Free Hand Pedicle Screw Placement in the Thoracic Spine without Any Radiographic Guidance : Technical Note, a Cadaveric Study

Thoracic pedicle screw fixation techniques are still controversial for thoracic deformities because of possible complications including neurologic deficit. Methods to aid the surgeon in appropriate screw placement have included the use of intraoperative fluoroscopy and/or radiography as well as image-guided techniques. We describe our technique for free hand pedicle screw placement in the thoracic spine without any radiographic guidance and present the results of pedicle screw placement analyzed by computed tomographic scan in two human cadavers. This free hand technique of thoracic pedicle screw placement performed in a step-wise, consistent, and compulsive manner is an accurate, reliable, and safe method of insertion to treat a variety of spinal disorders, including spinal deformity

Evidence for the Existence of Secretory Granule (Dense-Core Vesicle)-Based Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate-Dependent Ca2+ Signaling System in Astrocytes

BACKGROUND: The gliotransmitters released from astrocytes are deemed to play key roles in the glial cell-neuron communication for normal function of the brain. The gliotransmitters, such as glutamate, ATP, D-serine, neuropeptide Y, are stored in vesicles of astrocytes and secreted following the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)-induced intracellular Ca2+ releases. Yet studies on the identity of the IP3-dependent intracellular Ca2+ stores remain virtually unexplored. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We have therefore studied the potential existence of the IP3-sensitive intracellular Ca2+ stores in the cytoplasm of astrocytes using human brain tissue samples in contrast to cultured astrocytes that had primarily been used in the past. It was thus found that secretory granule marker proteins chromogranins and secretogranin II localize in the large dense core vesicles of astrocytes, thereby confirming the large dense core vesicles as bona fide secretory granules. Moreover, consistent with the major IP3-dependent intracellular Ca2+ store role of secretory granules in secretory cells, secretory granules of astrocytes also contained all three (types 1, 2, and 3) IP3R isoforms. SIGNIFICANCE: Given that the secretory granule marker proteins chromogranins and secretogranin II are high-capacity, low-affinity Ca2+ storage proteins and chromogranins interact with the IP3Rs to activate the IP3R/Ca2+ channels, i.e., increase both the mean open time and the open probability of the channels, these results imply that secretory granules of astrocytes function as the IP3-sensitive intracellular Ca2+ store

Atypical vitelliform macular dystrophy misdiagnosed as chronic central serous chorioretinopathy: case reports

BACKGROUND: To report two cases of atypical vitelliform macular dystrophy misdiagnosed as chronic central serous chorioretinopathy. CASE PRESENTATION: Two patients with incidentally discovered abnormalities of the retina without specific symptoms were referred to our hospital for consultation. Bilateral macula atrophic lesions were observed and optical coherence tomography revealed serous retinal detachment in the macula. Fluorescein angiography showed multiple leakages around the central hypofluorescent area and indocyanine green angiography showed partially dilated choroidal vessels. Fundus autofluorescence (FAF) showed a decreasing pattern of autofluorescence in the subretinal fluid area, and increasing autofluorescence at the border of the serous retinal detachment. Both patients were diagnosed with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy. Photodynamic therapy and intravitreal bevacizumab injection were administered for engorged choroidal vessels during follow-up, but neither patient showed improvement in symptoms or ophthalmologic findings. Based on re-evaluation by fundus photography, optical coherence tomography, fluorescein angiography, and comparison of the results of FAF with the first visit, vitelliform macular dystrophy was suspected and a definite diagnosis was made by electrooculography and genetic testing. CONCLUSION: In patients with continuous serous retinal detachment without response to photodynamic therapy or intravitreal bevacizumab injection, careful fundus exam and FAF can be used to diagnose atypical vitelliform macular dystrophy

Synergistic effect of Indium and Gallium co-doping on growth behavior and physical properties of hydrothermally grown ZnO nanorods

We synthesized ZnO nanorods (NRs) using simple hydrothermal method, with the simultaneous incorporation of gallium (Ga) and indium (In), in addition, investigated the co-doping effect on the morphology, microstructure, electronic structure, and electrical/optical properties. The growth behavior of the doped NRs was affected by the nuclei density and polarity of the (001) plane. The c-axis parameter of the co-doped NRs was similar to that of undoped NRs due to the compensated lattice distortion caused by the presence of dopants that are both larger (In3+) and smaller (Ga3+) than the host Zn2+ cations. Red shifts in the ultraviolet emission peaks were observed in all doped NRs, owing to the combined effects of NR size, band gap renormalization, and the presence of stacking faults created by the dopant-induced lattice distortions. In addition, the NR/p-GaN diodes using co-doped NRs exhibited superior electrical conductivity compared to the other specimens due to the increase in the charge carrier density of NRs and the relatively large effective contact area of (001) planes. The simultaneous doping of In and Ga is therefore anticipated to provide a broader range of optical, physical, and electrical properties of ZnO NRs for a variety of opto-electronic applications