Paramedian sternal bone plate reinforcement and wiring for difficult sternotomy wounds

The most common tumoral lesion of the bony orbital region is osteoma. It is an infrequent and benign tumor, and generally attacks the craniofacial skeleton, but intraorbital involvement is extremely rare. After necessary radiologic examinations (radiographs and computed tomography scanning), surgery should be planned according to the tumor's localization. In the case presented here, osteoma originated mainly from the medial orbital wall. Therefore, for better surgical exposure, extra- and intracranial approaches were planned and carried out. The mass was removed successfully. At the 3-year follow-up, no recurrence was shown.     

The lifestyle assessment questionnaire: an instrument to measure the impact of disability on the lives of children with cerebral palsy and their families

Suitable measures of health and morbidity are less readily available for children than they are for adults. We present a measure, which is used to describe the impact of impairment and disability on the lives of children with cerebral palsy and their families. The development of this measure involved data collected from 691 children with cerebral palsy contained within the North-East England Cerebral Palsy Register and born between 1960 and 1985. Uniquely, multidimensional scaling techniques were used to derive dimensions analogous with those described in the International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities, and Handicaps. We present the analyses undertaken to test the properties of the tool, which show that it is a reliable and valid measure of the disadvantages experienced by children with cerebral palsy.     

Human influenza virus A/HongKong/156/97 (H5N1) infection

Introduction of influenza viruses with gene segments of avian origin into the human population may result in the emergence of new pathogenic human influenza viruses. The recent infection of a 3-year-old boy with an influenza A (H5N1) virus of avian origin can be considered as an example of such an event. However, this virus, influenza A/Hong Kong/156/97 (H5N1) and the 17 additional H5N1 viruses isolated from humans by the end of 1997 lack the ability to spread efficiently amongst humans and therefore have limited pandemic potential. However, the possibility of reassortment of these viruses with currently circulating human viruses illustrates the need for pandemic preparedness.     

Acute appendicitis following laparoscopic inguinal hernioplasty. Coincidence or complication?]

The Authors report two cases of renal leiomyosarcomas with atypical clinical features. Despite a malignant histological picture, nephron-sparing surgery was performed. The two patients are alive and disease-free at six years and fifteen months respectively. Specific radiologic findings, indications and rationale for conservative treatment are discussed.     

Evidence of participation of McrB(S) in McrBC restriction in Escherichia coli K-12

The McrBC restriction system has the ability to restrict DNA containing 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, N4-methylcytosine, and 5-methylcytosine at specific sequences. The mcrB gene produces two gene products. The complete mcrB open reading frame produces a 51-kDa protein (McrB(L)) and a 33-kDa protein (McrB(S)). The smaller McrB polypeptide is produced from an in-frame, internal translational start site in the mcrB gene. The McrB(S) sequence is identical to that of McrB(L) except that it lacks 161 amino acids present at the N-terminal end of the latter protein. It has been suggested that McrB(L) is the DNA binding restriction subunit. The function of McrB(S) is unknown, although there has been speculation that it plays some role in the modulation of McrBC restriction. Studies of the function of McrB(S) have been challenging since it is produced in frame with McrB(L). In this study, we tested the effects of underproduction (via antisense RNA) and overproduction (via gene dosage) of mcrBC gene products on restriction levels of the mcrBC+ strain JM107. Among the parameters monitored was the induction of SOS responses, which indicate of DNA damage. Evidence from this study suggests that McrB(S) is necessary for stabilization of the McrBC restriction complex in vivo.     

Immediate implants: indications and clinical decision making

This paper is intended to describe the current concepts in timing of implant placement, and to address some of the controversies surrounding implants and bone grafting.     

Type I adenylyl cyclase mutant mice have impaired mossy fiber long-term potentiation

Long-term potentiation (LTP) at the mossy fiber-->CA3 pyramidal cell synapse in the hippocampus is an NMDA-independent form of LTP that requires cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) activity and can be induced by forskolin, a general activator of adenylyl cyclases. Presynaptic Ca2+ influx and elevated cAMP may be obligatory for mossy fiber LTP. Because the Ca2+-stimulated type 1 adenylyl cyclase (AC1) is expressed in the dentate gyrus and CA3 pyramidal cells, it is hypothesized that AC1 may be critical for mossy fiber LTP. To test this hypothesis, we examined several forms of hippocampal LTP in wild-type and AC1 mutant mice. Wild-type and AC1 mutant mice exhibited comparable perforant path LTP recorded in the dentate gyrus as well as decremental LTP at the Schaffer collateral-->CA1 pyramidal cell synapse. Although the mutant mice exhibited normal paired pulse facilitation, mossy fiber LTP was impaired significantly in AC1 mutants. High concentrations of forskolin induced mossy fiber LTP to comparable levels in wild-type and AC1 mutant mice, indicating that signaling components downstream from the adenylyl cyclase, including PKA, ion channels, and secretory machinery, were not affected by disruption of the AC1 gene. These data indicate that coupling of Ca2+ to activation of AC1 is crucial for mossy fiber LTP, most likely via activation of PKA and enhancement of excitatory amino acid secretion.