Comparison of the Apoptotic Effects of Topically Applied Papaverine, Diltiazem, and Nitroprusside to Internal Thoracic Artery.

Objective: To detect and to compare the apoptotic effects of intraoperatively topically applied diltiazem, papaverine, and nitroprusside.

Methods: Internal thoracic artery segments of ten patients were obtained during coronary bypass grafting surgery. Each internal thoracic artery segment was divided into four pieces and immersed into four different solutions containing separately saline (Group S), diltiazem (Group D), papaverine (Group P), and nitroprusside (Group N).

Respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function of workers employed in textile dyeing factory in Turkey.

Dyes are known to be a causative agent of occupational asthma exposed to them. We evaluate respiratory symptoms among textile. The study population comprised 106 exposed workers and control (unexposed) group.

Catamenial pneumothorax with umbilical and diaphragmatic endometriosis: a case report and review of the literature.

A 44-year-old female presented with a history of recurrent right-sided pneumothoraces, uterine fibroids, and a palpable lump in her navel. Total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (TAH-BSO) and resection of the umbilical nodule was performed. Intraoperative inspection of the right hemidiaphragm revealed adherent brownish-blue nodules without any associated diaphragmatic defects and a similar-appearing nodule at the umbilicus.

Neurological status and tissue perfusion changes after radial artery harvesting for myocardial revascularization: importance of the Allen test.

Objective: Although radial artery (RA) removal for coronary revascularization is considered safe, there is still considerable suspicion concerning adequate hand perfusion. We investigated the blood flow alterations in the donor forearm by quantitative perfusion scintigraphy tests in patients with RA conduits, and compared the results between the patients using different Allen test refill lengths .

Methods: 50 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery with RA grafts were investigated.

Protective effects of resveratrol in ischemia-reperfusion injury of skeletal muscle: A clinically relevant animal model for lower extremity ischemia.

Ischemia and reperfusion injury of the skeletal muscle is a common and serious condition observed in patients admitting to peripheral vascular surgery, interventional radiology and cardiology departments. Resveratrol (RVT) being a strong natural antioxidant is found in deal of red wine and Mediterranean diet. In the present study, male Spraque-Dawley rats were randomized into two groups of equal size.

An old friend is still at work: 34-year-old well functioning Starr-Edwards aortic prosthesis without anticoagulation.

The Starr-Edwards caged-ball valve prosthesis is the beginning mark of the valve replacement era, and was used widely in many centers worldwide in the past decades. Despite long term results with this prosthesis have been reported with satisfactory hemodynamic performance, only a few cases have been reported exceeded 30 years of durability. We report the case of a patient with a 34-year-old well-functioning Starr-Edwards ball prosthesis in aortic position using neither antiaggregant nor anticoagulant therapies.

The fate of folded and unfolded dermal grafts: a histopathologic and structural study of rabbits.

Currently, both autogenous and nonautogenous materials are used to treat contour deformities. Autogenous grafts are preferable to nonautogenous grafts because they cause less reaction and are both inexpensive and easy to obtain. Currently, however, no consensus exists on an ideal autogenous graft.

Extranodal Rosai-Dorfman disease as a pelvic mass.

Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) is a rare histiocytic disorder of unknown cause. RDD most commonly involves the cervical lymph nodes, but extranodal involvement has been described. We report the case of a patient with extranodal RDD that presented as a retroperitoneal mass obstructing the left ureter.

Progression-free interval in ovarian cancer and predictive value of an ex vivo chemoresponse assay.

The study objective was to determine the effectiveness of a phenotypic chemoresponse assay in predicting response to chemotherapy measured by progression-free interval (PFI) in a retrospective series of ovarian cancer patients whose tumor specimens had been tested with the ChemoFx assay. A statistically significant correlation between assay prediction of response and PFI was observed in 256 cases with an exact or partial match between drug(s) assayed and received. In 135 cases with an exact match, the hazard ratio for progression of the resistant group was 2.

Benign metastasizing leiomyoma responsive to megestrol: case report and review of the literature.

Benign metastasizing leiomyoma (BML) is an unusual condition typically treated by surgical resection and hormonal therapy. A 37-year-old woman presented with dyspnea 6 years after uterine myomectomy. Computed tomographic scans showed pelvic and right-sided lung masses.

Does radial artery harvesting for coronary revascularization cause neurological injury in the forearm and hand?

Objective: Radial artery (RA) is now used widely as a conduit of choice in coronary artery bypass grafting. Although RA removal is considered safe in the presence of adequate collateral arterial supply, there is still a considerable suspicion on the functional status of the forearm and hand. However, a neurological dysfunction may occur owing to either surgical trauma or ischemic neuropathy.

Cardioprotection with resveratrol pretreatment: improved beneficial effects over standard treatment in rat hearts after global ischemia.

Objective: The major objective of the present study is to evaluate the potential role of resveratrol (RVT), a natural antioxidant found in grapes and red wine, in protecting the myocardium from the deleterious effects of ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury using isolated rat hearts.

Methods: Langendorff perfused isolated rat hearts were subjected to 60 min of global ischemia following 60 min of reperfusion. RVT was given according to chronic pretreatment and/or acute treatment protocols.

