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Background : Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is a rare complication of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). Objectives : To conduct a systematic review and an individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis to describe the clinical characteristics of HS patients developing cSCC and determine predictors of poor outcome. Methods : Medline/PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched for studies reporting cSCC arising in patients with HS from inception to December 2019. A routine descriptive analysis, statistical hypothesis testing, and Kaplan-Meier survival curves/Cox proportional hazards regression models were performed. Results : A total of 34 case reports and series including 138 patients were included in the study. The majority of patients were males (81.6%), White (83.3%), and smokers (n = 22/27 reported) with a mean age of 53.5 years. Most patients had gluteal (87.8%), Hurley stage 3 HS (88.6%). The mean time from the diagnosis of HS to the development of cSCC was 24.7 years. Human papillomavirus was identified in 12/38 patients tested. Almost 50% of individuals had nodal metastasis and 31.3% had distant metastases. Half of the patients succumbed to their disease. Conclusions : cSCC is a rare but life-threatening complication seen in HS patients, mainly occurring in White males who are smokers with severe, long-standing gluteal HS. Regular clinical examination and biopsy of any suspicious lesions in high-risk patients should be considered. The use of HPV vaccination as a preventive and possibly curative method needs to be explored.

In Canada, prostate cancer is the most common reportable malignancy in men. We assessed the temporal trends of prostate cancer to gain insight into the geographic incidence and mortality trends of this disease. Three independent population-based cancer registries were used to retrospectively analyze demographic data on Canadian men diagnosed with prostate cancer and men who died of prostate cancer between the years of 1992 and 2010. The incidence and mortality rates were calculated at the provincial, city, and forward sortation area (FSA) postal code levels by using population counts that were obtained from the Canadian Census of Population. The Canadian average incidence rate was 113.57 cases per 100,000 males. There has been an overall increasing trend in crude prostate cancer incidence between 1992 and 2010 with three peaks, in 1993, 2001, and 2007. However, age-adjusted incidence rates showed no significant increase over time. The national mortality rate was calculated to be 24.13 deaths per 100,000 males per year. A decrease was noted in crude and age-adjusted mortality rates between 1992 and 2010. Several provinces, cities, and FSAs had higher incidence/mortality rates than the national average. Several of the FSA postal codes with the highest incidence/mortality rates were adjacent to one another. Several Canadian regions of high incidence for prostate cancer have been identified through this study and temporal trends are consistent with those reported in the literature. These results will serve as a foundation for future studies that will seek to identify new regional risk factors and etiologic agents.

The role of hypersensitivity in implant-related complications remains controversial. The objectives of our study were to (1) establish the prevalence of hypersensitivity to components of knee prostheses in patients referred to our contact dermatitis clinic, (2) determine if patients with post-surgery dermatitis have become sensitized, and (3) describe the outcome of patients with and without hypersensitivity. We reviewed the charts of patients referred from 2007 to 2018 and extracted demographic information, date, type, and site of implant, clinical presentation, and results of patch testing (PT) or lymphocyte transformation tests (LTT). We called most patients to gather data such as clinical outcome, nature, and timing of additional surgery. Statistical analysis included computation of conventional descriptive statistics. Because of the type of study design, only some categorical variables were tested for possible associations by analytical tools (cross-tabulation). Thirty-nine patients, 23 men (59.0%), and 16 women (41.0%), were included. Their mean age in years was 63.3 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 60.9-65.7) ranging from 39.0 to 79.0, (standard deviation) = 9.69, without statistically significant differences between males and females. Five patients had positive PT possibly relevant to their implant. Four patients had revision surgery and two improved. Of nine patients with dermatitis, one with relevant PT did not improve after revision, and the dermatitis was unrelated to TKA in eight. Of the 26 patients without dermatitis or relevant PT results, 9 had revisions because of incapacitating symptoms, and 5 improved. Hypersensitivity to implant components is a potential factor in the etiology of TKA complications. Patients with confirmed hypersensitivity may benefit from revision. Our study, however, did not detect statistically significant differences in outcome of revision surgery between patients with positive versus negative PT or LTT. In spite of this, we consider that patients with a history suggestive of metal, acrylate or aminoglycoside allergy should be tested preoperatively to avoid hypersensitivity-related postoperative complications. In the absence of hypersensitivity, some patients with incapacitating symptoms may also improve following revision., Competing Interests: None declared., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Injuries of the ligamentous apparatus of the ankle joint are one of the most common injuries of the ODA. A large number of complications and a long period of disability require the development of modern methods of physiotherapy treatment that can reduce the number of relapses and reduce the duration of rehabilitation., Objective: Evaluation of the effectiveness of the use of electromyostimulation in motion in the treatment of post-traumatic edema of the ankle joint., Material and Methods: 51 athletes with post-traumatic edema of the ankle joint were examined. The main complaints were the presence of pronounced edema in the area of injury, pain, restriction of movement in the joint. The patients were randomly divided into 2 groups: the 1st group (25 patients) received treatment with electromyostimulation in motion (while performing therapeutic gymnastics); the 2nd (control) group (26 patients) performed therapeutic gymnastics recommended for the treatment of patients with lymphovenous insufficiency. The method of laser Doppler flowmetry was used to study microcirculatory disorders in the area of injury. Peripheral hemodynamics was evaluated by the RVG method. The severity of edema was assessed by measuring the circumference of the lower leg in the lower third of the injured and healthy limb. The thickness of subcutaneous fat was assessed by ultrasound. The subjective feelings of athletes were evaluated using CIVIQ-2 questionnaires and pain syndrome assessment according to VAS., Results and Conclusion: The use of electromyostimulation in motion in patients with post-traumatic edema of the ankle joint helped to reduce pain, relieve soft tissue edema, increase the volume of movements in the affected joint, increase motor activity and improve the quality of life.

