Joint EANM-SNMMI guideline on the role of 2-[F]FDG PET/CT in no special type breast cancer : (endorsed by the ACR, ESSO, ESTRO, EUSOBI/ESR, and EUSOMA).

Introduction: There is much literature about the role of 2-[F]FDG PET/CT in patients with breast cancer (BC). However, there exists no international guideline with involvement of the nuclear medicine societies about this subject.

Purpose: To provide an organized, international, state-of-the-art, and multidisciplinary guideline, led by experts of two nuclear medicine societies (EANM and SNMMI) and representation of important societies in the field of BC (ACR, ESSO, ESTRO, EUSOBI/ESR, and EUSOMA).

Postural control during galvanic vestibular stimulation in patients with persistent perceptual-postural dizziness.

Over the past years galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) has been increasingly applied to stimulate the vestibular system in health and disease, but not in patients with persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) yet. We functionally tested motion perception thresholds and postural responses to imperceptible noisy (nGVS) and perceptible bimastoidal GVS intensities in patients with PPPD with normal vestibulo-ocular reflexes. We hypothesized that GVS destabilizes PPPD patients under simple postural conditions stronger compared to healthy controls.

Bipolar vessel-sealing devices in laparoscopic hysterectomies: a multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial.

Objective: To compare operating time and blood loss in patients undergoing total laparoscopic hysterectomies (TLH) for benign conditions with either the Marseal™ IQ 5 mm (MS) or the Ligasure™ 5 mm (LS) vessel-sealing device.

Design And Setting: A randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) in two German gynecology departments.

Patients: 74 patients scheduled to undergo TLH for a symptomatic fibroid uterus, adenomyosis or severe meno-metrorrhagia.

Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) evaluation of intrathoracic disease in patients with FIGO III and IV stage ovarian cancer.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the influence of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) on our treatment decisions in FIGO III and IV ovarian cancer patients.

Methods: Patients with ovarian cancer and suspected supra-diaphragmatic involvement (pleural effusions, pleural carcinomatosis, lung metastasis, or enlarged supra-diaphragmatic lymph nodes) at chest computer tomography (CT) scan underwent VATS with or without laparoscopy (LSC) to decide for primary cytoreduction or neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Operation time, VATS complications (intrapleural hematoma, secondary hemorrhage with intervention, pneumonia and empyema) and shift in the therapeutic strategy due to VATS were evaluated.

Demineralization removes residual alendronate in allograft bone procured from donors with a history of bisphosphonate use.

Background: Bisphosphonate-associated osteonecrosis (BON) of the jaw is a growing concern in the dental community, but the possible presence of residual bisphosphonates in demineralized allograft bone from bisphosphonate-using tissue donors and the clinical implications of using such bone are unclear. The objectives of this study are to determine whether alendronate remained in demineralized bone matrix (DBM) procured from donors with a documented history of oral bisphosphonate use and to examine whether the demineralization process removes alendronate from allograft bone.

Methods: A gas chromatography?mass spectrometry method was developed and validated to quantify residual alendronate in allograft bone.

Selective association of plasma non-esterified fatty acid species with circulating interleukin-8 concentrations in humans.

Elevated plasma concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), due to high fat intake and/or adipose tissue lipolysis, are a hallmark of the metabolic syndrome. We assessed whether certain plasma NEFA species contribute to the chronic low-grade inflammatory state seen in the metabolic syndrome. We determined the fasting plasma NEFA patterns of 75 overweight non-diabetic subjects and analysed their relationship with plasma inflammatory parameters.

Transmission of hepatitis C virus to several organ and tissue recipients from an antibody-negative donor.

Background: Although hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission through tissue transplantation has been rarely reported, a donor with undetected viremia may infect several recipients. A patient developed acute hepatitis C shortly after tissue transplantation. Ninety-one tissues or organs had been recovered from the donor.

Functional expression of an ajmaline pathway-specific esterase from Rauvolfia in a novel plant-virus expression system.

Acetylajmalan esterase (AAE) plays an essential role in the late stage of ajmaline biosynthesis. Based on the partial peptide sequences of AAE isolated and purified from Rauvolfia cell suspensions, a full-length AAE cDNA clone was isolated. The amino acid sequence of AAE has the highest level of identity of 40% to putative lipases known from the Arabidopsis thaliana genome project.

[Theoretical and experimental models of sonographic diagnosis of umbilical cord knot and their application in practice].

Modern sonographic technique allows the detection of cord complication as neck cord entanglement. Far more difficult is the detection of a real cord knot. This article describes a theoretical model for detection of a cord knot and proves it in an in-vitro model.

Overgrowth and outcome after femoral shaft fracture in children younger than 2 years.

Twenty-one children younger than 2 years with a fractured femur were evaluated retrospectively to determine limb overgrowth, efficacy, and outcome after treatment with immediate spica casting. All children had spica casts placed without general anesthesia within 24 hours of admission. Followup averaged 51 months (range, 24-110 months).

Urinary organic acid screening by solid-phase microextraction of the methyl esters.

