The Impact of Instrumentation and Implant Surface Technology on Cervical and Thoracolumbar Fusion

Abstract Spinal fusion has undergone significant evolution and improvement over the past 50 yr. Historically, spine fusion was noninstrumented and arthrodesis was based entirely on autograft. Improved understanding of spinal anatomy and materials science ushered in a new era of spinal fusion equipped with screw-based technologies and various interbody devices. Osteobiologics is another important realm of spine fusion, and the evolution of various osteobiologics has perhaps undergone the most change within the past 20 yr. A new element to spinal instrumentation has recently gained traction—namely, surface technology. New data suggest that surface treatments play an increasingly well-recognized role in inducing osteogenesis and successful fusion. Until now, however, there has yet to be a unified resource summarizing the existing data and a lack of consensus exists on superior technology. Here, authors provide an in-depth review on surface technology and its impact on spinal arthrodesis.

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The use of electrical stimulation to enhance spinal fusion

Neurosurgical FOCUS ◽

10.3171/foc.2002.13.6.6 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Michael A. Morone ◽

Henry Feuer

Keyword(s):

Electrical Stimulation ◽

Spinal Fusion ◽

Healing Process ◽

Experimental Studies ◽

Spinal Instrumentation ◽

Fusion Rate ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Osseous Union ◽

Spinal Segments ◽

Spinal Arthrodesis

The goal of spinal arthrodesis is a solid osseous union across one or more spinal segments. A solid bone union after arthrodesis is commonly known as a spinal fusion. Surgeons have begun to understand the biomechanical and biological factors that influence the bone-healing process. One of the most commonly used adjuncts is spinal instrumentation. Instrumentation has increased the spinal fusion rate; however, fusion failure (that is, nonunion or pseudarthrosis) remains significant. A less commonly used adjunct is electrical stimulation (ES). Investigators in experimental studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of ES on increasing the fusion rate. In this review the authors discuss the evidence concerning the benefits of ES as an adjunct to spinal arthrodesis. In addition, the different types of ES devices are described along with the current experimental and clinical evidence for each type of device.

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A new era for the music industry: How new technologies and the internet affect the way music is valued and have an impact on output quality

Panoeconomicus ◽

10.2298/pan0802233p ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 55 (2) ◽

pp. 233-248 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Tassos Patokos

Keyword(s):

New Technologies ◽

Music Industry ◽

The Internet ◽

New Era ◽

The Past ◽

Output Quality ◽

Marketing Tool ◽

The Impact ◽

The Way

Since its early days, the Internet has been used by the music industry as a powerful marketing tool to promote artists and their products. Nevertheless, technology developments of the past ten years, and especially the ever-growing phenomenon of file sharing, have created the general impression that the Internet is responsible for a crisis within the industry, on the grounds that music piracy has become more serious than it has ever been. The purpose of this paper is to present the impact of new technologies and the Internet on the three main actors of the music industry: consumers, artists and record companies. It is claimed that the Internet has changed the way music is valued, and also, that it may have a direct effect on the quality of the music produced, as perceived by both artists and consumers alike.

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Ternary Nitride Materials: Fundamentals and Emerging Device Applications

Annual Review of Materials Research ◽

10.1146/annurev-matsci-080819-012444 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 51 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ann L. Greenaway ◽

Celeste L. Melamed ◽

M. Brooks Tellekamp ◽

Rachel Woods-Robinson ◽

Eric S. Toberer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Materials Science ◽

Chemical Potential ◽

Annual Review ◽

Publication Date ◽

Fundamental Properties ◽

The Past ◽

Device Applications ◽

The Stability ◽

Ternary Nitride ◽

The Impact

Interest in inorganic ternary nitride materials has grown rapidly over the past few decades, as their diverse chemistries and structures make them appealing for a variety of applications. Due to synthetic challenges posed by the stability of N2, the number of predicted nitride compounds dwarfs the number that have been synthesized, offering a breadth of opportunity for exploration. This review summarizes the fundamental properties and structural chemistry of ternary nitrides, leveraging metastability and the impact of nitrogen chemical potential. A discussion of prevalent defects, both detrimental and beneficial, is followed by a survey of synthesis techniques and their interplay with metastability. Throughout the review, we highlight applications (such as solid-state lighting, electrochemical energy storage, and electronic devices) in which ternary nitrides show particular promise. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Materials Science, Volume 51 is August 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

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Drug Induced Changes in Cell Organelles

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100100299 ◽

1968 ◽

Vol 26 ◽

pp. 110-111

Author(s):

Sarah A. Luse

Keyword(s):

