Identification of Stroke and TIA in Patients With Acute Dizziness, Vertigo or Imbalance in Emergency Departments of Primary Care Hospitals: Early Experiences With a Network-Based Telemedical Approach.

Background: Acute dizziness, vertigo, and imbalance are frequent and difficult to interpret symptoms in the emergency department (ED). Primary care hospitals often lack the expertise to identify stroke or TIA as underlying causes. A telemedical approach based on telestroke networks may offer adequate diagnostics and treatment.

Feasibility of Telemedical HINTS (Head Impulse-Nystagmus-Test of Skew) Evaluation in Patients With Acute Dizziness or Vertigo in the Emergency Department of Primary Care Hospitals.

Background: Acute dizziness, vertigo and imbalance are common symptoms in emergency departments. Stroke needs to be distinguished from vestibular diseases. A battery of three clinical bedside tests (HINTS: Head Impulse Test, Nystagmus, Test of Skew) has been shown to detect stroke as underlying cause with high reliability, but implementation is challenging in primary care hospitals.

X-ray spectrum estimation for accurate attenuation simulation.

Purpose: To estimate detected x-ray spectra from transmission measurements of known attenuators that allow to accurately simulate the transmission in unknown attenuators.

Methods: Starting from the established spectrum estimation method using the truncated singular value decomposition (TSVD) we extended the algorithm by incorporating prior knowledge about the statistical nature of the transmission data and about high-frequency spectral components like characteristic peaks. Thereby our proposed approach requires only minimal prior knowledge, namely the energy positions of characteristic peaks or k-edges, which are typically well-known.

Model-based sphere localization (MBSL) in x-ray projections.

The detection of spherical markers in x-ray projections is an important task in a variety of applications, e.g. geometric calibration and detector distortion correction.

A Single-Institution Analysis of 126 Patients Treated with Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Brain Metastases.

Background: The objective of this study was to report our institutional experience with Gamma Knife Radiosurgery (GKRS) in the treatment of patients with brain metastases.

Methods: Retrospectively collected demographic and clinical data on 126 patients with intracranial metastases were reviewed. The patients in our study underwent GKRS at Vidant Medical Center between 2009 and 2014.

A novel conformal superficial high-dose-rate brachytherapy device for the treatment of nonmelanoma skin cancer and keloids.

Purpose: To develop a novel conformal superficial brachytherapy (CSBT) device as a treatment option for the patient-specific radiation therapy of conditions including superficial lesions, postsurgical positive margins, Dupuytren's contractures, keloid scars, and complex anatomic sites (eyelids, nose, ears, etc.).

Methods And Materials: A preliminary CSBT device prototype was designed, built, and tested using readily available radioactive seeds.

Plerixafor induces the rapid and transient release of stromal cell-derived factor-1 alpha from human mesenchymal stromal cells and influences the migration behavior of human hematopoietic progenitor cells.

The interaction between the stromal cell-derived factor-1 alpha (SDF-1α, CXCL12) and its chemokine receptor CXCR4 has been reported to regulate stem cell migration, mobilization and homing. The CXCR4 antagonist plerixafor is highly efficient in mobilizing hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs). However, the precise regulatory mechanisms governing the CXCR4/SDF-1α axis between the bone marrow niche and HPCs remain unclear.

Is a health promotion campaign successful in retail pharmacies?

A sun awareness campaign with the theme "Be Sun Smart" was initiated by the Alberta Pharmaceutical Association in collaboration with the Alberta Cancer Board, Alberta Health and the Canadian Cancer Society. The campaign aimed to increase awareness and knowledge on the part of pharmacists and their staff and customers of adequate protection from the sun. The evaluation consisted of a precampaign questionnaire focusing on pharmacists' attitudes and knowledge, followed by a post-campaign questionnaire evaluating the campaign and assessing changes in pharmacists' knowledge.

Community smoking cessation contests: an effective public health strategy.

This report describes the follow-up of a community-sponsored smoking cessation contest. The aims of the evaluation were to describe the characteristics of contestants and the quit rates at six weeks, six months and one year. The "Quit to Win" contest was held as part of a larger cancer prevention program in Medicine Hat, Alberta.

Whole-abdominal irradiation for the management of gastrointestinal and abdominal manifestations of agnogenic myeloid metaplasia.

A patient with a long-standing history of agnogenic myeloid metaplasia developed weight loss and ascites secondary to gastric/small bowel infiltration and peritoneal implants of myeloid tissue. Moderate doses of radiation were very effective in controlling her gastrointestinal symptoms. In contrast to previous reports, clinical improvement after irradiation was a slow, gradual process, requiring 5 months for complete resolution of the patient's ascites.