The elder of national medical publications (on the 180th anniversary of the Journal of Military Medicine (Voenno-Meditsinskiĭ Zhurnal))

The article is devoted to the history of creation of the medical periodical press in our country at the end of XVIII--first quarter of the XIX century. Contribution made by the director of Medical Department of Military Ministry Ya.V. Villie (1768-1854) into foundation of "Military Medical Journal", the 1st issue of which appeared in January 1823, is described. In July 1822 Ya.V. Villie presented the report to the Emperor Alexander the First where he explained the necessity of the journal for military doctors and pharmacists. The proposal of journal publication was confirmed by the Emperor in July 24 (August 5) 1823. This date is considered to be the day of "Military Medical Journal" foundation. In December 2002 the publication of articles of the volume 323 will be completed and in January 2003 the pages of volume 324 will be printed. During 180 years "Military Medical Journal" introduced the new scientific ideas into the life. It always remains the reliable assistant and adviser for army and navy medical workers in their professional activities.     

骨纤维粘液瘤(Fibromyxoma of Bone)

作者报告2例罕见的骨纤维粘液瘤。例1为27岁妇女,病变位于右股骨,自觉无症状,体检亦阴性,系偶被发见。X 线片发见右股骨颈一孤立卵园形病变,约5厘米直径,主要为溶骨性,有纤细钙化,围绕有粗糙的硬化缘。例2为43岁黑人妇女,     

Interaction of paclitaxel (Taxol®) and irradiation

AIM: Optimal dose and schedule of paclitaxel in combined drug-irradiation treatment could not be determined for most of tumors yet. The aim of this study was to compare in vitro cytotoxicity and radiosensitizing abilities as a function of single paclitaxel (Taxol) exposure in tumor and fibroblastic cells using different drug incubation irradiation intervals. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A lung-carcinoma (SK-LU-1), glioblastoma (U-138 MG) and rodent fibroblast cell line (HyB14FAF28) were used. The clonogenic assay was applied for survival investigation. alpha beta-values were calculated using the linear-quadratic model (log S = -alpha D - beta D2). Cytotoxicity of Taxol was examined at 0 to 50 microM. Combined Taxol-radiotherapy exposure was accomplished with 10 microM Taxol plus 10 Gy irradiation (RT) following after a 1-hour and 9-hour interval. For controls cells were exposed to Cremophor EL/ethanol (CEL/eth) and a phosphate buffered saline (PBS). RESULTS: Single Taxol exposure (10 microM) resulted in 0.54/0.50/0.84 (3-hours incubation) and 0.094/0.48/0.82 (15-hours incubation) survival of SK-LU-1, U-138 MG and HyB14FAF28 cells, respectively. Taxol concentrations from 2 to 50 microM only had cytotoxic effect in tumor cells. Single dose RT (10 Gy) led to cell survival of 0.0006/0.006/0.03. The diluent CEL/eth also showed cytotoxic activity. Taxol plus RT led to cell survival of 0.00025/0.0014/0.042 (1 hour) and 0.0004/0.0019/0.04 (9 hours) without significant difference between chosen time intervals. alpha beta-values showed great variation lacking evidence for definite radiosensitization. alpha increase after Taxol and alpha decrease after CEL/eth exposure were detected. CONCLUSIONS: The data presented demonstrate a potential beneficial effect, described as co-operation, by combining Taxol and RT in human tumor cells and rodent fibroblasts. High intrinsic alpha components of the tumor cells as well as CEL/eth's antagonizing actions could be likely to disturb and influence paclitaxel's abilities leading to radiosensitization.     

XXXIX Annual Meeting of the Spanish Society of Neuroradiology (SENR) VI Congress of the Portuguese Society of Neuroradiology (SPNR) 11–13 November 2010, Badajoz,Spain

Abstracts

XXXIX Annual Meeting of the Spanish Society of Neuroradiology (SENR) VI Congress of the Portuguese Society of Neuroradiology (SPNR) 11–13 November 2010, Badajoz, Spain     

The educational value of disaster victim identification (DVI) missions—transfer of knowledge

Transfer of knowledge is the cornerstone of any educational organisation, with senior staff expected to participate in the training of less experienced colleagues and students. Teaching in the field is, however, slightly different, and a less theoretical approach is usually recommended. In terms of Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) activities, practical work under supervision of a field team stimulates tactile memory. A more practical approach is also useful when multiple organizations from a variety of countries are involved, as language barriers make it easier to manually show someone how to solve a problem, instead of attempting to explain complex concepts verbally. “See one, do one, teach one” is an approach that can be used to ensure that teaching is undertaken with the teacher grasping the essentials of a situation before passing on the information to someone else. The key principles of adult learning that need to be applied to DVI situations include the following: participants need to know why they are learning and to be motivated to learn by the need to solve problems; previous experience must be respected and built upon and learning approaches should match participants’ background and diversity; and finally participants need to be actively involved in the learning process. Active learning involves the active acquisition of knowledge and/or skills during the performance of a task and characterizes DVI activities. Learning about DVI structure, activities and responsibilities incorporates both the learning of facts (“declarative knowledge”) and practical skills (“procedural knowledge”). A fundamental requirement of all DVI exercises should be succession planning with involvement of less experienced colleagues at every opportunity so that essential teaching and learning opportunities are maximized. DVI missions provide excellent teaching opportunities and international agencies have a responsibility to teach less experienced colleagues and local staff during deployment.     