We developed a new sample preparation method for profiling organic acids in urine by GC or GC-MS. The method includes derivatisation of the organic acids directly in the aqueous urine using trimethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate as a methylating agent, extraction of the organic acid methyl esters from the urine by solid-phase microextraction, using a polyacrylate fiber with a thickness of 85 microm and transfer of the methyl esters into the GC or the GC-MS instrument. Desorption of the analytes takes place in the heated injection port.

Physician coverage of therapeutic apheresis.

A "snapshot" survey of physician coverage for evaluation and supervision of therapeutic apheresis procedures shows significant variation in current clinical practice between 39 blood center-and 41 non-blood center-based programs. Whereas 56% of blood center-based programs usually require physician's "in person" evaluation of the patient, 86% of non-blood center programs do (P < .005).

Cost-effectiveness of screening for hereditary hemochromatosis.

Background: Recent studies have estimated the prevalence of hereditary hemochromatosis to be 3 to 8 per 1000. Early detection and treatment can prevent disease manifestations and normalize life expectancy. We used decision analysis techniques to determine whether screening the population at large for hereditary hemochromatosis would be cost-effective.

Non-enzymatic glycation of histones.

2-(2-Furoyl)-5-(2-furanyl)-1H-imidazole (FFI) is detected in total histones and the lysine-rich histone 1 fraction isolated from calf thymus after in vitro glycation and hydrolysis with HCl, using gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric analysis. The finding suggests that glucose is bound to the epsilon-amino groups of the lysine residues of the histones. No FFI is monitored in native histone samples.

Viscoelastic properties of the contracting detrusor. II. Experimental approach.

Mechanical properties of detrusor muscle were studied with small-amplitude oscillatory volume perturbations in isometrically contracting bladders of anesthetized dogs. Contractions were studied at oscillatory frequencies (f) of 2 and 4 Hz and at bladder volumes (Vbl) ranging from 30 to 110 ml. The magnitude of bladder hydrodynamic stiffness (magnitude of G) increased linearly with mean detrusor pressure (Pdet) while the phase angle remained relatively constant during contraction.

Adjuvant chemohormonal therapy with cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil, and prednisone (CMFP) or CMFP plus tamoxifen compared with CMF for premenopausal breast cancer patients. An Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group trial.

The current trial was designed to assess whether the addition of prednisone or prednisone + tamoxifen would enhance the therapeutic effectiveness of 1 year of adjuvant CMF therapy. Premenopausal women with ipsilateral axillary node-positive breast carcinoma and known estrogen receptor (ER) status were randomized to receive 1 year of postoperative treatment with 12 28-day cycles of cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil (CMF), CMF plus prednisone (CMFP), or CMFP plus tamoxifen (CMFPT). There were 553 analyzed cases with 188 receiving CMF, 183 CMFP, and 182 CMFPT.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome with pulmonary calcification in two patients with B cell malignancies.

Two patients, one with B cell lymphoma and hypercalcemia and the other with multiple myeloma and hypercalcemia developed acute progressive respiratory insufficiency characteristic of the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Both were intubated and placed on mechanical ventilation. Lung compliance deteriorated and became refractory to mechanical inflation.

The role of surgery in the management of selected patients with small-cell carcinoma of the lung.

This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of surgical resection of the primary tumor and lymph nodes in patients with localized small-cell carcinoma who had responded to induction chemotherapy. The study was performed in 37 patients who received two cycles of chemotherapy consisting of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and etoposide. Those patients who achieved a complete or partial (greater than 50%) response were evaluated for thoracotomy and the primary tumor and regional lymph nodes excised when feasible.

5-Fluorouracil and high-dose folic acid treatment for metastatic colon cancer.

Twenty-two patients with metastatic colorectal cancer were treated with a regimen of 5-fluorouracil 600 mg/m2 (maximum, 1.0 g) i.v.

Septicemia, rash, and pulmonary infiltrates secondary to Corynebacterium group JK infection.

This report describes a leukemic patient undergoing induction therapy in whom a Corynebacterium JK infection developed while he was leukopenic. The clinical triad of perirectal inflammation, skin lesions, and interstitial lung infiltrates, which has not previously been reported, is discussed. Characteristics of the organism and postulated routes of infection as well as treatment are explored.

Modifications in the classification of primary myelodysplastic syndromes: the addition of a scoring system.

A retrospective series of patients with the primary myelodysplastic syndrome has been reviewed and the survival updated. A scoring system is proposed that has advantages in predicting survival outcome. The importance of either dysmegakaryocytopoiesis or dysgranulocytopoiesis is emphasized because of its prognostic impact on leukaemic progression.

Treatment of myeloid blastic crisis of chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Patients with myeloid blastic crisis of chronic myelogenous leukemia were treated by chemotherapy or by autologous hematopoietic reconstitution after aggressive chemotherapy. Chemotherapy alone failed to produce a second chronic phase. Autologous transplantation resulted in the establishment of a second chronic phase in two of ten patients treated with a four-drug regimen, while treatment with high-dose cytarabine with or without busulfan resulted in the establishment of a second chronic phase in three of six patients and the return of normal hematopoiesis in a fourth.