Biomechanical comparison of the dewar and interspinous cervical spine fixation techniques

STUDY DESIGN: This study evaluates and compares the stiffness of two cervical spine fixation techniques. OBJECTIVES: This biomechanical study was carried out to compare the interspinous and Dewar cervical spine fixation techniques. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Interspinous wiring is a commonly used method of fixation in the cervical spine. The Dewar technique is less commonly known and practiced, and clinical experience has suggested that it may be a more stable technique. METHODS: Cervical spine specimens stabilized with the interspinous and "Dewar" techniques were biomechanically tested in flexion and in torsion. Stiffness and energy absorption under moderate loads were compared. The Dewar technique uses contoured double corticocancellous iliac grafts as internal grafts/splints fixed to the spine with threaded pins and wire. The interspinous technique is a single interspinous wire loop. Eleven fresh human cervical spines were harvested from cadavers. The spines were destabilized at C4-C5 by sectioning all tissue except the anterior longitudinal ligament. Each fixation technique was applied alternatively and tested on each spine. RESULTS: In torsion testing (n = 5), the Dewar fusion was 61% stiffer than the interspinous technique (P < 0.02). Dewar: 11.3 N/mm (s.d. 4.9 N/mm) and interspinous: 8.4 N/mm (SD 3.3 N/mm). In flexion testing (n = 6), the Dewar technique was 35% stiffer than the interspinous technique (P < 0.10). Dewar: 655.4 Nmm/degree (SD 293 Nmm/degree) and interspinous: 406.8 Nmm/degree (SD 113.0 Nmm/degree). Energy absorption with the interspinous technique was greater in flexion (P < 0.10) and in torsion (P < 0.005), indicating more deformation with the interspinous technique. There was no statistically significant difference between the means of specimens tested first and those tested second independently of the fixation technique. CONCLUSIONS: These tests indicate that the Dewar cervical spine fixation is stiffer than the single interspinous wire in both flexion and particularly torsion. This project is the only biomechanical study of the Dewar technique that we are aware of, and the results support the clinical findings regarding the effectiveness of this technique.     

Peculiarities of primary and secondary structure of phage FI-1 DNA

The composition of nitrous bases of phage FI-1 DNA was studied. As is evidenced from the values of buoyant density in CsCl (p=1,7093 g/cm(3)), melting temperature (T degrees m=86,05 degrees), spectral parameters and direct chromatographic determination, the DNA analysed contains 41,5 mole% pairs of guanine-cystosine. 5-hydroxymethylcytosine and other anomalous bases were not found. Chemical identification and jaxtposition of data of buoyant density in CsCl and Cs2SO4 (p=1,4466 g/cm(3)) and T degrees m. showed the presence of the extra-sugar component in DNA, most likely in the form of hentibiose. Spectral character of thermal denaturation of DNA in different solvents is indicative of the double helixity of its structure. DNA is characterized by enthalpies of conformational transitions "helix coil" (deltaH=12,3 kcal/g) and (deltaH=10 kcal/g) for the solvents, 1 x SSC, and 0,1 x SSC, correspondingly. The presence of extra-sugar in DNA with standard set of nitrous bases is discussed.     

Decreased resistance to intravenous tumour-cell challenge during reticuloendothelial depression following surgery

