Tissue expander complications in plastic surgery: a 10-year experience

INTRODUCTION: Tissue expanders have been of great value in plastic surgery. Tissue expansion was developed for a specific indication; however, within a very short time, the concept of tissue expansion found wide applicability. From 1990 to 1999, 315 expanders in 164 patients were utilized. A retrospective analysis of complications and prognostic factors for complications were done. METHODS: The indications for tissue expansion were burns (50%), trauma (32%), and sequelae of previous surgery (8.8%). The expanders were inserted most frequently in the scalp, trunk and neck. RESULTS: There were 22.2% of complications and the most common were expander exposure (50%), infection (24%) and bad function of the expander (12.8%). The present study revealed an increased rate of minor complications in the group of 0 to 10 years of age and an increased rate of major complications for face and neck expansions compared to trunk expansion. There were no increased complication rates for the other age and anatomic site groups, previous expansion, concomitant expansion and type of expander used. CONCLUSIONS: The outcomes from tissue expansion procedures done in our hospital are similar to those reported in the literature. Tissue expansion is a good and safe technique.

Transport of Pirarucu Arapaima gigas juveniles in plastic bag

This study examined the stress response of pirarucu juveniles in a closed system transport. Pirarucu (Arapaima gigas) is a native Amazonian fish species from the Osteoglossidae family and an obligated air breather. A short duration transport trial (6h) was undertaken comparing closed polyethylene bags filled with atmospheric air (Air group) and bags filled with pure oxygen (Oxi group). Dissolved oxygen was the only water parameter that presented a difference between fish groups, and was saturated in the oxi group as expected. There was no mortality in either group after transport. Fish feeding was observed 36 h after transport for all fish, and normal feeding consumption was observed at 72 h. In both groups physiological responses were similar. Cortisol did not show any significant alteration during the sampled period. Unlike most fish species, cortisol values were unaltered in both groups during sampling, while glucose presented a significant change up to 12 h after transport. The results showed that pirarucu transport in plastic bags could be made with either atmospheric air or pure oxygen, since physiological response to stress, water quality and feeding behavior after 36 h were similar in both groups.

Plastic ingestion by sea turtles in Paraíba State, Northeast Brazil

ABSTRACT Currently, plastics are recognized as a major pollutant of the marine environment, representing a serious threat to ocean wildlife. Here, we examined the occurrence and effects of plastic ingestion by sea turtles found stranded along the coast of Paraíba State, Brazil from August 2009 to July 2010. Ninety-eight digestive tracts were examined, with plastic found in 20 (20.4%). Sixty five percent (n = 13) of turtles with plastic in the digestive tract were green turtles (Chelonia mydas), 25% (n = 5) were hawksbills (Eretmochelys imbricata), and 10% (n = 2) were olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea). More plastic was found in the intestine (85%) than in other parts of the gastrointestinal tract. We observed complete blockage of the gastrointestinal tract due to the presence of plastic in 13 of the 20 turtles that had ingested plastic. No correlation was found between the curved carapace length (CCL) and the number or mass of the plastic ingested items. Significant differences were found between the intake of hard and soft plastic and the ingestion of white/transparent and colored plastic, with soft and white/transparent plastics being more commonly ingested. This study reveals the serious problem of plastic pollution to sea turtles at the area.

Elastic stresses and plastic deformations in 'Santa Clara' tomato fruits caused by package dependent compression

The objective of this work was to study the fruit compression behavior aiming to develop new tomato packages. Deformations caused by compression forces were observed inside packages and in individual 'Santa Clara' tomato fruit. The forces applied by a transparent acrylic lever to the fruit surface caused pericarp deformation and the flattened area was proportional to the force magnitude. The deformation was associated to the reduction in the gas volume (Vg), caused by expulsion of the air from the loculus cavity and reduction in the intercellular air volume of the pericarp. As ripening advanced, smaller fractions of the Vg reduced by the compressive force were restored after the stress was relieved. The lack of complete Vg restoration was an indication of permanent plastic deformations of the stressed cells. Vg regeneration (elastic recovery) was larger in green fruits than in the red ones. The ratio between the applied force and the flattened area (flattening pressure), which depends on cell turgidity, decreased during ripening. Fruit movements associated with its depth in the container were observed during storage in a transparent glass container (495 x 355 x 220 mm). The downward movement of the fruits was larger in the top layers because these movements seem to be driven by a summation of the deformation of many fruits in all layers.