In the conditions of increasingly stringent anti-doping rules, the development of new non-drug methods of treatment and rehabilitation of athletes is of particular importance., Objective: Development of new methods of medical rehabilitation of athletes after injury., Material and Methods: Thirty-three athletes with knee injuries were examined. The main complaints were the presence of pronounced edema in the area of injury. All patients were randomly divided into 2 groups: in group 1 (16 patients) lymphatic drainage kinesis-taping was performed; in the 2nd group (17 patients) - complex treatment including lymphatic drainage kinesis-taping and low-frequency pulse magnetic therapy. Using laser Doppler flowmetry a study of microcirculatory disorders in the area of injury was carried out. The severity of edema was assessed by measuring the circumference of the knee joint of the diseased and healthy limbs. The assessment of the subjective feelings of athletes using questionnaires CIVIQ2 andVAS., Results and Conclusion: Based on the obtained subjective and objective data, a medical complex was developed using lymphatic drainage kinesis-taping and low-frequency pulse magnetic therapy, which affects different steps in the pathogenesis of edema formation. Data obtained resultedin more pronounced positive effect during complex treatment compared with monotherapy with kinesis-taping.

Background: Oral cavity cancers (OCCs) and oropharyngeal cancers (OPCs) continue to be a major source of morbidity and mortality worldwide requiring the shared effort of numerous specialists. Tobacco and alcohol consumption have long been identified as risk factors for both OCC and OPC. In addition, human papilloma virus (HPV) is gaining its position as the main causal agent for OPC., Objective: The objective of this study is to analyze the epidemiology of OCC and OPC in Canada., Methods: Data pertaining to the year of diagnosis, the patient's sex, age at the time of diagnosis, province/territory, city and postal code of oral cavity, and oropharyngeal malignancies diagnosed during 1992-2010 were extracted from the Canadian Cancer Registry and Le Registre Québécois du Cancer., Results: In total, 21 685 OCC cases and 15 965 OPC cases were identified from 1992 to 2010. Of those, 84.97% were oral cavity squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), 88.10% were oropharyngeal SCCs, and both had a significant male predominance. While oral cavity SCC incidence stabilized over the study period, oropharyngeal SCC continued to increase. Oral cavity SCC incidence increased with age, while oropharyngeal SCC incidence peaked in the 50- to 59-year age group. Detailed geographic distribution analysis of patients at the provincial/territorial, city, and postal code levels identified several patient clusters., Conclusions: This work highlights important epidemiological differences in trends between oral and oropharyngeal cancers, identifies high-incidence postal codes for each malignancy, and correlates incidence/mortality with known risk factors including alcohol/tobacco use and HPV infections, therefore providing a comprehensive understanding of epidemiology for these cancers in Canada.

