Transmission electron microscopy of free standing thin films of poly(ether ether ketone)

Free standing thin films of poly(ether ether ketone) crystallized in situ by heating from the glassy state have been shown to be suitable for high resolution transmission electron microscopy lattice imaging. Films mounted on coarse-mesh copper grids could also be observed in the deformed state, allowing lattice imaging of regions of strain induced crystallization at temperatures in the neighbourhood of the glass transition temperature.     

Neonatal hyperglycaemia and abnormal development of the pancreas

Transient and permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus (TNDM and PNDM) are rare conditions occurring in around 1 per 300,000 live births. In TNDM, growth-retarded infants develop diabetes in the first few weeks of life, only to go into remission after a few months with possible relapse to permanent diabetes usually around adolescence or in adulthood. In PNDM, insulin secretory failure occurs in the late fetal or early postnatal period. The very recently elucidated mutations in KCNJ11 and ABCC8 genes, encoding the Kir6.2 and SUR1 subunits of the pancreatic K(ATP) channel involved in regulation of insulin secretion, account for a third to a half of the PNDM cases. Molecular analysis of chromosome 6 anomalies and the KCNJ11 and ABCC8 genes encoding Kir6.2 and SUR1 provides a tool for distinguishing transient from permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus in the neonatal period. Some patients (those with mutations in KCNJ11 and ABCC8) may be transferred from insulin therapy to sulphonylureas.     

Early venous manifestation of Ehlers–Danlos syndrome Type IV through a novel mutation in COL3A1

Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (EDS) leads to abnormalities in the synthesis of collagen and complications involving arterial vessels. We describe here a mutation in the intron 14 of the COL3A1 gene leading to EDS Type IV (EDS IV) associated with venous manifestations only. The patient, an 18-year-old male, suffered from truncal varicosity of the long saphenous vein on both sides. Conventional stripping surgery of the left saphenous vein revealed an extremely vulnerable ectatic superficial femoral vein. An inserted vein graft occluded, and venous thrombectomy was unsuccessful. A conservative anticoagulant and compression therapy finally succeeded. This is the first report describing EDS IV due to a mutation in intron 14 of the COL3A1 gene leading to venous manifestations without affecting arterial vessels at clinical presentation. Our findings imply that molecular genetic analysis should be considered in patients with unusual clinical presentation and that conservative therapy should be applied until a suspected clinical diagnosis has been secured.     

Conventional versus CO2 laser-assisted treatment of peri-implant defects with the concomitant use of pure-phase beta-tricalcium phosphate: a 5-year clinical report

PURPOSE: Recently, histologic studies in the beagle dog model demonstrated that CO2 laser-assisted implant decontamination can result in reosseointegration. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of CO2 laser-assisted therapy as compared with conventional therapy, with the concomitant use of beta-tricalcium phosphate, in humans. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 32 patients with 73 ailing implants. In the laser group, 22 implants were treated with soft tissue resection following laser decontamination; whereas in 17 implants, bone augmentation was performed. In the control group, soft tissue resection after conventional decontamination was performed in 19 implants, augmentation in 15 implants. Results were evaluated 4 months after surgery and in May 2004. RESULTS: Four months after therapy, there were no significant differences in distance from implant shoulder to the first bone contact (ie, DIB values) between implants undergoing laser decontamination and soft tissue resection and implants treated with conventional decontamination followed by soft tissue resection. At the end of the study, there was a statistically significant difference between these 2 groups. Four months after therapy, DIB values after laser decontamination and augmentation were significantly more favorable than after conventional decontamination and augmentation. This difference was no longer detectable at the end of the study. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this study, it may be concluded that the treatment of peri-implantitis may be accelerated by using a CO2 laser concomitant with soft tissue resection. However, with respect to long-term results in augmented defects, there seems to be no difference between laser and conventional decontamination.     

Subjective quality of life of children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders: development and validation of a new assessment scale

