ABSTRACT
In the framework of the Italian TOP-IMPLART project (Regione Lazio), ENEA-Frascati, ISS and IFO are developing and constructing the first proton linear accelerator based on an actively scanned beam for tumor radiotherapy with final energy of 150 MeV. An important feature of this accelerator is modularity: an exploitable beam can be delivered at any stage of its construction, which allows for immediate characterization and virtually continuous improvement of its performance. Currently, a sequence of 3 GHz accelerating modules combined with a commercial injector operating at 425 MHz delivers protons up to 35 MeV. Several dosimetry systems were used to obtain preliminary characteristics of the 35-MeV beam in terms of stability and homogeneity. Short-term stability and homogeneity better than 3% and 2.6%, respectively, were demonstrated; for stability an improvement with respect to the respective value obtained for the previous 27 MeV beam.
Subject(s)
Particle Accelerators/instrumentation , Protons , Radiometry/instrumentation , Radiometry/methods , Equipment Design , Radiation DosageABSTRACT
An experiment measuring electroproduction of hypernuclei has been performed in hall A at Jefferson Lab on a 12C target. In order to increase counting rates and provide unambiguous kaon identification two superconducting septum magnets and a ring imaging Cherenkov detector were added to the hall A standard equipment. An unprecedented energy resolution of less than 700 keV FWHM has been achieved. Thus, the observed (Lambda)(12)B spectrum shows for the first time identifiable strength in the core-excited region between the ground-state s-wave Lambda peak and the 11 MeV p-wave Lambda peak.
ABSTRACT
The efficacy and tolerability of nicardipine retard and captopril were assessed in 174 over-60-year-olds suffering from slight or moderate essential hypertension. After 2-3 weeks of wash out the patients were randomly assigned to calcium antagonist (40 mg twice a day) or ace-inhibitor (25 mg twice a day) treatment which continued for 180 days. Monotherapy was combined with hydrochlorothiazide (12.5 mg/day) after 2 months in the event of an unsatisfactory reduction of arterial pressure in relation to basal values. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure was measured (1st and 5th Korotkoff's tone) at monthly intervals while lying and standing; heart rate was also measured using a palpatory method. Both nicardipine retard (no. 86) and captopril (no. 88) caused a significant reduction of clino- and orthostatic systolic and diastolic arterial pressure during the first two months of treatment. Respectively 70% and 51% of patients responded to treatment and the blood pressure reductions achieved using monotherapy remained unchanged during the course of the study. The association of hydrochlorothiazide resulted in a significant decrease in arterial pressure in non-responders, an effect which was observed with both nicardipine retard and captopril. No significant variation in heart rate was recorded between the two groups. Twenty-one patients in the nicardipine retard group and 16 in the captopril group suffered from slight to moderate side effects. Six patients dropped out of the nicardipine retard group and 15 patients out of the captopril group, an event for which side-effects were responsible in 1 and 3 cases respectively. In conclusion, nicardipine retard and captopril represent an efficacious form of treatment for geriatric hypertension and possess a satisfactory level of tolerability.
Subject(s)
Captopril/therapeutic use , Hypertension/drug therapy , Nicardipine/therapeutic use , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Blood Pressure/drug effects , Captopril/administration & dosage , Captopril/adverse effects , Delayed-Action Preparations , Drug Tolerance , Female , Heart Rate/drug effects , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Nicardipine/administration & dosage , Nicardipine/adverse effects , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Cryptococcus neoformans is an infrequent but important cause of severe disease in immunodepressed patients, especially in those with AIDS. We refer the case of a 45 year old patient with clinical, epidemiological and serological patterns of HIV-induced infection in the course of which the patient suffered a subacute neurologic syndrome with fatal evolution. The diagnosis was made by isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans in CSF and in palpable lymph nodes by fine-needle aspiration biopsy. Cryptococcal antigen titer of CSF was 1:2560. Treatment was standardized in the administration of amphotericin B (0.3 mg/kg/day) and 5-fluocytosine (150 mg/kg/day) for a period of six weeks. Factors that suggested poor prognosis were: a positive india ink preparation before treatment, a high initial CSF antigen titer, low CSF leukocyte count and the presence of Cryptococcus neoformans at an extraneural site. Since diagnosis of cryptococcosis was made when prominent localizing symptoms and signs were found, an intensive culture and serologic screening would be necessary in every patient with AIDS in order to establish an earlier diagnosis.
