Initiatives to reduce postoperative surgical site infections of the head and neck cancer surgery with a special emphasis on developing countries

Introduction: Surgery in patients with head and neck cancers is frequently complicated by multiple stages of procedure that includes significant surgical removal of all or part of an organ with cancer, tissue reconstruction, and extensive neck dissection. Postoperative wound infections, termed ‘surgical site infections’ (SSIs) are a significant impediment to head-and-neck cancer surgery and recovery, and need to be addressed.

Areas covered: Approximately 10–45% of patients undergoing head-and-neck cancers surgery develop SSIs. SSIs can lead to delayed wound healing, increased morbidity and mortality as well as costs. Consequently, SSIs need to be avoided where possible, as even the surgery itself impacts on patients’ subsequent activities and their quality of life, which is exacerbated by SSIs. Several risk factors for SSIs need to be considered to reduce future rates, and care is also needed in the selection and duration of antibiotic prophylaxis.

Expert commentary: Head and neck surgeons should give personalized care especially to patients at high risk of SSIs. Such patients include those who have had chemoradiotherapy and need reconstructive surgery, and patients from lower and middle-income countries and from poorer communities in high income countries, who often have high levels of co-morbidity because of resource constraints.     

A computational study of convoluted back projection algorithm.

Image reconstruction by computerized tomography is a complex mathematical process. This paper describes the practical implementation of a tomographic reconstruction algorithm on different types of computers (micro to mainframe) and in different programming languages (BASIC to OCCAM) and performance studies were made.     

Effects of endotoxin on intestinal hemodynamics, glutamine metabolism, and function

The purpose of this study was to investigate the intestinal hemodynamics and gut glutamine metabolism during endotoxemia, and their correlation with altered intestinal absorptive capacity and permeability. Seventeen Sprague-Dawley rats were used in the study. The endotoxin group (ENDO) recieved endotoxin (10 mg/kg intraperitoneally,n=9), while the control group (CONT,n=8) received saline injection. Twelve hours later, D-xylose (0.5 g/kg) and fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (FITC-dextran, 750 mg/kg) were given by oral gavage. One hour later abdominal aortic (AA) blood flow, superior mesenteric venous (SMV) flow, mean arterial pressure (MAP), central venous pressure (CVP), and SMV pressure (SMVP) were also measured. The MAP, AA, and SMV blood flow decreased (P<0.05), while the CVP and SMVP increased (P<0.05) in the ENDO group as compared with the CONT group. The ENDO group showed significant decreases for both intestinal glutaminase activity and net intestinal glutamine uptake (P<0.05). The D-xylose concentration in SMV decreased significantly (P<0.05) in the ENDO group as compared with the CONT group. However, the plasma FITC-dextran concentration showed no significant difference between the groups. Endotoxin produced a hypodynamic effect in rats 12h after intraperitoneal administration in association with both a decreased intestinal glutamine metabolism and an absorptive capacity.     

CO中毒致迟发性脑病大鼠脑内CD4+T淋巴细胞浸润及神经胶质酸性蛋白的表达

目的观察CO中毒致迟发性脑病（DNS）大鼠脑内CD4^＋T淋巴细胞浸润以及神经胶质酸性蛋白（GFAP）的表达情况，探讨CO中毒致DNS的病理过程。方法25只SD雄性大鼠随机分为对照组、染毒后3、7、10、20d组，每组5只。采用HE和免疫组织化学染色方法，观察染毒后各时间点大鼠脑内病理形态学变化，及CD4^＋T淋巴细胞浸润和GFAP的表达情况。结果HE染色结果显示：各染毒组在大脑皮层及海马均出现神经细胞不同程度的变性、坏死，染毒后7d组最重。免疫组织化学染色结果显示：对照组无CD4^＋T淋巴细胞浸润，有少量GFAP表达；各染毒组不同脑区CD4^＋T淋巴细胞、GFAP均有不同程度的浸润和表达。CD4^＋T淋巴细胞染毒后3d开始浸润，7d达峰值，两者在数量上差异有统计学意义（P〈0．01）。各组染毒后GFAP均有大量表达，随染毒时间延长表达数量呈上升趋势。结论CD4^＋T淋巴细胞可能参与了CO中毒致DNS的免疫病理过程，GFAP阳性细胞对CO中毒引发的DNS可能具有保护作用。     

