Percutaneous endoluminal grafts for AAA repair in the catheterization laboratory

Background Percutaneous abdominal aortic aneurysm(AAA) repair has been previously described using the "preclose"technique and general endotrachial anesthesia (GA).     

Radiographic changes induced after cervical facet radiofrequency denervation

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Paraspinal infections after zygapophyseal (facet) radiofrequency denervation (RFD) are a serious but rare complication of this procedure. We are aware of only one case report of an epidural abscess after facet joint injection. PURPOSE: To report post-procedure inflammatory changes after cervical facet RFD. STUDY DESIGN: Case report. PATIENT SAMPLE: A 35-year-old Caucasian female. METHODS: Retrospective case review. RESULTS: The patient underwent cervical RFD and was admitted to the hospital 7 days after her procedure with severe neck pain. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with contrast revealed what appeared to be evidence of a paraspinal muscle abscess although blood tests were negative. She was treated with antibiotic therapy, yet she never developed systemic signs of infection. A follow-up MRI without contrast revealed no evidence of infection, and she was discharged home on hospital day 6. At her first follow-up visit, she was still experiencing scalp pain and paraspinal muscle spasm. During subsequent follow-up visits, she has continued to improve clinically without experiencing signs of infection. Another follow-up MRI 6 weeks after her discharge home revealed persistent minimal left paraspinal enhancement at C2-3, possibly representing post-procedure granulation tissue with no evidence of abscess. CONCLUSIONS: Post-procedural MRI findings after radiofrequency lesioning can resemble radiographic findings associated with a paraspinal abscess. Patients with radiographic findings consistent with abscess should only be treated if clinical signs or symptoms of systemic infection are present.     

KP544, a nerve growth factor amplifier: Pharmacokinetics,safety, and efficacy in the rat

In cultured cells, KP544 [2‐amino‐5‐(4‐chlorophenylethynyl)‐4‐(4‐trans‐hydroxycyclohexyl amino) pyrimidine] amplifies differentiation initiated by nerve growth factor (NGF) or cAMP. This report describes the pharmacokinetics, safety, and neuroprotective efficacy of KP544 in rats. After an oral dose of 10 mg/kg KP544 was 25% bioavailable with a plasma half‐life of 1.3 h and brain levels 6‐fold higher than plasma levels at 4 and 8 h post‐dose. In a safety study, daily oral dosing for 30 days at 10 and 100 mg/kg was well tolerated. The favorable pharmacokinetic and safety profiles, together with its amplification of NGF in vitro, prompted evaluation of KP544 in two models involving NGF deficiencies. In the first model, brains were lesioned with intrastriatal injections of quinolinic acid. KP544 at oral doses of 0.02 to 1.0 mg/kg/day almost completely prevented the resulting learning deficits as evaluated using a radial‐arm‐water maze. At the lowest dose, there was a slower onset of functional improvement. These effects were accompanied by reductions (16–34%) in the striatal lesion size that were greatest at the highest dose and comparable to those seen with NGF therapy. The second model involved a peripheral neuropathy induced by taxol that is associated with decreases in NGF. KP544 at oral doses of 0.1–10 mg/kg/day decreased the severity of the neuropathy as measured by caudal nerve conduction velocities (30–70% return to control values). In both models, KP544 had a large therapeutic index suggesting its potential as a new approach for treating clinical disorders involving deficiencies in NGF. Drug Dev. Res. 62:60–70, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Modification of graphene oxide film properties using KrF laser irradiation

Modification of various properties of graphene oxide (GO) films on SiO₂/Si substrate under KrF laser radiation was extensively studied. X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and the electrical resistance measurements were employed to correlate the effects of laser irradiation on structural, chemical and electrical properties of GO films under different laser fluences. Raman spectroscopy shows reduced graphene oxide patterns with increased I_2D/I_G ratios in irradiated samples. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows a high ratio of carbon to oxygen atoms in the reduced graphene oxide (rGO) films compared to the pristine GO films. X-ray diffraction patterns display a significant drop in the diffraction peak intensity after laser irradiation. Finally, the electrical resistance of irradiated GO films reduced by about four orders of magnitudes compared to the unirradiated GO films. Simultaneously, reduction and patterning of GO films display promising fabrication technique that can be useful for many graphene-based devices.

Modification of various properties of graphene oxide (GO) films on SiO₂/Si substrate under KrF laser radiation was extensively studied.