Subject(s)
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/complications , Cryptococcosis/complications , Opportunistic Infections/complications , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , PrognosisABSTRACT
El Cryptococcus neoformans es un hongo de haja patogenicidad que actúa habitualmente como oportunista en pacientes con alteraciones de la inmunidad celular. Se presenta el caso de un paciente de 45 años, con criterios epidemiológicos, clínicos y serológicos de infección por HIV, quien padeció, durante su evolución, una criptococosis meníngea y ganglionar. El diagnóstico se realizó por el hallazgo del hongo tanto en LCR como en ganglio linfático. Si bien el cuadro clínico no difirió mayormente de aquel que presentan los enfermos con inmunodepresión de otra etiología, se destaca la dificultad de su reconocimiento precoz. Es por este motivo que se hace necesario efectuar, en todo paciente portador de SIDA, un exhaustivo relevamiento micológico que incluya pancultivos y serología seriada, a fin de lograr un diagnóstico temprano de esta asociación morbosa (AU)
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/complications , Cryptococcosis/complications , Opportunistic Infections/complications , Prognosis , Cryptococcosis/diagnosis , Opportunistic Infections/diagnosisABSTRACT
Cryptococcus neoformans is an infrequent but important cause of severe disease in immunodepressed patients, especially in those with AIDS. We refer the case of a 45 year old patient with clinical, epidemiological and serological patterns of HIV-induced infection in the course of which the patient suffered a subacute neurologic syndrome with fatal evolution. The diagnosis was made by isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans in CSF and in palpable lymph nodes by fine-needle aspiration biopsy. Cryptococcal antigen titer of CSF was 1:2560. Treatment was standardized in the administration of amphotericin B (0.3 mg/kg/day) and 5-fluocytosine (150 mg/kg/day) for a period of six weeks. Factors that suggested poor prognosis were: a positive india ink preparation before treatment, a high initial CSF antigen titer, low CSF leukocyte count and the presence of Cryptococcus neoformans at an extraneural site. Since diagnosis of cryptococcosis was made when prominent localizing symptoms and signs were found, an intensive culture and serologic screening would be necessary in every patient with AIDS in order to establish an earlier diagnosis.
ABSTRACT
El Cryptococcus neoformans es un hongo de haja patogenicidad que actúa habitualmente como oportunista en pacientes con alteraciones de la inmunidad celular. Se presenta el caso de un paciente de 45 años, con criterios epidemiológicos, clínicos y serológicos de infección por HIV, quien padeció, durante su evolución, una criptococosis meníngea y ganglionar. El diagnóstico se realizó por el hallazgo del hongo tanto en LCR como en ganglio linfático. Si bien el cuadro clínico no difirió mayormente de aquel que presentan los enfermos con inmunodepresión de otra etiología, se destaca la dificultad de su reconocimiento precoz. Es por este motivo que se hace necesario efectuar, en todo paciente portador de SIDA, un exhaustivo relevamiento micológico que incluya pancultivos y serología seriada, a fin de lograr un diagnóstico temprano de esta asociación morbosa
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/complications , Cryptococcosis/complications , Opportunistic Infections/complications , Cryptococcosis/diagnosis , Opportunistic Infections/diagnosis , PrognosisABSTRACT
Se analizaron 5 casos de criptococosis meníngea registrados entre 1983 y 1985. En 4 oportunidades se trató de pacientes inmunodeprimidos. El diagnóstico se efectuó por hallazgo del Cryptococcus neoformans en el LCR por examen microscópico directo, cultivo, inoculación al ratón y detección del antígeno capsular. El examen citoquímico del LCR evidenció líquido claro, con pleocitosis, a predominio linfocitario, hiperproteinorraquia y agluco o hipoglucorraquia. El tratamiento fue estandarizado en la administración de amfotericina B (0,3mg/kg/día), 5-fluorocitosina (150mg/kg/día) y miconazol (20mg por semana intratecal) durante 4 semanas a partir del primer cultivo negativo de LCR. Con esta terapéutica se logró la completa esterilización del mismo. La administración de ketoconazole, en aquellos pacientes imposibilitados de recibir la medicación estandar, no logró eliminar totalmente el Cryptococcus neoformans, probablemente debido a su limitada penetración en el LCR (AU)
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Male , Female , Meningitis/cerebrospinal fluid , Cryptococcosis/drug therapy , Cryptococcosis/complications , Meningitis/drug therapy , Cryptococcus neoformans/isolation & purification , Meningitis/cerebrospinal fluidABSTRACT
