THE EFFECT OF TRAVOPROST AND BI-MATOPROST ON BLOOD FLOW VELOCI-TY OF THE RETROBULBAR VESSELS

Objective: To investigate the effects of topical travoprost 0.004% and topical bimatoprost 0.03% on retrobulbar blood flow (RBF). Methods: Nineteen young healthy men without any known ocular or systemic disorder were enrolled in this prospective, double-masked, randomized, cross-over study. Baseline RBF mea-     

Single-Shot Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Applications to Angiography

Recently developed technologies that allow the collection of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in as little as 26 msec have been explored in their application to angiography. Advantages are demonstrated in scan time reduction, insensitivity to patient motion (especially in abdominal applications), flow quantification, and temporal resolution. We demonstrate that because such single-shot techniques are inherently resistant to flow dephasing during acquisition that allow for sustained high signal intensities to be achieved when images must be combined through the cardiac cycle. Such high temporal resolution scans may be utilized for the collection of time-resolved angiograms. With these techniques we demonstrate the collection of complete MR angiograms in the course of reasonable 10–25 sec breath holds. The relative simplicity of the technique, coupled with its overall short acquisition time, allows us to incorporate angiography into other imaging protocols without adding significant time burdens. Results to date are promising for further improvements in spatial resolution, without extension of scan time.     

Induction chemotherapy with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil followed by chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy alone in the treatment of locoregionally advanced resectable cancers of the larynx and hypopharynx: results of single-center study of 45 patients

BACKGROUND: Induction chemotherapy with cisplatin and fluorouracil and radiotherapy is an effective alternative to surgery in patients with carcinoma of the larynx and hypopharynx who are treated for organ preservation. METHODS: We designed a protocol to evaluate the possibility of organ preservation in patients with advanced, resectable carcinoma of the larynx and hypopharynx. Forty-five eligible patients who were followed up between April 1999 and May 2001 were enrolled. Initially, these patients were treated with two cycles of induction chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin, 20 mg/m2/day on days 1 to 5, and 5-fluorouracil, 600 mg/m2/day by continuous infusion on days 1 to 5. Patients who had a complete response to chemotherapy were treated with definitive radiotherapy; patients who had a partial response to chemotherapy were treated with chemoradiotherapy. Cisplatin, 35 mg/m2/week, was introduced throughout the duration of radiotherapy. Patients who had no response or progressive disease underwent surgery with postoperative radiotherapy. Patients with N2 or N3 positive lymph nodes underwent neck dissection after the treatment. RESULTS: The mean age was 56.6 years (range, 34-75 years). The overall response rate to induction chemotherapy was 71.1%, with a 17.8% complete response rate and 53.3% partial response rate. With a median follow-up of 13.7 months, 23 (51.1%) of all patients and 63.3% of surviving patients have had a preservation of the larynx or hypopharynx and remain disease free. The most common toxicities were nausea and vomiting and mucositis. CONCLUSION: Organ preservation, with multimodality treatment, may be achievable in some of the patients with resectable, advanced larynx or hypopharynx cancers without apparent compromise of survival.     

Graded visual attention modulates brain responses evoked by task-irrelevant auditory pitch changes

Previous studies suggested that auditory change-specific neural responses are attention-independent and reflect central auditory processing. The automaticity of the brain's response to infrequent changes in pitch within a series of auditory tone pips was examined in parallel functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and event-related potential (ERP) studies. Subjects performed a continuous perceptual-motor visual tracking task at two levels of difficulty while simultaneously hearing a series of task-irrelevant standard tone pips and infrequent pitch-deviant tones. fMRI results revealed that the unattended pitch-deviant tones strongly activated superior temporal and frontal cortical regions. These activations were significantly modulated by the tracking difficulty of the primary task. ERP results revealed that the amplitude of the scalp-negative component evoked by deviant tones (MMN) was attenuated during the more difficult tracking task. Our results demonstrate that the brain's response to task-irrelevant sensory changes is strongly influenced by intermodal attentional demands.     

Nocardial endophthalmitis and subretinal abscess: CT and MR imaging features with pathologic correlation: a case report

Ocular nocardiosis is a rare but potentially aggressive process. Clinically, it can mimic other disease entities, including neoplasia and other types of infection. We present a case of nocardial panophthalmitis progressing to subretinal abscess and emphasize the radiologic and clinical features.     

