The XLP plate is an anterolateral instrumentation system developed as a part of the eXtreme Lateral Interbody Fusion (XLIF) system for lateral transpsoas interbody fusion, an alternative to anterior interbody fusion. To report two cases of atraumatic coronal plane vertebral body fractures in the early postoperative period after interbody fusion ...

The anatomic and physiologic changes occurring with pregnancy result in a variety of symptoms affecting the lower extremity. The purpose of this investigation is to provide a comprehensive look at the lower extremity changes experienced during pregnancy and correlate symptoms with underlying etiology in a literature review. In this retrospective ...

The paper examines the psychoanalytic theory of shame and the importance of developmental aspects of the shame affect. In a clinical setting, the discovery of the shame affect, stemming from unconscious and early traumatic situations, is an important and useful approach in helping the patient access painful memories and defenses ...

Viral hepatitis infections are major health problems, which are especially prevalent in developing countries. In particular, health care workers are at high risk for contracting viral hepatitis. Therefore, preventive measures to minimize occupational exposure to blood borne pathogens are needed to protect both health care workers and nursing students. To ...

Orthopaedic surgery is in an exciting transitional period as modern surgical interventions, implants and scientific developments are providing new therapeutic options. As advances in basic science and technology improve our understanding of the pathology and repair of musculoskeletal tissue, traditional operations may be replaced by newer, less invasive procedures which ...

Diabetes mellitus has reached epidemic proportions worldwide, eliciting extensive research on both the disease process and its treatment. Regardless of diabetes type, the progressive nature of the disease makes insulin the long-term mainstay of diabetes management. Recently, the insulin analog glargine was reported in several epidemiologic studies to be associated ...

Sepsis is the systemic inflammatory response syndrome secondary to a local infection, and severe sepsis and septic shock are the more devastating scenarios of this disease. In the last decade, considerable achievements were obtained in sepsis knowledge, and an international campaign was developed to improve the treatment of this condition. ...

PARP inhibitors are a promising, novel class of anticancer agents. Iniparib (BSI-201) is an intravenously administered PARP1 inhibitor under development by BiPar Sciences Inc, a subsidiary of sanofi-aventis, under license from Octamer Inc, for the potential treatment of cancer. Iniparib, either alone or in combination with chemotherapy, had significant antitumor ...

To examine undergraduate nursing students' attitudes towards organ donation and to determine whether or not attitudes were related to the students' education and training. Nurses' knowledge and personal opinion can influence patient's willingness to donate organs or to hold an organ donor card. It is unclear how Italy's future nurses ...

Supplementation of enteral nutritional formulas and parenteral nutrition lipid emulsions with omega-3 fatty acids is a recent area of research in patients with critical illness. It is hypothesized that omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce inflammation in critically ill patients, particularly those with sepsis and acute lung injury. The objective ...

To examine the role of concurrent 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor (statin) use and postmenopausal hormone therapy on osteoporosis-related fractures. Case-control study. Data Source. Large integrated health plan in New Mexico. Patients. Case patients were 1001 women with incident fractures of the hip, wrist, forearm, or spine that occurred between ...

One of the largest categories of reported adverse events in hospitals are patient falls, which are estimated to cost more than $20 billion a year. With the goal of preventing falls and reducing the seriousness of injuries from falls, a quality improvement project was initiated. The authors discuss the project ...

To examine the relationship between nurses' perceptions of conflict and professionalism. In Saudi Arabia, health-care sectors are constantly undergoing major changes because of social, consumer-related, governmental, technological and economic pressures. These changes will influence the nature of health-care organizations, such as hospitals' work environment. The ability of nurses to practise ...

Dronedarone is an antiarrhythmic agent recently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the reduction of cardiovascular-related hospitalizations in patients with paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter. The drug is a derivative of amiodarone and has been modified to reduce the organ toxicities frequently encountered ...

A large proportion of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients do not secrete elevated levels of the tumor marker alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). There is little published guide to prognostic features of this patient subset. We interrogated a large HCC database in which all patients had been followed until death, to examine which features ...

Pregnancy may cause ocular changes, for example refractive changes or contact lens intolerance. A number of ocular diseases may deteriorate. Especially preexisting diabetic retinopathy may worsen. Vaginal delivery is nearly always possible. Caesarean section is not required due to myopia, peripheral retinal degenerations or after retinal surgery. Most topically applied ...

COMMENTARY ON: Tanure MC, Pinheiro AP, Oliveira AS. Reliability assessment of Cobb angle measurements using manual and digital methods. Spine J 2010:10:769-774 (in this issue).

