Autologous osteochondral graft for traumatic defects of finger joints.

Finger joint defects in 16 adults were treated with an autologous osteochondral graft from the base of the second metacarpal, the radial styloid, the base of the third metacarpal or the trapezoid and these patients were followed up from between 12 and 62 months. There was no donor site morbidity. One patient had resorption of the graft and developed pain. The joint was subsequently fused. The mean range of movement was 55.8% of the opposite normal joint. At follow up, 15 patients had no discomfort or mild discomfort. Three had mild narrowing of the joint space and two had slight joint subluxation. Only two patients with concomitant severe injury to the same limb had difficulty performing daily activities. Ten were open injuries and these had poorer outcomes. A hemicondylar defect of a finger joint can be treated using an osteochondral graft obtained from the same hand.

The influence of source material composition on morphology and optical properties of ZnO nanostructures.

We investigated the influence of the composition of the source materials on the morphology and optical properties of ZnO nanostructures. The source materials consisted of a mixture of ZnO and carbon, or ZnO, carbon, and another metal oxide (In2O3, MnO2, or V2O5). The addition of a different metal oxide to the source materials is a commonly used method to achieve doping and/or alteration of the morphology of ZnO nanostructures. For each metal oxide additive, we investigated the influence of different forms of carbon (graphite, carbon nanofibers, and single wall carbon nanotubes). Obtained nanostructures were studied using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, selected area electron diffraction, and photoluminescence. The morphology and the optical properties of the obtained nanostructures were strongly dependent on the source material composition. Possible reasons for observed differences are discussed.

Defects in ZnO nanorods prepared by a hydrothermal method.

ZnO nanorod arrays were fabricated using a hydrothermal method. The nanorods were studied by scanning electron microscopy, photoluminescence (PL), time-resolved PL, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and positron annihilation spectroscopy before and after annealing in different environments and at different temperatures. Annealing atmosphere and temperature had significant effects on the PL spectrum, while in all cases the positron diffusion length and PL decay times were increased. We found that, while the defect emission can be significantly reduced by annealing at 200 degrees C, the rods still have large defect concentrations as confirmed by their low positron diffusion length and short PL decay time constants.

Tailoring and modifications of a ZnO nanostructure surface by the layer-by-layer deposition technique.

Different ZnO nanostructures have been modified using the layer-by-layer polyelectrolyte deposition process. The polymer multilayers were deposited on free standing ZnO tetrapods, ZnO tetrapods on a substrate and ZnO nanorod arrays. In addition, attachment of metallic (Au) nanoparticles to the ZnO nanostructure surface using layer-by-layer deposition was demonstrated. The properties of the ZnO nanostructures with modified surfaces were investigated by electron microscopy, absorption and photoluminescence measurements. A linear increase in polymer thickness with the number of polymer multilayers was confirmed by absorption and transmission electron microscopy. The technique can be readily extended to different nanoparticles and different morphologies of ZnO.

Peak oxygen uptake of 12-18-year-old boys living in a densely populated urban environment.

The purposes of this study were to provide data on the peak VO2 of 12-18-year-old boys from Hong Kong, a densely populated urban environment; to compare these data with those for other similarly aged populations; and to examine the correlations between peak VO2 and various anthropometric parameters of this group. A stratified, random sample of 86 ethnic Chinese boys had their peak VO2 determined using an on-line gas analysis system during incremental, treadmill running. The mean peak VO2 of the boys was 2.7 SD 0.44 l.min-1 or, when expressed in relation to body mass, 52.0 SD 5.8 ml.kg-1.min-1. Peak VO2 (l.min-1) was significantly correlated with body mass (r = 0.72, p < 0.001, age (r = 0.49, p < 0.001) and height (r = 0.71, p = 0.001). Peak VO2 (ml.kg-1.min-1) showed no correlation with age or height. These data suggest that this population group has peak VO2 values very similar to those observed in boys from most other population groups.

Acute renal failure complicating pediatric cardiac surgery: a comparison of survivors and nonsurvivors following acute peritoneal dialysis.

The outlook for patients with cardiac surgery complicated by acute renal failure (ARF) is poor, with a reported mortality of 50-67%. In addition to assessing the impact of recent advances in pediatric cardiac surgery on the mortality rate and renal outcome of surgery complicated by ARF requiring peritoneal dialysis (PD), this study compares preoperative, operative, and postoperative variables in patients who survived surgery and those who did not survive. From 1982 through 1988, 44 postoperative cardiac patients developed ARF, and 40 (age: 2 days to 15 years) required PD. Seventeen of 40 patients survived (mortality 57.5%) and 16 of these patients recovered normal renal function. Preoperative variables, including operative age and weight, did not appear to directly influence survival. Operative profiles, including length of cardiopulmonary bypass, aortic cross-clamp time, and hypotension immediately off bypass, did not distinguish surviving patients from those that did not survive. Postoperative variables, such as postoperative hypotension treatment, arrhythmias, hematologic status, cardiac arrest with resuscitation, did not differentiate survivors from nonsurvivors. The mean duration of PD was less than 2 weeks, and complications were infrequent. Renal status following PD in survivors was usually normal. We conclude that recent advances in pediatric cardiac surgery have not further increased the high mortality of surgery complicated by ARF. Survival is associated with renal recovery and thus aggressive treatment using PD is warranted.

Suppression of radioiodide accumulation by the thyroids and oocytes of Japanese quail with perrhenate.

Japanese quail, 50% inhibition of the 3-h accumulation of 131I occurred with 2.0 micromol KReO4, 2.2 micromol KClO4 and 13 micromol KSCN for the growing oocytes, 1.7, 1.9 and 4.2 micromol for the thyroids of females and 0.20, 0.47 and 5.6 micromol for the thyroids of males. 2. KReO4 inhibition failed after 24 h in males and 36 h in females. 3. Maxima at 6 h in the 131I curves for the plasma, the livers and the testes of KReO4-treated birds were attributed to retention of 131I in the plasma.

The suitability of the dry ashing procedure for determination of arsenic in marine samples.

The dry ashing procedure with Mg/(NO3)2/Mgo ashing aid, followed by arsenic determination by colorimetry, has been compared to an X-ray fluorescence method for determination of arsenic in marine samples. Good agreement between these techniques indicated the suitability of the dry ashing, colorimetric procedure for determination of "fish-arsenic". A wet digestion procedure using HNO3-H2SO4-HC104 was also shown to be suitable.

Rate of thyroxine secretion by male and laying Japanese quail: identification of the radioactive thyroxine degradation component of the multiphasic 131-I curve.

Counting of radioactivity in Japanese quail in vivo showed a rapid loss of 131-I from the body 12-24 h after the i.v. injection of [131-I]thyroxine (T4), followed by a period of slow decrease in counting rates to 96 h. From comparison of these [131-I]T4 curves with curves for 131-iodide-injected birds and from counts on serum and other tissues in vitro it was concluded that, for Japanese quail, the T4 secretion rate should be calculated using serum samples taken during the first 12 h. Using this time period, the parameters measured were: T4 distribution space, laying hens 45-7 and mature cocks 26-7 and mature cocks 26-3 ml/100 g body weight; fractional degradation rate for T4, hens 5-73 and cocks 3-12/day; serum T4 concentration (Tetrasorb-125 method), hens 1-20 plus or minus 0-07 and cocks 1-34 plus or minus 0-05 (S.E.M.) mug/100 ml (n= 16); T4 secretion rate, hens 3-14 and cocks 1-10 mug/100 g/day.