RF-MEMS, i.e., Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) for Radio Frequency (RF) passive components, exhibit interesting characteristics for the upcoming 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) scenarios, in which reconfigurable broadband and frequency-agile devices, like high-order switching units, tunable filters, multi-state attenuators, and phase shifters will be necessary to enable mm-Wave services, small cells, and advanced beamforming. In particular, satellite communication systems providing high-speed Internet connectivity utilize the K and Ka bands, which offer larger bandwidth compared to lower frequencies. This paper focuses on two design concepts of multi-state phase shifter designed and manufactured in RF-MEMS technology. The networks feature 4 switchable stages (16 states) and are developed for the K and Ka bands. The proposed phase shifters are realized in a surface micromachining RF-MEMS technology and the experimentally measured parameters are compared with Finite Element Method (FEM) multi-physical electromechanical and RF simulations. The simulated phase shifts at both the operating bands fit well the measured value, despite the measured losses (S21) are larger than 5-7 dB if compared to simulations. However, such a non-ideality has a technological motivation that is explained in the paper and that will be fixed in the manufacturing of future devices.

Background: Penile invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a rare disease with several known risk factors. However, few studies have assessed its incidence, mortality, and temporal trends., Objective: Our objectives are to analyze the epidemiology of penile SCC in Canada and to examine patient distribution with this cancer across Canada in order to elucidate population risk factors., Methods: Three independent cancer registries were used to retrospectively analyze demographic data from Canadian men diagnosed with penile invasive SCC between 1992 and 2010. The Canadian Census of Population was used to calculate incidence and mortality rates at the province and Forward Sortation Area levels., Results: The overall age-adjusted incidence rate was 6.08 cases per million males. Four provinces with statistically significantly higher incidence rates were identified. The national crude incidence rates increased linearly between 1992 and 2010, whereas the age-adjusted incidence rates showed no significant increase during this time period. The overall age-adjusted mortality rate was 1.88 deaths per million males per year. The province of Saskatchewan had significantly higher mortality rates. There was no increase in crude or age-adjusted mortality rates between 1992 and 2010. There was a significant positive correlation between incidence rates and obesity, Caucasian ethnicity, and lower socioeconomic status., Conclusion: This study was able to establish geographic variation for this malignancy at the provincial level. Although there are many established risk factors for penile SCC, our results suggest that the increase in crude incidence rates observed is largely due to the aging population.

Background: Cutaneous melanoma (CM) incidence has been increasing around the world. The goal of this study is to describe geographic trends in incidence and mortality of CM in Russia between 2001 and 2017., Methods: To achieve this we used geo-informatic technique (mapping) and descriptive statistical analysis. Additionally, we studied the associations between ethnicity, geographic latitude/longitude, and CM incidence/mortality rates. We retrospectively analyzed the data from the Moscow Oncology Research Institute, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, for the period of the study. Routine methods of descriptive epidemiology were used to study incidence and mortality rates by age groups, years, and jurisdictions (i.e., Federal Districts and Federal Subjects of Russia)., Results: In total, 141,597 patients were diagnosed with melanoma in Russia over the period 2001-2017, of whom 62% were women. The overall age-standardized incidence and mortality rates were 4.27/100,000 and 1.62/100,000, respectively. Geographic mapping revealed north-to-south and east-to-west gradients. As the study was fully descriptive, retrospective, and based on official statistical reports, detailed characteristics of clinical forms, anatomic sites, Breslow depth, and treatments could not be analyzed., Conclusions: This study outlined the burden of melanoma in the Russian Federation, and the trends were similar to those observed in countries with similar latitudes and skin phenotype. The importance of the skin color gradient and recreational/cultural practices were some of the most important risk factors highlighted in this study for the development of melanoma in Russia., (© 2020 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: Esophageal cancer can be subdivided into two main histological subtypes with significant variability in their etiology and epidemiology. The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (AC) is increasing across the developed countries, whereas the incidence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is declining. Several risk factors have been identified in the pathogenesis of each subtype, however, their epidemiologic characteristics and distribution throughout Canada remain poorly understood., Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of demographic data across Canada from 1992 to 2010 using two independent population-based cancer registries. The incidence of esophageal cancer, for each subtype, was examined at the levels of provinces/territories, cities, and postal codes., Results: A total of 19 790 patients were diagnosed with esophageal cancer in Canada between 1992 and 2010; 74% were males. The average national incidence rate was 33.5 cases per million individuals per year. Incidence of esophageal AC increased over time, with notable high-incidence rates on the Vancouver Island, the coasts of the Great Lakes, and the coasts of the Northumberland Strait in the Maritimes. The overall incidence of esophageal SCC has decreased. However, high incidence of esophageal SCC was detected in the Vancouver city, rural eastern Québec, and in the Maritimes. We also report clustering for each subtype using postal codes, which sheds light onto new avenues of research for potential environmental etiologies., Conclusions: This study, for the first time, provides a detailed analysis on the burden of esophageal cancer in Canada, revealing important geographic clustering trends., (© 2019 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background/purpose: Breast cancer is the malignancy with the highest incidence rate excluding non-melanoma skin cancers, and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among Canadian women. Many modifiable risk factors have been linked to the pathogenesis of this disease. The purpose of this study is to analyze the epidemiology of breast cancer in Canada and to examine its geographic distribution to help identify new risk factors for this disease., Methods: Three independent population-based cancer registries were used to retrospectively analyze demographic data from Canadian women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer across all provinces and territories between 1992 and 2010. The incidence and mortality rates were assessed at the provincial, city, and forward sortation area (FSA) postal code levels., Results: The overall age-adjusted incidence rate was 114.4 cases per 100,000 females per year. Six provinces and several groups of FSAs had significantly higher incidence rates. There was a significant increase in incidence and decrease in mortality rates between 1992 and 2010. The overall mortality rate was 31.5 deaths per 100,000 females per year. However, three provinces had significantly higher mortality rates., Conclusion: By identifying high-incidence areas for breast cancer, our study will help identify patient populations that are at higher risk for this malignancy. It will also act as a foundation for future studies to establish novel risk factors for this disease.

