Large variation in radiation dose for routine abdomen CT: reasons for excess and easy tips for reduction.

Objective: To characterize the use and impact of radiation dose reduction techniques in actual practice for routine abdomen CT.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed consecutive routine abdomen CT scans in adults from a large dose registry, contributed by 95 hospitals and imaging facilities. Grouping exams into deciles by, first, patient size, and second, size-adjusted dose length product (DLP), we summarized dose and technical parameters and estimated which parameters contributed most to between-protocols dose variation.

Diagnostic reference levels and median doses for common clinical indications of CT: findings from an international registry.

Ob Jectives: The European Society of Radiology identified 10 common indications for computed tomography (CT) as part of the European Study on Clinical Diagnostic Reference Levels (DRLs, EUCLID), to help standardize radiation doses. The objective of this study is to generate DRLs and median doses for these indications using data from the UCSF CT International Dose Registry.

Methods: Standardized data on 3.

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Single-Component and Multicomponent Interventions for Reducing Radiation Doses in Patients Undergoing Computed Tomography: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Computed tomography (CT) radiation doses vary across institutions and are often higher than needed.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of 2 interventions to reduce radiation doses in patients undergoing CT.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This randomized clinical trial included 864 080 adults older than 18 years who underwent CT of the abdomen, chest, combined abdomen and chest, or head at 100 facilities in 6 countries from November 1, 2015, to September 21, 2017.

Hemodialysis Tunneled Catheter Noninfectious Complications.

Noninfectious hemodialysis catheter complications include catheter dysfunction, catheter-related thrombus, and central vein stenosis. The definitions, causes, and treatment strategies for catheter dysfunction are reviewed below. Catheter-related thrombus is a less common but serious complication of catheters, requiring catheter removal and systemic anticoagulation.

Temperature distribution in dental tissue after interaction with femtosecond laser pulses.

Algebraic and numerical solutions are presented of the temperature rise in dental tissue due to interaction with ultrashort optical radiation. Results of the studies with femtosecond laser pulses show agreement between theory and experiment. A temperature rise of typically 5 K is found for a 40 millisecond train of 7 nJ, 70 fs laser pulses at a repetition rate of 80 MHz.

Effects of acculturation on the MMPI-2 scores of Asian American students.

The use of the MMPI-2 (Butcher, Dahlstron, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989) with minorities has been questioned due to potential misinterpretations related to cultural differences. This study examined acculturative differences among Asian American college students and their scores on the validity and clinical scales. A sample of Asian American students (n = 90) was assigned to groups based on acculturation level.

A Second Locus, Ixr B1 in Arabidopsis thaliana, that Confers Resistance to the Herbicide Isoxaben.

An isoxaben resistant mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana is described whose locus, Ixr B1, is unlinked genetically to the previously described resistance locus Ixr A (DR Heim, JL Roberts, PD Pike, IM Larrinua [1989] Plant Physiol 90: 146-150). A cross of strains each homozygous for one of these two resistance loci gives rise to some isoxaben sensitive F(2) progeny. Growth curves versus isoxaben of this mutant, its F(1) progeny and the wild-type parent strain showed that this locus displays a weakly codominant Mendelian phenotype.

Mutation of a Locus of Arabidopsis thaliana Confers Resistance to the Herbicide Isoxaben.

Mutants resistant to the herbicide N-(3-[1-ethyl-1-methylpropyl]-5-isoxazolyl)-2,6,dimethoxybenzamide (isoxaben) were recovered from an M2 population of Arabidopsis thaliana. Two of these mutants, DH47 and DH48, had a high level of resistance in the homozygous state. Crosses of these mutants to marker strains, and to each other, showed that each contained a mutation at a single locus tightly linked to lutescens, a marker on the fifth chromosome of A.

[Continuous brachial plexus block (author's transl)].

A technique for continuous block of the brachial plexus is described using an indwelling teflon cannula positioned according to the anatomical dictates of the supraclavicular and interscalene spaces. The anatomy is presented as key to consistent results. Advantages of a continuous block are an extension of normal block duration, block placement independent of operating times and a possible application to intensive care patients.

Transcutaneous electrical stimulation. Its use in the management of postoperative pain.

Forty patients who were to have total hip replacement were randomly allocated to two groups. One group received intramuscular pethidine (30 mg) alone for postoperative analgesia in the first 24 h, the other received transcutaneous stimulation (TES) and pethidine as necessary. The use of pethidine was compared in the two groups under standardised conditions of time, operative and anaesthetic techniques.

The basle PEEP weaner. A versatile device for respiratory assistance.

A device to modify the physiological impact of the abrupt transition of IPPV and PEEP to spontaneous breathing is described. It consists of a coaxial breathing system with a spring-loaded reservoir bag and underwater pressure limit. Electric alarms are incorporated.