The influence of surgical stress on resistance to i.v. challenge with Walker 256 tumour cells was investigated in rats, with respect to the functional state of the reticuloendothelial system (RES). Phagocytic activity of the RES was evaluated by colloid (gelatinized [131I] "RE test lipid emulsion") clearance, and opsonin levels were determined by bioassay. Reticuloendothelial clearance capacity was significantly (P less than 0-05) depressed 60 min following surgery (coeliotomy plus jejunal enterotomy) as quantified by both humoral and cellular parameters of RE function. Phagocytic depression was primarily due to impaired hepatic Kupffer cell function and related to a deficiency in the phagocytic supporting capacity of plasma, also referred to as opsonic or recognition factor (RF) capacity. During the postoperative period of RES colloid clearance depression, pulmonary localization of the blood-borne test particulate matter increased. Rats challenged with 51Cr-labelled viable tumour cells at a dose of 1-0 X 106 i.v., either prior to or during the postoperative period of RE depression, manifested a significant (P less than 0-05) increment in pulmonary localization of the viable tumour cells, and a decrease (P less than 0-05) in hepatic clearance. Evaluation of survival patterns demonstrated a significant (P less than 0-01) decrease in host resistance to i.v. tumour cell challenge (2 X 103 cells) during the postoperative period of RE depression and hypo-opsonaemia. Sham-anaesthetized control animals survived 17-9 +/- 0-8 days, while animals challenged during the period of RE depression survived 7-9 +/- 0-4 days. An increased incidence of respiratory distress and nasal discharge was observed in the animals with impaired survival. Thus, surgical manipulation may transiently compromise RES systemic host defence and may be reflected in an increment in the pulmonary localization of blood-borne tumour cells. The relationship of this altered pattern of tumour cell distribution to the impaired survival remains to be determined, and warrants investigations.     

Glutamate dehydrogenase activity in the structures of the rabbit brain limbic system

The activity of glutamate dehydrogenase (EC 1.41.1.3) is studied in homogenates and subcellular fractions of five limbic structures: regio superior, regio inferior of hippocampus, fascia dentata, septum and corpora mamillaria. The lowest activity of the enzyme is found in regio superior of hippocampus. 80% of the total enzyme activity of primary fractions is found in "crude" mitochondria. After centrifugation of the latter within the linear sucrose density gradient the distribution of the enzume activity is similar for different structures and the highest activity is found in the region of sucrose molarity from 1.44 up to 1.50 M which corresponds to the mitochondria distribution region. 50% of the total found activity is in the fraction enriched by mitochondria, 30% is in the fraction enriched by nerve endings with the high activity of glutamate decarboxylase. It was found for different fractions that 1 mM of ADF with 0.2 mM NAD-H+ produces about 10-fold increase in the enzyme activity. Pyridoxal-5'-phosphate inhibits the enzyme from inactivation. The results are discussed in connection with the possible role of pyridoxal-5'-phosphate in regulation of the glutamate dehydrogenase activity in vivo.     

Study of the sorption of oil products of power station wastewater modified with a TPP illuminator slurry

We examine the possibility of using a chemical water purification (CWP) slurry from the HS-1 as a sorbent for purifying TPP wastewater of oil products. We propose ways to increase the absorption capacity of the slurry. We present the results of studying the modified sorbent.     

Effect of weak and high magnetic fields in longitudinal and transverse configurations on magneto-thermoelectric properties of quantum Bi wires

We report on the magneto-thermopower of single-crystal Bi nanowires with diameters 75 and 250 nm in a longitudinal and transverse magnetic fields of 0–14 T. The temperature range is 1.5–300 K. Bi nanowires in a glass capillary have been prepared by the high frequency liquid phase casting. The temperature dependence R(T) shows the transition from metallic to semiconducting behavior due to quantum size effect, where the Bi-wire diameter is reduced to less than 80 nm. It is for the first time that the effect of the negative magneto-resistance in a transverse magnetic field, due to the quantum size effect on 75 nm Bi wires, has been observed. The thermopower is very sensitive to the wire diameter, up to a change in the sign from negative to positive at low temperatures, and to a significant extent in a weak longitudinal magnetic field. The field dependences of longitudinal and transverse magneto-resistance have features characteristic of the occurrence of the quantum size effect and galvanomagnetic size effect, and provide information on the parameters of the energy spectrum and charge carrier mobility. The enhancement of the thermoelectric figure of merit for Bi nanowires is discussed. We also discuss the power factor α²σ and its dependence on the diameter, magnetic field and temperature.     

Technique of hybrid microtarget calculation

The problem of simulating neutron-nuclear processes in hybrid microtargets with an external energy source has been considered. A mathematical model of interaction between neutrons and nuclei based on radiation transport multigroup equations is developed. The results of the numerical calculations of the microtarget with a thin layer of ²³⁸U are presented. The influence of the neutron model various simplifications on the neutron-nuclear processes in the microtarget is shown.