Clinical Medicine ◽

Cell Organelles ◽

Riboflavin Deficiency ◽

Drug Induced ◽

New Era ◽

Health And Disease ◽

In The Beginning ◽

Cellular Pathology ◽

Induced Changes ◽

The Impact

In the mid-nineteenth century Virchow revolutionized pathology by introduction of the concept of “cellular pathology”. Today, a century later, this term has increasing significance in health and disease. We now are in the beginning of a new era in pathology, one which might well be termed “organelle pathology” or “subcellular pathology”. The impact of lysosomal diseases on clinical medicine exemplifies this role of pathology of organelles in elucidation of disease today.Another aspect of cell organelles of prime importance is their pathologic alteration by drugs, toxins, hormones and malnutrition. The sensitivity of cell organelles to minute alterations in their environment offers an accurate evaluation of the site of action of drugs in the study of both function and toxicity. Examples of mitochondrial lesions include the effect of DDD on the adrenal cortex, riboflavin deficiency on liver cells, elevated blood ammonia on the neuron and some 8-aminoquinolines on myocardium.

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Fluorescent potentiometric dyes for membrane-potential imaging

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100168566 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 52 ◽

pp. 166-167

Author(s):

Leslie M. Loew

Keyword(s):

Membrane Potential ◽

Single Cells ◽

Quantitative Imaging ◽

Optical Recording ◽

Biological Processes ◽

Major Focus ◽

The Past ◽

Excitable Systems ◽

Major Application ◽

The Impact

A major application of potentiometric dyes has been the multisite optical recording of electrical activity in excitable systems. After being championed by L.B. Cohen and his colleagues for the past 20 years, the impact of this technology is rapidly being felt and is spreading to an increasing number of neuroscience laboratories. A second class of experiments involves using dyes to image membrane potential distributions in single cells by digital imaging microscopy - a major focus of this lab. These studies usually do not require the temporal resolution of multisite optical recording, being primarily focussed on slow cell biological processes, and therefore can achieve much higher spatial resolution. We have developed 2 methods for quantitative imaging of membrane potential. One method uses dual wavelength imaging of membrane-staining dyes and the other uses quantitative 3D imaging of a fluorescent lipophilic cation; the dyes used in each case were synthesized for this purpose in this laboratory.

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The Contribution of Intermediate-Voltage, High-Resolution Electron Microscopy In Materials Science: An Appraisal

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100181142 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 48 (1) ◽

pp. 478-479

Author(s):

John L. Hutchison

Keyword(s):

High Resolution ◽

Materials Science ◽

High Resolution Electron Microscopy ◽

Optical Diffraction ◽

The Past ◽

Resolution Electron ◽

Extreme Sensitivity ◽

Electron Microscopes ◽

New Generation ◽

Small Metal Particles

Over the past five years or so the development of a new generation of high resolution electron microscopes operating routinely in the 300-400 kilovolt range has produced a dramatic increase in resolution, to around 1.6 Å for “structure resolution” and approaching 1.2 Å for information limits. With a large number of such instruments now in operation it is timely to assess their impact in the various areas of materials science where they are now being used. Are they falling short of the early expectations? Generally, the manufacturers’ claims regarding resolution are being met, but one unexpected factor which has emerged is the extreme sensitivity of these instruments to both floor-borne and acoustic vibrations. Successful measures to counteract these disturbances may require the use of special anti-vibration blocks, or even simple oil-filled dampers together with springs, with heavy curtaining around the microscope room to reduce noise levels. In assessing performance levels, optical diffraction analysis is becoming the accepted method, with rotational averaging useful for obtaining a good measure of information limits. It is worth noting here that microscope alignment becomes very critical for the highest resolution.In attempting an appraisal of the contributions of intermediate voltage HREMs to materials science we will outline a few of the areas where they are most widely used. These include semiconductors, oxides, and small metal particles, in addition to metals and minerals.

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Perceived Burden of Informal Caregivers of a Chronically Ill Older Family Member

GeroPsych ◽

10.1024/1662-9647/a000042 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 24 (3) ◽

pp. 143-154 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Elmar Gräßel ◽

Raffaela Adabbo

Keyword(s):

Family Member ◽

Informal Caregiver ◽

Chronically Ill ◽

Stress Model ◽

The Past ◽

Perceived Burden ◽

Hypothetical Construct ◽

Care Situation ◽

The Impact ◽

Further Development

The burden of caregivers has been intensively researched for the past 30 years and has resulted in a multitude of individual findings. This review illustrates the significance of the hypothetical construct of perceived burden for the further development and design of the homecare situation. Following explanations regarding the term informal caregiver, we derive the construct burden from its conceptual association with the transactional stress model of Lazarus and Folkman. Once the extent and characteristics of burden have been set forth, we then present the impact of perceived burden as the care situation. The question of predictors of burden will lead into the last section from which implications can be derived for homecare and relief of caregivers.

