PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

S Koo

Publications and source records attributed to S Koo.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

Articular cartilage MR imaging and thickness mapping of a loaded knee joint before and after meniscectomy.

OBJECTIVE: We describe a technique to axially compress a sheep knee joint in an MRI scanner and measure articular cartilage deformation. As an initial application, tibial articular cartilage deformation patterns after 2 h of static loading before and after medial meniscectomy are compared. METHODS: Precision was established for repeated scans and repeated segmentations. Accuracy was established by comparing to micro-CT measurements. Four sheep knees were then imaged unloaded, and while statically loaded for 2 h at 1.5 times body weight before and after medial meniscectomy. Images were obtained using a 3D gradient echo sequence in a 4.7 T MRI. Corresponding 3D cartilage thickness models were created. Nominal strain patterns for the intact and meniscectomized conditions were compared. RESULTS: Coefficients of variation were all 2% or less. Root mean squared errors of MR cartilage thickness measurements averaged less than 0.09 mm. Meniscectomy resulted in a 60% decrease in the contact area (P=0.001) and a 13% increase in maximum cartilage deformation (P=0.01). Following meniscectomy, there were greater areas of articular cartilage experiencing abnormally high and low nominal strains. Areas of moderate nominal strain were reduced. CONCLUSIONS: Medial meniscectomy resulted in increased medial tibial cartilage nominal strains centrally and decreased strains peripherally. Areas of abnormally high nominal strain following meniscectomy correlated with areas that are known to develop fibrillation and softening 16 weeks after medial meniscectomy. Areas of abnormally low nominal strain correlated with areas of osteophyte formation. Studies of articular cartilage deformation may prove useful in elucidating the mechanical etiology of osteoarthritis.

Animals↗

MR imaging of articular cartilage at 1.5T and 3.0T: comparison of SPGR and SSFP sequences.

OBJECTIVE: To compare articular cartilage signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and thickness measurements on a 1.5 T and a 3.0 T magnetic resonance (MR) scanner using three-dimensional spoiled gradient recalled echo (3D-SPGR) and two 3D steady-state free precession (SSFP) sequences. METHODS: Both knees of five volunteers were scanned at 1.5 T and at 3.0 T using a transmit-receive quadrature extremity coil. Each examination consisted of a sagittal 3D-SPGR sequence, a sagittal fat suppressed 3D-SSFP (FS-SSFP) sequence, and a sagittal Dixon 3D-SSFP sequence. For quantitative analysis, we compared cartilage SNR and CNR efficiencies, as well as average cartilage thickness measurements. RESULTS: For 3D-SPGR, cartilage SNR efficiencies at 3.0 T increased compared to those at 1.5 T by a factor of 1.83 (range: 1.40-2.09). In comparison to 3D-SPGR, the SNR efficiency of FS-SSFP increased by a factor of 2.13 (range: 1.81-2.39) and for Dixon SSFP by a factor of 2.39 (range: 1.95-2.99). For 3D-SPGR, CNR efficiencies between cartilage and its surrounding tissue increased compared to those at 1.5 T by a factor of 2.12 (range: 1.75-2.47), for FS-SSFP by a factor 2.11 (range: 1.58-2.80) and for Dixon SSFP by a factor 2.39 (range 2.09-2.83). Average cartilage thicknesses of load bearing regions were not different at both field strengths or between sequences (P>0.05). Mean average cartilage thickness measured in all knees was 2.28 mm. CONCLUSION: Articular cartilage imaging of the knee on a 3.0 T MR scanner shows increased SNR and CNR efficiencies compared to a 1.5 T scanner, where SSFP-based techniques show the highest increase in SNR and CNR efficiency. There was no difference between average cartilage thickness measurements performed at the 1.5 T and 3.0 T scanners or between the three different sequences.

Adult↗

Considerations in measuring cartilage thickness using MRI: factors influencing reproducibility and accuracy.

