PTR3: An Instrument for Studying the Lifecycle of Reactive Organic Carbon in the Atmosphere.

We have developed and characterized the novel PTR3, a proton transfer reaction-time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTR-TOF) using a new gas inlet and an innovative reaction chamber design. The reaction chamber consists of a tripole operated with rf voltages generating an electric field only in the radial direction. An elevated electrical field is necessary to reduce clustering of primary hydronium (HO) and product ions with water molecules present in the sample gas.

The tensile strength of uterosacral ligament sutures: a comparison of vaginal and laparoscopic techniques.

Objective: To compare the tensile strength of two approaches for uterosacral ligament suturing using a cadaver model.

Methods: In 12 unembalmed cadavers, four polytetrafluoroethylene sutures were placed through the uterosacral ligaments. In each cadaver, two sutures were placed laparoscopically, and two more were placed vaginally.

Laparoscopic treatment of cornual heterotopic pregnancy.

A woman with spontaneous heterotopic pregnancy at approximately 7 weeks' gestation, diagnosed by ultrasound, was treated by laparoscopic cornuostomy. Intrauterine pregnancy continued to develop uneventfully. Two days after laparoscopic surgery, the patient decided to terminate the intrauterine pregnancy.

Fatal hepatorenal failure associated with hydrazine sulfate.

Background: The Internet has revolutionized the manner in which patients obtain information about health care. This technology has also allowed patients to obtain directly both prescription and nonprescription therapies.

Objective: To report a case of fulminant hepatorenal failure associated with the use of hydrazine sulfate, an unregulated alternative remedy for cancer marketed on the Internet.

Kienböck disease and negative ulnar variance.

We compared the degree of ulnar variance, measured on standardized radiographs of the wrist, in forty-four patients who had Kienböck disease with that in ninety-nine control subjects who had been selected from a general clinic population and had radiographs of the wrist. The purpose of our study was to determine if there is a true relationship between negative ulnar variance and the development of Kienböck disease. Gender was not found to influence the degree of ulnar variance, but an association was found between age and negative ulnar variance in both the control subjects and the patients who had Kienböck disease.