Survival after gastric adenocarcinoma resection: Eighteen-year experience at a single institution

Gastric adenocarcinoma is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. In Western series, survival rates vary widely and are generally lower than those reported from Eastern series. We performed a retrospective analysis of cases operated on at the Johns Hopkins Hospital over the past 18 years and collected data on demographics, tumor characteristics, pathologic stage, treatment methods, complications, survival time, and other relevant factors. Survival according to stage of disease, Lauren tumor type, tumorlocation,time period, andadministration of adjuvant therapy wasanalyzed, andresultswerecompared with those of other Western series. During this period, 436 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma underwent resection. We have shown a statistically significant association between survival and margin status, stage of disease, and Lauren tumor type. Overall 5-year survival was 26%, and 5-year survival after R0 resection was 33%. No significant difference was detected between survival and tumor location, time period of treatment, or administration of adjuvant therapy. Analysis of various Western series reveals major differences between the cohorts under study, such as stage of disease, extent of resection, tumor type, and tumor location. Many of the reported differences among Western series may be due to cohort differences, such as stage of disease, extent of resection, tumor type, and tumor location.     

Glutathione S-transferase isoenzymes in human lung tumors

In the present studies we have compared the levels of glutathione(GSH) and GSH-related enzymes in lung tumors and correspondingnormal tissues obtained from the same individuals. We have alsoimmunologically quantitated the relative amounts of glutathioneS-transferase (or GST-P) type antigen in tumors and adjacentnormal tissues from five patients. GST activities towards 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) and ethacrynic acid were found to beelevated in tumors from two out of five patients (patients #1and 4), whereas the activity towards these substrates was markedlysuppressed in the tumor tissue from one of the patients (#5).Immunotitration and Western blot studies using antibodies raisedagainst -type GST isoenzymes of human lung and placenta indicatedinduction of GST -type isoenzyme in tumors from patients #1and 4 and suppression of this isoenzyme in tumor from patient#5. The tumors from patients #2 and 3 did not show any increasein GST activity or GST -type antigen. Except for the tumor frompatient #5, the GSH content was higher in the tumors from otherpatients. GSH reductase activity was found to be elevated intumors of all the patients examined in this study. These resultsindicate that GSH and GSH related enzymes are differentiallyaltered in lung tumors and GSH levels and GST - or GST-P-typeisoenzyme(s) are not uniformly elevated in all tumors.     

Novel mutations in the EXT1 gene in two consanguineous families affected with multiple hereditary exostoses (familial osteochondromatosis)

Multiple hereditary exostoses (HME) is an autosomal dominant developmental disorder exhibiting multiple osteocartilaginous bone tumors that generally arise near the ends of growing long bones. Here, we report two large consanguineous families from Pakistan, who display the typical features of HME. Affected individuals also show a previously unreported feature--bilateral overriding of single toes. Analysis using microsatellite markers for each of the known EXT loci, EXT1, EXT2, and EXT3 showed linkage to EXT1. In the first family, mutation analysis of the EXT1 gene revealed that affected individuals were heterozygous for an in-frame G-to-C transversion at the conserved splice donor site in intron 1. This mutation is predicted to disrupt splicing of the first intron and produce a frameshift that leads to a premature termination codon. In the second family, an insertion of an A in exon 8 is predicted to produce a frameshift at codon 555 followed by a premature termination, a further 10 codons downstream. In both families, an increased number of affected male subjects were observed. In affected females in family 2, phenotypic variability and incomplete penetrance were noted.