Ectopic ossification after hip arthroplasty.

The incidence of radiographically visible ectopic ossification around the hip joint was redorded in 145 hip joints of 132 patients treated by endoprosthetic replacement. There were 56 total hip replacements with a McKee-Farrar and 39 with a Brunswik type of endoprosthesis; in a further 50 hips the femoral head was replaced with a Moore or Thompson prosthesis. An identical antero-lateral surgical approach was used in all, without detachment of the greater torchanter. The patients were re-examined 3, 6, and12 months after the operation. The extent of ectopic ossification was graded from 0 to III and correlated with pain and with the function and mobility of the operated hip. Ectopic ossification of varied extent was recorded in 37 % after total hip replacement and in 38 % after replacement of the femoral head. Of these ossifications 95 % were recognizable within 3 months; they did not increase in size, but often in density during the following months. One case of bony ankylosis was noted. Ectopic ossification of slight (grade I) to moderate (grade II) degree did not cause pain or affect the function of the operated hip, but reduced the mobility of the affected hip. The difference in mobility between grade I and grade II was significant (p less than 0.05), and between grade 0 and grade II highly significant (p less than 0.001).     

Systèmes ternaires: Polymère A/polymère B/solvant. Influence de la nature du solvant sur l'incompatibilité des polymères

The limiting viscosity number of a polymer A, measured in a solution of a polymer B in a solvent S, is lower than that of the same polymer A, measured in the pure solvent S. There is a rather good correlation between the corresponding lowering of [η] and the critical demixtion volumes measured for various ternary systems polymer A/polymer B and various solvents. Moreover, the difference between the exponents of the viscosity laws measured for each of the polymers A and B in various solvents may be related to the corresponding critical demixtion volumes. Following these conclusions, it can be expected that to get a maximum compatibility for a given system of 2 polymers, the solvent should be chosen such as to have comparable affinities to each of them.     

Surgical stabilization of traumatic flail chest.

Since 1970 we have stabilized the ribs to correct paradoxical movement of the chest wall in chest injuries, using an original technique, in order to avoid as far as possible the need for long-term chest wall stabilization by intermittent positive pressure respiration (IPPR). The technical details of surgical stabilization are described, and the different types of stainless steel struts are shown. Type I was originally used either as an intramedullary nail or as an external brace. Types II and III were designed for external fixation of the strut to the rib. Treatment of 29 patients with severe flail chest, classified into four groups is shown: group I was treated by IPPR, group II by IPPR plus surgical stabilization, group III by surgical stabilization only, and group IV by surgical stabilization after exploratory thoracotomy. The clinical results are discussed. We conclude that surgical stabilization of the paradoxial movement of the chest wall can avoid the use of the respirator or at least reduce the interval of IPPR to a short period during the initial recovery from trauma. Using type III struts, we have obtained stabilization of the flail chest in all cases even in patients with severe anterior paradoxical movement. The patients'' tolerance of surgical stainless steel struts was good.     

Rye bran diet increases epithelial cell apoptosis and decreases epithelial cell volume in TRAMP (transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate) tumors

A rye bran diet has been suggested to retard prostate cancer growth and increase tumor cell apoptosis in animal models and in men with prostate cancer. Transgenic mice designed to develop prostate cancer (transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate, TRAMP) were therefore treated with a rye bran diet. TRAMP mice were fed a rye bran (n = 13) or a control diet (n = 15) from 4 to 24 wk of age. Tumor histology, cell proliferation, and apoptosis were accessed using stereological and immunohistochemical techniques. In the dorsolateral prostate lobe in TRAMP mice, epithelial cell apoptosis was increased by 31%, and the volume fraction of epithelial cells was reduced by 20% (P < 0.05) in the rye bran-treated group compared with the control diet group. There were, however, no significant changes detected in lobe weights or tumor grade. In conclusion, a rye bran diet increases epithelial apoptosis and reduces the epithelial cell fraction in TRAMP tumors.     

Effective training for patients with intermittent claudication

OBJECTIVE: Current guidelines for treatment of intermittent claudication (IC) do not include a specific recommendation for the intensity of exercise therapy. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the relative effectiveness of high versus low intensity exercise for patients with IC, and further to study the effect of such training on blood flow to the legs during exercise. DESIGN: The effect of eight weeks of supervised endurance training was examined in 16 patients with IC. The patients were randomly assigned to training at intensities corresponding to either 60% or 80% of their peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak), respectively. RESULTS: VO2peak and time to exhaustion increased significantly (9% and 16%, respectively) more in the high intensity group (p<0.05). Blood flow to the legs did not change after training in any of the groups. CONCLUSION: High intensity training gave larger improvements in VO2peak and time to exhaustion than low intensity training. As blood flow did not change after the exercise program, it is likely that the observed different increase of VO2peak was due to changed mitochondrial oxidative capacity and/or skeletal muscle diffusive capacity.     

Headache in children and adolescent in ambulatory practice

Headache in children and adolescent represents one of the most frequent and potentially severe pathological conditions, requiring a paediatric consult. The purpose of the study was to establish the headache prevalence from the total paediatric consultations in ambulatory practice as well as to establish the main etiological causes of the headache. The study, including 400 children and adolescents (M/F ratio=150/250, U/R ratio=290/110) with headache selected from 3100 cases between 2003 and 2004, in two practices (one general paediatric office and one paediatric neuropsychiatry office) from the Outpatient Clinic of the "Sf. Spiridon" Hospital of Iasi, has shown a prevalence of headache of 12.9%, the most affected age group being that of 5-12 years (52.5%). The etiologic study proved a high frequency of trauma 46.25%, ophthalmologic diseases 13.28%, psychogenic headache 10.75%, migraine 10%, general causes (infections, anaemia, hypoglycaemia) 9%, ENT causes 6.25%, intracranial causes 0.75%. The study confirms the necessity of a multidisciplinary approach, most causes being benign and the prognosis favourable in most cases.