Correlating Abdominal Wall Thickness and Body Mass Index to Predict Usefulness of Right Lower Quadrant Ultrasound for Evaluation of Pediatric Appendicitis.

Objectives: To inform selective and efficient use of appendix ultrasound (US) beyond adult parameters of body mass index (BMI) of less than 25 kg/m, we correlate abdominal wall thickness (AWT) with age and BMI to generate parameters for male and female children. Information presented in chart format can aid in the decision to utilize US for the evaluation of appendicitis.

Methods: In this observational study, 1600 pediatric computed tomography scans of the abdomen and pelvis were analyzed to obtain measurements of AWT in the right lower quadrant.

A 2D threshold of the condylar-C1 interval to maximize identification of patients at high risk for atlantooccipital dislocation using computed tomography.

OBJECTIVE Measurement of the occipital condyle-C1 interval (CCI) is important in the evaluation of atlantooccipital dislocation (AOD) in pediatric trauma patients. The authors studied a large cohort of children with and without AOD to identify a 2D measurement threshold that maximizes the diagnostic yield of the CCI on cervical spine CT scans obtained in trauma patients. METHODS This retrospective, single-center study included all children who underwent CT of the cervical spine at Primary Children's Hospital from January 1, 2011, through December 31, 2014, for trauma evaluation.

Vertebral Artery Dissection and Cord Infarction - an Uncommon Cause of Brown-Séquard and Horner Syndromes.

This case report illustrates the neuroanatomy and neurovascular anatomy of the cervical spinal cord by exploring the pathophysiology of cervical cord infarction secondary to vertebral artery injury. The spinal cord is made up of several important tracts, including the dorsal column medial lemniscus system, corticospinal tracts, and the anterolateral system. Injury to one or more of these pathways can result in localizing neurological symptoms.

Variations in the perception of trauma-related complications between attending surgeons, surgery residents, critical care nurses, and medical students.

Background: The morbidity and mortality conference (M&M) is a key component of the performance improvement process. The audience response system (ARS) has been shown to improve audience participation and promote more truthful responses in various settings. We implemented the ARS in our trauma M&M and evaluated the responses we received from different categories of participants.

Synthesis and characterization of substituted benzoylhydrazones of naloxone.

Naloxone benzoylhydrazone (NalBzoH) has proved a valuable tool in the investigation of opioid receptor subtypes. In the present study, we have examined a series of derivatives of NalBzoH in which substitutions have been made on the benzoyl ring. Overall, we see dramatic effects on the binding affinities of derivatives against the various opioid receptor subtypes.

Imaging of brain tumor proliferative activity with iodine-131-iododeoxyuridine.

Methods: Iodine-131-iododeoxyuridine (IUdR) uptake and retention was imaged with SPECT at 2 and 24 hr after administering a 10-mCi dose to six patients with primary brain tumors. The SPECT images were directly compared to gadolinium contrast-enhanced MR images as well as to [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET scans and 201Tl SPECT scans.

Results: Localized uptake and retention of IUdR-derived radioactivity was observed in five of six patients.

Transport limits cellular entry of hepatic arterially injected 5-[18F]fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine in human intrahepatic tumors.

The causes of tumor resistance to hepatic arterially infused fluorodeoxyuridine (FdUrd) are poorly understood. A previous study showed that sufficient arterial perfusion relative to liver is necessary for tumor response. The present study examined the effect of transport on FdUrd flux from arterial blood into tumor cells.

Iododeoxyuridine uptake and retention as a measure of tumor growth.

Iodine-131-iododeoxyuridine (IUdR) uptake and retention was measured in two C6 glioma cell lines (C6m and C6a) with different growth characteristics. Animals with intracerebral (i.c.

The metabolic landscape of cortico-basal ganglionic degeneration: regional asymmetries studied with positron emission tomography.

Regional metabolic rate for glucose (rCMRGlc) was estimated using [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and positron emission tomography (PET) in five patients (four men, one woman; mean age 68; mean disease duration 2.4 years) with clinical findings consistent with the syndrome of cortico-basal ganglionic degeneration (CBGD). Left-right rCMRGlc asymmetry, (L-R)/(L + R) x 100, was calculated for 13 grey matter regions and compared with regional metabolic data from 18 normal volunteers and nine patients with asymmetrical Parkinson's disease (PD).

Abnormal cerebral glucose metabolism in long-term survivors of childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia.

Chemotherapy and radiation treatment of the central nervous system may cause delayed neurotoxicity in children with acute lymphocytic leukemia. We evaluated 12 long-term survivors of childhood leukemia using [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography, computed tomography scans, clinical neurological examinations, and neuropsychological tests. Regional cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (rCMRGlc) values for white matter were lower in the older long-term survivors (greater than 18 years old) treated with cranial radiation and intrathecal chemotherapy than in normal control subjects or survivors who had been treated with intrathecal chemotherapy alone.

The metabolic anatomy of Parkinson's disease: complementary [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose and [18F]fluorodopa positron emission tomographic studies.

