16 research outputs found
The first muon spin rotation experiment
The February 15, 1957 issue of Physical Review Letters shows the first muon precession curve resulting from the stopping of `85 MeV' muons in graphite, and the resulting counting rate in a gate of fixed delay, duration, and orientation, as a function of an applied vertical magnetic field. The purpose of the four-day experiment was to test the conservation of parity in the weak interactions. It involved the sudden recognition that existing muon beams would be polarized if parity were not conserved, together with the appreciation that the angular distribution of decay electrons from the population of stopped muons could be observed (much more reliably and sensitively) by the variation with time or current of the detections in a fixed counter telescope than by the measurement of the decay asymmetry of nominally fixed muon spins. This retrospective paper explains the context, the state of the art at the time, and what we expected as a consequence of this experiment. We went on to study more accurately the magnetic moment of the muon, its gyromagnetic ratio-g-and only to a small extent used mu SR to investigate the environment of the muon in matter. Much of the paper treats the instrumentation of the time - especially that adopted in the early 1950s. The essential tools of nanosecond-range coincidence circuits and adiabatic light pipes for scintillation counters are discussed. The paper closes with some later work of the author and his colleagues - measurements of the magnetic moment of the muon and especially the CERN measurement of muon g-2. An expanded version of this presentation is posted at http:// www.fas.org/RLG. (7 refs)
Clinical response of clozapine as a treatment for delirious mania
Delirious mania is an understudied psychiatric disorder with a mortality rate as high as 75%. Previous case studies suggest that electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be an effective treatment for delirious mania, though this procedure may not always be a viable option. We describe the case of a 20-year old patient, with no previous psychiatric history, who developed delirious mania over the course of four months. ECT was not a viable option for this patient due to his religious beliefs, so alternative treatment modalities were explored. After failing trials of risperidone and olanzapine, significant improvements in symptoms were exhibited with a trial of clozapine. We propose that clozapine may be an effective option in cases of delirious mania, when ECT is not a viable option. Additional research is still necessary to understand the pathology of this condition and potential treatment modalities
The Effect of Medical School Reputation and Alpha Omega Alpha Membership on the Orthopedic Residency Match in the United States
Is lateral or posterior screw placement better for small lateral articular fragments in distal humerus fractures?
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Knowledge and Opinion on Cannabinoids Among Orthopaedic Traumatologists
IntroductionCannabinoids are an increasingly popular therapy among orthopaedic patients for musculoskeletal conditions. A paucity of evidence to support their use in orthopaedics exists, likely because of the incongruence of federal and state legalization and the stigma surrounding cannabis. The purpose of this study is to elucidate sentiments and knowledge base of the orthopaedic trauma community with regard to cannabinoid-containing compounds.MethodsA 21-question online survey was distributed to the members of the Orthopaedic Trauma Association with a response window of 3 months.ResultsWe evaluated 251 responses. Most (88%) of the respondents did not believe that they were knowledgeable about the mechanism of action of cannabis/cannabidiol (CBD) but did feel that cannabis or CBD products play a role in managing postoperative pain (73%). Most respondents did not believe that they would be stigmatized if they suggested CBD (83%) or cannabis (67%) to patients. Despite this, fewer respondents have suggested CBD (38%) or cannabis (29%) to their patients.ConclusionsSentiment toward cannabinoids among orthopaedic traumatologists is remarkably favorable; however, in-depth understanding is admittedly poor and routine use is uncommon. More clinical research for cannabinoids is needed to help orthopaedic traumatologists provide guidance for patients seeking advice for this recently popular therapeutic
Does a Preoperative Educational Class Increase Patient Compliance
Past studies have shown successful outcomes regarding the use of various interventional education methods in improving patient compliance. At our institution, different educational resources are offered and encouraged, including a 2-hour–long educational class, to prepare patients who are undergoing total joint arthroplasty procedures. Given the significant impact that patient compliance with preoperative instruction can have on overall outcomes of these procedures, this study was intended to assess the effects that the educational classes can have on patient compliance with this institution’s 6-point preoperative total joint arthroplasty protocol. The study analyzed 2 groups, those who did and did not attend the preoperative classes, and compliance rates were compared between the 2. It was hypothesized that patients who did attend the classes would be more compliant to the protocol compared to those who did not. Although results from the study showed that there were no significant differences in adherence between the 2 groups, future quality assessment studies can build off this in order to move toward achieving optimal patient compliance with preoperative instructions
Does conflict of interest affect the reported fusion rates of bone graft substitutes and extenders?
Outcomes of Arthroscopic Lysis of Adhesions for the Treatment of Postoperative Knee Arthrofibrosis: A Systematic Review
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Does conflict of interest affect the reported fusion rates of bone graft substitutes and extenders?
BackgroundBone graft extenders are being used more in spine surgery as a substitute for iliac crest bone graft. However, potential conflict of interest could impact average fusion rates. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether fusion rates reported in the literature were different in papers evaluating bone graft substitutes and extenders when there was potential conflict of interest versus no potential conflict of interest.MethodsPubmed was searched for studies evaluating fusion rates when bone graft extenders including demineralized bone matrix, hydroxyapatite, and tricalcium sulfate were used. Studies were screened for one or two level fusions and for degenerative spinal conditions. The average fusion rates of subgroups were compared using unpaired Student's t-tests.Results1928 studies were evaluated. 86 studies were included in the study. The fusion rates varied from 4 to 100%. There were 24 studies with a potential conflict of interest and 62 studies with no conflict of interest. The average fusion rate of all the studies was 84.63% with standard deviation of 18.33%. The average fusion rates of those studies with conflict of interest was 80.93% versus 86.06% without conflict of interest. This was not statistically significant (p>0.07). The average fusion rate of studies evaluated by CT scan was 79.8% versus 87.9% without CT. The average fusion rate of studies that employed an independent reviewer to evaluate the fusion was 82.61% versus 85.63% for studies with no independent reviewer.ConclusionThere is a great variability in the reported fusion rates of bone graft extenders. Counter to expectations, average fusion rates were lower in the studies where there was a potential conflict of interest. The use of CT scans and an independent reviewer seem to account for the lower reported fusion rates, and may be a means of negating the potential conflicts of interest in fusion studies.Level of evidence2
