The importance of incision-planning and operation technique during organ-preserving and radical operations in the case of patients with mammary cancer

The authors place a great deal of emphasis on the application of plastic surgery principles in the course of all their operations, especially mammary operations: the incision planning respecting the lines of strength, the atraumatic operation technique (sharp preparation, high-frequency electrocoagulation, tensionless wound closure, and suction drainage from a separate opening). In their organ-preserving operations the radial incision recommended by Veronese is avoided, and the axilla is exposed separately. They do not perform their radical mammary operations according to the customary method (Auchincloss, Patey) either. If necessary they accomplish the tensionless closure of the wound by means of individual incision planning and the preservation (rotation and sliding) of the intact skin of the breast, which is the precondition of the reconstruction that might be performed subsequently. In the course of the follow-up of 295 operations carried out in this manner excellent or good results were obtained in 83% as far as aesthetics and functionality were concerned. Lymphedema did not develop in a single case on account of operation technique.     

Cardioprotection during heart ischemia-reperfusion

Oxygen reactive species play a significant role in reperfusion tissue damages. In this study we aimed to investigate the mechanisms of injury regarding changes of neutrophil function. In our experiments the left descending coronary artery (LAD) was ligated in Beagle dogs for 1 hour followed by one hour reperfusion. Animals were divided into two groups: Group I. dogs (n = 10) served as control: Group II. the animals (n = 10) were treated by cardioprotective drug Bisaramil. Peripheral blood samples were taken for neutrophil isolation before operation and subsequent reperfusion (5 min, 1 hour). The stimulated superoxide radical generating capacity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) was measured. The lipid peroxidation (MDA), amount of reduced glutathione (GSH) and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured in non-ischemic and ischemic parts of left ventricle. There was no significant changes either in control or in treated animals in respect to changes of neutrophil radical production after one hour LAD ligature, however there was a significant discrepancy (p < 0.001) between control and treated animals following a 1 hour reperfusion. The values of MDA in the ischemic-area increased characteristically in the Group I. parallel with decrease of scavenger GSH and SOD. In contrast in Group II., where depleted PMN radical production was observed endogenous scavengers were preserved on a higher level. In summary we can conclude that diminished superoxide radical production of circulating neutrophils during reperfusion has beneficial effects on tissue injury caused especially by free radicals.     

Nonstructural carbohydrate and protein effects on rumen fermentation, nutrient flow, and performance of dairy cows

Four multiparous Holstein cows fitted with rumen and duodenal cannulas were used in a 4 x 4 Latin square with 20-d periods. Four diets were formulated for high and low rumen availabilities of nonstructural carbohydrate and protein. Cows were milked and fed three times daily. Milk production averaged 39 kg/d and was unaffected by treatment. Dry matter intake and 4% FCM production were increased by 1 kg/d for cows fed the low rumen-available nonstructural carbohydrate diets. Milk protein percentage was elevated when either the high rumen-available nonstructural carbohydrate or high rumen-available protein diets were fed. Low rumen-available protein diets increased duodenal passage of total essential AA but did not increase passage of Arg, Ile, and Met. Passage of bacterial N was highest (262 g/d) when high rumen-available nonstructural carbohydrate was combined with high rumen-available protein and was lowest when high rumen-available nonstructural carbohydrate was combined with low rumen-available protein (214 g/d). Diets with low rumen availabilities of protein were not advantageous, possibly because duodenal passage of one or more of the limiting AA was not increased. Passage of bacterial N to the duodenum was highest when rumen availabilities of both nonstructural carbohydrate and protein were high.     

Psychotic exacerbations produced by neuroleptics

Thirteen schizophrenic patients who developed abnormal psychotic behavior as an adverse reaction to a neuroleptic are described. A. Three patients showed a marked increase in the psychopathology during neuroleptic treatment. These episodes were treated by decreasing or discontinuing the neuroleptics. They did not respond to anticholinergic durgs nor did they respond to an increase in dosage, (another side effect previously reported and referred to here) indeed this treatment worsened the situation. B. Ten patients showed a mixed picture of catatonic excitement or inhibition on neuroleptics and several developed hallucinatory episodes. All of these exacerbations were terminated by anticholinergic injections. Other more familiar CNS abnormalities produced by neuroleptics are briefly discussed.     

The effect of ion irradiation on the adherence of germanium films

Germanium films deposited under simultaneous argon ion irradiation show substantially better adherence on glass and other substrate materials than conventionally produced films.The ion bombardment leads to a strengthening of the interfacial bonding, an effect believed to be associated with a thin layer of intermediate composition produced at the substrate surface by ion knock-on processes. In addition irradiation causes a significant reduction in film stress.     

Biodegradation of cell wall components of maize stover colonized by white-rot fungi and resulting impact on in-vitro digestibility

Treatment of crop residues with some species of white-rot fungi can enhance digestibility. This study was conducted to investigate changes in in-vitro dry matter disappearance (IVDMD) and degradation of cell wall constituents in maize (Zea maize L) stover treated with three white-rot fungi: Cyathus stercoreus, Phlebia brevispora and Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Solid fermentation of maize stover for 28 days at 27°C improved IVDMD from 409 g kg^?1 (control) to 514 g kg^?1 for P brevispora and 523 g kg^?1 for C stercoreus. In contrast, growth of P chrysosporium reduced IVDMD from 409 to 298 g kg^?1. All fungi degraded cell wall p-coumaric acid (PCA) and ferulic acid (FA), but P chrysosporium was the least effective in degrading PCA and FA. Conversely, P chrysosporium degraded lignin 1·6 times more effectively than C stercoreus and 1·4 times more than P brevispora, indicating that lignin degradation alone cannot account for the IVDMD enhancement and that degradation of PCA and FA may be important. Hemicelluloses were preferentially and highly utilized by all the fungi. Cellulose was extensively degraded only by P chrysosporium (69% lost after 28 days of incubation), while substrate colonized by the other two fungi retained more than 84% original cellulose. Incubation of C stercoreus and P brevispora decreased the concentrations of both xylose and arabinose, but increased glucose concentration, whereas P chrysosporium removed less xylose and decreased glucose concentration. Preferential removal of arabinose over xylose by the fungi caused an increase in the xylose to arabinose ratio of the treated residues. Enhanced digestibility may have resulted from cleavage of lignin-carbohydrate bonds. Results of this study suggest that digestibility enhancement of maize stover colonized by white-rot fungi is regulated by a complex combination of various factors, including the degradation of structural carbohydrates, cell wall phenolic acids and lignin.     

Median nerve neuropathy from an old lunate dislocation

We performed a histopathologic and immunohistochemical study of eyes obtained at autopsy of an 84-year-old man from a family with X-linked cone degeneration in which affected members have a 6.5-kilobase deletion in the red cone pigment gene. At his most recent ocular examination, at age 71 years, this patient had had a visual acuity of 20/200 OU, fundus changes suggestive of macular degeneration, borderline-normal full-field rod electroretinograms, and profoundly reduced full-field cone electroretinograms. Histopathologic examination demonstrated marked loss of cone and rod photoreceptors and the retinal pigment epithelium in the central macula. The peripheral cone population was reduced, while the peripheral rod population was relatively preserved. Immunohistochemical examination with an antibody to both red and green cone opsin and an antibody to blue cone opsin disclosed a prominent loss of the red and green cone population and preservation of the blue cone population. These findings show that a defect in the red cone pigment gene can result in extensive degeneration of the red and green cone population across the retina.