Outcome of an adult granulosa cell tumour in an adolescent initially managed by laparoscopy.

Adult granulosa cell tumour is rarely encountered in adolescents. Tumours in their early stages have a favourable prognosis whereas those in advanced stages have a poor outcome. Documented series of tumours at advanced stages are very rare and follow-up is difficult because of the frequently prolonged intervals before progression of the tumour. That may explain why it is very difficult to define a consensual management strategy with or without adjuvant therapy such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy. We describe a case of adult granulosa cell tumour in a 14-year-old girl who initially underwent laparoscopy for an "unsuspicious" cyst. Management was then modified according to oncological guidelines because of the histological nature of this cyst.

FORMATION OF GANGS AND INVOLVEMENT IN DRUG USE AMONG MARGINALIZED YOUTH: USES OF THE ANTHROPOLOGICAL VIEW.

Youth gangs continue to present major social problems despite their frequent appearance in literature on social processes and deviance. Investigation of gangs with a focus on emergence, involvement in drug use, and trafficking can lead to useful areas of inquiry. Youthful members of practically all immigrant groups have formed gangs in their process of adaptation to life in the United States, and most of these gangs either converted into organizations of adults or died out as members moved into adult rules. Nevertheless, growing numbers of gangs have become perpetuated in their home communities, and their members include adults over 30 years old. These perpetuated gangs draw their memberships from populations that have histories of socioeconomic marginalization. Newly formed gangs in populations that have arrived in the United States recently are at risk of perpetuation if the populations from which they draw members become marginalized through Jack of employment opportunities and viable adult roles. Both death and emergence of gangs in contemporary United States life merit further study with an eye toward preventing the most severe consequences of involvement in gangs, violence and drug use. Three cases in point - Cuban gangs in Miami, opportunistic gang formation in East Harlem, and Haitian youth on the verge of forming gangs provide examples of the process of forming and dissolving gangs. Data from a new study of Haitian youth suggest approaches to prevention of undesirable behavior among immigrant youth.

Effects of freezing/thawing on the biomechanical properties of human tendons.

Numerous biomechanical studies using osteoarticular complex need frozen cadaveric specimens. Some of these studies deal with the resistance of the tendinous structures, for example the resistance of some autografts, such as the patellar ligament and the semitendinosus and gracilis tendons for reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament. The aim of this study was the in-vitro evaluation of the mechanical modifications induced by freezing/thawing on human tendons. The long head of the biceps brachii tendon was used as the reference. Eight pairs of tendons of the long head of the biceps brachii were taken from eight fresh cadavers. After drawing lots, one was tested immediately, the other was deep-frozen and then thawed. With an Instron material-testing machine, we performed a relaxation test and a uniaxial tensile test, to estimate the ultimate tensile failure and the elastic modulus of each pair of tendons. Freezing had no influence on the tendinous relaxation, but altered significantly the ultimate tensile failure and Young's modulus of the tendons.