Background: Polycythemia vera (PV) is a chronic myeloproliferative neoplasm associated at times with debilitating symptoms and a significant mortality rate. Understanding the demographics, epidemiology, and geography of this disease may provide further insight into important risk factors associated with its development. The objective of this study was to analyze patient demographics, incidence, and mortality rates, as well as the geographic distribution of PV patients in Canada between 1992 and 2010., Methods: This study was achieved by analyzing the Canadian Cancer Registry, Le Registre Québécois du Cancer, and the Canadian Vital Statistics patient databases., Results: A total of 4645 patients were diagnosed with PV between 1992 and 2010. While the annual incidence rate of this cancer fluctuated in Canada, mortality rate analysis indicated a decreasing trend. Geographically, PV incidence rates were notably elevated in the province of Quebec compared with the Canadian average. Further analysis of high-incidence forward sortation areas indicated a striking clustering of cases in the H4W region encompassing the Côte-Saint-Luc borough of Montreal, with an incidence of 102.97 (95% confidence interval, 75.11-137.79) cases per million per year, which is >13 times the national average., Conclusion: The residential area of Côte-Saint-Luc is an important PV cluster in Canada, with high concentration of retirement homes and geriatric hospices. Also, Jewish residents comprise >60% of the population in this neighborhood. These findings suggest that an older age and, potentially, an inherent genetic predisposition may be implicated in the pathogenesis of this malignancy. This study provides a comprehensive overview of PV burden/geographic distribution of cases in Canada., (© 2019 American Cancer Society.)

