The deep superior branch of the superior gluteal nerve and vessels, which provides major blood and nerve supply to the G. medius and G. minimus, is at significant risk during the percutaneous placement of iliosacral screws even when "well placed" and soft tissue protecting cannulas are used. The clinical effects of these injuries remain poorly understood.

The need to increase the efficiency of dissection in the gross anatomy laboratory has been the driving force behind the technologic changes we have recently implemented. With the introduction of an integrated systems-based medical curriculum and a reduction in laboratory teaching hours, anatomy faculty at the University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC) developed a computer-based dissection manual to adjust to these curricular changes and time constraints. At each cadaver workstation, Apple iMac computers were added and a new dissection manual, running in a browser-based format, was installed. Within the text of the manual, anatomical structures required for dissection were linked to digital images from prosected materials; in addition, for each body system, the dissection manual included images from cross sections, radiographs, CT scans, and histology. Although we have placed a high priority on computerization of the anatomy laboratory, we remain strong advocates of the importance of cadaver dissection. It is our belief that the utilization of computers for dissection is a natural evolution of technology and fosters creative teaching strategies adapted for anatomy laboratories in the 21st century. Our strategy has significantly enhanced the independence and proficiency of our students, the efficiency of their dissection time, and the quality of laboratory instruction by the faculty.

Most of the percutaneous iliosacral screws were safely inserted using StdFluoro and VirtualFluoro, and total surgical times were similar using both methods. As VirtualFluoro continues to evolve, improved efficiency in operative times may be expected. Currently, the most beneficial aspect of using VirtualFluoro during the insertion of percutaneous iliosacral screws appears to be significantly decreased use of fluoroscopy when compared to StdFluoro.

Male rats with complete hypothalamic deafferentation had consistently lower serums prolactin concentrations than controls when the blood samples were obtained under other anesthesia. However, when rats were decapitated, both groups had similar low prolactin levels. Posterolateral deafferentation was as effective as complete deafferentation in preventing the stress-induced prolactin release, whereas anterior frontal deafferentation had only a small effect, L-Dopa (100 mg/kg body wt, ip) decreased prolactin titers in both control and deafferented animals, whereas reserpine (1 mg/kg body wt, ip) had the opposite effect. Since both drugs inhibited prolactin release from pituitaries in vitro, the decrease of prolactin levels following L-dopa in vivo might have been caused not only by stimulation of PIF release but also at least partly by the direct effect of the drug on the pituitary. However, the increase of serum prolactin following reserpine was in all probability caused by inhibition of PIF secretion. Electrolytic lesions in the median eminence of deafferented rats caused an elevation of serum prolactin which was more marked in female than in male rats. On the contrary, deafferentation in the females affected prolactin levels less than in males. It is concluded that hypothalamic deafferentation prevents ether-induced release of prolactin and that the "low" levels of the deafferented animals are probably due to a tonic release of prolactin-inhibiting factor (PIF) from the isolated island. It is though that this continuous release of PIF might be maintained by persisting autonomous activity of the adrenergic, presumably dopaminergic, neurons contained in the isolated island.