Within paediatric disciplines and in particular in child and adolescent psychiatry very little work is available regarding the quality of life (QoL) of patients. After using literature search and interviews for identifying the relevant QoL domains, a set of self report questionnaires (for the parents: proxy rating) was developed (C-version: children 10 to 14 years, A-version: adolescents 14 to 18 years, P-version: parental proxy rating about child/adolescent). It was aimed at an almost identical wording within each questionnaire version in regard to the different QoL domains. The questionnaires should not primarily address symptomatology (like e.g. the Child Behaviour Checklist by Achenbach and Edelbrock 1983). After a pilot phase ensuring adequacy and appropriateness of the forms, the questionnaires were field tested in a consecutive series of nearly 700 patients which were referred to the Cologne university department of child and adolescent psychiatry for diagnosis and treatment between 1996 and 2000. The intended structure of the questionnaire system with symptom and functioning scales concerning the domains: "physical performance, fatigue, anxiety, depression, peer group, school, family, beliefs, general QoL" and some further single questions was confirmed by psychometric testing (validity and reliability). Interscale correlations were in general moderate, exhibiting the expected pattern. Analyses of variances using the method of "known groups comparisons" showed e.g. age, sex, and diagnosis related effects hinting towards clinically meaningful differences. The questionnaire forms were well accepted and understood by patients and parents and the wording of the addressed topics was reported to be adequate. Further work will include the psychopathological findings and will focus on specific subgroups of patients (e.g. different diagnoses) as well as on the longitudinal observation of special patient groups, e.g. patients with eating disorders. It can be concluded that the new QoL instruments were successfully employed in a consecutive series of patients and showed very sufficient psychometric properties.     

Health related quality of life outcomes in cancer clinical trials

Over the last decade, health related quality of life (HRQOL) investigations have become an increasingly important part of many cancer clinical trial research programs. This paper presents a review of all HRQOL studies published by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), one of the largest clinical trials organisations in Europe. The findings highlight 24 clinical trials that have been published to date, enrolling over 9000 patients. HRQOL is fully integrated into EORTC phase III trials. In many trials, HRQOL provides a valuable source of additional information useful to both clinician and patient when making treatment decisions. Furthermore, several trials have found that the combined use of clinical information along with HRQOL data has led to the development of new standards of care in several different cancer sites. With more than 40 ongoing HRQOL studies in the EORTC, we expect HRQOL to play an even greater role over the coming decade in helping establish the optimal treatment and care approach for cancer patients.     

The influence of oral cavity tumour treatment on the voice quality and on fundamental frequency

This study aimed to discover whether the surgical treatment of oral cavity tumours only affects on articulation or whether it also leads to a change in voice quality and fundamental frequency. Twelve participants were examined pre- and postoperatively for mean speaking fundamental frequency, standard deviation of the mean fundamental frequency, harmonic-to-noise-ratio and intrinsic pitch. All the parameters showed a substantial postoperative change in some patients.     

Basic parameters of saccadic eye movements – differences between unmedicated schizophrenia and affective disorder patients

Background Smooth pursuit eye movement (SPEM) dysfunctions are considered a biological marker for schizophrenia and have been studied widely. In contrast, saccadic eye movements have received less attention, although disturbances have been described previously. Basic neurophysiologic parameters of saccades in schizophrenics, especially in unmedicated patients, have not been studied extensively. Methods Saccadic eye movements of 38 unmedicated schizophrenic patients, 32 patients with major depression and 42 non-psychiatric controls were examined using high-resolution infrared oculography. Two large-amplitude saccadic tasks were presented. The groups were compared on peak velocity, reaction time and accuracy. Results Peak velocity was significantly increased in schizophrenic patients. Depressive patients had a significantly longer reaction time. Both patient groups needed more corrective saccades to reach the target than controls. Conclusions Peak velocity distinguishes unmedicated schizophrenic patients from depressive patients and normal controls. This could be explained by deficits of the prefrontal cortex in the inhibitory control of saccades. Our findings suggest that schizophrenia affects not only SPEM but also saccadic eye movements. Received: 30 November 2000 / Accepted: 28 June 2001     

Saccadic reaction times in acute and remitted schizophrenics

Summary Schizophrenics are known to have various disturbances of the visuomotor system. Whereas smooth pursuit eye movement disorders have been repeatedly confirmed, there are relatively few reports regarding possible disturbances of the saccadic system. In this study, the saccadic reaction times of 47 schizophrenic inpatients were investigated upon admission and later in the remitted state; 28 age- and sex-matched normal volunteers were tested as controls. Psychopathology and outcome were evaluated according to the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and the Prognostic Scale. Light stimuli were presented at random direction, location (ranging from 0° to 20°) and duration (800, 1000, and 1200 ms). The eye movements were recorded by electro-oculography. Compared with the control group, schizophrenics revealed prolonged saccadic reaction times, which correlated with pronounced negative symptoms and an unfavourable course of the illness. The saccadic reaction times remained prolonged in schizophrenic patients. These findings suggest attentional deficits in schizophrenics.This article was presented in part at the Symposium on Eye Movements and Psychopathology, Berlin, 23–24 June 1988