Blood group isoantigens and bladder cancer. An overview

The role of blood group ABO(H) surface isoantigen measurement in bladder cancer is discussed. The basis for this test is examined and an attempt is made to place the current status of this test in proper perspective.     

Age as a risk factor for third molar surgery complications.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to estimate the frequency of complications after third molar (M3) surgery, with age as the primary risk factor. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study of a sample of subjects having at least 1 M3 extracted as part of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons' Age-Related Third Molar Study. The predictor variables were categorized as demographic, health status, anatomic, and pathological. The outcome variable was overall complications, including both intraoperative and postoperative complications. Appropriate univariate and bivariate statistics were computed. A multiple logistic regression model was used to evaluate the simultaneous effects of multiple covariates. RESULTS: The study sample was comprised of 4,004 subjects having a total of 8,748 M3s removed. The mean age was 39.8 +/- 13.6 years, with 245 subjects (6.1%) age 25 and younger. Approximately half of the subjects were female. The overall complication rate was 19%. In bivariate analyses, age above 25 years, gender, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, number of preoperatively identified risk factors for complication, impaction level of M3, evidence of periodontal disease, preoperative infection, and evidence of any pathology associated with M3 were associated with complications (P 25 years) appears to be associated with a higher complication rate for M3 extractions.     

How to name it: a rare case of odontogenic cyst

Odontogenic cysts and tumors are well-recognized entities to the specialist oral pathologist and they seldom pose problems in differential diagnosis. This paper deals with an aggressive cystic lesion in the maxilla of a 65-year-old male that was characterized by a large radiographically multilocular lesion and a multicystic pattern microscopically. The categorization of this lesion was complicated by the presence of features suggestive of both glandular odontogenic cyst and cystic ameloblastoma with aggressive histologic phenotypes.     

Intra-pancreatic splenic artery pseudoaneurysm A rare complication of chronic calcific pancreatitis

The authors present the case of a 12-year-old boy with a history of chronic upper abdominal pain. Based on ultrasonography, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, and computerized tomography, a diagnosis of chronic calcific pancreatitis with dilation of the main pancreatic duct and a pseudocyst of the proximal pancreas was made. At surgery, in addition to confirmation of the above findings, a pseudoaneurysm arising from the splenic artery was found in the head and body of the pancreas. Pancreaticoduodenal resection including the pseudoaneurysm was performed. Postoperatively the child developed diabetes, which is easily managed with small doses of insulin. Accepted: 16 December 1996     

Refining the public health response to primary meningococcal conjunctivitis.

Primary meningococcal conjunctivitis (PMC) is accepted as an uncommon condition. This report describes two recent cases of PMC in newborn infants in a hospital nursery. In both cases the organisms identified were non-groupable strains of N. meningiditis, considered to be of low pathogenic potential. Both infants received systemic therapy and recovered without sequelae. The Guidelines for the early clinical and public health management of meningococcal disease in Australia recommend the notification of PMC to public health authorities and chemoprophylaxis of contacts. However, our 2 cases suggest that the guidelines should allow for an assessment of risk in determining the public health response. This assessment should include the severity of the conjunctivitis and the serogroup of the N. meningitidis isolate.     

Fit of the uncemented femoral component and the use of cement influence the strain transfer to the femoral cortex

To determine whether the strain patterns produced in the femoral cortex after uncemented femoral arthroplasty are influenced by the fit of the component and whether these patterns are different from those of cemented components, cortical surface strains of cadaveric femurs subjected to loads simulating single-limb stance were measured before and after the insertion of uncemented, collared, straight-stemmed femoral components. The effects of press fit, loose fit, and precise fit of the components were evaluated and were contrasted to the strain patterns occurring after insertion of cemented femoral components. Strains varied markedly, depending on the fit of the stem of the uncemented femoral component within the isthmus. Nearly normal patterns of femoral strain were produced when the femoral stem was fit precisely at the isthmus, and the proximal femoral strains were similar to those of the intact state. In contrast, press fit and loose fit at the isthmus altered the strain patterns. The proximal medial axial strains were significantly reduced with press fit, to a mean of 39% of normal (p < 0.05), and increased with loose fit, to a mean of 141% of normal (p < 0.05). The prostheses fixed with cement showed a mean reduction in proximal medial axial strains to 33% of normal, which was comparable with press fit uncemented components even though the collar was well seated. Thus, our findings indicated that, in the immediate postoperative period, femoral strain patterns can be influenced by the fit of an uncemented component within the isthmus and by the use of cement.     

Male urethral cancer

Cancer of the male urethra is an extremely rare neoplasm and herein we discuss the clinical features, diagnosis and management of this lesion.     

Carcinoid tumour of larynx

Rarity of the carcinoid tumours in the larynx prompted us to report this case which has been successfully treated by partial laryngectomy. Oncogenesis of these tumours, mode of treatment and prognosis have been discussed.     

Exposure to violence and cardiovascular and neuroendocrine measures in adolescents

Background: Exposure to violence has clear, detrimental psychological consequences, but the physiological effects are less well understood.Purpose: This study examined the influence of exposure to violence on biological basal and reactivity measures in adolescents.Methods: There were 115 high school student participants. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), heart rate (HR), HR variability (HRV), and cortisol levels were recorded during baseline and a laboratory stressor. The Exposure to Violence interview was administered and assessed two dimensions: total observed violence and total personally experienced violence. These were then divided into component parts: lifetime frequency, proximity, and severity.Results: Greater total experienced violence was associated with increased basal SBP (r = .19, p < .05) and decreased acute stress reactivity in terms of SBP (β =−.13, p = .05), HR (β =−.21, p = .00), and HRV (β = .13, p = .05). Lifetime frequency of experienced violence was associated with higher basal DBP (r = .33, p < .05), HR (r = .33, p < .05), and cortisol (r = .53, p < .00), and decreased SBP (β = −.27, p < .05) and DBP (β = −.31, p < .05) reactivity. Exposure to violence is associated with increased biological basal levels in adolescents, supporting allostatic-load research and decreased cardiovascular reactivity, supporting the inoculation effect.Conclusions: The findings illustrate that being a victim of violence has more pervasive biological consequences than witnessing violence and that the accumulation of stressful experiences has the greatest effect on biological markers. This research was supported by the Division 38 graduate student research award in Health Psychology (American Psychological Association), the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, and theWilliam T. Grant Foundation.     

Structural analysis of p185c-neu and epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases: oligomerization of kinase domains.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and p185c-neu proteins associate as dimers to create an efficient signaling assembly. Overexpression of these receptors together enhances their intrinsic kinase activity and concomitantly results in oncogenic cellular transformation. The ectodomain is able to stabilize the dimer, whereas the kinase domain mediates biological activity. Here we analyze potential interactions of the cytoplasmic kinase domains of the EGFR and p185c-neu tyrosine kinases by homology molecular modeling. This analysis indicates that kinase domains can associate as dimers and, based on intermolecular interaction calculations, that heterodimer formation is favored over homodimers. The study also predicts that the self-autophosphorylation sites located within the kinase domains are not likely to interfere with tyrosine kinase activity, but may regulate the selection of substrates, thereby modulating signal transduction. In addition, the models suggest that the kinase domains of EGFR and p185c-neu can undergo higher order aggregation such as the formation of tetramers. Formation of tetrameric complexes may explain some of the experimentally observed features of their ligand affinity and hetero-receptor internalization.