Biomedicals from Bone

The realm of biomaterials, under which biomedical materials can be categorised, has a broad definition base and recognises materials that are synthesized or naturally sourced. Biomaterials are normally those that come into contact with live tissue and physiological fluids. They have applications as prostheses to replace lost function of joints or to replace bone tissue, for diagnosing medical conditions, as a form of therapy, or as a storage unit. The diversity and scope of biomaterials science research, and especially its application to the improvement of trauma, disease, and congenital defects in the human condition, are making this branch of science increasingly dominant and topical in many countries. An exciting aspect is that such research is interdisciplinary. The varied problems of the human condition that biomaterials research addresses occupy the efforts not only of medical doctors who act as the end users of such technology, but also those of chemists, physicists, engineers, and biologists in creating the technological advances. Chemistry, in particular, plays a major role in such research, after all it is the foundation stone on which biomaterials polymer science and biomedical scaffold materials are built

Long term monitoring and field testing of an innovative multi-storey timber building

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WILLS-RIGHT OF LEGATEE TO RENOUNCE TO DETRIMENT OF CREDITORS

A judgment creditor of an insolvent residuary legatee commenced supplementary proceedings to reach the legacy. While these proceedings were pending, some ten months after the will was probated, and after testifying that he had a one-third interest in the residuary estate, the legatee filed a formal renunciation of his interest. In the proceeding by the executors for a final accounting, the Surrogate\u27s Court and the Appellate Division ruled that the renunciation was effective to divest the judgment debtor of his interest under the will. On appeal, held, reversed, two judges dissenting. In re Wilson\u27s Estate, 298 N.Y. 398, 83 N.E. (2d) 852 (1949)

CORPORATIONS-APPRAISAL STATUTES-EXCLUSIVENESS OF STATUTORY REMEDY

Defendant corporation\u27s charter provided for retirement \u27of preferred stock at par plus accumulated dividends, before payment could be made to common stockholders, in the event of dissolution or recapture of its assets by the enfranchising city. Under authority of a majority vote of its stockholders, the corporation conveyed all its assets to defendant City of Quincy, the enfranchising city. Defendants offered to pay preferred stockholders only $150 per share, although par plus accumulated dividends amounted to$205 and some common stockholders had already received $5 per share. Plaintiffs, preferred stockholders, sued to secure full payment, but the trial court held that their only remedy was assertion of the statutory right to appraisal and payment. On appeal, held, reversed. The statutory remedy is not exclusive when the distribution agreement is in fraud of stockholders\u27 rights. Opelka v. Quincy Memorial Bridge Co., (Ill. App. 1948) 82 N.E. (2d) 184

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW-DUE PROCESS-PUNISHMENT FOR DIRECT CONTEMPT OF COURT

Opposing counsel\u27s objection to material in petitioner\u27s opening statement to the jury was sustained. When petitioner rephrased his statement, the trial court, feeling that he was still trying to get inadmissible material before the jury, threatened to declare a mistrial if you mess with me two minutes and a half, and fine you besides.\u27\u27 Petitioner took an exception to the conduct of the court, and was immediately fined $25. His protests led to successive increases in penalty, culminating in a$100 fine and three days in jail. The Supreme Court of Texas denied habeas corpus on the ground that the evidence supported the judgment of the trial court. The United States Supreme Court granted certiorari on the question of violation of the Fourteenth Amendment. Held, affirmed, four justices dissenting. Since the acts charged constituted direct contempt, petitioner was not deprived of his liberty without due process of law. Fisher v. Pace, (U.S. 1949) 69S.Ct.425

WITNESSES--COMPETENCE OF DEFENDANT\u27S SPOUSE AS WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION

Defendant, on trial for the offense of transporting across state lines a sum of money exceeding $5,000 feloniously obtained by fraud, was convicted largely through the testimony of his victim. The fraud charged consisted of a lightning courtship and hasty marriage, closely followed by the disappearance of the new husband along with the entire estate of the too-gullible bride. Over the objection of the defendant, his wife was permitted to testify to the swindle practiced upon her. After conviction, he filed a motion for a new trial, contending that it was error to permit a wife to testify against her husband in a criminal prosecution where the essence of the offense charged was the felonious taking of her property. Held, the testimony was admissible in evidence, the common law rule being now outmoded in the light of reason and experience. United States v. Graham, (D.C. Mich. 1949) 87 F. Supp. 237

