[The "new" Erlangen technique of funnel chest correction - minimalization of a well working procedure]. / Die "neue" Erlanger Trichterbrustkorrektur - Minimalisierung eines bewährten Verfahrens.

INTRODUCTION: In many operative fields there is a trend to be minimally invasive, so in chestwall surgery too. Because of this influence we developed a technique for routine measurements of the forces during surgery. So it was possible to make the Erlangen technique substantially less invasive. METHODS: Mobilisation of the sternum always begins with freeing of the xiphisternum. Then we use a spring balance with a measurement range of 20-230 N. This is attached to the sternum with a single-pronged hook, and then the sternum is raised to the desired position. DISCUSSION: Since the introduction of intraoperative measurements it has been possible to make the Erlangen technique substantially less invasive, i.e. division of the ribs at the outer rim of the funnel, previously always carried out, is no longer done. Of course we could also minimise the length of the incision.

Optical feedback, wavelength response, and interference effects of self-pumped phase conjugation in BaTiO(3).

It is shown that even slight optical feedback of a self-pumped phase-conjugate signal into dye or argon-ion lasers causes laser wavelength and conjugator reflectivity changes. The wavelength dependence of the self-pumped phase-conjugate reflectivity in barium titanate is examined over most of the visible spectrum. It is also demonstrated that interference between two collinear beams incident upon the conjugator affects the behavior of the phase-conjugate mirror.

[Fibrinolytic treatment of severe thrombosis of the basilar artery (author's transl)]. / Fibrinolytische Therapie einer schweren Arteria-basilaris-Thrombose.

Thrombosis of the basilar artery occurred in a 27-year-old woman after physical exercise (bowling). She became deeply unconscious without change so that four days after onset urokinase was administered. The neurological status than markedly improved, with partial regression of the paresis and the cranial nerve deficits, and she became responsive again. Angiography after four-day urokinase administration demonstrated complete recanalisation of the basilar artery. Subsequent rehabilitative measures led to almost complete disappearance of all symptoms. Later neurological tests revealed merely very discrete left hemiparesis, mainly of the arm.

Induced parental care in male convict cichlid fish.

Three parameters of parental care were recorded for pairs of cichlid fish (Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum) caring for their own young to determine the normal parental role of the male. Nonreproductive adult males were induced to exhibit parental behavior (e.g. herding, fin-digging, and defense of young) by daily presentation of free-swimming conspecific young. This process of sensitization to young appears to be species-specific in that males did not exhibit parental care toward alien (Hemichromis bimaculatus) young. Parental behavior in reproductive and nonreproductive males, as well as the implications and function of sensitization in these fish, is discussed.