Application of small angle X-ray scattering synchrotron technology for measuring ovine meat quality.

A small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) synchrotron was used to evaluate 100 ovine m. longissimus lumborum, representing lamb (n=50) and sheep (n=50). The diffraction of X-rays gives information on muscle myofibril structure and fat content. The linear relationships between SAXS measures with measures such as, shear force, intramuscular fat content (IMF) and collagen content/solubility, were investigated. A relationship was found between the d-spacing of the actin/myosin fibril spacing (SAX1 and SAX2) and the cross sectional area of the rhombohedral unit cell (Cell area) and shear force after 1 and 5day ageing. There was a positive relationship between IMF and a SAXS Fat area measure. There was a muscle site effect on SAX1, SAX2 and Cell area, with the cranial site having a larger distance between myofibrils. The potential of SAXS as a powerful research tool to determine not only the structural components of ovine tenderness, but also the fat content related to IMF is evident.

A comparison of technical replicate (cuts) effect on lamb Warner-Bratzler shear force measurement precision.

The Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) of 335 lamb m. longissimus lumborum (LL) caudal and cranial ends was measured to examine and simulate the effect of replicate number (r: 1-8) on the precision of mean WBSF estimates and to compare LL caudal and cranial end WBSF means. All LL were sourced from two experimental flocks as part of the Information Nucleus slaughter programme (CRC for Sheep Industry Innovation) and analysed using a Lloyd Texture analyser with a Warner-Bratzler blade attachment. WBSF data were natural logarithm (ln) transformed before statistical analysis. Mean ln(WBSF) precision improved as r increased; however the practical implications support an r equal to 6, as precision improves only marginally with additional replicates. Increasing LL sample replication results in better ln(WBSF) precision compared with increasing r, provided that sample replicates are removed from the same LL end. Cranial end mean WBSF was 11.2 ± 1.3% higher than the caudal end.

Spirulina as a livestock supplement and animal feed.

Spirulina (Athrospira sp.) is an edible microalga and a highly nutritious potential feed resource for many agriculturally important animal species. Research findings have associated Spirulina to improvements in animal growth, fertility, aesthetic and nutritional product quality. Spirulina intake has also been linked to an improvement in animal health and welfare. Its influence over animal development stems from its nutritive and protein-rich composition, thus leading to an increased commercial production to meet consumer demand. Consequently, Spirulina is emerging as a cost-effective means of improving animal productivity for a sustainable and viable food security future. However, our present knowledge of animal response to dietary Spirulina supplementation is relatively scanty and largely unknown. Therefore, the primary objective of this paper was to review past and current findings on the utilisation of Spirulina as a feed supplement and its impact on animal productivity and health. Only animals deemed to be of agricultural significance were investigated; hence, only ruminants, poultry, swine and rabbits and their responses to dietary Spirulina supplementation are covered.

[Chronic renal disease and gravidity--case study]. / Chronické ochorenie obliciek a gravidita: kazuistika.

Uremia, the result of renal failure, is a serious clinical problem. Rising azotemia during gravidity significantly increases perinatal morbidity and mortality. This study presents the case of 34 years old patient with 27-year medical history of diabetes mellitus type 1 with diabetic nephropathy and chronic renal insufficiency. The patient got pregnant in the stage of preterminal renal failure. During the first trimester, she showed hypertension and proteinuria. In her 25th week of pregnancy, she was hospitalized with progressive proteinuria, almost uncontrollable hypertension and increased azotemia. Intensive conservative therapy led to a slight decrease of azotemia and proteinuria levels which, however, remained high. In fact, we considered using elimination methods several times. Due to severe hypoxia of the foetus, the gravidity was terminated by section at 30 weeks. After the parturition, the newborn had to be resuscitated. In the first days, the newborn showed increased azotemia which decreased spontaneously after several days. In a month after the termination of gravidity, N-substances increased again and the patient was enrolled in the chronic dialysis programme.

