Use of Antibacterial Envelopes for Prevention of Infection in Neuromodulation Implantable Pulse Generators.

Background: Neuromodulation unit placement carries a historic infection rate as high as 12%. Treatment of such requires surgical removal and a long course of systemic antibiotics. Antibiotic-impregnated envelopes have been effective in preventing infection in implantable cardiac devices.

Definitions and Risk Factors for Drug-Resistant Epilepsy in an Adult Cohort.

Less than one-third of people with epilepsy will develop drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). Establishing the prognosis of each unique epilepsy case is an important part of evaluation and treatment.Most studies on DRE prognosis have been based on a pooled, heterogeneous group, including children, adults, and older adults, in the absence of clear recognition and control of important confounders, such as age group.

Forced normalization after turning off vagus nerve stimulation in Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

Forced normalization is the development of psychiatric symptoms in a patient experiencing remission of seizures. We present a case of Lennox Gastaut syndrome in which forced normalization developed after vagus nerve stimulation was stopped. The patient had drug resistant epilepsy and failed anti-seizure drugs, vagus nerve stimulation, and a partial callosotomy.

Comparison of sperm adenosine triphosphate content, motility and fertility of immobilized and conventionally cryopreserved Norwegian Red bull semen.

Estrus detection and timing of AI remains a challenge in cattle breeding. Prolonging spermatozoa lifespan after AI, making sperm cells available over an extended period, could make timing of AI relative to ovulation less crucial and improve fertility. Immobilization of sperm cells by the patented SpermVital technology in an alginate gel will provide a gradual release of spermatozoa after AI.

Relationship between post-thaw adenosine triphosphate content, motility and viability in cryopreserved bovine semen applying two different preservation methods.

Motility and energy level in sperm cells are tightly linked, but not totally understood. The aim of this study was to examine whether adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content as a sperm quality parameter for bull semen could give additional information together with viability and motility. The objective was therefore to examine the relationships between alterations in sperm ATP content, motility and viability in bovine semen samples immediately after thawing and following post-thaw incubation at physiological temperature.

Stress Resilience of Spermatozoa and Blood Mononuclear Cells without Prion Protein.

The cellular prion protein PrP is highly expressed in neurons, but also present in non-neuronal tissues, including the testicles and spermatozoa. Most immune cells and their bone marrow precursors also express PrP. Clearly, this protein operates in highly diverse cellular contexts.

In vitro studies of Norwegian Red bovine semen immobilized and cryopreserved in alginate solid gel network.

Development of new semen cryopreservation techniques improving sperm survival and ensuring availability of viable spermatozoa for a prolonged time-period after AI is promising tools to reduce sensitivity of timing of AI and enhance overall fertility. The SpermVital technology utilizes immobilization of bull spermatozoa in a solid network of alginate gel prior to freezing, which will provide a gradual release of spermatozoa after AI. The objective of this study was to compare post-thaw sperm quality and in vitro sperm survival over time of Norwegian Red bull semen processed by the SpermVital (SV) technology, the first commercialized production line of SpermVital (C) and by conventional procedure applying Biladyl extender (B).

Efficacy of Vagal Nerve Stimulation for Drug-Resistant Epilepsy: Is it the Stimulation or Medication?

Background: Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy has been widely recognized as an alternative for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy, although modification of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) during VNS treatment could explain the improvement in patients.

Methods: We retrospectively assessed the efficacy of VNS in 30 adult patients with epilepsy treated with >6 months of follow-up. The criteria for implantation were the following: (1) not a candidate for resective epilepsy surgery, (2) drug-resistant epilepsy, (3) impairment of quality of life, (4) no other option of treatment, and (5) patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy who fail to be controlled with appropriate AEDs.

Reproductive performance of immobilized cryopreserved bovine semen used for timed artificial insemination.

The SpermVital technology comprises embedding of spermatozoa within an alginate gel to facilitate release of sperm cells over a prolonged period in utero after AI. The aim of this study was to examine whether the survival time of spermatozoa is extended when applying this immobilization technology in combination with cryopreservation. Sperm cell survival (acrosome and plasma membrane integrity) was studied in vitro for 48 hr at physiological temperature.

Evaluating the single seizure clinic model: Findings from a Canadian Center.

Introduction: The effect of the single seizure clinic (SSC) model on patient diagnose, work-up, wait-times, and clinical care is poorly characterized and its efficacy unclear. The present study assesses patient characteristics and evaluates the impact of a single seizure clinic (SSC) model on wait-times and access to care.

Material And Methods: A prospective study of all patients (n=200) referred to our SSC for first seizure evaluation.

Use of immobilized cryopreserved bovine semen in a blind artificial insemination trial.

