A medical device-grade T1 and ECV phantom for global T1 mapping quality assurance-the T Mapping and ECV Standardization in cardiovascular magnetic resonance (T1MES) program.

Background: T mapping and extracellular volume (ECV) have the potential to guide patient care and serve as surrogate end-points in clinical trials, but measurements differ between cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) scanners and pulse sequences. To help deliver T mapping to global clinical care, we developed a phantom-based quality assurance (QA) system for verification of measurement stability over time at individual sites, with further aims of generalization of results across sites, vendor systems, software versions and imaging sequences. We thus created T1MES: The T1 Mapping and ECV Standardization Program.

Intraoperative application of fibrin sealant does not reduce the duration of closed suction drainage following radical axillary lymph node dissection in melanoma patients: a prospective randomized trial in 58 patients.

Background: Patients suffering from malignant melanoma often require radical lymph node dissection of the axillary nodal basin. The effects of intraoperative application of fibrin sealant following radical axillary lymph node dissection (RALND) on the incidence of postoperative lymphatic secretion are discussed. To study the effect of intraoperatively applied fibrin sealant following RALND a randomized patient-blinded trial was carried out.

Unusual enhancement pattern of liver lesions in hepatosplenic candidiasis.

Purpose: To describe an unusual enhancement pattern of hepatosplenic candidiasis (HSC) liver lesions in biphasic spiral liver computed tomography (CT).

Material And Methods: Twenty-one patients with suspected HSC were scanned with a biphasic liver CT perfusion protocol. The liver lesions detected were assessed for their morphology and enhancement pattern during both perfusion phases.

Autosomal recessive hypercholesterolemia in three sisters with phenotypic homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia: diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Familial hypercholesterolemia is an autosomal-dominant inherited disorder caused by mutations in the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor gene. The homozygous form is characterized by high-serum LDL cholesterol concentrations, xanthoma formation and premature atherosclerosis. Recently, another molecular defect that also results in severely elevated LDL cholesterol levels was identified: autosomal recessive hypercholesterolemia.

Identification of clinically relevant yeasts by PCR/RFLP.

For molecular diagnosis of fungal disease using DNA amplification procedures in the routine laboratory, choice of appropriate target structures and rapid and inexpensive identification of amplification products are important prerequisites. Most diagnostic procedures described thus far are characterized by limited applicability, considerable cost for laboratory equipment or low power of discrimination between species. This study aimed at identification of a PCR target appropriate for diagnosis of clinically relevant yeasts and an affordable procedure for characterization of the PCR products to the species level.

Validation of the 'Marburg bone bank system' for thermodisinfection of allogenic femoral head transplants using selected bacteria, fungi, and spores.

The Marburg Bone Bank System 'Lobator sd-2' is widely used to process human femoral heads removed during aseptic surgery by thermal disinfection. The inactivating capacity of the thermodisinfection system was validated in compliance with current standards using a newly developed femoral head model. The following micro-organisms, bacteria and fungi, taken from the American Type Culture Collection were investigated: Staphylococcus aureus, Staphyloccus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis including spores, Clostridium sporogenes, Mycobacterium terrae, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger spores.

Decline of oropharyngeal cancer in Chiangmai province, Thailand, between 1988 and 1999.

A decline of oropharyngeal cancer has already been predicted for Thailand since the early 1960s. To substantiate these predictions it was the purpose of this study to examine trends in the incidence of oropharyngeal cancer in the province of Chiangmai, (1988-1999). Data on cancer incidence were extracted from the annual reports of the Cancer Registry, Cancer Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Chiangmai University, Thailand (1992-1999) and an IARC report on cancer in Thailand (1988-1991).

Chorioangiomas--new insights into a well-known problem. II. An immuno-histochemical investigation of 136 cases.

Aims: Chorioangiomas are benign tumors of the hemochorial placenta. They are malformations or hamartomas, formed as a result of defective angiogenesis. They are of clinical importance due to their association with premature placental release and pre-eclampsia.

Chorioangioma--new insights into a well-known problem. I. Results of a clinical and morphological study of 136 cases.

Aims: Chorioangiomas are rare hamartomatous lesions. Possible correlations between their occurrence and the progression of a pregnancy have been objects of discussions for quite some time.

Methods: In a retrospective study 22439 unselected placentas were examined for incidences of chorioangiomas, morphological features and accompanying clinical characteristics.

Human platelet supernatant promotes proliferation but not differentiation of articular chondrocytes.

The objective of the study was to evaluate the growth-promoting activity of human platelet supernatant on primary chondrocytes in comparison with fetal calf serum (FCS) supplemented cell culture medium. Furthermore, the differentiation potential of platelet supernatant was determined in three-dimensional artificial cartilage tissues of bovine articular chondrocytes. Proliferation of articular and nasal septal chondrocytes was assayed by incorporation of BrdU upon stimulation with ten different batches of human platelet supernatant.

