Development of current concepts for the treatment of breast diseases as documented by the Transactions of the Southern Surgical Association.

The development of current concepts in the treatment of breast diseases during the last 100 years is well documented in the Transactions of the Southern Surgical Association. Fellows of the SSA have been on the cutting edge of these developments and chose the SSA as the forum to describe and debate their new observations.     

A foodborne outbreak of group A streptococcal disease at a birthday party.

A severe foodborne outbreak of group A streptococcal disease (T28) affected 122/169 people (72%) who attended a church party or ate leftovers from the party. The median incubation time was 42 h. Muscular pain or weakness and fatigue usually preceded pharyngeal symptoms. Complications included otitis media with perforation, peritonsillitis requiring tonsillectomy, arthritis and pericarditis. A 45-year-old man died 36 h after he developed an influenza-like illness, and at necropsy there were histological signs of early streptococcal septicaemia. The strain produced erythrogenic exotoxins B and C. Streptococci were probably transmitted by sliced eggs on sandwiches. Laboratory experiments showed that there was an increment in viable count of streptococci with 6 logs after incubation in egg yolk for 24 h at room temperature. The unusually warm climate and flaws in food handling routines contributed to this large foodborne epidemic.     

Cholesterol-sensing receptors, liver X receptor alpha and beta, have novel and distinct roles in osteoclast differentiation and activation.

The liver X receptor (alpha,beta) is responsible for regulating cholesterol homeostasis in cells. However, our studies using the LXRalpha-/-, LXRbeta-/-, and LXRalpha-/-beta-/- mice show that both LXRalpha and beta are also important for bone turnover, mainly by regulating osteoclast differentiation/activity. Introduction: The liver X receptors (alpha,beta) are primarily responsible for regulating cholesterol homeostasis within cells and the whole body. However, as recent studies show that the role for this receptor is expanding, we studied whether the LXRs could be implicated in bone homeostasis and development. MATERIALS AND METHODS: pQCT was performed on both male and female LXRalpha-/-, LXRbeta-/-, LXRalpha-/-beta-/-, and WT mice at 4 months and 1 year of age. Four-month-old female mice were additionally analyzed with reference to qPCR, immunohistochemistry, histomorphometry, transmission electron microscopy, and serum bone turnover markers. RESULTS: At the mRNA level, LXRbeta was more highly expressed than LXRalpha in both whole long bones and differentiating osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 and osteoclast-like RAW 264.7 cells. Four-month-old female LXRalpha-/- mice had a significant increase in BMD because of an increase in all cortical parameters. No difference was seen regarding trabecular BMD. Quantitative histomorphometry showed that these mice had significantly more endosteal osteoclasts in the cortical bone; however, these cells appeared less active than normal cells as suggested by a significant reduction in serum levels of cross-linked carboxyterminal telopeptides of type I collagen (CTX) and a reduction in bone TRACP activity. Conversely, the female LXRbeta-/- mice exhibited no change in BMD, presumably because a significant decline in the number of the trabecular osteoclasts was compensated for by an increase in the expression of the osteoclast markers cathepsin K and TRACP. These mice also had a significant decrease in serum CTX, suggesting decreased bone resorption; however, in addition presented with an increase in the expression of osteoblast associated genes, bone formation markers, and serum leptin levels. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that both LXRs influence cellular function within the bone, with LXRalpha having an impact on osteoclast activity, primarily in cortical bone, whereas LXRbeta modulates trabecular bone turnover.     

Evaluation of leukocyte arylsulphatase a, serum interleukin-6 and urinary heparan sulphate following tamoxifen therapy in breast cancer.

Leukocyte arylsulphatase A (AS-A) was shown to be significantly high in newly-diagnosed breast cancer patients. Previous reports imply a connection between serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and breast cancer, possibly through a modulation of enzymes involved in estrogen synthesis. Abnormal distribution of heparan sulphate proteoglycans (HSPGs) in malignant breast epithelial cells suggests that they play a key role in the regulation of cell growth. Estradiol is believed to be effective in modulating glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and their depolymerizing enzymes. Therefore, in this study, attempts were made to evaluate the activity of leukocyte arylsulphatase A, serum interleukin-6, urinary GAGs and heparan sulphate (HS) in response to tamoxifen (TAM) therapy in mastectomised breast cancer patients. Thirty-four patients (aged 30-82 years) were administered TAM (20 mg twice daily). Blood and urine samples of each patient were collected three times (at the beginning, and in third and sixth month of TAM therapy), and biochemical parameters were measured. There was no difference between baseline leukocyte AS-A activity and that measured after three months. At the end of six months, enzyme activity was significantly higher than the former values (p=0.022), but within the reference intervals reported in the literature. Although this increase might imply a normalization, the duration of TAM therapy is not long enough to make a decision about either regression or aggravation of the disease. TAM did not have any effect on serum IL-6, urinary HS and GAG levels which may be due to insensitivity of these variables to TAM during the short period of therapy. Both urinary GAG and HS levels measured at sixth month exhibited a positive correlation with the baseline level of leukocyte AS-A (p=0.005 and 0.009, respectively), suggesting that positive responses to the drug might be seen in patients with low AS-A activity.     

