Multiple sclerosis and headache co-morbidity. A case-control study

The prevalence of primary headache (PH) in a multiple sclerosis (MS) sample vs. control healthy subjects was investigated at a neurological clinic in 2004–2005: 122 of 238 (51%) MS patients and 57 of 238 (23%) controls proved to be affected by headache. The groups did not differ for the rates of PH types. Headache types of MS patients were comparable to those of PH patients that were observed at the same institute in a case-control comparison. First symptoms of headache preceded those of MS in two thirds of cases. Headache features did not significantly change after MS onset. Comorbidity of MS and PH could be explained by some common clinical and biological traits.     

Definition of An Optimal First-line Chemotherapy in Metastatic Breast Cancer

Single-agent chemotherapy of metastatic breast cancer is the treatment of choice in patients with slow tumor progression and asymptomatic disease. In this patient group, the choice of drugs is based more on good tolerability than on efficacy. By contrast, symptomatic or rapidly progressing disease requires the use of highly active regimens where more weight is put on reliable antitumor activity. While anthraycline-based combination regimens have set the standard of effective treatment, the addition of docetaxel (and to a lesser extent paclitaxel) has improved tumor response, but failed to induce a consistent prolongation of survival. Based on retrospective analyses, it is hypothesised that the combined use of anthracyclines and taxanes in first-line therapy may be most beneficial in defined subgroups: after adjuvant chemotherapy, in patients with HER-2 gene amplification, possibly also in patients with rapidly progressing visceral disease.     

铲状电极经尿道前列腺电汽化切割术120例报告

目的：探讨铲状电极经尿道前列腺电汽化切割术中的手术经验及疗效。方法：总结了120例经尿道前列腺电汽化切割手术的治疗资料。结果：术后随访1月～2年，120倒手术患者118例治愈，2例于术后出现急性肾衰，经保守对症治疗痊愈，2例出现压力性尿失禁，经对症治疗好转。结论：铲状电极行前列腺组织的汽化切割，优于滚轮汽化电极或电极弧，术中术后出血少，术中术野清晰，安全可靠。     

Pathobiology of canine cyclic hematopoiesis (review)

Canine cyclic hematopoiesis (CH) was first described in Gray Collies as the lethal gray syndrome, and was subsequently shown to be a counterpart of human cyclic neutropenia (CN). The disease is characterized by a recurrent cyclic change in the levels of neutrophils and other blood elements at approximately 12-day intervals. It is caused by an autosomally recessive gene with pleiotropic effects or a CH gene which is closely linked to a gray color gene. The infectious insult on affected animals is periodic but its clinical and pathologic effects are continual and cumulative Affected dogs die after weaning and rarely survive over 6 months of age. There is evidence of immunoregulatory defects in these dogs. Reciprocal bone marrow transplantation indicates that the defect resides in the bone marrow, but the actual site and mechanism of the defect has not been established. The disease in Gray Collies represents a unique model system for studying the mechanism of cyclic hematopoiesis and hematopoietic regulation. Studies of the disease have made conceptual contributions toward understanding and treatment of human cyclic neutropenia.     

Fahreignung bei Epilepsie und assoziierten Störungen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Antegrade interlocking nailing of humeral shaft fractures

The results of 39 humeral shaft fractures (37 patients) treated with antegrade locked nailing using a Russell–Taylor nail were reviewed. There were 30 acute fractures, 6 fractures malaligned in a hanging cast or brace, and 3 pathological fractures. Patient age ranged from 26 to 80 years (average, 59.7 years) and average follow-up was 25.7 months (range, 6–48 months). Fracture union was achieved in 92.3% of our cases, while shoulder function was excellent or good in 87.2% of cases. Antegrade locked nailing offers a dependable solution for the treatment of humeral shaft fractures, especially in polytrauma patients and cases of segmental or pathological fractures. Far less satisfactory results were obtained in comminuted fractures of the proximal third in the humerus, especially in osteoporotic patients, and we therefore advocate caution with the use of intramedullary nailing in this type of fracture. Certain technical aspects such as avoiding nailing the fracture in distraction, properly countersinking the tip of the nail, and achieving adequate fixation stability have been found to be of paramount importance to reduce the incidence of delayed union/non-union rate and to obtain better functional results from the shoulder joint.     

Glycine transporter I inhibitor, N-methylglycine (sarcosine), added to antipsychotics for the treatment of schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Hypofunction of N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptor had been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Treatment with D-serine or glycine, endogenous full agonists of the glycine site of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor, or D-cycloserine, a partial agonist, improve the symptoms of schizophrenia. N-methylglycine (sarcosine) is an endogenous antagonist of glycine transporter-1, which potentiates glycine's action on N-methyl-D-aspartate glycine site and can have beneficial effects on schizophrenia. METHODS: Thirty-eight schizophrenic patients were enrolled in a 6-week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of sarcosine (2 g/d), which was added to their stable antipsychotic regimens. Twenty of them received risperidone. Measures of clinical efficacy and side effects were determined every other week. RESULTS: Patient who received sarcosine treatment revealed significant improvements in their positive, negative, cognitive, and general psychiatric symptoms. Similar therapeutic effects were observed when only risperidone-treated patients were analyzed. Sarcosine was well-tolerated, and no significant side effect was noted. CONCLUSIONS: Sarcosine treatment can benefit schizophrenic patients treated by antipsychotics including risperidone. The significant improvement with the sarcosine further supports the hypothesis of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor hypofunction in schizophrenia. Glycine transporter-1 is a novel target for the pharmacotherapy to enhance N-methyl-D-aspartate function.