy Profiles of Preschool Latino English Language Learner Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gonzalez, Jorge; Pollard-Durodola, Sharolyn; Saenz, Laura; Soares, Denise; Davis, Heather; Resendez, Nora; Zhu, Leina

    2016-01-01

    Research Findings: The purpose of this study was to examine within-group individual differences in the code-related and oral language abilities of an economically stressed Spanish-speaking English language learner (ELL) preschool sample and to evaluate the predictive relationship of these differences to later listening comprehension. Latent class…

  18. Levels of Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-Dibenzofurans, and Biphenyls in Southern Mississippi Catfish and Estimation of Potential.

    EPA Science Inventory

    Fish consumption has been classified as one of the primary pathways of exposure to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and biphenyls (PCBs). In this study, we evaluated tissue levels of the 17 laterally-substituted PCDD/Fs, 12 dioxin-like PCBs, and 97 non-...

  19. Lost in laterality: interpreting ''preferred side of the head during mobile phone use and risk of brain tumour'' associations.

    PubMed

    Schüz, Joachim

    2009-08-01

    Due to the highly localized exposure from mobile phones, the preferred side of the head during their use is important information when investigating a possible link with brain tumour risk, but at the same time, error and bias hamper the assessment of this information in case-control studies. Current studies provide evidence of reporting bias insofar as cases appear to over-report the side of the head where the tumour occurred as the one that they preferred in the past when using mobile phones. More refined methods of analysis among only cases or prospective studies with an assessment of the laterality of mobile phone use before the diagnosis of disease are needed to evaluate whether associations seen in some studies are entirely due to reporting bias or a mixture of reporting bias and a causal effect.

  20. Comparison of Q3s ATD biomechanical responses to pediatric volunteers.

    PubMed

    Ita, Meagan; Kang, Yun-Seok; Seacrist, Thomas; Dahle, Eric; Bolte, John

    2014-01-01

    The biofidelity of pediatric anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) continues to be evaluated with scaled-down adult data, a methodology that requires inaccurate assumptions about the likeness of biomechanical properties of children and adults. Recently, evaluation of pediatric ATDs by comparison of pediatric volunteer (PV) data has emerged as a valuable and practical alternative to the use of scaled adult data. This study utilized existing PV data to evaluate a 3-year-old side impact ATD, the Q3s. Though ATDs have been compared to volunteer responses in frontal impacts, this study is the first to extend ATD-PV comparison methods to the Q3s ATD and among the first to extend these methods to side impacts. Previously conducted experiments were replicated in order to make a direct comparison between the Q3s and PVs. PV data were used from 4- to 7-year-olds (shoulder tests, n=14) and 6- to 8-year-olds (sled tests, n=7). Force-deflection data were captured during quasistatic shoulder tests through manual displacement of the shoulder joint. Resulting shoulder stiffness was compared between the Q3s and PVs. Low-speed far-side sled tests were conducted with the Q3s at lateral (90°) and oblique (60°) impacts. Primary outcomes of interest included (1) lateral displacement of the torso, (2) torso rollout angle, and (3) kinematic trajectories of the head and neck. The Q3s exhibited shoulder stiffness values at least 32 N/mm greater than the PVs for all conditions (PV muscle tensed and relaxed, deflection calculated for full- and half-thoracic). In lateral sled tests, the Q3s demonstrated increased coronal torso rollout (Q3s: 49.2°; PVs: 35.7°±12.4°) and lateral (ΔY) movement of the top of the head (Q3s: -389 mm; PVs: -320±23 mm) compared to PVs. In oblique trials, the Q3s achieved significantly decreased lateral torso displacement (Q3s: 153.3 mm; PVs: 193.6±25.6 mm) and top of the head forward (ΔX) motion (Q3s: 68 mm; PVs: 133 ± 20 mm) compared to PVs. In all tests, greater downward (ΔZ) excursions of C4 and T1 were observed in the Q3s relative to PVs. Increased Q3s shoulder stiffness could affect head-neck kinematics as well as thorax responses because unrealistic force can be transmitted to the spine from the shoulder. Q3s and PV trajectories were of similar shape, although Q3s head kinematics displayed rigid body motion followed by independent lateral bending of the head, suggesting cervical and thoracic spine rigidity compared to PVs.

  1. Validity of 2D lateral cephalometry in orthodontics: a systematic review

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Lateral cephalometric radiography is commonly used as a standard tool in orthodontic assessment and treatment planning. The aim of this study was to evaluate the available scientific literature and existing evidence for the validation of using lateral cephalometric imaging for orthodontic treatment planning. The secondary objective was to determine the accuracy and reliability of this technique. We did not attempt to evaluate the value of this radiographic technique for other purposes. A literature search was performed using specific keywords on electronic databases: Ovid MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science. Two reviewers selected relevant articles, corresponding to predetermined inclusion criteria. The electronic search was followed by a hand search of the reference lists of relevant papers. Two reviewers assessed the level of evidence of relevant publications as high, moderate or low. Based on this, the evidence grade for diagnostic efficacy was rated as strong, moderately strong, limited or insufficient. The initial search revealed 784 articles listed in MEDLINE (Ovid), 1,034 in Scopus and 264 articles in the Web of Science. Only 17 articles met the inclusion criteria and were selected for qualitative synthesis. Results showed seven studies on the role of cephalometry in orthodontic treatment planning, eight concerning cephalometric measurements and landmark identification and two on cephalometric analysis. It is surprising that, notwithstanding the 968 articles published in peer-reviewed journals, scientific evidence on the usefulness of this radiographic technique in orthodontics is still lacking, with contradictory results. More rigorous research on a larger study population should be performed to achieve full evidence on this topic. PMID:24325757

  2. [Relevance of proton spin tomographic meniscus diagnosis in correlation with arthroscopy].

    PubMed

    Imhoff, A; Buess, E; Hodler, J; Schreiber, A

    1994-04-01

    Arthroscopy of the menisci is considered the gold standard by which all noninvasive imaging procedures of the knee are measured. In a prospective study we evaluated the use of MRI in 50 patients in whom a disorder of the meniscus was suspected clinically; this was followed by an arthroscopic examination by an experienced arthroscopist. The MR studies were performed after clinical evaluation and were interpreted by an experienced radiologist, who had no knowledge of the clinical findings. The accuracy of the diagnosis from MRI was 78% for the medial meniscus (sensitivity 79% and specificity 78%) and 94% for the lateral meniscus (sensitivity 50% and specificity 98%). The average age of the patients was 34 years, with a range of 3-73 years. The imaging studies revealed 9 false-positive tests and suggested that the meniscus was either degenerated or torn in the horizontal plane. In all 9 menisci the abnormal MR imaging signal was limited to the posterior horns. The positive predictive value was 59% and the negative predictive value was 94%, representing a moderate level of diagnostic certainty both in patients who had a positive result and in those who had a negative result. The high predictive negative value of MRI indicates that a negative MRI is quite reliable for meniscal lesions. The problem areas in MR imaging are the popliteal tendon sheath and the transverse ligament. This ligament is seen in association with a large branch of the lateral inferior geniculate artery and may be mistaken for a grade 3 signal intensity in the anterior horn of the lateral meniscus.

