Microvascular transfers of serratus anterior muscles in rats

Summary The serratus anterior muscle in the rat is supplied by the serratus division of thoracodorsal vessels, in a pattern similar to man [2]. The serratus anterior muscles were transferred to the groin area as a free muscle flap in 17 rats and as a free muscle graft in 13 rats. In the free muscle flap group, the serratus anterior muscles of 8 of 10 rats survived; histological examination showed them to be viable and the vascular anastomoses were patent at the 30th day. In the free muscle graft group, all of the muscle grafts became necrotic. As a result, it is concluded that the microvascular transfer of serratus anterior muscles in rats is a useful small animal model for microsurgical laboratory training of clinical free flap transfers and also for performing pharmacological and biochemical studies in transplanted muscle.     

Results of a double blind study of 89-strontium therapy of skeletal metastases of prostatic carcinoma

Forty-nine patients were treated with either 3×75 MBq ⁸⁹Sr or saline as placebo. Analysis of results 1 to 3 years after therapy revealed the ineffectiveness of ⁸⁹Sr to relieve pain from metastases. Unexpectedly, a higher survival rate was found after Sr application (46% vs 4% after 2 years). Covariate analysis underlines the effect of ⁸⁹Sr therapy on life expectation.     

Inter- and intraobserver variability in the histopathological diagnosis of medullary carcinoma of the breast,and its prognostic implications

Summary One hundred thirty-one breast carcinomas with medullary features, registered in the Danish Breast Cancer Cooperative Group from 1977–1982, have been histopathologically reviewed by two senior pathologists and classified as typical medullary carcinoma (TMC), atypical medullary carcinoma (AMC), and non-medullary carcinoma (NMC). Diagnostic criteria were based on those put forward by Ridolfiet al. and Fisheret al. The procedure was repeated with an interval of about one year by both pathologists. The diagnostic interobserver agreement was 72% with a Kappa of 0.55. The intraobserver agreement was 77% and 63% with Kappa values of 0.64 and 0.44, respectively. To see whether the observed inter- and intraobserver variability had any prognostic implications, diagnostic subgroups for both pathologists were analyzed with Kaplan Meier plots for recurrence-free survival (RFS) and with log rank tests. In the first evaluation pathologist 1 segregated a group of TMC with a significantly better RFS than for the NMC group, and pathologist 2 segregated a group of TMC with a corresponding strong trend. These findings could not, however, be reproduced in the second evaluation. The study indicates that the criteria of TMC and AMC as proposed by Ridolfiet al. need to be sharpened and simplified in order to reduce inter-and intraobserver variability. Larger studies with a control group of infiltrating ductal carcinomas are mandatory to elucidate the clinical importance of the diagnoses of Typical and Atypical Medullary Carcinoma of the breast.     

Effects of alkyl chain length on the inhibition of NNK-induced lung neoplasia in A/J mice by arylalkyl isothiocyanates

Six homologous arylalkyl isothiocyanates were evaluated fortheir abilities to inhibit pulmonary adenomas induced by thetobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-l-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone(NNK) in A/J mice. Four consecutive daily doses (5 µmol/mouse)of phenyl isothiocyanate (PITC), benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC),phenethyl isothiocyanate (PETTC), 3-phenylpropyl isothiocyanate(PPITC), 4-phenylbutyl isothiocyanate (PBITC), 4-oxo-4-(3-pyridyl)-butylisothiocyanate (OPBITC) and corn ofl were administered to miceby gavage. Two hours following the final dosing, mice were administeredsaline or 10 µmol of NNK in saline i.p. Pulmonary adenomaswere counted at 16 weeks after NNK administration. The miceadministered only corn oil prior to NNK developed an averagemultiplicity of 9.2 tumors/ mouse. Pretreatment with PITC, BITCand OPBITC had no significant effects on NNK-induced lung neoplasia.However, PEITC pretreatment resulted in a 64% reduction of lungtumor multiplicity, but did not affect the percentage of micethat developed tumors. Both PPITC and PBITC decreased tumormultiplicity by 96% and the percentage of tumor-bearing animalsby >60%. These results, in conjunction with our previouswork, demonstrate a general trend of increasing inhibition ofNNK-induced lung neoplasia by arylalkyl isothiocyanates withincreasing alkyl chain length. This study also demonstratesthe remarkable inhibitory activities of PPITC and PBITC, twoisothiocyanates that had not previously been tested as chemopreventiveagents.     

