Rotator cuff tear: clinical experience with sonographic detection

Between June 1986 and April 1988, 86 sonographic examinations of the shoulder were performed on patients suspected of having rotator cuff tears. Major sonographic diagnostic criteria included (a) a well-defined discontinuity usually visible as a hypoechoic focus within the cuff, (b) nonvisualization of the cuff and (c) an echogenic focus within the cuff. Seventy-five patients underwent both sonography and arthrography. Compared with arthrography alone, ultrasound examinations enabled detection of 92% of rotator cuff tears (24 of 26 tears), with a specificity of 84% and a negative predictive value of 95%. Correlation was obtained in 30 of these patients who underwent surgery for rotator cuff tear or other soft-tissue abnormality. In this group, the sensitivity of sonography for detection of a tear was 93%, with a specificity of 73%, while for arthrography sensitivity was 87% and specificity was 100%. These data indicate that sonography is a useful, noninvasive screening procedure for patients suspected of having rotator cuff injury.     

Study of mutagenic activity of dioxidine by the polyorgan micronuclear method

Antibacterial preparation dioxidine administered four times in doses of 10, 100, and 300 mg/kg increased the incidence of micronucleated cells in the bone marrow, lungs, and large intestine of mice. Bone marrow cells were most sensitive, while cells of the lungs and large intestine exhibited lower sensitivity to the cytogenetic effect of dioxidine. Translated fromByulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 138, No. 8, pp. 188–190, August, 2004     

Effect of himantane on the rat embryo development

Himantane introduced via a gastric tube to pregnant rats in a dose of 10, 30, 50, and 100 mg/kg produced a dose-dependent embryotoxic and teratogenic action. An analysis of the experimental results and published data suggests that the embryotoxicity of himantane can be related to its general toxic action upon the organism of pregnant female rats.     

Mammary intraepithelial neoplasia outgrowths (MINO): MINO and human ductal carcinoma <Emphasis Type="Italic">in situ</Emphasis>

Germ-line mutations in the BRCA1 tumour suppressor gene contribute to familial breast tumour formation, but there is no evidence for direct mutation of the BRCA1 gene in the sporadic form of the disease. In contrast, decreased expression of the BRCA1 gene has been shown to be common in sporadic tumours, and the magnitude of the decrease correlates with disease progression. BRCA1 expression is also tightly regulated during normal breast development. Determining how these developmental regulators of BRCA1 expression are co-opted during breast tumourigenesis could lead to a better understanding of sporadic breast cancer aetiology and the generation of novel therapeutic strategies aimed at preventing sporadic breast tumour progression.     

The effect of hemantane on the generative function and gonad morphology in rats

Effect of the new potential antiparkinsonian drug hemantane (N-(adamant-2-yl)hexamethyleneimine hydrochloride) on the generative function and gonad morphology was studied in a group of male and female mongrel rats. The generative function was studied after peroral drug administration in a dose of 10 mg/kg (ED50) and 50 mg/kg (5 ED50): males were treated over a 60-day period of spermatogenesis, while females received the drug in the same doses over 15 days (three estrous cycles). The gonad morphology was studied after a 6-month treatment of experimental animals with hemantane in the same doses. It was established that the administration hemantane in indicated doses did not influence the generative function and gonad morphology in male and female rats.