  3. The Intubating Laryngeal Mask Airway Facilitates Tracheal Intubation in the Lateral Position

    PubMed Central

    Komatsu, Ryu; Nagata, Osamu; Sessler, Daniel I.; Ozaki, Makoto

    2005-01-01

    Although the difficulty of tracheal intubation in the lateral position has not been systematically evaluated, airway loss during surgery in a laterally positioned patient may have hazardous consequences. We explored whether the intubating laryngeal mask airway (ILMA) facilitates tracheal intubation in patients with normal airway anatomy, i.e., Mallampati grade ≤ 3 and thyromental distance ≥ 5 cm, positioned in the lateral position. And we evaluated whether this technique can be used as a rescue when the airway is lost mid-case in laterally positioned patients with respect to success rate and intubation time. Anesthesia was induced with propofol, fentanyl, and vecuronium in 50 patients undergoing spine surgery for lumbar disk herniation (Lateral) and 50 undergoing other surgical procedures (Supine). Patients having disk surgery (Lateral) were positioned on their right or left sides before induction of general anesthesia, and intubation was performed in that position. Patients in control group (Supine) were anesthetized in supine position, and intubation was performed in that position. Intubation was performed blindly via an ILMA in both groups. The time required for intubation and number and types of adjusting maneuvers employed were recorded. Data were compared by Mann-Whitney U, Fisher’s exact, chi-square, or unpaired t-tests, as appropriate. Data presented as mean (SD). Demographic and airway measures were similar in the two groups, except for mouth opening which was slightly wider in patients in the lateral position: 5.1 (0.9) vs. 4.6 (0.7) cm. The time required for intubation was similar in each group (≈25 s), as was intubation success (96%). We conclude that blind intubation via an ILMA offers a frequent success rate and a clinically acceptable intubation time (< one min) even in the lateral position. Summary Blind intubation via the intubating laryngeal mask airway (ILMA) offers a high success rate and a clinically acceptable intubation time even in patients in the lateral position. PMID:14980953

  4. An evaluation of root resorption after orthodontic treatment.

    PubMed

    Thomas, E; Evans, W G; Becker, P

    2012-08-01

    Root resorption is commonly seen, albeit in varying degrees, in cases that have been treated orthodontically. In this retrospective study the objective was to compare the amount of root resorption observed after active orthodontic treatment had been completed with one of three different appliance systems, namely, Tip Edge, Modified Edgewise and Damon. The sample consisted of pre and post-treatment cephalograms of sixty eight orthodontic cases. Root resorption of the maxillary central incisor was assessed from pre- and post- treatment lateral ce phalograms using two methods. In the first, overall tooth length from the incisal edge to the apex was measured on both pre and post-treatment lateral cephalograms and root resorption was recorded as an actual millimetre loss of tooth length. There was a significant upward linear trend (p = 0.052) for root resorption from the Tip Edge Group to the Damon Group. In the second method root resorption was visually evaluated by using the five grade ordinal scale of Levander and Malmgren (1988). It was found that the majorty of cases in the sample came under Grade 1 and Grade 2 category of root resorption. Statistical evaluation tested the extent of agree ment in this study between visual measurements and actual measurements and demonstrated a significant association (p = 0.018) between the methods.

  5. Role of intraoperative varus stress test for lateral soft tissue release during chevron bunion procedure.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hyong-Nyun; Suh, Dong-Hyun; Hwang, Pil-Sung; Yu, Sun-O; Park, Yong-Wook

    2011-04-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical results of distal chevron osteotomy performed in conjunction with selective lateral soft tissue release. The criterion for doing a lateral soft tissue release was assessed by determining the ease and completeness of passive hallux valgus correction at the time of surgery. Between August 2005 and November 2007, 48 feet in 43 patients classified as having mild to moderate hallux valgus were retrospectively studied. Distal chevron osteotomy without lateral soft tissue release was performed in 26 cases (Group 1) when passive correction of the hallux valgus deformity was possible. Distal chevron osteotomy with lateral soft tissue release was performed in 22 cases (Group 2) when passive correction was not possible. Average followup was 23 (range, 12 to 28) months. Clinical results were assessed using radiographic parameters [hallux valgus angle (HVA), first and second intermetatarsal angle (1,2 IMA)], AOFAS scale and patient's subjective satisfaction. For Group 1: the average correction of HVA was 12.8 degrees, the average correction of IMA was 4.7 degrees, and the AOFAS score improved an average of 29.2 points at the last followup. Thirteen patients were very satisfied and ten patients were satisfied with the results. No patient was dissatisfied. For Group 2: the average correction of HVA was 19.1 degrees, the average correction of IMA was 7 degrees and AOFAS score improved at an average of 31.8 points at the last followup. Twelve patients were very satisfied, seven patients were satisfied and one patient, who had stiffness of the first metatarsophalangeal joint, was dissatisfied with the result. Distal chevron osteotomy with selective lateral soft tissue release based on the ability to passively correct the hallux valgus deformity lead to safe and stable correction.

  6. Birth Order and Injury-Related Infant Mortality in the U.S.

    PubMed

    Ahrens, Katherine A; Rossen, Lauren M; Thoma, Marie E; Warner, Margaret; Simon, Alan E

    2017-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the risk of death during the first year of life due to injury, such as unintentional injury and homicide, by birth order in the U.S. Using national birth cohort-linked birth-infant death data (births, 2000-2010; deaths, 2000-2011), risks of infant mortality due to injury in second-, third-, fourth-, and fifth or later-born singleton infants were compared with first-born singleton infants. Risk ratios were estimated using log-binomial models adjusted for maternal age, marital status, race/ethnicity, and education. The statistical analyses were conducted in 2016. Approximately 40%, 32%, 16%, 7%, and 4% of singleton live births were first, second, third, fourth, and fifth or later born, respectively. From 2000 to 2011, a total of 15,866 infants died as a result of injury (approximately 1,442 deaths per year). Compared with first-born infants (2.9 deaths per 10,000 live births), second or later-born infants were at increased risk of infant mortality due to injury (second, 3.6 deaths; third, 4.2 deaths; fourth, 4.8 deaths; fifth or later, 6.4 deaths). The corresponding adjusted risk ratios were as follows: second, 1.84 (95% CI=1.76, 1.91); third, 2.42 (95% CI=2.30, 2.54); fourth, 2.96 (95% CI=2.77, 3.16); and fifth or later, 4.26 (95% CI=3.96, 4.57). Singleton infants born second or later were at increased risk of mortality due to injury during their first year of life in the U.S. This study's findings highlight the importance of investigating underlying mechanisms behind this increased risk. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  7. Motion analysis study on sensitivity of finite element model of the cervical spine to geometry.

    PubMed

    Zafarparandeh, Iman; Erbulut, Deniz U; Ozer, Ali F

    2016-07-01

    Numerous finite element models of the cervical spine have been proposed, with exact geometry or with symmetric approximation in the geometry. However, few researches have investigated the sensitivity of predicted motion responses to the geometry of the cervical spine. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of symmetric assumption on the predicted motion by finite element model of the cervical spine. We developed two finite element models of the cervical spine C2-C7. One model was based on the exact geometry of the cervical spine (asymmetric model), whereas the other was symmetric (symmetric model) about the mid-sagittal plane. The predicted range of motion of both models-main and coupled motions-was compared with published experimental data for all motion planes under a full range of loads. The maximum differences between the asymmetric model and symmetric model predictions for the principal motion were 31%, 78%, and 126% for flexion-extension, right-left lateral bending, and right-left axial rotation, respectively. For flexion-extension and lateral bending, the minimum difference was 0%, whereas it was 2% for axial rotation. The maximum coupled motions predicted by the symmetric model were 1.5° axial rotation and 3.6° lateral bending, under applied lateral bending and axial rotation, respectively. Those coupled motions predicted by the asymmetric model were 1.6° axial rotation and 4° lateral bending, under applied lateral bending and axial rotation, respectively. In general, the predicted motion response of the cervical spine by the symmetric model was in the acceptable range and nonlinearity of the moment-rotation curve for the cervical spine was properly predicted. © IMechE 2016.

  8. Randomized clinical trial of transcutaneous electrical posterior tibial nerve stimulation versus lateral internal sphincterotomy for treatment of chronic anal fissure.

    PubMed

    Youssef, Tamer; Youssef, Mohamed; Thabet, Waleed; Lotfy, Ahmed; Shaat, Reham; Abd-Elrazek, Eman; Farid, Mohamed

    2015-10-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical posterior tibial nerve stimulation in treatment of patients with chronic anal fissure and to compare it with the conventional lateral internal sphincterotomy. Consecutive patients with chronic anal fissure were randomly allocated into two treatment groups: transcutaneous electrical posterior tibial nerve stimulation group and lateral internal sphincterotomy group. The primary outcome measures were number of patients with clinical improvement and healed fissure. Secondary outcome measures were complications, VAS pain scores, Wexner's constipation and Peascatori anal incontinence scores, anorectal manometry, and quality of life index. Seventy-three patients were randomized into two groups of 36 patients who were subjected to transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and 37 patients who underwent lateral internal sphincterotomy. All (100%) patients in lateral internal sphincterotomy group had clinical improvement at one month following the procedure in contrast to 27 (75%) patients in transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation group. Recurrence of anal fissure after one year was reported in one (2.7%) and 11 (40.7%) patients in lateral internal sphincterotomy and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation groups respectively. Resting anal pressure and functional anal canal length were significantly reduced after lateral internal sphincterotomy. Transcutaneous electrical posterior tibial nerve stimulation for treatment of chronic anal fissure is a novel, non-invasive procedure and has no complications. However, given the higher rate of clinical improvement and fissure healing and the lower rate of fissure recurrence, lateral internal sphincterotomy remains the gold standard for treating chronic anal fissure. Copyright © 2015 IJS Publishing Group Limited. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Brain Hemispheric Differences in the Neurochemical Effects of Lead, Prenatal Stress, and the Combination and Their Amelioration by Behavioral Experience

    PubMed Central

    Cory-Slechta, Deborah A.

