A follow-up study of infants ≤ 2000 g birthweight treated in central Queensland

This follow-up study was undertaken in an effort to ascertain the morbidity in the survivors of infants ≤2000 g birthweight cared for in the two Rockhampton intensive care nurseries.

Methodology:

The records of all infants ≤2000 g delivered in or transferred to Rockhampton during the 11 year period 1979 through 1989 inclusive were extracted. Efforts were made to contact and examine all of these children. Those found to be disabled were assessed as being mildly, moderately or severely affected.

Results:

Of the 482 infants of birthweight ≤2000 g treated in the period under review, 393 survived to be discharged from hospital. Eight were known to have died subsequently. Of the remaining 385 children, 288 (74.8%) were able to be contacted and their health status determined. A total of 36 infants were found to have significant disabilities. Twenty-four were mildly affected, five moderately and seven severely affected. Severe disability in infants of ≤1000 g was 16% (3/19).

Conclusions:

The incidence of disability was established in 74.8% of the surviving population, It was not dissimilar to the incidence of disability in similar birthweight groups in some Australian tertiary centres for the years under study. It is emphasized that the follow-up was incomplete and recognized that the survival rates and incidence of disability in survivors has improved in tertiary centres since the time frame of this study.     

Assessment of patellar maltracking using combined static and dynamic MRI

Between January 1995 and Jul 1997, 474 patients with anterior knee pain resistant to conservative treatment were referred for MR of the knee. The MR examination consisted of routine sequences with an additional patellofemoral dynamic examination using a technique that has been developed at this institution. The dynamic study examines both knees simultaneously, with the patient supine and the quadriceps loaded. No gating or restraint apparatus is needed. Patellar subluxation or tilt was present in 188(40 %) of cases, bilateral in 104 and unilateral in 84 cases (right 39, left 45). It was classified as mild in 51 %, moderate in 39 % and severe in 10 %. Subluxation was more prevalent in females than males (42 % vs. 37 %) and this was most obvious in the severe group where 68 % were female. In 90 knees selected at random, four measurements of patellofemoral morphology were obtained using reconstructed images from a volume gradient echo sequence. These measurements were correlated with the degree of subluxation or tilt. A tibial tubercle distance greater than 20 mm, a femoral sulcus angle greater than 150 degrees, sulcus depth less than 4 mm were specific for subluxation but no measurement proved to be sufficiently sensitive to preclude a tracking study. MRI can be used to define more precisely the anatomy of the extensor mechanism and its relationship to the femur and tibia, in both a static and dynamic setting. In this way, patients with anterior knee pain can be classified more accurately and the outcomes of treatment more reliably assessed. Received: 17 September 1999; Revised: 31 January 2000; Accepted: 4 February 2000     

Post-traumatic cervical dystonia: a distinct entity?

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: The incidence of head/neck trauma preceding cervical dystonia (CD) has been reported to be 5-21%. There are few reports comparing the clinical characteristics of patients with and without a history of injury. Our aim was to compare the clinical characteristics of idiopathic CD (CD-I) to those with onset precipitated by trauma (CD-T). METHODS: We evaluated 114 consecutive patients with CD over a 9-month period. All patients were interviewed using a detailed questionnaire and had a neurological examination. Their clinical charts were also reviewed. RESULTS: Fourteen patients (12%) had mild head/neck injury within a year preceding the onset of CD. Between the two groups (CD-I and CD-T), the gender distribution (F:M of 3:2), family history of movement disorders (32% vs. 29%), the prevalence of gestes antagonistes (65% vs. 64%), and response to botulinum toxin were similar. There were non-specific trends, including an earlier age of onset (mean ages 43.3 vs. 37.6), higher prevalence of neck pain (86% vs. 100%), head tremor (67% vs. 79%), and dystonia in other body parts (23% vs. 36%) in CD-T. CONCLUSIONS: CD-I and CD-T are clinically similar. Trauma may be a triggering factor in CD but this was only supported by non-significant trends in its earlier age of onset.     

Anti-inflammatory activity of Indian black tea (Sikkim variety).

In this study, the anti-inflammatory (in reference to the cardinal signs of inflammation) and other related pharmacological activities of the hot water extract of black tea (Camellia sinensis, Sikkim variety) were evaluated along with certain standard drugs. The extract showed significant inhibitory activity against carrageenin, histamine, serotonin and prostaglandin-induced pedal inflammation. The extract inhibited exudative inflammation. The tea extract also inhibited cotton pellet-induced granuloma formation and adjuvant-induced polyarthritis. Black tea extract showed significant inhibition against glucose oxidase-mediated inflammation. The present observations establish the efficacy of this particular variety of black tea, both in the exudative and proliferative forms and as well in the chronic phase of inflammation.     

Structural,optical, and magnetic properties of Ag+, Mn+ and Ar+ ions implanted ZnO thin films: effect of implantation dose and stopping energy

Herein, we systematically studied the effect of various excitation processes on the structural, optical, and magnetic properties of ZnO films implanted with 80 keV Ar⁺, 110 keV Mn⁺, and 190 keV Ag⁺ ions. Four different doses of 1 × 10¹³, 1 × 10¹⁴, 1 × 10¹⁵, and 2 × 10¹⁶ ions per cm² were used for implantation. It was observed that the structural, optical, and magnetic properties of the implanted samples were dominantly affected at the highest dose of 2 × 10¹⁶ ions per cm². For lower doses, insignificant changes in these properties were observed. A comparison of various processes involved in the implantation process shows that both the electronic excitation and nuclear excitation processes are responsible for the changes in the structural, optical, and magnetic properties of the implanted ZnO films.

Dominant changes in structural, optical, and magnetic properties were observed at the highest dose of implanted ions with larger ionic radii which is due to the large number of produced defects in the host.     

Comparative effectiveness of everolimus and axitinib as second targeted therapies for metastatic renal cell carcinoma in the US: a retrospective chart review

Background Second targeted therapies for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) include mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors (mTORis) and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). This observational study compares overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of patients treated with everolimus (an mTORi) and axitinib (a TKI) following first TKI, and assesses the impact of type and duration of first TKI on the relative effectiveness of these second targeted therapies.

Methods Retrospective reviews of medical records were conducted by medical oncologists or hematologists/oncologists recruited from a nationwide panel. Included patients with mRCC were required to have discontinued a first TKI (sunitinib, sorafenib, or pazopanib) for medical reasons, and to have initiated everolimus or axitinib as second targeted therapy between February 2012 and January 2013. OS and PFS were compared between patients treated with everolimus vs. axitinib using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models. Comparative results were also stratified by type and duration of first TKI.

Results Included patients (n?=?325 for everolimus and n?=?127 for axitinib) had a mean age of 61 years and 31% were female. Sunitinib was the most commonly used first TKI (73%). After adjusting for patient characteristics, no statistically significant differences were observed in OS or PFS between everolimus and axitinib. When stratifying by type and duration of first TKI, there was no statistically significant difference in OS between everolimus and axitinib in all subgroups except for patients with?<6 months on sunitinib or sorafenib as first TKI. No significant difference in PFS was observed in any subgroup.

Limitations Important limitations include potential missing or inaccurate data in medical charts, and confounding due to unobserved factors.

Conclusions In this retrospective chart review, no significant differences were detected in OS or PFS between axitinib and everolimus as second targeted therapy. Longer duration of first TKI was not associated with increased effectiveness of subsequent axitinib compared to everolimus.