Vagal stimulation and laryngeal electromyography for recurrent laryngeal reinnervation in children

Ansa-to-recurrent laryngeal nerve (ANSA-RLN) reinnervation procedures are now often first-line treatments for some children with unilateral vocal fold immobility. Although many describe that children with prolonged denervation and true vocal fold atrophy should not undergo this procedure, there has been no gold-standard means of identifying true denervation. Here, we describe a novel technique using evoked vagal electromyography to predict degree of chronic nerve injury prior to recurrent laryngeal nerve reinnervation in children. This is a simple, readily available technique that may play an important role in predicting likelihood of success with pediatric ANSA-RLN reinnervation. Laryngoscope, 130:747–751, 2020     

金属硫蛋白对大鼠肝脏线粒体氧自由基损伤的保护作用

目的：研究金属硫蛋白（ＭＴ）对氧自由基损伤线粒体的保护作用以探讨其细胞保护机制。方法：采用ＦｅＳＯ４／抗坏血酸自由基发生系统直接损伤线粒体，测定Ｃａ（２＋）－Ｍｇ（２＋）－ＡＴＰａｓｅ活性和Ｃａ（２＋）摄入的变化。结果：ＭＴ能够直接拮抗氧自由基对线粒体Ｃａ（２＋）－Ｍｇ（２＋）－ＡＴＰａｓｅ活性和Ｃａ（２＋）摄入的抑制作用（Ｐ＜０．０１）。结论：ＭＴ对氧自由基损伤线粒体有明显保护作用，ＭＴ对细胞器线粒体的保护作用可能是细胞保护机制之一。     

Ethylene oxide allergy in dialysis patients

DESIGN OF STUDY: Two groups of patients undergoing long-term dialysis were studied in order to evaluate the importance of ethylene oxide (EtO) in causing allergic reactions during dialysis. The first group of 50 subjects had never shown any hypersensitivity reactions related to dialysis, whereas the second group of 20 subjects had previously complained of reactions. All the patients underwent a prick test with a standard kit of aeroallergens in order to assess the presence of atopy (in doubtful cases a RAST test was carried out with the same aeroallergens). A blood sample for the investigation of EtO specific IgE antibodies was taken from all the patients; the immunoenzymatic method was used. RESULTS: Sensitivity to EtO is significantly higher in the group of patients with previous allergic reactions during dialysis (55 vs 6% in the control group).      

Rotator cuff tears: preliminary application of high-resolution MR imaging with counter rotating current loop-gap resonators

A new class of radio frequency (RF) coils for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and spectroscopy is introduced. The coils consist of two loop-gap resonators of equal diameters positioned along a common axis. They are tuned to the mode in which the current in the two loops flows in opposite directions. These coils are "decoupled" from a uniform excitation field of arbitrary orientation (including circularly polarized fields) by intrinsic decoupling and by means of back-to-back fast recovery diodes. Measurements made with the coils and a phantom saline tank indicate that the signal-to-noise ratio obtainable with these coils is almost identical to that obtained with single loops. Imaging of several anatomic areas, including knee, wrist, and shoulder, has been performed with a 1.5-T MR system that uses circularly polarized RF. A small series of patients with torn rotator cuffs underwent imaging. Difficulties in establishing the diagnosis with MR imaging because of anatomic complexity are illustrated. The value of pulse sequences with long repetition times to increase the signal intensity of fluid in the joint is shown.     

Congenital chylothorax in siblings

We describe two cases of congenital chylothorax in siblings with important differences from previously described familial cases. Our findings support the likelihood of an autosomal recessive inheritance in some cases of this condition, rather than X-linked recessive inheritance, which has also been suggested. Autopsy findings from one of these cases and others previously described suggest that the pathophysiological mechanisms involved may be variable.