Anatomy, chlorophyll content and photosynthetic potential in grapevine leaves under plastic cover

The present study evaluated the anatomy, chlorophyll content and photosynthetic potential of grapevine leaves grown under plastic cover. The experiment was carried out in vineyards of Moscato Giallo cultivar covered and uncovered with plastic. A block design with 10 selected plants was used for each area (covered and uncovered). Twelve leaves (six of them fully exposed to solar radiation and six grown under shaded conditions) were collected from each area and were fixed and analyzed microscopically (thickness of the adaxial and abaxial epidermis and of the palisade and spongy parenchymas). Chlorophyll content and photosynthetic potential were determined in the vineyard at veraison and after harvest. Plastic covering increased the thickness of the palisade parenchyma in exposed and shaded leaves due to solar radiation restriction. However, the leaves from the covered vineyard did not have the same response to the restriction of solar radiation, as observed in the uncovered vineyard. The thickness of the adaxial and abaxial epidermis and of the spongy parenchyma did not vary due to solar radiation restriction. Chlorophyll content increased in the leaves of covered plants. The photosynthetic potential of the vines is not affected by solar radiation restriction imposed by plastic cover due to anatomical modification in leaves.

The literary arts in Hume's science of the fancy

Philosophers have long disagreed about whether poetry, drama, and other literary arts are important to philosophy; and among those who believe that they are important, explanations of that importance have differed greatly. This paper aims to explain and illustrate some of the reasons why Hume found literature to be an important topic for philosophy and philosophers. Philosophy, he holds, can help to explain general and specific literary phenomena, to ground the science of criticism, and to suggest and justify ";principles of art,"; while at the same time literature can provide valuable ";experiments"; for philosophical theorizing and provide it with a model for the science of morals and (in some ways) for philosophy itself. Moreover, the literary arts can not only help one to write better philosophy, in Hume's view; they can also help one to write philosophy better.

Is professional recognition in plastic surgery related to activity in research

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relation of medical research, with the participation of prominent plastic surgeon in Congress.METHODS: We reviewed the scientific programs of the last 3 Brazilian Congress of Surgery, were selected 21 Brazilian plástic surgeons invited to serve as panelists or speakers in roundtable sessions in the last 3 congresses (Group 1). We randomly selected and paired by other members (associates) of the Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery, with no participation in congress as speaker (Group 2). We conducted a search for articles published in journals indexed in Medline, Lilacs and SciELO for all doctors selected during the entire academic career and the last 5 years from March 2007 until March 2012. We assessed the research activity through the simple counting of the number of publications in indexed journals for each professional. The number of publications groups was compared.RESULTS: articles produced throughout career: Group 1- 639 articles (average of 30.42 items each). Group 2- 79 articles (mean 3.95 articles each). Difference between medias: p <0.001.CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate that the Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery seeking professionals with a greater number of publications and journals of higher impact. This approach encourages new members to pursue a higher qualification, and give security to congressmen, they can rely on the existence of a technical criterion in the choice of speakers.

Plastic surgery in chest wall reconstruction: relevant aspects - case series

Objective: to discuss the participation of Plastic Surgery in the reconstruction of the chest wall, highlighting relevant aspects of interdisciplinaryness. Methods: we analyzed charts from 20 patients who underwent extensive resection of the thoracic integument, between 2000 and 2014, recording the indication of resection, the extent and depth of the raw areas, types of reconstructions performed and complications. Results: among the 20 patients, averaging 55 years old, five were males and 15 females. They resections were: one squamous cell carcinoma, two basal cell carcinomas, five chondrosarcomas and 12 breast tumors. The extent of the bloody areas ranged from 4x9 cm to 25x40 cm. In 12 patients the resection included the muscular plane. In the remaining eight, the tumor removal achieved a total wall thickness. For reconstruction we used: one muscular flap associated with skin grafting, nine flaps and ten regional fasciocutaneous flaps. Two patients undergoing reconstruction with fasciocutaneous flaps had partially suffering of the flap, solved with employment of a myocutaneous flap. The other patients displayed no complications with the techniques used, requiring only one surgery. Conclusion: the proper assessment of local tissues and flaps available for reconstruction, in addition to the successful integration of Plastic Surgery with the specialties involved in the treatment, enable extensive resections of the chest wall and reconstructions that provide patient recovery.