Diffusion-weighted and conventional MR imaging in neurotrichinosis

Central nervous system involvement in trichinosis is not rare. Brain lesions in trichinosis have been defined on computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as multifocal small lesions located in the cerebral cortex and white matter. We present a case of trichinosis with multifocal lesions of the brain detected by MRI and diffusion weighted MRI. Evolutions of these lesions from acute through chronic stages on follow up studies are also presented. This is the first report describing sequential MRI findings and diffusion weighted imaging appearance of brain lesions in trichinosis. Sequential evaluation of conventional and diffusion MR data allowed us to conclude that multifocal lesions in the brain were related to multiple infarctions rather than true inflammatory infiltration of the brain parenchyma.     

Idiopathic isolated clitoromegaly: A report of two cases

Background  

Clitoromegaly is a frequent congenital malformation, but acquired clitoral enlargement is relatively rare.     

Cytotoxin associated gene A-positive Helicobacter pylori strains in dyspeptic pregnant women

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to compare the Helicobacter pylori (HP) seropositivity and cytotoxin associated gene A (cagA) status in pregnant women with dyspeptic complaints and pregnant women with no gastrointestinal symptoms. STUDY DESIGN: Seventy-one consecutive pregnant women with gastrointestinal complaints and 72 age-matched pregnant women without any gastrointestinal symptoms or a history of gastrointestinal disease were included in the study. Demographic characteristics and H. pylori and cytotoxin associated gene A status of the groups were analysed. RESULTS: The prevalence of H. pylori seropositivity was slightly but not significantly higher in patients with dyspeptic complaints compared to the controls (74.6% versus 63.8%, respectively, P > 0.05). The incidence of dyspeptic complaints were 53.5% in HP-seropositive and 40.9% in HP-seronegative women (P > 0.05). The prevalence of cytotoxin associated gene A positivity among H. pylori-seropositive women was significantly higher in dyspeptic pregnants compared to the controls (75.5% versus 45.7%, respectively, P = 0.002). Among HP-seropositive women, the incidence of dyspeptic complaints was significantly higher in cagA-positive patients compared to the cagA-negative ones (65.6% versus 34.2%, respectively, P = 0.002). When analysed according to the trimesters, the prevalence of cytotoxin associated gene A positivity among H. pylori-seropositive women was significantly higher in dyspeptic pregnants compared to the controls in the first trimester (68.0% versus 34.8%, respectively, P = 0.021). CONCLUSION: Cytotoxin associated gene A-positive, virulent H. pylori strains were found to be more frequently associated with dyspeptic complaints in pregnant women.     

Ordinary glass spheres as an alternative injectable material for endoscopic correction of vesicoureteral reflux

PURPOSE: Although they are therapeutically effective, injectable materials for urinary tract are associated with various disadvantages, precluding their universal acceptance. In this study we investigated glass spheres (GSs) as an alternative injectable substance to correct vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in an animal model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used 150 to 300 micro GSs suspended in agarose gel to form the injection paste. GS paste was injected into the rectus muscle and submucosa of the bladder in 8 adult New Zealand male rabbits. As a control group, vehicle only was injected into 4 rabbits. The rabbits were sacrificed to harvest the bladder, pelvic lymph nodes, kidney, liver, brain, spleen and lung at month 1 and year 1 of injection. A VUR model was then created by unroofing the 2 ureteral orifices of 12 adult sheep. GS paste was injected into the right subureter and vehicle only was injected into the left subureter. Cystourethrographies were performed at month 3 and year 1 of injection. The sheep were sacrificed at cystourethrography to harvest the bladder, lymph nodes, kidney, liver, brain, spleen and lung. RESULTS: At month 3 and year 1 of injection into rabbit tissues nodule formation was stable in position and volume. Histopathological studies of local and distant organs of the rabbit did not show any granuloma formation or migration of GS. GS paste injection corrected VUR in sheep. Re-injection of GS into still refluxing left units corrected VUR. Local and distant organs harvested from sheep did not demonstrate distant migration. CONCLUSIONS: When injected into bladder submucosa and rectus muscle, GS appears to be inert, biocompatible and efficient. Similarly it is effective for correcting VUR in an animal model. We present our data on GS, encouraging further investigation to develop an alternative injectable material for endoscopic VUR correction.