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No description available.

This project has explored the anatomical and neurophysiological effects of mobilization in the treatment of lumbar condtions. The study also discussed the long, often controversial history of the use of mobilization. The socioeconomic impact of low back pain in the industrialized society was reviewed. The interrelationship between lumbar anatomy, neurclogy, hydrostatic fluid dynamics, and lumbar biomechanics was investigated. In addition, the prevention of low back pain and injury in normal activities of daily living was discussed with suggestions being made for the safest way to perform these activities.

Mercury-contaminated sediments are found in many locations throughout North America and the world. Release of Hg from such sediments and subsequent biological uptake can result in biomagnification in associated ecosystems. This study focused specifically on a stabilization technique involving the addition of reactive media to the sediment matrix to immobilize Hg and reduce its bioavailability. A series of batch and column experiments was conducted over a range of physical and geochemical conditions to evaluate the propensity of a diverse set of reactive media to stabilize Hg in sediment with high organic carbon and clay content. The additives, selected to promote adsorption and precipitation of Hg, included natural attapulgite (palygorskite) clay, organically-modified clay, elemental sulfur, a strong reductant, and mixtures thereof. The results of the batch experiments indicated that addition of reactive media to the sediment led to substantially lower aqueous concentrations of Hg relative to untreated sediment. The stabilization of Hg was observed to be dependent on mass of added reagent, with generally greater treatment observed for the higher masses of reagent evaluated. Aqueous concentrations of Hg were reduced from > 800 ng L-1 in control samples to < 50 ng L-1 in treated samples for all of the reactive media at the highest mass proportions evaluated. The effectiveness of Hg stabilization using the sulfur-based blends was strongly affected by contact with atmospheric oxygen, with better treatment observed in oxygen-limited conditions. The results of the column tests showed that relatively low concentrations of Hg (< 50 ng L-1) were leached from untreated sediment, maintained under anoxic conditions, with steadily percolating water. However, increased concentrations of Hg (> 200 ng L-1) were observed in column effluent collected from the untreated sediment following flow interruption. This release of high concentrations of Hg was not observed for the columns containing treated sediment after stagnation. Particularly low Hg concentrations were maintained in effluent collected from the sulfur-based treatment mixtures (< 40 ng Hg L-1) for the entirety of the experimental duration, regardless of flow perturbations.

Obesity-related glomerulopathy (ORG) is an emerging epidemic for which an established model, diagnostic guidelines, and dietary treatments are absent. Oxylipins influence inflammation and hemodynamics, yet the renal oxylipin profile or the influence of dietary linoleic acid (LA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) on their formation has yet to be examined. Therefore, obese-prone rats were provided high fat lard/soy diets to induce obesity and subsequently divided among 7 diets with varying LA and ALA levels. The diet-induced obese experimental model developed characteristics of ORG; morphology and histology revealed glomerulomegaly as an early diagnostic marker as it was the first pathological change and indicated further renal damage. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry detected 30 oxylipins. Higher dietary ALA resulted in greater n-3 oxylipin levels and resulted in reduced progression of glomerulomegaly and glomerular damage. To conclude, ORG may be diagnosed earlier with glomerulomegaly and treated with dietary oils rich in ALA which alter the oxylipin profile.

The DNA damaging activity of RSU 1069 and seven of its analogues (RSU 1131, RSU 1164, RSU 1150, RB 7040, RSU 1172, RSU 1137 and RSU 1170) plus misonidazole and CB 1954 were investigated using the SOS-Chromotest The SOS-Chromotest is a genotoxicity assay that monitors the induction of the SOS response, which is induced in response to DNA damage. The strains used were PQ37, which possesses a uvrA mutation and is deficient in UvrA excinuclease activity, and PQ35, which is uvr and UvrABC excinuclease conpetent. These strains were exposed to the compounds being investigated under both oxic and hypoxic conditions. The results showed that RSU 1069 and some of its analogues were more active than misonidazole under both oxic and hypoxic conditions. This increase was due to their aziridine side-chains. With the exception of RSU 1137 and RSU 1170 all of the compounds showed altered SOS induction activities between oxic and hypoxic conditions. This alteration was shown to correlate with increased reduction of their nitro-groups under hypoxia. There was a difference in the hypoxic activities of RSU 1069 and some of its analogues between the uvrA-strain and the uvr -strain. With the uvrA-strain RSU 1069 showed decrease activity under hypoxia compared to oxia, whereas, the converse applied with the uvr -strain. This was interpreted to mean that RSU 1069 caused some damage that required an active UvrABC excinuclease to produce an SOS response. It has been proposed that this damage takes the form of DNA crosslinks. RSU 1137 showed insignificant SOS induction and this was demonstrated to be due to its nitro-group not being reduced. It was suggested that the ring opened aziridine side chain of RSU 1137 in some way inhibited its bioreduction. The order of activity of the drugs for SOS induction activities did not correlate with that for their toxicities. This indicated that DNA lesions other than, or in addition to, those responsible for cytotoxicity induced the SOS response. The DNA damaging activity and mutagenicity of RSU 1069 was also investigated using Ml3 phage rfDNA. Radiation reduced RSU 1069 was shown to produce some relatively long lived product that was more active towards DNA than unreduced RSU 1069, as judged by phage survival. Unreduced RSU 1069 was shown to be non-mutagenic, producing mutation rates under 1.5 times background level. The effect of strict hypoxic conditions upon the SOS response was investigated using the SOS-Chromotest with the uvrA tester strain. The results showed that the SOS response was induced under strictly anaerobic conditions in E. coli but that the response was altered compared to that obtained aerobically. The nature of the alteration was not determined as six different compounds, with five different modes of action, were used as SOS-inducers and all showed different types of response under hypoxic conditions.

The literature on bone growth, fracture healing, fracture treatment and the effects of forces and movements on these is reviewed. Some methods of assessing the progress of fracture union are considered. The conclusion from this is that a fracture movement transducer is needed for use on an external fracture fixator, and the design criteria are outlined. The possible types of transducers are considered and a system of light falling on lateral effect photodetectors was used. The linearizing algorithms applicable to the employed detectors are discussed and tested. The electronic circuits were designed and revised, initially to produce a reasonable power consumption, and then to give a system with reduced noise levels and improved linearity. Isolation amplifiers were required to prevent leakage currents reaching the patient from the mains powered computer. The algorithms relating the movements of the transducer to the movements at the fracture site were derived, including the use of elasticity theory to calculate the bending of the fixator pins. The engineering descriptions of the patient tests and the methods of calculating the fracture stiffness are considered. The transducer was calibrated, and consideration was given to the effect of the fixator pins loosening in the bone. Seven patients, all with tibial fractures, six injured in road traffic accidents and one footballing injury, were tested and their clinical histories were reviewed. Comparison was made between the results from the displacement transducer and a strain gauge transducer, related to the clinical history. It is concluded that this transducer, although useful, has more relevance as a research than as a clinical tool, but that further tests would lead to increased further understanding of fracture healing.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.