Impact of particulate deproteinized bovine bone mineral and porous titanium granules on early stability and osseointegration of dental implants in narrow marginal circumferential bone defects

The use of two particulate bone graft substitute materials in experimental narrow marginal peri-implant bone defects was investigated with respect to early bone healing and implant stability. Porous titanium granules, oxidized white porous titanium granules (WPTG), and demineralized bovine bone mineral (DBBM) were characterized in vitro, after which the two latter materials were tested in experimental peri-implant bone defects in six minipigs, with empty defects as control. After mandibular premolar extraction, the top 5 mm of the alveoli were widened to 6 mm in diameter, followed by the placement of six implants, three on each side, in each pig. Six weeks of healing was allowed. The WPTG showed better mechanical properties. No significant differences in resonance frequency analysis were found directly after compacting or healing, and similar quantities of defect bone formation were observed on micro-computed tomography for all groups. Histomorphometric analysis demonstrated a more coronal bone-to-implant contact in the DBBM group, which also displayed more defect bone fill as compared to the WPTG group. The better mechanical properties observed for WPTG appear of negligible relevance for the early stability and osseointegration of implants.     

Comparison of DNA and karyotype ploidy in malignant mesothelioma.

The correlation between flow cytometric analysis and classical karyotyping was examined in malignant mesothelioma. Flow cytometry was used to determine the DNA ploidy mainly from paraffin blocks of 31 mesotheliomas, of which the S-phase fraction (SPF) could be defined in 17 tumors. Chromosomal results were available from 27 of these tumors. For the comparisons, both the modal (the most common) and the mean (the average) chromosome numbers were determined. A significant correlation was observed between ploidy pattern, i.e., DNA indexes and modal as well as mean chromosome numbers (p = 0.004 and p = 0.006, respectively). Otherwise the comparison between the mean chromosome numbers and DNA index proved more relevant. Although the majority of the tumors (16 of 27) had a normal modal chromosome number of 46, only 5 tumors had a normal mean chromosome number, and the remaining 22 had an abnormal number, reflecting the divergent chromosomal abnormalities. Furthermore, comparison of SPF with mean chromosome numbers disclosed a parabolic relationship; i.e., when mean chromosome number corresponded to diploid, near-diploid, or near-tetraploid cell, SPF was low, but SPF was at the maximum when mean chromosome number ranged between 60 and 63. Because SPF is an indicator of cell proliferation, this might suggest that the number of chromosomes as such also corresponds with the growth characteristics of malignant mesothelioma.     

Tantalum as a buffer layer in diamond-like carbon coated artificial hip joints

The acid resistance of tantalum coated and uncoated human hip joint prostheses was studied with commercial CrCoMo acetabular cups. The samples were exposed to 10% HCl solution and the quantities of dissolved Cr, Co, and Mo were measured with proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE). The absolute quantities were obtained with the use of Cr and Se solution standards. Tantalum coatings (thicknesses 4-6 microm) were prepared in vacuum with magnetron sputtering. Tantalum coating decreased the corrosion rate by a factor of 10(6). As a spinoff from recent wear tests on artificial hip joints it was shown that tantalum has excellent mechanical properties as an intermediate layer of diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings. When tantalum was tested together with DLC on three metal-on-metal hip joint pairs in a hip simulator, no observable defects occurred during 15 million walking cycles with a periodic 50-300-kg load (Paul curve).     

Health-related quality of life after ileal J-pouch-anal anastomosis for ulcerative colitis: long-term results.

BACKGROUND: This questionnaire study examined associations between health-related quality of life and long-term follow-up results with J-pouch anal anastomosis for ulcerative colitis. METHODS: A two-part questionnaire was sent to patients treated for ulcerative colitis by handsewn J-pouch-anal anastomosis at our institute in the period 1985-95. The health-related quality of life measurement was based on a RAND SF-36 Finnish version of the questionnaire. Scores were compared with the normal Finnish population. The functional status was analysed with a 34-item questionnaire on pouch function and incontinence. RESULTS: The response rate was 62%. The median follow-up time was 8 years (3 to 13 years). Functional results were acceptable: median number of bowel movements per 24 h was six. Soiling at night occurred in 32%, and inability to differentiate pouch contents in 24% cases. Twenty-four per cent used a pad occasionally, and 9% every day. The functional score and the health-related quality of life score correlated strongly. Poor functional status and a history of chronic pouchitis were associated with lower score. The limiting value after which the score was lower was 10 bowel movements per 24 h in 16%. A compromised anal continence proved to decrease the health-related quality of life as well. CONCLUSIONS: RAND SF-36 scores seem to provide a useful tool to evaluate the health-related quality of life after pelvic pouch operation for ulcerative colitis. Frequent bowel movements, impaired anal continence, and pouchitis are common in long-term follow-up after ileal pouch operation. The scores were, however, comparable to those in the normal population in terms of adaptation to daily life with a pelvic pouch.     