FFT-based digital tactile vocoder system for real-time use

A microprocessor-based real-time digital vibrotactile vocoder system has been developed to train the deaf and for artificial hearing research. The system is composed of a microcomputer module with a digital signal processor interface units and an attenuator/driver circuit. Live or digitised (stored or synthetic) speech is presented to the skin spectrally through a belt housing eight or 16 vibrators. Speech is processed in real time using a fast Fourier transform. The system is also capable of presenting any arbitrary spatiotemporal pattern on the skin for artificial hearing experiments. A preliminary experiment with a deaf subject indicates that the system is potentially an effective device for artificial hearing.     

Delay of cranial bone regeneration by CO2 and Nd-YAG laser application: an experimental study related to craniosynostosis

In this study we have investigated the negative influence of CO₂ and Nd-YAG laser irradiation on rapid cranial regeneration and whether it has any use in certain types of craniosynostosis. Twenty-two newborn rats were used in the study. Both CO₂ and Nd-YAG laser irradiation, which was applied to free bony edges after, suturectomies, resulted in a significant decrease in skull regeneration. Histopathological examinations revealed severe degeneration caused by both types of laser energies.     

Monitoring of Neuromuscular Blockade at the P6 Acupuncture Point Reduces the Incidence of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting

Background: Electrical stimulation of the P6 acupuncture point reduces the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Neuromuscular blockade during general anesthesia can be monitored with electrical peripheral nerve stimulation at the wrist. The authors tested the effect of neuromuscular monitoring over the P6 acupuncture point on the reduction of PONV.

Methods: In this prospective, double-blinded, randomized control trial, the authors investigated, with institutional review board approval and informed consent, 220 women undergoing elective laparoscopic surgery anesthetized with fentanyl, sevoflurane, and rocuronium. During anesthesia, neuromuscular blockade was monitored by a conventional nerve stimulator at a frequency of 1 Hz over the ulnar nerve (n = 110, control group) or over the median nerve (n = 110, P6 group) stimulating at the P6 acupuncture point at the same time. The authors evaluated the incidence of nausea and vomiting during the first 24 h.

Results: No differences in demographic and morphometric data were found between both groups. The 24-h incidence of PONV was 45% in the P6 acupuncture group versus 61% in the control group (P = 0.022). Nausea decreased from 56% in the control group to 40% in the P6 group (P = 0.022), but emesis decreased only from 28% to 23% (P = 0.439). Nausea decreased substantially during the first 6 h of the observation period (P = 0.009). Fewer subjects in the acupuncture group required ondansetron as rescue therapy (27% vs. 39%; P = 0.086).     

Scar endometriosis—a gynaecologic pathology often presented to the general surgeon rather than the gynaecologist: report of two cases

Introduction Scar endometriosis develops in and is adjacent to surgical scars at the site of previous abdominal operations. The most frequent clinical presentation of the disease is that of a palpable subcutaneous mass near surgical scars associated with cyclic pain and swelling during menses. Endometriosis of the surgical scar is often referred to the general surgeons because the clinical presentation suggests an incisional hernia or other conditions related to the general surgery. Cyclical symptoms such as pain and swelling, in relation to surgical scars, which worsen at the time of menstruation, are nearly pathognomonic of scar endometriosis. However, often the diagnosis of endometriosis is not suggested until after histology has been performed. Case report We present two cases of cutaneous endometriosis that has occurred on the site of previous cesarean section scar area.