Short "Z" bunionectomy

The short "Z" bunionectomy is a through-and-through head osteotomy that offers the surgeon good stability and can correct not only the intermetatarsal angle but also the proximal articular set angle with minimal shortening.     

Specific CD8+ response discriminates presumed Epstein-Barr virus-related hepatitis and non-alcoholic fatty liver

During intravenous treatment with terlipressin for recurrent gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, a 50-year-old male with no history of heart disease developed a newly prolonged QT interval and torsade de pointes. Risk factors present for acquired long QT syndrome were mineral dysbalance and a history of alcohol abuse with hepatic impairment. The patient was brought back to a normal sinus rhythm after a single 300-J counter-shock. Terlipressin was discontinued, and the patient's QTc interval subsequently returned to baseline. During 6 weeks of monitoring, arrhythmia did not recur.     

Female sex hormones and multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is the most frequent debilitating neurological disease in young subjects. The autoimmune process predominantly affects females. This paper presents a review of experimental and clinical data about the effect of female sex hormones and conditions associated with hormonal alterations on the disease process. Specific consideration is given to the use of estrogens as a remedy influencing the disease course. There haven't been enough studies to indicate presence of either hormonal disbalance in females with multiple sclerosis or peculiarities in the hormone-cytokine profile during disease relapse and remission. Further investigations in this area are needed to provide more profound knowledge of the pathogenesis of this socially significant disease.     

Neonatal tumours in Malaysia: a call for heightened awareness

Purpose  

Neonatal neoplasms are rare tumours notorious for their atypical presentation and unpredictable behaviour. Their optimal treatment remains uncertain, a dilemma compounded by the deleterious effects of adjuvant chemo- or radiotherapy during this vulnerable period of growth. This paper examined the relatively high incidence of these tumours and its impact on paediatric surgery in Malaysia.     

Disseminated gonococcal infection involving the foot

The patient had two features of N. gonorrhoeae infection, which were urogenital inflammation and pharyngitis. At first, the urogenital inflammation was denied and so delayed the correct diagnosis. The patient had been treated initially with oral penicillin for the pharyngitis, but without effect. The result was because of the increase in penicillin-resistant strains. This created DGI with initial migratory polyarthralgia from his left shoulder to the right midfoot. Acute arthritis formed in the midfoot. Once the correct diagnosis was made and appropriate antibiotics started, the infection responded rapidly and completely.     

Immune cells participate in the oncosuppressive activity of parvovirus H-1PV and are activated as a result of their abortive infection with this agent

Treatment of cancers by means of viruses, that specifically replicate in (oncotropism) and kill (oncolysis) neoplastic cells, is increasingly gaining acceptance in the clinic. Among these agents, parvoviruses have been shown to possess not only direct oncolytic but also immunomodulating properties, serving as an adjuvant to prime the immune system to react against infected tumors. Here, we aimed to establish whether immunomodulating mechanisms participate in the recently reported therapeutic potential of parvoviruses against pancreatic carcinoma. Using adoptive transfer experiments we discovered that the transfer of splenocytes of donor rats harboring H-1PV-treated orthotopic PDAC tumors could significantly prolong the survival of na?ve tumor-bearing recipients, compared to those receiving cells from mock-treated donors. Closer investigation of immunological parameters in infected donor rats revealed that virus-induced interferon gamma production and cellular immune response played an important role in this effect. These data have also preclinical relevance since abortive H-1PV infection of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells or cocultivation of these cells with H-1PV-preinfected pancreatic cancer cells, resulted in enhancement of innate and adaptive immune reactivity. Taken together our data reveal that oncolytic H-1PV modulates the immune system into an anticancer state, and further support the concept of using parvoviruses in the fight against pancreatic cancer.