Melanocytoma of cerebellum

Melanocytomas are rare melanocytic tumors of the central nervous system. We report a rare case of melanocytoma in the cerebellum of a 35-year-old male patient. Computed tomography scan showed a cystic lesion with an enhancing solid component arising from the cerebellum. The lesion was resected and a histological diagnosis of melanocytoma of the cerebellum was made.

Difficulties in emotion regulation and impulse control in recently abstinent alcoholics compared with social drinkers

BACKGROUND

Early abstinence from chronic alcohol dependence is associated with increased emotional sensitivity to stress-related craving as well as changes in brain systems associated with stress and emotional processing. The aim of the current study was to examine potential difficulties in emotion regulation during early alcohol abstinence using the recently validated Difficulties of Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS).

METHOD

Recently abstinent treatment-seeking alcohol abusers (n=50) completed the DERS during their first week of inpatient treatment and at discharge (5 weeks later). These responses were compared to a group of social drinkers (n=62).

RESULTS

Compared with social drinkers, alcohol-dependent patients reported significant differences in emotional awareness and impulse control during week 1 of treatment. Significant improvements in awareness and clarity of emotion were observed following 5 weeks of protracted abstinence. However, significant difficulties with impulse control persisted until discharge.

CONCLUSION

Findings from the DERS indicate protracted stress-related impulse control problems in abstinent alcoholics, which may contribute to increased relapse vulnerability.

Recurrent rectal tumour: localization using CT-guided percutaneous 'breast coil' placement prior to surgery

A 58-year-old man presented with rectal tumour recurrence 5 years following abdomino-perineal resection for rectal cancer. As the recurrent lesion was small and surrounded by fibrotic tissue, it was felt necessary to localize the lesion prior to surgery. We describe the use of percutaneous CT-guided breast localization coil placement using a transgluteal approach for the pre-operative localization of such lesions in order to facilitate surgical removal.

Difficulties in emotion regulation and impulse control during cocaine abstinence

RATIONALE

Prior research has shown that cocaine dependence is associated with dysfunction of brain systems involved in emotions and motivational states.

OBJECTIVES

To examine whether difficulties in emotion regulation are associated with early cocaine abstinence using the recently validated Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS).

METHOD

Recently abstinent treatment-seeking cocaine patients (n=60) completed the DERS during their first week of inpatient treatment and at discharge (3-4 weeks later), and scores were compared with community controls (n=50).

RESULTS

Compared with controls, cocaine-dependent individuals reported difficulties relating to understanding emotions, managing emotions and impulse control in the first week of abstinence. With continued abstinence, cocaine-dependent individuals showed continued difficulties only in impulse control.

CONCLUSION

Cocaine-dependent individuals report emotion regulation difficulties, particularly during early abstinence. Additionally, protracted distress-related impulse control problems suggest potential relapse vulnerability.

Double coins at the oesophageal inlet

Multiple foreign bodies lodged in the oesophagus are extremely rare. Here an unusual case of two coins accidentally lodged at the oesophageal inlet of a six-year-old girl is reported. The coins were successfully removed by oesophagoscopy. It is to be noted that apart from the straight x-ray (PA view) of the neck and chest, a lateral view is essential for proper characterisation and identification of the type and number of foreign bodies prior to surgical removal.

A first-in-man phase I study of R306465, a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor exploring pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) utilizing an electrochemiluminescent immunoassay in patients (p) with advanced tumours

