Surgical management for mentosternal contractures by flap procedures

Mentosternal contractures still represent a surgical challenge due to their prominent position. They require early operative treatment for both function and aesthetic reasons. Careful clinical examination of scar position and traction forces, both at rest and when functioning, in addition to proper evaluation of the surrounding soft tissue are mandatory for precise preoperative planning of the required reconstruction. In general, the technically most feasible operation is favored if the functional and aesthetic results are good and postoperative risk for recurrence is low. Between 1987 and 1994, 21 patients with cervical, mentosternal, and mentothoracic contractures were operated upon. Eight patients were reconstructed with local flaps and 13 with microvascular free flaps.     

The spectrum of opportunistic filamentous fungi present in the CBS culture collection

The mould collection of the Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, Baarn, The Netherlands, was screened for isolates originating from warm-blooded animals. The range of species indicates that distribution of clinically relevant, pathogenic or opportunistic strains over the fungal kingdom is non-random. Some opportunistic fungi possess adaptations to life under hostile environmental conditions, enabling them to survive inside the human body. Presence of melanin or carotene seems to be an important virulence factor. Opportunistic fungi which sporulate in submersion are able to disseminate or cause severe local mycoses when the aspecific immune system of the host is impaired. Mycoses caused by a few dimorphic fungi, mostly in their natural ecological niche living in association with vertebrates, are promoted by specific immune deficiencies.     

Transhemation of bovine and human hemoglobin polymers in a simulated circulatory system

All-Union Hematology Research Center, Moscow. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR A. I. Vorob'ev.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 112, No. 11, pp. 500–501, November, 1991.     

创建良好的心理环境提供全方位优质服务

医院为患者创建温馨、舒畅的心理环境是当前医院改革中亟待解决的极其重要的任务之一。本文从①充分了解患者的心理需求；②注意患者的不良心理因素；③注意医务人员的不良因素三个方面阐述医院如何为患者创造良好心理环境及其重要性。并重点强调自觉培养自身良好的心理素质，保持稳定良好心态及自控力，尊重、理解患者，学习、实践与患者的沟通技巧，增强责任感，树立良好的白衣天使形象等要素是创建的基础。     

Mutagenicity of benzo(a)pyrenyl-1-sulfate in the Ames test.

Comparison of the mutagenicity of nine isomeric benzo(a)pyrenyl [B(a)P] phenols conjugated with either sulfate or glucuronide was carried out using strain Salmonella typhimurium TA98. Of the nine conjugates tested, only B(a)P-1-sulfate was mutagenic. Accordingly, the mutagenicity of B(a)P-1-sulfate was compared with that of B(a)P and 1-hydroxybenzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P-1-OH] in the presence and absence of rat lung S9 and Aroclor-induced liver S9 with and without an NADPH-generating system. B(a)P-1-sulfate was slightly mutagenic, whereas B(a)P and the 1-hydroxy derivative were nonmutagenic when S9 fractions and NADPH were omitted. Addition of induced liver S9 with NADPH caused mutagenicity with B(a) -1-OH greater than B(a)P greater than B(a)P-1-sulfate. B(a)P-1-sulfate was the only mutagenic species when lung S9 was added. This mutagenicity did not require NADPH. Sodium sulfite, an inhibitor of arylsulfatase, decreased the mutagenicity of B(a)P-1-sulfate. These data suggest that a unique mutagenic species is generated from B(a)P-1-sulfate via arylsulfatase in rat lung.     

乌贼墨诱生小鼠细胞毒因子活性的检测

用乌贼墨处理小鼠后，采集血清。经体外细胞毒实验证明：乌贼墨诱生的血清对人和鼠的肿瘤细胞株均有不同程度的杀伤作用。这一结果提示：乌贼墨可能具有诱生内源性细胞毒因子产生的活性。     

Body composition in the elderly: Total body water and anthropometry

Body composition measured with isotopic dilution was compared with anthropometric measurements. The study was carried out in 47 subjects from both sexes, 65 to 92 years old. Total body water (TBW), anthropometric measurements, and dynamometry were assessed. TBW was significatively higher in men than women and decreased with age. Dynamometry and fatfree mass were well correlated (r=0.73 in males and r=0.58 in females) and significantly different between sexes. A negative correlation was found for dynamometry with age, being significant for women. Linear regression equations to predict TBW from anthropometric measurements in males and females were obtained: Males: TBW(I)=19.349+0.617 weight(kg) — 0.931 mid-arm circumference(cm)+0.122 dynamometry (kg) Females: TBW(l)=−5.531+0.343 weight(kg)-0.213 triceps skinfold (mm)+ 0.148 dynamometry(kg) + 3.424 wrist diameter (cm). This simple model is proposed for use in epidemiological and field studies where other more sophisticated methods can not be applied.     

Effect of different questionnaire formats on reporting of occupational exposures

During an exposure monitoring study, 78 saw maintenance tradesmen were randomly assigned to be interviewed about their exposures using one of two questionnaire formats: open-ended and partly prompted questions about five categories of materials; and detailed prompting about 75 agents. The more open-ended questionnaire elicited fewer exposure responses overall, but more responses about agents not included on the detailed questionnaire. Composite materials and trade name products were more frequently cited as exposures than individual metals or compounds. Validity of responses was ascertained using air measurements (individual metals) or observations of the employees (composite materials). Sums of sensitivities and specificities were very low (near 1.0) for most of the metals for both types of questionnaire. For composite materials, validity improved substantially. Sensitivities with the partly prompted format (0.44–0.85) were always lower than with detailed prompting (0.80–1.00). Specificities were usually, but not always, higher with partial prompting (0.66–0.92) than with detailed prompting (0.18–0.86). Selection of questionnaire format for an epidemiologic study would depend on the likely prevalence of exposure in controls and the effects of trade-offs in sensitivity and specificity.