    2013-01-01

    Brain lateralization, critical to mediation of cognitive functions and to “multitasking,” is disrupted in conditions such as attention deficit disorder and schizophrenia. Both low-level lead (Pb) exposure and prenatal stress (PS) have been associated with mesocorticolimbic system–mediated executive-function cognitive and attention deficits. Mesocorticolimbic systems demonstrate significant laterality. Thus, altered brain lateralization could play a role in this behavioral toxicity. This study examined laterality of mesocorticolimbic monoamines (frontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, striatum, midbrain) and amino acids (frontal cortex) in male and female rats subjected to lifetime Pb exposure (0 or 50 ppm in drinking water), PS (restraint stress on gestational days 16–17), or the combination with and without repeated learning behavioral experience. Control males exhibited prominent laterality, particularly in midbrain and also in frontal cortex and striatum; females exhibited less laterality, and this was primarily striatal. Lateralized Pb ± PS induced neurotransmitter changes were assessed only in males because of limited sample sizes of Pb + PS females. In males, Pb ± PS changes occurred in left hemisphere of frontal cortex and right hemisphere of midbrain. Behavioral experience modified the laterality of Pb ± PS–induced neurotransmitter changes in a region-dependent manner. Notably, behavioral experience eliminated Pb ± PS neurotransmitter changes in males. These findings underscore the critical need to evaluate both sexes and brain hemispheres for the mechanistic understanding of sex-dependent differences in neuro- and behavioral toxicity. Furthermore, assessment of central nervous system mechanisms in the absence of behavioral experience, shown here for males, may constitute less relevant models of human health effects. PMID:23358193

  10. Facial attractiveness of skeletal Class II patients before and after mandibular advancement surgery as perceived by people with different backgrounds.

    PubMed

    Ng, Doreen; De Silva, Rohana Kumara; Smit, Ryan; De Silva, Harsha; Farella, Mauro

    2013-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the perceived level of improvement in facial attractiveness as assessed by people with different backgrounds in skeletal Class II patients treated by mandibular advancement with bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO). The frontal and lateral pre- and post-operative photographs of 10 Caucasian patients were selected. Changes in frontal and profile attractiveness were assessed by 10 orthodontists, 10 art students, and 10 laypersons. Frontal and lateral pre- and post-operative photographs were randomly distributed throughout two surveys. For each photograph, the evaluators ranked the attractiveness of face, chin, and lips on visual analogue scales. A third survey was administered to orthodontists only, by presenting the same pre and post-operative photographs but paired side-by-side with pre- and post-operative status disclosed. Overall, attractiveness scores after BSSO showed an 11.5 per cent improvement (95 per cent confidence intervals: 9.4-13.5 per cent) on the lateral post-operative photographs and a 7.5 per cent improvement (95 per cent confidence intervals: 5.4-9.5 per cent) on the frontal post-operative photographs. Attractiveness scores differed significantly between the groups (P = 0.015), with orthodontists being more generous with their improvement ratings and the art students tending to give a more critical assessment. There were no significant differences between male and female evaluators (P > 0.05). Ratings of before-after attractiveness almost doubled when the pre- and post-operative status was disclosed as compared to blinded evaluations, thus indicating that prior knowledge of pre- and post-treatment status markedly influences aesthetic evaluations, with a bias towards a more favourable outcome.

  11. Single-Fraction Intraoperative Radiotherapy for Breast Cancer: Early Cosmetic Results

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Beal, Kathryn; McCormick, Beryl; Zelefsky, Michael J.

    2007-09-01

    Purpose: To evaluate the cosmetic outcome of patients treated with wide local excision and intraoperative radiotherapy for early-stage breast cancer. Methods and Materials: A total of 50 women were treated on a pilot study to evaluate the feasibility of intraoperative radiotherapy at wide local excision. The eligibility criteria included age >60, tumor size {<=}2.0 cm, clinically negative lymph nodes, and biopsy-established diagnosis. After wide local excision, a custom breast applicator was placed in the excision cavity, and a dose of 20 Gy was prescribed to a depth of 1 cm. After 18 patients were treated, the dose was constrained laterallymore » to 18 Gy. The cosmetic outcome was evaluated by photographs at baseline and at 6 and 12 months postoperatively. Four examiners graded the photographs for symmetry, edema, discoloration, contour, and scarring. The grades were evaluated in relationship to the volume of irradiated tissue, tumor location, and dose at the lateral aspects of the cavity. Results: The median volume of tissue receiving 100% of the prescription dose was 47 cm{sup 3} (range, 20-97 cm{sup 3}). Patients with {<=}47 cm{sup 3} of treated tissue had better cosmetic outcomes than did the women who had >47 cm{sup 3} of treated tissue. Women who had received 18 Gy at the lateral aspects of their cavities had better cosmetic outcomes than did women who had received 20 Gy at the lateral aspects. When comparing the 6- and 12-month results, the scores remained stable for 63%, improved for 17%, and worsened for 20%. Conclusion: Intraoperative radiotherapy appears feasible for selected patients. A favorable cosmetic outcome appears to be related to a smaller treatment volume. The cosmetic outcome is acceptable, although additional follow-up is necessary.« less

  12. The Passive Film Growth Mechanism of New Corrosion-Resistant Steel Rebar in Simulated Concrete Pore Solution: Nanometer Structure and Electrochemical Study

    PubMed Central

    Jiang, Jin-yang; Wang, Danqian; Chu, Hong-yan; Ma, Han; Liu, Yao; Gao, Yun; Shi, Jinjie; Sun, Wei

    2017-01-01

    An elaborative study was carried out on the growth mechanism and properties of the passive film for a new kind of alloyed corrosion-resistant steel (CR steel). The passive film naturally formed in simulated concrete pore solutions (pH = 13.3). The corrosion resistance was evaluated by various methods including open circuit potential (OCP), linear polarization resistance (LPR) measurements, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Meanwhile, the 2205 duplex stainless steel (SS steel) was evaluated for comparison. Moreover, the passive film with CR steel was studied by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), and the Mott‑Schottky approach. The results showed that the excellent passivity of CR steel could be detected in a high alkaline environment. The grain boundaries between the fine passive film particles lead to increasing Cr oxide content in the later passivation stage. The filling of cation vacancies in the later passivation stage as well as the orderly crystalized inner layer contributed to the excellent corrosion resistance of CR steel. A passive film growth model for CR steel was proposed. PMID:28772772

  13. The Passive Film Growth Mechanism of New Corrosion-Resistant Steel Rebar in Simulated Concrete Pore Solution: Nanometer Structure and Electrochemical Study.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Jin-Yang; Wang, Danqian; Chu, Hong-Yan; Ma, Han; Liu, Yao; Gao, Yun; Shi, Jinjie; Sun, Wei

    2017-04-14

    An elaborative study was carried out on the growth mechanism and properties of the passive film for a new kind of alloyed corrosion-resistant steel (CR steel). The passive film naturally formed in simulated concrete pore solutions (pH = 13.3). The corrosion resistance was evaluated by various methods including open circuit potential (OCP), linear polarization resistance (LPR) measurements, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Meanwhile, the 2205 duplex stainless steel (SS steel) was evaluated for comparison. Moreover, the passive film with CR steel was studied by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), and the Mott‑Schottky approach. The results showed that the excellent passivity of CR steel could be detected in a high alkaline environment. The grain boundaries between the fine passive film particles lead to increasing Cr oxide content in the later passivation stage. The filling of cation vacancies in the later passivation stage as well as the orderly crystalized inner layer contributed to the excellent corrosion resistance of CR steel. A passive film growth model for CR steel was proposed.