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Background: R306565 is an aromatic hydroxamic acid with predominant inhibitory effects on Class 1 HDAC enzymes (with IC50 ∼10 nM). HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) affect gene expression at the transcriptional level, leading to cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis. Methods: P with solid tumours or lymphoma were given R306465 orally daily for 3 weeks (w) out of 4 in an escalating schedule. Objectives include safety, tolerability, PK (including food effect exploration), PD evaluation and circulating tumour cell (CTC) quantitation. Results: Four dose levels (100, 200, 300 and 400 mg) have been evaluated involving 15 p (7 male), age range 29–72 (median 59 y) and ECOG PS 0–2. A total of 37 cycles have been administered. Most common adverse events (AE) were Grade (G) 1–3 fatigue (87%), G1–2 nausea (66%), G1–2 vomiting (33%), G1–2 diarrhoea (40%), and G1–2 anorexia (40%). Dose limiting toxicity of G3 fatigue was seen in 1/6 p in the 400mg cohort. PK parameters were approximately dose proportional. Plasma concentrations increased in the fed state. PD effect of histone H3 acetylation (AcH3) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was determined quantitatively with a novel validated electrochemiluminescent immunoassay developed in-house (applying Mesoscale Discovery technology). Although some interpatient variability exists, increased AcH3 was observed in 2/6 p in the 400 mg cohort, while the percentage rise in AcH3 was minimal for cohorts 1–3. Peak AcH3 achieved in 2 p dosed at 400 mg was approximately 5–10 fold increase over baseline. Using CellSearch technology for quantitation of CTCs, 8/14 p had detectable CTCs at baseline; the CTC trend will be presented. 4 p had stable disease (SD) for = 4 months. Conclusions: R306465 could be safely administered on a daily dosing schedule for 3 of 4 w up to 400 mg. Common toxicities seen were gastrointestinal and fatigue. Maximum tolerated dose has not been reached. PK suggests dose proportionality. Promising PD data showing increased acetylation in PBMC at 400 mg, further supports the utilization of the immunoassay platform in HDACi clinical trials.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Stab anterior preperitoneal hernioplasty in groin hernias: a new technique

With laparoscopic hernia repair still not qualifying as the ideal method, the search is still on for the optimal method of intervention combining the advantages of both open mesh repair and laparoscopic repair for groin hernias. Eighty-five patients with uncomplicated inguinal hernias classified as Nyhus type 2 or higher were operated on by the modified anterior preperitoneal (APP) repair. The peroperative parameters were studied and compared with those of totally extraperitoneal (TEP) repair to determine the efficacy of the modified approach. Eighty-eight anterior preperitoneal repairs were carried out on these 85 patients. Twenty-one patients were Nyhus type 2, 17 were type 3a (direct), 41 were type 3b (indirect), and nine were type 4 (recurrent). The results were compared with TEP parameters done by the same surgeon. The incision size was 2.8 cm (2.3-4.5 cm). The operating time was 15.7 min (11-26 min) compared with 31.2 min for the TEP repair. Discharge time was 2.3 days (range 2-4 days) compared with 2.2 days in TEP repair. Complications included seroma in eight patients, pain radiating to the scrotum even at 6 months in one patient, and superficial wound infection in one patient. Return to work in patients with stab APP was 12.6 days ( 7-15 days ), whereas it was 10.4 days in TEP repair. The overall recurrence rate was 1.66% at the end of 2 years. The results with stab APP repair were comparable with those with TEP repair. The stab APP in addition had the advantage of being easier to learn and can be done faster.

A phase I/II study of the safety and anti-cancer activity of IV-administered belinostat (PXD101) plus carboplatin (C) or paclitaxel (P), or both in patients with advanced solid tumors

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Background: Belinostat (PXD101), a HDAC inhibitor of the hydroxamate class has shown anti-tumor preclinical activity in combination with other standard chemotherapeutic agents. In Ph. I and II clinical trials the MTD for belinostat has been established at 1,000 mg/m2/d. This Ph I/II study assesses safety, and anti-cancer activity of belinostat administered in combination with C and/or P. Methods: Sequential cohorts of 3–6 patients (pts) with advanced solid tumors and PS 0–2 were recruited to determine the MTD of standard dose C and/or P with escalating doses of belinostat administered as a 30-min IV infusion daily for 5 days (d) every 21 d. C and/or P were administered 2–3 hours following infusion of belinostat on d 3. Results: 23 pts have been treated with a mean of 5 cycles (range 1 - 15) at 5 dose levels: C and belinostat (600 mg/m2) (5 pts); P and belinostat (600 mg/m2) (5 pts); C and P and belinostat (600 mg/m2) (3 pts); C and P and belinostat (800 mg/m2) (4 pts); C and P and belinostat (1,000 mg/m2) (6 pts). Possibly drug-related grade 3 or 4 toxicities were thrombocytopenia (2), vomiting (1), sensory neuropathy (1), myalgia (1), and fatigue (1).No DLT was observed. One SAE (grade 1 T-wave morphology change) was graded as possibly drug-related. No QTcf greater than 500ms were reported. There are 2 confirmed PRs: 1 with heavily treated metastatic rectal cancer and 1 with gemcitabine pre-treated metastatic pancreatic cancer. An additional 11[E1] patients had SD for 2–15 cycles, with 4 being SD for >10 cycles. One pt with mixed mullerian cancer of ovarian origin with SD had an 81% reduction in CA-125 to normal levels after 6 cycles. [E1]If you include MMMT pt as SD on radio. Conclusions: Belinostat with standard dose C and/or P is well-tolerated and shows clinical activity in heavily pre-treated patients with advanced metastatic disease. Recruitment to a phase II expansion in pts with recurrent ovarian cancer is ongoing.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Genetic linkage analysis of sarcoidosis phenotypes: the sarcoidosis genetic analysis (SAGA) study