Herniation of the abductor hallucis muscle has rarely been reported in the literature. This condition causes localized pain, especially while weight bearing, as a result of a complex cascade of biomechanical events directly related to loss of integrity of the medial wall of the foot. The authors present a case ...

The metabolic syndrome is a constellation of defined cardiovascular risk factors occurring simultaneously in a single individual. The result of dysregulated glucose and vascular metabolism, the syndrome has been identified as a significant risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity in the general population. More recently, a relatively high prevalence of the ...

Nucleosides are intermediates of nucleotide metabolism. Nucleotide de novo synthesis generates the nucleoside monophosphates AMP and UMP, which are further processed to all purine and pyrimidine nucleotides involved in multiple cellular reactions, including the synthesis of nucleic acids. Catabolism of these substances results in the formation of nucleosides, which are ...

The European Neuroscience--Seventh Biennial FENS Forum, held in Amsterdam, included topics covering new therapeutic developments in the field of neuroscience. This conference report highlights selected presentations on sodium channel inhibitors, ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonists, serotonin receptor modulators, and novel therapies for depression, pain and stroke. Investigational drugs discussed include ST-1936 ...

This work investigated the cytotoxicities of three silver nanoparticles (SNPs) SNP-5, SNP-20 and SNP-50 with different sizes ( approximately 5 nm, approximately 20 nm and approximately 50 nm) using four human cell models (A549, SGC-7901, HepG2 and MCF-7). Endpoints included cell morphology, cell viability, cellular membrane integrity, oxidative stress and ...

A research biobank is a collection of personal health and lifestyle information, including genetic samples of yet unknown but possibly large information potential about the participant. For the participants, the risk of taking part is not bodily harm but infringements of their privacy and the harmful consequences such infringements might ...

We describe the physiology of aging and its effect on elderly, critically ill, surgical patients. Postoperative age-specific complications and their management will be reviewed. The number of elderly persons, defined as those >65 yrs of age, is the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population. As a result, the frequency ...

To evaluate the effects of topical cyclosporine A (CsA) 0.05% (Restasis) on the signs and symptoms of dry eye, on apoptosis, and on MMP-9 expression in conjunctiva epithelial cells in thyroid orbitopathy (TO)-related dry eye patients. Prospective, clinical study. Twenty-four eyes of 12 consecutive TO patients with dry eye findings ...

Between 1996 and 2008, nine patients with severe post-traumatic arthritis underwent revision of a failed interposition arthroplasty of the elbow with a further interposition procedure using an allograft of tendo Achillis at a mean of 5.6 years (0.7 to 13.1) after the initial procedure. There were eight men and one ...

The objective of the present study was to evaluate a novel mucoadhesive polymer extracted from Bletilla striata for ocular delivery of 0.5% levofloxacin in rabbits, and to determine its improved efficacy against experimental keratitis. B. striata polysaccharide (BsP) was subjected to cell cytotoxicity and ferning tests. The pharmacokinetics and bioavailability ...

To create a computer-based model for employers to better understand the burden of coronary heart disease (CHD) to their organizations. A user-friendly model was developed to allow employers to evaluate the burden of CHD. Inputs include the demographic distribution by age and sex, prevalence of CHD and CHD risk factors, ...

Evidence-based medicine is a paradigm shift in the biomedical field toward scientific-based clinical practice. It is recognized as the process of acquiring and applying into practice the best available research findings in a defined filed. Although the roots of evidenced-based medicine date back more than 150 years, the modern evidenced-based ...

Periprosthetic infection following total hip replacement can be a catastrophic complication for the patient. The treatments available include single-stage exchange, and two-stage exchange. We present a series of 50 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of infected total hip replacement who were assessed according to a standardised protocol. Of these, 11 ...

This study evaluated blood lead data (including zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) and haemoglobin levels) collected at the UK's Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) in order to determine temporal changes in occupational exposure to lead between 1995 and 2007. A total of 20,889 blood lead measurements and accompanying ZPP and haemoglobin results ...

Severe traumatic brain injury remains a significant cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. The use of therapeutic interventions such as hypertonic saline administration and decompressive craniectomy have solid foundations and can improve outcomes, although questions remain about patient selection, optimal timing, and comparisons to other treatments. Hypothermia, while having promise, ...

This study assessed if transfer of the extensor hallucis longus is a valid alternative treatment to split transfer of the tibialis anterior tendon in adult hemiplegic patients without overactivity of the tibialis anterior. One group of 15 patients had overactivity of tibialis anterior in the swing phase, and underwent the ...