  14. Contextual blending of ingroup/outgroup face stimuli and word valence: LPP modulation and convergence of measures.

    PubMed

    Hurtado, Esteban; Haye, Andrés; González, Ramiro; Manes, Facundo; Ibáñez, Agustiń

    2009-06-26

    Several event related potential (ERP) studies have investigated the time course of different aspects of evaluative processing in social bias research. Various reports suggest that the late positive potential (LPP) is modulated by basic evaluative processes, and some reports suggest that in-/outgroup relative position affects ERP responses. In order to study possible LPP blending between facial race processing and semantic valence (positive or negative words), we recorded ERPs while indigenous and non-indigenous participants who were matched by age and gender performed an implicit association test (IAT). The task involved categorizing faces (ingroup and outgroup) and words (positive and negative). Since our paradigm implies an evaluative task with positive and negative valence association, a frontal distribution of LPPs similar to that found in previous reports was expected. At the same time, we predicted that LPP valence lateralization would be modulated not only by positive/negative associations but also by particular combinations of valence, face stimuli and participant relative position. Results showed that, during an IAT, indigenous participants with greater behavioral ingroup bias displayed a frontal LPP that was modulated in terms of complex contextual associations involving ethnic group and valence. The LPP was lateralized to the right for negative valence stimuli and to the left for positive valence stimuli. This valence lateralization was influenced by the combination of valence and membership type relevant to compatibility with prejudice toward a minority. Behavioral data from the IAT and an explicit attitudes questionnaire were used to clarify this finding and showed that ingroup bias plays an important role. Both ingroup favoritism and indigenous/non-indigenous differences were consistently present in the data. Our results suggest that frontal LPP is elicited by contextual blending of evaluative judgments of in-/outgroup information and positive vs. negative valence association and confirm recent research relating in-/outgroup ERP modulation and frontal LPP. LPP modulation may cohere with implicit measures of attitudes. The convergence of measures that were observed supports the idea that racial and valence evaluations are strongly influenced by context. This result adds to a growing set of evidence concerning contextual sensitivity of different measures of prejudice.

  15. Laterality and mental disorders in the postgenomic age--A closer look at schizophrenia and language lateralization.

    PubMed

    Ocklenburg, Sebastian; Güntürkün, Onur; Hugdahl, Kenneth; Hirnstein, Marco

    2015-12-01

    Most people are right-handed and show left-hemispheric language lateralization, but a minority exhibits left-handedness and right-hemispheric language lateralization. This atypical laterality pattern is observed significantly more often in schizophrenia patients than in the general population, which led several authors to conclude that there is a genetic link between laterality and schizophrenia. It has even been suggested that a failure in the lateralization process, orchestrated by genes, could be the primary cause of schizophrenia. However, the molecular genetic evidence for a link between laterality and schizophrenia is weak. Recent genetic evidence indicates that schizophrenia is not a single disorder but a group of heritable disorders caused by different genotypic networks leading to distinct clinical symptoms. To uncover the link between schizophrenia and laterality we therefore suggest a paradigm shift where genetics are not mapped on schizophrenia as a whole but on discrete schizophrenia symptoms. In addition, we provide a critical evaluation of current theories on the genetic link between schizophrenia and brain asymmetry. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Evaluation of electrostatic precipitator during SRC combustion tests. Final task report Apr--Aug 1977

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Nichols, G.B.; Barrett, W.J.

    1978-07-01

    The report deals with the evaluation of an electrostatic precipitator (ESP) and associated environmental factors during the burning of solvent refined coal (SRC) in a boiler at Plant Mitchell of the Georgia Power Company. The effort was part of an overall study of the use of SRC in a full-scale electric power plant. Results of a performance evaluation of the ESP are reported and interpreted. Samples of stack emissions were collected with a Source Assessment Sampling System (SASS) train for chemical analysis: results of the analysis are to be reported later.

  17. Computer simulation of backscattering spectra from paint

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mayer, M.; Silva, T. F.

    2017-09-01

    To study the role of lateral non-homogeneity on backscattering analysis of paintings, a simplified model of paint consisting of randomly distributed spherical pigment particles embedded in oil/binder has been developed. Backscattering spectra for lead white pigment particles in linseed oil have been calculated for 3 MeV H+ at a scattering angle of 165° for pigment volume concentrations ranging from 30 vol.% to 70 vol.% using the program STRUCTNRA. For identical pigment volume concentrations the heights and shapes of the backscattering spectra depend on the diameter of the pigment particles: This is a structural ambiguity for identical mean atomic concentrations but different lateral arrangement of materials. Only for very small pigment particles the resulting spectra are close to spectra calculated supposing atomic mixing and assuming identical concentrations of all elements. Generally, a good fit can be achieved when evaluating spectra from structured materials assuming atomic mixing of all elements and laterally homogeneous depth distributions. However, the derived depth profiles are inaccurate by a factor of up to 3. The depth range affected by this structural ambiguity ranges from the surface to a depth of roughly 0.5-1 pigment particle diameters. Accurate quantitative evaluation of backscattering spectra from paintings therefore requires taking the correct microstructure of the paint layer into account.

  18. Long-lasting active lifestyle and successful cognitive aging in a healthy elderly population: The PROOF cohort.

    PubMed

    Saint Martin, M; Sforza, E; Barthélémy, J C; Roche, F; Lefèvre, P; Liénard, G; Thomas-Anterion, C

    2017-12-01

    The aim of this study was to determine whether cognitive reserve in the elderly affects the evolution of cognitive performance and what its relationship is with active lifestyles in later life. Cognitive performance was evaluated at baseline and 8 years later in 543 participants of the PROOF cohort, initially aged 67 years. Subjects were categorized as Cognitively Elite (CE), Cognitively Normal (CN) or Cognitively Impaired (CI) at each evaluation. At follow-up, demographic data and lifestyle, including social, intellectual and physical behaviors, were collected by questionnaires. As much as 69% (n=375) remained unchanged, while 25.5% (n=138) decreased and 5.5% (n=30) improved. When present, the reduction in cognitive status was most often limited to one level, but was dependent on the initial level, affecting up to 73% of the initially CN, but only 58% of the initially CE. Cognitive stability was significantly associated with the degree of social engagement at follow-up (CE: P=0.009; CN: P=0.025). In the healthy elderly, high cognitive ability predicts both cognitive ability and social involvement in later life. Cognitive decline by only one level may also extend the time to reach impairment, underlining the importance of the so-called cognitive reserve. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

  19. Patella Height Correlates With Trochlear Dysplasia: A Computed Tomography Image Analysis.

    PubMed

    Ferlic, Peter Wilhelm; Runer, Armin; Dammerer, Dietmar; Wansch, Jürgen; Hackl, Wolfgang; Liebensteiner, Michael Christian

    2018-06-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the position of the patella relative to the trochlea for a possible correlation with radiologic parameters characterizing the form of the trochlea. The computed tomography scans of 36 cases with patellofemoral instability and 30 without (mean age, 24.7 ± 6.8 years) were studied. The height of the patella relative to the trochlea was evaluated as the distance between the axial slice where the patella (P) showed its widest diameter, as the patella at this level has the greatest potential to form the trochlea, and the proximal entrance of the femoral trochlea (TE). The correlations between this parameter and several radiologic parameters used to evaluate trochlear dysplasia, including trochlea height, transverse trochlea shift, trochlea depth, sulcus angle, lateral and medial trochlea slope, trochlea facet asymmetry, and the Dejour trochlea type, were calculated. The P-TE distance correlated significantly with all trochlea parameters evaluated, with a more dysplastic trochlea in cases of higher position of the patella: medial, central, and lateral trochlea height (0.287

  20. Biomechanical analysis of anterior versus posterior instrumentation following a thoracolumbar corpectomy: Laboratory investigation.

