Speed of visual processing increases with eccentricity

The visual system has a duplex design to meet conflicting environmental demands: the fovea has the resolution required to process fine spatial information, but the periphery is more sensitive to temporal properties. To investigate whether the periphery's sensitivity is partly due to the speed with which information is processed, we measured the full timecourse of visual information processing by deriving joint measures of discriminability and speed, and found that speed of information processing varies with eccentricity: processing was faster when same-size stimuli appeared at 9 degrees than 4 degrees eccentricity, and this difference was attenuated when the 9 degrees stimuli were magnified to equate cortical representation size. At the same eccentricity, larger stimuli are processed more slowly. These temporal differences are greater than expected from neurophysiological constraints.     

Efficacy of a Fibrin Sealant (Tissucol Duo) for the Preventionof Lymphocele after Laparoscopic Pelvic Lymphadenectomy:A Randomized Controlled Trial

Study ObjectiveTo assess the efficacy of Tissucol Duo (Baxter AG, Vienna, Austria) fibrin sealant in decreasing the incidence of lymphocele (LC) after pelvic laparoscopic lymph node dissection using harmonic shears.DesignRandomized controlled trial (Canadian Task Force classification level I).SettingTertiary referral and educational center.PatientsSeventy-four patients randomized to the use of sealant per hemipelvis.InterventionFibrin sealant.Measurements and Main ResultsAfter bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy a fibrin sealant was used in 1 hemipelvis but not the other, applied in 41 patients (55.4%) to the left and 33 patients (44.6%) to the right hemipelvis. The primary outcome was the incidence of LC after surgery in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. Imaging (ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance) was performed to detect LC at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Overall, 26 patients (35.1%) developed LC, and 4 were symptomatic (5.4%). Allowing patients to serve as their own treatment group and control, the hemipelvis treated with Tissucol Duo corresponding to the treatment group and that not treated to the control group, LCs were found in 17 (23%) and 14 (19%) cases, respectively, but the difference was not significant. The mean initial LC maximum diameter was 27.1 mm (standard deviaiotn, 35.2), and LCs tended to decrease in size during the first year to a mean of 8.7 mm.ConclusionApplication of Tissucol Duo fibrin sealant after laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy using ultrasonic shears does not decrease the occurrence of symptomatic or asymptomatic LC.     

Pharyngitis due to Burkholderia cepacia. Person-to-person transmission

Burkholderia cepacia is a Gram-negative bacillus that is widely distributed in nature; it is isolated from the ground, water, plants and vegetables. Generally, it produces nosocomial infection due to contamination of disinfectants, medical equipment, prosthetic material and drugs, such as anesthetics or liquids used in urological irrigation. The most probable mechanism of transmission is through hospital material or through fomites among people after contact for several weeks or months. Recently, it has been considered as an important pathogen in immunocompromised patients, or in those with significant underlying diseases, such as chronic granulomastosis or cystic fibrosis. We present a case of pharyngitis due to B. cepacia and its transmission within a few days in two immunocompetent twin siblings without previous underlying diseases. The infection disappeared after specific treatment for this microorganism was started. We believe that samples should be taken from the pharynx and nasal pits in patients with acute upper respiratory tract processes that do not respond to empiric antibiotic treatment, before classifying them as viral infection without etiologic diagnosis.     

Airway eicosanoids in acute severe respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis

We prospectively studied the levels of eicosanoids in intubated patients with severe bronchiolitis and compared them to electively intubated non-infected infants. LeukotrieneE(4) (LTE(4)), leukotrieneB(4) (LTB(4)), and prostaglandinE(2) (PGE(2)) levels were significantly increased (P <.01) from endotracheal (ET) aspirates of infants with bronchiolitis compared with controls, as were urinary LTE(4) levels (P <.001). We conclude that eicosanoids are increased in the tracheal aspirates and urine of children with bronchiolitis.     

Mammography and ultrasound in the evaluation of male breast disease

Objective  

To assess clinical variables that may be useful in differentiating gynaecomastia from carcinoma and to analyse the contribution of mammography and ultrasound to the evaluation of male breast disease.     

Re-hospitalization after diagnosis of diabetes varies by gender and socioeconomic status in urban African-American and Latino young people

Abstract: Purpose: To examine risk factors for re‐hospitalization after diagnosis of diabetes mellitus amongst urban minority children. Methods: Families of insulin‐treated African‐American and Latino patients aged < 18 yr at diagnosis (n = 216) were interviewed about sociodemographics and other characteristics, on average 5.9 yr after diagnosis. Results and conclusions: About 60% of respondents were re‐hospitalized at least once for diabetes‐related reasons (n = 128). Half of those questioned had Medicaid or no health insurance at all; 23% fit criteria for a non‐autoimmune, type 2 diabetic phenotype. Those who avoided re‐hospitalization were more likely to have been seen initially at a tertiary care facility, to have private health insurance, and to be males. They had, on average, 2 yr shorter duration of diabetes at the time of interview. Risk for re‐hospitalization was not associated with age at diagnosis, ethnicity, diabetic phenotype, or source of care during the past year. In multivariate analysis, predictors of re‐hospitalization were gender [odds ratio (OR) 1.98 for females vs. males (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.05–3.72)], duration of diabetes [OR = 1.46 per yr (95% CI = 1.36–1.57)], initial ascertainment at a community hospital [OR = 5.44 vs. tertiary care facility (95% CI = 2.61–11.29)] and having Medicaid or no insurance [OR = 2.73 (95% CI = 1.42–5.24)], compared with those with another type of health insurance. There is a high risk of re‐hospitalization after the initial diagnosis of diabetes among insulin‐treated minority children, particularly the uninsured and those on Medicaid, in part related to duration of disease and where the initial treatment occurred.     

Abortion in democratic Spain: the parliamentary political agenda 1979-2004

Since Spain's transition to democracy, abortion has been a public policy issue both inside and outside parliament. This paper describes the history of abortion law reform in Spain from 1979 to 2004 and analyses the discourse on abortion of members of the Spanish parliament by sex and political allegiance. The analysis is based on a retrospective study of the frequency of legislative initiatives and the prevalence of different arguments and positions in debates on abortion found through a systematic search of the parliamentary database. Little time was given to abortion in the parliamentary agenda compared to other women's issues such as violence against women. There were 229 bills and other parliamentary initiatives in that period, 60% initiated and led by pro-choice women. 143 female and 72 male parliamentarians took part in the debates. The inclusion of socio-economic grounds for legal abortion (64%), and making abortion on request legal in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy (60%) were the most frequent forms of law reform proposed, based most often on pro-women's rights arguments. Male and female members of anti-choice parties and most male members of other parties argued for fetal rights. Pro-choice parties tabled more bills than anti-choice parties but till now all reforms proposed since 1985 have been voted down.