Functional lower lip reconstruction with a forearm flap combined with a free gracilis muscle transfer.

We applied a forearm flap combined with a gracilis muscle flap for total reconstruction of the lower lip. The motor nerve of the gracilis muscle was repaired to the buccal branch in the cheek. The patient obtained good sphincter function for eating and speaking, and he could inflate a balloon without air leakage.     

Numerical aberrations of chromosome 9 in bladder cancer. A possible prognostic marker for early tumor recurrence

Bilharzial bladder cancer is one of the most common types of malignancy in both men and women in several developing countries including Egypt. It has several unique clinical, epidemiological, and histological characteristics, suggesting that it is an entity distinct from bladder cancer seen in Western countries. Genetic alterations in bilharzial-related bladder cancer have been studied infrequently, especially in the advanced stages of disease, that is, T3 and T4 classifications. The objective of this study was to extend establishing the baseline cytogenetic profile of this type of malignancy to early T1 and T2 classifications. For this purpose, fluorescence in situ hybridization was applied to interphase nuclei of frozen-stored samples with biotinylated repetitive DNA probes specific for all chromosomes to detect numerical chromosome changes in 35 patients presenting with relatively early-stage pT1 and pT2 disease. Eleven cases had squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and 24 had transitional cell carcinoma. Six of 24 transitional cell carcinomas had diploid chromosome counts with all the probes. Numerical chromosome aberrations were detected in 18 cases (75%). In 12 cases, a loss of chromosome 9 was observed. In three cases, an additional loss of chromosome 17 was detected. One case demonstrated a loss of chromosome 10, whereas another two cases showed a gain of chromosome 7, next to a loss of chromosome 9. Loss of chromosome Y was observed in nine of the 27 male cases studied (33.3%), in which only one case showed an abnormality whereas four cases were detected next to loss of chromosome 9, and one case showed gain of chromosome 7. Five cases showed loss of chromosome 19 whereas gain of chromosome 4 was detected in two cases. Two of 11 samples of SCC had normal diploid chromosome counts with all the probes used. In four of 11 cases (36.4%) underrepresentation of chromosome 9, compared with the other chromosomes, was detected. An additional loss of chromosome 17 and gain of chromosome 7, next to loss of chromosome 9, was detected in three cases. One case showed loss of chromosome 17 as the only numerical aberration. Loss of the Y chromosome was detected in three cases of which one case had gain of chromosome 7 and one case had loss of chromosome 19. No correlation was found between any of the clinicopathologic parameters examined in this study and the presence or absence of any numerical chromosomal aberrations except for the significant association between schistosomal history and loss of Y chromosome (P=0.007).     

Z-line structural diversity in frog single muscle fiber in the passive state

The structural changes of the Z-line between small square net (ss) and basket weave (bw) cross-sectional patterns were examined using intact single fibers and mechanically skinned fibers in the passive state to determine if the pattern is related to the sarcomere length (SL) and if the pattern undergoes a reversible transition in low- and high-osmotic medium.Frog single fibers were isolated from the anterior tibial muscle in Ringer's solution. Entirely or partially skinned single fibers were prepared in relaxing solution (also called low-osmotic medium).The high osmotic medium contained 10% polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) in relaxing solution.The sarcomere length (SL) of each fiber was measured directly by use of a laser beam or indirectly from electron micrographs with use of a correction factor. The ss and bw forms in cross sections were quantified by analysis of electron micrographs. The results show that the structural change of Z-line occurs around bw 2.3–2.4m ss (n = 25) and bw 3.1–3.2m ss (n = 13) in intact single fibers and skinned fibers, respectively. With the quick freeze-freeze substitution method, an intact single fiber with a SL of 2.35m showed almost 100% of ss form. The structural transition in cross section was also confirmed in four partially skinned fibers, where patterns went from mostly ss form (intact portion) to mostly bw form (skinned portion) at the SL between 2.40 to 3.20m.The reversibility of the change between ss and bw was proved by using low- and high-osmotic medium. The transition and reversion of cross-sectional patterns both occur in the passive state.     

