Hypnotizability and hypnoanalgesia: hypnotizability of patients using hypnoanalgesia during surgery.

We administered the Stanford Hypnotic Suggestibility Scale (Form A) (SHSS:A) to 10 patients from a population of 20 who had undergone surgery in the previous 10 years using hypnoanalgesia as the sole or principal analgesic agent. Time since surgery ranged from 2 days to 10 years. Scores on the SHSS ranged from 5 (medium susceptibility) to 12 (high susceptibility) with a mean of 8.6, significantly higher than the SHSS:A normative group (p less than .001). The relationship between severity of surgery and the use of hypnoanalgesia as the sole or principal analgesia was significant for our patient population (N = 20) but not for our patient sample (N = 10).     

缺血性卒中或短暂性脑缺血发作患者的卒中预防指南

这份新声明旨在为缺血性卒中或短暂性脑缺血发作存活者的缺血性卒中预防提供全面和及时的循证推荐，循证推荐包括对危险因素的控制，动脉粥样硬化性疾病的干预措施，心源性栓塞的抗栓治疗以及非心源性卒中抗血小板药的应用。另外，还为其他多种特殊情况下复发性卒中的预防提供了推荐、包括动脉夹层分离、卵圆孔未闭、高同型半胱氨酸血症、高凝状态、镰状细胞病、脑静脉窦血栓形成、女性卒中（特别是与妊娠和绝经后激素替代治疗相关卒中），脑出血后肮凝药的应用，以及该指南在高危人群中执行和应用的特殊措施。     

Short-Ti inversion-recovery pulse sequence: analysis and initial experience in cancer imaging

Inversion recovery (IR), commonly considered a pulse sequence capable of producing T1-weighted images with excellent display of normal anatomy, is versatile: The null point and peak time provide a useful, succinct summary of the properties of IR and its capacity for producing both T1- and T2-weighted images. Shortening of the inversion time (TI) and creation of a short-TI inversion-recovery (STIR) pulse sequence increases sensitivity to malignancy and other abnormalities by making the effects of prolonged T1 and T2 on signal intensity additive and by nulling the signal from fat. The authors examined over 300 patients with various malignancies and compared STIR images with T1- and T2-weighted images obtained at 0.5 T. In 43 cases, signal-difference-to-noise ratios (SD/Ns) were calculated between tumor, fat, and muscle. In general, STIR images demonstrated tumor as a conspicuously high-intensity area in a background of muted, discernible anatomic detail. The good contrast achieved with STIR sequences between tumor and fat (SD/N = 18.1) and tumor and muscle (SD/N = 12.9) consolidated into a single image the information contained separately on T1- and T2-weighted images, which facilitates efficient detection and localization of malignancy.     

Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome: findings at barium enema study and defecography

Sixteen cases of histopathologically proved solitary rectal ulcer syndrome were encountered. Fifteen patients underwent barium enema study; in nine cases the findings--including rectal stricture, granularity of the mucosa, and thickened rectal folds-were nonspecific. In six cases the study was normal. All patients had a long history of defecation disorders, and defecography was performed in all. In seven cases, intussusception of the rectal wall was seen; in another case the intussusception was accompanied by a rectocele. One case showed rectal prolapse. In four cases, failed relaxation of the puborectalis occurred and prevented the passage of the bolus; in another case there was abnormal perineal descent. In two patients studies were normal. In patients with defecation disorders, the possibility of this syndrome should be considered. Defecography is the method of choice for establishing the diagnosis.     

Accurate counting of low numbers of leukocytes. Use of flow cytometry and a manual low-count chamber.

The leukocyte depletion that current filters make possible in erythrocyte and platelet preparations can result in leukocyte concentrations too low to be counted accurately by automated and standard manual methods. A recently described method for counting low numbers (1 to 10 x 10(6) per L) of leukocytes by flow cytometry and the use of a manual low-count chamber on 25 venous samples serially diluted to 1:1,000 were evaluated. The results show that both methods for counting leukocytes can reliably determine counts of 1 to 10 x 10(6) leukocytes/liter (a three-order of magnitude reduction from venous blood) in terms of order of magnitude but lack accuracy for specific measurement. The flow cytometric method is more expensive, less readily available, and suffers from greater sample variability. Use of a low-count chamber is a superior technique to evaluate and maintain quality control of methods for leukocyte depletion, resulting in a final leukocyte concentration of 1 to 10 cells per microliter.