Surgical treatment of old pelvic fractures

We report on 4 patients, aged 24–51 years, with untreated pelvic ring fractures. The chief complaints were gait disturbances and pain in the buttocks and lower limb. The period between the initial injury and the surgical treatment ranged from 2.5 months to 3 years. Palsy was not improved, but pain and gait ability was improved in all patients.

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Résumé  Les auteurs rapportent 4 cas de fracture ancienne du bassin pour lesquels les situations d’urgence mettant en jeu le pronostic vital n’avaient pas permis initialement un traitement correct. Il s’agit de quatre patients dont l’age s’échelonne de 24 à 51 ans. La gêne fonctionnelle était représentée par une boiterie, des douleurs dans les fesses et les membres inférieurs. Le délais entre l’accident et l’intervention était de 2,5 à 3 ans. Les douleurs et la capacité de marche ont été améliorées chez tous les patients mais une paralysie n’a pas pu être améliorée.

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Accepted: 8 November 1999     

Effect of an antioxidant, ebselen, on development of chronic cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage in primates

BACKGROUND: Oxidation and/or free radical reactions after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) may be involved in the development of chronic cerebral vasospasm. The inhibition of these reactions is thought to be one of the therapeutic strategies for prevention of cerebral vasospasm. We investigated the effect of Ebselen, a synthetic seleno-organic compound, which exhibits anti-oxidation by glutathione peroxidaselike activity to inhibit free radical reactions by lipid peroxidation on the development of chronic cerebral vasospasm in a primate model. METHODS: Seventeen monkeys were used. SAH was produced by introduction of a blood clot around the right middle cerebral artery and the right side of the circle of Willis in all animals. The monkeys were randomly divided into three groups according to Ebselen dosage: 1) no dosage or non-treated group; 2) high-dose Ebselen group; and 3) low-dose Ebselen group. The drug was administered at 10 mg/Kg in the high-dose group and 5 mg/Kg in the low-dose group twice a day in each group for 7 days after SAH. The vessel diameter was evaluated on angiograms before the induction of SAH and at Day 7 following SAH.RESULTS:In the untreated group, the angiograms showed significant (p < 0.05) reductions of the mean vessel caliber of the right internal carotid (ICA) (38 +/- 10% reduction) and the middle cerebral artery (MCA) (56 +/- 9.7%) compared with the baseline value before SAH. In the high-dose Ebselen-treated group, the mean percent reduction in vessel caliber of the right ICA (16 +/- 11%) and MCA (28 +/- 9.5%) on Day 7 angiograms were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than those in the nontreated group, whereas the mean percent reduction of these vessels in the low-dose Ebselen-treated group showed no significant difference compared with the untreated group. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic cerebral vasospasm was inhibited in the animals in which a relatively large amount of Ebselen was administered for 7 days after SAH. The results suggest that the oxidation or free radical reaction by lipid peroxidation after SAH might be involved in the pathogenesis of vasospasm, and that inhibition of these reactions by drugs, such as Ebselen, may have a promising effect for prevention of vasospasm.     

Analyses of mutation and loss of heterozygosity of coding sequences of the entire transforming growth factor beta type II receptor gene in sporadic human gastric cancer

Mutations in the transforming growth factor beta type II receptor (TGFbetaRII) gene have been detected in several human cancer types exhibiting microsatellite instability. Using intron primers previously reported for examination of the entire coding region of the TGFbetaRII gene, 29 sporadic gastric cancers were screened with non-radioactive single strand conformation polymorphism and subsequent DNA sequencing analysis. Mutations of the TGFbetaRII gene were detected in three out of 29 tumors (10%). Two cases showed deletions in a polyadenine tract in both alleles and was positively associated with replication error. One case had an insertion of GA dinucleotide sequence in one allele. Mutations of the TGFbetaRII gene were restricted to exon 3 and other coding regions were not affected. Loss of heterozygosity was detected by analyzing a polymorphic site in intron 2. Three out of nine (33%) informative cases, which were all of intestinal type and advanced cases, showed loss of heterozygosity but neither TGFbetaRII mutation nor replication error was found in these cases. Immunoreactivity of TGFbetaRII in tumor tissues was reduced to a different extent in the gastric cancer with genetically abnormal transforming growth factor. Although the numbers studied are small, homozygous (A)10 deletion or loss of heterozygosity of TGFbetaRII is involved in tumorigenesis and progression of at least some part of sporadic gastric cancer.      