Mechanism of Reduction of Bleomycin-Cu(II) by CO−2 and Oxidation of Bleomycin—Cu(I) by H2O2 in the Absence and Presence of DNA

Summary

The reduction reaction of bleomycin—Cu(II) by CO^?₂ has been studied by γ and pulse radiolysis at pH7. The CO^?₂ radical reduces bleomycin—Cu(II) at a rate of (6·7 ± 0·7) × 10⁸ dm³ mol^?1 s^?1. In the presence of calf thymus DNA the rate of the reduction decreased as the concentration of DNA increased, indicating that the reduction reaction proceeds through free bleomycin—Cu(II). The stoichiometry and the kinetics of the oxidation of bleomycin—Cu(I) by H₂O₂ in the presence and absence of DNA have been studied. Our observations suggest that the OH^· radical is not produced during this reaction and the degradation of the drug occurs in the absence and presence of DNA. We assume that bleomycin—Cu(II) in the presence of a reducing agent and molecular oxygen or H₂O₂ does not cleave DNA since the oxidizing species, which are formed during the oxidation reaction by H₂O₂, attack the drug even in the presence of DNA.     

Cytotoxicity of fractionated paclitaxel (Taxol®) administration in vitro

Hintergrund

Paclitaxel (Taxol^®) ist eine neue Antikrebssubstanz mit einem neuartigen Wirkmechanismus. Es hat gegenüber zahlreichen malignen Erkrankungen klinische Aktivität demonstriert. Verschiedene Aspekte des Einsatzes von Paclitaxel wie das optimale Behandlungsschema sind noch ungeklärt. Darüber hinaus ist auch das Lösungsmittel von Paclitaxel, Cremophor EL/Ethanol, gegenüber Tumoren wirksam.

Material und Methode

Die In-vitro-Zytotoxizität von Paclitaxel (Taxol^®) wurde entsprechend der Einmalgabe (1mal 10 μM, Tag 1, Inkubationzeit: drei Stunden und 15 Stunden) und der fraktionierten Gabe (5mal 2 μM/d, Tag 1 bis 5, Inkubationzeit: drei Stunden pro Tag) anhand der Bestimmung der klonogenen Überlebensfraktion (Koloniebildungstest) und der DNA-Verteilung (Flußphotozytometrie) ermittelt. In den Kontrollpopulationen wurden das Lösungsmittel Cremophor EL/Ethanol sowie eine phosphatgepufferte Salzlösung (PBS) in identischer Dosierung und nach identischem Schema appliziert. Es wurde eine Fibroblasten-Säugetierzellinie (HyB14FAF28) verwendet.

Ergebnisse

Fraktionierte Paclitaxel-(Taxol^®-)Applikation ergab eine signifikant geringere klonogene Überlebensfraktion (0,63) im Vergleich mit der Einmalgabe über drei Stunden (0,84) und 15 Stunden (0,82). Die DNA-Analyse zeigte keinen Hinweis auf einen signifikanten Unterschied in der DNA-Verteilung der für Paclitaxel interessanten G₂/M-Phase während eines Zeitraums von zehn Tagen ab Applikation. In den Kontrollen ergaben sich für das Lösungsmittel Cremophor EL/Ethanol klonogene Überlebensfraktionen von 0,87 (Drei-Stunden-Gabe) and 0,88 (15-Stunden-Gabe) gegenüber 0.65 nach fraktionierter Gabe (5mal 2 μM/d, Tag 1 bis 5, Inkubationzeit: drei Stnden pro Tag). Die PBS-Kontrolle sowie die unbehandelte Kontrolle zeigten keinen signifikanten Effekt.

Schlußfolgerungen

Es scheint, daß sich bei dieser Fibroblasten-Säugertierzellinie die klonogene Überlebensfraktion nach Taxol^®-Gabe mit dem Behandlungsschema durch einen bis jetzt unbekannten Mechanismus, der keinen G₂/M-Block enthält, verändert. Die Ergebnisse zeigen einen Behandlungseffekt, der hauptsächlich auf der Kombination mit dem Lösungsmittel ohne einen zusätzlich induzierten Gewinn durch Paclitaxel basiert.     

