Evaluation of design parameters of osseointegrated dental implants using finite element analysis.

Finite element analyses were performed for various shapes of dental implant to study effects on stress distribution generated in the surrounding jaw bone and to determine an optimal thread shape for even stress distribution. It was found that the square thread shape filleted with a small radius was more effective on stress distribution than other dental implants used in the analyses. Additional analyses were performed on the implant with the thread shape obtained from previous analyses for varying other design parameters, such as the width of thread end and height of thread for various load directions, to determine the optimal dimensions of the implant. Stress distribution was more effective in the case when the width of thread end and the height of thread were 0.5p and 0.46p, respectively, where p is the screw pitch. Then, using the optimal implant thread dimensions determined previously, stress analyses were performed with various screw pitches and implant lengths, to investigate effects on stress distribution and to find the way to reduce the maximum effective stress generated in the jaw bone. Results show that the maximum effective stress decreased not only as screw pitch decreased gradually but also as implant length increased.

Idiopathic localized dilatation of the ileum: CT findings.

We report computed tomographic and pathologic findings of an adult case of idiopathic localized dilatation of the ileum presenting as hematochezia and bowel perforation. If a cyst-like structure that has narrow communications with proximal and distal bowel loops and a layered enhancement pattern similar to those of adjacent bowels on the computed tomogram of a patient with gastrointestinal bleeding, idiopathic localized dilatation of the ileum should be suspected.

Accurate measures of left ventricular ejection fraction using electron beam tomography: a comparison with radionuclide angiography, and cine angiography.

BACKGROUND: Quantitative determination of ejection fraction is predicated on precise measurement of end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes of the left ventricle. Contrast enhanced electron beam tomography (EBT), with excellent temporal and spatial resolution, has the potential for highly accurate measures of ejection fraction. METHODS: EBT protocol used a short axis scan of the left ventricle (8-12 levels, apex to base) during infusion of iodinated contrast. To assess the accuracy of the measured left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), we compared EBT with first-pass radionuclide angiography (RNA) and cine angiography (CINE). RESULTS: A total of 41 patients (26 men and 15 women) underwent all three tests within 1 week. Resting ejection fraction using each modality was assessed in a linear regression model to assess inter-test correlation with the other two modalities. Correlation between CINE and EBT was high (r = 0.90, intercept 4.67, p < 0.001). Similarly, correlation of CINE and RNA (r = 0.87, intercept -5.48, p < 0.001) and between EBT and RNA (r = 0.87, intercept -4.6, p < 0.001) were high. In a subset of those patients with LVEF < or = 40%, correlation was consistently high between EBT and CINE. However, correlations were poor for the comparisons between RNA and CINE (r = 0.40), and between the RNA and EBT (r = 0.47). The mean differences of measured ejection fractions between each of the imaging modality were small. However, there was only modest agreement between each of the comparisons as measured using 95% confidence interval (CI) on Bland-Altman plots. CONCLUSION: These data indicate that the LVEF results are comparable among EBT, RNA, and CINE and can be used interchangeably to assess ventricular function for LVEF > 40%. For LVEF < or = 40%, we demonstrated some disparate results between cine angiography and RNA and between EBT and RNA, indicating that CINE or EBT may provide more accurate assessment.

Radiation-sensitive Arabidopsis mutants are proficient for T-DNA transformation.

Stable transformation of plants by Agrobacterium T-DNAs requires that the transgene insert into the host chromosome. Although most of the Agrobacterium Ti plasmid genes required for this process have been studied in depth, few plant-encoded factors have been identified, although such factors, presumably DNA repair proteins, are widely presumed to exist. It has previously been suggested that the UVH1 gene product is required for stable T-DNA integration in Arabidopsis. Here we present evidence suggesting that uvh1 mutants are essentially wild type for T-DNA integration following inoculation via the vacuum-infiltration procedure.

Expression of cyclin D1 and cyclin E in human gastric carcinoma and its clinicopathologic significance.

Cyclin D1 and cyclin E are the mammalian G1 cydins that are both required and rate limiting for entry into S phase. Alterations in cell cycle regulators and subsequent deregulation of the cell cycle are frequently involved in tumorigenesis and/or tumor progression. We investigated the expression of cyclin D1 and cyclin E protein in 84 gastric carcinoma by immunohistochemical staining and also the relevance of each cyclin expression to the clinical outcomes. Overexpression of cyclin D1 and cyclin E was noted in 21 of 84 (25.0%) and 34 of 84 (40.5%) gastric cancer tissues, respectively. There was a significant correlation between overexpression of cyclin E and lymph node metastasis (p=0.003), recurrence (p=0.043), disease free survival (p=0.0378) and overall survival (p=0.0319), but no correlation was noted between overexpression of cyclin D1 and other clinicopathologic variables. These findings suggest that overexpression of cyclin E and cyclin D1 is a frequent finding in gastric cancer and immunohistochemical analysis for cell cycle regulators, especially cyclin E might be a useful prognostic indicator in gastric cancer.

Transverse testicular ectopia found by preoperative ultrasonography.

Transverse testicular ectopia, an extremely rare anomaly, is a deviation of testicular descent resulting in unilateral location of both testes, usually associated with an inguinal hernia, with the spermatic cord of the ectopic testes originating from the appropriate side. In most reported cases, the correct diagnosis was not made preoperatively. But we made a diagnosis of transverse testicular ectopia preoperatively by using the ultrasonography in patient with right-side inguinal hernia and left-side cryptorchism. Left testis was found on the right inguinal area and right testis was found in the right scrotum by ultrasonography, so we could make a diagnosis of transverse testicular ectopia. After right inguinal hemiorraphy, both testes were easily brought down sequentially through the right groin into the scrotum. Left testis was placed in the left hemoscrotum through transceptal incision to the scrotal subdartous pouch.

Combination chemotherapy of oral 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine and cisplatin in advanced gastric cancer: a phase II study.

This study was designed to test the activity and feasibility of 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine (5'-DFUR) and cisplatin combination therapy in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer. Nineteen patients with inoperable and/or metastatic gastric cancer, which was histologically proven, were orally administered 5'-DFUR 1,200 mg/m2 on days 1 to 4 and days 15-18 combined with 70 mg/m2 of cisplatin being repeated every 4 weeks. Five partial responses (PRs) were achieved. Seven patients had stable disease and 6 progressed on therapy. The overall response rate was 27.7% (95% confidence interval: 9.69% to 53.5%). The median survival duration of all 18 patients was 25 weeks (9-64). The majority of patients had WHO grade I/II toxicity, but there was no treatment-related death. These data support that the combinations of oral 5'-DFUR and cisplatin are well tolerable and have a moderate activity with low toxicity in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer.