Cutaneo-fascial flaps in restorative and reconstructive surgery of burns

On the basis of experience with the treatment of more than 1,500 patients with post-burn defects, deformities, and trophic ulcers, the authors distinguished types of affection in which the traditional methods are ineffective. These 133 patients were subjected to plasty with ++cutaneo-fascial grafts; the zones of donor areas from which the grafts are taken are determined. Plasty with ++cutaneo-fascial grafts is indicated in defects of the face, deformity of the neck, total adduction contracture of the arm, defect of the breast, and affections of the hand, leg, and foot. Concrete grafts and the site from which they are taken for restoration of certain regions of the body are suggested. ++Cutaneo-fascial grafts make it possible to restore the shape, function, and the skin of the involved region.     

Hypertrophy without increased isometric strength after weight training

Summary Eight men (20–23 years) weight trained 3 days week^–1 for 19 weeks. Training sessions consisted of six sets of a leg press exercise (simultaneous hip and knee extension and ankle plantar flexion) on a weight machine, the last three sets with the heaviest weight that could be used for 7–20 repetitions. In comparison to a control group (n = 6) only the trained group increased (P<0.01) weight lifting performance (heaviest weight lifted for one repetition, 29%), and left and right knee extensor cross-sectional area (CAT scanning and computerized planimetry, 11%, P<0.05). In contrast, training caused no increase in maximal voluntary isometric knee extension strength, electrically evoked knee extensor peak twitch torque, and knee extensor motor unit activation (interpolated twitch method). These data indicate that a moderate but significant amount of hypertrophy induced by weight training does not necessarily increase performance in an isometric strength task different from the training task but involving the same muscle group. The failure of evoked twitch torque to increase despite hypertrophy may further indicate that moderate hypertrophy in the early stage of strength training may not necessarily cause an increase in intrinsic muscle force generating capacity.     

Anti-estradiol immunoperoxidase labeling of nuclei, not cytoplasm, in paraffin sections, determines estrogen receptor status of breast cancer

We evaluated a commercially available polyclonal antibody to 17 beta-estradiol as the basis for an estrogen receptor (ER) assay of breast carcinoma in formalin-fixed paraffin tissues and then compared it with both the ER-ICA antibody in serial paraffin sections and the biochemical assay of corresponding fresh tissue. Using the estradiol antibody, 49 of 50 cases showed some cytoplasmic staining; 38 cases had nuclear staining. Sensitivity and specificity for different proportions of positive nuclear and cytoplasmic staining were calculated using receiver-operator characteristic curves. The optimum correlation with the biochemical assay was obtained with nuclear staining alone. Greater than 30% nuclear positivity as a cut-off point yielded a sensitivity of 76% and a specificity of 82%. The corresponding ER-ICA values in 38 cases yielded a sensitivity of 93% and a specificity of 56%. The methodology for the ER-ICA assay was more technically demanding in paraffin sections than that of the estradiol antibody and considerably more expensive. This study is the first to show that with nuclear staining only, and not cytoplasmic staining, as the parameter of positivity, the immunocytochemical assay of ER with anti-17 beta-estradiol antibody in routinely processed, formalin-fixed, archival material is an accurate and specific method for the determination of the ER status of breast carcinoma.     

Stability of the original Hoffmann and AO tubular external fixation devices

Detailed data of the stability of external fixation devices are needed by the orthopaedic surgeon to predict successful healing of a fracture. The stability (rigidity, yield and failure criteria) of four half-frame configurations (single, stacked, double and delta) of the original Hoffmann and AO tubular frame have been analysed under four loading conditions: axial compression, torsion, and both AP- and ML-bending. Overall the two systems' rigidities were the same between similar configurations. Both systems' single half-frames were particularly weak; however, as the number of components (rods, pins, clamps, couplings) on the frame increased, the rigidity of the frame increased. The difference in performance between the two systems lies in their yield and failure characteristics. The AO system exhibited excellent failure criteria in all modes of loading, i.e. no configuration failed within the test limits, whereas most Hoffman frames yielded and failed at low loads.     

Relationship of structure to acute toxicity and antiarrhythmic activity in alkylamino- and dialkylaminoacet-ortho-toluidides

Translated from Khimiko-farmatsevtieheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 26, No. 4, pp. 51–55, April, 1992.     

Neurosis of acquired helplessness and role of hypoxia in the formation of this disorder in rats

Acquisition of instrumental defense response with pain reinforcement uncertainty (25% reinforcement) induced the development of acquired helplessness in 50% rats. Acquired helplessness is characterized by the absence of responses to conditioned (light) and unconditioned stimuli (pain), minor response of plasma corticosterone to learning, gas markers of circulatory cerebral hypoxia (DA/V pO₂ carotid artery/jugular vein), low sensitivity to severe hypobaric conditions, and high resistance of Purkinje cells in the cerebellum. Piracetam improved learning and prevented the development of acquired helplessness. Local changes in cerebral blood flow and energy deficit in neurons responsible for emotional stress during acquired helplessness impair adaptive capacity, but reduce energy consumption and protect neuronal structures.