RESULTS OF EXTERNAL BEAM RADIOTHERAPY IN 448 PATIENTS WITH CLINICALLY LOCALIZED ADENOCARCINOMA OF THE PROSTATE

The results of external beam radiotherapy for clinically localized adenocarcinorna of the prostate in 448 patients treated in the period 1980–90 were reviewed. The average follow up was 4.9 years. The patients were aged 44–87 years (median 69 years) and all had histopathological evidence of adenocarcinoma by needle biopsy or transurethral resection of prostate. The histopathological grading was: 127 G₁; 154 G₂; 127 G₃; 12 G₄; 28 G_x. Clinical staging according to TNM (American Urological Association) was: 29 T₀ (A2); 4 T₁ (B1); 173 T₂ (B2); 176 T₃ (C1); 63 T₄ (C2); 3 T_x. Routine surgical pelvic lymph node staging was not performed but patients had radiological (computerized tomography scan or lymphogram) nodal staging: 350 N₀; 22 N₁; 12 N₂; 64 N_x. High energy linear accelerator external beam radiotherapy was given by multiple fields to total doses of 50–70 Gy (median 60 Gy). The majority of patients (307, 69%) was treated by a uniform policy under the care of one radiation oncologist (HM). The rates of local and distant failure at 5 years were 10% (s.e. = 2%) and 42% (s.e. = 3%), respectively. The late complication rate at 5 years was 25% (s.e. = 2%), comprising mild 16%, moderate 7% and severe 1.3%. The 5 year overall survival rate was 64% (s.e. = 2%) and the cancer-specific survival rate was 74% (s.e. = 3%). Both histological grade and clinical stage were strongly predictive of overall survival and distant failure. Only histological grade was predictive of local failure. Treatment with external beam radiotherapy for this common cancer resulted in survival and disease control rates that compare favourably with other published radiotherapy series and has been accompanied by acceptably low morbidity.     

A simple model describes large individual differences in simultaneous colour contrast

We report experimental evidence for substantial individual differences in the susceptibility to simultaneous colour contrast. Interestingly, we found that not only the general amount of colour induction varies across observers, but also the general shape of the curves describing asymmetric matching data. A simple model based on von Kries adaptation and crispening describes the data rather well when we regard its free parameters as observer specific. We argue that the von Kries component reflects the action of a temporal adaptation mechanism, while the crispening component describes the action of the instantaneous, purely spatial mechanism most appropriately labeled simultaneous colour contrast. An interesting consequence of this view is that traditional ideas about the general characteristics of simultaneous contrast must be considered as misleading. According to Kirschmann’s 4th law, for instance, the simultaneous contrast effect should increase with increasing saturation of the surround, but crispening predicts the converse. Based on this reasoning, we offer a plausible explanation for the mixed evidence on the validity of Kirschmann’s 4th law. We also argue that simultaneous contrast, the crispening effect, Meyer’s effect and the gamut expansion effect are just different names for the same basic phenomenon.     

Body composition in young female adults with Type 1 diabetes mellitus. A prospective case-control study.

AIMS: Overweight is common during late puberty in female patients with Type 1 diabetes. The aim of this study was to examine the change in body composition from late puberty to early adulthood in such female patients in comparison with age-matched control subjects. METHODS: Eighteen females with Type 1 diabetes and 19 healthy female control subjects were recruited for a case-control study at the age of 16-19 years (baseline). Six years later, 16 of the diabetic females and 17 of the control subjects were re-examined (follow-up). Body composition was assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: Body mass index (BMI) and fat mass index (total fat mass/height2) were significantly higher at baseline in the diabetic patients than in the control subjects (26.4 +/- 2.6 vs. 23.9 +/- 3.7 kg/m2, P < 0.05, and 10.0 +/- 2.4 vs. 8.0 +/- 2.8 kg/m2, P = 0.04, respectively). At follow-up, these parameters still tended to be higher in the diabetic group (27.8 +/- 4.9 vs. 24.6 +/- 5.7 kg/m2, P = 0.09, and 11.8 +/- 5.6 vs. 8.7 +/- 4.9 kg/m2, P = 0.05, respectively). BMI at baseline was strongly correlated to BMI at follow-up in both diabetic patients (r = 0.60; P < 0.05) and control subjects (r = 0.83; P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Increased fat mass in pubertal girls with Type 1 diabetes seems to persist in young adulthood. This study emphasizes the need for new strategies to prevent the development of overweight during puberty in diabetic girls.     

