Biomechanical and histological evaluation of a laparoscopic stapled gastropexy technique in dogs.

The biochemical holding strength and histological characteristics of a laparoscopic stapled gastropexy (LG) adhesion were compared with that of an incisional gastropexy (IG) adhesion. An LG was performed in 14 dogs and an IG was performed in six dogs. During the LG procedure, the abdomen was insufflated with carbon dioxide and three cannulae were placed in the caudal aspect of the right side of the abdomen.

Extended permutation filters and their application to edge enhancement.

Extended permutation (EP) filters are defined and analyzed. In particular, we focus on extended permutation rank selection (EPRS) filters. These filters are constrained to output an order statistic from an extended observation vector.

The pattern of cognitive impairments in neuroacanthocytosis. A frontosubcortical dementia.

Objective: To identify the neuropsychological profiles of patients with neuroacanthocytosis.

Patients: The medical files of 19 previously reported cases of neuroacanthocytosis were reviewed. Ten of the patients involved had undergone comprehensive cognitive assessments, and their neuropsychological records formed the basis of the present study.

Dental patients' perceptions in a multiethnic environment.

Ethnic relations in multicultural metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles are extremely complex and are probably reflected, at least in part, in the relations between dental providers and their patients. The goals of this study were to determine whether dental services provided by providers of a different ethnic group and whether there was a direct relation between the level of patient anxiety and the level of preference for providers of the same ethnicity. Patients at the University of Southern California School of Dentistry were surveyed using a 29-item questionnaire.

Magnesium-dependent block of the light-activated and trp-dependent conductance in Drosophila photoreceptors.

1. The effect of Mg2+ on the light-sensitive conductance in Drosophila photoreceptors was examined with the use of whole cell voltage-clamp recordings from dissociated ommatidia. In wild type (WT) photoreceptors, at resting potential (-70 mV).

Effects of intracellular Ca2+ chelation on the light response in Drosophila photoreceptors.

In order to test the hypothesis that excitation in Drosophila photoreceptors is mediated by Ca2+ released from internal stores, the Ca2+ buffers EGTA, BAPTA and di-bromo-BAPTA (DBB) were introduced into dissociated photoreceptors via whole-cell recording pipettes. All buffers were preloaded with Ca2+ to provide the same free Ca2+ concentration (250 nM). EGTA (up to 18 mM free buffer) had only weak effects upon voltage-clamped flash responses in normal Ringer's solution (1.

Resurfacing versus not resurfacing the patella during total knee replacement.

One hundred patients with osteoarthritic knees were randomized either to have their patella resurfaced or not resurfaced using the same total knee replacement. These patients were assessed preoperatively and a minimum 2 years postoperatively using disease-specific (Knee Society Clinical Rating System) and functional capacity (30 second stair climbing and knee flexor and extensor torques) outcome measures. Two patients in the not resurfaced group required reoperation because of anterior knee pain.

Phosphoinositide-mediated phototransduction in Drosophila photoreceptors: the role of Ca2+ and trp.

Drosphoinate photoreceptors, represent a paradigm for the genetic dissection of phototransduction and, more generally for Ca2+ signaling. As in most invertebrates, phototransduction in Drosophila is mediated by the phosphoinositide (PI) cascade and is completely blocked by null mutations of the norpA gene which encodes a phospholipase C-beta isoform. The light-activated conductance in Drosophila is normally highly permeable to Ca2+, but in null mutants of the trp gene Ca2+ permeability is greatly reduced.

Measurement of polyethylene wear in metal-backed acetabular cups. I. Three-dimensional technique.

A new technique, the 3-dimensional technique, has been developed. Using a digitzer, points taken from anteroposterior and lateral radiographs are input into a personal computer. A 3-dimensional solid model of the prosthesis is created using custom software.

TRP, a protein essential for inositide-mediated Ca2+ influx is localized adjacent to the calcium stores in Drosophila photoreceptors.

The Drosophila transient receptor potential (trp) gene product (TRP) shows some structural similarity to vertebrate voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. It appears to function as a novel Ca2+ channel responsible for light stimulated, inositol trisphosphate (InsP3)-mediated Ca2+ entry in the fly retina. The subcellular localization of TRP protein was determined in this study using immunohistochemical staining with anti-TRP antibody (MAb83F6).

