Detrended fluctuation analysis detects altered coordination of running gait in athletes following a heavy period of training

Objectives

To investigate whether functional overreaching affects locomotor system behaviour when running at fixed relative intensities and if any effects were associated with changes in running performance.

Introducing dental students to clinical patient care: The complete denture prosthodontics transition clinic

Using complete denture treatment as an introduction to clinical patient care for dental students, the purposes of the Complete Denture Prosthodontics Transition Clinic at the University of Colorado School of Dentistry are to reduce the time lapse between the preclinical complete denture prosthodontics course and the first denture patient experience, and to encourage development of student self-confidence and skills. In the 2002 spring semester, faculty at the University of Colorado School of Dentistry initiated the Complete Denture Prosthodontics Transition Clinic for DS-II (second-year) dental students, as an introduction to clinical patient care. Each patient was assigned to a team of two dental students. Three Division of Prosthodontics faculty members staffed each clinic session, providing a student-to-faculty ratio of approximately 6.6:1 and a patient-to-faculty ratio of approximately 3.3:1. All DS-II students in the Class of 2004 delivered their first complete dentures no later than 8 months (average, 184 days) after the last day of the preclinical complete denture prosthodontics course. The time from the diagnostic appointment through the denture placement appointment averaged 39 days for patients treated in this program, compared with an average of 98 days or more for previous classes. The program was successful in achieving the goal of reducing the time lapse between the preclinical complete denture prosthodontics course and the first denture patient experience.     

Predicting failure in polytetrafluoroethylene vascular access grafts for hemodialysis: a pilot study

In order to determine if serial, noninvasive evaluation of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) vascular access grafts could identify a subgroup of patients at risk for thrombosis, the authors studied flow characteristics, using duplex ultrasonic scanning, in 18 hemodialysis patients with forearm loop grafts. On average, five examinations were performed per patient over the 10-month study period. Seven episodes of thrombosis occurred in six patients. The mean Doppler flow in grafts that subsequently thrombosed was significantly lower than in those that did not (544 +/- 218 ml/min versus 843 +/- 391 ml/min, p less than 0.001). The interval from last examination to thrombosis ranged from 13 to 58 days. At a defined cut-off flow of 450 ml/min, this test yielded a sensitivity of 83% and a specificity of 75% for episodes of thrombosis occurring within 2 to 6 weeks. The authors conclude that episodes of thrombosis in PTFE arm loop grafts are usually preceded by significantly lower Doppler-measured flow than grafts that do not thrombose and that it may be possible, by this means, to identify grafts at risk.     

Interobserver Agreement for the Diagnosis of Venous Thromboembolism on Computed Tomography Chest Angiography and Indirect Venography of the Lower Extremities in Emergency Department Patients

Objectives: To determine interobserver agreement between radiologists for computed tomography (CT) angiography and venography. CT venography of the lower extremities combined with standard CT angiography of the chest may result in an increased overall diagnosis rate of venous thromboembolism (pulmonary embolism or deep venous thrombosis).
Methods: The study had a retrospective cohort design. The population consisted of emergency department patients who were evaluated for suspected pulmonary embolism. A random sample of 50 patients diagnosed and treated for venous thromboembolism and 50 age- and gender-matched patients whose CT angiograms and venograms were read as negative were enrolled. The original reading (R1) was compared with readings of two study radiologists: R2, a general radiologist, and R3, a radiologist with fellowship training in cross-sectional imaging. All readers were blinded to each other.
Results: Both R2 and R3 found both CT angiogram and venogram components technically adequate in 95% (95% CI = 89% to 98%) and 86% (95% CI = 78% to 92%) of studies, respectively. The agreement was very good for CT angiography (lowest agreement = 92%; lowest κ = 0.83) and was good for CT venography (85%, κ = 0.65). In nine cases, R1 read the CT angiogram as negative but the venogram as positive for DVT, whereas both R2 and R3 read both components as negative in four of these nine, suggesting a false-positive isolated DVT rate of 44% (95% CI = 19% to 73%). In no case did R1 read both scan components as negative when R2 and R3 agreed on presence of pulmonary embolism or DVT.
Conclusions: Diagnosis of pulmonary embolism on CT angiography is more reliable than diagnosis of isolated DVT on CT venography.     

Prolactin and known modulators of rat splenocytes activate nuclear protein kinase C

Prolactin (PRL) and other trophic factors rapidly activate a nuclear pool(s) of protein kinase C (nPKC) in purified splenocyte nuclei. The PRL also enhanced [2-3H]glycerol incorporation into nuclear mono- and triacylglycerol. An assay was devised which not only probed the ability of the hormone to activate protein kinase C (PKC) but also demonstrated the presence of nuclear substrates. Using this methodology, a biphasic concentration-response curve to PRL was observed. Heterologous species of PRL and various growth factors also activated nPKC. The PRL-induced nPKC stimulation was antagonized by various immunomodulators, G protein-coupling inhibitors, PKC inhibitors, a calmodulin inhibitor, and a peripheral benzodiazepine agonist and antagonist. A monoclonal antibody to PKC, anti-rat PRL antiserum and a monoclonal anti-rat PRL receptor antibody antagonized PRL-induced PKC-dependent nuclear phosphorylation, further implicating nPKC and a PRL receptor-mediated activation process. Nuclear PKC may be a major target for trophic regulation in response to both positive and negative growth signals.