    PubMed

    Viljoen, Stephanus V; DeVries Watson, Nicole A; Grosland, Nicole M; Torner, James; Dalm, Brian; Hitchon, Patrick W

    2014-10-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical properties of lateral instrumentation compared with short- and long-segment pedicle screw constructs following an L-1 corpectomy and reconstruction with an expandable cage. Eight human cadaveric T10-L4 spines underwent an L-1 corpectomy followed by placement of an expandable cage. The spines then underwent placement of lateral instrumentation consisting of 4 monoaxial screws and 2 rods with 2 cross-connectors, short-segment pedicle screw fixation involving 1 level above and below the corpectomy, and long-segment pedicle screw fixation (2 levels above and below). The order of instrumentation was randomized in the 8 specimens. Testing was conducted for each fixation technique. The spines were tested with a pure moment of 6 Nm in all 6 degrees of freedom (flexion, extension, right and left lateral bending, and right and left axial rotation). In flexion, extension, and left/right lateral bending, posterior long-segment instrumentation had significantly less motion compared with the intact state. Additionally, posterior long-segment instrumentation was significantly more rigid than short-segment and lateral instrumentation in flexion, extension, and left/right lateral bending. In axial rotation, the posterior long-segment construct as well as lateral instrumentation were not significantly more rigid than the intact state. The posterior long-segment construct was the most rigid in all 6 degrees of freedom. In the setting of highly unstable fractures requiring anterior reconstruction, and involving all 3 columns, long-segment posterior pedicle screw constructs are the most rigid.

  1. Association of sleep and academic performance.

    PubMed

    Eliasson, Arne; Eliasson, Anders; King, Joseph; Gould, Ben; Eliasson, Arn

    2002-03-01

    Poor school performance by adolescent students has been attributed in part to insufficient sleep. It is recognized that a number of factors lead to diminished total sleep time and chief among these are early school start times and sleep phase delay in adolescence. Political initiatives are gaining momentum across the United States to require later school start times with the intent of increasing total sleep time and consequently improving school performance. Later school start times come with significant costs and impact other activities of families and communities. The decision to implement later school start times cannot be made lightly and deserves support of well-performed research on the impact of these changes. A study evaluating the association of academic performance and total sleep time was performed in middle school and high school students in a suburban Maryland school system. Preliminary results of this study show no correlation of total sleep time with academic performance. Before mandating costly changes in school schedules, it would be useful to perform further research to determine the effects of increasing sleep time on the behaviors of adolescent students.

  2. The effect of platelet-rich plasma on clinical outcomes in lateral epicondylitis.

    PubMed

    Ahmad, Zafar; Brooks, Roger; Kang, Sertaz-Niel; Weaver, Holly; Nunney, Ian; Tytherleigh-Strong, Graham; Rushton, Neil

    2013-11-01

    To evaluate the evidence for application of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in lateral epicondylitis. We carried out a systematic review of the current evidence on the effects of PRP in lateral epicondylitis on clinical outcomes. We performed a comprehensive search of the PubMed, Medline, Cochrane, CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), and Embase databases using various combinations of the commercial names of each PRP preparation and "lateral epicondylitis" (with its associated terms), looking specifically at human studies. Data validity was assessed and collected on clinical outcome. Nine studies met the inclusion criteria, of which 5 were randomized controlled trials. Two cohort studies showed that PRP improved clinical satisfaction scores. One case-control study showed that PRP yielded a significantly greater improvement in symptoms compared with bupivacaine. Two randomized controlled trials compared the effect of injections of PRP and blood. Only 1 of the studies noted a significant difference at the 6-week time point. Three randomized controlled trials compared corticosteroids with PRP. Two of the smaller trials, which had follow-up periods of 6 weeks and 3 months, showed no significant difference between treatment groups. The largest randomized controlled trial found that PRP had significant benefit compared with corticosteroids with regard to pain and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand scores at 1- and 2-year time points. This review highlights the limited but evolving evidence for the use of PRP in lateral epicondylitis; however, further research is required to understand the concentration and preparation that facilitate the best clinical outcome. Characterizing the timing of the intervention would optimize the health economics behind the decision to treat for the patient and health care provider. Level III, systematic review of Level I to III studies. Copyright © 2013 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Overt versus covert conduct disorder symptoms and the prospective prediction of antisocial personality disorder.

    PubMed

    Le Corff, Yann; Toupin, Jean

    2014-12-01

    Studies have shown strong continuity between conduct disorder (CD) in adolescence and antisocial personality disorder (APD) in adulthood. Researchers have been trying to explain why some adolescents with CD persist into adult APD and others do not. A few studies reported that overt and covert CD symptoms have a differential predictive power for APD, with mixed results. The present study aimed to evaluate the prospective association of overt and covert CD symptoms with APD in a sample of male adolescents with CD (N = 128, mean age = 15.6, SD = 1.6). Participants were recruited at intake in Quebec Youth Centers and reassessed 3 years later (n = 73). CD and ADHD symptoms were assessed at intake with the DISC-R while APD was assessed 3 years later with the SCID-II. Logistic regression results showed that, contrary to previous prospective studies (Lahey, Loeber, Burke, & Applegate, 2005; Washburn et al., 2007), overt (OR = 2.12, 95% CI [1.29, 3.50]) but not covert (OR = 1.04, 95% CI [0.69, 1.56]) symptoms predicted later APD, controlling for ADHD symptoms and socioeconomic status. It is hypothesized that the divergence with previous studies may be explained by the higher mean number and wider range of overt CD symptoms in our sample.

  4. Radiographic diagnosis of occult distal fibular avulsion fracture in children with acute lateral ankle sprain.

    PubMed

    Kwak, Yoon-Hae; Lim, Jae-Young; Oh, Min-Kyung; Kim, Woo-Jin; Park, Kun-Bo

    2015-06-01

    Skeletally immature children with ankle sprain are presumed to have distal fibula fracture than ligamentous injury. The purpose of this study is to determine the incidence of associated occult avulsion fracture in children with lateral ankle sprain and the efficacy of identifying fractures using anterior talofibular ligament view. Patients who were diagnosed with distal fibular fracture in the initial ankle anteroposterior, lateral, and mortise were excluded and 78 patients (below 16 y of age) who had been initially diagnosed as ankle sprain were included. The initial and 4 weeks' follow-up ankle series and additional anterior talofibular ligament view suggested by Haraguchi were evaluated. Twenty patients were diagnosed with occult distal fibular avulsion fracture. Ten patients were diagnosed in anterior talofibular ligament view and others were diagnosed in the follow-up radiography. Displacement was highest on the anterior talofibular ligament view. This study found 20 (26%) of 78 ankle sprain show occult avulsion fracture in the anterior talofibular ligament view or follow-up radiography. The anterior talofibular ligament view is an appropriate radiologic view for the diagnosis of distal fibular avulsion fracture. Level IV--diagnostic study.

  5. Effects of different root canal obturation techniques on bacterial penetration.

    PubMed

    Yücel, Ali Cağin; Ciftçi, Alper

    2006-10-01

    The aim of this study was to compare bacterial penetration following obturation with 5 different techniques. This study was performed on 120 teeth including negative control (n = 10), positive control (n = 10), and experimental groups (n = 100). One hundred teeth were randomly divided into 5 groups of 20 teeth each and obturated with System B (Sb), Lateral Compaction (Lc), Thermafil (T), Single ProTaper Gutta-percha (P), and laterally compacted ProTaper Gutta-percha (PLc). Enterococcus faecalis was used for determination of the bacterial penetration. Evaluation was carried out for 60 days. At 30 days, the chi2 test showed that the slowest penetration was observed in Group Sb and Group PLc, which were not significantly different from each other. The fastest penetration in the all experimental groups was observed in Group T and Group P, which were not significantly different from one another. Also, there was no statistically significance difference (P > .05) among all groups at 60 days. It may be concluded that under the conditions of this study System B and laterally compacted ProTaper Gutta-percha prevent bacterial penetration of the root canal at 30 days. Furthermore, there was no difference among obturation techniques at 60 days.

  6. [Relevance of Personality Factors for Successful Vocational Rehabilitation].

