Arthrobots.

This article describes a class of robots-"arthrobots"-inspired, in part, by the musculoskeletal system of arthropods (spiders and insects, inter alia). Arthrobots combine mechanical compliance, lightweight and simple construction, and inexpensive yet scalable design. An exoskeleton, constructed from thin organic polymeric tubes, provides lightweight structural support.

Echocardiography as a Screening Test for Myocardial Scarring in Children with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is burdened with morbidity and mortality including tachyarrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. These complications are attributed in part to the formation of proarrhythmic scars in the myocardium.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension in children: diagnosis using ratio of main pulmonary artery to ascending aorta diameter as determined by multi-detector computed tomography.

Background: The ratio of the transverse diameter of the main pulmonary artery (MPA) to ascending aorta as determined at multi-detector CT is a tool that can be used to assess the pulmonary arterial size in cases of pulmonary arterial hypertension in children.

Objective: To establish a ratio of MPA to ascending aorta diameter using multi-detector CT imaging suggestive of pulmonary arterial hypertension in children. We hypothesize that a defined ratio of MPA to ascending aorta is identifiable on multi-detector CT and that higher ratios can be used to reliably diagnose the presence of pulmonary arterial hypertension in children.

Main Pulmonary Artery-to-Ascending Aorta Diameter Ratio in Healthy Children on MDCT.

Objective: This study was performed to ascertain whether the adult ratio of 1:1 of the diameter of the main pulmonary artery (MPA) to the diameter of the ascending aorta (AA) (referred to hereafter as the MPA-to-AA ratio) on MDCT is applicable to children.

Materials And Methods: Our hypothesis, which is based on experiential observation, is that the MPA-to-AA ratio would be higher than 1 in healthy children. A retrospective analysis of vessel calibers in a population of children without pulmonary hypertension who had undergone MDCT was performed.

Impact of the Relocation of a Long-term Residential Care Facility on Staff.

This article describes the relocation of residents and staff of a long-term residential care facility into a new state-of-the-art building in a Canadian province. All staff were surveyed about their perceptions of the moving process 2 months after the move occurred using a newly created 51-item questionnaire containing both open-ended and closed questions (5-point Likert scale). The results were positive for the 3 subscales of the survey, with average scores for premove, midmove, and postmove items of 3.

Urinary tract infection diagnosis and response to therapy in long-term care: A prospective observational study.

Background: The prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria among residents of long-term care (LTC) facilities is high, and is a source of inappropriate antibiotic prescription.

Objective: To establish symptoms and signs associated with a positive urine culture, and to determine whether antibiotic therapy is associated with functional improvement.

Methods: A total of 101 LTC patients were prospectively observed after submission of urine for culture.

Reliability of force per unit cross-sectional area measurements of the first dorsal interosseus muscle.

The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of maximum voluntary isometric force (MVIF), cross-sectional area (CSA) and force per unit CSA measures, of the first dorsal interosseus (FDI) muscle, using a custom-built dynamometer and ultrasonography. Twenty-seven participants completed MVIF and CSA measurements on two separate occasions under the same conditions. Reliability was determined using paired samples t-tests, systematic bias ratio and ratio limits of agreement (RLoA), intra-class correlation (ICC) and coefficient of variation (CV).

Perianal disease in pediatric Crohn disease: a review of MRI findings.

Perianal complications of Crohn disease are a common occurrence in children and can result in significant morbidity when not accurately characterized prior to surgical intervention. MRI is an excellent imaging modality for the evaluation of perianal inflammatory bowel disease - allowing characterization and detailed description of perianal fistulas. MRI has many advantages over other imaging modalities for the pediatric patient.

Bacterial skin and soft tissue infections in older adults.

This article focuses on the clinical manifestations of the more common geriatric skin and soft tissue infections caused by direct invasion of the skin by bacteria. The approach will enable the clinician to create a differential diagnosis to choose the proper empiric therapy. Less common conditions will be mentioned in passing principally as part of a differential.

Quality assuring the 2011 Census population estimates.

The 2011 Census is a once in a decade opportunity to gain an accurate picture of the population. Quality assurance of the census population estimates is vital to ensure data robustness and that users have confidence in the results. This article provides a detailed summary of the methods being used to achieve this quality assurance, including the processes and adjustments.

Systematic review of current guidelines, and their evidence base, on risk of lactic acidosis after administration of contrast medium for patients receiving metformin.

Purpose: To systematically review evidence about the relationship between metformin administration and the use of iodinated contrast medium and risk of lactic acidosis (LA) and to assess the quality of five current guidelines for use of contrast medium in patients who are taking metformin.

Materials And Methods: A search strategy was developed by using search termsrelated to metformin, contrast media, and LA. Searches were conducted in MEDLINE (Ovid), all Evidence-based Medicine Reviews (Ovid), EMBASE, and Cochrane library databases and were augmented with searches for evidence-based guidelines on radiology and evidence-based medicine Web sites by using the Google Internet search engine.

The 2007 Census Test: evaluation of key objectives.

The Office for National Statistics conducted a major census field test in May and June 2007 as part of the planning and preparation for the next census of population and housing in England and Wales in 2011. The 2007 Census Test was a large scale test covering approximately 100,000 household in five local authorities (LAs) selected to reflect a range of geographic conditions and social characteristics. Within England the Test covered parts of Bath and North East Somerset, Camden, Liverpool and Stoke on Trent.

Development of a new low cost high sensitivity system for behavioural ecotoxicity testing.

The amphipod Gammarus pulex has been extensively used for ecotoxicological studies. However, the tests used are either labourious to perform and/or require relatively expensive equipment. We report the development of a new low cost infra red actograph system that measures relative activity, and can detect the behavioural effects of very low concentrations of heavy metals.

