Loma Linda University

About: Loma Linda University is a education organization based out in Loma Linda, California, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Medicine. The organization has 9220 authors who have published 13485 publications receiving 447094 citations. The organization is also known as: University of Loma Linda.

Horizontal ridge augmentation with a collagen membrane and a combination of particulated autogenous bone and anorganic bovine bone-derived mineral: a prospective case series in 25 patients.

Abstract: This prospective case series evaluated the use of a resorbable natural collagen membrane with a mixture of autogenous bone and anorganic bovine bone-derived mineral (ABBM) for lateral ridge augmentation and subsequent implant placement. A mixture (1:1) of particulated autogenous bone and ABBM was used for lateral ridge augmentation and covered with a resorbable, natural collagen bilayer membrane to treat knife-edge ridges and prepare them for implant placement. Ridge measurements were obtained pre- and postsurgery, complications recorded, and biopsy specimens examined histologically. Seventy-six implants were placed in 25 patients with 31 knife-edge ridge surgical sites. One defect had a bone graft complication (3.2%; exact 95% confidence interval: 0.1%, 16.7%). Clinical measurements revealed an average of 5.68 mm (standard deviation [SD] = 1.42 mm) of lateral ridge augmentation after a mean 8.9-month (SD = 2.1 months) graft healing period. Clinically, all treated ridges were sufficient in width for subsequent implant placement. All implants survived with an average follow-up of 20.88 months (SD = 9.49 months). Histologic analysis of nine surgical sites showed that ABBM was connected with a dense network of newly formed bone with varying degrees of maturation. Histomorphometric analysis demonstrated that autogenous bone represented a mean of 31.0% of the specimens, ABBM 25.8%, and marrow space 43.2%. The treatment of horizontally deficient alveolar ridges with the guided bone regeneration technique using autogenous bone mixed with ABBM and a natural collagen resorbable barrier membrane can be regarded as successful. Implant success and survival need to be confirmed with long-term follow-up examinations.

Mutations in LTBP4 cause a syndrome of impaired pulmonary, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, musculoskeletal, and dermal development.

Abstract: We report recessive mutations in the gene for the latent transforming growth factor-β binding protein 4 (LTBP4) in four unrelated patients with a human syndrome disrupting pulmonary, gastrointestinal, urinary, musculoskeletal, craniofacial, and dermal development. All patients had severe respiratory distress, with cystic and atelectatic changes in the lungs complicated by tracheomalacia and diaphragmatic hernia. Three of the four patients died of respiratory failure. Cardiovascular lesions were mild, limited to pulmonary artery stenosis and patent foramen ovale. Gastrointestinal malformations included diverticulosis, enlargement, tortuosity, and stenosis at various levels of the intestinal tract. The urinary tract was affected by diverticulosis and hydronephrosis. Joint laxity and low muscle tone contributed to musculoskeletal problems compounded by postnatal growth delay. Craniofacial features included microretrognathia, flat midface, receding forehead, and wide fontanelles. All patients had cutis laxa. Four of the five identified LTBP4 mutations led to premature termination of translation and destabilization of the LTBP4 mRNA. Impaired synthesis and lack of deposition of LTBP4 into the extracellular matrix (ECM) caused increased transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) activity in cultured fibroblasts and defective elastic fiber assembly in all tissues affected by the disease. These molecular defects were associated with blocked alveolarization and airway collapse in the lung. Our results show that coupling of TGF-β signaling and ECM assembly is essential for proper development and is achieved in multiple human organ systems by multifunctional proteins such as LTBP4.

Accuracy in the Measurement of Compartment Pressures: A Comparison of Three Commonly Used Devices

Abstract: Background: In situations in which accurate physical diagnosis is inconclusive, an objective method for measuring compartment pressure can aid in the diagnosis of compartment syndrome. Previous studies have compared measurement devices with each other but not with an accurately determined gold standard. The purpose of the present study was to devise a reproducible in vitro model of compartment pressure and to compare commonly used measurement devices in order to determine their accuracy. Methods: With a graduated cylinder being used to generate a known pressure, freshly harvested ovine muscle was placed into a chamber for testing. The cylinder was incrementally filled with saline solution (in fifty-five steps), and measurements of tissue pressure were obtained with use of the Stryker Intracompartmental Pressure Monitor System, an arterial line manometer, and the Whitesides apparatus. Each device was tested with a straight needle, a side-port needle, and a slit catheter, for a total of nine setups in all. Five trials were done with each setup. Control pressures were calculated on the basis of the height of the saline solution column (test range, 0.13 to 10.80 kPa). Multiple regression analysis was used to compare measured tissue pressures with calculated control pressures. Results: Most methods demonstrated excellent correlation (R2 > 0.95) between calculated and measured pressures. The arterial line manometer with the slit catheter showed the best correlation (R2 = 0.9978), and the Whitesides apparatus with the side-port needle showed the worst (R2 = 0.9115). Furthermore, the Stryker system with the side-port needle demonstrated the least constant bias (+0.06 kPa). Straight needles tended to overestimate pressure. Two of the three needle configurations involving the Whitesides apparatus overestimated pressure. The data for the Whitesides methods had the highest standard errors, showing clinically unacceptable scatter. Conclusion: Side-port needles and slit catheters are more accurate than straight needles are. The arterial line manometer is the most accurate device. The Stryker device is also very accurate. The Whitesides manometer apparatus lacks the precision needed for clinical use. Clinical Relevance: When physical examination findings are inconclusive, accurate measurement of compartment pressures can aid in timely management and can minimize patient morbidity. Measurement should be done with use of the most accurate technique available.

Astaxanthin as a Potential Neuroprotective Agent for Neurological Diseases.

Abstract: Neurological diseases, which consist of acute injuries and chronic neurodegeneration, are the leading causes of human death and disability. However, the pathophysiology of these diseases have not been fully elucidated, and effective treatments are still lacking. Astaxanthin, a member of the xanthophyll group, is a red-orange carotenoid with unique cell membrane actions and diverse biological activities. More importantly, there is evidence demonstrating that astaxanthin confers neuroprotective effects in experimental models of acute injuries, chronic neurodegenerative disorders, and neurological diseases. The beneficial effects of astaxanthin are linked to its oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic characteristics. In this review, we will focus on the neuroprotective properties of astaxanthin and explore the underlying mechanisms in the setting of neurological diseases.

Therapeutic Residential Care for Children and Youth: A Consensus Statement of the International Work Group on Therapeutic Residential Care*

Abstract: While the focus of this consensus statement and the review volume that preceded it (Whittaker, Del Valle, & Holmes, 2014) is on therapeutic residential care (TRC), a specialized form of group care, we view our work as supportive of a much wider effort internationally concerned with the quality of care children receive when, for a variety of reasons, they need to live away from their families.