Histopathology of nasal olfactory mucosa from selected inhalation toxicity studies conducted with volatile chemicals. (1/129)

In recent years, histopathologic changes have been reported in the olfactory mucosa of rodents exposed, by inhalation, to a variety of volatile chemicals. In order to better characterize these lesions, a panel of experienced pathologists reviewed microscopic lesions of the olfactory epithelium of rats reported in 10 inhalation studies conducted with 8 different chemicals. The objectives were to determine if the olfactory epithelial lesions are morphologically similar or different for the chemicals of interest, to develop and recommend appropriate diagnostic criteria and nomenclature to characterize the morphology of these olfactory lesions, and to provide specific criteria for judging the degree of severity of the olfactory changes in these studies. The results indicated that the distribution and nature of the lesions were similar in all the examined studies in which olfactory changes were observed. Recommended standardized nomenclature and diagnostic criteria and a uniform method for scoring lesion severity based on the extent of distribution and severity of tissue damage are presented.  (+info)

Percutaneous vertebroplasty: a special syringe for cement injection. (2/129)

Percutaneous vertebroplasty is an effective treatment for many focal vertebral lesions. Methyl methacrylate is too viscous to be handled without difficulty in the conventional way because injection time is short. The operator is left with little time and must fumble with multiple syringes. We describe a special screw-system syringe that decreases the effort needed to inject the cement. In addition, it can standardize the injection pressures and control the injected volume because the threaded plunger affords greater control of injection pressure and volume delivered than does the conventional method.  (+info)

Intussusceptive angiogenesis: its role in embryonic vascular network formation. (3/129)

Intussusceptive angiogenesis is a novel mode of blood vessel formation and remodeling, which occurs by internal division of the preexisting capillary plexus without sprouting. In this study, the process is demonstrated in developing chicken eye vasculature and in the chorioallantoic membrane by methylmethacrylate (Mercox) casting, transmission electron microscopy, and in vivo observation. In a first step of intussusceptive angiogenesis, the capillary plexus expands by insertion of numerous transcapillary tissue pillars, ie, by intussusceptive microvascular growth. In a subsequent step, a vascular tree arises from the primitive capillary plexus as a result of intussusceptive pillar formation and pillar fusions, a process we termed "intussusceptive arborization." On the basis of the morphological observations, a 4-step model for intussusceptive arborization is proposed, as follows: phase I, numerous circular pillars are formed in rows, thus demarcating future vessels; phase II, formation of narrow tissue septa by pillar reshaping and pillar fusions; phase III, delineation, segregation, growth, and extraction of the new vascular entity by merging of septa; and phase IV, formation of new branching generations by successively repeating the process, complemented by growth and maturation of all components. In contrast to sprouting, intussusceptive angiogenesis does not require intense local endothelial cell proliferation; it is implemented primarily by rearrangement and attenuation of the endothelial cell plates. In summary, transcapillary pillar formation, ie, intussusception, is a central and probably widespread process, which plays a role not only in capillary network growth and expansion (intussusceptive microvascular growth), but also in vascular plexus remodeling and tree formation (intussusceptive arborization).  (+info)

A method of predicting color stability of autopolymerizing acrylic resins using electron spin resonance. (4/129)

Synopsis. Long periods can be required to determine the color stability of acrylic resins. The concentration of propagating radicals with unpigmented experimental resins (UER) and initiator solution (IS) of two initiator systems (binary and ternary) and five products were measured using electron spin resonance (ESR). The radical concentration was estimated from the area under the integrated ESR spectrum. The discoloration was measured using a color computer. Higher content of benzoylperoxide led to higher radical concentrations. The radical concentration for the ternary system increased slightly with time, but were lower than those of the binary system. Significant positive correlations were found between the radical concentration and delta E*ab for UER (r = 0.900, p < 0.01), IS (r = 0.953, p < 0.001) and the products (r = 0.808, p < 0.05). It was suggested that the color stability of these resins was predictable by measuring the radical concentration using ESR.  (+info)

Effectiveness of bone cement containing tobramycin. An in vitro susceptibility study of 99 organisms found in infected joint arthroplasty. (5/129)

