Search

Objective. The purpose of this study is to determine whether (1) liposomal bupivacaine is chondrotoxic; (2) the chondrotoxicity of liposomal bupivacaine differs from standard bupivacaine; and (3) chondrotoxic effects are time dependent. Materials and Methods. We obtained 72 10 mm articular cartilage plugs from 12 fresh bovine distal femoral knee joints and exposed them to either saline, 0.5% bupivacaine, or liposomal bupivacaine for either 30 or 90 minutes. Twenty-four hours after treatment, chondrocyte viability was measured with the use of a fluorescent live/dead assay. An ANOVA test of variance was performed followed by a Holm–Sidak test to make pairwise comparisons across conditions. Student’s t-test was used to compare means. Results. Percent viability of cells exposed to liposomal bupivacaine for 30 minutes was less versus saline control (53.9% ± 21.5% vs. 73.7 ± 18.4%, p=0.035), and this remained significant at 90 minutes (49.1% ± 20.3% vs. 67.2% ± 25.6%, p<0.001). Liposomal bupivacaine had less chondrotoxic effects when compared with bupivacaine after 90 minutes, with greater viability (49.1% ± 20.3% vs. 21.4% ± 14.0%, p=0.003). Chondrotoxicity was found to be time dependent within the bupivacaine group (percent viability at 30 min: 45.5 ± 18.2%, 90 min: 21.4 ± 14.0%, p=0.001); however, liposomal bupivacaine did not demonstrate a significant time-dependent chondrotoxic relationship (p=0.583). Conclusions. Bupivacaine and liposomal bupivacaine are both toxic to chondrocytes. Liposomal bupivacaine is less chondrotoxic than standard bupivacaine and does not demonstrate a time-dependent toxicity.

OBJECTIVEPrevious reports have addressed the short-term response of patients with Chiari-related scoliosis (CRS) to suboccipital decompression and duraplasty (SODD); however, the long-term behavior of the curve has not been well defined. The authors undertook a longitudinal study of a cohort of patients who underwent SODD for CRS to determine whether there are factors related to Chiari malformation (CM) that predict long-term scoliotic curve behavior and need for deformity correction.METHODSThe authors retrospectively reviewed cases in which patients underwent SODD for CRS during a 14-year period at a single center. Clinical (age, sex, and associated disorders/syndromes) and radiographic (CM type, tonsillar descent, pBC2 line, clival-axial angle [CXA], syrinx length and level, and initial Cobb angle) information was evaluated to identify associations with the primary outcome: delayed thoracolumbar fusion for progressive scoliosis.RESULTSTwenty-eight patients were identified, but 4 were lost to follow-up and 1 underwent fusion within a year. Among the remaining 23 patients, 11 required fusion surgery at an average of 88.3 ± 15.4 months after SODD, including 7 (30%) who needed fusion more than 5 years after SODD. On univariate analysis, a lower CXA (131.5° ± 4.8° vs 146.5° ± 4.6°, p = 0.034), pBC2 > 9 mm (64% vs 25%, p = 0.06), and higher initial Cobb angle (35.1° ± 3.6° vs 22.8° ± 4.0°, p = 0.035) were associated with the need for thoracolumbar fusion. Multivariable modeling revealed that lower CXA was independently associated with a need for delayed thoracolumbar fusion (OR 1.12, p = 0.0128).CONCLUSIONSThis investigation demonstrates the long-term outcome and natural history of CRS after SODD. The durability of the effect of SODD on CRS and curve behavior is poor, with late curve progression occurring in 30% of patients. Factors associated with CRS progression include an initial pBC2 > 9 mm, lower CXA, and higher Cobb angle. Lower CXA was an independent predictor of delayed thoracolumbar fusion. Further study is necessary on a larger cohort of patients to fully elucidate this relationship.

Objective To examine the nutritional quality of food in television food advertisements that are targeted at children. Method We videotaped 42 hours of children's programs and analysed the food advertisements' content and nutrient composition using the New Zealand Food Composition Database. Results Of 269 food advertisements, 63% were for foods 'high in fat and/or sugar'. Children who ate only the advertised foods would eat a diet too high in fat, saturated fat, protein, free sugars and sodium. Furthermore, their diets would have suboptimal levels of fibre and suboptimal intakes of a number of important micronutrients (depending on age), including magnesium, selenium and vitamin E. The food products advertised on this channel rarely included nutritious low-cost foods that are necessary for food security in low-income groups. There were also no food advertisements that included any of the healthy foods consumed by Maori and Pacific peoples. Conclusions Food advertisements targeted at children generally reflect the dietary pattern associated with an increased risk of obesity and dental caries in childhood; and cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancers in adulthood.

The electrochemistry and electronic absorption spectroscopy of metal-metal-bonded chloride clusters derived from the {Nb 6 Cl 12 } z+ (z=1-4) cores were investigated in the room-temperature molten salt aluminum(III) chloride-1-methyl-3-ethylimidazolium chloride (AlCl 3 -MeEtimCl). Anionic complexes of this core cluster of the type [(Nb 6 Cl 12 )Cl 6 ] (6-z) were identified in basic melt