Incision Precision of a Novel Wire-Guided Scalpel During Central Venous Catheter Placement: A Randomized Observational Trial.

Objective: To determine whether the wire-guided scalpel (GuideBlade) improves incision precision, reduces the need to revise dermatotomy incision, improves the first-time success rate of a central venous catheter (CVC) placement, and decreases CVC-related complications.

Design: A randomized 2-arm observational trial.

Setting: At University of California Irvine Medical Center.

The Specifics of Non-specific Low Back Pain: Re-evaluating the Current Paradigm to Improve Patient Outcomes.

Low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of pain and debility worldwide and the most frequent reason for work-related disability. Global expenditures related to LBP are staggering and amount to billions of dollars each year in the United States alone. Yet, despite the considerable healthcare resources consumed, the care provided to patients with LBP has regularly been cited as both ineffective and exorbitant.

Seizure from water intoxication following bowel preparation: a case report.

Background: Bowel preparation prior to colonoscopic examination is generally considered a safe process. Hyponatremia is a complication that has been reported in literature during bowel preparation. Individuals who develop severe symptomatic hyponatremia are often older and have comorbidities such as hypothyroidism, chronic kidney disease, or adrenal insufficiency.

Using Slippage to Construct a Prototypical Molecular "Lock & Lock" Box.

We report a new slippage system based on --butylbenzyl-terminated imidazolium ions and di(ethylene glycol)-containing macrocycles and their use as linking units for the construction of a prototypical molecular "Lock & Lock" box from a resorcinarene-based cavitand "bowl" and a porphyrin "cover". The multivalent structure with four slippage linkers provided the molecular box with high stability, yet the system dissociated into its two components upon application of suitable external stimuli.

Mucormycosis causing massive lower gastrointestinal bleeding: a case report.

Background: Lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB) is very common in the hospital setting. Most bleedings stop spontaneously, but rare infectious causes of LGIB may lead to rapid and serious complications if left untreated and are sometimes very difficult to diagnose preoperatively.

Case Presentation: We described a young man with poorly controlled Type I diabetes mellitus and chronic alcohol abuse who presented with acute altered mental status.

Enhanced corneal wound healing with hyaluronic acid and high-potassium artificial tears.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic role of preservative-free artificial tears containing hyaluronic acid and high potassium ion concentration (HA/high-K artificial tears) on mechanically scraped or alkali-induced corneal epithelial defects in rats.

Methods: We created mechanically scraped epithelial defects on the corneas of 24 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (three groups of eight rats) and alkali-induced epithelial defects on the corneas of 27 SD rats (three groups of nine rats). Then we applied topical 0.

Comparing myopic progression of urban and rural Taiwanese schoolchildren.

Purpose: To compare myopic progression rates in Taiwanese schoolchildren between urban and rural areas.

Methods: Several longitudinal studies of myopic progression were performed in urban and rural areas. Five primary schools, four junior high schools, and two senior high schools were selected from both urban and rural areas.

Fabrication of microlens arrays based on the mass transport effect of SU-8 photoresist using a multiexposure two-beam interference technique.

Microlens arrays (MLAs) were fabricated based on the mass transport effect of SU-8 photoresist by a multiexposure two-beam interference technique. In particular, a direct single-step fabrication process, i.e.

Lens thickness changes among schoolchildren in Taiwan.

Purpose: To explore the possible influence of ocular growth, refractive error and age on the crystalline lens in school-age children.

Methods: A Taiwan nationwide survey of myopia performed in 2006 was used to determine the prevalence and severity of myopia and the changes in ocular components. A total of 11,656 students were enrolled, including 5,390 boys and 6,266 girls, with ages ranging from 7 to 18 years.

Fabrication of microlens array diffuser films with controllable haze distribution by combination of breath figures and replica molding methods.

This work demonstrates the fabrication of a simple, low-cost microlens array (MLA) diffuser film with controllable haze distribution (diffusion effect) by a combination of "breath figures" (BFs) and micro-replica molding methods. Polystyrene (PS) molds obtained by BFs method contain concave, hexagonal packed air holes formed by the condensation of water vapor on cooling surfaces in a chamber in which relevant influence factors can be controlled. The sizes of the air holes in the BFs PS molds can be controlled by varying such factors as chamber temperature, chamber relative humidity, substrate temperature and others.

The association of membrane frizzled-related protein (MFRP) gene with acute angle-closure glaucoma--a pilot study.

Purpose: The membrane frizzled-related protein (MFRP) has been proposed as a probable candidate gene for extreme hyperopia and nanophthalmos, which are factors for angle-closure glaucoma. The purpose of our study was to investigate whether there are significant associations between angle-closure glaucoma and sequence variants in the MFRP gene reported previously in Taiwanese subjects.

Methods: Genomic DNA was collected from 63 subjects with angle-closure glaucoma and 66 age-matched and gender-matched controls without angle-closure glaucoma.

The association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the MMP-9 genes with susceptibility to acute primary angle closure glaucoma in Taiwanese patients.

Purpose: To study the relationships between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of extracellular matrix, matrix metalloproteases (MMPs), tissue inhibitors of MMPs, and other glaucoma-associated genes and acute primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG).

Methods: We extracted DNA samples from 78 adult patients with acute PACG and 86 control subjects to study the relationships between these specific genes and acute PACG. Genotyping was performed for 35 genes by the GenomeLab SNPstream genotyping system after PCR amplification of chromosomal DNA.

The association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the 5'-regulatory region of the lumican gene with susceptibility to high myopia in Taiwan.

Purpose: To study the relationships between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of lumican, decorin, and DSPG3 genes and high myopia.

Methods: One hundred and twenty adult patients with high myopia (< -10.0 D) and 137 controls were used to study the relationships between the decorin, lumican, and DSPG genes and high myopia.