Passive Transcutaneous Bone Conduction Hearing Implants: A Systematic Review.

Objective: To systematically review the literature on currently available passive transcutaneous bone conduction hearing implants (pTCBI) with regard to complications, audiological outcomes, and quality-of-life scores.

Data Sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, and Cochrane Library.

Study Selection: All identified English-language articles reporting on the implantation of currently available pTCBI's and their complications.

The Role of Ultrasound Compared to Biopsy of Temporal Arteries in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Giant Cell Arteritis (TABUL): a diagnostic accuracy and cost-effectiveness study.

Background: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a relatively common form of primary systemic vasculitis, which, if left untreated, can lead to permanent sight loss. We compared ultrasound as an alternative diagnostic test with temporal artery biopsy, which may be negative in 9-61% of true cases.

Objective: To compare the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of ultrasound with biopsy in diagnosing patients with suspected GCA.

Calcification of hydrophilic acrylic intraocular lenses in combined phacovitrectomy surgery.

Unlabelled: Two cases of postoperative intraocular lens (IOL) calcification in patients implanted with the Akreos Adapt IOL at the time of combined phacovitrectomy are described, along with clinical review of all patients implanted with this IOL type at our institution between November 2006 and September 2008. The IOLs explanted from the 2 cases were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The SEM of the explanted IOLs showed crystalline anterior surface and subsurface deposits; by EDX, the deposits showed high concentrations of calcium and phosphorous, consistent with calcium apatite.

Ultrastructural evaluation of explanted opacified Hydroview (H60M) intraocular lenses.

Aim: To describe the ultrastructural appearance of explanted opacified Hydroview H60M intraocular lenses.

Methods: 14 explanted lenses were examined by scanning electron microscopy, and their appearance compared with a non-implanted H60M lens from the same time period. Wavelength-dispersive x ray spectroscopy (WDX) was performed on two opacified lenses.

Estimated neuronal populations and volumes of the hippocampus and its subfields in schizophrenia.

Objective: It has been suggested that the primary focus of the pathological process in schizophrenia is on the limbic system, and there have been several postmortem reports of changes in the histological structure or volume of the hippocampus, as well as a larger number of MRI reports of volume reductions. There are conflicting findings, however, with both techniques.

Method: The authors conducted a study of the gross and subfield structure and cellular composition of the hippocampus in postmortem brains from 30 patients with DSM-IV-diagnosed schizophrenia (13 women, 17 men) and 29 comparison subjects with no psychopathology (14 women, 15 men).