A Two-Surgeon Approach Improves Performance for Young Surgeons in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a complex 3-dimensional deformity. Previous studies have suggested a learning curve in the successful execution of this technically demanding procedure. A 2-surgeon model may be helpful for less experienced surgeons by facilitating greater consistency in surgical metrics.

Managing atraumatic meniscal tears in middle-aged patients.

What role does arthroscopic surgery have in the treatment of patients with atraumatic meniscal tears and osteoarthritis? The authors reviewed the literature to find out.

New Raman measurements for HO ice VII in the range of 300 cm to 4000 cm at pressures up to 120 GPa.

Raman spectroscopic measurements for HO ice VII have been conducted to 120 GPa at 300 K in the spectroscopic range of 300-4000 cm. Both moissanite and diamond anvils were used for the experiments. This overcomes the problems of overlapping spectra between the diamond anvil and sample, which had prevented the observation of the stretching modes at pressures higher than ∼23 GPa in all previous measurements.

Late hemorrhagic pseudoseptic arthritis encountered during total knee arthroplasty due to hyaluronic acid viscosupplementation.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and affects approximately one-third of people in the United Sates aged 65 years and older. Since 2013, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has not been able to recommended using hyaluronic acid for patients with symptomatic OA of the knee. Subsequent publications have also cautioned against the use of viscosupplementation based on lack of efficacy and the potential for harm.

The Strongest Particle: Size-Dependent Elastic Strength and Debye Temperature of PbS Nanocrystals.

We investigated the elastic compressibility of PbS nanocrystals (NCs) pressurized in a diamond anvil cell and simultaneously probed the structure using synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction. The compressibility of PbS NCs exhibits bimodal size dependence. The elastic modulus of small NCs increases with increasing diameter and peaks near a particle diameter of approximately 7 nm.

Pressure Processing of Nanocube Assemblies Toward Harvesting of a Metastable PbS Phase.

This materials-by-design approach combines nanocrystal assembly with pressure processing to drive the attachment and coalescence of PbS nanocubes along directed crystallographic dimensions to form a large 3D porous architecture. This quenchable and strained mesostructure holds the storage of large internal stress, which stabilizes the high-pressure PbS phase in atmospheric conditions. Nanocube fusion enhances the structural stability; the large surface area maintains the size-dependent properties.

Complications of pediatric femoral shaft and distal physeal fractures.

Fractures of the femoral shaft comprise about 1.6% of all bony injuries in children and are the most common pediatric orthopaedic injury that requires hospitalization. The treatment of femoral fractures in children is largely dependent on the child's age and size and takes into account multiple considerations: the child's weight, associated injuries, the fracture pattern, the mechanism of injury, institutional or surgeons' preferences, and economic and social concerns.

Decoding the superlattice and interface structure of truncate PbS nanocrystal-assembled supercrystal and associated interaction forces.

Large scale three-dimensional supercrystals were grown by controlling evaporation of truncate PbS nanocrystal (NC) dispersed hexane suspensions. Electron microscopy analysis confirmed the nature of single supercrystal with a face-centered cubic (fcc) lattice. Synchrotron small/wide angle scattering (SAXS/WAXS) images from three typical crystallographic projections allowed ultimate reconstruction of shape orientations of NCs at different crystallographic sites.

Optical properties of PbS nanocrystal quantum dots at ambient and elevated pressure.

We investigated pressure-dependent changes in the optical properties of PbS nanocrystal quantum dots (NQD) by combining X-ray scattering and optical absorption spectroscopy in a diamond anvil cell. We discovered that the excitonic absorption peak vanishes as the NQD crystal structure reversibly undergoes the pressure-induced phase transition from rock-salt to orthorhombic structure. In the rock-salt phase, the pressure coefficient ∂E(g)/∂P of PbS NQD is negative and decreases in magnitude with decreasing NQD size.

Correlating superlattice polymorphs to internanoparticle distance, packing density, and surface lattice in assemblies of PbS nanoparticles.

