Radiotherapy and cancer care in Sweden.

A systematic assessment of radiotherapy for cancer was conducted by The Swedish Council on Technology Assessment in Health Care (SBU) in 2001. It included an overview of the organisation of radiotherapy and cancer care in Sweden and education of staff. It further included an update of cancer statistics for Sweden and an estimate of the need for radiotherapy resources by the year 2010.

The Swedish Council on Technology Assessment in Health Care (SBU) systematic overview of radiotherapy for cancer including a prospective survey of radiotherapy practice in Sweden 2001--summary and conclusions.

A systematic assessment of radiotherapy for cancer was conducted by The Swedish Council on Technology Assessment in Health Care (SBU) and published in 1996. The assessment reviewed the scientific literature up to 1993 on the use of radiotherapy in the treatment of solid tumours, and estimated the costs associated with radiotherapy. It also described the current practise of radiotherapy in Sweden 1992 and compared practise with scientific knowledge.

Radiation dose as a risk factor for malignant melanoma following childhood cancer.

The aim of this study was to determine therapy-related risk factors for the development of melanoma after childhood cancer. Among 4401 3-year survivors of a childhood cancer in eight French and British centres and 25120 patients younger than 20 years old at first malignant neoplasm (FMN) extracted from the Nordic Cancer Registries, 16 patients developed a melanoma as a second malignant neoplasm (SMN). A cohort study of the French and British cohorts was performed.

Feasibility, physical capacity, and health benefits of a multidimensional exercise program for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Cancer patients frequently experience considerable loss of physical capacity and general wellbeing when diagnosed and treated for their disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, physical capacity, and health benefits of a multidimensional exercise program for cancer patients during advanced stages of disease who are undergoing adjuvant or high-dose chemotherapy. The supervised program included high- and low-intensity activities (physical exercise, relaxation, massage, and body-awareness training).

Breast conservation surgery, with and without radiotherapy, in women with lymph node-negative breast cancer: a randomised clinical trial in a population with access to public mammography screening.

The effect of postoperative radiotherapy after sector resection for stage I-II lymph node-negative breast cancer was evaluated in a patient population with access to public mammographical screening. 1187 women were randomised to no further treatment or postoperative radiotherapy following a standardised sector resection and axillary dissection. Radiation was administered to a dose of 48-54 Gy.

Assessing disease onset and progression in the SOD1 mouse model of ALS.

SOD1 transgenic mice are the most widely used animal model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In addition to providing valuable insights into the pathogenesis of ALS, these animals are used intensively in many laboratories as an in vivo model for investigating novel therapeutic interventions towards this devastating motorneuron disease. Such pre-clinical studies require objective and reliable quantification of the clinical phenotype of individual mice, most importantly of the neuromuscular abnormalities.

Cancer prevalence in Northern Europe: the EUROPREVAL study.

Background: Information on cancer prevalence is of importance for health planning and resource allocation, but is not always available. In order to obtain such data in a comparable way a systematic evaluation of cancer prevalence in Europe was undertaken within the EUROPREVAL project.

Patients And Methods: Standardised data were collected from 38 population-based registries on almost 3 million cancer patients diagnosed between 1970 and 1992.

Experimental evidence for interatomic coulombic decay in Ne clusters.

Electron spectra of photoexcited Ne clusters are shown to display a signal at low kinetic energies that is neither present in the Ne monomer nor at photon energies below the inner-valence 2s threshold. These findings are strong evidence for the existence of interatomic Coulombic decays (ICD), a mechanism that was recently predicted theoretically [Phys. Rev.

Ethanol inhibits muscarinic receptor-mediated DNA synthesis and signal transduction in human fetal astrocytes.

We previously found that ethanol inhibits muscarinic receptor-induced proliferation of rat cortical astrocytes and human astrocytoma cells and suggested this as a possible mechanism involved in its developmental neurotoxicity. We also observed that, though several signal transduction pathways are relevant for carbachol-induced cell proliferation, activation of PKC zeta and p70S6 kinase is selectively inhibited by low concentrations of ethanol. In the present study we used fetal human astrocytes to expand these findings to a direct target of ethanol in humans.

Variability in mechanical exposure within and between individuals performing a highly constrained industrial work task.

Data on exposure variability is an important remedy for designing and interpreting studies of occupational ergonomics. The present study aimed at retrieving the within- and between-subjects variance of several mechanical exposure parameters in a repeated, short-cycle task. Seven experienced operators repeatedly secured joints using two types of hand-held nutrunners.

Widespread distribution of PLTP in human CNS: evidence for PLTP synthesis by glia and neurons, and increased levels in Alzheimer's disease.

Plasma phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) is one of the key proteins in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. We examined PLTP distribution in human brain using PLTP mRNA dot-blot, Northern blot, immunohistochemistry (IHC), Western blot, and phospholipid transfer activity assay analyses. PLTP mRNA of 1.

Neuro-inflammation as a therapeutic target in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressive neuromuscular disease that destroys both upper and lower motor neurons, resulting in spasticity, diffuse muscular atrophy, weakness, and ultimately death from respiratory failure. It is presumed that in the vast majority of cases, ALS is acquired and occurs sporadically, although the exact etiology is unknown. Recent, emerging evidence suggests that neuro-inflammation may be a pathological characteristic of this disease; this could represent a potential therapeutic target for a pharmacological agent to help treat this severe disease.

