Proprioception of the ankle: a comparison between female teenaged gymnasts and controls

Proprioceptive mechanisms appear to play a role in stabilizing the joints and may serve as a means for interplay between static stabilizers and dynamic muscular restraints. The purpose of our study was to investigate whether or not gymnastic training has any effect on the balance and on proprioception in an ankle, as seen in gymnasts and in nongymnasts. We evaluated the proprioceptive ability of the ankle using four different tests (a one-leg-standing test, a single-limb-hopping test, an active angle-reproduction test, and a passive angle-reproduction test). Proprioception of the ankle was measured in 40 subjects who were assigned to two experimental groups. Group 1 (n: 20) were healthy control subjects, and group 2 (n: 20) were teenaged female gymnasts. The sense of position of a joint was actively measured using a Cybex NORMTM isokinetic dynamometer and measured passively with a proprioception-testing device. A Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare mean values of the gymnasts to the controls. Results revealed statistically significant differences (p<0.05) between two groups. We found no statistically significant differences between the dominant and nondominant ankle in volunteers or in gymnasts, in all tests. The results of this study suggest that gymnastic training has a positive influence on sense of position of the ankle joint and on balance, in addition to increasing muscle tone.     

Combined use of histopathology with touch smear cytology in biopsies of the larynx

The aim of this prospective study is to evaluate the effectiveness of combined use of histopathology with cytology in biopsies of the larynx. Biopsies taken for this purpose are studied by using two different methods and the results are evaluated. One hundred and thirty-five patients with suspected malignant laryngeal lesions were examined by direct microlaryngoscopy for primary diagnosis. Each lesion was biopsied first. Subsequently touch smear cytology was obtained from the biopsies. In all cases, cytologic slides (one or two per biopsy) were screened and compared to corresponding biopsies. Lesions were categorized as benign, laryngeal intraepithelial neoplasia and malignant. Results obtained were compared with surgical samples obtained from patients who have undergone surgery. In other cases, where surgery was not applied, results of the follow-up were evaluated. In larynx biopsies the results for histopathology were as follows: sensitivity 93.9%, specificity 100% and accuracy 96.3%. The results for cytology were as follows: sensitivity 82.5%, specificity 94.5% and accuracy 87.4%. A comparison of cytologic evaluation versus histopathologic evaluation in laryngeal biopsies reveals that histopathology is superior. According to the study results, in 88.9% (120/135) of the cases the agreement between cytological and histopathological results was found. In two other cases (1.5%) cytologic evaluation contributed to the histopathologic diagnosis.     

Effects of tibolone on thromboxane B(2) levels in postmenopausal women.

This study was carried out in 16 premenopausal (control) and 24 postmenopausal women (study group) to investigate the effect of menopause and tibolone treatment (2.5 mg/day for 6 months) on plasma thromboxane B(2) (TxB(2)), a well-known vasoconstrictor and stimulator of platelet aggregation. The TxB(2) levels were measured using [(125)I] RIA kit. Statistical significance was analyzed by Student's t test for paired and unpaired data, and Pearson's correlation analysis. Plasma TxB(2) concentrations of postmenopausal women were higher than those of premenopausal women. Tibolone treatment decreased plasma TxB(2) in postmenopausal women. There was no correlation between TxB(2) and blood pressure and heart rate. It was concluded that tibolone, decreasing the plasma concentrations of TxB(2), might have beneficial effects on prostaglandin metabolism and thus reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.     

Gamma probe-guided resection and scanning with TC-99m MIBI of a local recurrence of follicular thyroid carcinoma

A 30-year-old woman underwent two operations for multinodular goiter and follicular thyroid carcinoma. The residual thyroid tissue was ablated by I-131 therapy. After 7 years of follow-up, Tc-99m MIBI and I-131 scintigraphy were performed, because her serum thyroglobulin level was much higher compared with the control analysis performed in the sixth year. Tc-99m MIBI showed pathologic accumulation, which could be consistent with a local recurrence, whereas the results of I-131 scintigraphy were negative. The locally recurring follicular thyroid carcinoma was resected using a gamma probe and Tc-99m MIBI. The thyroglobulin level decreased to a normal level after surgery. This case shows that the intraoperative use of a gamma probe with Tc-99m MIBI allows localization of recurrent thyroid tissue in the scarred area in patients with increased radionuclide accumulation, and scanning of the affected area using the gamma probe may be helpful in determining whether resection is complete.     