We report on a 58-year old woman with microcephaly, mild dysmorphic features, bilateral keratoconus, digital abnormalities, short stature and mild cognitive delay. Except for keratoconus, the phenotype was suggestive for Feingold syndrome type 2 (FGLDS2, MIM 614326), a rare autosomal dominant disorder described in six patients worldwide, due to the haploinsufficiency of MIR17HG, a micro RNA encoding gene. Karyotype showed a de novo deletion on chromosome 13q, further defined by array-Comparative Genomic Hybridization (a-CGH) to a 17.2-Mb region. The deletion included MIR17HG, as expected by the FGLDS2 phenotype, and twelve genes from the keratoconus type 7 locus. Because our patient presented with keratoconus, we propose she further refines disease genes at this locus. Among previously suggested candidates, we exclude DOCK9 and STK24, and propose as best candidates IPO5, DNAJC3, MBNL2 and RAP2A. In conclusion, we report a novel phenotypic association of Feingold syndrome type 2 and keratoconus, a likely contiguous gene syndrome due to a large genomic deletion on 13q spanning MIR17HG and a still to be identified gene for keratoconus., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Karyotyping and aCGH are routinely used to identify genetic determinants of major congenital malformations (MCMs) in fetal deaths or terminations of pregnancy after prenatal diagnosis. Pathogenic rearrangements are found with a variable rate of 9-39% for aCGH. We collected 33 fetuses, 9 with a single MCM and 24 with MCMs involving 2-4 organ systems. aCGH revealed copy number variants in 14 out of 33 cases (42%). Eight were classified as pathogenic which account for a detection rate of 24% (8/33) considering fetuses with 1 or more MCMs and 33% (8/24) taking into account fetuses with multiple malformations only. Three of the pathogenic variants were known microdeletion syndromes (22q11.21 deletion, central chromosome 22q11.21 deletion, and TAR syndrome) and 5 were large rearrangements, adding up to >11 Mb per subject and comprising strong phenotype-related genes. One of those was a de novo complex rearrangement, and the remaining 4 duplications and 2 deletions were 130-900 kb in size, containing 1-7 genes, and were classified as variants of unknown clinical significance. Our study confirms aCGH as a powerful technique to ascertain the genetic etiology of fetal major congenital malformations., (© 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: Conventional karyotyping (550 bands resolution) is able to identify chromosomal aberrations >5-10 Mb, which represent a known cause of intellectual disability/developmental delay (ID/DD) and/or multiple congenital anomalies (MCA). Array-Comparative Genomic Hybridization (array-CGH) has increased the diagnostic yield of 15-20%., Results: In a cohort of 700 ID/DD cases with or without MCA, including 15 prenatal diagnoses, we identified a subgroup of seven patients with a normal karyotype and a large complex rearrangement detected by array-CGH (at least 6, and up to 18 Mb). FISH analysis could be performed on six cases and showed that rearrangements were translocation derivatives, indistinguishable from a normal karyotype as they involved a similar band pattern and size. Five were inherited from a parent with a balanced translocation, whereas two were apparently de novo. Genes spanning the rearrangements could be associated with some phenotypic features in three cases (case 3: DOCK8; case 4: GATA3, AKR1C4; case 6: AS/PWS deletion, CHRNA7), and in two, likely disease genes were present (case 5: NR2F2, TP63, IGF1R; case 7: CDON). Three of our cases were prenatal diagnoses with an apparently normal karyotype., Conclusions: Large complex rearrangements of up to 18 Mb, involving chromosomal regions with similar size and band appearance may be overlooked by conventional karyotyping. Array-CGH allows a precise chromosomal diagnosis and recurrence risk definition, further confirming this analysis as a first tier approach to clarify molecular bases of ID/DD and/or MCA. In prenatal tests, array-CGH is confirmed as an important tool to avoid false negative results due to karyotype intrinsic limit of detection.

A recently described genetic disorder has been associated with 13q12.3 microdeletion spanning three genes, namely, KATNAL1, LINC00426, and HMGB1. Here, we report a new case with similar clinical features that we have followed from birth to 5 years old. The child carried a complex rearrangement with a double translocation: 46,XX,t(7;13)(p15;q14),t(11;15)(q23;q22). Array-CGH identified a de novo microdeletion at 13q12.2q13.1 spanning 3-3.4 Mb and overlapping 13q12.3 critical region. Clinical features resembling those reported in the literature confirm the existence of a distinct 13q12.3 microdeletion syndrome and provide further evidence that is useful to characterize its phenotypic expression during the 5 years of development.

Using a monoprism of anisotropic crystal with special configuration, we can combine between two and four laser beams for them to propagate in a single direction. This method is simpler than previously used ones.

The evolution of the high-frequency vibrational energy density of slender heterogeneous structures such as Timoshenko beams or thick shells is depicted by transport equations or radiative transfer equations (RTEs) in the presence of random heterogeneities. A diffusive regime arises when their correlation lengths are comparable to the wavelength, among other possible situations, and waves are multiply scattered. The purpose of this paper is to expound how diffusion approximations of the RTEs for elastic structures can be derived and to discuss the relevance of the vibrational conductivity analogy invoked in the structural acoustics literature. Its main contribution is the consideration of a heterogeneous background medium with varying parameters and the effects of polarization of elastic waves. The paper also outlines some of the remarkable features of the diffusive regime: depolarization of waves, energy equipartition, and asymptotic Fick's law.