    PubMed

    Arling, V; Slavchova, V; Knispel, J; Spijkers, W

    2016-02-01

    The Main purpose of vocational rehabilitation is occupational reintegration of clients into the job market who have lost their job or whose job is threatened because of a handicap or chronicl illness. With regard to existing evidence for the relevance of personality factors for work performance and job achievement, the present study investigated the influence of participants' personality factors on a successful reintegration after a retraining program in a vocational training center over 2 years. A central research objective was to identify prognostic personality factors for successful vocational integration. In this longitudinal study 15 vocational training centers participated at 3 time points of measurement (T1, T2 and T3). Data gathering was based on rehabilitants' self-reports (standardized questionnaires: SVF, BSW, SPR, CSES) about personality aspects. First data collection started at the beginning (T1) and a second survey was conducted at the end of the training 2 years later (T2). Based on the data at measurement points T1 and T2, 4 prognostic models were computed (binary logistic regression analysis) and evaluated, examining the differenzial influence of several scales and items on direct reintegration after completing the vocational retraining and reintegration status 6 months later (T3). As expected, different variables turned out to be relevant for occupational integration at the end of the training program and 6 months later. Correspondingly other variables appeared to be relevant for occupational reintegration at T1 and at T2. At the end of the vocational training program, approximately 24% of the participants had a job. With respect to direct reintegration, regression analysis revealed that vocational self-efficacy (R(2)=0,175) and self-evaluation were relevant (R(2)=0,383). Approximately 70% of the participants had gotten a job 6 months later. Several stress coping strategies (R(2)=0,170), estimation of the own reintegration prognosis and aspects like vocational center contextual factors (R(2)=0,280) appeared to be relevant for reintegration 6 months later. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  7. Analysis of augmented aircraft flying qualities through application of the Neal-Smith criterion

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bailey, R. E.; Smith, R. E.

    1981-01-01

    The Neal-Smith criterion is examined for possible applications in the evaluation of augmented fighter aircraft flying qualities. Longitudinal and lateral flying qualities are addressed. Based on the application of several longitudinal flying qualities data bases, revisions are proposed to the original criterion. Examples are given which show the revised criterion to be a good discriminator of pitch flying qualities. Initial results of lateral flying qualities evaluation through application of the Neal-Smith criterion are poor. Lateral aircraft configurations whose flying qualities are degraded by roll ratcheting effects map into the Level 1 region of the criterion. A third dimension of the criterion for flying qualities specification is evident. Additional criteria are proposed to incorporate this dimension into the criterion structure for flying qualities analysis.

  8. Out-Patient Pulmonary Rehabilitation Improves Medial-Lateral Balance in Subjects With Chronic Respiratory Disease: Proof-of-Concept Study.

    PubMed

    Smith, Michelle D; Harvey, Elizabeth H; van den Hoorn, Wolbert; Shay, Barbara L; Pereira, Gisèle M; Hodges, Paul W

    2016-04-01

    Recent studies show balance impairment in subjects with chronic respiratory disease. The aim of this proof-of-concept study was to investigate clinical and quantitative measures of balance in people with chronic respiratory disease following participation in an out-patient pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program to better understand features of balance improvement. A secondary aim was to probe possible mechanisms for balance improvement to provide the foundation for optimal design of future studies. Eleven individuals with chronic respiratory disease enrolled in an 8-week out-patient PR program participated. Standing balance, measured with a force plate, in the medial-lateral and anterior-posterior directions with eyes open and closed was assessed with linear (SD and sway path length) and non-linear (diffusion analysis) center-of-pressure measures. Balance was evaluated clinically with the Timed Up and Go and Four Square Step Test. Fear of falling and balance confidence were assessed with questionnaires. After participation in PR, medial-lateral sway path length decreased (P = .031), and center-of-pressure diffusion in the medial-lateral direction was slower (P = .02) and traveled over less distance (P = .03) with eyes closed. This suggests greater control of medial-lateral sway. There was no change in anterior-posterior balance (P > .067). Performance improved on the Timed Up and Go (median [interquartile range] pre-PR = 9.4 [7.9-12.8] vs. post-PR = 8.1 [7.3-12.2] s, P = .003) and Four Square Step Test (median [interquartile range] pre-PR = 9.3 [7.2-14.2] vs. post-PR = 8.7 [7.4-10.2] s, P = .050). There were no changes in balance confidence (P = .72) or fear of falling (P = .57). Participation in an 8-week out-patient PR program improved balance, as assessed by clinical and laboratory measures. Detailed analysis of force plate measures demonstrated improvements primarily with respect to medial-lateral balance control. These data provide a basis for the development of larger scale studies to investigate the mechanisms for medial-lateral balance improvements following PR and to determine how PR may be refined to enhance balance outcomes in this population. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration NCT00864084.). Copyright © 2016 by Daedalus Enterprises.

  9. Lateral Sinus Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas: Sinovenous Outflow Restriction Outweighs Cortical Venous Reflux as a Parameter Associated with Hemorrhage.

    PubMed

    Hu, Yong-Sin; Lin, Chung-Jung; Wu, Hsiu-Mei; Guo, Wan-Yuo; Luo, Chao-Bao; Wu, Chih-Chun; Chung, Wen-Yuh; Liu, Kang-Du; Yang, Huai-Che; Lee, Cheng-Chia

    2017-11-01

    Purpose To investigate whether sinovenous outflow restriction (SOR) is more strongly associated with hemorrhage than cortical venous reflux (CVR) in patients with lateral sinus dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs). Materials and Methods An institutional review board approved this retrospective study and waiver of informed consent was obtained. From 1995 to 2016, 163 cases of lateral sinus DAVFs were included and divided into hemorrhagic and nonhemorrhagic groups based on initial presentation. Their angiograms and magnetic resonance images were evaluated, with two evaluators independently grading CVR and SOR. The SOR was scored as the combined conduit score (CCS), ranging from zero (total occlusion) to 8 (fully patent). The CVR and CCS of the hemorrhagic and nonhemorrhagic groups were compared. Logistic regression models were established for both the CVR and CCS to compare their performances in discriminating DAVF hemorrhage. Results Sinovenous outflow was significantly more restrictive (lower median CCS) in the hemorrhagic group than in the nonhemorrhagic group (1 vs 6.5; P < .001). A CCS of less than or equal to 2 best discriminated between the groups with a sensitivity of 90.0% and a specificity of 88.1%. The CCS model had a higher discriminative performance than did the CVR model (area under the curve, 0.933 vs 0.843; P = .018). Conclusion The CCS grading system semiquantifies SOR. SOR may represent a stronger risk factor associated with hemorrhage in patients with lateral sinus DAVFs than does CVR, and thus may offer guidance in therapeutic decision making. © RSNA, 2017.

  10. Positioning bedridden patients to reduce interface pressures over the sacrum and great trochanter.

    PubMed

    Yoshikawa, Y; Maeshige, N; Sugimoto, M; Uemura, M; Noguchi, M; Terashi, H

    2015-07-01

    In this study, we evaluated the effect of hip-joint rotation on the interface pressure over the sacrum and greater trochanter with a new protocol for positioning of bedridden elderly patients. The interface pressure values over the sacrum and greater trochanter in bedridden patients were evaluated. These were collected in the supine position, 90° lateral position, and 30° and 40° laterally inclined positions with external rotation or neutral positioning of the hip joint. Each interface pressure was assessed with a device measuring pressure distribution, after which, the peak pressure index (PPI) was calculated. In the 17 patients examined, the PPI over the sacrum in the supine position was significantly greater than that in other positions. In the 30° and 40° laterally inclined positions, the PPIs over the greater trochanter were significantly lower in the neutral position of the hip joint compared with those in the external rotation position. Our findings revealed the effects of hip-joint rotation on the interface pressure for the greater trochanter, possibly due to the increased distance between the greater trochanter and the sacrum caused by neutral position of the hip joint. The results demonstrate that it is to best place the hip joint in a neutral position when the legs are in contact with the bed in order to distribute the pressure over the greater trochanter in the 30° and 40° laterally inclined positions. These results can be applied to the clinical setting to improve patient positioning and decrease pressure ulcers. The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests.