Altered Homeostasis of Extracellular Matrix Proteins in Joints of Standardbred Trotters During a Long‐term Training Programme

This study evaluates how strenuous training, age and lameness influence the release of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (sf‐COMP), aggrecan and collagen type II into synovial fluid in 28 (19.5–40 months) Standardbred trotters (STB), during a long‐term training programme (24 months). All the horses were trained by the same trainer and were healthy on entering the training programme. Synovial fluid (sf) from the left middle carpal joint in each subject was sampled every third month. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the concentrations of sf‐COMP, sf‐aggrecan and sf‐collagen type II. Concentration of sf‐COMP decreased with increasing age and total days of training. The concentration of sf‐COMP was found similarly related to both age and total days of training, so they could not be differentiated. It was also shown that the concentration of collagen type II degradation products increased with total days of training. The study shows that extensive and long‐term training programme induces metabolic changes in articular cartilage exemplified by reduced release and synthesis of COMP. This is most likely due to strenuous training leading to inappropriate load on the articular cartilage.     

手术及综合康复治疗膝关节僵直

目的 探讨膝关节纤维性僵直手术及围手术期、术后综合康复治疗的方法和意义.方法 26例膝关节纤维性僵直患者,采用髌骨外上方小切口,辅助关节镜下行关节内粘连松解,并结合徒手推拿松解.术前进行心理宣教,术后第2天开始经止痛泵维持在CPM机上行慢速全范围关节活动度功能锻炼,并行主被动伸屈膝功能锻炼、髌骨内推训练.结果 术后平均随访19个月(8～32个月),膝关节活动度从术前平均32°增至113°,平均提高81°.无皮肤坏死、创口裂开、肌腱断裂、骨折等并发症发生.结论 关节镜辅助下小切口松解治疗膝关节纤维性僵直的手术操作简单,创伤小,康复快.膝关节僵直围手术期及术后综合康复治疗,对膝关节功能恢复有重要意义.     

Chronic trapezius myalgia. Morphology and blood flow studied in 17 patients

Bilateral open biopsies from the painful upper part of the trapezius muscle were studied in 17 patients with localized chronic myalgia related to static load during repetitive assembly work. Isolated pathologic ragged red fibers were related to the presence of myalgia. The phenomenon indicating disturbed mitochondrial function was confined to the Type 1 fibers. Using a laser-Doppler flowmeter, the muscle blood flow was recorded in the exposed muscle before a biopsy was taken. Pain was assessed and graded as the difference between the two sides, as was the presence of ragged red fibers. The myalgia correlated with reduced local blood flow: the greater the pain difference, the greater the reduction in blood flow. There was a correlation between the presence of mitochondrial changes and reduced muscle blood flow.     

Congenital epulis.

Congenital epulis of the newborn is a rare gingival tumor that occurs along the alveolar ridge. We report the prenatal sonographic and postnatal MR imaging findings in an infant with maxillary and mandibular congenital epulides.     

Consequence of long-term exposure to corticosterone or dexamethasone on ethanol consumption in the adrenalectomized rat,and the effect of type I and type II corticosteroid receptor antagonists

The daily fluid intake of male Wistar rats with simultaneous access to 6% ethanol and water was determined during a baseline period (1 week), following adrenalectomy (1 week) and for 3 weeks following SC implantation of hormone pellets containing corticosterone (CORT) or dexamethasone (DEX). Ethanol consumption dropped during the first week of adrenalectomy (ADX) but increased again in the absence of hormone replacement to reach preoperative levels during the ensuing weeks. The CORT treatment, which produced plasma hormone levels similar to the 24-h mean concentration of adrenally intact rats, not only reversed the effect of ADX on alcohol consumption but also enhanced it to levels above those observed in intact rats. Water intake was not affected by the CORT treatment. DEX implants stimulated water intake, but did not enhance the drinking of ethanol. SC injections of RU 28318 (type I corticosterone receptor antagonist; 10 mg/kg) or mifepristone (RU 38486; type II receptor antagonist; 25 mg/kg) at the beginning and halfway through three daily, 6-h tests failed to affect ethanol drinking in adrenally intact rats or in ADX rats bearing CORT implants. Similarly, there was no effect of giving the two antagonists in combination. These results suggest that exogenous CORT can induce excessive alcohol intake in genetically unselected rats and that this facilitatory effect may be mediated by non-genomic cellular mechanisms.