The effect of wire configuration on the stability of the Ilizarov external fixator.

The stability of the basic unit for fixation of the Ilizarov external fixation system was tested in several loading modes. The effects of varying the number of wires and the orientation of wire placement were studied. The fixation units were mounted on a plastic, simulated, long bone and tested by loading in several directions. The Ilizarov fixation ring was found to be relatively stiff in axial compression and torsion. Its stiffness in this mode was directly proportional to the number of wires in the system and independent of the configuration of wire placement. Loading in bending and in shear provided much lower levels of stiffness, and this was dependent on the angles formed between the wires. The addition of a wire at a minimum distance of 4 cm from the primary ring significantly improved bending stiffness. The use of opposed olive wires also improved shear stiffness.     

Suppression of atherogenesis by n-3 fatty acids in the cholesterol-fed rabbit.

The effects of n-3 fatty-acid supplementation on serum lipids, platelet aggregation, and the development of atherosclerotic lesions were studied in the cholesterol-fed rabbit. Serum total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol values were significantly reduced in comparison with those of the nonsupplemented cholesterol-fed group (p less than 0.005, p less than 0.0025, respectively), though still higher than those of the control group (p less than 0.0025, p less than 0.0125 respectively). Platelet aggregation was reduced below that of the cholesterol-fed and the control levels (p less than 0.0005, p less than 0.0025, respectively). The endothelial injury encountered in cholesterol-fed rabbits was inhibited in the supplemented group. It is concluded that n-3 fatty acids suppress atherogenesis in this animal model by interfering with platelet aggregation and lipid metabolism.     

Chemokine receptor CXCR4 expression in breast cancer as a potential predictive marker of isolated tumor cells in bone marrow

Interactions between the CXCR4 chemokine receptor in breast cancer cells and the ligand CXCL12/SDF-1α are thought to play an important role in breast cancer metastases. In this pilot study, CXCR4 expression along with other biomarkers including HER2-neu and EGFR, were measured in primary tumor samples of patients with operable breast cancer to test whether any of these biomarkers alone and in combination could indicate breast cancer with high likelihood of metastasizing to bone marrow. Cytokeratin (CK) positive cells in bone marrow were identified by flow-cytometry following enrichment with CK 7/8 antibody-coupled magnetic beads. Primary tumors (n = 18) were stained with specific antibodies for CXCR4, HER2-neu, EGFR, and PCNA using an indirect avidin–biotin horseradish peroxidase method. The majority of the patients had T2/T3 tumors (72%), or lymph node involvement (67%) as pathologic characteristics that were more indicative of high-risk breast cancer. High CXCR4 cytoplasmic expression was found in 7 of 18 patients (39%), whereas 6 of 18 patients (33%) were found to have CK positivity in bone marrow. The median number of CK⁺ cells was 236 (range, 20–847) per 5 × 10⁴ enriched BM cells. The presence of CK⁺ cells in bone marrow was found to be associated with increased expression of CXCR4 alone or in addition to EGFR and/or HER2-neu expression (P = 0.013, P = 0.005, and P = 0.025, respectively) in primary tumors. Furthermore, three patients with high CK positivity (>236 CK⁺ per 5 × 10⁴ enriched bone marrow cells) in bone marrow exclusively expressed high levels of CXCR4 with EGFR/HER2-neu (P = 0.001). Our data suggest that high CXCR4 expression in breast cancer may be a potential marker in predicting isolated tumor cells in bone marrow. CXCR4 coexpression with EGFR/HER2-neu might further predict a particular subset of patients with high CK positivity in bone marrow.     

Assessment of changes in penile sensation by electrophysiological study after radical prostatectomy: A pilot study

Background:To evaluate the changes in penile sensation by electrophysiological tests in patients who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) and to demonstrate the role of dorsal penile nerve injury in postoperative erectile dysfunction.Materials and methods:Twenty-six volunteer patients who were eligible for RP were included in the study. Preoperative penile sensory electromyography and the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) questionnaire were done for each patient. Erectile function assessment and electrophysiological evaluation of penile sensation were repeated at postoperative 3rd and 6th months.Results:Postoperative IIEF-5 scores and electromyography values were significantly lower than preoperative findings (p < 0.05). The IIEF-5 scores in the nerve sparing-RP (NS-RP) group were significantly higher than the non-nerve sparing-RP (NNS-RP) group in the postoperative period. Nerve conduction velocity values in the NS-RP group were also higher than the NNS-RP group at the postoperative 3rd and 6th months. However, these changes were not statistically significant (p > 0.05).Conclusions:Patients who underwent RP have decreased penile sensation due to cavernous nerve damage and a possible dorsal penile nerve injury. The decrease of penile sensation may be associated with postoperative erectile dysfunction.     

Arthroscopic resection of dorsal wrist ganglia and treatment of recurrences

From 1995 to 1998, 30 patients with dorsal wrist ganglia and four with recurrent dorsal ganglia underwent arthroscopic resection. At a mean follow-up of 16 months, no complications were seen, but minimal pain persisted in three patients. Two recurrences were seen after arthroscopic resection of primary ganglia.     

Recurrent herpes labialis among health school students in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey: A cross-sectional survey

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to determine the epidemiologic characteristics of, and the treatments used for, recurrent herpes labialis (RHL) in health students.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted with the participation of 333 nursing and midwifery students. Data on the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants, their history of RHL, and the treatments were collected by means of a standard self-reported questionnaire form.ResultsThe point prevalence of RHL was 3.9%, the annual prevalence was 44.7%, and the lifetime prevalence was 52.5%. These prevalences were not related to the participants' place of residence, level of income, school, gender, marital status, or smoking status (p > 0.05). RHL was frequently seen on the right side of the lower lip (17.9%). One third of the students who experienced RHL stated that they had applied treatment to the lesion. However, only 20.1% stated that they had used antiviral therapy. Treatment was recommended by a physician for only 16.1% of the subjects.ConclusionsThe prevalence of RHL was high among the health students, who were considered to represent young adults. Although they were students in a school of health, they lacked knowledge about RHL.