Escitalopram H Lundbeck

Lundbeck and Forest have developed and launched escitalopram, the therapeutically active (S)-enantiomer of citalopram, as an improved follow-up compound for the potential treatment of depression. In December 2001, Lundbeck received Swedish approval for the treatment of depression and panic disorder [433058], and in January 2002, the product was approved in Switzerland for the treatment of depression [434736]. By May 2002 it had been approved in Belgium, Denmark, the UK, France, Iceland, Luxembourg, Norway and Austria, as a result of the European Mutual Recognition Procedure. Independently, regulatory authorities in Lithuania had also approved the drug for the treatment of depression. Launch in these countries will begin immediately after price and reimbursement negotiations are completed [450860]. By June 2002, it had been launched in Switzerland, Sweden and the UK [454488]. Based on the approvals in the EU, national applications are being submitted in several Central and Eastern European countries, where review and the first approvals were expected in the second half of 2002. At this time, the approval of escitalopram in Australia and Canada was expected in the second half of 2002 and the first half of 2003, respectively [450860]. It became evident in May 2002, that Portugal, Greece, Italy, Spain, Finland and Germany did not intend to approve escitalopram for marketing within the 90-day timeframe, and, at this time, Lundbeck, in accordance with the advice of the reference country, Sweden, chose to withdraw the registration applications from these six countries. At this time, the company still expected escitalopram to be approved in these countries [450860]. In the US, Forest submitted an NDA in March 2001 [402983] and in January 2002, Forest received an approvable letter from the FDA for escitalopram; at this time, US launch was expected in mid-2002 [437487], [444243]. By March 2002, Lundbeck had started to supply escitalopram to Forest [442326]. Lundbeck and Morchida entered a Japanese development and marketing agreement in May 2002, replacing a collaboration with Mitsui [453377].     

Imaging of soft-tissue myxoma with emphasis on CT and MR and comparison of radiologic and pathologic findings

PURPOSE: To determine the imaging characteristics of soft-tissue myxoma, with emphasis on computed tomographic (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings and pathologic comparison. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Records of 45 pathologically confirmed soft-tissue myxomas in 44 patients were retrospectively reviewed. Patient demographics and radiographs (n = 20), bone scintigrams (n = 2), angiograms (n = 3), and ultrasonographic (US) (n = 6), CT (n = 14), and MR images (n = 33) were evaluated by two musculoskeletal radiologists with agreement by consensus for lesion location, lesion size, and intrinsic characteristics. RESULTS: Soft-tissue myxoma more commonly affected women (59%; average age 52 years) and manifested as a slowly enlarging (64%) painful (51%) mass. Lesions were most frequently intramuscular (82%) and involved the thigh (51%). An appearance similar to that of a cyst was seen at CT (at which the lesions demonstrated low attenuation) and at MR imaging (at which the lesions demonstrated markedly high signal intensity on T2-weighted images) in all cases because of the high water content of mucin that was seen histologically. The true solid architecture of these lesions was best depicted in all cases at US (at which the lesions were hypoechoic, not anechoic) and on MR images obtained with contrast material (at which the lesions demonstrated internal enhancement). A small amount of tissue similar to fat surrounding these intramuscular myxomas (71% at MR imaging) corresponded histologically (70%) to atrophy of surrounding muscle. CONCLUSION: Soft-tissue myxoma often demonstrates characteristic US, CT, and MR imaging findings, including intramuscular location, intrinsic high water content, and a surrounding rim of fat.     

Surgical strategies in very-low-birthweight neonates with necrotizing enterocolitis

Very-low-birthweight (VLBW) neonates are more prone to complications and death than term infants are. In a 15-year period, 19 neonates with VLBW were operated on for necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Indications for operation were pneumoperitoneum in 12 and deterioration of general condition in 7. Bowel resection and intestinal diversion was performed in 12, a lateral enterostomy at the site of perforation was created in 5, and 2 neonates with necrosis of the whole bowel underwent an exploratory laparotomy without any further surgical treatment. Surgical complications were found in one-third of the patients. The mortality rate was significantly higher when the ileum was affected. The survival rate was 68%. Prior to 1984 the survival rate was 37% (3/8); subsequently, it has improved to 91% (10/11) as a result of improved intensive therapy.     

Height-related risk factors for prostate cancer

Previous studies have reported that adult height is positively associated with the risk of prostate cancer. The authors carried out a population-based case-control study involving 317 prostate cancer cases and 480 controls to further investigate the possibility that height is more strongly associated with advanced, compared with localized forms of this disease. Since the inherited endocrine factors, which in part determine height attained during the growing years, may influence the risk of familial prostate cancer later in life, the relationship with height was also investigated for familial versus sporadic prostate cancers. Adult height was not related to the risk of localized prostate cancer, but there was a moderate positive association between increasing height and the risk of advanced cancer (relative risk (RR) = 1.62; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.97-2.73, upper versus lowest quartile, P-trend = 0.07). Height was more strongly associated with the risk of prostate cancer in men with a positive family history compared with those reporting a negative family history. The RR of advanced prostate cancer for men in the upper height quartile with a positive family history was 7.41 (95% CI 1.68-32.67, P-trend = 0.02) compared with a reference group comprised of men in the shortest height quartile with a negative family history. Serum insulin-like growth factor-1 levels did not correlate with height amongst men with familial or sporadic prostate cancers. These findings provide evidence for the existence of growth-related risk factors for prostate cancer, particularly for advanced and familial forms of this disease. The possible existence of inherited mechanisms affecting both somatic and tumour growth deserves further investigation.     

A comparison of two crisis housing alternatives to psychiatric hospitalization

This study compared outcomes for demographically matched clients four months after their admission to two short-term crisis programs. The programs provided crisis housing and case management services as alternatives to psychiatric hospitalization for clients with severe and persistent mental illness. One program met housing needs by purchasing shelter in hotels and boarding houses, and the other provided lodging in an eight-bed crisis house. In both programs, two-thirds of the clients avoided hospitalization during four-month follow-up, and both programs were effective in stabilizing clients' housing and financial situations. Clients in the purchase-of-housing program showed an increase in substance abuse problems at follow-up. Average client costs were similar in the two programs. A critical program difference was the substantially higher staff turnover in the crisis house, which was later replaced with scattered-site crisis housing.     

Infrared spectroscopic studies on polyethylene, 2. The characterisation of specific types of alkyl branches in low-branched ethylene polymers and copolymers

Bands characteristic for some specific branches have been found in two regions of the IR spectra of near linear polyethylenes made by the Phillips process. Polymers with methyl branches give a band at 935 cm^?1, probably the methyl rocking mode. The intensity of this band is proportional to the methyl branch content, thus providing a quantitative method for its estimation. No band specific for ethyl branches has been found, but propyl and longer branches show one at 890 cm^?1 and this is also assigned to the rocking mode. This band is observed more readily if the polymers are brominated at ambient temperature, to remove interfering unsaturation bands. The results for methyl and ethyl branched near linear polymers differ significantly from those obtained with polypropylene, poly(1-butene), and ethylene copolymers with high concentrations of methyl and ethyl branches. This is very probably the result of the presence of blocks of the repeating unit ? CH₂? CH(R)? in the latter materials. Methyl branched polymers show a band at 1150 cm^?1, assigned to the methyl wagging mode of branches present in the crystalline phase. Its intensity is proportional to the methyl branch content and it may be used for quantitative purposes. Ethyl and longer branches do not give a methyl wagging band of detectable intensity.