1,027 research outputs found
Calcific tendinitis of the rotator cuff as a cause of drooping shoulder
No full textWe describe a case of inferior glenohumeral subluxation or drooping shoulder secondary to acute calcific tendinitis of the rotator cuff. The various etiologies of drooping shoulder and the specific causes determining glenohumeral widening in our report are discussed. The importance in recognizing this uncommon complication of a common abnormal finding and correction by aspiration is stressed
Color Doppler appearance of penile cavernosal-spongiosal communications in patientswith normal and impaired erection
No full textOur objective was to investigate prevalence and Doppler characteristics of penile cavernosal-spongiosal communications (CSC). These vessels are either anastomoses connecting the cavernosal arteries with the urethral arterial network or afferent vessels to the corpus spongiosum. Sixty-one consecutive patients underwent penile color Doppler US. Waveform changes in CSC were evaluated in comparison with changes in the cavernosal artery. Eighteen of 61 patients had normal erection, 17 of 61 had arterial insufficiency, and 26 of 61 had veno-occlusive dysfunction. Resistance index (RI) in CSC was significantly lower than in cavernosal arteries in all patients and increased during phases 1-2 (positive diastolic flow). Peak systolic velocity (PSV) in CSC was significantly higher in the patients with veno-occlusive dysfunction. During cavernosal phase 4 (diastolic flow reversal) CSC of patients with normal erection or with arterial insufficiency disappeared, underwent markedly reduced diastolic flow, or had systolic flow inversion. Conversely, low resistance flow was appreciable in CSC of patients with veno-occlusive dysfunction who reached phase 4. During phase 5 (systolic peak reduction) all CSC disappeared. Color Doppler US allows evaluation of CSC both in patients with normal and impaired erection
Stability and degradation of indocyanine green in plasma, aqueous solution and whole blood
No full textFluorescence-based imaging has evolved into an important technology during recent years. Specifically indocyanine green (ICG) has invaded most fields of diagnostic and interventional medicine. Considering the numerous advantages of the substance like the rapid degradation and rare adverse reactions, ICG is currently the most commonly used fluorescing agent. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for measuring absorbance and fluorescence of ICG and its potential degradation compounds. Stability and degradation were evaluated under light exposure or in darkness at various temperatures. Under these conditions, degradation of ICG was evaluated over a period of 11 days. Additional, stability measurements of ICG were performed in EDTA whole blood samples at 37 °C incubation temperature while monitoring. Furthermore, we used mass spectrometric (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses for the identification of supposed ICG degradation compound. Potential quenching effect of ICG was examined in aqueous and plasma solutions at concentrations ranging from 0.01-100 μg ml-1. When diluted in water and stored at 4 °C in the dark, ICG is stable for three days with only 20% of fluorescence intensity lost in this time-span. ICG incubated at 37 °C in whole blood under light exposure is stable for 5 h. In our study we observed the degradation of ICG into two degradation compounds with a mass of m/z 785.32 and m/z 1501.57, respectively. Based on our observations we suggest that ICG should be used within one or two days after preparation, if the ICG solution is stored at 4 °C
Reference materials (RMs) for analysis of the human factor II (prothrombin) gene G20210A mutation
No full textThe Scientific Committee of Molecular Biology Techniques (C-MbT) in Clinical Chemistry of the IFCC has initiated a joint project in co-operation with the European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute of Reference Materials and Measurements to develop and produce plasmid-type reference materials (RMs), for the analysis of the human prothrombin gene G20210A mutation. Although DNA tests have a high impact on clinical decision-making and the number of tests performed in diagnostic laboratories is high, issues of quality and quality assurance exist, and currently only a few RMs for clinical genetic testing are available. A gene fragment chosen was produced that spans all primer annealing sites published to date. Both the wild-type and mutant alleles of this gene fragment were cloned into a pUC18 plasmid and two plasmid RMs were produced. In addition, a mixture of both plasmids was produced to mimic the heterozygous genotype. The present study describes the performance of these reference materials in a commutability study, in which they were tested by nine different methods in 13 expert laboratories.. This series of plasmid RMs are, to the best of our knowledge, the first plasmid-type clinical genetic RMs introduced worldwide
Staging of Hilar cholangiocarcinoma with Ultrasound
No full textThe preoperative assessment of the extent of biliary and vascular involvement by hilar cholangiocarcinoma is clinically important because resectability may be limited by tumor extension along the bile ducts into the hepatic parenchyma or to the adjacent hilar vessels. Thirty-five patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma were studied with ultrasound, and the results were compared with operative findings and other diagnostic modalities. The level of intrahepatic biliary obstruction was determined in 100% of patients with ductal ectasia, and a tumor mass was shown in 37.1%. Imaging and Doppler ultrasound proved accurate in detecting the neoplastic involvement of the portal vein. Both correctly diagnosed portal occlusion and wall infiltration in 4 of 4 and 15 of 18 (83%) patients, respectively, without any false-positives. On the contrary, imaging ultrasound had poor sensitivity in detecting infiltration of the hepatic artery (43%) and metastases in regional lymph nodes (37%), liver (66%), and peritoneum (33%). In conclusion, ultrasound may be valuable in the preoperative staging of hilar cholangiocarcinoma, specially in predicting ductal and portal involvement
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