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BACKGROUND: The finger range of motion (ROM) was evaluated in patients with hand flexor tendon replacement using a tendon graft and the effect of smoking was investigated. The first hypothesis was: a tendon graft increases the post-operative ROM. The second hypothesis was: smoking has a negative effect on the final finger ROM. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty seven autologous tendon grafts in 48 patients were included. The patients were grouped as non-smokers or smokers ("light" or "heavy"). The modified Strickland system and Total Active Motion (TAM) system, were chosen for the evaluation. RESULTS: The first hypothesis was proved by all the measurements. The post-operative status assessed by the Strickland method was different between the non-smokers and smokers with a better score in the smokers. CONCLUSION: A significant ROM improvement occurs after reconstruction and is even slightly better in smokers than in non-smokers.
Laboratory measurements used for safety assessments in clinical trials are subject to the limits of the used laboratory equipment. These limits determine the range of values which the equipment can accurately measure. When observations fall outside the measurable range, this creates a problem in estimating parameters of the normal distribution. It may be tempting to use methods of estimation that are easy to implement, however selecting an incorrect method may lead to biased estimates (under- or overestimation) and change the research outcomes, for example, incorrect result of two-sample test about means when comparing two populations or biased estimation of regression line. In this article, we consider the use of four methods: ignoring unmeasured observations, replacing unmeasured observations with a multiple of the limit, using a truncated normal distribution, and using a normal distribution with censored observations. To compare these methods we designed a simulation study and measured their accuracy in several different situations using relative error μ ̂ - μ μ $$ \frac{\hat{\mu}-\mu }{\mu } $$ , ratio σ ̂ σ $$ \frac{\hat{\sigma}}{\sigma } $$ , and mean square errors of both parameters. Based on the results of this simulation study, if the amount of observations outside of measurable range is below 40%, we recommend using a normal distribution with censored observations in practice. These recommendations should be incorporated into guidelines for good statistical practice. If the amount of observations outside of measurable range exceeds 40%, we advise not to use the data for any statistical analysis. To illustrate how the choice of method can affect the estimates, we applied the methods to real-life laboratory data.
- Klíčová slova
- clinical trial, estimation techniques, limit of detection, limit of quantitation, measurable range, simulation study,
- MeSH
- interpretace statistických dat MeSH
- klinické zkoušky jako téma metody MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- normální rozdělení MeSH
- počítačová simulace * MeSH
- statistické modely MeSH
- výzkumný projekt MeSH
- zkreslení výsledků (epidemiologie) MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
The evolutionary distinctiveness (ED) score is a measure of phylogenetic isolation that quantifies the evolutionary uniqueness of a species. Here, we compared the ED score of parasitic and non-parasitic cuckoo species world-wide, to understand whether parental care or parasitism represents the largest amount of phylogenetic uniqueness. Next, we focused only on 46 cuckoo species characterized by brood parasitism with a known number of host species, and we explored the associations among ED score, number of host species and breeding range size for these species. We assessed these associations using phylogenetic generalized least squares (PGLS) models, taking into account the phylogenetic signal. Parasitic cuckoo species were not more unique in terms of ED than non-parasitic species. However, we found a significant negative association between the evolutionary uniqueness and host range and a positive correlation between the number of host species and range size of parasitic cuckoos, probably suggesting a passive sampling of hosts by parasitic species as the breeding range broadens. The findings of this study showed that more generalist brood parasites occupied very different positions in a phylogenetic tree, suggesting that they have evolved independently within the Cuculiformes order. Finally, we demonstrated that specialist cuckoo species also represent the most evolutionarily unique species in the order of Cuculiformes.
- Klíčová slova
- Cuculidae, distribution range, evolutionary uniqueness, host species richness, world-wide distribution,
- MeSH
- biologická evoluce * MeSH
- fylogeneze MeSH
- hnízdění * MeSH
- interakce hostitele a parazita * MeSH
- ptáci klasifikace parazitologie fyziologie MeSH
- rozšíření zvířat * MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
Schemes for sensitive measurements of spin-spin coupling constants between rare nuclei with low magnetogyric ratios are considered and two combinations of INEPT with gradient versions of (X,Y)HMQC and (X,Y)COSY are suggested as particularly suitable for 29Si,13C couplings. It is demonstrated that the (H,Si)INEPT-(Si,C,Si)gHMQC combination (with 29Si detection) produces excellent results even though it is theoretically inferior to the (H,Si)INEPT-(Si,C)gCOSY combination (with 13C detection).
