New technical approach for the repair of an abdominal wall defect after a transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Breast reconstruction with autologous tissue transfer is now a standard operation, but abnormalities of the abdominal wall contour represent a complication which has led surgeons to invent techniques to minimize the morbidity of the donor site.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report the case of a woman who had bilateral transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap (TRAM-flap) breast reconstruction. The surgery led to the patient developing an enormous abdominal bulge that caused her disability in terms of abdominal wall and bowel function, pain and contour. In the absence of rectus muscle, the large defect was repaired using a combination of the abdominal wall component separation technique of Ramirez et al and additional mesh augmentation with a lightweight, large-pore polypropylene mesh (Ultrapro^®).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The procedure of Ramirez et al is helpful in achieving a tension-free closure of large defects in the anterior abdominal wall. The additional mesh augmentation allows reinforcement of the thinned lateral abdominal wall.</p

Collaboration Time Influences Information-Sharing at Work

Purpose Different length of collaboration with colleagues at work is a central feature of modern working life, and even more so in a work environment that is increasingly project focused and knowledge-intensive. Despite its practical importance there is little research on how the perceived costs and benefits in an information-sharing dilemma might change depending on collaboration length. Based on a social dilemma framework it is hypothesised that anticipated length of collaboration time will significantly influence the motivation to collaborate. Design An experimental scenario study (N=87) compared the willingness to work collaboratively, share information and help the partner in a long-term (two academic terms) vs. a short-term (one week) condition. Findings At first somewhat counterintuitively, participants were more helpful in the short-term, and insisted more on equality and disengaged more from a defecting partner - but not the project - in the long-term condition. People appear to focus more on the immediate task in short-term collaborations ― even at cost ― because the outcome is more important than the relationship, and more on setting norms for equality and reciprocity in long-term collaborations to avoid future exploitation. Practical implications The findings help understanding the motivation and the partner and task perception under different time conditions and support managing teams in an increasingly project-oriented work environment with changing partners and varying time frames. Originality To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper investigating the influence of anticipated collaboration time in information-sharing dilemmas

Echounterdrueckung bei HD-MAC-Uebertragungen in Kabelnetzen (A) Abschlussbericht

The research and development project 'Echo cancelling in HD-MAC-transmissions via cable-networks (A)' financed by the BMFT and worked out by RFT AG Stassfurt (RFT) in cooperation with NOKIA CONSUMER ELECTRONICS GmbH Pforzheim/Bochum (NOKIA) from 1st October 1991 to 31st March 1994 leads to the conclusion that an echo-compensation is technically possible with reasonable efforts. According to the project plan our research activities have mainly been focussed on cable-reception and front-end development of the consumer product. Due to misadjustments reflections can interfere with the transmitted data-, sound- and videosignals in HD-MAC-transmissions via cable. We have developed a tuner/IF-amplifier with a frequency response for HD-MAC-distribution and transmission according to hyperband signals with a bandwidth of 12 MHz. For comprehensive testing of the reception channel we built up a highly modificable HD-MAC-satellite system with echo-generator in the hyperband. (orig.)Available from TIB Hannover: F94B1988+a / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEBundesministerium fuer Forschung und Technologie (BMFT), Bonn (Germany); Commission of the European Communities (CEC), Brussels (Belgium)DEGerman

RABL6A Regulates Schwann Cell Senescence in an RB1-Dependent Manner

Schwann cells are normally quiescent, myelinating glia cells of the peripheral nervous system. Their aberrant proliferation and transformation underlie the development of benign tumors (neurofibromas) as well as deadly malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs). We discovered a new driver of MPNSTs, an oncogenic GTPase named RABL6A, that functions in part by inhibiting the RB1 tumor suppressor. RB1 is a key mediator of cellular senescence, a permanent withdrawal from the cell cycle that protects against cell immortalization and transformation. Based on the RABL6A-RB1 link in MPNSTs, we explored the hypothesis that RABL6A promotes Schwann cell proliferation and abrogates their senescence by inhibiting RB1. Using sequentially passaged normal human Schwann cells (NHSCs), we found that the induction of replicative senescence was associated with reduced expression of endogenous RABL6A. Silencing RABL6A in low passage NHSCs caused premature stress-induced senescence, which was largely rescued by co-depletion of RB1. Consistent with those findings, Rabl6-deficient MEFs displayed impaired proliferation and accelerated senescence compared to wildtype MEFs. These results demonstrate that RABL6A is required for maintenance of proper Schwann cell proliferation and imply that aberrantly high RABL6A expression may facilitate malignant transformation

Hydrogen isotopes (delta H-2) of polyunsaturated fatty acids track bioconversion by zooplankton

1. Organisms at the base of aquatic food webs synthesize essential nutrients, such as omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA), which are transferred to consumers at higher trophic levels. Many consumers, requiring n-3 long-chain (LC) PUFA, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have limited ability to biosynthesize them from the essential dietary precursor alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and thus rely on dietary provision of LC-PUFA. 2. We investigated LC-PUFA metabolism in freshwater zooplankton using stable hydrogen isotopes (delta H-2) of fatty acids as tracers. We conducted feeding experiments with the freshwater keystone grazer Daphnia to quantify changes in the delta H-2 value of body FA in response to the FA composition of their food and the delta H-2 value of the ambient water. 3. The isotopic composition of LC-PUFA changed in Daphnia, depending on the integration of H-2 from ambient water during de novo synthesis or bioconversion from dietary precursors, allowing us to distinguish dietary from bioconverted EPA in body tissue. We tested the applicability of these laboratory findings in a field setting by analysing delta H-2 values of PUFA in primary producers and consumers in eutrophic ponds to track EPA sources of zooplankton. 4. Multilinear regression models that included conversion of ALA to EPA correlated better with zooplankton delta H-2 EpA than seston delta H-2(EPA) at low dietary EPA supply. 5. This study provides evidence that zooplankton can compensate for low dietary EPA supply by activating LC-PUFA biosynthesis and shows that herbivorous zooplankton play a crucial role in upgrading FA for higher trophic levels during low dietary EPA supply