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PubMed1987

Distribution of uranium in human lungs.

Several human lung samples were dissected into lobes and uranium and silicon contents in each lobe were determined by the fission track method and the inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), respectively. It was found that both uranium and silicon concentrations were high in the upper lobe compared with those in the lower one. Though the tendency may be mainly interpreted by the deposition way of airborne dust in the lung, the higher U/Si concentration ratio in the upper part than that in the lower part of lungs may suggest the partial removal of uranium deposited in the lower part of the tissue.

Air Pollution, Radioactive↗

PubMed1987

Distribution of uranium in human bones.

Uranium and calcium contents in human bones (skull, rib and femur) were determined by the fission track method and the inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopic method (ICP-AES), respectively. The U/Ca concentration ratio in the bones was found to decrease in the order of rib greater than femur greater than skull, which is in accordance with the decreasing order of the mean annual replacement percentage of bone components. Several femur bones were cut into several longitudinal segments, and uranium and calcium contents in each segment were determined. Among these, the U/Ca ratio in the epiphysis was higher than those in the diaphysis.

Adult↗

PubMed1987

Plutonium and uranium in Japanese human tissues.

Plutonium and uranium in human tissues obtained from residents of the Tokyo area were determined by a-spectrometry and the fission track method, respectively. The distribution pattern of each element was estimated on the basis of mean concentration obtained. Plutonium is concentrated in some special organs, while uranium is distributed rather generally throughout the whole body. This difference of distribution tendency is considered to be due to the characteristics of stable chemical states of the elements in body fluid; Pu4+ for plutonium and UO2(2+) for uranium.

Asian People↗

PubMed1999

Surgical sterilization of free-ranging wolves.

The objective of the study was to determine whether surgical sterilization of both males and females in wolf pairs alters basic wolf social and territorial behaviors. Wolves were located from the air by snow-tracking methods and were tranquilizer-darted from a helicopter. Surgeries were performed either in a tent at the capture site or in a heated building in a nearby village. Six vasectomies and seven uterine horn ligations were performed in January and February of 1996 and 1997. Two females died: one likely related to the capture procedure, the other of a peritonitis unrelated to the surgery. One wolf had a litter. None of the wolves have shown changes in behavioral patterns. Surgical sterilization can be effective, but other, less invasive, fertility control techniques should be investigated.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Conventional coronary artery bypass grafting: why women take longer to recover.

BACKGROUND: Recovery following successful coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has been dramatically improved with the use of fast-track methods. Although data exist that demonstrate a significant gender difference in survival following CABG, little is known about factors influencing gender-specific recovery. This report describes a series of consecutive patients undergoing isolated CABG to determine gender-associated factors that may impact outcomes and recovery. METHODS: Five hundred and seventeen consecutive patients underwent isolated CABG utilizing cardiopulmonary bypass and were retrospectively reviewed. The outcomes of 351 men in the study were compared to the group of 160 women. A rapid recovery protocol focused on reduced cardiopulmonary bypass time, aggressive preoperative intra-aortic balloon pump use, early extubation, perioperative administration of corticosteroids and thyroid hormone, aggressive diuresis and atrial fibrillation prevention was applied to all patients. RESULTS: The 30-day mortality rate for the women was 4.2% (Parsonnet risk 16.3+/-9.0) compared with 3.4% (Parsonnet risk 9.9+/-7.5) for the men. There were no statistically significant differences in the 30-day mortality rates or postoperative complication rates between the women and men. The women, however, were found to be older (71+/- years versus 65+/- years, p<0.001), and to have a higher incidence of acute myocardial infarction (31% versus 20%, p<0.05), obesity (23% versus 10%, p <0.05), diabetes (31% versus 22%, p<0.05), hypertension (65% versus 48%, p<0.001), and symptomatic vascular disease (20% versus 12%, p<0.05). The women required fewer bypass grafts (2.9 versus 3.5 grafts, p<0.001), and consequently, had shorter cross and cardiopulmonary bypass times. Rapid recovery with discharge before the fifth postoperative day was achieved in 30% of the women, in comparison to 44% of the men (p<0.01). The postoperative hospital length of stay was longer for the women in comparison to the men (7.2+/-7.1 versus 5.8+/-5.2 days, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Women had similar operative mortality and postoperative complication rates to men under a rapid recovery protocol. However, women have a longer recovery interval compared to men, which may be a reflection of their higher preoperative risk profile.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2002

Documentation of competency: Maintaining an outcomes database.