Octreotide inhibits myeloperoxidase activity in rat uterus

OBJECTIVE: Several studies have demonstrated that synthetic somatostatin-analog octreotide could affect the functions of the hypothalamus, anterior pituitary gland and ovary. To date, very few studies on the effect of octreotide on uterine function have been reported. We investigated the effects of octreotide on neutrophil functions in rat uterus. METHODS: Twenty Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a standardized uterine horn excision. To evaluate the effect of octreotide, the rats were assigned randomly to treatment (octreotide 20 microgr/kg, SC) and control groups. After two weeks relaparotomy was performed and contralateral uterine horns were excised in the same standardized manner. The excised segment was washed in cold saline solution and was frozen in liquid nitrogen immediately and homogenized. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) and elastase concentrations were determined in homogenates of uterine horns. The data were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: In octreotide-treated rats the MPO activity was significantly reduced after 14 days (14.79+/-2.08 versus 6.62+/-1.72 U/mg protein; p=0.012). There was also a significant difference in mean MPO levels between the two groups at the end of the experiment (6.62+/- 1.72 versus 18.56+/-2.49 U/mg protein; p=0.001). The octreotide administration did not affect elastase levels significantly. No differences were found in mean elastase levels in both groups after the treatment. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that octreotide has a significant effect on the neutrophil function in terms of MPO activity in rat uterus. Further studies are needed to clarify the clinical relevance of the inhibitory effect of octreotide in the uterus and the possibility of its applications.     

Acute respiratory distress due to malignant schwannoma. A case report.

A 13-year-old boy with acute respiratory distress due to a malignant schwannoma located in the neck, is reported. This case suggested that malignant schwannoma in the neck can lead to airway obstruction.     

Neocuproine, a copper (I) chelator, potentiates purinergic component of vas deferens contractions elicited by electrical field stimulation

Effects of the specific copper (I) chelator, neocuproine, on the purinergic and adrenergic components of nerve-evoked contractions were investigated in the prostatic rat vas deferens. Electrical field stimulation (EFS; 4 Hz) induced bimodal contractions of vas deferens tissue in the presence of alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin (to isolate the purinergic component) or purinoceptor antagonist suramin (to isolate the adrenergic component). Neocuproine significantly potentiated the purinergic component of the contractile responses to EFS. However, the same agent failed to elicit any significant effect on the adrenergic component of nerve-evoked contractions. The copper (II) chelator cuprizone could not affect the purinergic component of contractions. The potentiating effect of neocuproine which was reversible after washout of the drug, did not occur following the application of the pre-prepared neocuproine-copper (I) complex. A nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, L-nitroarginine; a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin or an alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonist, yohimbine, failed to alter the responses to neocuproine on the purinergic component of the contraction to EFS. Neocuproine did not elicit any significant effect on preparations in which the purinergic receptors were desensitized with alpha,beta-methylene ATP. In conclusion, our results suggest that neocuproine potentiates the purinergic component of rat vas deferens contractions elicited by EFS, presumably by facilitating purinergic neurotransmission and that copper (I)-sensitive mechanisms can modulate purinergic transmission in this tissue.     

Treatment of intertrochanteric fractures in geriatric patients with a modified external fixator

Forty-two geriatric patients who had an intertrochanteric fracture were treated with a semicircular modification of the Ilizarov frame designed by Cattaneo and Catagni between January 1997 and September 2001. Twenty-five of the patients were female, 17 male. The average age of the patients was 77.5 years (range, 63-99). No intraoperative complication occurred. Deep pin-track infection was found in four patients and varus deformity was observed in two patients and shortening of less than 2 cm in 10 patients. Fixator removal was achieved in a mean time of 12 weeks (range, 10-18). No implant failure, refracture or stiffness of knee and hip joint movements was recorded. We concluded that the treatment of intertrochanteric fractures of the elderly patients with our modification provides significant advantages such as minimal operative and anaesthetic risks, no blood loss, early weight-bearing, short hospitalisation time and rapid union time.     

Effect of amyloidosis on long-term survival in kidney transplantation

Amyloidosis is characterized by the accumulation of an amorphous material in various organs and tissues secondary to a variety of inflammatory, immune, infectious, and hereditary diseases. Since 1975, our transplantation team has performed 1470 renal transplantations. Between 1985 and July 2004, among 1159 kidney transplantations, 953 (82.3%) were from living donors and 206 (17.7%) from cadaveric donors. There were 32 recipients (28 men, 4 women; mean age, 31.4 +/- 1.7 years; range, 21 to 48 years) with amyloidosis, including, 28 (87.5%) who received grafts from living donors and 4 (12.5%) from cadaveric donors. Amyloidosis was secondary to familial Mediterranean fever in 22 (68.7%) patients and rheumatoid arthritis in 1 (3.1%). The remaining 9 (28.1%) patients had primary amyloidosis. The mean follow-up time was 51.2 +/- 5.7 months (range, 2-124 months). Mean HLA mismatch rate was 2.2 +/- 1. Twenty-six (81.2%) patients are alive at this time with functioning grafts, and a mean serum creatinine value of 2.1 +/- 1.5 ng/dL. The 1- and 5-year patient and graft survival rates were 90.6% and 84.3%, and 81.2% and 68.7%, respectively. We conclude that patients with amyloidosis may undergo kidney transplantation safely expecting outcomes similar to those patients who receive transplantations for other reasons.