Multiple ionization of atom clusters by intense soft X-rays from a free-electron laser.

Intense radiation from lasers has opened up many new areas of research in physics and chemistry, and has revolutionized optical technology. So far, most work in the field of nonlinear processes has been restricted to infrared, visible and ultraviolet light, although progress in the development of X-ray lasers has been made recently. With the advent of a free-electron laser in the soft-X-ray regime below 100 nm wavelength, a new light source is now available for experiments with intense, short-wavelength radiation that could be used to obtain deeper insights into the structure of matter.

Alcohol, tobacco and breast cancer--collaborative reanalysis of individual data from 53 epidemiological studies, including 58,515 women with breast cancer and 95,067 women without the disease.

Alcohol and tobacco consumption are closely correlated and published results on their association with breast cancer have not always allowed adequately for confounding between these exposures. Over 80% of the relevant information worldwide on alcohol and tobacco consumption and breast cancer were collated, checked and analysed centrally. Analyses included 58,515 women with invasive breast cancer and 95,067 controls from 53 studies.

Do changes in surgical procedures for breast cancer have consequences for hospital mean length of stay? A study of women operated on for breast cancer in Sweden, 1980-95.

Background: Between 1986 and 1996, the overall mean overnight length of stay for all diagnoses in Sweden decreased from 20.8 to 7.1 days.

Calcium signaling in microglial cells.

Receptor-mediated Ca(2+) signals are a common signal transduction mechanism in all living cells, including microglia. Recent years have brought major advances in our understanding of microglial Ca(2+) signaling. More than 20 receptor/ligand interactions leading to Ca(2+) signals in microglia have been described so far, and it seems that this is just the beginning.

Incidence and survival of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue in Scandinavia, with special reference to young adults.

In several countries, increased incidence of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the tongue in young adults has been suspected during the last decades. Some reports indicate a lower survival rate for young patients compared to older patients. In other reports, there has not been any considerable difference in survival when comparing young adults to older patients, whereas some authors have shown better survival for young adults.

Carcinoma of the parotid and submandibular glands--a study of survival in 2465 patients.

Salivary gland carcinomas demonstrate a wide diversity of histopathological types and biological behavior. The aim of this study was to analyze relative survival of patients with major salivary gland carcinomas with special reference to histopathology, gender and age. All new carcinomas of the major salivary glands reported to the National Swedish Cancer Registry 1960-1995 were searched for and the vital status of the cases was updated by record linkage to the Swedish Population Registry through December 31 1996.

Spot 42 RNA mediates discoordinate expression of the E. coli galactose operon.

The physiological role of Escherichia coli Spot 42 RNA has remained obscure, even though the 109-nucleotide RNA was discovered almost three decades ago. Structural features of Spot 42 RNA and previous work suggested to us that the RNA might be a regulator of discoordinate gene expression of the galactose operon, a control that is only understood at the phenomenological level. The effects of controlled expression of Spot 42 RNA or deleting the gene (spf) encoding the RNA supported this hypothesis.

Structures of the pleiotropic translational regulator Hfq and an Hfq-RNA complex: a bacterial Sm-like protein.

In prokaryotes, Hfq regulates translation by modulating the structure of numerous RNA molecules by binding preferentially to A/U-rich sequences. To elucidate the mechanisms of target recognition and translation regulation by Hfq, we determined the crystal structures of the Staphylococcus aureus Hfq and an Hfq-RNA complex to 1.55 and 2.

[Cancer in siblings of children with cancer].

Introduction: In some rare inherited disorders, such as Li-Fraumeni syndrome, relatives of children with cancer are at increased risk of cancer. We aimed to assess relations between childhood cancer and sibling risk, and evaluate the influence of recessive conditions in cancer causation.

Material And Methods: We did a population-based cohort study in the Nordic countries of 42,277 siblings of 25,605 children with cancer.

Bubble formation and decay in 3He and 4He clusters.

The energy transfer in 3He and 4He clusters electronically excited by monochromatic synchrotron radiation is investigated by luminescence spectroscopy. Depending on the cluster size and the isotopic constitution, either sharp, broadened, or shifted emission bands of single He molecules are observed. The spectral features show that He molecules emit light either within a bubble inside the cluster or in the vacuum after desorption from the cluster.

Interactive training for the management of breast cancer in general practice in Europe.

Background: General practitioners need to play a more active role in the management of patients with breast cancer, specifically in screening programs, counseling, follow-up, palliative care, and psychosocial support. Special training is needed to meet these demands.

Methods: An interactive training program resident on CD-ROM was developed.

Astrocytes in culture produce anandamide and other acylethanolamides.

Anandamide (arachidonylethanolamide) is an endocannabinoid that belongs to the acylethanolamide lipid family. It is produced by neurons in a calcium-dependent manner and acts through cannabinoid CB1 receptors. Other members of the acylethanolamide lipid family are also produced by neurons and act through G-protein-coupled receptors: homo-gamma-linolenylethanolamide (HEA) and docosatetraenylethanolamide (DEA) act through CB1 receptors, palmitylethanolamide (PEA) acts through CB2-like receptors, and oleylethanolamide (OEA) acts through receptors that have not yet been cloned.