The sarcoidosis genetic analysis (SAGA) study previously identified eight chromosomal regions with suggestive evidence for linkage to sarcoidosis susceptibility in African-American sib pairs. Since the clinical course of sarcoidosis is variable and likely under genetic control, we used the affected relative pair portion of the SAGA sample (n=344 pairs) to perform multipoint linkage analyses with covariates based on pulmonary and organ involvement phenotypes. Chest radiographic resolution was the pulmonary phenotype with the highest LOD (logarithm of the backward odds, or likelihood ratio) score of 5.11 at D1S3720 on chromosome 1p36 (P=4 x 10(-5)). In general, higher LOD scores were attained for covariates that modeled clustered organ system involvement rather than individual organ systems, with the cardiac/renal group having the highest LOD score of 6.65 at chromosome 18q22 (P=2 x 10(-5)). The highest LOD scores for the other three organ involvement groups of liver/spleen/bone marrow, neuro/lymph and ocular/skin/joint were 3.72 at 10p11 (P=0.0004), 5.16 at 7p22 (P=4 x 10(-5)) and 2.93 at 10q26 (P=0.001), respectively. Most of the phenotype linkages did not overlap with the regions previously found linked to susceptibility. Our results suggest that genes influencing clinical presentation of sarcoidosis in African Americans are likely to be different from those that underlie disease susceptibility.

'Layer by layer' phacoemulsification in posterior polar cataract with pre-existing posterior capsular rent

PURPOSE

To evaluate a new technique of 'Layer by Layer' phacoemulsification in eyes with posterior polar cataract with pre-existing posterior capsular rent (PCR).

METHODS

Layer by layer phacoemulsification was performed in eight eyes of eight patients of posterior polar cataract with pre-existing posterior capsular rent. All the patients had evidence of a posterior capsular defect showing presence of iridescent refractile lens particles in vitreous with onion skinning of central dense plaque.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 43.75+/-2.5 years and six patients were men. All the eyes had vertical posterior capsular defect irrespective of the site of entry of phaco probe. Vitrectomy was not required in any of the eyes. Single piece foldable acrylic intraocular lens was implanted in the bag in all the eyes. The mean preoperative best corrected visual acuity was 0.14+/-0.05, which improved to 0.77+/-0.27.

CONCLUSION

Our technique of 'Layer by layer' phacoemulsification is an effective and safe technique for the management of posterior polar cataract with pre-existing PCR.

Multidetector row CT of small bowel tumours

Computed tomography is being increasingly used for the evaluation of patients with vague abdominal symptoms, and may provide the initial opportunity to detect and characterize tumours of the small bowel. The recognition of imaging features on CT allows distinction to be made between benign and malignant neoplasms. Multidetector row CT (MDCT) provides high-resolution imaging and helps in precise localization and characterization of lesions. This article illustrates the imaging appearances of small bowel tumours on MDCT and demonstrates the usefulness of multiplanar reformatting (MPR) in the diagnosis and categorization of these tumours.

Association of alpha-synuclein gene haplotypes with Parkinson's disease

In a previous study, we detected an association between a dinucleotide repeat (Rep1) in the alpha-Synuclein (SNCA) gene and sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD). To extend our previous finding in a larger sample and further determine the role of SNCA in the development of PD, we screened a sample of 194 familial PD (FPD), 327 sporadic PD (SPD), and 215 controls with the Rep1 marker and 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (770 and int4) in the SNCA gene. There was significant difference in allele frequency between African American and American Indian groups for Rep1 marker (p=0.03). These two samples were excluded from further analysis because of sample size. Comparison of allele frequency differences between PD and controls for the single-locus was significant only for Rep1 and SPD (p=0.017). The global case control association was highly significant for the three loci haplotypes comparisons. Our results indicate that Rep1 locus may be in linkage disequilibrium (LD) with a mutation in the gene or itself could be a risk factor for SPD.