To make timing of artificial insemination (AI) relative to ovulation less critical, methods for prolonging shelf life of spermatozoa in vivo after AI have been attempted to be developed. Encapsulation of sperm cells is a documented technology, and recently, a technology in which sperm cells are embedded in alginate gel has been introduced and commercialized. In this study, standard processed semen with the Biladyl extender (control) was compared with semen processed by sperm immobilization technology developed by SpermVital AS in a blind field trial.

Comparison of electronic volume and forward scatter principles of cell selection using flow cytometry for the evaluation of acrosome and plasma membrane integrity of bull spermatozoa.

The objective of the study was to compare two different flow cytometers to reveal if there are differences between them and to find the most suitable protocol for analysis of spermatozoa. These two flow cytometers; Cell Lab Quanta™ and Coulter Epics XL, have different principles to calculate cell size, electric volume, and forward scatter (FS), respectively. Flow cytometry is a valuable tool to assess various spermatozoa quality traits simultaneously, such as plasma membrane and acrosome integrity.

Post-burning fragmentation of calcined bone: implications for remains recovery from fatal fire scenes.

This research assesses how short term delays in time-until-recovery can affect the quality and quantity of burnt bone recovered from a fatal fire scene. Knowledge of trends in post-burning remains fragmentation will enable investigators to prioritise remains recovery and implement recovery protocols appropriately. By comparing calcined bone fragments recovered 0, 24, 56 and 168 h (1 week) after experimental burns, this research describes remains fragmentation over time.

The effect of weather conditions on burnt bone fragmentation.

This research assesses how weather conditions, such as temperature and rainfall, affect the fragmentation of burnt bone. The recovery of human remains from fatal fire scenes is often hampered by the fragmentary nature of the material, and through understanding how weather factors affect this fragmentation, it may be possible to adjust recovery timelines and protocols to maximise the quantity and quality of condition of the material recovered. These data are also valuable as a baseline for expected fragmentation, and expected differences in fragmentation, under different weather conditions.

The effect of victim age on burnt bone fragmentation: implications for remains recovery.

This research investigates how victim bone age affects the fragmentation and subsequent recovery of burnt bone. It could be inferred that the lower density and higher organic content of bone from younger individuals results in more significant bone breakdown compared to bone from older individuals. Previous research has suggested that while neonate bone can be difficult to destroy in a burn environment it is more fragile post-burning.

The relationship between post-thaw sperm DNA integrity and non-return rate among Norwegian cross-bred rams.

With the aim of investigating the relationship between sperm DNA integrity and non-return rate (NRR) among Norwegian cross-bred rams, semen from 15 individuals was examined by flow cytometry. Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay (SCSA) quantifies the proportion of spermatozoa with denatured DNA after in situ acid treatment, and the four parameters % DFI, % HDS, MEAN DFI and SD DFI are all different measures of DNA denaturation and maturation. Field fertility, reported as NRR 25 days after insemination was based on all inseminations from a large-scale breeding programme and supplied by the Norwegian Association of Sheep and Goat Farmers.

Alterations of sperm DNA integrity during cryopreservation procedure and in vitro incubation of bull semen.

An association between sperm DNA integrity and fertility was recently shown for frozen-thawed Norwegian Red (NRF) bull semen diluted in skimmed milk egg yolk (SMEY). In general the fertility of NRF cattle is high, however, in comparison with NRF semen in SMEY, NRF semen diluted in Tris EY based extenders has shown reduced fertility. The aim of the present study was to do a split-sample comparison of sperm DNA integrity of NRF bull semen (n=20) in SMEY and Triladyl (Tris EY based) during routine cryopreservation procedure and during in vitro incubation of frozen-thawed semen in modified synthetic oviduct fluid (mSOF).

Patient care after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

Review several studies that investigate head elevation, early walking, and patient comfort after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA).

Sustained beneficial effect of intravenous bisphosphonates after their discontinuation in children.

We studied if the beneficial effects of bisphosphonates are maintained after their discontinuation, and whether adverse effects may develop. Seventeen children in whom I.V.

Sperm DNA damage is related to field fertility of semen from young Norwegian Red bulls.

Flow cytometry was utilised for the first time to independently measure five sperm parameters of individual spermatozoa of bull ejaculates to differentiate between outcome successes after artificial insemination (AI). These parameters included plasma membrane and acrosome integrity, mitochondrial functionality and DNA damage measured by sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) and terminal deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) assays. For each parameter, results of 142 ejaculates (30 bulls) were ranked into three groups according to their flow cytometric measures: (1) ejaculates with the 25% lowest measures; (2) the 50% middle measures; and (3) the 25% highest measures.

Within and between breed differences in freezing tolerance and plasma membrane fatty acid composition of boar sperm.

The response of sperm to cryopreservation and the fertility of frozen-thawed semen varies between species. Besides species differences in sperm physiology, structure and biochemistry, factors such as sperm transport and female reproductive tract anatomy will affect fertility of frozen-thawed semen. Therefore, studying differences in sperm cryotolerance between breeds and individuals instead of between species may reveal sources of variability in sperm cryotolerance.