Analysis of the degree of precision of a computer-assisted dietary survey method

A computer-assisted method for the registration of food intakes in real time according to a concise and simple procedure was subjected to a series of controls in order to assess precision. The method employs the 'portion' of a composite dish as unit of measure. The constancy of the portion was tested. The results show that the recipes of the diet of a subject may be stored and utilized in deferred time without loss of precision: data to be recorded in real time are then very limited. The length of period of analysis was also studied. The time of investigation should not be shorter than two weeks to obtain precise information on the feeding habits of an individual subject, whereas for a group of subjects the diary of a single day provides information of sufficient precision.     

Childhood cancer registries in France

Following the well-known European CCRs of Manchester and Turin, 2 regional CCRs have been recently created in France: in Nancy (1983) and Marseille (1984); both are population based CCRs, covering respectively 535,200 and 809,200 children (0-14 yrs). All malignant neoplasms are included, as well as brain tumours (whatever grading) and borderline malignancies. Data are collected from medical and administrative sources. Registration is active and every source is recontacted annually. The registries contact all physicians who might include children among their patients (private and hospital practice), and laboratories of pathology-cytology. The University Hospital Centers and Anti-Cancer Centers in adjacent regions, and in Paris are contacted. Death certificates for children dying of a malignant neoplasm are also sent to the registry. Data collected are as follows: name, age, sex, address, date and method of diagnosis, histological type, anatomical site, stage, treatment and sources of information. We added the data of a general cancer registry, created in Strasbourg in 1975 and covering 205,900 children. reliability of the methodology is attested by the similarity of the results obtained in other European, US and Australian CCRs. In conclusion, this type of registry is needed to organize multicentric epidemiological studies about the role of etiological factors, the survival, and the long term sequelae.     

Screening for sediment toxicity in the Rio Santiago basin: A baseline study

Toxicity testing of sediment samples from the Rio Santiago and its main tributaries was performed using a battery of tests that included the ECHA dipstick biocide monitor, the MetPad test, the lettuce seed germination and the root elongation test, the nematode test, spot plate test, and the SOS Chromotest. Assessment was carried out on organic extracts, pore water, and direct sediment. Results of bioassays showed toxicity sources from tributaries and canals flowing into the river and areas being degraded by insults from industrial spills. © by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

High-Temperature Short-Time Heat Inactivation of HIV and Other Viruses in Human Blood Plasma

An ultra-short-time heating system was used to process blood plasma spiked with various viruses (HIV, vesicular stomatitis virus, encephalomyocarditis virus). Virus reduction and recovery of plasma proteins were measured at various temperatures from 65 to 85 degrees C. Processing at 77 degrees C and 0.006 s resulted in a high level of virus kill, including greater than or equal to 4.4 log10 HIV, while maintaining protein structure and activity essentially intact.     

Adrenocortical carcinoma in surgically treated patients: a retrospective study on 156 cases by the French Association of Endocrine Surgery.

BACKGROUND. Because of the rarity of adrenocortical carcinoma, survival rates and prognosis for patients who have undergone operation are not well known. The purpose of the French Association of Endocrine Surgery was to evaluate these factors in all patients treated during a 12-year period by its members. METHODS. One hundred fifty-six patients (95 women, 61 men) with a mean age of 47 years were included. Functional symptoms were found in 52% of patients, and hormonal studies revealed secreting tumors in 62% of cases. Ninety-four percent of the patients underwent resection of the adrenal tumor, and 20% of them had extensive resection because of invasive cancers. Complete resection was achieved in 127 patients (81%) and incomplete resection in 29 patients. Mean tumor weight was 714 gm (range, 12 to 4750 gm), and the mean diameter was 12 cm (range, 3 to 30 cm). The results of the tumor staging were stage I, eight patients (5%); stage II (local disease), 75 patients (48%); stage III (locoregional disease), 39 patients (25%); and stage IV (metastases), 34 patients (22%). RESULTS. The 5-year actuarial survival rates were 34% overall, 42% in curative group, 53% in local cancer group, 24% in regional disease group, and 27% in the reoperated group. One-year actuarial survival rate of the palliative group was 9% (median survival, 6 months). Multivariate analysis showed that better prognosis occurred in patients younger than 35 years of age (p = 0.01) and in patients with androgen-secreting tumors, precursor-secreting tumors, or nonsecreting tumors (p = 0.003). Mitotane improved the survival rate only in patients with metastases who received it after operation (vs non-mitotane-treated patients [p < 0.05]). CONCLUSIONS. In this study age, extent of disease, aspect of the surgical resection, and type of hormonal secretion influenced survival.     

The CT findings of acute thyroiditis and acute suppurative thyroiditis

Although acute thyroiditis often has a distinctive clinical presentation, this relatively uncommon entity can occasionally be confused with other inflammatory processes. In general, the earlier the diagnosis of acute thyroiditis is established, the lower is the frequency and severity of its attendant complications. Computed tomography (CT) is an extremely useful modality in establishing the diagnosis early because it can evaluate iodine content of the thyroid gland and provides more accurate mapping than ultrasound and nuclear medicine techniques. Three patients with acute thyroiditis--two with suppuration--are presented and the CT findings and clinical aspects of this disease are reviewed.     

Molecular oncogene markers and their significance in cutaneous malignant melanoma

Background: Oncogenes and other molecular tumor markers that predict tumor aggressiveness may allow individualization and optimization of surgical therapy of intermediate-thickness malignant melanoma. We examined the expression of selected markers, including the HLA-DR antigen, the heat shock protein-70 (HSP-70), and the c-myc oncogene in primary melanoma and regional nodes and related these findings to metastatic potential and survival. Methods: Forty patients with primary melanoma (1.5–4.0 mm) were studied, all of whom had prophylactic lymph node dissection and were followed for 18 months to 7 years. The primary tissue and nodes were examined using immunohistochemical techniques for the presence of HLA-DR antigen and HSP-70 protein and the expression of the c-myc oncogene. Results: Of 40 patients, there were 23 with lesions 1 to 2.9 mm thick and 17 with lesions 3 to 4 mm thick. Nodal metastases were present in 25 of the 40 patients who had elective node dissection. HLA-DR antibody stained the primary tumor in 10 patients (25%), but there was no correlation with survival in this group. HLA-DR antibody stained the stroma and cellular infiltrates surrounding the primary tumor in 28 of 40 patients; in this group there was a correlation of HLA-DR staining of the peritumoral stroma with improved survival overall. HLA-DR staining of the peritumoral stroma also influenced survival when patients were stratified by tumor thickness groups 1 to 2.9 mm and 3 to 4 mm and presence of nodal metastases. HSP-70 was demonstrated in the primary tumor in 25% of patients, who were also shown to have significantly improved survival when compared with those whose primary tumor did not stain with HSP-70. C-myc was expressed in the primary tumor in 25%, but showed no correlation with survival. None of these proteins correlated with or predicted the presence of nodal metastases. Conclusion: We conclude that the use of specific molecular-oncogene markers in intermediate-thickness primary melanoma may identify patients at high risk for conventional treatment failure and reduced survival who may profit from more aggressive surgery, adjuvant therapy, or both.Presented at the 48th Annual Cancer Symposium of The Society of Surgical Oncology, Boston, Massachusetts, March 23–26, 1995.