Helicobacter pylori seropositivity and IL-1B C-31T polymorphism among Japanese Brazilians

We reported previously that anti-Helicobacter pylori antibody seropositivity (HP+) had an association with interleukin 1B (IL-1B) C-31T genotype, especially among smokers. This study examined the association for Japanese Brazilians. In this cross-sectional study, voluntary participation was announced through Japanese Brazilian communities in Sao Paulo, Curitiba, Mogi das Cruzes, and Mirandopolis; 963 Japanese Brazilians (399 males and 564 females) aged 33-69 years participated. Lifestyle data and peripheral blood were collected. An anti-HP IgG antibody test and genotyping for IL-1B C-31T and IL-1RN 86 bp VNTR were independently conducted. The genotype frequency of the IL-1B polymorphism among 947 individuals was 23.9% for C/C genotype, 45.6% for C/T genotype, and 30.5% for T/T genotype. Sex-age-adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of HP+ was 1.30 (95% confidence interval, 0.94-1.81) for C/T genotype and 1.45 (1.02-2.07) for T/T genotype relative to C/C genotype. The aOR for 127 current smokers was 2.45 (0.91-6.55) for C/T and 3.49 (1.17-10.46) for T/T, while that for 667 never smokers was 1.21 (0.82-1.78) and 1.36 (0.90-2.05), respectively. The corresponding figures were 2.42 (1.16-5.02) and 3.00 (1.33-6.78) for 226 current drinkers, and 1.21 (0.82-1.78) and 1.36 (0.90-2.05) for 667 non-drinkers. The difference in the OR was observed for milk consumption, salty pickled vegetable eating, and physical exercise practice. 4/4 Genotype of IL-1RN 86 bp VNTR was 84.8%, and had no association with the HP seropositivity. The observed association between HP+ and IL-1B -31TT indicated that the genetic trait also influences the susceptibility to HP for Japanese in Brazil.     

Effects of tetraphenylboron-induced increase in inner surface charge on Ca2+ release from sarcoplasmic reticulum

We studied the relationship between surface charge and release of Ca2+ in the heavy sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of skeletal muscle. The inner and outer surface potentials and charge densities of the membrane treated with a lipophilic anion, tetraphenylboron (TPB-), were measured using 1-anilino-8-naphthalene-sulfonate fluorescence. Ca2+ was loaded passively or actively by the SR. Ca2+ release was estimated by the fluorescence of chlortetracycline, and protein conformational change was monitored by use of the sulfhydryl group fluorescent probe, N-(7-dimethylamino-4-methyl-3-coumarinyl) maleimide (DACM). Treatment of Ca2(+)-loaded SR vesicles with micromolar TPB- dose-dependently increased the local fixed negative charge on the inner surface, and changed the DACM fluorescence intensity in parallel with the Ca2+ release. The changes in surface charge and in DACM fluorescence intensity did not originate from the Ca2+ flux. A lipophilic cation, tetraphenylarsonium (TPA+), screened the negative inner surface charge which was increased by TPB-, and inhibited both TPB(-)-induced change in DACM fluorescence intensity and Ca2+ release. Millimolar Mg2+ reduced degrees of TPB(-)-induced Ca2+ release from the SR and of TPB(-)-induced contraction in mechanically skinned fibers. Mg2+ did not inhibit the increase in the negative inner surface charge and DACM fluorescence intensity produced by TPB-. Thus, the local increase in negative charge on the SR inner membrane leaflet seems to be causally related to the Ca2+ release. Mg2+ and TPA+ are suggested to inhibit TPB(-)-induced Ca2+ release by different mechanisms.     

Transient intracellular calcium movement coupled with mechanical activity of smooth muscle

Change of intracellular free Ca in smooth muscle was monitored using Quin 2, Ca sensitive fluorescence dye. Upon electrical stimulus, increase of light emission from the sample occurred in two phases. Procaine and caffeine inhibited and facilitated, respectively, the 2nd phase of intensity change, which coincided with the mechanical response. It is concluded that the released Ca from intracellular store sites may play a key role for the mechanical activation of smooth muscles.