Thorax Tissues Research Articles

DNA Extraction and Comparison between Old and Fresh Necrophilic Fly Samples.

A total of five samples of Chrysomya megacephala samples - three fresh samples, one sample stored in alcohol for 2 years, and one sample stored in dry sealed storage for 2 years protected from light only - were selected to investigate whether a blood DNA extraction kit could extract DNA from necrophilous flies and to determine whether alcohol could prolong the preservation of necrophilous flies' DNA. First, the blood DNA extraction kit was used to extract DNA from their thorax tissues. Then, the DNA purity and concentration were examined using a microplate reader and a fluorometer. Finally, PCR amplification and electrophoresis of the extracted DNA were done with necrophilic fly-specific primers located in the mitochondrial CO I gene sequence. The results showed that the DNA purity of all samples was greater than 2.0. The DNA concentration was observed to be of the following order: fresh samples > alcohol-preserved old samples > untreated, old samples. All samples had specific electrophoretic bands after PCR amplification. In conclusion, a blood DNA extraction kit can be used to extract DNA from necrophilic flies successfully, and the DNA concentration of fresh fly samples is greater than that of old fly samples. The flies can be stored in alcohol for a long time.

Wing expansion functional analysis of ion transport peptide gene in Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)

Ion transport peptide (ITP), a superfamily of arthropod neuropeptides, serves a crucial role in regulating various physiological processes such as diuresis, ecdysis behavior, and wing expansion. However, the molecular characteristics, expression profile, and role of ITP in Sogatella furcifera are poorly understood. To elucidate the characteristics and biological function of ITP in S. furcifera, we employed reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and RNA interference (RNAi) methods. The identified SfITP gene encodes 117 amino acids. The expression of SfITP gradually increased followed the formation of 3-day-old of 5th instar nymph, peaking initially at 40 min after eclosion, and reaching another peak 24 h after eclosion, with particularly high expression levels in thorax and wing tissues. Notably, SfITP RNAi in 3rd instar nymphs of S. furcifera significantly inhibited the transcript levels of SfITP, resulting in 55% mortality and 78% wing deformity. These findings suggests that SfITP is involved in the regulation of wing expansion in S. furcifera, providing insights into the regulation of insect wing expansion and contributing to the molecular understanding of this process.

Functional analysis of Notch gene in the white-backed planthopper Sogatella furcifera (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)

Insect wing development is a complex process controlled by a series of genes. Notch is a key gene that regulates insect wing development. It is a receptor protein in the Notch signaling pathway that regulates the expression of downstream target genes after binding with ligands. In this study, we obtained the Notch gene from Sogatella furcifera (SfNotch) and analyzed its mRNA expression levels in different developmental stages and tissues. We also used RNA interference(RNAi) to investigate the biological function of SfNotch. Our results showed that SfNotch expression increased toward the end of the 3rd–5th instars, reaching its highest expression in the adult stage, and was especially high in the thorax and wing tissues. In addition, knockdown of SfNotch resulted in notched wings in 68.5% of S. furcifera. Our findings provide insight into the regulation of insect wing development and contribute to the molecular understanding of this process.

Optimizing Cardiac Wireless Implant Communication: A Feasibility Study on Selecting the Frequency and Matching Medium