Management of acute closed-angle glaucoma with miotics and timolol.

The hypotensive effect of intramuscular or intravenous acetazolamide with frequent instillation of 2% or 4% pilocarpine in polyvinyl alcohol, or with single drops of pilocarpine in polyvinyl alcohol or oily vehicles, and the hypotensive effect of topical timolol alone and together with pilocarpine was investigated in the treatment of acute closed-angle glaucoma in 75 patients (81 eyes). The results showed that there was no marked difference in the hypotensive effect whether pilocarpine was used frequently or in a single dose, in different concentrations, or in different vehicles after acetazolamide. Topical timolol alone was not effective enough to control the intraocular pressure in acute closed-angle glaucoma, but a good hypotensive effect was seen when topical timolol was followed by pilocarpine. It is concluded that 1 drop of pilocarpine 3 hours after intravenous or intramuscular acetazolamide or after topical timolol may be sufficient to terminate an acute attack. Topical timolol may serve as a valuable alternative when systemic medication is contraindicated.     

Somatosensory and brainstem auditory evoked potentials in cardiac arrest patients treated with hypothermia

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prognostic value of short-latency median nerve somatosensory evoked potentials and brainstem auditory evoked potentials in outcome prediction for comatose cardiac arrest patients treated with hypothermia. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, controlled trial of mild hypothermia after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest; a substudy of the European Hypothermia After Cardiac Arrest study. SETTING: Intensive care unit of a tertiary referral hospital (Helsinki University Central Hospital). PATIENTS: Sixty consecutive patients (aged 18-75 yrs) resuscitated from out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation and comatose at 24 hrs after cardiac arrest; all patients were randomly assigned either to therapeutic hypothermia of 33 degrees C or normothermia. INTERVENTIONS: All patients received standard intensive care for at least 2 days. Patients randomized to hypothermia were cooled with an external cooling device for 24 hrs and then allowed to rewarm slowly for 12 hrs. In the normothermia group, the core temperature was kept below 38 degrees C with antipyretics and by physical means. The clinical outcome was assessed 6 months after cardiac arrest. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Somatosensory evoked potentials and brainstem auditory evoked potentials were recorded 24-28 hrs after cardiac arrest. All wave latencies were significantly prolonged in the hypothermia group. Bilaterally absent N20 waves predicted permanent coma with a specificity of 100% in both treatment groups. Brainstem auditory evoked potential recordings did not correlate with the outcome in either treatment group. CONCLUSIONS: The prognostic ability of median nerve short-latency somatosensory evoked potentials does not seem to be affected by therapeutic hypothermia. Brainstem auditory evoked potentials had no additional value in outcome prediction.     

Ileal J-Pouch-Anal Anastomosis,Sexual Dysfunction,and Fertility

Background: Our aim was to establish what kind of changes take place in sexual functions after restorative proctocolectomy and ileoanal anastomosis with J-pouch (IAA) and whether the operation alters fertility. Methods: One hundred and ten consecutive patients who underwent IAA operation for ulcerative colitis at our institute were sent a questionnaire after at least 2 years' follow-up with special emphasis on sexual functions. Analysis was made by an independent researcher. Results: Ninety-five patients (86.7%) responded to the questionnaire. The mean follow-up of the patients was 71.5 months (range, 30-128 months). The median age of the 51 women in this study was 39.0 years (range, 23-74 years). Dyspareunia increased after the operation, but sexual satisfaction improved. The operation seems to reduce fertility slightly in women, and the rate of spontaneous abortion may be higher than in the normal population. The median age of the men was 43.0 (25-69) years. One (2.3%) case of retrograde ejaculation and six (14.6%) cases of erectile function problems were reported after the operation. The fear of leakage during coitus were reduced. Conclusions: Sexual satisfaction is improved after operation, mainly due to improved general health, despite minor disturbances in sexual function. There may be a risk of decreased fertility after restorative proctocolectomy.