Assemblies of 3.5 nm PbS nanoparticles (NPs) nucleate in three dominant superlattice polymorphs: amorphous, body-centered-cubic (bcc) and face-centered-cubic (fcc) phase. This superlattice relationship can be controlled by the inter-NP distance without changing the NP size.

Deviatoric stress driven formation of large single-crystal PbS nanosheet from nanoparticles and in situ monitoring of oriented attachment.

Two-dimensional single-crystal PbS nanosheets were synthesized by deviatoric stress-driven orientation and attachment of nanoparticles (NPs). In situ small- and wide-angle synchrotron X-ray scattering measurements on the same spot of the sample under pressure coupled with transmission electron microscopy enable reconstruction of the nucleation route showing how enhanced deviatoric stress causes ordering NPs into single-crystal nanosheets with a lamellar mesostructure. At the same time that deviatoric stress drives SC(110) orientation in a face-centered-cubic supercrystal (SC), rocksalt (RS) NPs rotate and align their RS(200) and RS(220) planes within the SC(110) plane.

Integrating in situ high pressure small and wide angle synchrotron x-ray scattering for exploiting new physics of nanoparticle supercrystals.

Combined small and wide angle synchrotron x-ray scattering (SAXS and WAXS) techniques have been developed for in situ high pressure samples, enabling exploration of the atomic structure and nanoscale superstructure phase relations. These studies can then be used to find connections between nanoparticle surfaces and internal atomic arrangements. We developed a four-axis control system for the detector, which we then employed for the study of two supercrystals assembled from 5 nm Fe(3)O(4) and 10 nm Au nanoparticles.

Chronic periglandular inflammation on prostate needle biopsy does not increase the likelihood of cancer on subsequent biopsy.

Purpose: Recent literature suggests a role for chronic inflammation in the development of prostate cancer. We investigated the association of chronic periglandular inflammation on prostate needle biopsy with subsequent prostate cancer development and clinical disease features at presentation.

Methods: Six hundred fifty-five patients were abstracted from a prostate/needle biopsy registry from Brigham and Women's Hospital presenting with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) > 4 ng/mL or abnormal digital rectal examination (DRE) between the years 1990 and 2004.

Containment of fluid samples in the hydrothermal diamond-anvil cell without the use of metal gaskets: performance and advantages for in situ analysis.

Metal gaskets (Re, Ir, Inconel, or stainless steel) normally used to contain fluid samples in the hydrothermal diamond-anvil cell (HDAC) are sometimes undesirable due to possible contamination and to gasket deformation at high pressures and temperatures resulting in nonisochoric behavior. Furthermore, in x-ray spectroscopic experiments, metal gaskets may attenuate the incident x-ray beam and emitted fluorescence x-rays, and the interaction of scattered radiation with the gasket may produce fluorescence that interferes with the x-ray spectrum of the sample. New arrangements and procedures were tested for the operation of the HDAC without using the metal gaskets.

Synchrotron x-ray spectroscopy of EuHNO3 aqueous solutions at high temperatures and pressures and Nb-bearing silicate melt phases coexisting with hydrothermal fluids using a modified hydrothermal diamond anvil cell and rail assembly.

A modified hydrothermal diamond anvil cell (HDAC) rail assembly has been constructed for making synchrotron x-ray absorption spectroscopy, x-ray fluorescence, and x-ray mapping measurements on fluids or solid phases in contact with hydrothermal fluids up to approximately 900 degrees C and 700 MPa. The diamond anvils of the HDAC are modified by laser milling grooves or holes, for the reduction of attenuation of incident and fluorescent x rays and sample cavities. The modified HDAC rail assembly has flexibility in design for measurement of light elements at low concentrations or heavy elements at trace levels in the sample and the capability to probe minute individual phases of a multiphase fluid-based system using focused x-ray microbeam.

Optical study of H2O ice to 120 GPa: dielectric function, molecular polarizability, and equation of state.