精子质量参数分析的标准化与质量控制的研究进展

精液分析是评价男性生育能力的最基本测试。最近几年,对精液分析标准化的迫切需求已引起男科学家的广泛重视。本文对精子质量参数———精子密度、活动率和形态学分析的标准化及质量控制进行了综述。精子密度分析的关键是计数池的标准化,因此Cell-VU计数池应该是最佳的选择;精子活动率和精子形态学的分析由于主观性太强,CASA系统可能是其标准化的最终选择。精液质量参数分析的质量控制主要是质量控制材料的选择,以及在男科学实验室实施EQC和IQC项目,而一些监测质量控制的图表和计算方法应被相应地建立。     

Supporting insensitive mothers: the Vilnius randomized control trial of video-feedback intervention to promote maternal sensitivity and infant attachment security

Objective   This randomized control trial examined the effects of a short-term, interaction-focused and attachment-based video-feedback intervention (VIPP: video-feedback intervention to promote positive parenting).
Design   VIPP effect on mothers' sensitive responsiveness and infant–mother attachment security was evaluated in a sample ( n  = 54) of low sensitive, non-clinical, middle class Lithuanian mothers.
Methods   Maternal sensitivity was assessed in a free play session with the Ainsworth's sensitivity scale, and attachment security was observed using the Attachment Q sort for home observations.
Results   We found that the intervention mothers indeed significantly improved their sensitive responsiveness through participation in our VIPP. The effect size was large according to Cohen's criteria, d  = 0.78. VIPP enhanced maternal sensitive responsiveness even when maternal age, educational level, depression, daily hassles, efficacy, infant gender, and infant negative and positive affect were controlled for. However, attachment security in the VIPP infants was not enhanced after the intervention, compared with the control infants, and the infants did not seem to be differentially susceptible to the increase in maternal sensitivity dependent on their temperamental reactivity.
Conclusion   We suggest that a relatively brief and low-cost programme can provide effective support for mothers who lack sensitivity in the interactions with their infants.     

Impaired motor imagery in patients with essential tremor: a case control study.

Motor imagery (MI), which refers to the process of mental representation of movements, has not been studied in patients with essential tremor (ET). We investigated the presence of impaired MI in ET patients compared with healthy controls. A group of drug-naive and nondemented ET patients and age-matched controls were studied using transcranial magnetic stimulation, while they were specifically instructed to try and imagine themselves performing two motor tasks. The various clinical and electrophysiological variables were evaluated and compared. Repeated measures ANOVA demonstrated a significant difference between ET patients and controls with respect to mean motor-evoked potential (MEP) amplitudes (F(1,38) = 31.92, P < 0.005) during MI. The process of MI effectively facilitated MEP amplitude in controls but not in ET patients, regardless of side of stimulation or motor tasks. We provide evidence to demonstrate impairment of MI in a group of ET patients compared with healthy controls. The basis for this novel finding is unclear, and further studies are warranted to determine whether it is related to cerebellar or motor cortical dysfunction.     

An optimal dynamic output feedback controller for a flexible spacecraft

The design of a low-order dynamic output feedback controller for a flexible spacecraft is carried out using modified linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) theory. The necessary conditions for optimization are given. The linear equations governing a flexible spacecraft with a central rigid body and two sun-tracking solar panels are presented. The parameters of the Solar Electric Propulsion Spacecraft (SEPS) are selected for analysis and simulation. The optimal gains for the dynamic controller are estimated using an iterative algorithm. The sequential procedure which assures convergence is selected. The initial gains which stabilize the system are chosen on the basis of the principle of a PD controller. A third-order controller for pitch, roll and yaw axes of the 18th-order system, which includes sensor and actuator dynamics, is designed. Numerical simulations carried out to ascertain the performance of the controller show the performance to be satisfactory.     

On the form of the internal model for reaching

We investigated, by using simulations, possible mechanisms responsible for the errors in the direction of arm movements exhibited by deafferented patients. Two aspects of altered feedforward control were evaluated: the inability to sense initial conditions and the degradation of an internal model. A simulation which assumed no compensation for variations in initial arm configuration failed to reproduce the characteristic pattern of errors. In contrast, a simulation that assumed random variability in the generation of joint torque resulted in a distribution of handpaths which resembled some aspects of the pattern of errors exhibited by deafferented patients.