Poor visualization limits diagnosis of proximal junctional kyphosis in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Background Context: Multiple methods are used to measure proximal junctional angle (PJA) and diagnose proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) after fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS); however, there is no gold standard. Previous studies using the three most common measurement methods, upper-instrumented vertebra (UIV)+1, UIV+2, and UIV to T2, have minimized the difficulty in obtaining these measurements, and often exclude patients for which measurements cannot be recorded.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the technical feasibility of measuring PJA and PJK in a series of AIS patients who have undergone posterior instrumented fusion and to assess the variability in results depending on the measurement technique used.

Variations in data collection methods between national databases affect study results: a comparison of the nationwide inpatient sample and national surgical quality improvement program databases for lumbar spine fusion procedures.

Background: There has been an increasing use of national databases to conduct orthopaedic research. Questions regarding the validity and consistency of these studies have not been fully addressed. The purpose of this study was to test for similarity in reported measures between two national databases commonly used for orthopaedic research.

Interrater and intrarater agreements of magnetic resonance imaging findings in the lumbar spine: significant variability across degenerative conditions.

Background Context: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is frequently used in the evaluation of degenerative conditions in the lumbar spine. The relative interrater and intrarater agreements of MRI findings across different pathologic conditions are underexplored, as most studies are focused on specific findings.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to characterize the interrater and intrarater agreements of MRI findings used to assess the degenerative lumbar spine.

Obese Class III patients at significantly greater risk of multiple complications after lumbar surgery: an analysis of 10,387 patients in the ACS NSQIP database.

Background Context: Prior studies on the impact of obesity on spine surgery outcomes have focused mostly on lumbar fusions, do not examine lumbar discectomies or decompressions, and have shown mixed results regarding complications. Differences in sample sizes and body mass index (BMI) thresholds for the definition of the obese versus comparison cohorts could account for the inconsistencies in the literature.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to analyze whether different degrees of obesity influence the complication rates in patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery.

Do presence and location of annular tear influence clinical outcome after lumbar total disc arthroplasty? A prospective 1-year follow-up study.

Background: Lumbar total disc arthroplasty is often performed in patients with axial back pain. There are multiple etiologies for axial back pain, including disc degeneration and annular tears. The location of these annular tears can vary, producing differing preoperative symptomatology.

Frequent germ-line mutations of the MEN1, CASR, and HRPT2/CDC73 genes in young patients with clinically non-familial primary hyperparathyroidism.

Familial primary hyperparathyroidism (FPHPT) may occur due to an underlying germ-line mutation in the MEN1, CASR, or HRPT2/CDC73 genes. The disease may be undiagnosed in the absence of a history suggestive of FHPT. Young PHPT patients (≤45 years of age) are more likely to harbor occult FPHPT.

Atmospheric chemistry of dichlorvos.

Dichlorvos [2,2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate, (CH(3)O)(2)P(O)OCH═CCl(2)] is a relatively volatile in-use insecticide. Rate constants for its reaction with OH radicals have been measured over the temperature range 296-348 K and atmospheric pressure of air using a relative rate method. The rate expression obtained was 3.

Clinical and histopathological characteristics of hyperparathyroidism-induced hypercalcemic crisis.

Background: The clinical and pathological characteristics of hyperparathyroidism-induced hypercalcemic crisis (HIHC) are incompletely described. The present study was designed to elucidate the nature and effects of HIHC in patients undergoing parathyroidectomy in our unit.

Methods: A prospective database of 1,754 consecutive patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) who underwent parathyroidectomy from 1991-2009 identified 67 (41 women) patients presenting with HIHC.

Synthetic and biological mesh in component separation: a 10-year single institution review.

Definitive repair of recurrent ventral hernias using abdominal wall reconstruction techniques is an essential tool in the armentarium for general and plastic surgeons. Despite the great morbidity associated with incisional hernia, no consensus exists on the best means for treatment (Korenkov et al, Langenbecks Arch Surg. 2001;386:65-73).

Atmospheric chemistry of isopropyl methyl methylphosphonate and dimethyl N,N-dimethylphosphoroamidate.

Rate constants for the reactions of OH radicals with isopropyl methyl methylphosphonate [(CH(3))(2)CHOP(O)(CH(3))OCH(3); IMMP] and dimethyl N,N-dimethylphosphoroamidate [(CH(3)O)(2)P(O)N(CH(3))(2); DMDMPA] have been measured over the temperature range 283-350 K and atmospheric pressure of air using a relative rate method. The rate expressions obtained were 2.72 x 10(-13) e((1642+/-144)/T) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) (6.

Controversy surrounding the role for routine central lymph node dissection for differentiated thyroid cancer.

Purpose Of Review: Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), with a rapidly increasing incidence is the most common endocrine malignancy, but with generally favorable survival. Total thyroidectomy with 'therapeutic' cervical lymph node dissection for involved lymph nodes is the standard of care. A more controversial topic is whether routine 'prophylactic' central lymph node dissection (CLND) in patients without evidence of lymph node metastasis should be performed in patients with DTC, as suggested by several recent management guidelines.