Trimetazidine improves recovery during reperfusion in isolated rat hearts after prolonged ischemia.

Objective: Trimetazidine (TMZ) is a cellular anti-ischemic agent, which has been studied in clinical and experimental investigations, and was shown to have protective affects against myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury. The major objective of this study was to investigate the cardio-protective effects of trimetazidine in prolonged global ischemia subjected Langendorff perfused rat hearts.

Methods: Twenty rats (Male Sprague-Dawley) were divided into two study groups.

On the relative contributions of positive reinforcement and escape extinction in the treatment of food refusal.

We compared the effects of positive reinforcement alone, escape extinction alone, and positive reinforcement with escape extinction in the treatment of the food and fluid refusal of 4 children who had been diagnosed with a pediatric feeding disorder. Consumption did not increase when positive reinforcement was implemented alone. By contrast, consumption increased for all participants when escape extinction was implemented, independent of the presence or absence of positive reinforcement.

Functional analysis of inappropriate mealtime behaviors.

The purpose of the current investigation was to apply the functional analysis described by Iwata, Dorsey, Slifer, Bauman, and Richman (1982/1994) to the inappropriate mealtime behaviors of 15 children who had been referred to an intensive program for the assessment and treatment of severe feeding disorders. During Study 1, we conducted descriptive assessments of children and parents during meals. The results of Study 1 showed that parents used the following consequences for inappropriate mealtime behaviors: coaxing and reprimanding, allowing the child to periodically take a break from or avoid eating, and giving the child preferred food or toys following inappropriate behavior.

Lumbar peritoneal shunting with video-laparoscopic assistance: a useful technique for the management of refractory postoperative lumbar CSF leaks.

Background: Cerebrospinal fistulas and pseudomeningoceles can occur after lumbar spinal surgery, and are sometimes refractory to direct repair, external drainage, and blood patches. The authors report a technique for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion from the lumbar spine to the peritoneum to assist with the management of these difficult situations.

Methods: Using video-laparoscopic assistance, two shunts are placed from the lumbar region into the peritoneal cavity: first, a lumbar subarachnoid space to peritoneum shunt; and second, a meningocele cavity to peritoneum shunt.

Use of the high-probability instructional sequence and escape extinction in a child with food refusal.

We used the high-probability (high-p) instructional sequence with and without escape extinction in the treatment of food refusal. Acceptance increased and refusal decreased only with the introduction of escape extinction. These results raise important questions about the high-p sequence in the treatment of food refusal.

Improved myocardial function with the addition of pinacidil to custadiol.

Background: This study investigates the efficacy of pinacidil, an adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel opening agent, added to custadiol solution on myocardial protection during deep hypothermia and prolonged global ischemia on isolated rat hearts.

Methods: After 20 minutes of stabilization, 24 rats were divided into two groups. In group I (n=12), hearts were arrested with cold (4 degrees C) custadiol solution containing 50 micromol/L of pinacidil and subsequently dipped into the same solution for 120 minutes at 4 degrees C.

Analysis of response covariationamong multiple topographies of food refusal.

This study examined the effects of sequentially introducing treatment across multiple topographies of food refusal. Treatment with nonremoval of the spoon produced an increase in food acceptance and a decrease in disruption, but expulsion of food increased. When expulsion was treated, packing of food increased.

Predictive value of the ATP chemosensitivity assay in epithelial ovarian cancer.

Objective: The aims of this study were to define the specific parameters of the ATP chemosensitivity assay which most accurately predict a patient's clinical response to chemotherapeutic agents in epithelial ovarian cancer and to assess the clinical utility of the ATP assay.

Methods: In our laboratory from 1992 to 1994, fresh tumor specimens from patients with epithelial ovarian carcinomas were assayed with the ATP chemosensitivity assay (ATP-CSA) for their in vitro responses to several chemotherapeutic agents including cisplatin, paclitaxel, and cyclophosphamide. Clinical data on 161 of those patients including all follow-up assessments were then collected, and an investigator blinded to the in vitro assay results determined the patients' responses to chemotherapy.

Pelvic exenteration.

Pelvic exenterations are the most extensive surgeries performed for patients with gynecologic cancer, and the surgical team and patients have to be fully aware of the many issues that come into the discussion. This article discusses the history, indications, surgical techniques, and complications of pelvic exenteration.

[Survival tree analysis--a new method for multivariate evaluation of prognostic factors in operative cervix carcinoma].

Objective: We introduce a new multivariate analysis, not yet applied to gynecologic cancer, that includes the creation of a survival tree. The tree structured survival analysis is a statistical method designed to identify meaningful prognostic subsets in a study population, which usually do not emerge from routine proportional hazards analysis. We also applied the scoring systems from other groups to our patients and compared them with our system using a variety of statistical methods.

Limb sparing surgery for vulvar groin recurrence: a case report and review of the literature.

Hemipelvectomy was successfully avoided in a patient with extensive necrotic groin recurrence of vulvar cancer after prior radiation therapy. Tumor-free resection margins were achieved by wide excision of the recurrence including resection of the pubic bone and adjacent muscles. After resection of the femoral artery, blood supply to the leg was restored by an extra-anatomic axillopopliteal bypass.