Flyer: Lois J. Frankel Democratic Leader Florida House of Representatives

A short biography on Lois J. Frankel. 2002

Genetic basis of resistance in Eucalyptus spp. pathosystems.

Coordenadores técnicos: Richard A. Sniezko, Alvin D. Yanchuk, John T. Kliejunas, Katharine M. Palmieri, Janice M. Alexander, Susan J. Frankel

Pedicle screw sublaminary wiring (PSSW) combined with anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy for treating spinal tuberculosis in adults: A cohort study

Operative procedures and anti-tuberculosis combinations are controversial for tuberculous spondylitis (TS) management in cases with risk of deformity, fragments, instability, and neurological disorders. Purpose: To assess the effectiveness of a combination of anti-tuberculosis and pedicle screw sublaminary wiring (PSSW) for treating TS. Method: This study was a cohort study with a pre-test/post-test control design. This study was conducted at the Dr. Zainoel Abidin Hospital (Banda Aceh) from March 2005 to March 2007. Sampling technique was judgement sampling. Neurological data deficit (Frankel classification) was analyzed before and after treatment using the Spearman test. Kyphosis angles were analyzed before and after treatment using the regression correlation test. Results: A total of 18 patients (61.1% male and 38.9% female) participated in this study. The spinal column involved in this study was 55.6% thoracic, 27.8% thoraco-lumbar, and 16.7% lumbar. Neurological status before the treatment was 11.1% Frankel C, 72.2% Frankel, D, and 16.7% Frankel E. Neurological status after the treatment was 5.55% Frankel C and 94.4% Frankel E. It showed that there was no significant association between a combination of anti-tuberculosis and PSSW for neurological deficit improvement (P = 0.212). The mean angle of kyphosis before the treatment was 23.05 ± 11.9 while after the treatment it was 10.5 ± 5.9. It showed that there was a significant association between a combination of anti-tuberculosis and PSSW for kyphosis degree improvement (P = 0.000). Conclusions: A combination of anti-tuberculosis and PSSW for six months provided significant results if assessed from degree of kyphosis, but did not provide significant results if assessed from Frankel classification

Effects of Random Biquadratic Couplings in a Spin-1 Spin-Glass Model

A spin-1 model, appropriated to study the competition between bilinear (J_{ij}S_{i}S_{j}) and biquadratic (K_{ij}S_{i}^{2}S_{j}^{2}) random interactions, both of them with zero mean, is investigated. The interactions are infinite-ranged and the replica method is employed. Within the replica-symmetric assumption, the system presents two phases, namely, paramagnetic and spin-glass, separated by a continuous transition line. The stability analysis of the replica-symmetric solution yields, besides the usual instability associated with the spin-glass ordering, a new phase due to the random biquadratic couplings between the spins.Comment: 16 pages plus 2 ps figure

Science on View

Book review of "Envisioning Science: The Design and Craft of the Science Image," by Felice Frankel, MIT Press, 2002

Neurological Improvement after Decompression for Dorsal Spine Tuberculosis (TB)

Objectives:  To assess the neurological improvement after decompression for dorsal spine tuberculosis in terms of Frankel grading. Materials and Method:  Prospective study was done in the Neurosurgery department, Prime Teaching Hospital Peshawar from 2018 to 2021. Patients of both genders aged between 18 to 60 years were selected while those unfit for surgery or requiring conservative management were excluded from the study. After clinical examination and radiological findings, the patients were diagnosed with dorsal spine tuberculosis requiring surgery. All patients were followed for 3 months post-operatively. Neurological improvement was measured by comparing pre and post-op Frankel grading. Complications were also documented. Results:  Out of 38 patients included in the study, 16 (42%) were male and 22 (58%) were female. The mean age of presentation was 34 ± 5. The distribution for age groups was 18 – 30 (08), 31 – 40 (13), 41 – 50 (11), and 51 – 60 (06). Level of disease D4 – D8 were 17 (44.8%) and D9 – D12 was 21 (55.2%). Pre-operative neurological status of the patients was (5.2%) Frankel A, (10.5%) Frankel B, (47.3) Frankel C, (22%) Frankel D, and (7.8%) Frankel E while Post-operative grading was (2.6%) Frankel A, (5.2%) Frankel B, (23.6%) Frankel C, (47.3%) Frankel D and (18.4) Frankel E. 3 patients experienced worsening of neurology, 2 patients bleeding and CSF leak and 1 patient died as a complication of the surgery. Conclusion:  Surgical option involving decompression of spine TB followed by stabilization is utilized in a majority of patients with neurological deficits. It is very effective and the results are good. The main advantage is thorough debridement and achievement of spinal stabilization. Keywords:   Dorsal Spine Tuberculosis, Frankel Grading, Spinal Stabilization