Practical and technical considerations in establishing an intraoperative radiation therapy program in the community practice

The Radiation Oncology Center in Sacramento, California, has developed a procedure for establishing an intraoperative radiation therapy facility in a community practice. The logistics pertaining to personnel, equipment, physical measurements, and quality assurance are presented. Particular emphasis is given to the most effective means of acquiring the large quantity of data needed to ensure a program of acceptable quality.     

Hyperlipidemia, hypercoagulability, and accelerated thrombosis: studies in congenitally hyperlipidemic rats and in rats and monkeys with induced hyperlipidemia

Inbred Carworth Farms Nelson (CFN) congenitally hyperlipidemic rats had significantly shorter coagulation and prothrombin times and higher levels of coagulation factors, II, V, VII, VIII, and X than did controls. Conversely, congenitally hypolipidemic rats of the same strain had significantly longer coagulation and prothrombin times and lower levels of factors II, V, VII, X and XII and of blood platelets than did controls. A loop-shaped polyethylene cannula was inserted into the aorta to assess the potential for thrombosis. The hyperlipidemic group obstructed this significantly faster and the hypolipidemic group slower than did the controls. Normal CFN rats made hypertensive by unilateral renal artery clip developed hypertension together with significantly elevated serum cholesterol and factor VII and X levels. Rhesus monkeys with diet-induced hyperlipidemia showed shorter prothrombin times and higher factor X levels than did controls on normal diet. By selective breeding, two groups of squirrel monkeys were obtained. Both groups had similar serum cholesterol levels on a normal diet but one group (hyperresponders) showed higher serum cholesterol levels on a cholesterol-containing diet than did the other (hyporesponder) group. Both groups showed significantly elevated levels of factors II, V, VII, IX and X on a cholesterol-containing diet. There was good correlation between the levels of many coagulation factors and serum cholesterol in both rats and monkeys. If thrombosis is important in the genesis of atherosclerosis, these findings could indicate that elevation of plasma lipids may play a role, via the coagulation pathway, in the production of human vascular disease.     

Extravasation of calcium solution leading to calcinosis cutis surrounding the dorsal cutaneous branch of the ulnar nerve

A case of calcinosis cutis caused by calcium extravasation around the wrist is presented. During excision, the lesion was seen to be surrounding the dorsal branch of the ulnar nerve. The possibility of peripheral nerve involvement in extravasation injuries is emphasized.     

异戊塞平和克塞平对大鼠脑内各受体亲和力的比较及慢性给药后的受体下调作用

用放射配体受体结合法测定表明:克塞平对多巴胺D_1受体的亲和力较异戊塞平高近20倍。两药对其它各受体的亲和力差別不大。慢性给药后,异戊塞平和克塞平均能使大鼠脑皮层5-HT_2受体的密度显著下降,而亲和力变化不明显。这种下调5-HT_2受体的作用发生在给异戊塞平后1～2周之间,给克塞平后的2～3周之间。慢性给药3周,异戊塞平和克塞平均未使大鼠脑皮层的β受体密度及亲和力产生显著变化。     

Interrelationship between TP53 gene deletion, protein expression and chromosome 17 aneusomy in gastric adenocarcinoma

Background  

This study evaluates the existence of numerical alterations of chromosome 17 and TP53 gene deletion in gastric adenocarcinoma. The p53 protein expression was also evaluated, as well as, possible associations with clinicopathological characteristics.     

Clinical characteristics of tension-type headache and migraine in adolescents: a student-based study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Adolescent headaches, particularly migraine, might present with different features from adult headaches. The objectives of this study were to investigate the characteristics of tension-type headache and migraine, to find the sensitivity and specificity of the diagnostic criteria of the IHS classification according to age and gender. METHODS: A multistep, stratified, cluster sampling method was used for subject selection. The estimated sample size was 2387. The study was conducted in two phases: the questionnaire and the face to face interview phases. During the semistructured interview, a clinical diagnosis has been made and clinical characteristics have been recorded. RESULTS: All headaches fulfilled the criteria of duration. The most common feature of migraine was moderate to severe (92.4%), pulsating pain (79.2%). For ETTH, bilateral localization (91.3%) and mild to moderate pain intensity (90.6%) were the most common features. Younger adolescents showed mixed headache characteristics. Highest sensitivities for migraine were duration (100%), moderate to severe pain (92.4%), and pulsating quality of pain (79.2%). Vomiting, trigger factors food and alcohol had a high specificity for migraine. CONCLUSIONS: Our data strongly support continuum hypothesis. In early adolescence headaches might present with mixed headache characteristics. Age and gender have some influence on headache characteristics, particularly on migraine. The sensitivity and specificity of case definition criteria of ICHD-2 for adolescent migraine is moderate and need to be reconsidered.     

The first Susac's syndrome case in Turkey

Susac's syndrome is a vasospastic disease resulting from bilateral microangiopathy of the brain, cochlea and retina. It is characterized by encephalopathy, bilateral sensorineural fluctuating hearing loss and visual loss. It is very uncommon and usually affects women during young adulthood. Since all three symptoms of the triad may not be present, the clinical diagnosis is difficult. Therefore, neuroimaging, particularly magnetic resonance imaging, has an important role in establishing the diagnosis. In this case report, we present a young woman who had all the symptoms of Susac's syndrome. This is the first Susac's syndrome case reported in Turkey.