We studied the metabolic anatomy of typical Parkinson's disease (PD) using [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and [18F]fluorodopa (FDOPA) and positron emission tomography (PET). Fourteen PD patients (mean age 49 years) had FDG/PET scans, of which 11 were scanned with both FDOPA and FDG. After the injection of FDOPA, brain uptake and arterial plasma radioactivity were monitored for 2 h.

The metabolic pathology of the AIDS dementia complex.

A progressive dementing illness, the AIDS dementia complex (ADC) is the most frequent neurological complication of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Characteristic alterations in regional cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (rCMRGlc), associated with the presence or progression of ADC, were demonstrated by [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose/positron emission tomography in 9 of 12 patients with ADC compared with 18 normal volunteer subjects. In these 9 patients, two distinct patterns of regional metabolic activity were highly correlated with intersubject gray matter rCMRGlc variation and with disease severity as assessed by neuropsychological testing.

Differences in cerebral blood flow and glucose utilization in vegetative versus locked-in patients.

Positron emission tomographic studies of regional cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (rCMRGlc) and cerebral blood flow were performed in 7 vegetative and 3 locked-in patients to determine objectively the level of brain function underlying these clinical states. Cortical gray rCMRGlc in the vegetative patients was 2.73 +/- 0.

[13N]cisplatin PET to assess pharmacokinetics of intra-arterial versus intravenous chemotherapy for malignant brain tumors.

The biodistribution, blood clearance, and in vivo transformation of cisplatin (cisdiaminedichloroplatinum, DDP) were studied in rats using 13N-labeled and unlabeled DDP. Following the i.v.

Synthesis of [2-11C]5,5-dimethyl-2,4-oxazolidinedione with and without added dimethyl carbonate as a carrier for studies with positron tomography.

Two methods were developed for the synthesis of [2-11C]5,5-dimethyl-2,4-oxazolidinedione ([2-11C]DMO) for use with positron emission tomography to measure regional cerebral tissue pH in vivo in man. In both methods, A and B, [2-11C]dimethyl carbonate (DMC) was prepared from [11C]phosgene and excess of sodium methoxide in methanol containing 2-hydroxyisobutyramide (HIBA). In method A, an excess of DMC was used as a carrier, while in method B none was used.

In vivo measurement of brain tumor pH using [11C]DMO and positron emission tomography.

In vivo measurements of regional brain tissue/tumor pH (rpH) have been accomplished in 9 patients with primary or metastatic brain tumors using [11C]dimethyloxazolidinedione [( 11C]DMO) and positron emission tomography. Tumor rpH values ranged from 6.88 to 7.

Intravenous self-administration of dopamine receptor agonists by rhesus monkeys.

Pharmacological studies have provided important information relevant to the behavioral role of central nervous system (CNS) dopamine (DA) as well as the existence of multiple DA receptors in the CNS. In the present experiment, the i.v.

Propylbutyldopamine. Mechanism of blood pressure lowering in hypertensive patients.

The effects of propylbutyldopamine ( PBDA ), an analog of dopamine lacking significant vasoconstrictor effects, were examined in seven patients with essential hypertension. Cardiovascular hemodynamics, renal plasma flow, urinary sodium excretion, and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system were examined during PBDA infusion both before and after administration of low (8 micrograms/kg) and high (40 micrograms/kg) doses of the dopamine receptor antagonist metoclopramide. Infusion of PBDA at a rate of 20 micrograms/kg/min lowered mean arterial pressure from an average control value of 112 +/- 4 to 94 +/- 3 mm Hg during the last 5 minutes of infusion (p less than 0.

In vivo measurement of regional brain tissue pH using positron emission tomography.

Carbon-11-labeled dimethyloxazolidinedione ([11C]DMO) was injected intravenously into human subjects, and serial positron emission tomographic (PET) scans were obtained until brain-blood equilibration was achieved or could be accurately predicted from dynamic PET and 11C blood data. Knowledge of regional brain-blood partition coefficients for DMO, together with measurements of arterial blood hematocrit and pH, permitted the calculation of regional brain tissue and tumor pH (rpH). [11C]DMO PET rpH values were similar to rpH values derived from quantitative autoradiographic measurements of [14C]DMO concentrations in rat brain slices.

Renal hemodynamics in hemorrhagic hypotension: studies on the effects of pre- and postjunctional dopamine receptor agonists.

The present study was conducted to determine if selective prejunctional dopamine receptor agonists will be useful in improving renal hemodynamics in acute hemorrhagic shock in anesthetized mongrel dogs. Both bromocriptine and N-n-propyl-N-n-butyl dopamine (PBDA) effectively increased renal blood flow, due to a decrease in renal vascular resistance in intact anesthetized dogs. However, these two agents failed to increase renal blood flow after acute hemorrhage in the innervated or denervated kidneys.

Inhibition of glutamate-aspartate transaminase by beta-methylene-DL-aspartate.

beta-Methylene-DL-aspartate, a new beta, gamma-unsaturated amino acid, is an irreversible inhibitor of soluble pig heart glutamate-aspartate transaminase (Ki approximately 3 mM with respect to the L-form; limiting rate constant for inactivation approximately 0.4 min-1). The new amino acid is the most specific inhibitor of glutamate-aspartate transaminase thus far studied.