We used 99 strains of organisms representative of orthopaedic infections to examine the effectiveness of a bone cement containing tobramycin, employing a modified in vitro Kirby-Bauer susceptibility model. The spectrum was broad, including Gram-positive and Gram-negative aerobic organisms, anaerobes and mycobacteria. Simplex P with added tobramycin was effective against most of the strains, including those which are resistant to typical systemic levels of tobramycin. Although direct correlation between in vitro and in vivo results is difficult, the study showed that tobramycin is stable to the exothermic polymerisation of the cement, and that it is released from the surface of the cement at concentrations high enough to inhibit the growth of most organisms which may be encountered after joint arthroplasty.  (+info)

Open reduction and cementation for femoral head fracture secondary to avascular necrosis: preliminary report. (6/129)

Current treatment for femoral head avascular necrosis has shown good results in early stages of disease, but are not as impressive after progression to collapse. We treated 19 patients (20 hips) with Stage III avascular necrosis (AVN) by open reduction augmented by methylmethacrylate cementation. Follow up ranges from 6 months to 2 years (average = 8.7 months). We followed patient progress with pre- and post-operative Harris Hip Scores, Womac Osteoarthritis Index and a Health Status Questionnaire (SF36). All patients realized immediate post-operative pain relief and improvement in function. Harris Hip, Womac Osteoarthritis Index and SF36 physical health scores improved significantly from 54.0 to 79.5 (p < 0.05), 54.3 to 29.8 (p < 0.05) and 28.4 to 42.4 (p < 0.05), respectively. Three patients had a conversion to total hip arthroplasty. Cementation is technically simple, burns no bridges and enables patients a rapid recovery. The long term results, in regards to progression of disease and secondary arthritis, are unknown.  (+info)

Study of two cohorts of workers exposed to methyl methacrylate in acrylic sheet production. (7/129)

OBJECTIVES: To study mortality among 4324 workers at two United Kingdom factories, Darwen, Lancashire and Wilton, Cleveland, producing polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) sheet. The Darwen factory is still active, but the Wilton one was closed in 1970. Also, to investigate patterns of mortality after exposure to methyl methacrylate; in particular, mortality from colon and rectal cancer. METHODS: All male employees at the Darwen factory with a record of employment in 1949-88 and all men ever employed at the Wilton factory (1949-70) were investigated. The vital status of both cohorts was ascertained on 31 December 1995. The exposure of 1526 subjects at the Darwen plant who were engaged from 1949 onwards could be characterised. The mean duration of exposure was 7.6 years at 13.2 ppm (8 hour time weighted average), although exposures in some work groups were as high as 100 ppm. It was not possible to calculate the cumulative exposure of workers first employed at the Darwen plant before 1949 or workers at the Wilton factory. RESULTS: In the Darwen cohort, 622 deaths were identified and a further 700 deaths in the Wilton cohort. Mortalities for the cohort were compared with national and local rates and expressed as standardised mortality ratios (SMRs). In the subcohort of Darwen workers with more than minimal exposure to MMA, reduced mortalities compared with national and local rates, were found for all causes (SMR 94), and colorectal cancer (SMR 92), but mortality from all cancers was slightly increased (SMR 104). No relations were found with cumulative exposure to MMA. In the subcohort of Wilton workers, mortality from all causes of death was significantly reduced (SMR 89), but mortality from all cancers (SMR 103) and colorectal cancer (SMR 124) were increased. The excess of colorectal cancer was confined to employees with less than 1 year of employment. CONCLUSION: The study provided no clear evidence that employment at the factories or exposure to MMA had adversely affected the mortalities of workers.  (+info)

Study of resin-bonded calcia investment: Part 1. Setting time and compressive strength. (8/129)

This study was carried out to develop a new titanium casting investment consisting of calcia as the refractory material and a cold-curing resin system as the binder. The setting time of the investment was investigated under different N,N-dimethyl-p-toluidine (DMPT) contents in methyl methacrylate monomer (MMA) and benzoyl peroxide (BPO) contents in calcia without any sintering agent. The effects of the sintering agents, which were calcium fluoride (CaF2) and calcium chloride (CaCl2), on the compressive strength of the investments were investigated at room temperature before and after heating to two different temperatures. The shortest setting time (68 minutes) of the investment was obtained at 0.37 DMPT/BPO (1.5 vol% /1.0 mass%) ratio by mass. The highest strength (16.5 MPa) was obtained from the investment which contained 2 mass% CaF2 and was heated to 1,100 degrees C. It was found that the developed calcia investment containing 2 mass% CaF2 has a possibility for use in titanium castings.  (+info)