OBJECTIVE: The primary goal of this study was to describe and evaluate conditions that could influence the precision and accuracy of measuring in vivo cartilage thickness in the weight bearing regions of the knee from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). DESIGN: Three-dimensional (3D) models of the femoral cartilage were created from segmented MR images. The weight bearing regions on femoral cartilage were selected for the portion of the tibiofemoral joint that sustains contact during walking. Six regions of interest (three on each condyle) were located on the femur. Average cartilage thickness was calculated over each region. The sensitivity of the precision of the measurements to observer variability was evaluated using intra- and inter-observer reproducibility tests of cartilage thickness measurements from the MRI-derived 3D models. In addition, the quantitative influence of a rule-based protocol for segmentation was evaluated using the inter-observer reproducibility protocol. Accuracy tests were conducted on porcine knees by comparing 3D models from MR images and laser scans across weight bearing and non-weight bearing regions. RESULTS: The precision was substantially better for the intra-observer tests (Coefficient of variation (CV) = 1-3%) than the inter-observer tests. Adding a rule-based protocol reduced variability in inter-observer tests substantially (CV = 6.6% vs 8.3%). Accuracy tests showed that the central and weight bearing regions on each condyle were more accurate than boundary and non-weight bearing regions. In addition, these results indicate that care should be taken when determining cartilage thickness of weight bearing regions with cartilage degenerations, since the thickness of thinner cartilage can be systematically overestimated in MR images. CONCLUSIONS: A rule-based approach can substantially increase inter-observer reproducibility when measuring cartilage thickness from multiple observers. This improvement in inter-observer reproducibility could be an important consideration for longitudinal studies of disease progression. In quantifying cartilage thickness, central and weight bearing regions on each condyle can provide more accurate measurement than boundary and non-weight bearing regions with average accuracy of +/-0.2-0.3 mm. An important finding of this study was that the weight bearing regions, which are usually of the greatest clinical interest, were measured most accurately by sagittal plane imaging.

Cartilage, Articular↗

Bilateral maxillary fourth molars and a supernumerary tooth in maxillary canine region--a case report.

The occurrence of supernumerary teeth is a relatively uncommon dental anomaly. The aetiology is not clear. Supernumerary teeth have frequently been observed as solitary teeth and impacted in the maxillary arch. This case report describes the rare presence of bilateral maxillary fourth molars and a supernumerary tooth in the maxillary canine region. On the left side, the third molar was extracted first, allowing the fourth molar to move into a more favourable position for later extraction. Two-year postoperative radiography confirmed that the supernumerary tooth had migrated occlusally and mesially permitting a safer extraction procedure.

Adult↗

Selective oxidation of allylic sulfides by hydrogen peroxide with the trirutile-type solid oxide catalyst LiNbMoO(6).

Chemoselective sulfur oxidation of allylic sulfides containing double bonds of high electron density due to multiple alkyl substituents or extended conjugation was developed using the composite metal oxide catalyst, LiNbMoO(6), without any epoxidation of the electron-rich double bond(s). Selective oxidation to either the corresponding sulfoxides or the sulfones was realized by controlling the stoichiometry of the quantitative oxidant, H(2)O(2). This new oxidant system had general applicability for chemoselective oxidation of various allylic, benzylic, or propargylic sulfides containing unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds with different electron properties. Various functional groups including hydroxy, formyl, and ethers of THP or TBDMS are compatible under this mild oxidation reaction condition.

Catalysis↗

NBS-Promoted reactions of symmetrically hindered methylphenols via p-benzoquinone methide

Symmetrically hindered methylphenols 1 react smoothly with NBS to form transient intermediates, p-benzoquinone methides (BM), which can be further processed to give hydroxybenzaldehydes in the presence of DMSO. This reaction is initiated by the formation of the phenoxy radical, followed by disproportionation to afford BM. None of the side-chain-brominated product is observed. The existence of BM is supported by the following observations: the formation of BM in solution can be monitored by GC and GC-MS; the electrophilic methine part participates in electrophilic aromatic substitution with anisoles to give hydroxybenzylated products 15; and the double bond character of the exocyclic methine plays a role in [4 + 2] cycloaddition with diene to afford Diels-Alder adducts. In contrast, unsymmetrically hindered or simple methylphenol (p-cresol) with NBS gives the nuclear brominated products, as usual. The energies of symmetrically hindered BMs, unsymmetrically hindered BM, and simple BM were calculated using density functional theories. Relative stabilization energies calculated at the B3LYP/6-31G//B3LYP/6-31G level by an isodesmic equation are enhanced 3-6 kcal/mol for symmetrically hindered BMs.

