Effects of bone cement augmentation for uppermost instrumented vertebra on adjacent disc segment degeneration in lumbar fusions.

Objective: We investigated the long-term effects of bone cement-augmented instrumentation in multilevel lumbar fusions in a retrospective cohort study. The use of cement-augmented screws is one of the techniques used to reduce early mechanical failure in treating multilevel lumbar fusion, especially in the elderly. However, little information is available regarding the long-term effects.

Transition Metal Ion Doping on ZIF-8 Enhances the Electrochemical CO Reduction Reaction.

The electrochemical reduction of CO  to diverse value-added chemicals is a unique, environmentally friendly approach for curbing greenhouse gas emissions while addressing sluggish catalytic activity and low Faradaic efficiency (FE) of electrocatalysts. Here, zeolite-imidazolate-frameworks-8 (ZIF-8) containing various transition metal ions-Ni, Fe, and Cu-at varying concentrations upon doping are fabricated for the electrocatalytic CO reduction reaction (CO RR) to carbon monoxide (CO) without further processing. Atom coordination environments and theoretical electrocatalytic performance are scrutinized via X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations.

Production of H-Free Carbon Monoxide from Formic Acid Dehydration: The Catalytic Role of Acid Sites in Sulfated Zirconia.

The formic acid (CHO) decomposition over sulfated zirconia (SZ) catalysts prepared under different synthesis conditions, such as calcination temperature (500-650 °C) and sulfate loading (0-20 wt.%), was investigated. Three sulfate species (tridentate, bridging bidentate, and pyrosulfate) on the SZ catalysts were characterized by using temperature-programmed decomposition (TPDE), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

Rational Design of Pomegranate-like Base-Acid Bifunctional β Zeolite by Steam-Assisted Crystallization for the Tandem Deacetalization-Knoevenagel Condensation.

A highly crystalline pomegranate-like base-acid bifunctional beta zeolite was successfully synthesized by the steam-assisted crystallization method using a basic nitrided N-beta as the starting material. The secondary crystal growth of a beta zeolite generating acid functionality occurred over the outer surface and intercrystalline void spaces of the N-beta zeolite. The pomegranate-like N-beta@H-beta zeolite had a high surface area and base-acid dual functionality because of the well-connected framework topologies of the H-beta and N-beta crystallites.

Immobilization of Radioiodine via an Interzeolite Transformation to Iodosodalite.

We described a technology for immobilizing radioiodine in the -cages by the interzeolite transformation of iodine-containing LTA (zeolite A) and FAU (zeolites X and Y) into a sodalite (SOD) structure. The immobilization of iodine in the -cage was confirmed using diverse characterization methods including powder XRD, elemental analysis, SEM-EDS, I MAS NMR, and I 3d XPS. Although both zeolites A (Na-A) and X (Na-X) were well converted into SOD structure in the presence of NaI and AgI, the iodide anions were fixed in the -cages only when NaI was used.

Incidence and Risk Factors of Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Complications after Spinal Fusion Surgery: a Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Spinal surgery holds a higher chance of unpredicted postoperative medical complications among orthopedic surgeries. Several studies have analyzed the risk factors for diverse postoperative medical complications, but the majority investigated incidences of each complication qualitatively. Among gastrointestinal complications, reports regarding postoperative ileus were relatively frequent.

Effects of Restoration of Sagittal Alignment on Adjacent Segment Degeneration in Instrumented Lumbar Fusions.

Study Design: Retrospective case-control study.

Objective: To investigate the effects of postoperative sagittal alignment on radiographic adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) after lumbar fusion surgery.

Summary Of Background Data: ASD is one of inherent problems with fusion surgery.

Lumbar Disc Herniation Within Solid Fused Segments After Removal of Pedicle Screws: A Case Report.

Case: A 73-year-old man with instrumented fusion of L3-4-5 underwent the removal of previous pedicle screws and posterior instrumented fusion of L1-2-3. The solid dorsal fusion mass of L3-5 was identified intraoperatively and preoperatively. At 3 years after the second surgery, he presented with abrupt radiating pain in the left leg.

Minimally Invasive Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion for Clinical Adjacent Segment Pathology: A Comparative Study With Conventional Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion.

Study Design: This was a retrospective comparative study.

Objective: The main objective of this article was to evaluate the clinical and radiologic efficacies of minimally invasive lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) for clinical adjacent segment pathology (ASP).

Summary Of Background Data: Minimally invasive techniques have been increasingly applied for spinal surgery.

Clinical and Radiographic Features of Subtypes of Acute Proximal Junctional Failures Following Correction Surgery for Degenerative Sagittal Imbalance.

Objective: To identify clinical and radiographic features of subtypes of acute proximal junctional failures (PJFs) following correction surgery for degenerative sagittal imbalance.

Methods: The study included 157 patients with mean age 68.0 ± 6.

Clinical Significance of Preoperative Embolization for Non-Hypervascular Metastatic Spine Tumors.

Objective: The efficacy of preoperative embolization for hypervascular metastatic spine disease (MSD) such as renal cell and thyroid cancers has been reported. However, the debate on the efficacy of preoperative embolization for non-hypervascular MSD still remains unsettled. The purpose of this study is to determine whether preoperative embolization for non-hypervascular MSD decreases perioperative blood loss.