Medical practice in the 21st century will include increased scrutiny of the competency of vascular surgeons measured in large part by treatment outcomes. At least part of the drive behind this is that the public demand for clinical competency of its doctors is greater than ever as the unassailable position of the "all-knowing physician" is (appropriately) vanishing. Two general types of variables need to be considered in the assessment of treatment outcomes: key outcome variables and key process variables. Key outcome variables are the critical results from a treatment plan, whereas key process variables affect these results. Ideal tracking methods do not exist in most hospital systems, and many variables are out of the control of the individual surgeon. Difficulties recording and reporting outcomes and determining competencies are numerous, but vascular surgeons must accept and overcome these difficulties. Standardized definitions for preoperative, surgical, and postoperative variables as well as treatment results must be decided before attempting to determine competency. Once the variables and definitions to define competency are determined, commercially available computer software can make the task of data recording and data output realistic. Eventually, systemwide "enterprise" solutions from computer companies will make this task even more uncomplicated.

Clinical Competence↗

PubMed2005

[Ocular manifestation in amiodarone toxicity--case report].

The authors present the case of a patient having both toxic keratopathy and maculopathy after a medication with amiodarone. Some of the ocular damages are irreversible, even while amiodarone medication is stopped, which recommends the screening as an efficient tracking method for ocular reversible injuries, avoiding major loss of visual function.

Aged, 80 and over↗

PubMed2005

PubMed Informer: monitoring MEDLINE/PubMed through e-mail alerts, SMS, PDA downloads and RSS feeds.

PubMed Informer is a Web-based monitoring tool for topics of interest from MEDLINE/PubMed primarily designed for healthcare professionals. Five tracking methods are available: Web access, e-mail, Short Message Service (SMS), PDA downloads and RSS feeds. PubMed Informer delivers focused search updates and specific information to users with varying information-seeking practices.

Cell Phone↗

PubMed2006

[The expression of enhanced green fluorescent protein gene on cultured human fetal retinal progenitor cells].

PURPOSE: To investigate the transfer efficiency and transient expression of plasmid vector coding enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)gene pEGFP-N1 which was transferred into primary cultured human fetal retinal progenitor cells. To build up a tracking method for study of retinal progenitor cells transplantation. METHODS: pEGFP-N1 plasmid was amplified in E.coli, primary cultured human fetal retinal progenitor cells transferred with pEGFP-N1 by means of CaCl2. The transfer efficiency was evaluated by flow cytometry. Transient expression in vitro was observed by fluorescent microscope and laser scanning confocal microscope. RESULTS: The transfer efficiency of pEGFP-N1 into primary cultured human fetal retinal progenitor cells could maximumly reach to 32.45% during 48 hours. There was obvious expression of pEGFP-N1 in vitro at 48th hour after transferring. CONCLUSION: pEGFP-N1 is an ideal transient expression vector for primary cultured human fetal retinal progenitor cells in vitro. It is a useful tracer for transplantation of retinal progenitor cells.

Cells, Cultured↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Biocybernetic investigations of pursuit and posture motor control--a strategy for a detailed characterization of movement disorders in brain-damaged children.

By means of a biocybernetic approach the pursuit and posture motor control of brain-damaged children with spastic hemiparesis and disturbed motor coordination of mild extent were investigated. The postural motor control system was loaded by pseudostochastic binary torque sequences applied to the wrist. The dynamics of this system were characterized on the basis of the parameters forearm displacement as well as surface-EMG of M. Biceps and Triceps (calculations of weight functions). The pursuit motor control was analyzed by a pursuit tracking method. By this way the motor capacity for fine and rough motor coordination, motor rhythm, motor adaptation, the maximal speed of movements and motor reaction time could be tested. Considering these results a characterization of movement control on different levels of motor regulation was possible (dynamics of muscular, spinal, and supraspinal components of motor control).

Brain Damage, Chronic↗

PubMed1989

[Analysis of oculomotor disorders in motor neuron disease].

Oculomotor disorders have been considered to be one of the negative symptoms in motor neuron disease (MND). However, recently, ophthalmoplegia, abnormal Bell's phenomenon and disturbance of pursuit movement have been reported. We tried to evaluate 32 patients with MND (19 males and 13 females; age, 35 to 77 years; 52.4 +/- 10.1 years) by bedside examination and electro-oculography (EOG) using an eye tracking method. Twenty-three of them were classified as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and seven as bulbospinal muscular atrophy, and two were unclassified. One hundred healthy persons for bedside examination and twenty-two for EOG were investigated as controls. Findings by bedside examinations were as follows; 1) Slight limitations of upward only, up & downward and upward & horizontal gaze were observed in 5 cases (15.6%), 1 case (3.1%) and 1 case (3.1%), respectively. 2) Incomplete convergence was observed in 11 cases. (34.4%) 3) Horizontal gaze nystagmus was observed in 6 cases. (18.8%) 4) As regards the frequency of limitation of upward gaze and incomplete convergence, there were no statistically significant differences from those in controls. Electrooculographic results were: 1) square wave jerks (SWJs) were recorded in 3 cases. (9.4%) 2) Amplitude ratio of saccade was significantly higher in MND than that in controls with the risk less than 0.1%. 3) The degree of ocular dysmetria was significantly higher in MND than that in controls with the risk less than 0.5%. These abnormalities were not directly related to suffering period. Although the mechanism is not known, several reports of the effectiveness of thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) in ALS were recently published.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

PubMed1989

[Ocular motor abnormalities in progressive supranuclear palsy].