Cardiac wireless implantable medical devices (CWIMD) have brought a paradigm shift in monitoring and treating various cardiac conditions, including heart failure, arrhythmias, and hypertension. One of the key elements in CWIMD is the implant antenna which uses radio frequency (RF) technology to wirelessly communicate and transmit data to external devices. However, wireless communication with a deeply implanted antenna using RF can be challenging due to the significant loss of electromagnetic (EM) signal at the air-skin interface, and second, due to the propagation and reflection of EM waves from different tissue boundaries. The air-skin interface loss of the EM wave is pronounced due to the absence of a matching medium. This paper investigates the EM propagation losses in the human body and presents a choice of optimal frequency for the design of the cardiac implant antenna and the dielectric properties of the matching medium. First, the dielectric properties of all tissues present in the human thorax including skin, fat, muscle, cartilage, and heart are analyzed as a function of frequency to study the EM wave absorption at different frequencies. Second, the penetration of EM waves inside the biological tissues is analyzed as a function of frequency. Third, a transmission line (TL) formalism approach is adopted to examine the optimal frequency band for designing a cardiac implant antenna and the matching medium for the air-skin interface. Finally, experimental validation is performed at two ISM frequencies, 433 MHz and 915 MHz, selected from the optimal frequency band (0.4-1.5 GHz) suggested by our analytical investigation. For experimental validation, two off-the-shelf flexible dipole antennas operating at selected ISM frequencies were used. The numerical and experimental findings suggested that for the specific application of a cardiac implant with a penetration depth of 7-17 cm, the most effective frequency range for operation is within 0.4-1.5 GHz. The findings based on the dielectric properties of thorax tissues, the penetration depth of EM waves, and the optimal frequency band have provided valuable information on developing and optimizing CWIMDs for cardiac care applications.

Subcutaneous Splenosis Presenting 37 years post-traumatic splenectomy; A Case Report.

IntroductionThe term splenosis refers to autotransplantation of splenic tissue in ectopic sites. Ectopic splenic tissue may be found in the liver, thorax, pelvis and subcutaneous tissues following traumatic splenectomy. Although clinically insignificant, local symptoms such as abdominal pain may arise. In this paper we report a case of subcutaneous splenosis presenting 37 years post-traumatic splenectomy.Case presentationA 40-year-old medically free lady presented to our institution with a surgical history of post-traumatic splenectomy at the age of three and two cesarean sections. She complained for nonpainful right upper quadrant soft mass that has been stable in size over the years. Her laboratory results, including peripheral blood smear, were all within normal limits and no asplenic changes were detected. SPECT scan confirmed extraperitoneal splenosis in right upper quadrant.DiscussionSplenosis is an acquired form of ectopic splenic tissue that is defined as an auto-transplantation of a viable splenic tissue. It commonly occurs after traumatic rupture of the spleen.5 Splenosis has been widely reported around the world with an incidence of 16–67% after traumatic splenic rupture or splenectomy. Subcutaneous splenosis is an extremely rare condition, mostly observed in abdominal surgical scars. It is believed to follow laparotomy for splenectomy where splenic cells auto-implant or spread hematogenously at different locations.ConclusionSubcutaneous splenosis is a rare consequence of post-traumatic splenectomy that can manifest itself up to three decades after. Although concerning to the patient and alarming to the surgeon as it may resemble more serious entities such as abdominal wall sarcoma, surgical removal of asymptomatic splenosis is subject to the location of mass and patients' wishes.

Inter-observer variability of organ contouring for preclinical studies with cone beam Computed Tomography imaging.

Background and purposeIn preclinical radiation studies, there is great interest in quantifying the radiation response of healthy tissues. Manual contouring has significant impact on the treatment-planning because of variation introduced by human interpretation. This results in inconsistencies when assessing normal tissue volumes. Evaluation of these discrepancies can provide a better understanding on the limitations of the current preclinical radiation workflow. In the present work, interobserver variability (IOV) in manual contouring of rodent normal tissues on cone-beam Computed Tomography, in head and thorax regions was evaluated.Materials and methodsTwo animal technicians performed manually (assisted) contouring of normal tissues located within the thorax and head regions of rodents, 20 cases per body site. Mean surface distance (MSD), displacement of center of mass (ΔCoM), DICE similarity coefficient (DSC) and the 95th percentile Hausdorff distance (HD95) were calculated between the contours of the two observers to evaluate the IOV.ResultsFor the thorax organs, right lung had the lowest IOV (ΔCoM: 0.08 ± 0.04 mm, DSC: 0.96 ± 0.01, MSD:0.07 ± 0.01 mm, HD95:0.20 ± 0.03 mm) while spinal cord, the highest IOV (ΔCoM:0.5 ± 0.3 mm, DSC:0.81 ± 0.05, MSD:0.14 ± 0.03 mm, HD95:0.8 ± 0.2 mm). Regarding head organs, right eye demonstrated the lowest IOV (ΔCoM:0.12 ± 0.08 mm, DSC: 0.93 ± 0.02, MSD: 0.15 ± 0.04 mm, HD95: 0.29 ± 0.07 mm) while complete brain, the highest IOV (ΔCoM: 0.2 ± 0.1 mm, DSC: 0.94 ± 0.02, MSD: 0.3 ± 0.1 mm, HD95: 0.5 ± 0.1 mm).ConclusionsOur findings reveal small IOV, within the sub-mm range, for thorax and head normal tissues in rodents. The set of contours can serve as a basis for developing an automated delineation method for e.g., treatment planning.

