Paratesticular tumours in a patient with Nelson's syndrome

An extremely rare case of a 39-year-old man with Nelson's syndrome and paratesticular tumours is presented. The patient had undergone bilateral adrenalectomy at the age 23 years for Cushing's syndrome. Later he developed skin and mucosal hyperpigmentation. Nelson's syndrome was diagnosed, and he underwent transfrontal hypophysectomy. At age 29, the presence of paratesticular tumours was noted which were excised together with the left testis. The preoperative levels of testosterone, produced by the paratesticular tumours, were extremely high; they fell after surgery.

Systolic time intervals after phenylephrine administration for early stratification of patients after acute myocardial infarction

This study was designed to assess the usefulness of the changes in left ventricular (LV) systolic time intervals after phenylephrine administration for detecting high-risk patients soon after acute myocardial infarction by correlation with the angiographic and ventriculographic findings. The procedure was performed in 76 consecutive patients (group I) on the fourth postinfarction day and in 12 normal subjects (group II) free of coronary artery disease. In 20 patients with LV ejection fraction < or = 40% (subgroup IA) the preejection period (PEP)/LV ejection time (ET) ratio increased from 0.410 +/- 0.107 to 0.535 +/- 0.102 (p = 0.01) after phenylephrine, whereas in the remaining 56 patients (subgroup IB) with LV ejection fraction > 40% and in the 12 normal subjects the PEP/LVET increased nonsignificantly. Of patients with LV ejection fraction > 40% a subset of 20 patients was distinguished with proximal stenosis in both left anterior descending and either a dominant right or left circumflex coronary artery (subset IB-a). In these the PEP/LVET increased from 0.347 +/- 0.056 to 0.445 +/- 0.019 (p = 0.0001) after phenylephrine, whereas in the remaining 36 patients (subset IB-b) without proximal lesions in 2 main arteries the PEP/LVET increased nonsignificantly. In conclusion, the PEP/LVET response to phenylephrine administration early after acute myocardial infarction is a precise, safe, noninvasive bedside method for early stratification of these patients.

Bone mineral content of junior competitive weightlifters

It is suggested that practicing various sports can increase the bone mineral content (BMC). However, we were unable to find any reports indicating BMC changes in weightlifting, a sport which involves both extremities and spine and increases muscle mass as well. Therefore, we thought that it might be of interest to measure BMC in junior competitive weightlifters. On the occasion of a recent Junior World Championship we measured, by single photon absorptiometry, BMC in 59 young competitive male athletes (aged 15 to 20 years) from 14 countries. Several variables were taken into account for each subject, including race, record, age, height and weight. Multiple regression analysis was performed in order to assess the contribution of the above mentioned variables to the variability of both distal and proximal BMC. Finally, athletes' BMCs were compared to matched sex and age normals. Our results suggest that junior competitive weightlifters have an increased BMC, well above the age-matched controls' mean. It seems that the vigorous exercise of weightlifters tends to fade out any race or age-related BMC differences. Finally, weightlifters' BMC seems to be highly correlated with body weight and record.

Bone mineral loss related to menstrual history

We measured the bone mineral content (BMC) of the forearm in 173 normal postmenopausal women. We also examined the relation between BMC and the chronologic age, the number of years elapsed since menopause, and the total number of menstrual cycles during the reproductive years. BMC had a better linear relation to the total number of menstrual cycles than with the years elapsed since menopause or with chronologic age.

Stable, pulsed, color-center laser in pure KCl tunable from 1.23 to 1.35 microm

Stable, tunable, pulsed laser operation based on the N(2) color center in additively colored pure KCI is reported. The laser tunes smoothly from 1.23 to 1.35 microm when pumped by a 1.06-microm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser at kilohertz repetition rates. 42-mW average output power at 1.28 microm was achieved for 1-W average incident pump power. No power fading has been observed over several weeks of day-to-day operation.

Pulsed, room-temperature operation of a tunable NaCl, color-center laser

A room-temperature, pulsed, color-center laser using OH(-)-doped NaCl crystals is reported. Crystals were transversely pumped by a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser at 1.06microm and produced output energies of 8.6 mJ in 20-nsec pulses. The tuning range extended from 1.37 to 1.77 microm. During 40 h of operation (>10(6) pulses), a gradual power fading was observed. Laser action is tentatively ascribed to F(2)(+) centers.

Stable color-center laser in OH-doped NaCl operating in the 1.41- to 1.81-microm region

A powerful and stable color-center laser based on a perturbed F(2)(+) center has been demonstrated in additively colored NaCl:OH(-) crystals. The OH(-) impurity has been positively identified as the key dopant for creating the color-center laser in NaCl. The laser tunes smoothly over the 1.41- to 1.81-microm region with a maximum cw power of 1.25 W when pumped by a 9-W cw Nd:YAG laser operating at 1.06 microm. Laser operation for periods of several weeks has been monitored with no observable fading in output power. In addition, mode-locked pulses of 5-psec duration have been generated in a synchronously pumped arrangement, tunable from 1.47 to 1.73 microm with an average power of 450 mW at the peak of the tuning curve.

Preoperative scintigraphic evaluation of the liver and biliary tract in Caroli's disease

Caroli's disease (congenital dilatation of the intrahepatic bile ducts) is a rare condition which is usually diagnosed postoperatively. Scintigraphic evaluation of this entity is very limited. We report here a patient with Caroli's disease in whom a dichotomy in hepatic uptake of 99mTc-HIDA (hot spots) and 99mTc-colloid (cold spots) was observed, leading to a correct preoperative evaluation of the disease.

Scintigraphic Detection of Gynaecological Tumours by 99mTc-HSA Blood Pool Imaging

Three cases of scintigraphic visualization of gynaecological tumours by 99mTc-HSA blood pool imaging are presented, i.e. one case of fibrothecoma (“cold” area visualization) and two cases of fibromyoma (“hot” area visualization). It is suggested that this technique may be useful in the preoperative evaluation of gynaecological tumours and their vascularity.