Wisdom from the front lines: clinicians' descriptions of treating agitation in the nursing home, a pilot study.

The management of behavior problems is one of the most difficult challenges a clinician must face when treating patients with dementia. This article presents a qualitative analysis of the responses of 7 nursing home physicians and 1 nurse practitioner to open-ended questions regarding their experiences in treating behavior problems in dementia with an emphasis on nonpharmalogical methods. This study serves to highlight both the issues encountered by those commonly asked to treat behavior problems in the nursing home, and the thoughtfulness and insight developed by some clinicians to address the problems.

Cryopreservation of a small number of fresh human testicular spermatozoa and testicular spermatozoa cultured in vitro for 3 days in an empty zona pellucida.

It is known that the motility of human testicular sperm can be improved when they are cultured in vitro for a few days. The purpose of this study was to determine whether it is better to freeze human testicular spermatozoa on the day of biopsy (fresh) or after they were cultured for 3 days. A modified, single-sperm freezing technique was used in this study.

Feasibility study of repeated fluorescent in-situ hybridization in the same human blastomeres for preimplantation genetic diagnosis.

In order to increase the number of chromosomes examined in each blastomere, we have developed a repeated fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH) procedure by which six or more chromosomes can be analysed per blastomere of a human embryo. Three consecutive FISH procedures with directly-labelled fluorescent Vysis DNA probes were carried out for examination of chromosomes X, Y, 11, 13, 18 and 21 in the same blastomeres (n = 126) and lymphocytes (n = 164). Based on the initial number of nuclei, the percentages of nuclear loss and presence of signals were 3 and 92% respectively in blastomeres; 6 and 91% respectively in lymphocytes after the first FISH; 7 and 87% respectively in blastomeres and 10 and 86% respectively in lymphocytes, after the second FISH.

Ultrarapid detection of sex chromosomes with the use of fluorescence in situ hybridization with direct label DNA probes in single human blastomeres, spermatozoa, amniocytes, and lymphocytes.

Objective: To assess the ultrarapid fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) procedure with a 1-minute hybridization time for gender determination.

Design: Fluorescence in situ hybridization with direct label fluorescence DNA probes for chromosomes X and Y were tested with the use of different hybridization times and different cell types.

Setting: Hospital-based IVF program.

Outcome of in-vitro culture of fresh and frozen-thawed human testicular spermatozoa.

The effect of in-vitro culture on the motility and morphology of fresh and frozen-thawed human testicular spermatozoa obtained from obstructive azoospermic patients and on the motility of testicular spermatozoa obtained from non-obstructive azoospermic patients was evaluated. The outcome of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with fresh and frozen-thawed human testicular spermatozoa was studied. The results showed that significant improvement of sperm morphology and motility was observed in culture of fresh (n = 17) and frozen-thawed (n = 15) testicular sperm samples obtained from patients with obstructive azoospermia.

High fertilization rate obtained after intracytoplasmic sperm injection with 100% nonmotile spermatozoa selected by using a simple modified hypo-osmotic swelling test.

Objective: To report a high fertilization rate after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in patients with 100% nonmotile spermatozoa selected by a simple modified hypo-osmotic swelling test.

Design: Clinical study.

Setting: Hospital-based IVF center.

Establishment of an optimal hypo-osmotic swelling test by examining single spermatozoa in four different hypo-osmotic solutions.

In order to find an optimal hypo-osmotic swelling test (HOST) and to identify viable sperm cells from patients with asthenozoospermia for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), we tested single motile and non-motile spermatozoa in four hypo-osmotic solutions by micromanipulation. The four solutions were: A, H2O; B, 50 mOsm NaCl; C, 150 mOsm NaCl and D, 150 mOsm sodium citrate and fructose. Eosin Y staining was then carried out for evaluation of viability of the spermatozoa after HOST.

Successful in vitro maturation of human oocytes not exposed to human chorionic gonadotropin during ovulation induction, resulting in pregnancy.

Objective: To report a case of successful in vitro maturation of human oocytes not exposed to hCG during ovulation induction, resulting in pregnancy after transfer of a frozen-thawed embryo resulting from intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) of the in vitro-matured human oocytes.

Design: Clinical study.

Setting: Hospital-based private IVF center.

Discordant regulation of phenoloxidase and capsular polysaccharide in Cryptococcus neoformans.

We examined the regulation of two fungal virulence factors, phenoloxidase and capsular polysaccharide, in an ex-type strain of the fungal pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans. Both were made during the stationary phase of cultural growth. Exogenous iron increased phenoloxidase activity three-fold (from 8.

Construction of an ion-exchange amino acid analyser kit for use with high-performance liquid chromatography apparatus.

A conventional ion-exchange amino acid analyser kit has been simply and economically constructed for use with existing high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) apparatus. Sequential elution conditions are fully programmable by virtue of a 32K BBC microcomputer interfaced with an elution buffer selection valve and a thermostatically controlled column. Post-column derivatization with o-phthaladehyde-2-mercaptoethanol reagent enables fluorimetric detection at the picomole level.

cis-Platinum and vindesine in combination in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.

Sixty-three patients with advanced non-small cell carcinoma of the bronchus were treated with a combination of cis-platinum and vindesine. All patients had measurable disease and were of good performance status; none had received prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Thirty-three per cent of patients responded, with five patients achieving complete remission.

Mating Behavior and Related Morphological Specialization in the Uropodine Mite, Caminella peraphora.

Sperm transfer in Caminella peraphora is closely associated with secretion and construction of a female-associated structure, the signet ring. The ventral portion of the ring serves as an external spermatheca early in mating. Although sperm assimilation occurs prior to development of the dorsal ring elements, male participation is instrumental in successful ring completion.