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Soziale Disziplinierung im flexiblen Kapitalismus

PROKLA Zeitschrift für kritische Sozialwissenschaft ◽

10.32387/prokla.v34i136.619 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 34 (136) ◽

pp. 339-356

Author(s):

Tobias Wölfle ◽

Oliver Schöller

Keyword(s):

Social Welfare ◽

Second Step ◽

Social Rights ◽

Federal Law ◽

Capitalist Development ◽

The Core ◽

The Past ◽

The Impact ◽

Municipal Level

Under the term “Hilfe zur Arbeit” (aid for work) the federal law of social welfare subsumes all kinds of labour disciplining instruments. First, the paper shows the historical connection of welfare and labour disciplining mechanisms in the context of different periods within capitalist development. In a second step, against the background of historical experiences, we will analyse the trends of “Hilfe zur Arbeit” during the past two decades. It will be shown that by the rise of unemployment, the impact of labour disciplining aspects of “Hilfe zur Arbeit” has increased both on the federal and on the municipal level. For this reason the leverage of the liberal paradigm would take place even in the core of social rights.

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Regulatory and sustainability initiatives lead to improved polyaminopolyamide epichlorohydrin (PAE) wet-strength resins and paper products

TAPPI Journal ◽

10.32964/tj17.09.519 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 17 (09) ◽

pp. 519-532 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mark Crisp ◽

Richard Riehle

Keyword(s):

Health And Safety ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Worker Safety ◽

Regulatory Requirements ◽

Wet Strength ◽

The Past ◽

Consumer Safety ◽

Federal Institute ◽

Sustainability Initiatives ◽

The Impact

Polyaminopolyamide-epichlorohydrin (PAE) resins are the predominant commercial products used to manufacture wet-strengthened paper products for grades requiring wet-strength permanence. Since their development in the late 1950s, the first generation (G1) resins have proven to be one of the most cost-effective technologies available to provide wet strength to paper. Throughout the past three decades, regulatory directives and sustainability initiatives from various organizations have driven the development of cleaner and safer PAE resins and paper products. Early efforts in this area focused on improving worker safety and reducing the impact of PAE resins on the environment. These efforts led to the development of resins containing significantly reduced levels of 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol (1,3-DCP) and 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD), potentially carcinogenic byproducts formed during the manufacturing process of PAE resins. As the levels of these byproducts decreased, the environmental, health, and safety (EH&S) profile of PAE resins and paper products improved. Recent initiatives from major retailers are focusing on product ingredient transparency and quality, thus encouraging the development of safer product formulations while maintaining performance. PAE resin research over the past 20 years has been directed toward regulatory requirements to improve consumer safety and minimize exposure to potentially carcinogenic materials found in various paper products. One of the best known regulatory requirements is the recommendations of the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), which defines the levels of 1,3-DCP and 3-MCPD that can be extracted by water from various food contact grades of paper. These criteria led to the development of third generation (G3) products that contain very low levels of 1,3-DCP (typically <10 parts per million in the as-received/delivered resin). This paper outlines the PAE resin chemical contributors to adsorbable organic halogens and 3-MCPD in paper and provides recommendations for the use of each PAE resin product generation (G1, G1.5, G2, G2.5, and G3).

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Overseas Development Administration. A Guide to Social Analysis for Projects in Developing Countries. London: HMSO. 1995. viii+248 pages. Hardbound. £18.95.

The Pakistan Development Review ◽

10.30541/v35i2pp.189-190 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 35 (2) ◽

pp. 189-190

Author(s):

Mir Annice Mahmood

Keyword(s):

Developing Countries ◽

Social Change ◽

Practical Experience ◽

Development Projects ◽

Social Analysis ◽

Economic Perspective ◽

Human Environment ◽

The Past ◽

The Impact ◽

Overseas Development

This book, hereinafter referred to as the Guide, has been developed for those social analysts (e.g., anthropologists, sociologists, and human geographers) who have had little or no practical experience in applying their knowledge as development practitioners. In the past, development projects would be analysed from a narrow financial and economic perspective. But with the evolution of thinking on development, this narrow financial and economic aspect has now been broadened to include the impact on society as the very meaning of development has now come to symbolise social change. Thus, development is not restricted only to plans and figures; the human environment in its entirety is now considered for analysis while designing and implementing development projects.

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