Evaluating Skeletal Maturity at Time of Surgical Correction of Pectus Excavatum Based on Medial Clavicle Epiphyseal Ossification.

Background: Surgical correction of pectus excavatum (SCOPE) is dependent upon chest wall pliability with optimal timing prior to complete skeletal maturation. Measures of skeletal maturity are not readily available for operative planning; therefore, surgeons use age as proxy despite patient-specific rates of skeletal maturation. We aimed to determine whether preoperative skeletal maturity is associated with postoperative pain as surrogate for chest wall pliability.

Prevalence of intrarenal reflux in pediatric patients on contrast-enhanced voiding urosonography.

Background: Intrarenal reflux may be seen with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) when contrast from the pelvocalyceal system extends into tubules in the parenchyma. Because intrarenal reflux has been associated with scarring, detecting intrarenal reflux may influence management to avoid renal damage.

Objective: Our objective was to evaluate the prevalence of intrarenal reflux identified on contrast-enhanced voiding urosonography (ceVUS) and its association with sex, age, grade of VUR, location in kidney and stage of bladder filling or voiding.

Assessment of distal ureteral and ureterovesical junction visualization on contrast-enhanced voiding urosonography.

Background: Contrast-enhanced voiding urosonography (CEVUS) uses intravesically administered microbubble contrast to detect vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) and urethral anomalies with ultrasound. Multiple studies have suggested CEVUS can replace voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) as a radiation-free alternative. Analysis of the ureterovesical junction and ureters on VCUG documenting the ureterovesical junction position, ureteral duplication, periureteral diverticula and ureteroceles is important as anatomical variations may affect management and surgical approach.

Photophysics of EGFP (E222H) Mutant, with Comparisons to Model Chromophores: Excited State pK's, Progressions, Quenching and Exciton Interaction.

A novel version of the well-known and commercially successful Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) variant known as EGFP, with an introduced E222H mutation, was produced in this laboratory. Given the current state of hypotheses about the role of glutamate 222, and the observed dominance of the phenolate absorption with an E222H variant observed from earlier study, the new mutant was considered a natural choice to investigate more fully the acid-base behavior of the chromophore in absorption and fluorescence. The bulk of this investigation concerns fitting the excitation, emission and absorption spectra to vibrational progressions of a novel 'q-deformed' type at various values of pH, and protein concentration.

Staged imaging pathway for the evaluation of pediatric appendicitis.

Purpose: Despite significant radiation exposure involved with computed tomography (CT) in evaluation of pediatric appendicitis, its use is still widespread. The goal of this study was to assess the effect of a staged imaging pathway for appendicitis to significantly decrease CT use while maintaining diagnostic accuracy.

Methods: Chart review was performed for patients evaluated for appendicitis over a 12-month period prior to and after pathway implementation.