Purpose: We evaluated the experiences of 19 Italian laboratories concerning 241 small supernumerary marker chromosomes (sSMCs) with the aim of answering questions arising from their origin from any chromosome, their variable size and genetic content, and their impact on the carrier's phenotype., Methods: Conventional protocols were used to set up the cultures and chromosome preparations. Both commercial and homemade probes were used for the fluorescent in situ hybridization analyses., Results: A total of 113 of the 241 sSMCs were detected antenatally, and 128 were detected postnatally. There were 52 inherited and 172 de novo cases. Abnormal phenotype was present in 137 cases (57%), 38 of which were antenatally diagnosed. A mosaic condition was observed in 87 cases (36%). In terms of morphology, monocentric and dicentric bisatellited marker chromosomes were the most common, followed by monocentric rings and short-arm isochromosomes. The chromosomes generating the sSMCs were acrocentric in 132 cases (69%) and non-acrocentric chromosomes in 60 cases (31%); a neocentromere was hypothesized in three cases involving chromosomes 6, 8, and 15., Conclusion: The presented and published data still do not allow any definite conclusions to be drawn concerning karyotype-phenotype correlations. Only concerted efforts to characterize molecularly the sSMCs associated or not with a clinical phenotype can yield results suitable for addressing karyotype-phenotype correlations in support of genetic counseling.

Aim: Investigation of epidemiological and clinical features of viral hepatitides (VH) in convicts treated in clinics of penitentiaries., Materials and Methods: VH were studied in 352 patients of the infection department of the special hospital in one of the penitentiaries of Russian Federation. 97 VH patients were followed up. Incidence of VH was also considered in 144 patients of the somatic department. Mean age of the patients was 24 years, mean duration of the last stay in the penitentiary 19 months. Forms of VH were diagnosed clinically, using EIA, ultrasound, laboratory tests., Results: Serological markers HC-, HB-, HA- of viral infections were detected in 34.3, 32.3 and 11.4% of patients, respectively. VH of mixed etiology was found in 17.6% of cases. 52.1% of patients had previously injected narcotic drugs, 60.4% of them had concomitant infectious or parasitic diseases. 22.9% of the patients had serum proteins below 65 g/l., Conclusion: Convicts in the penitentiaries were infected primarily with hepatitis C, many of them had mixed infections and chronic hepatitis. More than half of them had associated infections infectious and/or parasitic diseases. At least one-fifth of the patients suffered from protein insufficiency. The causative agents can be transmitted through different routes, two or more at a time, iatrogenically among them. VH in convicts display special clinical features which allow to consider them as an independent syndrome.

To investigate the relationship between maternal exercise and fetal circulatory responses in humans during the third trimester of pregnancy, changes in uterine, umbilical and fetal cerebral circulations were measured by pulsed-Doppler ultrasound method in 14 healthy volunteer pregnant women before and just after a moderate non-exhaustive exercise. Maternal heart rate increased significantly reaching 80% of the theoretical maximal heart rate (TMHR) while uterine resistance indices did not change. The fetal heart rate and umbilical mean velocity were unchanged while umbilical resistance index decreased slightly (0.58 +/- 0.06 versus 0.62 +/- 0.07, P < 0.05). The fetal internal carotid artery mean velocity increased (23.2 +/- 5.3 versus 20.4 +/- 4.1 cm/s, P < 0.02) and the cerebral resistance index decreased (0.71 +/- 0.11 versus 0.80 +/- 0.10, P < 0.01). We conclude that submaximal maternal exercise at 80% of TMHR does not significantly alter uterine perfusion but involves a slight fetal cerebral vasodilation which could be due to a moderate fetal hemoglobin desaturation.

