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Results for “Continuous Evolution”

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At least 415 records · Page 23Linked to original sources

PubMed1999

Rapid direct methods for enumeration of specific, active bacteria in water and biofilms.

Conventional methods for detecting indicator and pathogenic bacteria in water may underestimate the actual population due to sublethal environmental injury, inability of the target bacteria to take up nutrients and other physiological factors which reduce bacterial culturability. Rapid and direct methods are needed to more accurately detect and enumerate active bacteria. Such a methodological advance would provide greater sensitivity in assessing the microbiological safety of water and food. The principle goal of this presentation is to describe novel approaches we have formulated for the rapid and simultaneous detection of bacteria plus the determination of their physiological activity in water and other environmental samples. The present version of our method involves the concentration of organisms by membrane filtration or immunomagnetic separation and combines an intracellular fluorochrome (CTC) for assessment of respiratory activity plus fluorescent-labelled antibody detection of specific bacteria. This approach has also been successfully used to demonstrate spatial and temporal heterogeneities of physiological activities in biofilms when coupled with cryosectioning. Candidate physiological stains include those capable of determining respiratory activity, membrane potential, membrane integrity, growth rate and cellular enzymatic activities. Results obtained thus far indicate that immunomagnetic separation can provide a high degree of sensitivity in the recovery of seeded target bacteria (Escherichia coli O157:H7) in water and hamburger. The captured and stained target bacteria are then enumerated by either conventional fluorescence microscopy or ChemScan(R), a new instrument that is very sensitive and rapid. The ChemScan(R) laser scanning instrument (Chemunex, Paris, France) provides the detection of individual fluorescently labelled bacterial cells using three emission channels in less than 5 min. A high degree of correlation has been demonstrated between results obtained with the ChemScan and traditional plate counts of mixed natural bacterial populations in water. The continuing evolution of these methods will be valuable in the rapid and accurate analysis of environmental samples.

Bacteria↗

PubMed2001

Inguinal hernia repair.

Inguinal hernia repair has been evolving for the past 130 years and the pace of evolution accelerated in the last decade with the introduction of the tension-free repair, the laparoscopic repair and the growth of the specialist hernia clinic. The evolution continues and this article sets out to describe the author's approach at the time of writing.

Digestive System Surgical Procedures↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[The century of work].

The new Series of papers on Occupational Hygiene, now that the hygienists have been qualified also as "competent physicians", intends to make a comparison between the present and the past conditions of the human work. The present work is characterized by high specialization, more sophisticated technologies and continuous evolution, although in Italy we have consider a drop of the general occupational rate. According to such a situation, Italy must make alliance with the other countries, because, due to the globalization, the occupational problem has overcome the domestic borders.

Commerce↗

PubMed2003

Endoscopic ultrasound in esophageal cancer.

The first prototype of an endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) was constructed in Japan in 1980. The evolution continued quickly and within the past ten years this method became available in routine practice. One of the most significant indications of EUS in esophagus are locoregional staging and posttherapeutic monitoring of the esophageal cancer. (Ref. 4.).

Endosonography↗

PubMed2003

Penile urethral reconstruction: concepts and concerns.

Reconstruction of the penile urethra is a challenging exercise, and for many surgeons an ungratifying experience. The past three decades have seen us move from predominantly 2-staged surgery, through foreskin grafts, and then single stage flap reconstructions, and now in the 3rd millennium, for some situations 2-stage repair has again become the favoured option. Satisfying short-term solutions have sometimes resulted in poor long-term outcomes when reviewed 10 years later. Clearly there are still problems to be resolved, hence the need for continuing evolution in our surgical management. Lessons have been learned from the treatment of Lichen Sclerosus, from strictures following hypospadias repair, and strictures associated with severe spongiofibrosis. Management of these problems has traditionally been associated with not only a high incidence of restricture and fistula formation, but also with poor cosmetic results, something that men today find increasingly difficult to accept. Several considerations are fundamental to achieving the best functional and aesthetic results. These include the presence or absence of Lichen Sclerosus, the extent of urethral disease and its grade (i.e. mucosal disease or with accompanying spongiofibrosis); furthermore the use of non-genital grafts for urethral reconstruction when the local penile tissues are deficient or unhealthy. In arriving at our present strategy, a collaborative approach that integrates established urological practice with the different perspectives of a plastic surgeon (A.B.) has proved constructive and beneficial.