Вплив літньої підгодівлі вуглеводами на активність каталази у медоносних бджіл

The nutritional composition of rations determines the strength of honey bee families. Feeding with various carbohydrate solutions is widely used in beekeeping. The form of carbohydrate intake in insects can adversely affect their health, leading to redox imbalances. Catalase activity (CAT) is a marker of oxidative stress. It was investigated the catalase activity in foraging bees Apis mellifera during their summer feeding with carbohydrates in the field after grass flowering. The research was perfomed on a private apiary in Chernivtsi region with the local bees (hybrids of Carpathian, Ukrainian steppe and Caucasian breeds). 32 bee colonies, eight experimental groups, were fed various carbohydrates for four days. These are 30 % and 60 % sugar solution, a mixture of honey and 60 % sugar solution (2: 3), without feeding, 30 % glucose and fructose solutions, a mixture of 15 % glucose and fructose solutions (1: 1), a mixture of 30 % fructose solutions glucose (1: 1). Then all bees were fed with 30 % sugar solution. CAT activity was determined in the head, thorax and abdomen of bees by Aebi method with modifications. The highest CAT activity was detected when using 30 % sugar solution for insect feeding. While doubling the sugar concentration and adding honey to the sugar syrup reduced the activity of this enzyme in all bee tagmas. Feeding the colonies with 30 % solutions of glucose or fructose also decreased CAT activity. The cessation of additional feeding decreased the CAT activity in abdomen tissues. It should be noted that the 60 % concentration of sugar, which results equimolar amount of monosaccharides by hydrolysis, differently affects the CAT activity in the tissues of the head and thorax. Decrease of CAT activity is observed on a diet with disaccharide, and this activity does not change on a diet with an equimolar mixture of monosaccharides. At the same time, two fold reducing the sugars concentration (30 % sugar compared to 15 % glucose + 15 % fructose) has the opposite effect – a decrease of enzyme activity in head tissues on an equimolar mixture of monosaccharides and no changes in thorax tissues. Conclusions. It was shown that feeding bee colonies in the period of cessation of the main honey plants flowering with 30 % sugar solution increased the CAT activity in foraging bees. Feeding with 30 % solutions of monosaccharides (glucose, fructose) and 60 % solution of sugar led to decrease of enzyme activity in all studied tagmata (head, thorax, abdomen) of bees. The tagmaspecific responce to various types of a carbohydrate diet in bees was found: in the abdominal tissues of all experimental groups there was a decrease of catalase activity compared to feeding with 30 % sugar solution (preparatory stage), while in the tissues of the thorax and head CAT activity depended on the type of carbohydrate diet. It was demonstrated that the form of carbohydrate intake (disaccharide or equimolar mixture of monosaccharides) affects the CAT activity in the tissues of the head and thorax of insects.

Novel Characteristics of Immune Responsive Protein IRP30 in the Bumble Bee Bombus lantschouensis (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

Immune responsive protein 30 (IRP30) is a Hymenoptera-specific protein first identified from honey bee hemolymph in response to bacterial infection. However, its function remains elusive. Here, we cloned the full-length IRP30 gene and clarified its expression pattern in the bumble bee Bombus lantschouensis (Vogt). The full-length IRP30 gene measures 1443 bp and contains two exons and one intron. The length of the cDNA is 1082 bp, including a 36-bp 5′-UTR and a 218-bp 3′-UTR, and it encodes a putative protein of 275 amino acids. As expected, the sequence of the B. lantschouensis IRP30 protein was clustered with the bumble bee group, which appeared as a single clade next to honey bees. The family shared similar conserved protein domains. Moreover, bumble bee IRP30 belongs to a recently diverged clade that has four leucine-rich repeat (LRR) conserved domains. IRP30 is highly expressed in the worker caste, during pupal developmental stages, and in the head and thorax tissues. Interestingly, its expression increases 20- to 90-fold when female bumble bees (B. lantschouensis) and honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) begin laying eggs. Overall, based on the expression of IRP30 during development and egg laying in female bumble bees, this protein not only responds to immune challenge but also may play an important role in metamorphosis and reproduction.

