In Vivo and In Vitro Study of a Polylactide-Fiber-Reinforced β-Tricalcium Phosphate Composite Cage in an Ovine Anterior Cervical Intercorporal Fusion Model

A poly-70L/30DL-lactide (PLA70)–β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) composite implant reinforced by continuous PLA-96L/4D-lactide (PLA96) fibers was designed for in vivo spinal fusion. The pilot study was performed with four sheep, using titanium cage implants as controls. The composite implants failed to direct bone growth as desired, whereas the bone contact and the proper integration were evident with controls 6 months after implantation. Therefore, the PLA70/β-TCP composite matrix material was further analyzed in the in vitro experiment by human and ovine adipose stem cells (hASCs and oASCs). The composites proved to be biocompatible as confirmed by live/dead assay. The proliferation rate of oASCs was higher than that of hASCs at all times during the 28 d culture period. Furthermore, the composites had only a minor osteogenic effect on oASCs, whereas the hASC osteogenesis on PLA70/β-TCP composites was evident. In conclusion, the composite implant material can be applied with hASCs for tissue engineering but not be evaluated in vivo with sheep

Elimination of Epidemic Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus from a University Hospital and District Institutions, Finland

From August 1991 to October 1992, two successive outbreaks of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) occurred at a hospital in Finland. During and after these outbreaks, MRSA was diagnosed in 202 persons in our medical district; >100 cases involved epidemic MRSA. When control policies failed to stop the epidemic, more aggressive measures were taken, including continuous staff education, contact isolation for MRSA-positive patients, systematic screening for persons exposed to MRSA, cohort nursing of MRSA-positive and MRSA-exposed patients in epidemic situations, and perception of the 30 medical institutions in that district as one epidemiologic entity brought under surveillance and control of the infection control team of Turku University Hospital. Two major epidemic strains, as well as eight additional strains, were eliminated; we were also able to prevent nosocomial spread of other MRSA strains. Our data show that controlling MRSA is possible if strict measures are taken before the organism becomes endemic. Similar control policies may be successful for dealing with new strains of multiresistant bacteria, such as vancomycin-resistant strains of S. aureus

Measurement of complement receptor 1 on neutrophils in bacterial and viral pneumonia

BACKGROUND: A reliable prediction of the causative agent of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is not possible based on clinical features. Our aim was to test, whether the measurement of the expression of complement receptors or Fcγ receptors on neutrophils and monocytes would be a useful preliminary test to differentiate between bacterial and viral pneumonia. METHODS: Sixty-eight patients with CAP were studied prospectively. Thirteen patients had pneumococcal pneumonia; 13 patients, influenza A pneumonia; 5 patients, atypical pneumonia, and 37 patients, aetiologically undefined pneumonia. Leukocyte receptor expression was measured within 2 days of hospital admission. RESULTS: The mean expression of complement receptor 1 (CR1) on neutrophils was significantly higher in the patients with pneumococcal pneumonia than in those with influenza A pneumonia. The mean expression of CR1 was also significantly higher in aetiologically undefined pneumonia than in influenza A pneumonia, but there was no difference between pneumococcal and undefined pneumonia. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the expression of CR1 is higher in classical bacterial pneumonia than in viral pneumonia. Determination of the expression of CR1 may be of value as an additional rapid tool in the aetiological diagnosis, bacterial or viral infection, of CAP. These results are preliminary and more research is needed to assess the utility of this new method in the diagnostics of pneumonia

Kiinteistömuuntajan nostolaitteen vaatimusten määrittely : tarjouspyynnön ja suunnittelun tueksi

Opinnäytetyön tavoitteena oli luoda pohja nostolaitteen suunnitteluprojektille, joka selkeyttää projektin laajuutta, minkä perusteella voidaan tehdä tarjouspyyntö nostolaitteen tilaamisesta. Opinnäytetyön tarkoituksena oli tutkia kiinteistömuuntajan nostolaitteen suunnittelussa huomioon otettavia vaatimuksia, joita nostolaitteen suunnittelu ja valmistaminen edellyttävät. Toimeksiantajana opinnäytetyössä toimi yritys, Fintekra Oy. Opinnäytetyössä kartoitettavat nostolaitteen vaatimukset koskivat Fintekra Oy:n Liekkiloukku®-tuotteen asennukseen tarvittua nostolaitetta. Nostolaitteella oli tarkoitus nostaa kiinteistömuuntajaa, jotta Liekkiloukun® asentaminen kiinteistömuuntajan alle olisi ollut vaivattomampaa ja turvallisempaa. Opinnäytetyö toteutettiin kehittämistyönä, jossa kartoitettiin nostolaitteen suunnittelussa ja valmistuksessa huomioitavia vaatimuksia. Aineistoina toimivat pääasiassa lait, ammattialan kirjallisuus, julkaisut sekä standardit. Lisäksi opinnäytetyössä isona osana aineistoa oli aiemmin toteutettu erikoistumisprojekti, jossa tutustuttiin nostoympäristöihin eli kiinteistömuuntamoihin sekä nostettavaan kuormaan eli kiinteistömuuntajiin. Opinnäytetyön tuloksena laadittiin tarkka selvitys olosuhteiden, työn tilaajan sekä säädösten asettamista vaatimuksista. Työn tuloksissa huomattiin, että erilaisia vaatimuksia on paljon ja niiden havainnointi voi olla vaikeaa. Opinnäytetyö soveltuu nostolaitteen hankkimisessa projektin laajuuden kartoittamiseen sekä voi toimia pohjana tarjouspyynnössä. Opinnäytetyö on osittain sovellettavissa myös muiden koneiden ja nostolaitteiden suunnittelussa