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Summary: Though ilio‐inguinal nerve block has been commonly utilised in male urologic surgery, a single injection ilio‐inguinal nerve block alone has not previously been reported for analgesia of the vulva. In this report, we describe the case of a 14‐year‐old girl undergoing sclerotherapy of a venous malformation affecting the labia majora and minora. After induction of anaesthesia, we performed an ultrasound‐guided ilio‐inguinal nerve block using a total volume of 15 ml of ropivacaine 0.2% with 1 μg.ml−1 dexmedetomidine which provided effective postoperative analgesia. Though the patient received intravenous analgesia intra‐operatively and had an inpatient bed reserved in anticipation of severe postoperative pain, she required no further analgesia and was discharged home following 2 hours in the postoperative anaesthesia care unit. With the additional use of dexmedetomidine resulting in prolonged efficacy of the block, the patient reported effective postoperative relief for approximately 30 hours, solely using ibuprofen for pain relief. This case reminds clinicians that the ilio‐inguinal nerve block may provide benefit not only for male urologic surgery but also for procedures involving the external female genitalia, with extended analgesia with the use of dexmedetomidine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine the performance of two balloon-retention-type gastrostomy tubes when the balloons are inflated with two types of contrast materials at different concentrations. Two commonly used balloon-retention-type tubes (MIC and Tri-Funnel) were inflated to the manufacturer's recommended volumes (4 and 20 cm(3), respectively) with normal saline or normal saline plus different concentrations of contrast material. Five tubes of each brand were inflated with normal saline and 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% contrast material dilutions, using either nonionic hyperosmolar contrast, or nonionic iso-osmolar contrast. The tubes were submerged in a glass basin containing a solution with a pH of 4. Every week the tubes were visually inspected to determine the integrity of the balloons, and the diameter of the balloons was measured with a caliper. The tests were repeated every week for a total of 12 weeks. The MIC balloons deflated slightly faster over time than the Tri-Funnel balloons. The Tri-Funnel balloons remained relatively stable over the study period for the different concentrations of contrast materials. The deflation rates of the MIC balloons were proportionally related to the concentration of saline and inversely related to the concentration of the contrast material. At high contrast material concentrations, solidification of the balloons was observed. In conclusion, this in vitro study confirms that the use of diluted amounts of nonionic contrast materials is safe for inflating the balloons of two types of balloon-retention feeding tubes. High concentrations of contrast could result in solidification of the balloons and should be avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To report the role of interventional radiology in managing biliary complications following liver transplantation in the pediatric population. Outcomes included successful tube removal in 34 (81%), surgical revision in 6 (15%), re-transplantation in 1 (2%) and 1 (2%) patient death secondary to biliary sepsis before discontinuation of the tube. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract BORIS, or CTCFL, the so called Brother of the Regulator of Imprinted Sites because of the extensive homology in the central DNA binding region of the protein to the related regulator, CTCF, is expressed in early gametogenesis and in multiple cancers but not in differentiated somatic cells. Thus it is a member of the cancer testes antigen group (CTAs). Since BORIS and CTCF target common DNA binding sites, these proteins function on two levels, the first level is their regulation via the methylation context of the DNA target site and the second level is their distinct and different epigenetic associations due to differences in the non-homologous termini of the proteins. The regulation on both of these levels is extensive and complex and the sphere of influence of each of these proteins is associated with vastly different cellular signaling processes. On the level of gene expression, BORIS has three known promoters and multiple spliced mRNAs which adds another level of complexity to this intriguing regulator. BORIS expression is observed in the majority of cancer tissues and cell lines analyzed up to today. The expression profile and essential role of BORIS in cancer make this molecule very attractive target for cancer immunotherapy. This review summarizes what is known about BORIS regarding its expression, structure, and function and then presents some theoretical considerations with respect to its genome wide influence and its potential for use as a vaccine for cancer immunotherapy.

Abstract The medical use of low level laser (LLL) irradiation has been occurring for decades, primarily in the area of tissue healing and inflammatory conditions. Despite little mechanistic knowledge, the concept of a non-invasive, non-thermal intervention that has the potential to modulate regenerative processes is worthy of attention when searching for novel methods of augmenting stem cell-based therapies. Here we discuss the use of LLL irradiation as a "photoceutical" for enhancing production of stem cell growth/chemoattractant factors, stimulation of angiogenesis, and directly augmenting proliferation of stem cells. The combination of LLL together with allogeneic and autologous stem cells, as well as post-mobilization directing of stem cells will be discussed.