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Decompression surgery with or without fusion is the gold standard treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis, but adjacent segment degeneration has been reported as a long-term complication after fusion. This led to the development of dynamic implants like the interspinous devices. They are supposed to limit extension and expand the spinal canal at the symptomatic level, but with reduced effect on the range of motion of the adjacent segments. The aim of the present study is the evaluation of the biomechanical effects on the range of motion (ROM) of adjacent lumbar segments after decompression and instrumentation with an interspinous device compared to a rigid posterior stabilization device. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight fresh frozen human cadaver lumbar spines (L2-L5) were tested in a spinal testing device with a moment of 7.5 Nm in flexion/extension, lateral bending and rotation with and without a preload. The preload was applied as a follower load of 400N along the curvature of the spine. The range of motion (ROM) of the adjacent segments L2/L3 and L4/L5 was measured with the intact segment L3/L4, after decompression, consisting of resection of the interspinous ligament, flavectomy and bilateral medial facetecomy, and insertion of the Coflex® (Paradigm Spine, Wurmlingen) and after instrumentation with Click X® (Synthes, Umkirch) as well. RESULTS: The interspinous and the rigid device caused a significant increase of ROM at both adjacent segments during all directions of motion and under follower load, without significant difference between these devices. The ROM of L2/L3 tends to increase more than the ROM of L4/L5 after instrumentation without statistical significance. DISCUSSION: The "dynamic" Coflex device caused a significant increase of ROM at both adjacent lumbar segments comparable to the increase of ROM after instrumentation with the rigid Click X device. Other in vitro studies observed comparable biomechanical effects on the adjacent segments after fusion, but biomechanical spacer studies concentrated on the "noncompressible" X-Stop® and could not demonstrate a significant adjacent segment effect of this device. CONCLUSIONS: The hypothesis, that an interspinous device would reduce the stress on adjacent segments compared to a rigid posterior stabilization device, could not be demonstrated with this biomechanical in vitro study. Therefore, the protection of adjacent segments after instrumentation with dynamic devices is still not completely achieved.
- MeSH
- bederní obratle patofyziologie chirurgie MeSH
- biomechanika MeSH
- chirurgická dekomprese MeSH
- fúze páteře MeSH
- interní fixátory * MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- rozsah kloubních pohybů MeSH
- spinální stenóza patofyziologie chirurgie MeSH
- techniky in vitro MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- srovnávací studie MeSH
The gradient pulse sequences for measurement of small long-range couplings between heteronuclei ((29)Si-(13)C) in natural abundance reported to date (INEPT-(Si,C)gCOSY and INEPT-(Si,C,Si)HMQC) suffer from significant signal loss when these nuclei ((29)Si, (13)C) are coupled through one-bond couplings to protons. This negative effect can be completely eliminated by using non-gradient versions (INEPT-(Si,C)COSY) or by switching proton decoupling off during gradient pulses (modified INEPT-(Si,C,Si)gHMQC pulse sequence). The beneficial effects of these two approaches on the quality of the spectra are demonstrated here.
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
This study aimed to measure the whole blood viscosity (WBV) in racehorses using a new viscometer and establish reference values, as well as to investigate the correlation between the WBV and the haematological parameters and serum chemistry. WBV measurements were conducted on 51 Thoroughbred horses using a novel U-shaped scanning capillary-tube viscometer. The reference values for the WBV were determined at various shear rates ranging from 1 s-1 to 1 000 s-1. Correlation analyses were performed to examine the correlation between the WBV and the haematological and serum chemistry parameters. The findings provide valuable reference data for the WBV in Thoroughbred horses and enhance understanding of the relationship between the WBV and routine blood tests in equine health assessment.
- Klíčová slova
- haemorheology, shear rates, viscometer,
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Results on two-particle angular correlations for charged particles produced in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV are presented. The data were taken with the CMS detector at the LHC and correspond to an integrated luminosity of about 270 nb^{-1}. The correlations are studied over a broad range of pseudorapidity (|η|<2.4) and over the full azimuth (ϕ) as a function of charged particle multiplicity and transverse momentum (p_{T}). In high-multiplicity events, a long-range (|Δη|>2.0), near-side (Δϕ≈0) structure emerges in the two-particle Δη-Δϕ correlation functions. The magnitude of the correlation exhibits a pronounced maximum in the range 1.0
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
The paper presents a new approach in the field of precise electrolytic conductivity measurements with planar thin- and thick-film electrodes. This novel measuring method was developed for measurement with comb-like electrodes called interdigitated electrodes (IDEs). Correction characteristics over a wide range of specific conductivities were determined from an interface impedance characterization of the thick-film IDEs. The local maximum of the capacitive part of the interface impedance is used for corrections to get linear responses. The measuring frequency was determined at a wide range of measured conductivity. An iteration mode of measurements was suggested to precisely measure the conductivity at the right frequency in order to achieve a highly accurate response. The method takes precise conductivity measurements in concentration ranges from 10(-6) to 1 M without electrode cell replacement.
- Klíčová slova
- IDEs, cell constant correction, electrolytic conductance, iterative measurement, specific conductivity,
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
We propose a new commercial laser triangulation sensor modification to enable the measurement of slots or bores side distance. The study showed the possibility of extending the sensor depth range for a slot or bore side distance measurement using a bypass of the illumination laser beam compared to a simple single mirror attachment to the sensor probe. We derived relations allowing for evaluation of the modified sensor side measurement range in desired depth based on the sensor parameters and the reflective mirror size and position. We demonstrated the functionality of the proposed measurement arrangement with an attachment to the commercial laser triangulation sensor and assessed the side-wall distance measurement. The results show the correct measurement depth and range prediction and the ability to perform side surface distance measurements at depths of more than 3.5 times the slot size.
- Klíčová slova
- aspect ratio, bore, distance measurement, edge, laser triangulation, mirror, slot,
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