We determined the compliance of the aortic "Windkessel" using a non-invasive method. The occlusion of the lower extremities (5 min, 180 mm Hg) elicited reactive hyperemia. An abrupt change in pressure in the occluding cuffs from 180 to 60 mm Hg increased femoral blood flow (measured by pulsed Doppler) and decreased blood pressure (measured by Penaz continuous method). During abrupt decrease in blood pressure, the compliance was calculated as a ratio of the blood volume flowing out of the aorta via the femoral arteries to the decrease of blood pressure. The measurements were made repeatedly in eight healthy men, and in patients with essential hypertension (ten patients with essential hypertension, IInd degree-WHO without treatment and six patients with essential hypertension, IInd degree-WHO treated with slow released verapamil). Compliance in the first group was 1.18 +/- 0.25 ml. mm Hg-1, in the second 0.96 +/- 0.21 ml. mm Hg-1, and in the third group 0.90 +/- 0.11 ml. mm Hg-1. We found a negative correlation between compliance and arterial blood pressure. However the relative large scatter requires repeated measurements.

Vasomotor effects of skin exposure to carbon dioxide (CO2) have been described in normal subjects. It was of interest, therefore, to determine whether percutaneous CO2 is of therapeutic benefit. In a randomized, double-blind study, 10 patients with lower limb arteriopathy (stage II) were investigated before and after local exposure for twenty minutes to CO2-rich spa gas or to water-vapor-saturated air at the same temperature as that CO2-rich spa gas. Brachial and femoral blood flows, brachial and posterior tibial artery pressures, heart rate, and chest and foot transcutaneous oxygen tensions (tcPO2) were determined. Femoral blood flow, tibial pressure, and foot tcPO2 were significantly increased after exposure of the skin to CO2-rich spa gas. This effect was not accompanied with systemic hemodynamic modifications. Water-vapor-saturated air had no effect. These results suggest that transfer of CO2 across the skin can have beneficial local vasomotor effects in patients with lower limb stage II arteriopathy.

Patients and medical staff of hemodialysis centers were screened for HBV, HCV and HDV markers. The incidence of mixed infection in patients reached 34.8%, while in medical personnel it was only 3.4%. There was an increasing rate of HBV markers in persons who have been immunized with ENGERIX-B vaccine according to standard schedules one month, one year and three years after the vaccination. Administration of Cuban vaccine using modified schedules is perspective for wide immunoprophylaxis in medical staff. Immunization policy for hemodialysis patients needs further perfection.

Patients and medical personnel of some hemodialysis centres of the north-west region of the Russian Federation were examined for HB-virus infection markers using enzyme immunoassays. Subjects free of HB markers were immunized with ENGEPIX-B vaccine. Immunogenicity of the vaccine was assessed one month and one year after the immunization. Epidemiological HB factors in hemodialysis centers were studied on the simulation computer model. HB-virus-containing blood transfusion factor is not the only determinant of HB-virus infection prevalence. The virus can be transmitted via hemodialysis facilities. Immunization effects proved inferior in the hemodialysis unit patients. It is stated that vaccinoprophylactic policy in the patients of the dialysis centers and relevant equipment need serious improvement to prevent hepatitis B outbreaks.

Markers of hepatitis B (HBsAg, anti-HBs) and C (anti-HCV) were detected in 1990-1992 by enzyme immunoassay in 1581 medical workers, 230 last-year students of medical schools, 269 patients hospitalized at hemoperfusion wards, and 701 blood donors. Hepatitis B markers were detected in medical workers two times more frequently than in donors (HBsAg in 4.7 and 2.2% of these, respectively, anti-HBs in 26.2 and 14.0%), and anti-HCV were found almost three times more frequently (in 3.1 and 1.1%, respectively). The incidence of these markers in students of medical schools was the same as in donors. Hepatitis B markers (HBsAg, anti-HBs) were detected in 39.0% of patients of hemoperfusion departments, HBsAg being present in 11.9%, and antiHCV in 25%. A direct relationship was revealed between the incidence of hepatitis B and C markers and duration of treatment at dialysis centers or length of service at therapeutic institutions. Three vaccinations with Engerix B 944 vaccine were administered to 944 medical workers and 162 medical students and four vaccinations in double doses to 40 patients of hemoperfusion centers who had no hepatitis B markers; a month after immunization anti-HBs in protective titers were detected in 91.4, 93.9, and 76.1% of them, respectively, and a year after vaccination these values were 77.2, 82.5, and 53.3%. No cases of hepatitis B, detection of HBsAg, or postvaccination complications in the vaccines were recorded.