Humans↗

PubMed1992

The computer-based medical record: current status.

At the turn of the century, neither hospitals nor physicians routinely kept clinical records. Since then, the medical record has gradually evolved. More recently, as society and medicine have become more complex and sophisticated, inadequacies of the paper medical record have become increasingly apparent. The computer-based medical record addresses many of the deficiencies of the paper record. Meanwhile, barriers to computer-based records have decreased; hardware has become more affordable, powerful, and compact, and software has been refined. Socially, the major payers for health care are demanding verification of the effectiveness and quality of care, information that involves data-intensive research. The electronic medical record promises to improve quality of care by providing point-of-care reminder and decision support tools as well as a database for substantiating the effectiveness of care. In conjunction with the growing integration of computers into all facets of life, government agencies, computer giants, and medical organizations are currently laying the groundwork for the development of standardized elements and formats for computer-based medical information systems. As part of the continuing evolution of the medical record, we foresee these forces culminating in the computerization of the clinical record. In this review, we briefly describe the developments that led us to this conclusion and describe computer-based clinical record systems in use in two family practice settings.

Decision Support Techniques↗

PubMed2003

The science and practice of dental adhesive systems.

A review of the dental scientific literature reveals a consistent pattern of restoration failure, usually occurring at the interface between the restoration and the remaining tooth structure. The most common mode of failure presents as secondary caries, which appears to develop regardless of the type of restorative material used. However, esthetic restorative materials seem especially prone to failure at this interface, because they rely on the efficacy of an adhesive bonding agent for longevity. During the past 50 years, the dental profession has witnessed a continuous evolution of adhesive bonding agents, resulting in enhanced durability of adhesives, and simpler adhesive application techniques.

Adhesives↗

PubMed2003

Contemporary implant concepts in aesthetic dentistry--Part 1: Biologic width.

The advent of osseointegrated implants has significantly impacted the way restorative dental procedures are formulated, planned, and implemented. Clinical experience and research with dental implantology as well as the continued evolution of materials, techniques, and their use enables a widening application of treatment. Aesthetic implant placement has been well documented in the treatment of fully and partially edentulous patients and can be predictably applied for single-tooth replacement, perio-prosthetic rehabilitation, and immediate tooth replacement. This article, the first in a four-part series, will address the impact of the biologic width on the management of implant treatment for edentulous ridges.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

[New perspectives in diagnosis and therapy of endocrine gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) tumors with somatostatin analogues].

In the last decade important progresses have been obtained in the diagnosis and therapy of endocrine gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) tumors, mainly derived from the somatostatin receptors characterization and the introduction of long acting somatostatin analogues. Receptorial scintigraphy with radio-labeled analogues (Octreoscan) is the first choice investigation for staging and follow-up of endocrine GEP tumors, thanks to the high sensitivity in revealing the primary tumor and metastases, and for its capability to reveal lesions that are not identified by other imaging methods. Moreover, somatostatin analogues uptake by tumors allow us to use radiopharmaceutical compounds for advanced disease treatment. Between the radio-labeled drugs until now studied, interesting results have been obtained by DOTA-lanreotide (MAURITIUS), DOTA0 Tyr3-octreotide (DOTATOC) and DOTA0 Tyr3-octreotate, bound to beta-emitting radio-isotope suitable for therapeutic use. In the field of the pharmacological therapy of GEP tumors, the clinical trials show that somatostatin analogues reduce the symptoms related to functionally active tumors and stabilize or slow tumor growth improving the patient quality of life. Although somatostatin analogues alone could not be able to cure GEP tumors, their early utilization in association with surgical debulking of primary tumor and metastases, embolization or chemoembolization, and interferon, chemotherapy and radio-metabolic therapy (mainly directed to the destruction of micrometastases), increases the possibility of a radical therapeutic intervention. The continuous evolution of pharmacological research provides always new analogues (octreotide LAR, lanreotide, vapreotide, BIM-23244, BN 81644, PTR-3173, BIM-23A387, SOM-230, etc.) with different pharmacokinetic and receptorial properties and acting with more effectiveness in the different individual clinical situations. In this context there have been recently introduced also the "chimeric" analogues. On the other hand, the widespread utilization of molecular biology and immunohistochemical methods can allow, in perspective, to better define the receptorial pattern of individual endocrine tumors, after their surgical removal. The necessity to integrate endocrinological, nuclear medicine, surgical, oncologic and laboratory competencies behaves a multidisciplinary approach based on the utilization of diagnostic-therapeutic protocols supplying comparable results. It does not appear unjustified to expect, in the future, a scenery of more "individual" and more effective therapies for patients affected by GEP tumours.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Conservative treatment planning in the posterior quadrant: the use of traditional and modern restorative materials.