Clinical and Radiologic Features of Osteoporotic Spine Fracture with Delayed Neurologic Compromises.

Objectives: Osteoporotic spine fractures (OSFs) with delayed neurologic compromises (NCs) have been increasingly reported. Although several studies have addressed that the pathologic mechanism of NC involves nonunion and segmental instability, the risk factors remain unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the radiologic and clinical features of OSFs with delayed NC.

Delayed bilateral facet dislocation at L4-5: A case report.

Rationale: Traumatic bilateral facet dislocation in the lumbar (L) spine has rarely been reported. All reported cases were presented with acute facet dislocation. However, we present the first case of delayed bilateral facet dislocation at L4-5.

Arthroscopic-assisted plate fixation for displaced large-sized comminuted greater tuberosity fractures of proximal humerus: a novel surgical technique.

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to describe the use of a novel hybrid surgical technique-arthroscopic-assisted plate fixation-and evaluate its clinical and anatomical outcomes in the management of large, displaced greater tuberosity (GT) fractures with comminution.

Methods: From 2009 to 2011, this novel technique was performed in 11 patients [2 men and 9 women; median age, 64 years (range 41-83 years)] with large, comminuted GT fractures, with fragment displacements of >5 mm. The preoperative mean posterior and superior migration of the fractured fragment, as measured on computed tomography (CT), was 19.

Clinical and radiological outcomes of unstable proximal humeral fractures treated with a locking plate and fibular strut allograft.

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes of unstable proximal humeral fractures (PHFs) treated with a locking plate and fibular strut allograft.

Methods: This study included 36 patients [7 men, 29 women; mean age, 68 years (range, 22-94 years)] with unstable PHFs with medial column disruption. All patients were treated with open reduction and internal fixation using a locking plate and fibular strut allograft.

Anterior cerebral artery aneurysm associated with multiple intracranial aneurysms and abdominal aorta aneurysm.

We found multiple aneurysms in the intracranial arteries and abdominal aorta of an 87-year-old Korean female cadaver, whose cause of death was reported as "cholangiocarcinoma." An abdominal aortic aneurysm was observed in the infrarenal aorta, where the inferior mesenteric artery arose. The intracranial aneurysms were found in the A3 segment of the anterior cerebral artery and at the bifurcation of the middle cerebral artery.

Nitrided ITQ-2 as an efficient Knoevenagel condensation catalyst.

The nitrogen-substituted delaminated ITQ-2 zeolite was found to be a highly active and recyclable catalyst for the Knoevenagel condensation of bulky aromatic aldehydes with ethyl cyanoacetate which cannot take place over the base sites placed within the micropores of conventional zeolites due to spatial limitations.

Direct observation of hexamethylbenzenium radical cations generated during zeolite methanol-to-olefin catalysis: an ESR study.

The generation of hexamethylbenzenium radical cations as the key reaction intermediate in chabazite-type molecular sieve acids (i.e., H-SAPO-34 and H-SSZ-13) during the methanol-to-olefin process has been directly evidenced by ESR spectroscopy.

Synthesis and characterization of ERI-type UZM-12 zeolites and their methanol-to-olefin performance.

A wide variety of different linear, diquaternary alkylammonium ions have been used as supplementary crystallization structure-directing agents (SDAs) in the synthesis of UZM-12, a high-silica version of zeolite erionite, via a charge density mismatch (CDM) approach. When tetraethylammonium is used as a CDM SDA, the crystallization of UZM-12 was found to be critically dependent not only on the type of alkali metal cations added as another crystallization SDA to the synthesis mixture, but also on the size of the groups on the diquaternary ammonium ion employed and the length of its central polymethylene chain that are closely related to the dimensions of cylindrical 23-hedral [4(12)6(5)8(6)] eri cages in this small-pore zeolite. (27)Al MQ MAS NMR measurements reveal a preferential location of Al on the high-multiplicity site over the lower-multiplicity site of the UZM-12 framework.

The effect of Er:YAG laser irradiation on the scanning electron microscopic structure and surface roughness of various implant surfaces: an in vitro study.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the surface roughness (R(a)) and microscopic change to irradiated dental implant surfaces in vitro and ultimately to determine the proper pulse energy power and application time for the clinical use of Er:YAG lasers. Anodic oxidized surface implants and sand-blasted, large-grit, and acid-etched (SLA) surface implants were used. Each experimental group of implant surfaces included ten implants.

Synthesis, crystal structure, characterization, and catalytic properties of TNU-9.

The synthesis, crystal structure, characterization, and catalytic properties of the novel medium-pore zeolite TNU-9 (framework type TUN), one of the most crystallographically complex zeolites known to date, are described. TNU-9 was found to crystallize under hydrothermal conditions at the expense of a lamellar precursor over a very narrow range of SiO(2)/Al(2)O(3) and NaOH/SiO(2) ratios and in the presence of 1,4-bis(N-methylpyrrolidinium)butane and Na+ ions as structure-directing agents. A combination of molecular modeling and Rietveld refinement using synchrotron powder diffraction data confirms the proposed topology of as-made TNU-9 and suggests three or possibly four different sites for the organic within the complex pore structure.