  11. Level-dependent coronal and axial moment-rotation corridors of degeneration-free cervical spines in lateral flexion.

    PubMed

    Yoganandan, Narayan; Pintar, Frank A; Stemper, Brian D; Wolfla, Christopher E; Shender, Barry S; Paskoff, Glenn

    2007-05-01

    Aging, trauma, or degeneration can affect intervertebral kinematics. While in vivo studies can determine motions, moments are not easily quantified. Previous in vitro studies on the cervical spine have largely used specimens from older individuals with varying levels of degeneration and have shown that moment-rotation responses under lateral bending do not vary significantly by spinal level. The objective of the present in vitro biomechanical study was, therefore, to determine the coronal and axial moment-rotation responses of degeneration-free, normal, intact human cadaveric cervicothoracic spinal columns under the lateral bending mode. Nine human cadaveric cervical columns from C2 to T1 were fixed at both ends. The donors had ranged from twenty-three to forty-four years old (mean, thirty-four years) at the time of death. Retroreflective targets were inserted into each vertebra to obtain rotational kinematics in the coronal and axial planes. The specimens were subjected to pure lateral bending moment with use of established techniques. The range-of-motion and neutral zone metrics for the coronal and axial rotation components were determined at each level of the spinal column and were evaluated statistically. Statistical analysis indicated that the two metrics were level-dependent (p < 0.05). Coronal motions were significantly greater (p < 0.05) than axial motions. Moment-rotation responses were nonlinear for both coronal and axial rotation components under lateral bending moments. Each segmental curve for both rotation components was well represented by a logarithmic function (R(2) > 0.95). Range-of-motion metrics compared favorably with those of in vivo investigations. Coronal and axial motions of degeneration-free cervical spinal columns under lateral bending showed substantially different level-dependent responses. The presentation of moment-rotation corridors for both metrics forms a normative dataset for the degeneration-free cervical spines.

  12. Randomized prospective study comparing tri-cortical iliac crest autograft to allograft in the lateral column lengthening component for operative correction of adult acquired flatfoot deformity.

    PubMed

    Dolan, Christopher M; Henning, Jeffrey A; Anderson, John G; Bohay, Donald R; Kornmesser, Marc J; Endres, Terrence J

    2007-01-01

    Operative treatment of stage II posterior tibial tendon insufficiency (PTTI) is controversial. Many soft-tissue and bony procedures and various combinations of the two have been reported for treatment of stage II PTTI. Orthopaedists recognize the lateral column lengthening component of the procedure as a successful reconstructive technique. The use of cortical allograft for lateral column lengthening in the correction of pes planus in the pediatric patient population has been routine. In the adult population, however, tricortical iliac crest autograft has been the bone graft of choice. Harvest of this autograft can precipitate significant morbidity and cost. Therefore, we undertook this randomized controlled trial to compare graft incorporation and healing of allograft and autograft in the lateral column lengthening component of adult flatfoot reconstruction. Lateral column lengthening was done as a component of operative correction for stage II PTTI in adult patients (older than 18 years) by two surgeons using similar procedures. The patients were randomized to either the allograft or autograft procedures. The primary endpoint was graft incorporation and healing as assessed by radiographs. The study included 33 randomized feet in 31 patients. We followed 18 feet in the allograft group and 15 in the autograft group to the point of union. There were 21 women and 10 men. There were no delayed unions, nonunions, or hardware failures. All patients in both groups achieved bony union by the 12-week followup evaluation. Two superficial foot infections were successfully treated with oral antibiotics. Two patients in the autograft group continued to have hip donor site pain at 3 months. This study suggests that union rates of allograft and autograft (iliac crest bone graft) are equal. The use of allograft in the lateral column lengthening component of operative correction of adult stage II PTTI appears to be a viable alternative to the use of iliac crest autograft and eliminates the morbidity and increased cost associated with autograft harvest.

  13. The relation between working memory capacity and auditory lateralization in children with auditory processing disorders.

    PubMed

    Moossavi, Abdollah; Mehrkian, Saiedeh; Lotfi, Yones; Faghihzadeh, Soghrat; sajedi, Hamed

    2014-11-01

    Auditory processing disorder (APD) describes a complex and heterogeneous disorder characterized by poor speech perception, especially in noisy environments. APD may be responsible for a range of sensory processing deficits associated with learning difficulties. There is no general consensus about the nature of APD and how the disorder should be assessed or managed. This study assessed the effect of cognition abilities (working memory capacity) on sound lateralization in children with auditory processing disorders, in order to determine how "auditory cognition" interacts with APD. The participants in this cross-sectional comparative study were 20 typically developing and 17 children with a diagnosed auditory processing disorder (9-11 years old). Sound lateralization abilities investigated using inter-aural time (ITD) differences and inter-aural intensity (IID) differences with two stimuli (high pass and low pass noise) in nine perceived positions. Working memory capacity was evaluated using the non-word repetition, and forward and backward digits span tasks. Linear regression was employed to measure the degree of association between working memory capacity and localization tests between the two groups. Children in the APD group had consistently lower scores than typically developing subjects in lateralization and working memory capacity measures. The results showed working memory capacity had significantly negative correlation with ITD errors especially with high pass noise stimulus but not with IID errors in APD children. The study highlights the impact of working memory capacity on auditory lateralization. The finding of this research indicates that the extent to which working memory influences auditory processing depend on the type of auditory processing and the nature of stimulus/listening situation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Transcatheter arterial embolization of abnormal vessels as a treatment for lateral epicondylitis refractory to conservative treatment: a pilot study with a 2-year follow-up.

    PubMed

    Iwamoto, Wataru; Okuno, Yuji; Matsumura, Noboru; Kaneko, Takao; Ikegami, Hiroyasu

    2017-08-01

    Abnormal vessels and accompanying nerves are possible sources of pain with lateral epicondylitis. The purpose of this study was to describe the safety and efficacy of transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) for lateral epicondylitis resistant to conservative treatment. This prospective study was conducted in 24 patients with lateral epicondylitis resistant to conservative treatments for more than 3 months, with a symptom duration longer than 6 months, and with moderate to severe pain who were treated with TAE between March 2013 and October 2014. Two patients were lost to follow-up, and the remaining 22 patients were followed up for 2 years after TAE. Abnormal vessels were identified in all of the patients. No major adverse events were observed. The Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand scores at baseline significantly decreased at 1, 3, 6, and 24 months after treatment (50.8 vs 23.4, 8.3, 5.3, and 2.7, respectively; all P < .001). There was a statistically significant (P < .001) change from baseline to the last observed value in all of the clinical parameters, including visual analog scale pain score, Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation score, and pain-free grip strength. Magnetic resonance images obtained 2 years after TAE showed an improvement in tendinosis and tear scores compared with baseline, and no patients showed bone marrow necrosis, obvious cartilage loss, or muscle atrophy. TAE could be one possible treatment option for patients with lateral epicondylitis that fails to improve with conservative treatments. Copyright © 2017 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Stage 2 DBPR Operational Evaluation Report

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    A completed copy of the Stage 2 DBPR Operational Evaluation Report must be sent to EPA Region 8 no later than 90 days after being notified of the analytical results that indicate an operational evaluation level has been exceeded.

  16. Incisal Apical Root Resorption Evaluation after Low-Friction Orthodontic Treatment Using Two-Dimensional Radiographic Imaging and Trigonometric Correction.

    PubMed

    Savoldi, Fabio; Bonetti, Stefano; Dalessandri, Domenico; Mandelli, Gualtiero; Paganelli, Corrado

    2015-11-01

    Root resorption shall be taken into consideration during every orthodontic treatment, and it can be effected by the use of different techniques, such as the application of low friction mechanics. However, its routinely assessment on orthopantomography has limitations related to distortions and changes in dental inclination. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the severity of apical root resorption of maxillary and mandibular incisors after low-friction orthodontic treatment, using the combination of panoramic and lateral radiographs, and applying a trigonometric correction. A hospital based Retrospective study at the orthodontic Department (Dental School, University of Brescia, Spedali Civili di Brescia, Brescia, Italy). Ninety-three subjects (53 females and 40 males; mean age, 14 years) with mild teeth crowding were treated without extractions by the same operator using a low-friction fixed appliance following an integrated straight wire (ISW) protocol. The pre- and post-treatment tooth lengths of the maxillary and mandibular incisors were measured on panoramic radiographs. A trigonometric factor of correction for the pre-treatment length was calculated based on the difference between the pre and post-treatment incisal inclination on lateral cephalograms. The changes in lengths were investigated using the Student's t-test for paired values (p<0.05). Maxillary central incisors showed no changes (0.3%, 0.6%), maxillary lateral incisors showed a small increase (1.4%, 1.8%) that was attributed to the completion of root development in younger patients, mandibular central and lateral incisors underwent slight resorption (-3.1%, -3.4%). A statistically significant difference was found for the mandibular incisors but not for the maxillary ones. In patients with mild crowding and consequent low amount of root movement, a low-friction orthodontic treatment can lead to slight apical root resorption, mainly involving lower incisors. The use of a trigonometric correction in the panoramic radiograph analysis may reduce the limitations of this 2D evaluation.