Cerulenin, an inhibitor of protein acylation, selectively attenuates nutrient stimulation of insulin release: a study in rat pancreatic islets

Nutrients such as glucose stimulate insulin release from pancreatic beta-cells through both ATP-sensitive K+ channel-independent and -dependent mechanisms, which are most likely interrelated. Although little is known of the molecular basis of ATP-sensitive K+ channel-independent insulinotropic nutrient actions, mediation by cytosolic long-chain acyl-CoA has been implicated. Because protein acylation might be a sequel of cytosolic long-chain acyl-CoA accumulation, we examined if this reaction is engaged in nutrient stimulation of insulin release, using cerulenin, an inhibitor of protein acylation. In isolated rat pancreatic islets, cerulenin inhibited the glucose augmentation of Ca2+-stimulated insulin release evoked by a depolarizing concentration of K+ in the presence of diazoxide and Ca2+-independent insulin release triggered by a combination of forskolin and phorbol ester under stringent Ca2+-free conditions. Cerulenin inhibition of glucose effects was concentration dependent, with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 5 microg/ml and complete inhibition at 100 microg/ml. Cerulenin also inhibited augmentation of insulin release by alpha-ketoisocaproate, a mitochondrial fuel. Furthermore, cerulenin abolished augmentation of both Ca2+-stimulated and Ca2+-independent insulin release by 10 micromol/l palmitate, which causes palmitoylation of cellular proteins. In contrast, cerulenin did not attenuate insulin release elicited by nonnutrient secretagogues, such as a depolarizing concentration of K+, activators of protein kinases A and C, and mastoparan. Glucose oxidation, ATP content in islets, and palmitate oxidation were not affected by cerulenin. In conclusion, cerulenin inhibits nutrient augmentation of insulin release with a high selectivity. The finding is consistent with a prominent role of protein acylation in the process of beta-cell nutrient sensing.     

Atypical Shone's Complex Diagnosed at 70 Years Old: Presenting with Double-orifice Mitral Valve,Bicuspid Aortic Valve,and Aortic Coarctation

Atypical Shone''s complex is a rare congenital anomaly involving a left-sided obstructive lesion of two or three cardiovascular levels. A 70-year-old man with dyspnea on exertion was diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis (AS) with a bicuspid valve, complicated by severe aortic coarctation (CoA) and a double-orifice mitral valve. He underwent surgery for AS and CoA in one session. It is important to search for complicated malformations, even in cases of bicuspid aortic valve found in old age.     

A novel compound RS-0466 reverses beta-amyloid-induced cytotoxicity through the Akt signaling pathway in vitro

In order to determine whether 5-[bis(carboxymethyl) amino]-2-carboxy4-cyano-3-thiopheneacetic acid distrontium salt (S12911-2) inhibits bone resorption by acting on the differentiation and/or function of osteoclasts, its effects were assessed on the 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3)-induced expression of carbonic anhydrase II and vitronectin receptor in chicken bone marrow cells, and on the resorbing activity of authentic rat osteoclasts cultured on bone slices. S12911-2 dose-dependently inhibited, after a 6-day exposure, the expression of carbonic anhydrase II and vitronectin receptor in stimulated osteoclasts (46% and 40%, respectively, at 10(-3) M Sr(2+), P<0.05). A pre-incubation of bone slices with S12911-2 induced a dose-dependent inhibition of bone resorbing activity from 32% at 10(-4) M Sr(2+) to 66% at 10(-3) M Sr(2+) (P<0.05 in each case). A continuous incubation (10(-3) M Sr(2+)) induced a greater inhibition of bone resorbing activity (73%, P<0.05). The inhibition of bone resorption obtained specifically with S12911-2 is related to an inhibition of the differentiation and resorbing activity of the osteoclasts.