Eleven patients, 7 males and 4 females, of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) were examined neuro-otologically for the purpose of elucidating the characteristics of ocular motor abnormalities. All cases were admitted to our hospital and age at onset was from 52 to 71 years old, duration of illness was 2 to 11 years. Range of voluntary eye movements and abnormal eye movements including nystagmus were examined on naked eyes and with electronystagmography (ENG). Smooth pursuit movements and saccadic eye movements were tested both horizontally and vertically by using visual tracking method with ENG recordings. Optokinetic nystagmus test and caloric test with visual suppression test were also performed. These neurotological examinations were made repetitively in 5 cases and their progressions were observed. Vertical gaze palsy and convergence palsy were observed in all cases as the initial symptom. In this study downward gaze was more severely disturbed than upward gaze. Using ENG, saccadic eye movements (saccades) were disturbed earlier than smooth pursuit movements. Hypometric saccades and decreased saccadic velocity were common abnormalities. In the later stage of the disease, horizontal eye movements were also disturbed. In four cases bilateral adduction palsy was added to vertical gaze paralysis so that the lesion of the MLF to oculomotor nucleus was suggested to exist. These voluntary eye movements were worsened gradually as the disease progressed. By using ENG we could find so called abnormal eye movements more frequently than the previous reports. Eight patients demonstrated horizontal gaze nystagmus, and rebound nystagmus were observed in four cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗

PubMed1986

[Organization of the median and intralaminar nuclei of the thalamus: hypotheses on their role in the onset of certain central pain].

Afferent neurons from thalamic median and intralaminar (IL) nuclei arise in the spinal cord, brain stem synapses, substantia nigra, internal pallidum and cerebral cortex, directly and through the intermediary of the reticular nucleus of the thalamus (RT). Efferent neurons terminate in the anterior thalamic nuclei, RT, striatum and cerebral cortex. Tracking methods in the rat have demonstrated that some RT neurons which project towards the IL are surrounded by endings from the posterior ventral nucleus (VP). Electrical stimulation of multiple prosencephalic structures (mainly VP) and of sensory pathways induce responses in IL of brief latency followed by inhibition. Whereas the responses appear to be related to activation of excitatory projections (under the tonic facilitating control of cerebral cortex) the inhibition phases could be related to activation of RT, since they disappear after lesion of the RT. This nucleus could act as a common final pathway of inhibitions exerted on IL in the rat. Studies in this species have demonstrated that a lateral lesion of the thalamus that includes the RT provokes the appearance in IL of abnormal neuronal hyperactivity of a tonic nature and yet still exaggerated by stimuli normally capable of inducing responses of brief duration followed by inhibition. Human studies using a tomoscintigraphic method to determine regional blood flow have shown "hyperactivity" of the thalamic region in patients with pain of central origin during a natural stimulus provoking hyperpathia. This was not observed during painful states without hyperpathia. The working hypothesis proposed is that of a central lesion inducing a hyperpathia provoking pathologic hyperactivity in certain thalamic nuclei.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Vibratory perception threshold in the lower extremities. Normative values.

Objective was to obtain normative values for the vibratory perception threshold (VPT) in the lower extremities and study the dependence of VPT on various physiological factors. Thirty healthy volunteers: 10 men and 20 women entered in the study. The VPT for 8, 16, 31.5, 63, 125, and 500 Hz were estimated on the right and left external malleolus using the B&K vibration threshold meter, modified type 1800, and the threshold tracking method. The applied static force could not be controlled. The measurements were repeated twice. VPTs expressed as mean +/- SD were as follows: 8 Hz 109 +/- 3.4 dB, 16 Hz 112 +/- 4.1 dB, 31.5 Hz 116 +/- 6.2 dB, 63 Hz 116 +/- 8.4 dB, 125 Hz 117 +/- 8 dB, 250 Hz 125 +/- 9.3 dB, and 500 Hz 136 +/- 13.1 dB. A nomogram was constructed with reference ranges of VPTs for individual frequencies, from which the profile of vibratory perception thresholds can be seen. Moreover, a global index was calculated as a sum of VPTs for individual frequencies. Its reference value was 840 +/- 52 dB and it varied in repeated measurements by up to 9%. No statistically significant difference of VPTs between the right and left side and between the 1st and 2nd examination was found. A tendency to the increase of VPTs with age was observed, which in males reached statistical significance for frequencies 16, 31.5, 63, and 125 Hz.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1994

[Bathing a patient with cancer pain treated with continuous epidural blockade--subcutaneous catheter track and Lapack method].

