Comparison of bias-corrected covariance estimators for MMRM analysis in longitudinal data with dropouts.

In longitudinal clinical trials, some subjects will drop out before completing the trial, so their measurements towards the end of the trial are not obtained. Mixed-effects models for repeated measures (MMRM) analysis with "unstructured" (UN) covariance structure are increasingly common as a primary analysis for group comparisons in these trials. Furthermore, model-based covariance estimators have been routinely used for testing the group difference and estimating confidence intervals of the difference in the MMRM analysis using the UN covariance.

Development of low-fluorescence thick photoresist for high-aspect-ratio microstructure in bio-application.

In this study, we propose and evaluate a novel low-auto-fluorescence photoresist (SJI photoresist) for bio-application, e.g., in gene analysis and cell assay.

Near-infrared noninvasive blood glucose prediction without using multivariate analyses: introduction of imaginary spectra due to scattering change in the skin.

A noninvasive measurement method is proposed and examined to continuously predict blood glucose contents using near-infrared diffuse reflection difference spectra measured at the skin tissue without using multivariate analyses. Using the modified Beer’s law, the difference spectra are assumed to be synthesized from four major components in the human skin (water, protein, glucose, and fat) and a scattering equivalent component called baseline. As a result, one of the origins of the errors in blood glucose prediction using near-infrared is found to be the similarity of the shapes of the absorption spectrum between glucose and baseline.

Erosion in the occipital bone caused by the fixation instrument used for posterior atlantoaxial fusion -report of 4 cases.

Introduction: Conventionally, posterior C1-C2 fusion has been performed using a sublaminar wiring technique with a structural bone graft. Subsequent advent of newer fixation devices, such as the C1 lateral mass screw and C1 hook, has achieved more solid fixation with improved surgical outcome; however, in these fixation systems, the protruding end of the metal implant above the level of the atlas may result in a complication due to contact with the surrounding structures.

Case Description: Two men and two women whose ages at the time of surgery ranged from 14 to 72 years.

Three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy for inoperable massive hepatocellular carcinoma in six dogs.

Objectives: To evaluate the activity and tolerability of three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) in dogs with massive hepatocellular carcinoma.

Materials And Methods: Six dogs with massive hepatocellular carcinoma that were ineligible for surgical resection or with owners who declined surgical resection, and underwent 3D-CRT were retrospectively reviewed. 6 to 10 Gy per fraction was prescribed at isocentre of planning target volume to a total dose of 18 to 42 Gy with 1 to 2 fractions per week for a total of 3 to 7 fractions.

Unilateral pedicle stress fracture in a long-term hemodialysis patient with isthmic spondylolisthesis.

Most unilateral pedicle stress fractures occur on the contralateral side of patients with unilateral spondylolysis. However, there are few reports of unilateral pedicle stress fractures in patients with bilateral spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis. We report a unique case of unilateral pedicle stress fracture in a long-term hemodialysis patient with isthmic spondylolisthesis.

Inference of median difference based on the Box-Cox model in randomized clinical trials.

In randomized clinical trials, many medical and biological measurements are not normally distributed and are often skewed. The Box-Cox transformation is a powerful procedure for comparing two treatment groups for skewed continuous variables in terms of a statistical test. However, it is difficult to directly estimate and interpret the location difference between the two groups on the original scale of the measurement.

The impact of dynamic factors on surgical outcomes after double-door laminoplasty for ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the cervical spine.

Object: Laminoplasty is the preferred operation for most patients with cervical myelopathy due to multilevel ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). Recent studies have demonstrated several significant risk factors for poor clinical outcomes after laminoplasty, including older age, lower preoperative Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, postoperative change in cervical alignment, cervical kyphosis, and high occupying ratio of the OPLL (that is, the ratio of the greatest anteroposterior thickness of the OPLL to the anteroposterior diameter of the spinal canal at the same level on a lateral image). However, the impact of dynamic factors on clinical outcomes is unclear.

Subarachnoid-subarachnoid bypass for spinal adhesive arachnoiditis.

The authors report a case of adhesive arachnoiditis (AA) and arachnoid cyst successfully treated by subarachnoid to subarachnoid bypass (S-S bypass). Arachnoid cysts or syringes sometimes compress the spinal cord and cause compressive myelopathy that requires surgical treatment. However, surgical treatment for AA is challenging.

Immunocytochemical detection of the class A macrophage scavenger receptor CD204 using air-dried cytologic smears of canine histiocytic sarcoma.

Background: Cytologic diagnosis of canine histiocytic sarcoma (CHS) can be challenging because neoplastic histiocytes commonly show marked nuclear and cellular atypia and may resemble other pleomorphic malignant round cell tumors. Therefore, even on histopathologic examination, immunostaining is often necessary for a definitive diagnosis.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to validate an anti-human CD204 antibody for immunocytochemical staining of air-dried smears for a rapid definitive diagnosis of CHS.

Effect of covariate omission in Weibull accelerated failure time model: a caution.

The accelerated failure time model is presented as an alternative to the proportional hazard model in the analysis of survival data. We investigate the effect of covariates omission in the case of applying a Weibull accelerated failure time model. In an uncensored setting, the asymptotic bias of the treatment effect is theoretically zero when important covariates are omitted; however, the asymptotic variance estimator of the treatment effect could be biased and then the size of the Wald test for the treatment effect is likely to exceed the nominal level.

Implant loading protocols for partially edentulous patients with extended edentulous sites--a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to systematically review the evidence for immediate implant loading in partially edentulous patients with extended edentulous sites and evaluate potential treatment modifiers.

