Kinematic magnetic resonance imaging study of the brain stem and cervical cord by dynamic neck motion

Background: The aim was to examine the position of the brain stem and cervical cord following the neck flexion and extension. Materials and methods: The serial sagittal T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sections of the cervical cord and brain stem were made in 6 volunteers. The images were mainly used to measure certain distances and angles of the brain stem and cervical cord in the neutral position, and then following the head and neck flexion and extension. Results: The measurements showed that the pons is slightly closer to the clivus following the neck flexion; the medulla oblongata is somewhat distant to the basion but closer to the odontoid process. At the same time, the spino-medullary angle diminishes in size. On the other hand, the upper cervical cord slightly approaches the posterior wall of the spinal canal, the lower cervical cord is closer to the anterior wall, while the angle between them is significantly larger in size. After the cervical cord extension, the rostral pons is somewhat distant to the clivus, whereas the caudal pons and the medulla are slightly closer to the clivus and the basion. At the same time, the spino-medullary angle diminishes in size. The cervical cord is mainly closer to the posterior wall of the spinal canal, whilst its angle is significantly smaller. Conclusions: The obtained results regarding the brain stem and cervical cord motion can be useful in the kinetic MRI examination of certain congenital disorders, degenerative diseases, and traumatic injuries of the craniovertebral junction and the cervical spine

Transformation kinetics of selected steel grades after plastic deformation

The aim of this article was to assess the impact of previous plastic deformation on the kinetics of transformations of four selected steels. The research was conducted with use of the universal plastometer GLEEBLE 3800, when Continuous Cooling Transformation (CCT) and Deformation Continuous Cooling Transformation (DCCT) diagrams of selected steels were constructed on the basis of dilatometric tests. The research confirmed that the strain accelerates the particularly the transformations controlled by diffusion. Bainitic transformation was accelerated in three of the four steels. In the case of martensitic transformation the effect of the previous deformation was relatively small, but with clearly discernible trend

Application of the New Synthetic Substrates Nα-Tosyl-L-arginine-p-nitroanilide and Nα-Benzyloxy-carbonyl-L-arginine-p-nitroanilide in the Determination of Trypsin Activity in the Duodenal Contents

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