Kinetics of the gas-phase reactions of OH and NO3 radicals and O3 with 1,4-thioxane and 1,4-dithiane.

Rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of the cyclic organosulfur compounds 1,4-thioxane and 1,4-dithiane with NO(3) radicals and O(3) have been measured at 296 +/- 2 K, and rate constants for their reactions with OH radicals have been measured over the temperature range 278-350 K. Relative rate methods were used to measure rate constants for the OH radical and NO(3) radical reactions. The OH radical reaction in the presence of NO(x) and, to a lesser extent, the NO(3) radical reaction were subject to secondary reactions leading to additional removal of 1,4-thioxane and/or 1,4-dithiane.

Kinetics and products of the gas-phase reactions of divinyl sulfoxide with OH and NO3 radicals and O3.

Using relative rate methods, rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of divinyl sulfoxide [CH 2CHS(O)CHCH 2; DVSO] with NO 3 radicals and O 3 have been measured at 296 +/- 2 K, and rate constants for the reaction with OH radicals have been measured over the temperature range of 277-349 K. Rate constants obtained for the NO 3 radical and O 3 reactions at 296 +/- 2 K were (6.1 +/- 1.

Rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of OH radicals with dimethyl phosphonate over the temperature range of 278-351 K and for a series of other organophosphorus compounds at approximately 280 K.

Rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of OH radicals with dimethyl phosphonate [DMHP; (CH3O)2P(O)H] were measured over the temperature range of 278-351 K at atmospheric pressure of air using a relative rate method with 4-methyl-2-pentanone as the reference compound. The Arrhenius expression obtained was 1.01 x 10(-12) e((474 +/- 159)/T) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1), where the indicated error is two least-squares standard deviations and does not include uncertainties in the rate constants for the reference compound.

Pancreatic VIPomas: subject review and one institutional experience.

VIPomas are rare pancreatic endocrine tumors associated with a well-defined clinical syndrome characterized by watery diarrhea, hypokalemia, and metabolic acidosis. The objective of this study was to review a single institution's experience with VIPomas, as well as to review the English literature. A retrospective review of the Johns Hopkins pancreatic database revealed four cases of VIPoma, with three patients being male.

Temperature-dependent rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of OH radicals with 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene, triethyl phosphate, and a series of alkylphosphonates.

Rate constants for the reactions of OH radicals with dimethyl methylphosphonate [DMMP, (CH3O)2P(O)CH3], dimethyl ethylphosphonate [DMEP, (CH3O)2P(O)C2H5], diethyl methylphosphonate [DEMP, (C2H5O)2P(O)CH3], diethyl ethylphosphonate [DEEP, (C2H5O)2P(O)C2H5], triethyl phosphate [TEP, (C2H5O)3PO] and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene have been measured over the temperature range 278-348 K at atmospheric pressure of air using a relative rate method. alpha-Pinene (for DEMP, DEEP, TEP and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene) and di-n-butyl ether (for DMMP and DMEP) were used as the reference compounds, and rate constants for the reaction of OH radicals with di-n-butyl ether were also measured over the same temperature range using alpha-pinene and n-decane as the reference compounds. The Arrhenius expressions obtained for these OH radical reactions (in cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1) units) are 8.

Pressure dependence of pentyl nitrate formation from the OH Radical-initiated reaction of n-pentane in the presence of NO.

The formation yields of 2- and 3-pentyl nitrate from the reactions of 2- and 3-pentyl peroxy radicals with NO have been measured at room temperature over the pressure range 51-744 Torr of N2 + O2, using the OH radical-initiated reaction of n-pentane to generate the pentyl peroxy radicals. The influence of 2- and 3-pentyl nitrate formation from the reaction of 2- and 3-pentoxy radicals with NO2 was investigated by conducting experiments with the initial CH3ONO (the OH radical precursor) and NO concentrations being varied by a factor of 5-10. From experiments carried out with low initial CH3ONO and NO concentrations, the measured yields of 2-pentyl nitrate and 3-pentyl nitrate, defined as ([pentyl nitrate] formed)/([n-pentane] reacted), each increase with increasing total pressure, from 1.

Fetal testosterone surge: specific modulations induced in male rats by maternal stress and/or alcohol consumption.

Plasma testosterone (T) was measured in control male and female rats on gestational days 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20 and on days 17-20 in males from dams who were fed ethanol and/or were stressed during pregnancy. Circulating T in control males showed an earlier rise, yielding a longer period of prenatal T elevation, than was reported previously (Endocrinology 106 (1980)306). Compared to control males, exposure to alcohol-alone augmented T on days 18 and 19, stress-alone attenuated prenatal T, and the combination of stress and alcohol completely blocked the normal rise in T between days 17 and 18.