The effect of base/liner use on restoration leakage.

Central to the success of a restoration is the quality of the restoration-dentin interfacial seal; any compromise of the seal can lead to secondary or recurrent decay. Class V restorations have a high leakage propensity and this study evaluates the effect of base/liner placement on leakage behavior. Class V intracoronal half enamel/half dentin preparations (3.0 x 2.0 x 2.0 mm) were cut in four groups (n = 10) of extracted human teeth with a new bur used for each cavity preparation. All teeth were single-rooted, single-canal anterior teeth. Base/liner usage differed between each group. The first group of teeth had no liner or base, while a liner was placed in the second group of teeth prior to conditioning and restoration. A base was placed in the third group of cavity preparations and both the base and liner were placed in the fourth group. After preparation, a small diameter bare-end PVC-insulated copper wire was inserted within the root canal of each tooth from the apex to firm contact with the pulp chamber roof. The tooth-wire interface and root surface was sealed and leakage was followed electrochemically for 35 days in 0.9% NaCl solution. All of the teeth leaked to some degree; however, teeth that were restored without liner or base demonstrated the smallest amount of leakage. The greatest leakage was noted in teeth restored with both a base and a liner; teeth restored with only a base showed greater leakage than those restored with only a liner. The findings indicate that the presence of a base and/or a liner results in greater leakage compared with intracoronal Class V preparations that were conditioned and restored only. The data suggest that placing both a base and a liner increases restoration leakage significantly.

[Glomerulonephritides, histology forms, way of treatment and therapeutic effect in our patients]. / Glomerulonefritídy, histologické formy, spôsob terapie a terapeutická odozva u nasich pacientov.

Authors present a group of patients in the article who were monitored at a nephrology outpatient department of the University Hospital in Martin between years 1997 and 2001 for nephritic or nephrotic syndrome. Indications, contraindications and ways of histology examinations of kidneys in their department are discussed in the beginning of the work. Than prevalence of individual types of glomerulonephritides as well as way and length of therapy based on histology picture are discussed in the monitored group of patients. In the end results of therapeutic response are presented. Among other things, authors came to a conclusion that it is the least possible to manage the disease when histology results show sclerotisation of glomerules and in cases of frequent relapses in prolipherative forms of glomerulonephritides.

[Causes of hospitalization in patients on chronic hemodialysis]. / Príciny hospitalizácií u chronicky hemodialyzovaných pacientov.

UNLABELLED: Patients taking dialysis regularly form a group with higher morbidity and mortality compared with common population. The risk factors of the hospitalization in future in these patients are supposed to be: older age, history of cardiovascular disease, comorbidity, vascular access other than arterio-venous fistula, certain types of nephropathy and serum albumin level < 30 g/l. The number of patients in chronic dialysis treatment in Slovakia rises. Therefore we have performed a retrospective study. It's aim was to evaluate the main reasons and risk factors of hospitalizations in chronic haemodialysis patients in Turciansky region. METHODS: 80 patients undergoing regular haemodialysis treatment in 2 dialysis centres during 24 months were included. Following data were collected: age, gender, comorbidity, type of nephropathy, residual diuresis, some data connected with dialysis treatment, laboratory parametres and body mass index. RESULTS: During the given period of time 66 per cent of the patients of our sample required hospitalization. The main reasons of their hospitalization were complications of vascular access (13%), surgery (12%), the sepsis (9%) and serious bleeding (9%). Hospitalized patients showed significantly lower BMI and residual diuresis compared with non-hospitalized ones. They also suffered from greater amount of other diseases. As for gender prevailed men and patients with a history of cardiovascular disease, thrombosis and peptic ulcer. There was no connection between morbidity and age, type of vascular access and laboratory parameters observed.

Aberrant cytokine gene expression in the hippocampus in murine systemic lupus erythematosus.