Changes in the expression of four ABC transporter genes in response to imidacloprid in Bemisia tabaci Q (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), a globally invasive species complex that causes serious damage to field crops, has developed resistance to imidacloprid and many other pesticides. Insect detoxify to pesticides may partially depend on ABC transporters, which contribute to the detoxification of xenobiotics. To determine whether genes in the ABCG subfamily are involved in imidacloprid detoxification in B. tabaci Q, we cloned four ABCG subfamily genes based on the published MED/Q genome and on our previous study of the transcriptional response of ABC transporters in B. tabaci Q adults to imidacloprid. As indicated by the quantification of mRNA levels after a 6-h exposure, the expression level of ABCG3 was 3.3-fold higher in B. tabaci Q adults exposed to 100 μg/mL imidacloprid rather than to the buffer control. The expression level of ABCG3 was higher in females than in males but did not significantly differ among eggs or nymphal stages and did not significantly differ among head, thorax, and abdomen tissues of adults. Knockdown of ABCG3 via RNA interference significantly increased the mortality of imidacloprid-treated laboratory and field-collected adults of B. tabaci Q. These results indicate that the ABCG3 gene may be involved in imidacloprid detoxification by B. tabaci Q.

EXTRAMEDIASTINAL LESION IN PATIENTS WITH PRIMARY MEDIASTINAL B-CELL LYMPHOMA

Background. Extramediastinal and bone marrow involvement in PMBCL patients in the onset of the disease is an exception to the rules and complete information, except for the word “rare”, in Russian and international literature is not available. Objective : to characterize PMBCL patients with extramediastinal involvement. Materials and methods. From 2007 to 2017 diagnosis of PMBCL was established in 157 patients according to WHO criteria with extramediastinal involvement in 16 (10.2 %) patients, 3 of them were at different stages of pregnancy. The median age was 27 years (23–69). Patients received different therapy protocols: m-NHL-BFM-90, R-DA-EPOCH и VACOP-B. Results . One extramediastinal lesion was verified in 11/16 (68.7 %) patients, multiple – in 5/11 (31.3 %). The most common localizations were: pancreas – 6 (37.5 %), kidneys – 5 (31.2 %), ovaries – 3 (18.7 %), liver – 3 (18.7 %), bone marrow – 3 (18.7 %) and breast – 2 (12 %) cases. Involvement of stomach, bones, soft tissues, spleen, pelvis, adrenal gland was revealed in one case each. In 15/16 cases, extramediastinal lesions were combined with antero-superior mediastinum involvement and only in 1 cases an isolated lesion of the soft thorax tissues without involvement of mediastinal structures was revealed. Five-year overall survival in the group of patients with classical PMBCL who received R-DA-EPOCH, m-NHL-BFM-90 and cohort of patients with extramediastinal lesions was comparable and was 93 %. As a result of the analysis, in 10.2 % (16/157) of cases extramediastinal involvement was revealed. In all cases, there is involvement of organs and tissues, but not the lymph nodes. In 18.7 % (3/16) of cases there was bone marrow involvement, confirmed by molecular and histological studies. Conclusion. Involvement of the antero-superior mediastinum and the presence of extramediastinal lesion, bone marrow involvement is not excluding criterion for PMBCL, but requires differential diagnosis with DBCL, including standard and molecular methods. Is isolated extramediastinal involvement in PMBCL a poor prognostic factor, is uncertain because of the small number of observations.

Mating Changes Sexually Dimorphic Gene Expression in the Seed Beetle Callosobruchus maculatus.