  17. Reliability assessment and correlation analysis of evaluating orthodontic treatment outcome in Chinese patients.

    PubMed

    Song, Guang-Ying; Zhao, Zhi-He; Ding, Yin; Bai, Yu-Xing; Wang, Lin; He, Hong; Shen, Gang; Li, Wei-Ran; Baumrind, Sheldon; Geng, Zhi; Xu, Tian-Min

    2014-03-01

    This study aimed to assess the reliability of experienced Chinese orthodontists in evaluating treatment outcome and to determine the correlations between three diagnostic information sources. Sixty-nine experienced Chinese orthodontic specialists each evaluated the outcome of orthodontic treatment of 108 Chinese patients. Three different information sources: study casts (SC), lateral cephalometric X-ray images (LX) and facial photographs (PH) were generated at the end of treatment for 108 patients selected randomly from six orthodontic treatment centers throughout China. Six different assessments of treatment outcome were made by each orthodontist using data from the three information sources separately and in combination. Each assessment included both ranking and grading for each patient. The rankings of each of the 69 judges for the 108 patients were correlated with the rankings of each of the other judges yielding 13 873 Spearman rs values, ranging from -0.08 to +0.85. Of these, 90% were greater than 0.4, showing moderate-to-high consistency among the 69 orthodontists. In the combined evaluations, study casts were the most significant predictive component (R(2)=0.86, P<0.000 1), while the inclusion of lateral cephalometric films and facial photographs also contributed to a more comprehensive assessment (R(2)=0.96, P<0.000 1). Grading scores for SC+LX and SC+PH were highly significantly correlated with those for SC+LX+PH (r(SC+LX)vs.(SC+LX+PH)=0.96, r(SC+PH)vs.(SC+LX+PH)=0.97), showing that either SC+LX or SC+PH is an excellent substitute for all three combined assessment.

  18. Reliability assessment and correlation analysis of evaluating orthodontic treatment outcome in Chinese patients

    PubMed Central

    Song, Guang-Ying; Zhao, Zhi-He; Ding, Yin; Bai, Yu-Xing; Wang, Lin; He, Hong; Shen, Gang; Li, Wei-Ran; Baumrind, Sheldon; Geng, Zhi; Xu, Tian-Min

    2014-01-01

    This study aimed to assess the reliability of experienced Chinese orthodontists in evaluating treatment outcome and to determine the correlations between three diagnostic information sources. Sixty-nine experienced Chinese orthodontic specialists each evaluated the outcome of orthodontic treatment of 108 Chinese patients. Three different information sources: study casts (SC), lateral cephalometric X-ray images (LX) and facial photographs (PH) were generated at the end of treatment for 108 patients selected randomly from six orthodontic treatment centers throughout China. Six different assessments of treatment outcome were made by each orthodontist using data from the three information sources separately and in combination. Each assessment included both ranking and grading for each patient. The rankings of each of the 69 judges for the 108 patients were correlated with the rankings of each of the other judges yielding 13 873 Spearman rs values, ranging from –0.08 to +0.85. Of these, 90% were greater than 0.4, showing moderate-to-high consistency among the 69 orthodontists. In the combined evaluations, study casts were the most significant predictive component (R2=0.86, P<0.000 1), while the inclusion of lateral cephalometric films and facial photographs also contributed to a more comprehensive assessment (R2=0.96, P<0.000 1). Grading scores for SC+LX and SC+PH were highly significantly correlated with those for SC+LX+PH (r(SC+LX)vs.(SC+LX+PH)=0.96, r(SC+PH)vs.(SC+LX+PH)=0.97), showing that either SC+LX or SC+PH is an excellent substitute for all three combined assessment. PMID:24136673

  19. Modular use of human body models of varying levels of complexity: Validation of head kinematics.

    PubMed

    Decker, William; Koya, Bharath; Davis, Matthew L; Gayzik, F Scott

    2017-05-29

    The significant computational resources required to execute detailed human body finite-element models has motivated the development of faster running, simplified models (e.g., GHBMC M50-OS). Previous studies have demonstrated the ability to modularly incorporate the validated GHBMC M50-O brain model into the simplified model (GHBMC M50-OS+B), which allows for localized analysis of the brain in a fraction of the computation time required for the detailed model. The objective of this study is to validate the head and neck kinematics of the GHBMC M50-O and M50-OS (detailed and simplified versions of the same model) against human volunteer test data in frontal and lateral loading. Furthermore, the effect of modular insertion of the detailed brain model into the M50-OS is quantified. Data from the Navy Biodynamics Laboratory (NBDL) human volunteer studies, including a 15g frontal, 8g frontal, and 7g lateral impact, were reconstructed and simulated using LS-DYNA. A five-point restraint system was used for all simulations, and initial positions of the models were matched with volunteer data using settling and positioning techniques. Both the frontal and lateral simulations were run with the M50-O, M50-OS, and M50-OS+B with active musculature for a total of nine runs. Normalized run times for the various models used in this study were 8.4 min/ms for the M50-O, 0.26 min/ms for the M50-OS, and 0.97 min/ms for the M50-OS+B, a 32- and 9-fold reduction in run time, respectively. Corridors were reanalyzed for head and T1 kinematics from the NBDL studies. Qualitative evaluation of head rotational accelerations and linear resultant acceleration, as well as linear resultant T1 acceleration, showed reasonable results between all models and the experimental data. Objective evaluation of the results for head center of gravity (CG) accelerations was completed via ISO TS 18571, and indicated scores of 0.673 (M50-O), 0.638 (M50-OS), and 0.656 (M50-OS+B) for the 15g frontal impact. Scores at lower g levels yielded similar results, 0.667 (M50-O), 0.675 (M50-OS), and 0.710 (M50-OS+B) for the 8g frontal impact. The 7g lateral simulations also compared fairly with an average ISO score of 0.565 for the M50-O, 0.634 for the M50-OS, and 0.606 for the M50-OS+B. The three HBMs experienced similar head and neck motion in the frontal simulations, but the M50-O predicted significantly greater head rotation in the lateral simulation. The greatest departure from the detailed occupant models were noted in lateral flexion, potentially indicating the need for further study. Precise modeling of the belt system however was limited by available data. A sensitivity study of these parameters in the frontal condition showed that belt slack and muscle activation have a modest effect on the ISO score. The reduction in computation time of the M50-OS+B reduces the burden of high computational requirements when handling detailed HBMs. Future work will focus on harmonizing the lateral head response of the models and studying localized injury criteria within the brain from the M50-O and M50-OS+B.

  20. Rapid isolation of cancer cells using microfluidic deterministic lateral displacement structure.

    PubMed

    Liu, Zongbin; Huang, Fei; Du, Jinghui; Shu, Weiliang; Feng, Hongtao; Xu, Xiaoping; Chen, Yan

    2013-01-01

    This work reports a microfluidic device with deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) arrays allowing rapid and label-free cancer cell separation and enrichment from diluted peripheral whole blood, by exploiting the size-dependent hydrodynamic forces. Experiment data and theoretical simulation are presented to evaluate the isolation efficiency of various types of cancer cells in the microfluidic DLD structure. We also demonstrated the use of both circular and triangular post arrays for cancer cell separation in cell solution and blood samples. The device was able to achieve high cancer cell isolation efficiency and enrichment factor with our optimized design. Therefore, this platform with DLD structure shows great potential on fundamental and clinical studies of circulating tumor cells.

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