Serotonin modulates the voltage dependence of delayed rectifier and Shaker potassium channels in Drosophila photoreceptors.

We describe the in situ modulation of potassium channels in a semi-intact preparation of the Drosophila retina. In whole-cell recordings of photoreceptors, rapidly inactivating Shaker channels are characterized by a conspicuously negative voltage operating range; together with a delayed rectifier, these channels are specifically modulated by the putative efferent neurotransmitter serotonin. Contrary to most potassium channel modulations, serotonin induced a reversible positive shift in the voltage operating range, of +30 mV for the Shaker channels and +10-14 mV for the delayed rectifier.

Gradient-based edge detection using nonlinear edge enhancing prefilters.

This correspondence examines the use of nonlinear edge enhancers as prefilters for edge detectors. The filters are able to convert smooth edges to step edges and suppress noise simultaneously. Thus, false alarms due to noise are minimized and edge gradient estimates tend to be large and localized.

Photolysis of caged Ca2+ facilitates and inactivates but does not directly excite light-sensitive channels in Drosophila photoreceptors.

Substantial evidence implicates the phosphoinositide cascade in invertebrate phototransduction, but the final pathway of excitation remains obscure. In order to test the hypothesis that Ca2+ is the excitatory messenger rapid concentration jumps of cytosolic Ca2+ were achieved in dissociated Drosophila photoreceptors by flash photolysis of the caged Ca2+ compounds DM-nitrophen and nitr-5. Both compounds were introduced via patch pipettes used to record whole-cell currents.

AIDS: sonography of hyperechoic renal pyramids in renal candidiasis.

A 13-month-old patient with autoimmune deficiency syndrome had renal candidiasis. An abnormal renal sonographic pattern of hyperechoic renal pyramids was demonstrated. This abnormal sonographic finding should suggest renal candidiasis in an immune suppressed child.

Genetic dissection of light-induced Ca2+ influx into Drosophila photoreceptors.

Invertebrate photoreceptors use the inositol-lipid signaling cascade for phototransduction. A useful approach to dissect this pathway and its regulation has been provided by the isolation of Drosophila visual mutants. We measured extracellular changes of Ca2+ [delta Ca2+]o in Drosophila retina using Ca(2+)-selective microelectrodes in both the transient receptor potential (trp) mutant, in which the calcium permeability of the light-sensitive channels is greatly diminished and in the inactivation-but-no-afterpotential C (inaC) mutant which lacks photoreceptor-specific protein kinase C (PKC).

Calcium-dependent inactivation of light-sensitive channels in Drosophila photoreceptors.

Whole-cell voltage clamp recordings were made from photoreceptors of dissociated Drosophila ommatidia under conditions when the light-sensitive channels activate spontaneously, generating a "rundown current" (RDC). The Ca2+ and voltage dependence of the RDC was investigated by applying voltage steps (+80 to -100 mV) at a variety of extracellular Ca2+ concentrations (0-10 mM). In Ca(2+)-free Ringer large currents are maintained tonically throughout 50-ms-long voltage steps.

Spontaneous activation of light-sensitive channels in Drosophila photoreceptors.

In Drosophila photoreceptors light induces phosphoinositide hydrolysis and activation of Ca(2+)-permeable plasma membrane channels, one class of which is believed to be encoded by the trp gene. We have investigated the properties of the light-sensitive channels under conditions where they are activated independently of the transduction cascade. Whole-cell voltage clamp recordings were made from photoreceptors in a preparation of dissociated Drosophila ommatidia.

Rank conditioned rank selection filters for signal restoration.

A class of nonlinear filters called rank conditioned rank selection (RCRS) filters is developed and analyzed in this paper. The RCRS filters are developed within the general framework of rank selection (RS) filters, which are filters constrained to output an order statistic from the observation set. Many previously proposed rank order based filters can be formulated as RS filters.

Left ventricular diverticulum: MRI demonstration (congenital broad-based left ventricular aneurysm).

The case presented is that of a 3-year-old boy with an asymptomatic left ventricular diverticulum. The value of MRI in the detection and classification of this entity is illustrated.