Effect of amifostine (Ethyol®) on the development of extraembryonic blood vessels in chick embryos

Aim

Systemic and local side effects can limit radioas well as chemotherapy in patients suffering from neoplastic discaccs One possibility to reduce the therapy-dependent side effects is to attenuate radical induced alterations of normal healthy tissue by application of antioxidants. Preclinical and clinical studies demonstrated the ability of amifostine to protect normal, but not neoplastic, tissues from cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy or irradiation. The purpose of the present study was to establish whether amifostine (Ethyol®) can affect microvessel density in vivo.

Material and Methods

For this study fertilized crossbred ldWhite-Plymouth-Rocks x Sussexrd eggs were used. After 48 hours of incubation 0.05 ml solution containing 25.7 μg (approximately 120 μM) amifostine were injected next to the germ disc. Taking into account the mean surface area of the area vasculosa and the embryo, this corresponds to a dose of 26 μg/cm². As controls, the area vasculosa of eggs treated with 0.05 ml NaCl 0.9% were used. Twenty-four and 48 hours after injection of amifostine or NaCl photographs and video microscopic pictures from treated areas and controls were taken and evaluated for vascular density. Results of vascular density are given as vascular intersections per mm² (VIS/mm²).

Results

There was a significant (p < 0.001) difference in vascular density with a mean microvessel count of 30.40 (± 12.84 SD) VIS/mm² in the NaCl control and 53.69 (±24.56 SD) VIS/mm² in the amifostine-treated area vasculosa.

Conclusion

The results show that amifostine induced an increase in vascular density in the rapidly proliferating area vasculosa of the early chick embryo.     

Intracavitary brachytherapy for carcinoma of the uterine cervix—Comparison of HDR (Ir-192) and MDR (Cs-137)—

Purpose

To compare the results of high dose rate (HDR) (Ir-192) and medium dose rate (MDR) (Cs-137) intracavitary brachytherapy (ICRT) for carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

Materials and Methods

Between May 1991 and March 2001, a total of 206 patients with Stage I-IVA previously untreated cervical cancer were treated with ICRT combined with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). HDR was administered to a total of 135 patients: 22 patients in Stage I, 49 in Stage II, 56 in Stage III, and eight in Stage IVA. MDR was administered to a total of 71 patients: six patients in Stage I, 27 in Stage II, 33 in Stage III, and five in Stage IVA. The MDR at point A was 30 Gy/hour for HDR and 1.7 Gy/hour for MDR treatment, and the corresponding median follow-up periods for survivors were 55 and 68 months.

Results

For the HDR group, 5-year cause-specific survival rates were 90%, 78%, 53% and 33% for Stages I, II, III, and IVA, respectively. For the MDR group, the corresponding rates were 100%, 76%, 51%, and 40%. In the HDR group, 19 patients (14%) developed Grade 2 or higher late complications, and, in the MDR group, four patients (6%) did.

Conclusions

There was no statistically significant difference in cause-specific survivals between the results of HDR and MDR brachytherapy for cervical cancer. The incidence of late complications tended to be higher for the HDR group than for the MDR group, but did not show a statistically significant difference (p=0.07).     

The role of time-resolved imaging of contrast kinetics (TRICKS) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) in the evaluation of head–neck vascular anomalies: a preliminary experience

Objectives:

In this preliminary report, we describe our experience with time-resolved imaging of contrast kinetics–MR angiography (TRICKS-MRA) in the assessment of head–neck vascular anomalies (HNVAs).

Methods:

We prospectively studied six consecutive patients with clinically suspected or diagnosed HNVAs. All of them underwent TRICKS-MRA of the head and neck as part of the routine for treatment planning. A digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was also performed.

Results:

TRICKS-MRA could be achieved in all cases. Three subjects were treated based on TRICKS-MRA imaging findings and subsequent DSA examination. In all of them, DSA confirmed the vascular architecture of HNVAs shown by TRICKS-MRA. In the other three patients, a close follow up to assess the evolution of the suspected haemangioma was preferred.

Conclusions:

TRICKS sequences add important diagnostic information in cases of HNVAs, helpful for therapeutic decisions and post-treatment follow up. We recommend TRICKS-MRA use (if technically possible) as part of routine MRI protocol for HNVAs, representing a possible alternative imaging tool to conventional DSA.     