Cytokines are important mediators of immune regulation and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of the neurological disturbances, which occur in up to sixty percent of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). SLE is an autoimmune disease characterized by the presence of autoantibodies against nuclear antigens, including native DNA. Cytokines are thought to drive autoantibody production in lupus. Certain of the derangements in memory and learning described in human and experimental SLE map to the hippocampus. The current study examines the expression of cytokine genes in the hippocampus in lupus, using MRL-lpr/lpr mice as the experimental model. These mice spontaneously develop a SLE-like illness accompanied by disturbances in spatial learning. Our results suggest a potential role for proinflammatory cytokines in the cognitive aberrations observed in lupus.

Cerebellar dysfunction is associated with overexpression of proinflammatory cytokine genes in lupus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease of unknown etiology accompanied by central nervous system involvement in up to 60% of patients. The current study chronicles the expression of cerebellar dysfunction in SLE using MRL-lpr/lpr mice as the experimental model. These mice spontaneously develop an illness that has immunological and clinical features of human lupus. We found that MRL-lpr/lpr mice manifest severe and progressive behavioral disturbances indicative of cerebellar dysfunction beginning at 11 weeks of age. Although the lpr gene is known to induce autoimmune features, immunologically normal mice rendered congenic for lpr failed to exhibit disturbances in cerebellar function. Because lupus is a cytokine-driven disease and overexpression of certain proinflammatory cytokines has been associated with neurodegeneration, the relationship between cerebellar dysfunction and cytokine gene expression was examined. Relative to immunologically normal CBA/J mice, the cerebellum of young (11-15 weeks of age) MRL-lpr/lpr mice contained high levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and interferon-gamma (IFNgamma) mRNA, which became even more pronounced in old (22-30 weeks of age) autoimmune mice. mRNA levels for the cytokines IL-1beta and IL-10 were elevated in the cerebellum of old, but not young, MRL-lpr/lpr mice relative to CBA/J. In contrast, the levels of cerebellar transcripts for IL-3 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were comparable in autoimmune and normal mice, indicating that enhanced gene expression of IL-6, IFNgamma, IL-1beta, and IL-10 was selective. These results suggest a potential role for certain proinflammatory cytokines in the pathogenesis of cerebellar disturbances in SLE.

Modular robotic workcell for coagulation analysis.

BACKGROUND: Total laboratory automation (TLA) has been shown to increase laboratory efficiency and quality. However, modular automation is smaller, requires less initial capital, and requires less planning than TLA. We engineered and performed clinical trials on a modular robotic preanalytical workcell for coagulation analysis. METHODS: Timing studies were used to quantify the efficiency of the manual processes and to identify areas in the processing of coagulation specimens where bottlenecks and long waiting periods were encountered. We then designed our modular robotic system to eliminate these bottlenecks. Our robotic modular workcell was engineered to allow a choice of specimen introduction manually, by conveyor, or by mobile robot. Additional timing studies were performed during clinical trials of the robotic system. RESULTS: Prior to automation, the time required for preanalytical processing time was 18-107 min; after automation, it was 45-50 min. Additional improvements in workcell efficiency could be realized when high quality, prelabeled specimens were introduced into the system. CONCLUSION: Compared with manual methods, modular automation provides more predictable variation in specimen processing.

Can academic radiology departments become more efficient and cost less?

PURPOSE: To determine how successful two large academic radiology departments have been in responding to market-driven pressures to reduce costs and improve productivity by downsizing their technical and support staffs while maintaining or increasing volume. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A longitudinal study was performed in which benchmarking techniques were used to assess the changes in cost and productivity of the two departments for 5 years (fiscal years 1992-1996). Cost per relative value unit and relative value units per full-time equivalent employee were tracked. RESULTS: Substantial cost reduction and productivity enhancement were realized as linear improvements in two key metrics, namely, cost per relative value unit (decline of 19.0% [decline of $7.60 on a base year cost of $40.00] to 28.8% [$12.18 of $42.21]; P < or = .001) and relative value unit per full-time equivalent employee (increase of 46.0% [increase of 759.55 units over a base year productivity of 1,651.45 units] to 55.8% [968.28 of 1,733.97 units]; P < .001), during the 5 years of study. CONCLUSION: Academic radiology departments have proved that they can "do more with less" over a sustained period.

