Frostbite as a problem for dermatoplastic surgery

An analysis of the 35-years experiences with treatment of 621 patients with the IV-degree frostbite of hands and feet is presented. The surgical strategy of treatment of frostbite has undergone considerable evolution for these years. In addition to classical surgical treatment, the surgeons began to widely use methods of dermo-plastic surgery which allowed not only to save the maximum possible length of the extremity segment stump, but also to reduce the frequency of purulent complications and reamputations and thus to shorten the duration of hospital treatment.     

Computed tomographic angiography of the thoracic vessels: the method, initial experience and outlook for its use

The paper presents the data available in the literature on computed tomographic angiography and the first experience with it to study thoracic vessels. It details the principles of spiral computed tomography and CT angiography. Practical aspects of their implementation, as well as basic concepts are outlined. It is concluded that CT angiography is promising in studying thoracic vessels in various abnormalities.     

Crosspolarisation properties of reflector antennas with random surface errors

The crosspolarisation properties of symmetric front-fed paraboloids with random surface errors are investigated. Average crosspolar far-field patterns and crosspolarisation discriminations are computed for different RMS surface errors. The influence of the correlation interval and phase-error model used is indicated.     

Control and diagnosis in the biotechnical systems of artificial clearance

Controlling and diagnostic processes in the bioengineering artificial clearance systems despite of the procedures applied, their functional use and design seem to occur in the artificial organs, each of them consists of controlling and actuating processors ensuring their homogeneous (material, energy-producing, informational) or combined interaction with the patient's body. Centralized control over artificial clearance is proposed by using universal controlling processes which are informationally connected with the operator, the central computer and other controlling processes of the bioengineering system.     

Choledocholithiasis after cholecystectomy

Concrements were found in the ducts of 172 patients subjected to secondary surgical interventions on bile ducts. The detailed analysis of the data failed to answer the question whether the stones could be formed immediately in the ducts without such conditions as a mechanical obstacle for the outflow of bile, the presence of foreign bodies and a big stump of the cystic duct. Such a formation of stones can take place in very few cases. The authors have shown that control cholangiography and especially choledochoscopy can reduce the danger to leave the stones in the ducts, but does not eliminate the danger completely. Nevertheless they think that now it is possible to lessen the indications for biliodigestive anastomoses in choledocholithiasis since the retained stones can be revealed within the first days after surgery and, as a rule, removed with instruments or by other methods using the drainage left in the ducts.     

Effects of CGRP in different models of mouse ear inflammation

The anti-inflammatory activity of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) has been studied in cutaneous inflammation induced by croton oil (CO), arachidonic acid (AA), tetradecanoylphorbol acetate (TPA) or cantharidin (CA). Our results show that mouse ear inflammation induced by CO, AA or TPA is decreased by topical administration of CGRP, whereas that induced by CA is not affected. The dose-response and temporal analysis of CGRP effect show that the maximal activity is present at the dose of 30 pmol/ear and when administered 30 min after the irritating agent. Moreover, pretreatment with capsaicin is able to mimic the anti-inflammatory effect of exogenous CGRP, while simultaneous administration of CGRP and capsaicin produces a reduced response. Our results suggest that CGRP released from sensory.     

Expression of 72-kDa gelatinase (matrix metalloproteinase-2) in the developing mouse craniofacial complex

Tissue remodelling is an important feature during embryogenesis. Although the matrix metalloproteinases are believed to participate in these processes, the relation between matrix metalloproteinases and tissue remodelling during craniofacial morphogenesis remains unclear. The purpose of the study was to look for the presence of enzymes involved in extracellular matrix degradation during craniofacial morphogenesis. Protein expression of the matrix metalloproteinase, 72-kDa gelatinase (matrix metalloproteinase-2, gelatinase A, 72-kDa type IV collagenase) was studied by gelatine zymography and by indirect immunofluorescence with conventional and confocal microscopy. In the anterior region of the developing mouse face, 72-kDa gelatinase was labelled mainly in the tips and peripheral regions of the nasal and facial prominences. Upon contact and fusion of the prominences, the staining was intensely localized to the zone of the fusion and the tips and peripheral regions of the nasal prominences and the maxilla. The labelling of 72-kDa gelatinase was also present in the peripheral regions of the mandible, second branchial arch, and the face around the developing eye. However, during lens vesicle formation, the staining of 72-kDa gelatinase was absent in the invaginated lens ectoderm. After the lens had completely detached from the surface ectoderm, the staining was resumed in the corneal epithelium and mesenchyme. Gelatine zymography was used to confirm the presence of active and latent 72-kDa gelatinase in the developing mouse craniofacial complex. Collectively, these data indicate that 72-kDa gelatinase may play a significant part in localized tissue remodelling during craniofacial morphogenesis and the aberrant expression or function of the enzyme could be involved in causing facial abnormalities.     

Patterns of viral replication correlate with outcome in simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected macaques: effect of prior immunization with a trivalent SIV vaccine in modified vaccinia virus Ankara

The dynamics of plasma viremia were explored in a group of 12 simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) that had received prior immunization with either nonrecombinant or trivalent (gag-pol, env) SIV-recombinant vaccinia viruses. Three distinct patterns of viral replication observed during and following primary viremia accounted for significant differences in survival times. High-level primary plasma viremia with subsequently increasing viremia was associated with rapid progression to AIDS (n = 2). A high-level primary plasma virus load with a transient decline and subsequent progressive increase in viremia in the post-acute phase of infection was associated with progression to AIDS within a year (n = 6). Low levels of primary plasma viremia followed by sustained restriction of virus replication were associated with maintenance of normal lymphocyte subsets and intact lymphoid architecture (n = 4), reminiscent of the profile observed in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected long-term nonprogressors. Three of four macaques that showed this pattern had been immunized with an SIV recombinant derived from the attenuated vaccinia virus, modified vaccinia virus Ankara. These data link the dynamics and extent of virus replication to disease course and suggest that sustained suppression of virus promotes long-term, asymptomatic survival of SIV-infected macaques. These findings also suggest that vaccine modulation of host immunity may have profound beneficial effects on the subsequent disease course, even if sterilizing immunity is not achieved.