The use of compound muscle action potentials (CMAP) for postoperative monitoring of free functioning gracilis muscle transfer: A preliminary report.

Background And Purposes: The use of skin flap as a monitoring tool cannot sensitively reflect the vascularity of a functioning free muscle transfer (FFMT), and it may result in delayed detection of vascular compromise. We report the use of compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs) as a supplemental method in the monitoring of free gracilis transfers.

Subjects And Methods: In 46 successful free gracilis transfers in 23 patients following total brachial plexus injury (BPI), CMAPs were measured every hour for 75 h postoperatively.

Reconstruction of shoulder and elbow function using multiple muscle transfers for cervical spondylotic amyotrophy.

Study Design: This was a retrospective study of 8 patients with cervical spondylotic amyotrophy who underwent multiple muscle transfers.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate results of multiple muscle transfers about the shoulder and elbow in patients with cervical spondylotic amyotrophy.

Summary Of Background Data: Cervical spondylotic amyotrophy is characterized by severe muscle atrophy of the shoulder girdle and elbow.

Postoperative monitoring in free muscle transfers for reconstruction in brachial plexus injuries.

Free gracilis transfers are done for reanimation of the upper limb in traumatic total brachial plexus palsy. Because of buried nature of the free muscle and monitoring skin flap in the axillary or infraclavicular region, it is always a tricky situation for continuous and repeated monitoring to assess vascular status. Critical ischemia times vary between the muscle and monitoring skin flap because of which signs of ischemic changes in the monitoring skin flap are always delayed with respect to the muscle.

Sequential immunization with V3 peptides from primary human immunodeficiency virus type 1 produces cross-neutralizing antibodies against primary isolates with a matching narrow-neutralization sequence motif.

An antibody response capable of neutralizing not only homologous but also heterologous forms of the CXCR4-tropic human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) MNp and CCR5-tropic primary isolate HIV-1 JR-CSF was achieved through sequential immunization with a combination of synthetic peptides representing HIV-1 Env V3 sequences from field and laboratory HIV-1 clade B isolates. In contrast, repeated immunization with a single V3 peptide generated antibodies that neutralized only type-specific laboratory-adapted homologous viruses. To determine whether the cross-neutralization response could be attributed to a cross-reactive antibody in the immunized animals, we isolated a monoclonal antibody, C25, which neutralized the heterologous primary viruses of HIV-1 clade B.

Nerve root distribution of deltoid and biceps brachii muscle in cervical spondylotic myelopathy: a potential risk factor for postoperative shoulder muscle weakness after posterior decompression.

To investigate the nerve root distribution of deltoid and biceps brachii muscle, compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs) were recorded intraoperatively following nerve root stimulation in cervical spondylotic myelopathy. A total of 19 upper limbs in 12 patients aged 55-72 years (mean, 65.5 years) with cervical spondylotic myelopathy were examined.

Preparation of recombinant alpha-thrombin: high-level expression of recombinant human prethrombin-2 and its activation by recombinant ecarin.

We have established a large-scale manufacturing system to produce recombinant human alpha-thrombin. In this system, a high yield of alpha-thrombin is prepared from prethrombin-2 activated by recombinant ecarin. We produced human prethrombin-2 using mouse myeloma cells and an expression plasmid carrying the chicken beta-actin promoter and mutant dihydrofolate reductase gene for gene amplification.

Does cortical motor neuron excitability change in peripheral nerve injury?

Objective: To investigate changes in cortical motor neuron excitability after peripheral nerve injury, evoked spinal cord potentials (ESCPs) following hemispheric transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) were recorded in awake patients with unilateral brachial plexus injury.

Methods: ESCPs following hemispheric TMS were recorded in 6 patients with unilateral complete type brachial plexus injury. Studies were performed within 6 months from the time of injury.