Journal Article↗

Hodgkin's disease in Costa Rica: a report of 40 cases analyzed for Epstein-Barr virus.

We studied 40 cases of Hodgkin's disease (HD) from Costa Rica for evidence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the Reed-Sternberg and Hodgkin (RS-H) cells. We also compared the epidemiologic features of these patients with previous reports of HD in industrialized and developing nations. Because Costa Ricans enjoy a relatively higher standard of living than the residents of other developing Central American nations yet live in the same general geographic region and are genetically similar, we believed that this comparison might shed additional light on the hypothesis that the prevalence of EBV in HD and the epidemiologic factors of HD are influenced by socioeconomic factors. In 16 (40%) of 40 cases, immunohistochemical studies demonstrated that the RS-H cells were positive for EBV latent membrane protein (LMP), including 1 case of lymphocytic depletion analyzed, 12 (86%) of 14 cases of mixed cellularity, and 3 (15%) of 20 cases of nodular sclerosis. All five cases of lymphocytic predominance were negative. In the 16 EBV LMP-positive cases, polymerase chain reaction studies revealed that the virus was type A in 12 cases and type B in 4 cases. Nodular sclerosis was the most common type of HD, accounting for 20 cases (50%), followed by mixed cellularity, with 14 cases (35%). The relatively low prevalence of EBV in the RS-H cells of HD and the high incidence of nodular sclerosis in Costa Rica are similar to industrialized nations and are unlike HD in neighboring Central American countries. These findings further support the hypothesis that the prevalence of EBV in HD and the epidemiologic features of HD are most closely linked with socioeconomic conditions, and geographic location or ethnic heritage are of relatively less importance.

Adolescent↗

Detection of a dup(17q) and inv(16) by fluorescence in situ hybridization in acute myelomonocytic leukemia.

Two cases of acute myelomonocytic leukemia (AMMoL) of FAB type M4Eo are described in which a primary subclone containing a dup(17)(q21q25) and a subclone containing dup(17)(q21q25), inv(16)(p13q22) were seen in one patient, and -7, dup(17)(q21q25) in another. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was carried out for the confirmation of the duplicated segment and breakpoint of inv(16). Inv(16) is a well known anomaly in AMMoL, whereas dup(17q) is rare though as not yet confirmed, this anomaly could be a nonrandom or novel change in AMMoL.

Child↗

Measles immunity in a population of healthcare workers.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate measles seroprevalence among cohorts of new employees and to evaluate vaccine responses of susceptible adult healthcare workers. DESIGN: New employees were screened for measles susceptibility as part of employee evaluations. Anti-IgG measles antibody tests were completed on 2,473 workers. Demographic, measles history, and measles vaccination information was collected using a short questionnaire. Susceptible workers were vaccinated and screened for vaccine responses following vaccination. RESULTS: Ninety-three workers (4%) were seronegative, and 56 (2%) were equivocal. Individuals in the youngest cohort (born after 1956) were significantly more likely to be susceptible than those in the middle cohort (born 1951 to 1956) and those in the oldest cohort (born before 1951) (P < 0.01). The middle cohort included eight (5%) of the 149 seronegative or equivocal workers. Among the members of the youngest cohort, those from the United States were more likely to be susceptible (P < 0.01) than those from outside the United States. Of the 106 vaccinated susceptible workers whose follow-up serologies were determined, 90 (85%) developed positive IgG serologies, six had equivocal results, and 10 were seronegative. Eleven of the 16 non- or hyporesponders were revaccinated and re-evaluated; nine developed low positive IgG antimeasles levels, one exhibited an equivocal response, and one failed to respond. CONCLUSIONS: A small but important proportion of healthcare workers are susceptible to measles. Whenever feasible, measles immunity programs for healthcare workers should include workers born before 1957. Of workers born after 1956, those from outside the United States are more likely to be immune than workers from inside the United States. Using the currently available vaccine, revaccination of initial non- or hyporesponders appears to be effective.

Adolescent↗