The distally based posterior interosseous fasciocutaneous island flap in reconstruction of the hand in leprosy.

In leprosy a functionally useless hand can be the sequelae of resorption of the sensation-impaired thumb and fingers resulting from repeated trauma and infection. When this process shortens the thumb to the level of the proximal phalanx or metacarpal, the effect is to produce a relatively shallow first web space which together with the shortening, can prevent the most basic hand manoeuvre of a pincer or pinch grip. The reconstructive procedure commonly used in this situation is to widen and deepen the web space with a z-plasty combined with excision of the second metacarpal but the result can be inadequate.

Identification of synthetic peptides derived from laminin alpha1 and alpha2 chains with cell type specificity for neurite outgrowth.

Laminin-1 is a potent promoter of neurite outgrowth. Here we find that the laminin-1 alpha chain contains peptide sequences that stimulate attachment and neurite outgrowth in some but not all neuronal cells. Testing of a series of overlapping peptides for biological activity with three laminin-1-responsive, neuronally derived cell lines resulted in the identification of peptide sequences, RKRLQVQLSIRT and KNRLTIELEVRT, from corresponding regions of the alpha1 and alpha2 (merosin) chain globular regions, respectively, that were active for attachment for all three cell lines and for neurite outgrowth with two of the cell lines.

Alkaloids from Aspidosperma species from Bolivia.

Two Bolivian Aspidosperma species were investigated. The seed and stem bark of Aspidosperma macrocarpon Mart. contain six known alkaloids: (-)-vincadifformine, ervinceine, kopsanone, kopsinine, kopsanol in the seed, and kopsanone, kopsinine, kopsanol, 18-epikopsanol in the stem bark.

Values of ultrasonography, sestamibi scintigraphy, and intraoperative measurement of 1-84 PTH for unilateral neck exploration of primary hyperparathyroidism.

Unilateral neck exploration (UNE) is a controversial approach to the treatment of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHP), and most surgeons favor bilateral neck exploration. The aim of this study was to assess the value of ultrasonography, sestamibi scintigraphy, and intraoperative measurement of urinary cyclic AMP (UcAMP) or 1-84 PTH in 200 patients undergoing unilateral neck exploration under local anesthesia. Conditions for UNE were (1) a presumed solitary adenoma detected by ultrasonography, (2) no thyroid disease, and (3) no family history of PHP or multiple endocrine neoplasia.

Respiration of amniotic fluid in near-term foetal rabbit.

Objective: To examine the existence of amniotic fluid inhalation in foetal rabbit near term.

Study Design: Rabbit red cells labelled with 51 radio-chromium (Cr51-S1: Injectable solution sodium chromate, volumic activity: 74 MBq/ml; Cis-BioInternational, France) were injected into the amniotic sac of 24 New Zealand White foetal rabbits (mean gestation: 31 days) at day 25 per-laparotomy. At day 26, just prior to caesarean section, human serum albumin labelled with 125 radio-active iode (125I-HSA) (SERALB-125: human serum albumin labelled with radioactive Iode 125, volumic activity: 185 kBq/ml, Cis-BioInternational, France) was injected into each amniotic sac.

[Scintigraphy using leukocytes marked with 99m-Tc-HMPAO in Crohn's disease].

99mTc-HMPAO leukocyte scintigraphy was prospectively studied in 20 patients with Crohn's Disease and was compared with radio-endoscopy and with disease activity index (Crohn's Disease Activity Index, ESR, C-reactive protein). Disease localization as defined by the scan was well correlated with those visualized at endoscopy or radiography (rs = 0.90 - p = 0.

Alkaloids from leaves and stems of Vallesia glabra.

Eleven known indole alkaloids: vallesine, aspidospermine, 11-methoxydichotine, apparicine, tubotaïwine, vincadifformine, condylocarpine, (-)-rhazinilam, aspidospermatine, haplocidine, and 18-oxohaplocidine, have been isolated from leaves and stems of Vallesia glabra (Cav.) Link. (Apocynaceae) from Bolivia.

Scaling the feeding mechanism of the largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides): motor pattern.

We present the first analysis of scaling effects on the motor pattern of a feeding vertebrate. Data are presented for the effects of body size on the pattern of activity in four head muscles during prey capture in the largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides. Electromyographic (EMG) recordings were made from three expansive-phase muscles (the epaxialis, the sternohyoideus and the levator arcus palatini) and one compressive-phase muscle (the adductor mandibulae), during the capture of small fish prey.

Scaling the feeding mechanism of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides): kinematics of prey capture.

We present the first analysis of scaling effects on prey capture kinematics of a feeding vertebrate. The scaling of feeding kinematics of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) was investigated using high-speed video (200 fields s-1) to determine what functional changes occur in the feeding mechanism as a consequence of body size. A size series of ten bass ranging from 32 to 210 mm standard length was used for the study and ten feeding sequences from each individual were analyzed to quantify movements of the feeding apparatus during prey capture.

Ameloblastoma with stromal multinucleated giant cells.

We report a case of ameloblastoma which uniquely showed heavy osteoclast-like giant cell accumulation and woven bone formation in the surrounding fibrous stroma. Immunohistochemistry showed that the giant cells were non-epithelial in origin and suggested that stromal factors (i.e.

Isolation of bis-indole alkaloids with antileishmanial and antibacterial activities from Peschiera van heurkii (syn. Tabernaemontana van heurkii).

Extracts from leaves and stem bark of Peschiera van heurkii (Muell. Arg.) L.

[Surgery of primary hyperparathyroidism by unilateral approach under local anesthesia and intraoperative determination of PTH 1-84].

Between July 89 and June 92, 70 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism underwent adenomectomy by unilateral incision under local anesthesia (Ul/LA), without exploration of the remaining glands. The procedure was carried out with intraoperative monitoring of urinary cyclic AMP (n = 35), Calcemia was measured 6-monthly for one year in every patient. 62 (88.

[Paraneoplastic edema syndromes in acute myelomonocytic leukemia: role of TNF-alpha and IL-6?].

We report the case of a 56 year-old man in remission of a Hodgkin's disease who had an acute myelomonocytic leukemia with major edemas. Chemotherapy temporarily allowed a concomitant regression of edemas, hyperleukocytosis and tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-6 levels which were initially elevated. We discuss the role of these two cytokines in endothelium permeability disorders.

Role of HDL1 in cholesteryl ester uptake in rats.

It has been suggested that apoE may play a central role in reverse cholesterol transport in rats. By this hypothesis, cholesteryl esters (CE) accumulate in high density lipoprotein (HDL) particles, which acquire apoE at the expense of apoA-I, and the apoE targets them for rapid hepatic uptake. However, the pathway has not been directly assessed in vivo.

[Surgery of primary hyperparathyroidism by unilateral approach under local anesthesia and peroperative assay of 1-84 parathyroid hormone].

By combining echography and per-operative hormone assay, surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism due to a single adenoma can be performed via a limited unilateral access route with local anaesthesia. In a recent series of 204 patients, this technique was not contraindicated in 88 (43%). The operation was successful in 81 of these (92%).

Transport of HDL cholesterol esters to the liver is not diminished by probucol treatment in rats.

This study examined the relation of decreased high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels in probucol-fed rats and the transport of HDL cholesterol esters (CEs) to the liver. HDLs from both control rats and rats fed 1% probucol for 3 weeks were doubly labeled in their CE and apolipoprotein A-I moieties with intracellularly trapped tracers and then intravenously injected into probucol-fed or control rats for determination of plasma decay kinetics and sites of tracer uptake. Results for HDL from control and probucol-fed rats were not different.