Carotenoids and retinoic acid derivatives are topically applied for sun-protective and whitening purposes. Fucoxanthin is a carotenoid derived from edible sea algae, but its effect on melanogenesis has not been established. Therefore, we examined the effect of fucoxanthin on melanogenesis. Inhibitory effects on tyrosinase activity, melanin formation in B16 melanoma ...

Although many classifications include oral lesions of lichen planus in the category of a premalignant condition, there is still much discussion about whether the mucous membranes lesions should be characterized as an intrinsically premalignant condition or merely as a facilitator of the action of a carcinogenic factor. The possibility that ...

Auxin interacts with its own polar transport to influence cell polarity and tissue patterning. Research over the past decade has started to deliver new insights into the molecular mechanisms that drive and regulate polar auxin transport. The most prominent auxin efflux protein, PIN1, has subsequently become a crucial component of ...

This prospective control study examined whether supplementation with branched-chain amino acid (BCAA)-enriched nutrients can help maintain and improve residual liver function and nutritional status in cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Subjects were 49 patients with hepatitis C-related HCC who underwent RFA. Two groups were formed: ...

The Trabectome provides a new perspective in angle surgery for open angle glaucoma. Through a 1.7 mm clear cornea tunnel, the juxtacanalicular meshwork is electroablated under gonioscopic control. Thereby, the collector channels in the outer wall of Schlemm's canal are uncovered and resistance to trabecular outflow is removed. From the literature ...

COMMENTARY ON: Nandakumar A, Clark NA, Peehal JP, et al. The increase in dural sac area is maintained at 2 years after X-stop implantation for the treatment of spinal stenosis with no significant alteration in lumbar spine range of movement. Spine J 2010:10:762-768 (in this issue).

Rupture of the tibialis posterior tendon is widely believed to result from trauma in the presence of preexisting degenerative changes. We report a case of adult-acquired flatfoot in an otherwise healthy 19-year-old man who sustained a fracture of the medial malleolus.

Maladaptive behavior that repeats, typically known as repetition compulsion, is one of the primary reasons that people seek psychotherapy. However, even with psychotherapeutic advances it continues to be extremely difficult to treat. Despite wishes and efforts to the contrary repetition compulsion does not actually achieve mastery, as evidenced by the ...

The family planning (FP) practice rate of Ethiopian women of reproductive age is lower than in most other sub-Saharan African countries. To examine the status of FP practice and identify intrapersonal, interpersonal and community factors associated with FP practice among married Ethiopian women in a rural area. A cross-sectional survey ...

The beta-angle is a radiological tool for measuring the distance between the pathological head-neck junction and the acetabular rim with the hip in 90 degrees of flexion in patients with femoroacetabular impingement. Initially it was measured using an open-chamber MRI. We have developed a technique to measure this angle on ...

In 2008, the American College of Clinical Pharmacy appointed the Task Force on Research in the Professional Curriculum to review and make recommendations on the essential research curriculum that should be part of doctor of pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree programs. The essential research curriculum provides all students with critical and analytical ...

Small molecules and metabolites often act as intra- or extracellular messengers in signal transduction pathways. Ligand-gated ion channels provide a mean to transduce those biochemical signals at the membrane into electrical events and ion fluxes. In plants, cyclic nucleotides and glutamate represent intra- and extracellular signalling ligands, respectively. While the ...

The American Diabetes Association 70th Scientific Sessions, held in Orlando, FL, USA, included topics covering new therapeutic developments in the field of diabetes research. This conference report highlights selected presentations on new research with novel agents. Investigational drugs discussed include the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist taspoglutide (Roche Holding AG/Teijin Ltd/ ...

Thrombocytopenia due to hypersplenism is usually a serious condition in cirrhotic patients who have undergone invasive procedures. We designed a new treatment method using a high-frequency alternating electromagnetic force to treat the disease condition in a rat model. Sprague-Dawley rats were given thioacetamide in drinking water and injected with methylcellulose ...

In this study, we examined the acute toxicity, immunotoxicity, and cytotoxicity of bacterial magnetosomes (BMs). LD(50) of BMs injected into the sublingual vein of SD rats was 62.7 mg/kg. Further studies with injection of 40 mg/kg BMs showed no significant difference between BM-treated and control rats in terms of routine ...

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute, acquired, monophasic autoimmune disorder of peripheral nerves that develops in susceptible individuals after infection and, in rare cases, after immunisation. Exposure to influenza via infection or vaccination has been associated with GBS. We review the relation between GBS and these routes of exposure. Epidemiological ...

The Ponseti method has become accepted worldwide as the treatment of choice for nonoperative management of clubfoot. However, there has been no research on whether casting should begin in the newborn period (< or = 30 days old) or later (> 30 days but < 1 year old) or on ...