Selection of an appropriate treatment modality is often the most challenging decision made during the restorative phase. The continued evolution of dental materials has significantly increased the clinician's ability to reliably restore severely compromised dentition. While strength and durability are invariably the most important considerations when selecting a restorative material for the posterior region, contemporary materials have further complicated material selection due to their increased strength and longevity. This case presentation discusses the combination of alternative restorative options for aesthetic results in the posterior region.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Anesthesia during and after exposure to microgravity.

Human spaceflight has evolved over the past 40 yr in pursuit of larger, more complex, and more distant missions. As this evolution continues, inevitably a spaceflight crewmember will require medical treatment involving anesthesia, either during flight or immediately upon return. If the need occurs during a deep space mission, onboard medical staff will need to be capable of surgery and anesthesia because evacuation and telemedicine will be impractical. In addition, current anesthesia techniques and procedures will have to be adapted to meet the special problems and risks that arise in administering anesthesia in space or to microgravity-exposed patients. However, very little is known about what those adaptations will entail. While there has been some presentient research regarding airway management in microgravity suggesting the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) be used, only four articles have directly treated the topic of anesthesia care in microgravity. Many others, though, have extrapolated applications and considerations for microgravity-exposed patients from patients and conditions that offer useful adaptation parallels. Researchers have explored parallels to orthostatic intolerance adaptations and related neurological, cardiovascular, and multifactorial causes. Investigators have also focused on skeletal muscle adaptations, especially acetylcholine receptor functional changes and redistribution with disuse. These changes may influence the use of depolarizing and non-depolarizing neuromuscular blockers in microgravity-exposed patients, suggesting they be used with caution. This review surveys, assesses, and compiles the existing literature to provide a foundation of consolidated reference for future investigations.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

PubMed1992

The Science of Unitary Human Beings: a contemporary literature review.

This literature review identifies the origins of the Science of Unitary Beings, explores definitions of the main components of the conceptual framework and highlights the latest developments in its continual evolution. Examples of how nurse researchers and practitioners have interpreted these components and latest developments are given. The author shows that rather than being an obscure and esoteric framework, the Science of Unitary Human Beings has already had a considerable influence on nursing practice, education and research in North America. A prediction is made that in years to come the framework may begin to have the same impact in the United Kingdom.

Humans↗

PubMed2002

Interactive visualization of four-dimensional ultrasound data.

We present a hardware-accelerated method using three-dimensional (3D) textures to visualize four-dimensional (4D) images of the heart. Novel data subdivision and caching ideas enable interactive performance even though 4D data exceed the size of 3D texture memory. The capability to visualize 4D images is critical to continued evolution and clinical acceptance of 4D imaging.

Computers↗

PubMed2004

[The French legislation against smoking].

Smoking is one most common threat of public health around the world. One of the best way to fight it is legislation. The French legislation is probably one of the more sharp and precise for the non-smokers or youths protection. Historically, the law "Veil" voted for in 1976 has defined the French basis of this sort of prevention. The law "Evin" voted for in 1991 has reinforced the non-smokers protection by the ban of smoking in public places, has decided the ban of advertising and has allowed very significant tobacco prices increases. Following European directives, new health warning appeared on cigarettes boxes in France in 2003. They are more strict, visible than they were before. It's because the law is implemented and because it's in continuous evolution that the French smoking prevalence will have the right evolution.