Sexually dimorphic phenotypes arise largely from sex-specific gene expression, which has mainly been characterized in sexually naïve adults. However, we expect sexual dimorphism in transcription to be dynamic and dependent on factors such as reproductive status. Mating induces many behavioral and physiological changes distinct to each sex and is therefore expected to activate regulatory changes in many sex-biased genes. Here, we first characterized sexual dimorphism in gene expression in Callosobruchus maculatus seed beetles. We then examined how females and males respond to mating and how it affects sex-biased expression, both in sex-limited (abdomen) and sex-shared (head and thorax) tissues. Mating responses were largely sex-specific and, as expected, females showed more genes responding compared with males (∼2,000 vs. ∼300 genes in the abdomen, ∼500 vs. ∼400 in the head and thorax, respectively). Of the sex-biased genes present in virgins, 16% (1,041 genes) in the abdomen and 17% (243 genes) in the head and thorax altered their relative expression between the sexes as a result of mating. Sex-bias status changed in 2% of the genes in the abdomen and 4% in the head and thorax following mating. Mating responses involved de-feminization of females and, to a lesser extent, de-masculinization of males relative to their virgin state: mating decreased rather than increased dimorphic expression of sex-biased genes. The fact that regulatory changes of both types of sex-biased genes occurred in both sexes suggests that male- and female-specific selection is not restricted to male- and female-biased genes, respectively, as is sometimes assumed.

The Effect of West Nile Virus Infection on the Midgut Gene Expression of Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae).

The interaction of the mosquito and the invading virus is complex and can result in physiological and gene expression alterations in the insect. The association of West Nile virus (WNV) and Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus mosquitoes results in measurable changes in gene expression; 22 gene products were shown previously to have altered expression. Sequence analysis of one product, CQ G1A1, revealed 100% amino acid identity to gram negative bacteria binding proteins (CPQGBP) in Cx. p. quinquefasciatus, Aedes aegypti (70%) and Anopheles gambiae (63%) that function in pathogen recognition. CQ G1A1 also was differentially expressed following WNV infection in two populations of Cx. p. quinquefasciatus colonized from Florida with known differences in vector competence for WNV and showed spatial and temporal gene expression differences in midgut, thorax, and carcass tissues. These data suggest gene expression of CQ G1A1 is influenced by WNV infection and the WNV infection-controlled expression differs between populations and tissues.

The Essential Role of Vitellogenin Receptor in Ovary Development and Vitellogenin Uptake in Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel)

The vitellogenin receptor (VgR) functions as an essential component in uptaking and transporting vitellogenin (Vg) in female adults, which is involved in ovary development and oviposition. This study aimed to clarify the molecular characteristics and function of VgR in the oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel). Here, we identified the full-length of BdVgR (GenBank Accession No. JX469118), encoding a 1925 residue (aa) protein with a 214.72 kDa molecular mass and several typical motifs of low-density lipoprotein receptor superfamily (LDLR). Phylogenic analysis suggested that BdVgR was evolutionary conserved with other Dipteran VgRs. The expression of BdVgR was exclusively detected in the ovaries rather than head, thorax or other tissues. The developmental expression patterns showed that the signal of BdVgR was detectable in very beginning of adult stage, and positively correlated with the growth rate of ovaries and the expression levels of its ligands. In addition, we also demonstrated that the expression level of BdVgR, and ovary development were significantly suppressed after being injected with BdVgR-targeted dsRNA. Together, all of these results indicated that BdVgR was critical for yolk protein absorption and ovary maturation in B. dorsalis, playing a vital role in female reproduction.

Detection of radiation-induced lung injury using hyperpolarized13C magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging

Radiation-induced lung injury limits radiotherapy of thoracic cancers. Detection of radiation pneumonitis associated with early radiation-induced lung injury (2–4 weeks postirradiation) may provide an opportunity to adjust treatment, before the onset of acute pneumonitis and/or irreversible fibrosis. In this study, localized magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy and imaging of hyperpolarized 13C-pyruvate (pyruvate) and 13C-lactate (lactate) were performed in the thorax and kidney regions of rats 2 weeks following whole-thorax irradiation (14 Gy). Lactate-to-pyruvate signal ratio was observed to increase by 110% (P < 0.01), 57% (P < 0.02), and 107% (P < 0.01), respectively, in the thorax, lung, and heart tissues of the radiated rats compared with healthy age-matched rats. This was consistent with lung inflammation confirmed using cell micrographs of bronchioalveolar lavage specimens and decreases in arterial oxygen partial pressure (paO2), indicative of hypoxia. No statistically significant difference was observed in either lactate-to-pyruvate signal ratios in the kidney region (P = 0.50) between the healthy (0.215 ± 0.100) and radiated cohorts (0.215 ± 0.054) or in blood lactate levels (P = 0.69) in the healthy (1.255 ± 0.247 mmol/L) and the radiated cohorts (1.325 ± 0.214 mmol/L), confirming that the injury is localized to the thorax. This work demonstrates the feasibility of hyperpolarized 13C metabolic MR spectroscopy and imaging for detection of early radiation-induced lung injury. Magn Reson Med 70:601–609, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Kinematics of the Thoracic Spine in Trunk Rotation

In vivo 3-dimensional (3D) study of the thoracic spine. To demonstrate axial rotations (ARs) and coupled motions of the thoracic spine. In vivo 3D kinematics of the thoracic spine in trunk rotation with intact thorax and soft tissues has not been well-known.There were no quantitative data of AR in the consecutive thoracic spinal segments. Patterns of coupled motion with AR have been controversial. Thirteen healthy volunteers underwent 3D computed tomography of the thoracic spine in 3 positions; neutral, right, and left maximum trunk rotation. Relative motions of vertebrae were calculated by automatically superimposing the vertebrae in a neutral position over images in rotational positions, using voxel-based registration. Motions were represented with 6 degrees of freedom by Euler angles and translations on the local coordinate system. Mean (± SD) relative rotational angles of T1 with respect to L1 to 1 side were 24.9° ± 4.9° in maximum trunk rotation. AR of each thoracic segment with respect to the inferior adjacent vertebra to 1 side was 1.2° ± 0.8° at T1-T2, 1.6° ± 0.7° at T2-T3, 1.4° ± 0.9° at T3-T4, 1.6° ± 0.8° at T4-T5, 1.8° ± 0.7° at T5-T6, 1.9° ± 0.6° at T6-T7, 2.3° ± 0.7° at T7-T8, 2.5° ± 0.8° at T8-T9, 2.7° ± 0.6° at T9-T10, 2.6° ± 0.8° at T10-T11, 1.3° ± 0.7° at T11-T12, and 0.5° ± 0.4° at T12-L1. Significantly larger segmental AR was observed at the middle thoracic segments (T6-T11) than at the upper (T1-T6) and lower (T11-L1) segments. At the upper thoracic segments, coupled lateral bending with AR was observed in the same direction as AR. However, at the middle and lower thoracic segments, coupled lateral bending occurred both in the same and opposite directions. In vivo 3D ARs and coupled motions of the consecutive thoracic spinal segments in trunk rotation were investigated accurately for the first time.

Sex peptide of Drosophila melanogaster males is a global regulator of reproductive processes in females

Seminal fluid proteins (Sfps) alter female behaviour and physiology and can mediate sexual conflict. In Drosophila melanogaster, a single Sfp, the sex peptide (SP), triggers remarkable post-mating responses in females, including altered fecundity, feeding, immunity and sexual receptivity. These effects can favour the evolutionary interests of males while generating costs in females. We tested the hypothesis that SP is an upstream master-regulator able to induce diverse phenotypes through efficient induction of widespread transcriptional changes in females. We profiled mRNA responses to SP in adult female abdomen (Abd) and head+thorax (HT) tissues using microarrays at 3 and 6 h following mating. SP elicited a rich, subtle signature of temporally and spatially controlled mRNAs. There were significant alterations to genes linked to egg development, early embryogenesis, immunity, nutrient sensing, behaviour and, unexpectedly, phototransduction. There was substantially more variation in the direction of differential expression across time points in the HT versus Abd. The results support the idea that SP is an important regulator of gene expression in females. The expression of many genes in one sex can therefore be under the influence of a regulator expressed in the other. This could influence the extent of sexual conflict both within and between loci.

