The power of compassion: a judicial reflection on wellbeing and the court.

This article explores the stress, vicarious trauma, and burnout experienced by judicial officers and their need for protective skills. Compassion is one skill that can be incredibly beneficial. Compassion involves recognising a person's suffering, and 'turning towards' the sufferer.

Loss of dystrophin and the microtubule-binding protein ELP-1 causes progressive paralysis and death of adult C. elegans.

EMAP-like proteins (ELPs) are conserved microtubule-binding proteins that function during cell division and in the behavior of post-mitotic cells. In Caenorhabditis elegans, ELP-1 is broadly expressed in many cells and tissues including the touch receptor neurons and body wall muscle. Within muscle, ELP-1 is associated with a microtubule network that is closely opposed to the integrin-based adhesion sites called dense bodies.

The C. elegans EMAP-like protein, ELP-1 is required for touch sensation and associates with microtubules and adhesion complexes.

Background: The founding member of the EMAP-like protein family is the Echinoderm Microtubule-Associated Protein (EMAP), so-named for its abundance in sea urchin, starfish, and sand dollar eggs. The EMAP-like protein family has five members in mammals (EML1 through EML5) and only one in both Drosophila (ELP-1) and C. elegans (ELP-1).

[Goyrand J.G.B (1803-1866), surgeon and academician from Aix en Provence].

The authors present Jean-Gaspard-Blaise Goyrand, from Aix, who is not simply remembered for his description of the wrist fracture which has retained his name. His theses concerning permanent retraction of the fingers, presented to the Royal Academy of Medicine in 1833 and 1834, were contrary to those proposed by Dupuytren and proved to be completely accurate. All of Goyrand's work was edited by Masson in 1870, including a superb case report of giant elephantiasis of the penis and scrotum, a study on cleft lip and the technique of using collodion bands to close large wounds [corrected].

Regression of Dupuytren's contracture.

The phenomenon of clinical regression of Dupuytren's contracture is described and discussed. It is already recognized and used in fasciotomy where it follows the release of longitudinal tension. The quite extraordinary resolution produced by continuous passive skeletal traction in extension is presented.

Unsatisfactory results in Dupuytren's contracture. Philosophies of Dr. J. T. Hueston.

Unsatisfactory results from surgery for Dupuytren's contracture usually arise from complications. The author considers the complications and their subsequent unsatisfactory results that are attributable to the surgeon and those that are attributable to the patient.

Some medicolegal aspects of Dupuytren's contracture.

This article presents the medical and legal aspects of Dupuytren's contracture. It also presents a rational basis for the assessment of the relationship, if any, between a patient's occupation and the development of Dupuytren's contracture.

Aetiology of Dupuytren's contracture.

Dupuytren's contracture is a fascinating, deforming, fibrotic condition of the palmar fascia which has confounded clinicians and scientists for centuries. The aim of this paper is to place in perspective the longstanding associations of age, sex, race, hereditary factors, diabetes and alcohol consumption with the more recent novel investigations at the cellular level. In concert, the findings indicate that a number of factors may lead to the narrowing of palmar fascia microvessels, with localized ischaemia and oxygen free radical release.

A forgotten innovator in facial reconstruction: Pietro Sabattini.

Pietro Sabattini (1810-1864), a creative surgeon from Bologna, Italy, first had the idea of repairing a posttraumatic upper lip defect using a flap taken from the lower. The flap contains the three elements--skin, muscle, and mucosa--and is based on a specific vessel, the circumlabial artery. Therefore, it anticipates the musculocutaneous flap concept of today.

Occurrence of Dupuytren's disease beneath a full thickness skin graft: a semantic reappraisal.

Recurrence beneath a Wolfe graft is reported and discussed. While the dermofasciectomy appears able to inhibit myofibroblast proliferation where the graft is in direct contact with the graft bed, it is possible that, in the finger, the narrow strip behind the neurovascular bundle may, very rarely, escape this control and proceed to extension in depth.

Cell-controlling factors in Dupuytren's contracture.

The search for the causative factors in Dupuytren's disease has historically progressed form gross anatomical dissection, through microscopical tissue studies, to the biochemistry of the collagen produced. But these elements are merely the end products of cellular activity - not revealing the factors responsible for the changes in cellular activity. Recent biochemical investigations suggest that a number of conditions including localized microvascular ischemia and high alcohol concentrations transform the "benign" xanthine dehydrogenase of endothelial cells to the oxygen-free radical-releasing xanthine oxidase.

The personality of hand surgeons.

The aim of the present study was to investigate some aspects of motivation to practise hand surgery, psychological mindedness and personality characteristics in a group of 212 Hand Surgeons. The data was obtained by administering the Eysenck Personality Inventory, an especially constructed questionnaire, in a group setting at two conferences in Australia.

The extensor apparatus in Dupuytren's disease.

If we study the secondary changes in the extensor mechanism we can see changes at each of the three joint levels which are responsible for incomplete correction of the deformity after apparently adequate surgery on the palmar aspect. At the DIP level the flexion may not be restored until tenotomy of this secondarily contracted extensor tendon is performed. At the PIP level the middle slip may be used as a "lively splint" capable of progressive post-operative straightening of this joint if tenotomy over the middle phalanx is used.

'Firebreak' grafts in Dupuytren's contracture.

The empirical observation that Dupuytren's Contracture does not recur beneath a skin graft is applied as a means of controlling recurrent Dupuytren's Disease. In those patients with a strong inherited diathesis to the production of Dupuytren's Contracture, recurrence may occur or even by anticipated, and the placement of a skin graft strategically at a flexion crease is shown to act as a 'firebreak' between areas of potential flare-up of recurrent Dupuytren's Disease.

Some observations on knuckle pads.

Although knuckle pads are histologically similar to the palmar nodules in Dupuytren's Disease, they do not produce contraction. By considering the anatomical situation of the knuckle pad overlying the joint line and comparing it with a unique case of a dorsal nodule occurring between the joint lines, an explanation is profferred for this lack of contraction by knuckle pads. That contraction in the extensor mechanism was produced by the nodule between the joint lines is used to support further the "extrinsic" hypothesis of the pathogenesis of Dupuytren's Disease.