Colostomy shift en masse—a new procedure

Colostomy shift en masse is a novel technique in which the colostomy is shifted along with a rim of skin and abdominal wall tissue. This provides additional length of distal bowel if needed during pull-through anastomosis. We have treated three cases (two Hirschsprung's disease and one anorectal malformation) with colostomy shift en masse, and have achieved good results.     

An unusual abdominal lumpa--a case report

A 58 years old male presented with a self detected upper abdominal mass of 6 months duration along with recent history of weight loss and malaise. Ultrasonography (USG) of abdomen showed a hypoechoic mass with cystic areas, approximately 10 cm x 7 cm in measurement, occupying the upper abdomen and lying in front of the stomach. Endoscopy revealed extrinsic compression of the anterior wall of the stomach without any detectable abnormality of the gastric and duodenal mucosa. CT scan of the abdomen showed a well defined heterogeneous mass with cystic areas, attached to the anterior stomach wall by a narrow stalk. Surgical resection of the mass along with a strip of stomach wall adjoining the stalk and the adherent omentum was performed. Few lymph nodes were sampled. Biopsy report suggested gastric leiomyoma and the lymph nodes did not reveal any tumour deposit. Patient is doing well more than a year after surgery.     

Measurement of photon-energy albedo from stratified shielding materials.

In the conventional method of measuring photon-energy albedo using a scintillation detector coupled with a multichannel analyzer, tedious efficiency correction by the inverse matrix method was needed. The indigenously designed proportional-response photon counter, with its detection efficiency proportional to energy of incident photons, was used in the present investigation. Use of the proportional-response photon counter makes the measurement straightforward and more accurate. Measurements of energy albedo from stratified layers of aluminum, iron, lead, and concrete using 662-keV and 1250-keV photon energies are reported.     

Dorsal Dislocation of the Intermediate Cuneiform with Fracture of the Lisfranc Joint: A Case Report

Tarsal cuneiform dislocation in association with Lisfranc fracture-dislocation is a rare pedal injury. In this report, we describe the case of a patient who sustained a dorsal dislocation of the intermediate cuneiform in association with tarsometatarsal fracture-dislocation following traumatic axial loading and torsion of his foot. A satisfactory outcome was achieved by treating the injury by means of closed reduction and percutaneous Kirschner wire fixation. ACFAS Level of Clinical Evidence: 4.     

Influence of inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase activity on X-ray and ultraviolet light induced killing and mutation in Chinese hamster V79 cells

The effect of nicotinamide or benzamide, inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose)polymeraseactivity, on X-ray and ultraviolet light induced killing ofasynchronously dividing V79 Chinese hamster cells was to reducethe shoulder width of the survival curve; the rate of killingremaining unchanged and the yield of 8-azaguanine resistantmutants also remaining unaffected. However, when density inhibitedcells were irradiated with X-rays or u.v. light, holding atthis density allowed potentially lethal damage recovery (PLDR)to occur, enhancing survival. Inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerasesuppressed PLDR and also increased the yield of mutants. Thusthe role of poly(ADP-ribose) in X-ray or u.v. induced killingand mutation was dependent on the condition of growth.     

Histamine H2-receptor mediated stimulation of gastric acid secretion by mercaptomethylimidazole

Intraperitoneal administration of mercaptomethylimidazole (methimazole), a potent antithyroid drug belonging to the thionamide group, caused a significant increase in gastric secretion both in control and pylorus-ligated mice. The drug also induced significant stimulation of gastric acid and pepsinogen secretion in both the animal systems studied. The dose-response curve indicated a nearly 10-fold increase in acid output by injection of 0.55 mg mercaptomethylimidazole per 25 g body weight. The duration profile of the drug response at the dose mentioned showed acid secretion almost at a linear rate up to 2.5 hr, after which the response decreased to some extent. Of the other antithyroid drugs of the same family, only thiourea activated acid secretion but the response was much smaller than mercaptomethylimidazole. Histamine, one of the physiological secretagogues of gastric acid secretion, was found to be less active than mercaptomethylimidazole. Mercaptomethylimidazole-induced stimulation of acid secretion could be effectively blocked by prior administration of cimetidine and completely by omeprazole and not by atropine. Verapamil and nifedipine had also some inhibitory effect. These observations indicate that mercaptomethylimidazole stimulates HCl secretion through the involvement of H2-receptor and through the functioning of the H+-K+-ATPase of the parietal cells. The bulk movement of water during increased HCl secretion was partially sensitive to cimetidine and omeprazole and was also associated with an increased secretion of Na+ and K+ in the gastric juice. This indicates that mercaptomethylimidazole also induced water transport through a separate mechanism.