Effect of the route of administration on the biodistribution of radioiodinated OV-TL 3 F(ab′)2 in experimental ovarian cancer

The effect of the route administration on the distribution of radioiodinated OV-TL 3 F(ab)₂ was studied in Balb/c female mice with intraperitoneal or subcutaneous ovarian carcinoma xenografts. In the intraperitoneal tumour model in which both ascites and solid tumour deposits were present, intraperitoneal administration resulted in a lower estimated radiation dose to blood as compared with intravenous administration. In this model normalization to equal estimated radiation doses to blood for both routes of administration indicated that a twice as high estimated radiation dose can be guided to solid intraperitoneal tumour deposits following intraperitoneal administration. Evacuation of ascitic tumour cells prior to monoclonal antibody injection further increased the estimated radiation dose to solid intraperitoneal tumour deposits following intraperitoneal delivery. Following simultaneous intravenous and intraperitoneal injection of the monoclonal antibody, tissue uptake showed no relevant differences in the subcutaneous tumour model. Overall, the intraperitoneal route of administration was found to be the best choice for therapeutic delivery of iodine-131 labelled monoclonal antibodies.     

Anion exchange chromatography of 99mTc(Sn)EHDP complexes: Determination of the charge of the components and influence of pH and ligand concentration

The components of a ^99mTc(Sn)EHDP complex mixture were separated by means of normal pressure and high-pressure anion exchange chromatography, on DEAE-Trisacryl and Aminex, respectively. Precautions were taken to prevent the dissociation of the complexes during chromatography.The charges of the components were determined according to the methods of Wilson and Pinkerton (1985) and Russell and Bischoff (1985).The values of the charges obtained with the two methods are not in agreement.The mean values of the charges obtained with the former method on DEAE-Trisacryl and Aminex disagree. Further, this method does not give correct results for simple ions [Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, Fe(CN)₆³⁻].On the other hand, the mean values of the charges obtained with the latter method on DEAE-Trisacryl and Aminex agree, and this method gives the correct charge of SO₄²⁻. Thus, Russell and Bischoff's method, in which a reference ion is used, must be preferred.However, even with this method the accuracy of the data obtained is probably limited, due to the difficulty of making corrections for activity coefficients of highly-charged ions at the rather high electrolyte concentrations that must be used in the ion exchange method. So, we think that it is only warranted to conclude that the mean charge of the components of ^99mTc(Sn)EHDP is about −6 at pH 7, and that the charges of the individual components are in the range of −4 to −9.The influence of pH and ligand concentration in the reaction mixture was determined with high pressure anion exchange chromatography. It was found that a decrease in the pH of the reaction mixture favours the production of complexes with a long retention time, which leads to a slightly higher mean charge. The ligand concentration of the reaction mixture scarcely influenced the relative concentrations of the components.     

Histological microaggregates as a sign of systemic dissemination due to oral ingestion of povidone-iodine (Betadine®)

Povidone-iodine (PVP-I) in the formulation of Betadine® is widely used in several medical fields, whereas its suicidal ingestion is an unusual occurrence. Therefore, the biological signs of this fatal poisoning remain unclear and elusive, similarly to the histological lesions induced by PVP-I. In fact, there are no forensic articles concerning the histological signs of PVP-I acute poisoning. Specifically, this short communication reports the unique case of a man who ingested 125 ml of Betadine® 10% to commit suicide, for which he died three days later. The autopsy examination showed either local or systemic signs of caustic ingestion; moreover, the histological analysis showed both intra- and extra-cytoplasmic amorphous and brownish microaggregates in almost all the organs. Histological and histochemical techniques resulted to be negative for the detection of physiological and known pigments (e.g., formalin, lipofuscin, hemosiderin). Likewise, such pigments were not associated neither with the man’s diseases nor with his medications. Therefore, the authors supposed that they were povidone-iodine microaggregates, which have been deposited in the organs through the blood circulation. In conclusion, the complete postmortem histological examination could allow the identification and the characterization of PVP-I microaggregates as evidence of systemic toxicity from Betadine®, when dealing with a forensic case of ingestion of povidone-iodine.     

Effects of whole-body cryotherapy (-110 °C) on proprioception and indices of muscle damage

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) on proprioceptive function, muscle force recovery following eccentric muscle contractions and tympanic temperature (T(TY) ). Thirty-six subjects were randomly assigned to a group receiving two 3-min treatments of -110 ± 3 °C or 15 ± 3 °C. Knee joint position sense (JPS), maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) of the knee extensors, force proprioception and T(TY) were recorded before, immediately after the exposure and again 15 min later. A convenience sample of 18 subjects also underwent an eccentric exercise protocol on their contralateral left leg 24 h before exposure. MVIC (left knee), peak power output (PPO) during a repeated sprint on a cycle ergometer and muscles soreness were measured pre-, 24, 48 and 72h post-treatment. WBC reduced T(TY) , by 0.3 °C, when compared with the control group (P<0.001). However, JPS, MVIC or force proprioception was not affected. Similarly, WBC did not effect MVIC, PPO or muscle soreness following eccentric exercise. WBC, administered 24 h after eccentric exercise, is ineffective in alleviating muscle soreness or enhancing muscle force recovery. The results of this study also indicate no increased risk of proprioceptive-related injury following WBC.