The significance of involvement of a free serosal surface for recurrence and survival following resection of clinicopathological stage B and C rectal cancer

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the presence of tumour at a free serosal surface was independently associated with pelvic recurrence or survival in patients who had a resection for clinicopathological stage B or stage C rectal cancer and who had not received adjuvant therapy. METHOD: Data were drawn from a comprehensive, prospective hospital registry of all resections for rectal cancer from January 1971 to December 1998 with follow up to December 2003. Statistical analysis employed the chi(2) test or Fisher's exact probability, Kaplan-Meier estimation and proportional hazards regression, with a significance level of < or =0.05 and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: In 665 patients with stages B or C tumour, 35 (5.3%; CI 3.7-7.2%) had tumour at a free serosal surface. These comprised 6/332 (1.8%; CI 0.8-3.7%) patients with stage B tumour and 29/333 (8.7%; CI 6.1-12.2%) with stage C tumour. After adjustment for other relevant variables, involvement of a free serosal surface was significantly associated with pelvic recurrence [hazard ratio (HR) 2.7; CI 1.3-5.5] and diminished survival (HR 1.6; CI 1.1-2.4) but not with systemic (only) recurrence. CONCLUSION: This study has confirmed that direct tumour spread to a free serosal surface independently predicts pelvic recurrence and diminished survival after resection of clinicopathological stage B and C rectal cancer. This feature should always be sought by the pathologist and reported when present, and noted by the surgeon and oncologist. Serosal involvement should be evaluated further for its utility in selecting patients for adjuvant therapy.     

Dengue disease spectrum among infants in the 2001 dengue epidemic in Chennai,Tamil Nadu,India

An investigation in a referral pediatric hospital has indicated that during a recent dengue outbreak in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, dengue in infancy constituted 20% of total dengue virus infections with low mortality rates in this hospital. In developing countries, strengthening of dengue management capabilities at hospitals can prevent dengue-related deaths in infants.     

Fatal meningoencephalitis due to Bacillus anthracis

Abstract: We report the first case of fatal anthrax meningoencephalitis in Hong Kong over the past 60 years. A 13 year-old boy presented with right lower quadrant pain, diarrhoea and progressive headache. Lumbar puncture yielded gram positive bacilli initially thought to be Bacillus cereus, a contaminant. He was treated with ampicillin and cefotaxime, but died 3 days after hospitalization. The organism isolated from blood and cerebrospinal fluid was later identified as Bacillus anthracis.     

β-阻滞剂塞利洛尔的合成

报道了β－阻滞剂塞利洛尔的简便制备方法，即以对乙氧基苯胺为原料，经酰胺化，傅克反应，以环氧氯丙烷取代，最后用叔丁胺直接与环氧基反应开环等４步反应制得。比文献五步反应缩短了一步，产物经元素分析、红外光谱、核磁共振谱、质谱等分析确定结构。     

正常人口服磷酸川芎嗪的药代动力学研究

本文建立了用高效液相色谱法测定人体内川芎嗪血药浓度的方法,以C18化学键合硅胶(10μgm)为固定相,以甲醇—水(58:42)为流动相,280 nm俭测,安眠酮为内标,进行定量测定,得出俭测限为3.5 ng(S/N=4),最低检测血清浓度为17.4 ng/ml,川芎嗪血药浓度在0.029～5.82μg/ml范围内,线性关系良好,方法回收率为99.84%。方法重现性好,专一性强,内源性物质、代谢产物及同时服用的药物均不干扰。用本法测定了健康人口服川芎嗪的药代动力学参数。     

Escherichia coli tetracycline efflux determinants in relation to tetracycline residues in chicken

ObjectiveTo screen for Escherichia coli (E. coli) resistant to tetracycline, followed by identification of tet efflux genes by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In addition, detection of tetracycline residues in chicken livers and kidneys were conducted using high performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS-MS).MethodsStrains of E. coli were isolated from samples of chicken colon and screened for tetracycline resistance. Tetracycline genes conferring resistance (Tc^r) were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Most of the isolates were resistant to tetracycline (97.9%).ResultsPCR analysis indicated that Tc^r E. coli R-plasmids contained tet(A), tet(B) and a combination of both efflux genes. None of the isolates contained other efflux tet genes tet (C, D, E and Y). High performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS-MS), a sensitive technique, was used to detect residues of chlortetracycline (CTC), oxytetracycline (OTC), doxycycline (DC) in chicken livers and kidneys. The samples containing tetracycline residues were at 0.13-0.65 pg/μL levels.ConclusionsTetracycline and other antibiotics are commonly used in the poultry and meat production industry for prevention of microbial infections. Multiple antibiotic resistant bacteria in Oman have increased to alarming levels, threatening public health, domestic and may have adverse effect on environment.     

Metastatic parathyroid carcinoma treated with radiofrequency ablation: A novel therapeutic modality

Parathyroid carcinoma (PCA), accounting for less than one per cent of all endocrine malignancies, is a rare cause of primary hyperparathyroidism. A diagnosis of parathyroid carcinoma may be challenging in the presence of localised disease and involves a histological diagnosis based on capsular, vascular, or perineural invasion or the presence of metastasis. Distant metastasis remains a rare presentation, with the lung being the most common site. Surgery remains the treatment of choice as radiotherapy and chemotherapy have proved to be of limited benefit in metastatic disease. This case reports suggests that radiofrequency ablation has the potential to be a novel and effective treatment option in these patients.