Clinicians' Ability to Detect a Palpable Difference in Spinal Stiffness Compared With a Mechanical Device.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to quantify the threshold at which clinicians can detect a difference in spinal stiffness of the thoracic and lumbar spine via palpation and then determine if this detection threshold would affect a clinician's ability to identify changes in spinal stiffness as measured by an objective instrument. METHODS: In this study, the threshold at which a change in spinal stiffness was detected was quantified in 12 experienced clinicians (physical therapists and doctors of chiropractic) by changing the differential stiffness in 2 inflatable targets until the clinician could no longer identify which was stiffer. In the second part of the study, clinicians then were asked to palpate pre-identified pairs of vertebrae in an asymptomatic volunteer and to identify the stiffer of the pair (T7 and L3, T7 and L4, L3 and L4), and the biomechanical stiffness of each vertebral pair was quantified objectively by a validated instrument. RESULTS: The mean stiffness detection threshold for the clinicians was 8%. Objective measurement of the stiffness differential between vertebral pairs was 30% for T7* and L3, 20% for T7* and L4, and 10% for L3* and L4 (*denotes the stiffer of the pair). Ten of 12 clinicians correctly identified T7 as stiffer when compared with L3 and T7 as stiffer than L4. Alternatively, when the differential vertebral pair stiffness was similar to the stiffness detection threshold (~8%), clinicians were less successful in identifying the stiffer vertebra of the pair; 4 of 12 clinicians correctly identified L3 as being stiffer compared with L4. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the physiological limits of human palpation may limit the ability of clinicians to identify small alterations in spine stiffness

The influence of added rye chromosomes on physical properties of kernels of addition lines T.aestivum Grana - S.cereale Dankowskie Zlote

The paper concerns the influence of added rye chromosomes on physical properties of kernels of the addition lines T. eastivum Grana - S. cereale Dańkowskie Złote 1R", 2R", 3R", 3RS", 4R", 5R", 6R", and 6RL", as well as initial forms: wheat cv. Grana, rye cv. Dańkowskie Złote and octoploid triticale Grana × Dańkowskie Złote. Kernels from each form, were analysed for the following features: basic geometric dimensions of kernels, 100-kernel weight and kernel volume; surface roughness, index of kernel damage and mechanical strength (determined by maximum force, force within elasticity limits, maximum deformation, elastic deformation, energy causing deterioration of kernel structure). Wheat lines with added rye chromosomes differed from one another and from the initial form wheat cv. Grana in basic geometric dimensions. The lines 6R" and 6RL" had a distinctly higher 100-kernel weight and kernel volume than their initial forms. All the addition lines and octoploid triticale were characterised by markedly higher indices of external damages than the wheat cv. Grana. The mechanical strength of addition line kernels also varied considerably

Identification of 1BL/1RS translocation and 1B/1R substitution using STS-PCR markers and C-banding in wheat

W pracy identyfikowano translokację 1BL/1RS w polskich odmianach pszenicy oraz substytucję 1B/1R w linii 'Grana'/'Dańkowskie Złote', stosując markery cytologiczne i molekularne. Analizując rozmieszczenie prążków heterochromatynowych w chromosomach, zidentyfikowano substytucję 1B/1R w linii 'Grana'/'Dańkowskie Złote' oraz translokację 1BL/1RS w odmianach 'Aleta', 'Jubilatka', 'Lama', 'Lanca', 'Olma', 'Weneda' i "Wilga'. Wyniki te potwierdzono przy pomocy metody STS-PCR. Zastosowano dwa startery J07IF1 (5'-TAAGCC- GTAAAGCATGGTGCAC-3') i J07IR1 (5 '-CTTCAACGAATGTTTTCCTC- TTC-3') specyficzne dla krótkiego ramienia chromosomu 1R. Po zakończeniu reakcji i rozdzieleniu za pomocą elektroforezy stwierdzono obecność prążka o wielkości 1200 par zasad (pz) tylko w odmianach: 'Aleta', 'Jubilatka', 'Lama', 'Lanca', 'Olma', 'Weneda' i 'Wilga' oraz w linii substytucyjnej 'Grana'/'Dańkowskie Złote' a także w życie odmiany 'Dańkowskie Złote'.In the paper the translocation 1BL/1RS in Polish wheat cultivars and substitution 1B/1R in 'Grana'/'Dańkowskie Złote' line were identificated using cytological and molecular markers. On the basis C-banding method the substitution 1B/1R in 'Grana'/'Dańkowskie Złote' line and the translocation 1BL/1RS in 'Aleta', 'Jubilatka', 'Lama', 'Lanca', 'Olma', 'Weneda' and 'Wilga' cultivars were identificated. These results were confirmed using the STS-PCR method. Two primers J07IF1 (5'-TAAGCCGTAAAGCATGGTGCAC-3') and J07IR1 (5'- CTTCAACGAATGTTTTCCTCTTC-3'), specific to short arm of 1R chromosome were used. After the reaction and the electrophoretic separation, the presence of a fragment of the size 1200 bp was found only in the cultivars 'Aleta', 'Jubilatka', 'Lama', 'Lanca', 'Olma', "Weneda' and 'Wilga' as well as in 'Grana'/'Dańkowskie Złote' substitution line and in 'Dańkowskie Złote' rye

Evaluation of the binding of fluoroquinolone antibiotics to the vascular prosthesis

Przeciwbakteryjną protezę naczyniową otrzymano przez kowalencyjne wiązanie sparfloksacyny (SPA) lub tosufloksacyny (TOS) z jej żelatynowaną powierzchnią z użyciem aldehydowego i aminowego łącznika. Ilości obydwu antybiotyków związanych z żelatynową warstwą oceniono na podstawie różnic w stężeniu leków, przed i po immobilizacji, określanych metodą HPLC. Aktywność przeciwbakteryjną protezy modyfikowanej antybiotykiem wobec szczepów oceniono stosując test hamowania stref wzrostu i test liczenia kolonii. Przeprowadzone z użyciem szczepów Staphylococcus aureus i Echerichia coli badania wykazały, że kowalencyjna immobilizacja SPA i TOS na powierzchni implantu stanowi stabilną przeciwbakteryjną ochronę przez co najmniej 2 tygodnie.Antimicrobial gelatine-sealed vascular prosthesis was developed by the covalent bonding of sparfloxacin (SPA) or tosufloxacin (TOS) to their surface by using of aldehyde and amine linkers. The amounts of both antibiotics bound to the gelatine layer were evaluated on the basis of the differences in drug concentrations before and after immobilization measured by HPLC method. Antimicrobial activity of antibiotic-modified prosthesis against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli strains was assessed using zone of inhibition and colony count assays. The performed researches indicated that the covalent immobilization of SPA and TOS on the graft surface resulted in stable antibacterial protection for at least of 2 weaks

Genetic regulation of alpha-amylase synthesis in rye [Secale cereale L.] grain

Genetic analysis of two rye interline crosses and a set of wheat/rye chromosomal addition lines was performed to reveal the mechanism underlying wide variation range of alpha-amylase activity in sound grain. The long arm of chromosome 6R was found to be responsible for increased enzyme synthesis during late stages of triticale grain maturation. Only nuclear genes seemed to control alpha-amylase activity, as reciprocal crosses between rye lines showed no maternal effects. Low enzyme activity showed complete dominance over high level of its synthesis. Segregation ratios, observed in F₂ and BC₁ crosses, indicated that recessive alleles at two independent duplicative loci underlie intensive alpha-amylase production