Se analizaron 5 casos de criptococosis meníngea registrados entre 1983 y 1985. En 4 oportunidades se trató de pacientes inmunodeprimidos. El diagnóstico se efectuó por hallazgo del Cryptococcus neoformans en el LCR por examen microscópico directo, cultivo, inoculación al ratón y detección del antígeno capsular. El examen citoquímico del LCR evidenció líquido claro, con pleocitosis, a predominio linfocitario, hiperproteinorraquia y agluco o hipoglucorraquia. El tratamiento fue estandarizado en la administración de amfotericina B (0,3mg/kg/día), 5-fluorocitosina (150mg/kg/día) y miconazol (20mg por semana intratecal) durante 4 semanas a partir del primer cultivo negativo de LCR. Con esta terapéutica se logró la completa esterilización del mismo. La administración de ketoconazole, en aquellos pacientes imposibilitados de recibir la medicación estandar, no logró eliminar totalmente el Cryptococcus neoformans, probablemente debido a su limitada penetración en el LCR
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Male , Female , Meningitis/cerebrospinal fluid , Cryptococcosis/complications , Cryptococcosis/drug therapy , Cryptococcus neoformans/isolation & purification , Meningitis/cerebrospinal fluid , Meningitis/drug therapyABSTRACT
Se presentan 18 casos de paracoccidioidomicosis registrados entre 1970 y 1985. Todos los pacientes eran del sexo masculino, sus edades oscilaban entre los 35 y 59 años, provenían de áreas endémicas y en su mayoría presentaban la forma diseminada crónica de la enfermedad. El diagnóstico fue establecido por hallazgo del hongo en estudios micológicos e histopatológicos, excepto en 2 pacientes derivados para ser operados por secuelas de la afección. En el momento de comenzar el tratamiento, se comprobaron 6/7 pruebas de fijación de complemento positivas, 6/7 reacciones de contrainmunoelectroforesis positivas, 5/7 reacciones de inmunodifusión en gel positivas, y 3/7 enfermos presentaron intradermorreacciones positivas con el antígeno homólogo. El tratamiento con ketoconazol (400mg/día) brindó los resultados favorables más precoces, asegurando curación clínica y serológica y disminuyendo sensiblemente el riesgo de recaídas (AU)
Subject(s)
Adult , Middle Aged , Humans , Male , Paracoccidioidomycosis/diagnosis , Diagnosis, Differential , Paracoccidioides/isolation & purification , Serologic Tests , Agricultural Workers' Diseases , Argentina , ArgentinaABSTRACT
Se presentan 18 casos de paracoccidioidomicosis registrados entre 1970 y 1985. Todos los pacientes eran del sexo masculino, sus edades oscilaban entre los 35 y 59 años, provenían de áreas endémicas y en su mayoría presentaban la forma diseminada crónica de la enfermedad. El diagnóstico fue establecido por hallazgo del hongo en estudios micológicos e histopatológicos, excepto en 2 pacientes derivados para ser operados por secuelas de la afección. En el momento de comenzar el tratamiento, se comprobaron 6/7 pruebas de fijación de complemento positivas, 6/7 reacciones de contrainmunoelectroforesis positivas, 5/7 reacciones de inmunodifusión en gel positivas, y 3/7 enfermos presentaron intradermorreacciones positivas con el antígeno homólogo. El tratamiento con ketoconazol (400mg/día) brindó los resultados favorables más precoces, asegurando curación clínica y serológica y disminuyendo sensiblemente el riesgo de recaídas
Subject(s)
Adult , Middle Aged , Humans , Male , Paracoccidioidomycosis/diagnosis , Agricultural Workers' Diseases , Argentina , Diagnosis, Differential , Paracoccidioides/isolation & purification , Serologic TestsSubject(s)
Acupuncture Therapy , Enuresis/therapy , Child, Preschool , Humans , Male , Massage/methodsABSTRACT
1) Goals of the Research. We have treated 15 cases of night enuresis (4-13 year) 9 of which had already been treated with other therapies without success, in order to compare the two methods. 2) Methods employed. A) Acupuncture in 10 cases at the following loci, alternatively every other day, with an average number of treatments of 10 per patient: treatment a) C7-E36-RP6-VC3; treatment b) V23-V28-V32. B) Micromassage on the points "Nicturia" in the creases between the first and the second and the third phalanx of the 5th finger (P. Chang) in 5 cases; the first treatment at the presence of parents who have then repeated treatments at home every night for ten minutes, for an average of 20 days. 3) Results and summary. With acupuncture: 7:10 complete recovery, 2 partial recoveries, 1 negative result. With micromassage: 2:5, complete recovery, 1 partial recovery, 2 negative results. Both groups were followed-up up to 4 months after the last treatment. Acupuncture produces better results in percentage, however the second method is, for its simplicity, a valid alternative mostly in little children who reject acupuncture and it should be further investigated.