Validation of the sterilization procedure of allogeneic avital bone transplants using peracetic acid-ethanol.

Different procedures are available to inactivate bacteria and fungi, including their spores, as well as viruses in human bone transplants. The most efficient methods are considered to be gamma irradiation and thermal inactivation as well as chemical sterilization methods like the peracetic acid-ethanol treatment (PES). Following national and international standards or draft standards, the antimicrobial effectiveness of this procedure was evaluated.

Registration of functional and anatomical MRI: accuracy assessment and application in navigated neurosurgery.

Objective: A procedure for acquisition, automated registration, and fusion of functional and anatomical magnetic resonance images is presented. Its accuracy is quantitatively assessed using a publicly available gold standard. A patient case is used to illustrate the technique's clinical usefulness in image-guided neurosurgery.

Primary mucinous adenocarcinoma of the appendix: a rare entity in the differential diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

We report a 58-year-old female patient with the suspected diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Upon surgical exploration, examination of the appendix revealed the histological diagnosis of primary mucinous adenocarcinoma. This is an unusual consideration in the differential diagnosis of the ovarian cancer.

Mechanical degradation of polyacrylamide solutions as a model for flow induced blood damage in artificial organs.

Human or animal blood is normally used as a test fluid for the in vitro evaluation of hemolysis by artificial organs. However, blood has some disadvantages (large biological variability and problems with cleaning the devices). For that reason, we searched for a reproducible technical fluid with blood-like flow characteristics that exhibits similar shear depending destruction.

The specific disorder of arithmetic skills. Prevalence studies in a rural and an urban population sample and their clinico-neuropsychological validation.

There is an often noted lack of research in the field of disorders of arithmetic skills. The present study assessed the prevalence in both an urban and a rural population sample of German schoolchildren, using standardized academic achievement tests. Eight school classes of third graders in each area were examined (n = 181,182; respectively).

Neuropsychological differentiation of subnormal arithmetic abilities in children.

For the neuropsychological diagnosis of a Specific disorder of arithmetic skills the standard is defined worldwide by the diagnostic guidelines of the two major classification systems of psychiatric disorders, the ICD- 10 and the DSM-IV, both of which use the discrepancy criterion as the key feature of the diagnosis. It becomes clear that following such guidelines can only mean an extensive diagnostic assessment of patients with subnormal arithmetic abilities, including the social and previous medical history followed by the exclusion of a present disorder or disability, often necessitating laboratory, neuroimaging and neurophysiological tests. In the neuropsychological diagnosis of a Specific disorder of arithmetical skills we found a stepwise approach including previously obtained test results to be most practical and economical.

Mathematics and the brain: uncharted territory?

The prevalence of disorders of arithmetic skills in children of circa 6 % calls for intensive consideration of the subject by health care providers and researchers. The necessity of interdisciplinary cooperation is evident. The current classifications by the ICD-10 (Specific disorder of arithmetic skills) and DSM-IV (Mathematics disorder) represent different viewpoints.

Are there specific disabilities of number processing in adolescent patients with Anorexia nervosa? Evidence from clinical and neuropsychological data when compared to morphometric measures from magnetic resonance imaging.

The cerebral effect of the loss of body weight in Anorexia nervosa (A.n.)--the so-called 'pseudoatrophy'-- is well known and confirmed by several neuroimaging studies.

Electric field distributions in a phased-array applicator with 12 channels: measurements and numerical simulations.

In this paper we examine the SIGMA-Eye hyperthermia applicator (BSD Medical Corp., Salt Lake City, Utah 84119) with respect to the control of electric field distributions. This applicator is equipped with 12 pairs of antennas fed by 12 amplifiers, allowing the individual adjustment of phase and power for each of them.

DALI LDL-apheresis: anticoagulation with r-hirudin in a patient with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT II).

A 50-year old male patient with familial hypercholesterolemia and hyperlipoproteinemia (a), who underwent low density lipoprotein-apheresis treatment developed heparin-induced thrombocytopenia type II (HIT II). Because heparin is contraindicated in patients with HIT, an alternative LDL-apheresis system and modified anticoagulation regimen was necessary. Treatment was changed to a new system called DALI (direct adsorption of lipids).

Age- and gender-related psychological characteristics of adolescent ballet dancers.

Ballet school students (n = 90) aged 11-17 years, and nondancing adolescents (n = 156) aged 13-17 completed the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI). Significant differences between female dancers and controls were seen in five subscales, with higher scores for the dancers ('Drive for thinness', 'Bulimia', 'Interpersonal distrust', 'Ineffectiveness' and 'Perfectionism'). Their highest scores on most subscales were for the 16-year-olds.