Plasma deposition of thin carbonfluorine films on aligned carbon nanotube

The thin film of carbonfluorine was deposited on the surfaces of aligned carbon nanotubes using a plasma polymerization treatment. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy images revealed that a thin film of the polymer layer (20 nm)(20nm) was uniformly deposited on the surfaces of the aligned carbon nanotubes. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared experiments identified the carbonfluorine thin films on the carbon nanotubes. The plasma deposition mechanism is discussed.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87850/2/043107_1.pd

Proximal tibiofibular synostosis as a possible cause of a pseudoradicular syndrome: a case report

This paper presents a case report of persistent low back pain and suspected lumbar radiculopathy. A synostosis at the level of the proximal tibiofibular joint was diagnosed. After successful resection of the synostosis, the low back symptoms resolved completely. This is the first report of a proximal tibiofibular synostosis as a possible cause of referred pain proximally

Adjacent level discitis after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF): a case report

This report describes a case of spondylodiscitis occurring adjacent to levels at which anterior cervical discectomy and fusion was performed. The objective is to describe a rare cause of spondylodiscitis and discuss its successful management. Post-operative discitis involving the same level is a known occurrence. We report an interesting case of spondylodiscitis occurring at the adjacent level of fusion, and to our knowledge this is the first such case reported in literature. A two-level decompression and fusion was performed at C5–6 and C6–7 levels with PEEK cages and anterior cervical plating in a middle-aged gentleman for persistent axial neck pain and left-sided radiculopathy involving C6 and C7 distribution. After 6 weeks, the patient presented to us with complaints of mild paresthesia in the abdomen and extremities. Radiological investigations including plain radiographs and MRI revealed a surprising finding of discitis at C4–5 level with an associated epidural abscess. In view of the patient’s myelopathic symptoms, surgical debridement and decompression of the spinal cord was performed. The plate and screws were removed, the cages were left intact, and the C4–5 disc level was reconstructed with tricortical iliac crest autograft. No further instrumentation was performed. The biopsy specimen from the disc at C4–5 level grew Serratia marcescens. It was contemplated that C4–5 discitis was initiated by inoculation of bacteria at the superior endplate of C5 by contaminated vertebral pins/drill-bit or screws. Adjacent level discitis is a rare but potentially serious complication of anterior cervical fusion. A high index of suspicion of infection is necessary if the patient complains of new symptoms after anterior cervical fusion. Thorough assessment and aggressive treatment is necessary for successful management

Parasitophorous vacuole poration precedes its rupture and rapid host erythrocyte cytoskeleton collapse in Plasmodium falciparum egress.

In the asexual blood stages of malarial infection, merozoites invade erythrocytes and replicate within a parasitophorous vacuole to form daughter cells that eventually exit (egress) by sequential rupture of the vacuole and erythrocyte membranes. The current model is that PKG, a malarial cGMP-dependent protein kinase, triggers egress, activating malarial proteases and other effectors. Using selective inhibitors of either PKG or cysteine proteases to separately inhibit the sequential steps in membrane perforation, combined with video microscopy, electron tomography, electron energy loss spectroscopy, and soft X-ray tomography of mature intracellular Plasmodium falciparum parasites, we resolve intermediate steps in egress. We show that the parasitophorous vacuole membrane (PVM) is permeabilized 10-30 min before its PKG-triggered breakdown into multilayered vesicles. Just before PVM breakdown, the host red cell undergoes an abrupt, dramatic shape change due to the sudden breakdown of the erythrocyte cytoskeleton, before permeabilization and eventual rupture of the erythrocyte membrane to release the parasites. In contrast to the previous view of PKG-triggered initiation of egress and a gradual dismantling of the host erythrocyte cytoskeleton over the course of schizont development, our findings identify an initial step in egress and show that host cell cytoskeleton breakdown is restricted to a narrow time window within the final stages of egress

Hemodynamic Parameters in the Parent Arteries of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms Depend on Aneurysm Size and Are Different Compared to Contralateral Arteries: A 7 Tesla 4D Flow MRI Study

Background: Different Circle of Willis (CoW) variants have variable prevalences of aneurysm development, but the hemodynamic variation along the CoW and its relation to presence and size of unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) are not well known. Purpose: Gain insight into hemodynamic imaging markers of the CoW for UIA development by comparing these outcomes to the corresponding contralateral artery without an UIA using 4D flow magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Study Type: Retrospective, cross-sectional study. Subjects: Thirty-eight patients with an UIA, whereby 27 were women and a mean age of 62 years old. Field Strength/Sequence: Four-dimensional phase-contrast (PC) MRI with a 3D time-resolved velocity encoded gradient echo sequence at 7 T. Assessment: Hemodynamic parameters (blood flow, velocity pulsatility index [vPI], mean velocity, distensibility, and wall shear stress [peak systolic (WSSMAX), and time-averaged (WSSMEAN)]) in the parent artery of the UIA were compared to the corresponding contralateral artery without an UIA and were related to UIA size. Statistical Tests: Paired t-tests and Pearson Correlation tests. The threshold for statistical significance was P < 0.05 (two-tailed). Results: Blood flow, mean velocity, WSSMAX, and WSSMEAN were significantly higher, while vPI was lower, in the parent artery relative to contralateral artery. The WSSMAX of the parent artery significantly increased linearly while the WSSMEAN decreased linearly with increasing UIA size. Conclusions: Hemodynamic parameters and WSS differ between parent vessels of UIAs and corresponding contralateral vessels. WSS correlates with UIA size, supporting a potential hemodynamic role in aneurysm pathology. Level of Evidence: 2. Technical Efficacy: Stage 2

Predictability of the spontaneous lumbar curve correction after selective thoracic fusion in idiopathic scoliosis

In this study we tried to achieve a better understanding of the biodynamic mechanism of balance in the scoliotic spine. Therefore we focused on the pre- and postoperative spine of patients with idiopathic scoliosis with a primary thoracic curve and a secondary lumbar curve. Several studies showed that the lumbar curve spontaneously corrects and improves after selective thoracic fusion. We try to understand and describe this spontaneous compensatory lumbar curve correction after selective thoracic correction and fusion. We performed a retrospective examination of pre- and postoperative radiographs of the spine of 38 patients with idiopathic scoliosis King type II and III. Frontal Cobb angles of the thoracic and lumbar curves were assessed on pre- and postoperative antero-posterior and side bending radiographs. We determined the postoperative corrections of the thoracic and lumbar curves. Relative (%) corrections and correlations of the postoperative corrections were calculated. The group was divided in three subgroups, depending on lumbar curve modifier, according to Lenkes classification system. The calculations were done for the whole group as for each subgroup. As expected, significant correlations were present between the relative correction of the main thoracic and the lumbar curve (mean R = 0.590; P = 0.001). The relation between relative thoracic and lumbar correction decreased with the lumbar modifier type. This study shows a highly significant correlation between the relative corrections of the main thoracic curve and the lumbar curve after selective thoracic fusion in idiopathic scoliosis. This correlation depends on lumbar curve modifier type. This new classification system seems to be of great predictable value for the spontaneous correction of the lumbar curve. Depending on the curve-type, a different technique for predicting the outcome should be used. The lumbar curve correction does not occur throughout the whole lumbar curve. Most correction is achieved in the upper part of the curve. The distal lumbar curve seems to be more rigid and less important in the spontaneous curve correction