Dose comparisons for mammographic systems

Dose estimates were made for Kodak Min-R screens combined with Kodak Min-R film and Kodak Ortho M film, both with and without a 5:1 Bucky grid; for standard xeroradiographic techniques in negative development mode; and for the new, higher sensitivity xeroradiographic process of the Xerox 175 System. The estimates were derived from exposure versus depth measurements in phantoms made of BR12 breast simulation material using thermoluminescent detectors. A molybdenum target source with molybdenum filtration, at a half-value layer of 0.37-mm Al, was used for the screen-film measurements. All xeroradiographic measurements were made with a tungsten target source with aluminum filtration at half-value layers of 1.5 to 1.56 mm Al. Mean glandular dose estimates for the Min-R screen/Ortho M film combination with Bucky grid and for the new xeroradiographic process were found to be similar. Dose reduction with the new xeroradiographic system was achieved through a more sensitive photoreceptor and more sensitive development, which also improved the unique imaging characteristics of xeroradiography.     

Polymorphisms in the Chlamydia trachomatis cytotoxin locus associated with ocular and genital isolates

Chlamydia trachomatis is a strict human pathogen producing infections that cause medically important chronic inflammatory diseases, such as blinding trachoma and tubal factor infertility. Isolates exist as serotypes that fall into distinct biologic and pathological groups corresponding to differences in infection tissue tropism and invasion properties. Paradoxically, genome sequencing of several diverse strains has revealed a remarkable level of genomic synteny, suggesting that minor genetic differences determine the pathogen host- and tissue-specific infection characteristics. To better understand the genetic basis of chlamydial pathobiologic diversity, we performed comparative DNA-DNA microarray genomic hybridizations with all 15 C. trachomatis serovariants. We found there are few major genetic differences among the 15 serovars. An exception was the cytotoxin locus located in the plasticity zone, a region that exhibited significant polymorphisms among serovars. We therefore sequenced this region from all 15 serovars. The cytotoxin gene was interrupted by extensive mutations and deletions among the different serovars; however, three basic open reading frame motifs were discovered that correlated with noninvasive oculotropic, urogenitotropic, and invasive serovars. Of interest, only noninvasive genitotropic serovars possessed an intact N-terminal portion of the putative toxin gene. This region contains the UDP-glucose binding domain and the glycosyltransferase domain required for enzymatic activity of the clostridial toxin homologs, suggesting a role in urogenital infection or pathogenesis.     

Regeneration in grafts of normal and denervated rat muscles

Summary The soleus or extensor digitorum longus muscles of young rats were freely grafted into the bed of the corresponding contralateral muscle. The grafts were of normal muscle or muscles which had been denervated for 14 days. Grafts of normal muscle were characterized by little or no contractile activity for the first 2–4 days after transplantation. In contrast, denervated grafts contracted weakly, but consistently, throughout this early period. The patterns of contraction were complex. In early transplants, the contractions were due entirely to surviving muscle fibers in the graft, and the contractile characteristics were those of denervated muscle fibers. After the first week, contractions of newly regenerating muscle fibers within the grafts were superimposed upon and later took over those from the fibers that survived the original transplantation. The contraction time approached those of the normal soleus or extensor muscles during the second month after grafting, and the grafts contracted like fast or slow muscles.     

Histochemical fiber composition of lumbar back muscles in the cat

A histochemical analysis has been performed of the activity of myofibrillar ATPase, NADH₂tetrazolium-reductase, succinic dehydrogenase and phosphorylase and of the content of fat and glycogen in the muscles of the cat's lumbar back region. The correlation between the fiber composition and the previously studied contraction properties of the muscles was analyzed. All muscles contain fibers with a low activity (type I) and such with a high activity (type II) of myofibrillar ATPase following preincubation at pH 9.4. Type II fibers showed either a low (type II A) or an intermediate (type II B) reaction when stained for ATPase, preincubation at pH 4.6. Type 1 fibers have a high, II A an intermediate-high and II B fibers a low activity of oxidative enzymes. The longissimus, iliocostalis and sacrocaudalis dorsalis lateralis muscles are characterized by high percentages of type II B fibers and low proportions of type I and type II A fibers. The central region of the longissimus which is connected to a well developed intermuscular septum is composed of a high proportion of type I fibers. The multifidi, interspinales and intertransversarii mediales muscles have higher proportions of type I and type II A fibers than the other muscles in the region.     

Identification and analysis of nine metabolites of cyclosporine in whole blood by liquid chromatography. 1: Purification of analytical standards and optimization of the assay

We describe an extraction and an isocratic "high-performance" liquid-chromatographic (HPLC) separation of cyclosporine (CsA) and nine metabolites (M1, M8, M17, M18, M21, M25, M26, M203-218, and MUNDF1) from whole blood. Metabolites (for standards) were purified from human bile with liquid-liquid and solid-phase extractions, chromatographed on a cyanopropyl (CN) semipreparative HPLC column, and further purified on octyl, CN, and silica columns. The identity of each metabolite was verified with authentic standards on three chemically different HPLC columns and on the basis of cross-reactivity data from radioimmunoassay. For the routine analytical method, 1 mL of whole blood is diluted, hemolyzed, and applied to a Bond Elut CN (500 mg) cartridge to extract CsA, metabolites, and cyclosporin C, the internal standard. Interferences are removed by using four wash solutions and an additional cartridge of octyldecyl sorbent introduced prior to elution. Analytes are separated on a Zorbax CN analytical column maintained at 58 degrees C, with detection at 214 nm. Analytical recovery, as tested with three lots of CN sorbent, ranged from 47% to 95% for the 10 cyclosporines. Between-run CVs are less than 10% at 200 micrograms/L (concentration of each compound) and the standard curves are linear to 1500 micrograms/L. We also report a study of the separation mechanisms.     

Children's beliefs about punishment

It has been asserted that family violence is linked to the physical punishment of children. To explore children's views on different types of punishment, brief vignettes depicting a child misbehaving were presented to 201 9-12-year-olds who were asked to provide a "parental" response. Although few recommended physical punishment, the findings suggest that for some children physical punishment and aggression are associated.     

Are We Being Fooled by Fluoroscopy? Distortion May Affect Limb-Length Measurements in Direct Anterior Total Hip Arthroplasty

BackgroundDistortion is an intrinsic phenomenon associated with image-intensified fluoroscopy that is both poorly understood and infrequently appreciated by orthopedic surgeons. Little information exists regarding its potential influence on intraoperative parameters during orthopedic surgery, let alone during direct anterior (DA) total hip arthroplasty (THA). The purpose of this study was to quantify the amount of potential error caused by fluoroscopic distortion during DA THA.MethodsIntra-operative fluoroscopic pelvic images from 74 DA THAs were reviewed by two independent readers. All images were obtained using the same fluoroscopic C-arm unit with a radiopaque grid attached to the image intensifier. The vertical distortion from a straight central horizontal line at the peripheries of images were measured and summed to yield the combined vertical distortion similar to how a surgeon calculates a side to side comparison of limb lengths. Simple linear regression was used to evaluate associations between total distortion and patient demographics, operating theaters, and various operative parameters.ResultsThe average combined distortion was 10.0mm (range 2.0-20.0mm). There was a significant difference in the average distortion observed in different theaters (P < .001). There was no association between distortion and patient demographics or fluoroscopic time (all, P > .05).ConclusionFluoroscopic distortion is unpredictable and can cause a substantial amount of error when comparing limb lengths during DA THA. This is a critical finding as this amount of inaccuracy could lead to unintended implant positioning and limb-length discrepancies if unaccounted for.