The refractive index of H2O ice has been measured to 120 GPa at room temperature using reflectivity methods. The refractive index increases significantly with pressure on initial compression and exhibits small changes with pressure at previously identified phase transitions. Pressure dependencies of the molecular polarizability show changing slopes in different pressure regions.

Impact of obesity on prostate cancer recurrence after radical prostatectomy: data from CaPSURE.

Objectives: To determine the association between obesity and prostate cancer recurrence after primary treatment with radical prostatectomy.

Methods: Data were abstracted from CaPSURE, a disease registry of 10,018 men with prostate cancer. We included 2131 men who had undergone radical prostatectomy between 1989 and 2003 and had body mass index (BMI) information available.

The impact of obesity on health related quality of life before and after radical prostatectomy (data from CaPSURE).

Purpose: Health related quality of life (HRQOL) is an important measure of outcomes among patients with prostate cancer due to disease related and treatment related effects on physical and emotional health. We determined if there are differences in the HRQOL of obese men at diagnosis and after radical prostatectomy compared to the HRQOL of men with normal body mass index (BMI).

Materials And Methods: Data were abstracted from Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urological Research Endeavor (CaPSURE), a disease registry of 10,018 men with prostate cancer.

Obesity and prostate cancer clinical risk factors at presentation: data from CaPSURE.

Purpose: We investigated the association of obesity with prostate cancer case demographics and clinical disease features at presentation.

Materials And Methods: Data were abstracted from CaPSURE (Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urologic Research Endeavor), a disease registry of 10,018 men with prostate cancer. A total of 2,952 men were included who were treated between 1989 and 2002, and had complete body mass index (BMI) information.

Increased heparanase expression is caused by promoter hypomethylation and up-regulation of transcriptional factor early growth response-1 in human prostate cancer.

Purpose: Heparanase degrades heparan sulfate and has been implicated in tumor invasion and metastasis. The transcription factor, early growth response 1 (EGR1), is associated with the inducible transcription of the heparanase gene. We hypothesize that CpG hypomethylation in the heparanase promoter coupled with up-regulation of EGR1 levels may induce heparanase expression in human prostate cancer.

Differences in complications and outcomes for obese patients undergoing laparoscopic radical, partial or simple nephrectomy.

Purpose: Obesity has increased dramatically in American society during the last 2 decades. While the laparoscopic approach is common for patients requiring radical and partial nephrectomy, it is unclear if this procedure leads to worse outcomes and complications in obese patients. We determined if obese patients undergoing laparoscopic radical (RN), partial (PN) and simple (SN) nephrectomy are at risk for worse surgical outcomes or increased complications.

Collaborative graduate education: executive nurse practice and health care leadership.

Research College of Nursing and the Rockhurst University Helzberg School of Management Health Care Initiative collaborated to offer the Executive Nurse Practice: Health Care Leadership track to Research College of Nursing graduate students. This effort was not only cost effective, but also offered expert faculty in both the fields of nursing and business. The curriculum is an integration of both fields and faculties from both institutions as they communicate and collaborate each semester to successfully coordinate the track.

CpG hypermethylation of MDR1 gene contributes to the pathogenesis and progression of human prostate cancer.

Multidrug resistance 1 (MDR1) gene encodes for P-glycoprotein (P-gp), a Mr 170,000 transmembrane calcium-dependent efflux pump that is inactivated in prostate cancer. We hypothesize that inactivation of the MDR1 gene through CpG methylation contributes to the pathogenesis and progression of prostate cancer. To test this hypothesis, CpG methylation status of the MDR1 promoter and its correlation with clinicopathological findings were evaluated in 177 prostate cancer samples and 69 benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH) samples.

Bisulfite conversion-specific and methylation-specific PCR: a sensitive technique for accurate evaluation of CpG methylation.

Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) is frequently used to distinguish methylated alleles in the genome. Sequences that have been incompletely converted during bisulfite treatment are frequently co-amplified during MSP. For accurate MSP, it is important to detect methylated sequences in a background of unconverted DNA with a high level of sensitivity.