Complete paralysis due to traumatic brachial plexus injury is extremely difficult to treat when the injury affects whole nerve roots and when motor function fails to show any signs of recovery. Seddon has suggested that arthrodesis of the shoulder and amputation at the humerus, combined with the use of a functional upper extremity prosthesis, was the most practical procedure available. Since 1965, in cases of irreparable lesions such as complete root avulsion type injuries, we have performed direct intercostal nerve crossing to the musculocutaneous nerve without free nerve graft to achieve elbow flexion. However, it is necessary to operate on the patient within 6 months following the injury to obtain good results. In the past there was no procedure for dealing with delayed cases of complete brachial plexus palsy. However, with the advent of microsurgical techniques, new approaches have become open to us. Since 1978, we have reconstructed the elbow flexor by the combined surgery of free muscle transplantation with intercostal nerve crossing in delayed cases of complete paralysis. This article introduces the operative technique and the results we have obtained.
The polyamines spermidine, spermine and putrescine are essential for normal cellular functions. The contents of polyamines in tissue decreased in aged mice compared to young mice. In this study, the polyamine contents and their metabolic byproduct acrolein-conjugated lysine (
N
ε
-(3-formyl-3,4-dehydropiperidino)-lysine, FDP-Lys) in human liver tissue were measured and analyzed the correlation with age of the subjects. The putrescine and FDP-Lys levels were significantly increased with age. On the other hand, spermine level was decreased with age. Spermidine did not significantly correlate with age. The relative amount of spermine oxidase (SMOX) significantly correlated with the age of subjects whereas ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AMD1) significantly reduced by the age. Our results suggested that an increase in oxidation and reduction in polyamine synthesis may cause the change of polyamine profile in the elderly.
Background
Previous studies have reported relationships between various visual parameters of the skin and changes due to aging. Due to an increase in the discovery of unidentified bodies, the field of forensic medicine anticipates the development of a rapid method for estimating age. The present study measured various visual parameters of the skin in human remains and investigated the correlation between these parameters and age.
Materials and Methods
Skin images were taken of four body parts (cheek, chin, brachium, and thigh) of 414 forensic cases. We interpreted eight visual parameters of the skin (smoothness, roughness, texture, dullness, brightness, erythema, color phase, and sagging) from skin photograph images, and constructed three age‐prediction models, categorized by sex, postmortem interval, and age.
Results
Significant correlations were observed in the erythema of the cheek and chin, the roughness of the brachium, and the texture of the brachium and thigh among the visual parameters calculated in four body parts, using the three models. The root‐mean‐square errors, which indicate the precision of the three prediction models, were 13.06, 13.80, and 13.77. The only model that demonstrated a correlation with the visual parameters was sex (but not age or postmortem interval).
Conclusion
Similar to living subjects, we observed a correlation with age for a number of visual parameters. The parameters that correlate with age depend on whether the site being measured was exposed to sunlight. Age estimation based on visual parameters requires measurement of visual parameters for skin both exposed and not exposed to sunlight.
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