Dual-isotope single-photon emission computerized tomography scanning in patients with glioblastoma multiforme: association with patient survival and histopathological characteristics of tumor after high-dose radiotherapy.

OBJECT: The study was conducted to determine the association between dual-isotope single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) scanning and histopathological findings of tumor recurrence and survival in patients treated with high-dose radiotherapy for glioblastoma multiforme. METHODS: Studies in which SPECT with 201Tl and 99mTc-hexamethypropyleneamine oxime (HMPAO) were used were performed 1 day before reoperation in 47 patients with glioblastoma multiforme who had previously been treated by surgery and high-dose radiotherapy. Maximum uptake of 201Tl in the lesion was expressed as a ratio to that in the contralateral scalp, and uptake of 99mTc-HMPAO was expressed as a ratio to that in the cerebellar cortex. Patients were stratified into groups based on the maximum radioisotope uptake values in their tumor beds. The significance of differences in patient gender, histological characteristics of tissue at reoperation, and SPECT uptake group with respect to 1-year survival was elucidated by using the chi-square statistic. Comparisons of patient ages and time to tumor recurrence as functions of 1-year survival were made using the t-test. Survival data at 1 year were presented according to the Kaplan-Meier method, and the significance of potential differences was evaluated using the log-rank method. The effects of different variables (tumor type, time to recurrence, and SPECT grouping) on long-term survival were evaluated using Cox proportional models that controlled for age and gender. All patients in Group I (201Tl ratio < 2 and 99mTc-HMPAO ratio < 0.5) showed radiation changes in their biopsy specimens: they had an 83.3% 1-year survival rate. Group II patients (201Tl ratio < 2 and 99mTc-HMPAO ratio of > or = 0.5 or 201Tl ratio between 2 and 3.5 regardless of 99mTc-HMPAO ratio) had predominantly infiltrating tumor (66.6%); they had a 29.2% 1-year survival rate. Almost all of the patients in Group III (201Tl ratio > 3.5 and 99mTc-HMPAO ratio > or = 0.5) had solid tumor (88.2%) and they had a 6.7% 1-year survival rate. Histological data were associated with 1-year survival (p < 0.01): however, SPECT grouping was more closely associated with 1-year survival (p < 0.001) and was the only variable significantly associated with long-term survival (p < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Dual-isotope SPECT data correlate with histopathological findings made at reoperation and with survival in patients with malignant gliomas after surgical and high-dose radiation therapy.

Use of singular value decomposition to characterize age and gender differences in SPECT cerebral perfusion.

UNLABELLED: The main objective of this study was to characterize changes in brain perfusion associated with normal aging and gender. METHODS: Perfusion SPECT images using 99mTc-hexamethyl propyleneamine oxime (HMPAO) were obtained from 152 healthy subjects (67 men, 85 women) aged 50-92 yr. An automated method was developed to objectively assess image data from a large number of brain regions. Image data were reduced with singular value decomposition (SVD), which produced 20 eigenvectors capturing 97.05% of the total information content of 4320 regions from each subject. Subjects were scored individually on each vector. RESULTS: Multivariate analyses demonstrated that there were no significant differences in whole-brain HMPAO uptake with age, but age-related regional declines were seen in lateral ventricular regions. Women had higher HMPAO uptake than men in estimates of global perfusion and regional perfusion in the midcingulate/corpus callosum, inferior temporal and inferior parietal areas. CONCLUSION: These discriminations demonstrate that singular value deomposition of SPECT data may be used to assess differences in perfusion patterns between groups of subjects. They replicate several previous findings, both with respect to age-related changes in perfusion and with respect to gender differences. In addition, they identify a previously unreported gender difference in biparietal regions.