REGULATION OF BUSINESS-ANTITRUST LAW AS AFFECTED BY STANDARD OIL COMPANY OF CALIFORNIA V. UNITED STATES

In Standard Oil Company of California v. United States, the Supreme Court of the United States has given what appears to be a final and definitive answer to this question, although differing from what had formerly been thought to be the final and definite answer. This comment will be centered on that case and its implications

Contemporary medical television and crisis in the NHS

This article maps the terrain of contemporary UK medical television, paying particular attention to Call the Midwife as its centrepiece, and situating it in contextual relation to the current crisis in the NHS. It provides a historical overview of UK and US medical television, illustrating how medical television today has been shaped by noteworthy antecedents. It argues that crisis rhetoric surrounding healthcare leading up to the passing of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 has been accompanied by a renaissance in medical television. And that issues, strands and clusters have emerged in forms, registers and modes with noticeable regularity, especially around the value of affective labour, the cultural politics of nostalgia and the neoliberalisation of healthcare

Rapid detection of Mycobacterium bovis DNA in cattle lymph nodes with visible lesions using PCR

BACKGROUND: We have evaluated a sensitive screening assay for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) complex organisms and a specific assay for detecting Mycobacterium bovis DNA in lymph nodes taken from cattle with evidence of bovine tuberculosis. Underlying these series of experiments was the need for a versatile DNA extraction protocol which could handle tissue samples and with the potential for automation. The target for the screening assay was the multi-copy insertion element IS1081, present in 6 copies in the MTB complex. For confirmation of M. bovis we used primers flanking a specific deletion in the genome of M. bovis known as region of difference 4 (RD4). The sensitivity and specificity of these PCRs has been tested on genomic DNA from MTB complex reference strains, mycobacteria other than tuberculosis (MOTT), spiked samples and on clinical material. RESULTS: The minimum detection limits of the IS1081 method was < I genome copy and for the RD4 PCR was 5 genome copies. Both methods can be readily adapted for quantitative PCR with the use of SYBR Green intercalating dye on the RotorGene 3000 platform (Corbett Research). Initial testing of field samples of bovine lymph nodes with visible lesions (VL, n = 109) highlighted two shortfalls of the molecular approach. Firstly, comparison of IS1081 PCR with the "gold standard" of culture showed a sensitivity of approximately 70%. The sensitivity of the RD4 PCR method was 50%. Secondly, the success rate of spoligotyping applied directly to clinical material was 51% compared with cultures. A series of further experiments indicated that the discrepancy between sensitivity of detection found with purified mycobacterial DNA and direct testing of field samples was due to limited mycobacterial DNA recovery from tissue homogenates rather than PCR inhibition. The resilient mycobacterial cell wall, the presence of tissue debris and the paucibacillary nature of some cattle VL tissue may all contribute to this observation. Any of these factors may restrict application of other more discriminant typing methods. A simple means of increasing the efficiency of mycobacterial DNA recovery was assessed using a further pool of 95 cattle VL. Following modification of the extraction protocol, detection rate with the IS1081 and RD4 methods increased to 91% and 59% respectively. CONCLUSION: The IS1081 PCR is a realistic screening method for rapid identification of positive cases but the sensitivity of single copy methods, like RD4 and also of spoligotyping will need to be improved to make these applicable for direct testing of tissue extracts

Chemical Cleavage of Human Phosphoglucose Isomerase at Cysteine

The present study has resulted in the development of a procedure for the specific chemical fragmentation of human phosphoglucose isomerase into a minimal number of peptides. A two-cycle procedure for cleaving the protein with 2-nitro-5- thiocyanobenzoic acid results in four primary peptides and three overlap peptides. The peptides can be readily separated on the basis of their size by using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Preliminary peptide alignments have been considered, and amino acid analyses have been performed. End-terminal analyses of the enzyme revealed a carboxyl terminal sequence of Asp-Val-Gln and a blocked amino terminus. The cysteine cleavage procedure provides an excellent method for the identification and location of specific genetic mutations of human phosphoglucose isomerase