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The authors report a rare case of pharyngeal malignant melanoma, underlining the necessity of early diagnosis, in order to achieve the best possible prognosis preventing metastatic spreading. Unusual locations of MM are discussed, with emphasis on those that do not allow an early detection of the disease.

Since plastic surgeons are continually looking for new possibilities for the clinical transfer of tissue, they are very interested in investigating capillary blood flow. Recently, several authors have investigated the role of veins in experimental island venous flaps. In the present study, the authors attempt to clarify the importance of plasmatic imbibition and perivenous tissue as single nourishment sources in experimental island skin flaps deprived of arteries, and consisting of both axial and random zones. This study demonstrates the importance of perivenous areolar tissue in flap survival; the "initial plasmatic imbibition" was not able to keep the flaps viable. Due to the previously demonstrated presence of small arteries in the pedicle of "venous flaps," these flaps should no longer be considered as purely venous. In the reported rat model, it was not possible to harvest a flap without arterial inflow.

This study describes the work carried out at the Burn Unit of the Neves Bendinha Hospital, Luanuda, Angola, during the 3-year period July 1991 to June 1994. During this period we admitted 2569 burned patients to our burn unit, and 4661 were treated on an outpatient basis. The data from the patients were analysed to indicate the distribution according to age, sex, TBSA, cause of the lesion and mortality. Our study gives some epidemiological data on burns in an undeveloped country undergoing a war, outlining the specific problems compared to the reality in civilized countries.

From June 1989 to December 1991, 93 patients affected by malignant pleural effusion (MPE) were treated as out patients using a ultrasound (US) guided catheter drainage (10F Percuflex pig-tail catheter-Medi-tech@(PTC) and chemical pleurodesis. The PTC was positioned when the MPE had been diagnosed by X-ray and all the patients had undergone some thoracentesis (mean 3.2, range 2-6). We started a chemical pleurodesis when the MPE was inferior to 100cc/day injecting Epidoxorubicin (EDX 30 mg/mq) in the pleural space on alternate day for three administrations, and then, a lyophilized Corynebacterium Parvum (Wellcome strain CN 6134) (CBP 14 mg) on alternate day for two administrations. The complete response rate of this treatment was 90% (86 pt) with a mean treatment period of 32.9 days (range 12-62). Complete response was assessed as total resolution of pleural effusion. Side effects were short-term hyperpyrexia in 65 cases (69.8%) and pleurodynia in 15 cases (15.7%). Three patients (3.1%) were complicated by a pleural infection which was resolved in 1 case and became chronic in 2. These findings indicate that this technique is an adequate treatment for the control of MPE inducing a clinical and quality-life improvement.

A 22-year-old female patient with a swelling in the right forearm near the elbow underwent a 67Ga-citrate scan because of paraesthesia on the ulnar side of the right hand. The 67Ga total body scan showed intense focal uptake on the forearm in the same position as the swelling. At surgery a histological diagnosis of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma was made. Five months later, a repeat 67Ga scan was normal. Eight months after the diagnosis, the patient complained of pain in the left lumbar region extending to the hypogastric area. A third 67Ga scan showed intense uptake near the spinal column which at surgery was found to be a metastasis of the primary tumor.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate through conventional analytical procedures, the degree of modification of the starch fraction of regional products based on corn, such as grits, flours, precooked grits, flakes, precooked flour, "frangollo" and "locrillo." Based on the interpretation of changes in the starch fraction, the following conclusions are reached. Corn grits, flours, "frangollo" and "locrillo" are raw corn products subjected to physical processes such as shelling, degermination and size reduction. They do not show changes in their physicochemical characteristics. Precooked grits present certain structural modification (among others, changes in their rheologic behavior) and partial molecular change (among others, changes in the insoluble carbohydrate fraction), indicating that they have been subjected to processes wherein factors such as temperature, moisture and/or pressure intervene. Corn flakes and precooked flours show a high enzyme digestibility and a high degree of change in their functional properties (mainly, in regard to solubility, absorption and viscosity). These changes indicate modification at granular and molecular level.

Iron, calcium, zinc and phytic acid contents in vegetable blends from wheat, corn and soy were determined. Wheat and corn substitution with soy in compound products, gave an important amount of iron and calcium to the blends, while the initial content of phytic acid in wheat and corn was not significantly modified. Dehulling and enzymatic inactivation technological processes denoted a rather low influence on soy mineral content. In a similar way, the extrusion-cooking process did not affect appreciably the soluble iron content in blends. Soy incorporation greatly decreased in vitro iron availability in vegetable blends, while fortification with mineral blends slightly interfered, decreasing iron availability with regard to iron-fortified vegetable blends.