However, the sensitivity and specificity of discography are matters of debate. Pressure-controlled discographies have been reported to reduce the number of false-positive discs using low pressure criteria. Preliminary data indicated a transfer of pressure from an injected Nocodazole to an adjacent
disc during discography. Pressure transmission in vivo during lumbar discography, not reported before might, if clinically present, contribute to a false-positive diagnosis.
Methods. Thirty-six lumbar discs in 9 adolescent pigs were investigated. Intradiscal pressure was recorded during contrast injection, using a 0.36/0.25 mm fiber-optic pressure transducer inserted into the nucleus pulposus via a 22 G needle. The pressure was measured simultaneously in 2 adjacent discs during contrast injection into 1 of the discs at pressures up to 8 bar. Transmitted pressure was recorded both in noninjected discs and in discs that were prefilled with contrast.
Results. Thirty-three discs were successfully examined.
During contrast injection, there was an intradiscal pressure rise in the adjacent disc with a median value of 16.0% (range, 3.2-37.0) over baseline pressure. There was no significant Nutlin3 difference in pressure increase between the noninjected and prefilled discs (P < 0.68).
Conclusion. Discography of porcine discs induces a pressure increase in adjacent discs. A similar pressure transfer during human clinical discography might elicit false-positive pain reactions.”
“In this article, kinetics of neat poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and its blends with triphenyl phosphate (TPP) and/or talc crystallized isothermally in the temperature range of 113-128 degrees C was analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and described by the Avrami equation. The results showed that the average value of Avrami exponents n is around 2.0 for neat PLA and the PLA/15TPP blend, and around 3.0 for the PLA/1.2Talc blend and the PLA/15TPP/1.2Talc blend. The crystallization rate BVD-523 in vivo constants k for neat PLA and its blends were increased in the following order: the PLA/15TPP blend, neat
PLA, the PLA/15TPP/1.2Talc blend, and PLA/1.2Talc blend. The half-time of crystallization t(1/2) was increased with an increase of crystallization temperature T-c and the presence of TPP, and was decreased sharply with the incorporation of talc. Further investigation into crystallization activation energy Delta E-a of neat PLA and its blends with 15 wt % TPP and/or 1.2 wt % talc showed that the values of Delta E-a were increased with the incorporation of TPP and/or talc compared to that of neat PLA. It was verified by wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) that neat PLA and its blends with TPP and/or talc crystallized isothermally in the temperature range of 113-128 degrees C, and all formed the alpha-form crystal after enough annealing time. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.