Variations in the superficial palmar arch of the hand.

Variations in the pattern of the hand blood supply are frequently encountered. Awareness and identification of such variations is crucial during hand surgery. Thirty formaline fixed hands of male and female cadavers were dissected. All arteries contributing to the superficial palmar arch (SPA) of the hand were verified. In addition to the frequently encountered types of SPA, three very rare cases were described. In the first case, the superficial branch of the radial artery passed superficial to the thenar muscles with a diameter larger than that of the ulnar artery. In addition to the common palmar digital artery to the second web space, it gave the princeps pollicis and radialis indicis arteries. In the second case, the SPA was formed by the ulnar artery and was completed by a small branch from the deep branch of the radial artery. The palmar digital artery to the ulnar side of the fifth finger and the common palmar digital artery to the fourth web space arose from a common trunk. In the third case, incomplete SPA was formed by the median artery which only gave the princeps pollicis and radialis indicis arteries, while the ulnar artery supplied the rest of the hand except the ulnar side of the third finger and the second web space which were supplied by the deep palmar arch. Therefore, sound knowledge of the pattern of the blood supply of the hand by various techniques is crucial to avoid possible complications during hand surgery.

Sulforaphane induces growth arrest and apoptosis in human ovarian cancer cells.

OBJECTIVES: Isothiocyanates (ITC) from broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables have long been shown to have chemopreventive properties, as demonstrated in cancer models in rodents. Sulforaphane (SFN) is a major ITC present in broccoli. We examined the effects of SFN on the growth of the OVCAR-3 and SKOV-3 ovarian carcinoma cell lines. METHODS: Cell cycle phase determination was performed using a Coulter flow cytometer. DNA strand breaks in apoptotic cells were measured by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated biotinylated UTP nick end-labelling (TUNEL). RESULTS: There was a concentration dependent decrease in cell density. Approximately 50% decrease was observed after 48 h of incubation with SFN (2 µM). Analysis of cell cycle phase progression revealed a decrease in the cell populations in S and G2M phases, with an increase of G1 cell population, indicating a G1 cell cycle arrest. The degree of decrease in the replicating population was concentration and time dependent. Incubation of OVCAR-3 cells in cultures with concentrations of 2, 10 and 50 µM of SFN showed 6, 8 and 17% apoptosis, respectively. In addition, when OVCAR-3 cells were exposed to SFN for various time periods (1, 2 or 3 days), the percentage of cells undergoing apoptosis was directly proportional to the incubation period. In this regard, while 18% of the cells underwent apoptosis after 2 days, 42% of the cells showed apoptosis after 3 days of incubation. CONCLUSIONS: These results clearly demonstrated an effect of SFN in inducing growth arrest and apoptosis in ovarian carcinoma cell lines.

Complex neurovascular variation in one upper limb.

Variations in the arterial pattern of the upper limb are frequently encountered during dissection of the human body. However, multiple variations in one limb are infrequently encountered. Dissection of the left amputated upper limb, 15 cm above the intercondyler line, of a female cadaver revealed the following variations. 1. The superficial brachial artery descends behind the bicepital apneurosis and continues as the radial artery. 2. The deep (definitive) brachial artery continues in the forearm as the ulnar artery under the superficial flexor muscles of the forearm. 3. The median artery arises from the ulnar artery 5 cm below the intercondyler line and continues deep to the flexor retinaculum. 4. The median artery terminates in the hand as princeps pollicis and radials indicis arteries. 5. The median nerve forms a loop surrounding the median artery 4 cm below the intercondyler line and bifurcates 2 cm above the flexor retinaculum.