Initial test of emergency procedure performance in temporary negative pressure isolation by using simulation technologies.

Study Objective: The potential of infectious disease spread in diseases such as tuberculosis, infectious disease epidemic such as avian flu and the threat of terrorism with agents capable of airborne transmission have focused attention on the need for increased surge capacity for patient isolation. Total negative pressure isolation using portable bioisolation tents may provide a solution. The study assesses the ability of health care workers to perform emergency procedures in this environment.

Abnormal limb regeneration in adult newts exposed to a pulsed electromagnetic field.

This investigation examined two questions: 1) whether or not forelimb regeneration results in a faithful replacement of the distal skeletal pattern and 2) what effect exposure to a pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF), the type reported to facilitate healing of human non-united bone fractures, would have on the process of limb regeneration. Of the native forelimbs, 98% (132 out 134) had a skeletal pattern that showed little difference with the only variation being the range of carpal bones (5-8). Following a 4-5 month postamputation period, the skeletal pattern of the normal regenerates was examined.

In vivo analysis of the half-life of the osteoinductive potential of demineralized bone matrix using diffusion chambers.

Subcutaneous implantation of demineralized bone matrix (DBM) from rat initiates a sequence of developmental events that results in endochondral bone formation. This investigation examined the modification of the osteoinductive potential of DBM during the initial stages of this developmental cascade. Diffusion chambers (DC), constructed with filters of known pore size, permitting or excluding cells from entering the chambers, and containing DBM were subcutaneously implanted into Long-Evans male rats for specific time periods (1-7 days).

Bioengineered human growth hormone supports limb regeneration in the hypophysectomized newt Notophthalmus viridescens.

It is well documented that growth hormone (GH) replacement therapy will restore normal limb regeneration to hypophysectomized adult newts. However, it is also known that the GH preparations used in previous reports were contaminated by other pituitary hormones shown to support regeneration when administered free of GH. The recent availability of bioengineered human GH was studied for its ability to restore the regenerative capacity to hypophysectomized newts.