Materials And Methods: An electronic search was performed in Medline, Embase, and Central to identify studies investigating the outcome of implants subjected to immediate loading (IL) (less than 1 week), early loading (EL) (1 week to 2 months), or conventional loading (CL) (more than 2 months) with implant-supported fixed dental prostheses (IFDPs) in partially edentulous patients with extended edentulous sites, ie, at least two adjacent teeth are missing. Only human studies with at least 10 cases and a minimum follow-up time of 12 months, reporting on solid-screw-type implants with rough surfaces and a diameter of at least 3 mm, were included.

Confidence intervals based on some weighting functions for the difference of two binomial proportions.

In this paper, we propose two new methods for computing confidence intervals for the difference of two independent binomial proportions in small sample cases. Several test-based exact confidence intervals have been developed to guarantee the nominal coverage probability in small sample cases. However, these methods are sometimes unnecessarily too conservative because they use the exact p-value for constructing confidence intervals by maximizing the tail probability to account for the worst configuration.

Therapeutic impact of organism isolation in management of patients with pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis.

In management of patients with pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis, organism isolation by biopsy is generally considered to be of primary importance when constructing a treatment plan. In our clinical practice, however, patients can be successfully treated even without identifying the organisms. The objective of this study is to review our clinical experiences and clarify the therapeutic impact of organism isolation.

Outcome and treatment of postoperative spine surgical site infections: predictors of treatment success and failure.

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is an important complication after spine surgery. The management of SSI is characterized by significant variability, and there is little guidance regarding an evidence-based approach. The objective of this study was to identify risk factors associated with treatment failure of SSI after spine surgery.

Risk factors for intraoperative lateral mass fracture of lateral mass screw fixation in the subaxial cervical spine.

Object: Although lateral mass screw fixation for the cervical spine is a safe technique, lateral mass fracture during screw fixation is occasionally encountered intraoperatively. This event is regarded as a minor complication; however, it poses difficulties in management that may affect fixation stability and clinical outcome. The purpose of this study is to determine the incidence and etiology of lateral mass fractures during cervical lateral mass screw fixation.

C-5 palsy after cervical laminoplasty with instrumented posterior fusion.

Object: Postoperative C-5 palsy is known as a common complication after cervical laminoplasty. The authors of this article have encountered postoperative C-5 palsy more often when laminoplasty was combined with instrumented posterior spinal fusion than when it was performed alone. The purpose of this clinical study was to examine the incidence of fifth cervical nerve root palsy (C-5 palsy) and surgical results in patients with cervical myelopathy who had undergone laminoplasty with or without instrumented spinal fusion.

Postoperative spinal cord herniation with pseudomeningocele in the cervical spine: a case report.

Background Context: Postoperative spinal cord herniation with pseudomeningocele is a rare disease, with only five cases reported before the present study.

Purpose: To describe the clinical features and radiologic findings of postoperative spinal cord herniation with pseudomeningocele.

Study Design: Case report.

Predictive factors for proximal junctional kyphosis in long fusions to the sacrum in adult spinal deformity.

Study Design: A retrospective study.

Objective: To assess the mechanisms and the independent risk factors associated with proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) in patients treated surgically for adult spinal deformity with long fusions to the sacrum.

Summary Of Background Data: The occurrence of PJK may be related to preoperative and postoperative sagittal parameters.

Role of Intracellular and Extracellular MicroRNA-92a in Colorectal Cancer.

Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Previous studies have shown that miR-92a has an oncogenic function in several cancers and that its up-regulation is correlated with malignant clinicopathologic behaviors of colorectal cancer. It also has been suggested that circulating miR-92a in patients' plasma can be a potential biomarker for colorectal cancer.

Comparison of clinical features and outcomes of staphylococcus aureus vertebral osteomyelitis caused by methicillin-resistant and methicillin-sensitive strains.

The causative organism of vertebral osteomyelitis (VO) was almost exclusively Staphylococcus aureus. The purpose of this study was to delineate the differences in clinical features and outcomes between patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) VO. This study retrospectively reviewed 85 consecutive patients with VO treated between 2005 and 2011.

Proximal junctional kyphosis and clinical outcomes in adult spinal deformity surgery with fusion from the thoracic spine to the sacrum: a comparison of proximal and distal upper instrumented vertebrae.

Object: Proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) is a common and significant complication after corrective spinal deformity surgery. The object of this study was to compare-based on clinical outcomes, postoperative proximal junctional kyphosis rates, and prevalence of revision surgery-proximal thoracic (PT) and distal thoracic (DT) upper instrumented vertebra (UIV) in adults who underwent spine fusion to the sacrum for the treatment of spinal deformity.

Methods: In this retrospective study the authors evaluated clinical and radiographic data from consecutive adults (age > 21 years) with a deformity treated using long instrumented posterior spinal fusion to the sacrum in the period from 2007 to 2009.

Comparative study of radioresistance between feline cells and human cells.

Radioresistance of cats has been seen in animal radiotherapy. Feline radioresistance and its underlying mechanism(s) were investigated in fibroblast cells and lymphocytes. We hypothesized that radioresistance was attributable to an increase in the cells ability to repair DNA damage.

MicroRNAs as tumour suppressors in canine and human melanoma cells and as a prognostic factor in canine melanomas.

Malignant melanoma (MM) is one of the most aggressive cancers in dogs and in humans. However, the molecular mechanisms of its development and progression remain unclear. Presently, we examined the expression profile of microRNAs (miRs) in canine oral MM tissues and paired normal oral mucosa tissues by using the microRNA-microarray assay and quantitative RT-PCR.