Preclinical prediction of Alzheimer's disease using SPECT.

BACKGROUND: Regional cerebral perfusion measured by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was examined as a preclinical predictor of the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: Singular value decomposition was used to produce 20 SPECT factors (known as vectors) (n=152). Vector scores were then computed for four groups (n=136), differing in cognitive status: Group 1--normal controls at both baseline and follow-up; Group 2--subjects with "questionable" AD at both baseline and follow-up; Group 3--subjects with questionable AD at baseline who converted to AD on follow-up (Converters); Group 4--subjects with AD at baseline. All SPECT data in the analyses were gathered at baseline. RESULTS: The four groups could be distinguished on the basis of their baseline SPECT data (p < or = 0.00005; hit rate=83%). Regional decreases in perfusion were most prominent among Converters in the hippocampal-amygdaloid complex, the posterior cingulate, the anterior thalamus, and the anterior cingulate. Inclusion of apolipoprotein E status did not significantly improve the discrimination. CONCLUSIONS: SPECT data gathered and analyzed in this manner may be useful as one aspect of the preclinical prediction of AD. Three of the four brain regions important for discriminating Converters from normal controls involve a distributed brain network pertaining to memory, suggesting that this network may be selectively affected in the earliest stages of AD.

Web-based digital radiology teaching file: facilitating case input at time of interpretation.

OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to develop a software system that allows easy and rapid input of digital radiology images and text reports, at the time of interpretation, into an easily searchable electronic teaching file database using the Internet and the World-Wide Web protocols, servers, and browsers. CONCLUSION: Using the Internet, the World-Wide Web, and our software system, we can rapidly input digital radiology images and associated text reports into an easily searchable database accessed by privileged users. This inexpensive and simple method for building a digital teaching file database allows cross-platform access for users who have a Web browser.

Percutaneous abdominal biopsy: cost-identification analysis.

PURPOSE: To determine the difference in cost to providers of percutaneous abdominal biopsy as the first strategy versus surgical biopsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cost of tissue diagnosis determination with percutaneous biopsy as the first strategy in 439 patients with an abdominal mass was estimated. Costs included direct hospital costs and professional costs of initial and repeat biopsy, follow-up imaging and clinic visits, surgical biopsy (when needed), and treatment of complications. The sum of these costs was compared with the estimated cost had the same patients undergone surgical biopsy instead, with no complications or need for follow-up or repeat biopsy. RESULTS: The total estimated cost of percutaneous biopsy as the first strategy ($543,245) was less than the cost had surgical biopsy been used alone ($1,919,867). The average per patient direct hospital cost of percutaneous biopsy ($800) was lower than that of surgical biopsy ($3,419). The average per patient professional cost of percutaneous biopsy ($438) was also lower than that of surgical biopsy ($955). Savings averaged $3,136 per patient, or $1,376,622 for the study period. CONCLUSION: Substantial health care cost savings may result by using a diagnostic algorithm in which percutaneous biopsy is the first strategy for establishment of a diagnosis in patients suspected of having abdominal malignancy.

Robotic automation of coagulation analysis.

Laboratory automation systems (LAS) have been installed in over 22 sites across North America providing automation of many preanalytical and analytical tasks in clinical laboratories. Only a few laboratories have automated the analysis of citrated whole blood for the diagnosis of hemostasis disorders. The analysis of coagulation factors in citrated blood requires a large amount of labor in order to provide rapid turnaround; thus automation of this analytical process is attractive. Therefore, we have created an automated coagulation workstation using a systematic approach to automation design and engineering. First, we used discrete event simulation to calculate potential throughput and to identify possible bottlenecks for the proposed coagulation workcell. We then created a three-dimensional animated computer model of the workstation to simplify workstation design. Finally, we constructed a prototype workcell using a mobile robot, an articulated robotic arm, and a coagulation analytical system.