A Comparison of physical and dosimetric properties of lung substitute materials

The need for an accurate estimate of absorbed doses within and around irradiated thorax tissues necessitates the use of carefully selected materials from which phantoms are constructed. A lung substitute is more difficult to establish mostly due to its low physical density. Although many researchers have used cork as a lung substitute, very little research data address cork's characteristics to determine which type of cork is optimal as a substitute for lung tissue. Natural cork, composition cork, rubber cork, ATOM, RANDO, and a reference lung material (ICRU-44 lung tissue) were investigated to establish comparisons of physical properties. Following the determination of the respective physical properties, the dose distributions from 6 MV photon beams in water/lung substitute/water phantoms were assessed using the Monte Carlo method. Physical and electron densities affecting the dose distributions through lung tissues in different field size conditions were investigated. The physical properties (physical density, electronic density, and effective atomic number) of the composition cork are the most similar to those of the ICRU-44 lung, and the CT number of the composition cork is very similar to that of humans aged 30-60. PDD of the composition cork and the RANDO phantom are the most comparable to that of ICRU-44 lung in 1 × 1 cm(2) field size due to the combined properties of physical density (PD) and electron density per gram (EDG) of the studied lung materials. PD and EDG affect the lung dose primarily in small field size. The effects of PD are minimal in large fields, having a more rapid lateral electron equilibrium. EDG dominates PDD pattern in lung material when large fields are applied. Combined effects of PD and EDG are nonlinear for all field sizes. The composition cork is the preferred lung substitute based on physical and dosimetric properties.

Successful Nonsurgical Treatment of Pneumomediastinum, Pneumothorax, Pneumoperitoneum, Pneumoretroperitoneum, and Subcutaneous Emphysema following ERCP

Complications related to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) include pancreatitis, hemorrhage, cholangitis, and perforation. ERCP-related perforation is uncommon, but mortality rates are high. Diagnosis requires a high clinical suspicion for early detection to allow optimal management of the perforation and a better prognosis. Treatment depends on the location and mechanism and increasingly involves nonoperative management. We report a case of successful nonsurgical treatment of a patient with extensive air involving the peritoneum, retroperitoneum, thorax, mediastinum, and subcutaneous tissues following an ERCP perforation.

Radiographic examination and outcome in consecutive feline trauma patients

Using univariate analysis, the correlation between signalment, history, outcome and radiographic diagnosis made on whole-body radiographs was investigated in 100 consecutive feline trauma patients of an urban clinic. The radiographic findings included: 53 thoracic injuries, 39 abdominal injuries, 34 pelvic injuries, 28 soft tissue injuries, 26 spinal injuries, and 19 cases with signs of hypovolemia. Only four radiographs were considered normal. Surgical intervention was carried out in 51 cases. Of the 100 cases, 73 survived, 23 were euthanatized, and four died. A significant positive correlation with euthanasia was found when compared to patient age (p=0.0059), abdominal trauma (P=0.0500), spinal fractures (P=0.0468), and soft tissue injuries (P=0.0175). A significant negative correlation with survival was found when compared to patient age (P=0.0358), abdominal trauma (P=0.0439), intraperitoneal free air (P=0.0041), and soft tissue injury (P=0.0288). The results of this study indicate that whole-body radiographs are useful in detecting injury in the thorax, abdomen, spine, pelvis and soft tissues, and are valuable in the diagnostic work-up of feline trauma patients.

Reconstrucción mamaria mediante el colgajo musculocutáneo del dorsal ancho

In breast reconstruction we try to achieve the greatest possible symmetry with the contralateral breast, with the smallest number of interventions, the least possible sequel and the greatest safety. When we find poor cutaneous quality in the thorax we must use techniques that provide a well vascularised tissue of good quality, which we obtain at a certain distance instead of using the thorax tissues themselves. This article reviews the latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap, the technique of elevation, variations of the flap, and the advantages and drawbacks involved. This is a very safe and versatile technique, with few sequels in the donor area, with a relatively short surgery time and with good aesthetic results.