Brain changes after peripheral nerve repair: limitations of neuroplasticity.

Neuroplasticity is the capacity of the central nervous system to adapt to external or internal stimuli. It is being increasingly recognized as an important factor which contributes to the successful outcome of nerve transfers. Other much more well-known factors are the number of axons that cross the coaptation site, the interval between trauma and repair, and age.

Current concepts in plasticity and nerve transfers: relationship between surgical techniques and outcomes.

OBJECTIVE Neuroplasticity is analyzed in this article as the capacity of the CNS to adapt to external and internal stimuli. It is being increasingly recognized as an important factor for the successful outcome of nerve transfers. Better-known factors are the number of axons that cross the coaptation site, the time interval between trauma and repair, and age.

Initial human feasibility of infusion needle catheter ablation for refractory ventricular tachycardia.

Background: Ablation of ventricular tachycardia (VT) is sometimes unsuccessful when ablation lesions are of insufficient depth to reach arrhythmogenic substrate. We report the initial experience with the use of a catheter with an extendable/retractable irrigated needle at the tip capable of intramyocardial mapping and ablation.

Methods And Results: Sequential consenting patients with recurrent VT underwent ablation with the use of a needle-tipped catheter.

Isolation of mutagen-sensitive Chinese hamster cell lines by replica plating.

Mutant rodent cell lines hypersensitive to DNA-damaging agents have provided a useful tool for the characterization of DNA repair pathways and have contributed to a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in the cellular responses to mutagenic treatment. Here we present a detailed description of how to isolate mutagen-sensitive mutants from hamster "wild-type" cell lines. First, cells are treated with ethyl nitrosourea, and then the mutagenized cell populations are screened for cells with an increased sensitivity to various mutagens using a replica-plating method.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma: epidemiology, etiology, and classification.

The term cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) describes a heterogeneous group of neoplasms of skin-homing T-cells that vary considerably in clinical presentation, histologic appearance, immunophenotype, and prognosis. CTCL represent approximately 75-80% of all primary cutaneous lymphomas, whereas primary cutaneous B cell lymphomas account for approximately 20-25%. For many years mycosis fungoides and Sézary's syndrome were the only known types of CTCL.

Binding and antiresorptive properties of heterocycle-containing bisphosphonate analogs: structure-activity relationships.

To define structure-activity relationships for bisphosphonate activity, we examined the bone binding and antiresorptive properties of heterocycle-containing analogs of risedronate, a pyridylbisphosphonate, in cultures of mouse fetal bone explants. Our studies indicated that hydroxybisphosphonates with the nitrogen molecule in the pyridyl ring were very potent inhibitors of osteoclastic resorption. Changing the place of the nitrogen in the ring structure of risedronate or its methylation did not significantly alter antiresorptive potency in relation to risedronate.

Pharmacological management of osteoporosis.

Pharmacological interventions for the prevention of fractures in patients with osteoporosis aim mainly at correcting the bone remodelling imbalance by either reducing bone resorption and bone turnover, or stimulating bone formation. A number of agents are currently available but only a few were evaluated under controlled conditions in clinical trials whose primary efficacy end-point was the prevention of fractures. In addition, this information was obtained in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis mainly with prevalent vertebral fractures, and most studies published to date had the occurrence of new vertebral rather than peripheral fractures as their primary efficacy end-point.

Bisphosphonates: structure-activity relations from a clinical perspective.

Bisphosphonates, synthetic compounds containing two phosphonate groups bound to a central (geminal) carbon (P-C-P) and two additional chains (R1 and R2, respectively) bind strongly to calcium crystals, inhibit their growth and suppress osteoclast-mediated bone resorption. The availability of two side chains allows numerous substitutions and the development of a variety of analogs with different pharmacological properties. The R1 structure together with the P-C-P are primarily responsible for binding to bone mineral and for the physicochemical actions of the bisphosphonates and a hydroxyl group at R1 provides optimal conditions for these actions.

Findings in 200 consecutive asymptomatic women, having a laparoscopic sterilization.

Laparoscopic findings in 200 asymptomatic, healthy women having a sterilization were recorded; 148 patients (74%) had no abnormality and 52 patients had abnormalities comprising pelvic adhesions (14%), uterine fibromyomas (5%), endometriosis (3%) and ovarian or parovarian cysts (2%).