Continuous epidural blockade is considered to be the most useful device for the management of cancer pain. However, it has the disadvantage to compel the patients to restrict their daily activities. We report a unique "Subcutaneous catheter track & Lapack-method" that enabled a patient with epidural catheter to safely bath at home. A 56-year-old male with a local recurrence of rectal cancer was suffering from perineal pain, which was well controlled by oral and epidural morphine. Since his wishing was to bath, we made a long subcutaneous catheter track with Tuohy-needle to prevent infection, and let him bath with transparent film dressings (Bioclusive) and Lapack to tightly cover and seal up the catheter. Although subcutaneous pustule occurred 7 days after the beginning of bathing, it was easily cured by local disinfection. He was able to enjoy bathing without any infection with this method at home for about 2 months after discharge, until he returned to the hospital. "Subcutaneous catheter track & Lapack-method" offers a safe and comfortable bathing to patients with epidural catheter, and contributes to the improvement of their quality of life.

Analgesia, Epidural↗

PubMed2002

The performance of matched-field track-before-detect methods using shallow-water Pacific data.

Matched-field track-before-detect processing, which extends the concept of matched-field processing to include modeling of the source dynamics, has recently emerged as a promising approach for maintaining the track of a moving source. In this paper, optimal Bayesian and minimum variance beamforming track-before-detect algorithms which incorporate a priori knowledge of the source dynamics in addition to the underlying uncertainties in the ocean environment are presented. A Markov model is utilized for the source motion as a means of capturing the stochastic nature of the source dynamics without assuming uniform motion. In addition, the relationship between optimal Bayesian track-before-detect processing and minimum variance track-before-detect beamforming is examined, revealing how an optimal tracking philosophy may be used to guide the modification of existing beamforming techniques to incorporate track-before-detect capabilities. Further, the benefits of implementing an optimal approach over conventional methods are illustrated through application of these methods to shallow-water Pacific data collected as part of the SWellEX-1 experiment. The results show that incorporating Markovian dynamics for the source motion provides marked improvement in the ability to maintain target track without the use of a uniform velocity hypothesis.

Acoustics↗

PubMed1991

Orientation in birds. Satellite tracking: a new method in orientation research.

The study of bird migration by satellite tracking began in the 1980s, after transmitters had become sufficiently small to allow the monitoring of larger migrating species. The initial studies in this direction were all successful with respect to establishing this method (Section 2) of elucidating new migration patterns and various aspects of orientation. These pilot studies are summarized in Section 3, Table 1, Figures 1-4. We believe that studies on avian orientation and navigation will, in general, greatly benefit from satellite tracking if some prerequisites are fulfilled and adequate experiments planned (Section 4). In future studies, smaller transmitters with increased life expectancies are needed, and possible effects of these transmitters on bird behaviour must be examined. Considerable improvement of satellite tracking in avian orientation research is to be expected, along with the development of a new generation of satellites allowing communication between satellites and transmitters (Sections 4, 5).

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Comparison of calibration methods for spatial tracking of a 3-D ultrasound probe.

Real-time 3-D ultrasound (US) is a new-generation US system that uses a dedicated probe to create volume data sets instead of standard 2-D cross-sectional images. For applications in image-guided surgery and radiation therapy, a position tracker is added to the probe so that the volumes can be located in space. Calibration plays a critical role in determining the overall accuracy of an US volume-tracking system. In this paper, three calibration methods are developed specifically for 3-D probes. The three methods are based on a IXI-shaped wire phantom, a cube phantom and a stylus. The performance of each method was evaluated in terms of calibration reproducibility, point accuracy and reconstruction accuracy by distance measurement. The mean errors in the reproducibility tests were 1.50 mm (IXI-wire), 1.16 mm (cube) and 5.13 mm (stylus). The root mean square errors of the point accuracy measure were 2.15 mm (IXI-wire), 4.91 mm (cube) and 2.36 mm (stylus). The root mean square errors of the reconstruction accuracy by distance measure were 1.52 mm (IXI-wire), 1.59 mm (cube) and 1.85 mm (stylus). Overall, the IXI-wire phantom achieved the best results.

Algorithms↗