Europe↗

PubMed2005

US, MRCP, CCT and ERCP: a comparative study in 131 patients with suspected biliary obstruction.

BACKGROUND: Recent years have witnessed a rapid and continuous evolution in the diagnosis of biliary obstructive disease. Traditional methodologies, such as US (ultrasonography), CT (computed tomography), ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) and PTC (percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography), have been supplemented by MRCP (magnetic resonance cholagiopancreatography) and CCT (cholangio computed tomography) The purpose of our study was to compare the reliability of diagnostic US, MR and other imaging techniques in intrinsic biliary obstructive disease. MATERIAL/METHODS: Between June 1999 and July 2003 we conducted a prospective study on 131 patients--60 males and 71 females--ranging in age from 37 to 79 years, with clinical features of biliary obstructive disease. Imaging studies were done on each patient using several different techniques. The US, MRCP, CCT and ERCP results were read by radiologists blinded to other imaging findings. RESULTS: US is generally accurate in diagnostic imaging of obstructive biliary disease. MRCP and CCT are significantly more accurate only in completing the staging of malignant stenosis. CONCLUSIONS: If the suspicion posed by clinical and laboratory findings is not confirmed at US, the diagnosis must be achieved with the aid of MRCP or--where MRCP does not provide a diagnosis--CCT, so as to select candidates for therapeutic ERCP, PTC or surgery. If laboratory and clinical findings are supported by US, ERCP is required for therapeutic purposes, or--if necessary--surgery is performed.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Changing the medical world order with technological advances: the future has only begun.

It is a great honor to contribute in a small way to this book which in a way celebrates the continued evolution of telemedicine in Kosova. I was privileged to visit this brave land on several occasions in the last years. Severe circumstances were repeatedly resolved through great personal and professional sacrifice. Revolutionary solutions have been applied where evolutionary development was simply too slow in the realization of a new land in a complex world. In some ways telemedicine is emblematic of such struggle and success. We aspire to world health when world peace is elusive and hunger haunts us in the midst of plenty. Telecommunications have made it easy to report the failings of medicine, the injustice of health care and the unmet promise of political endeavor. It is the promise of telemedicine to use those same channels of information to empower, unify and advance the cause of health rather than only report the failings. Telemedicine entails the use of telecommunications and information technology to support the delivery of health care at a distance. There are critics who believe telemedicine is a waste of precious resources, which are needed urgently for higher health priorities. Telemedicine is dismissed as an expensive irrelevance, another distraction from the real needs of medicine in a chaotic world. That is patently ridiculous. Telemedicine is a part of the wider phenomenon of information and information is arguably the strongest change agent in play for medicine and other societal elements as well. A well-informed public armed with the tools for self-determination and the evidence for efficient action cannot be corrupted. Telemedicine is a part of the great change information brings to the world order, a drastic change toward a better world of health and justice.

Delivery of Health Care↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Cancer and environment.

The attention of scientists has been directed mostly to analyze the influence of the environment on tumor induction. However, the external environment can also enhance the reactivity of the host organism towards tumors, by activating several immune mechanisms. Moreover, the host organism is the first "foreign" environment with which tumor cells come into contact in a dynamic way, characterized by a continuous evolution.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Current concepts in intramedullary nailing.

The past decade has seen a dramatic increase in the use of intramedullary nailing for fracture manage- ment. Increased availability of new techniques and instrumentation have contributed to the continuing expansion of applications for intramedullary nailing. The introduction and availability of image intensi- fiers into American hospitals has also led to the popularization of closed intramedullary nailing techniques, and locking nails have expanded the indications of closed intramedullary nailing to unstable long bone frac- tures of the femur, tibia, and humerus. New classes of nails such as the second generation Reconstruction Nail have expanded the use of intramedullary nailing for more proximal femoral fractures. In addition, advances in biomechanical and locking designs have recently led to the use of intramedullary nailing in distal femur fractures and forearm fractures. There is continuing evolution of specialized nails including a self-guiding nail, nails for use in femoral lengthening, and nails used in conjunction with intramedullary osteotomies.

Journal Article↗