Examinations for the presence of antibody to hepatitis C virus (HCV) were carried out in 144 patients of chronic hemodialysis wards and 83 blood donors. The anti-HCV were found in 26.4% of the patients and only in 1.2% of the blood donors. A definite increase in the incidence of HCV infection in the patients of hemodialysis wards was established in relation to the duration of the treatment, namely from 17.4% in the patients treated for up to 1 year to 37.5% in those treated for 6 years or more. Significant differences were observed in the rate of anti-HCV findings in the patients with kidney transplantation and in those who had not experience this operation. The results obtained by an imitation computer model indicated that the hemotransfusion factor is not the only one determining the high rate of HCV infection in patients of chronic hemodialysis wards, however its influence on the intensity of the epidemic process in hepatitis C in these wards was sufficiently high.

Objectives: The Doppler ultrasound method for recording blood flow velocity waveforms in the fetal umbilical arteries is now widely used as an indicator of fetal well-being. This study was conducted to investigate the impact of umbilical placental resistance level on fetal growth development., Methods: Maximal flow velocity waveforms were recorded from the umbilical artery in 108 pregnant women including 50 with normal pregnancies, 3 with previous death in utero, and 55 with moderate arterial hypertension corrected by resting only. All the newborn infants had a normal birth weight (BW between the 10th and the 90th percentile for the gestational age at birth). Doppler measurements were performed between 25 to 38 weeks of gestation. The placental resistance index (PRI) derived from blood flow velocity measurements was determined., Results: Data were grouped in two-week intervals according to the age of gestation at Doppler examination. We found an inverse close relationship between BW and PRI which can be described by a linear function of PRI in each interval. BW increased with the decrease in PRI., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that umbilical placental resistance level determines fetal growth development and birth weight during pregnancies without placental insufficiency.

Marked differences in the distribution of markers of hepatitis C and B among children in closed children's institutions was established. The frequency of detection of anti-C100-3 in children varied from O in St. Petersburg to 29.4% in Nalchik. A high rate of infection in children is primarily associated with a low level of medico-sanitary service. The results indicate the advisability of specific prophylaxis of viral hepatitis C in specialized children's institutions.

The epidemic situation in HIV infection in the northwestern region of this country has been analyzed. The ways of the spread of HIV infection among the infected persons, residents of the St. Petersburg region, Kaliningrad, Novgorod and Murmansk, have been studied. The infection is transmitted mainly through sexual contacts, both homosexual and heterosexual. High migration activity of HIV-infected persons, homo- and heterosexuals, has been established, and a great number of unknown (casual) sexual contacts among them was noted. The results of these observations may be useful in the prognostication of the epidemic situation in HIV infection not only in the northwestern region, but also beyond its boundaries, and later in the optimization of screening.

Markedly unequal distribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) among blood donors in different regions of the USSR was established. The necessity of introduction into the blood service of regular donor blood screening for anti-C100-3 is substantiated. The portion of chronic hepatitis associated with HCV in the structure of chronic virus hepatitis was established. The results of the study indicate the expedience of specific virus hepatitis C prophylaxis in contingents of high risk of HCV infection.

A total of 636 episodes of peritonitis occurred in 440 patients who entered our continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) program from September 1977 to February 1988. Sixteen patients (8 male and 8 female, aged 37-77 years) died during an episode of peritonitis (fatality rate 2.5%). They had been on CAPD for 3 to 105 (average 39) months. Six of them were diabetics. The peritonitis rate among these 16 patients were 1 episode per 12 patient months, while the corresponding figure for the whole (440) CAPD population was 14 patient months. Risk factors present in the 16 patients were: cardiovascular disease (12), cerebrovascular accident (2) peripheral artery disease (1) and pulmonary fibrosis (1). Fever and leukocytosis were present on admission in 11 patients, while total serum proteins and albumin were significantly lower (p less than 0.001) than the corresponding values before peritonitis (56 +/- 8 vs. 65 +/- 5). Staph. aureus was isolated in 8 patients (50%), multiple organisms in 6, Pseudomonas and Candida albicans in 1 each. An abdominal abscess was found in 4 (25%) patients. The peritoneal catheter was removed between the 5th and 10th day in 6 and after the 10th day in 7 patients. Peritonitis with sepsis was the cause of death in 13 patients. Contributing factors were cardiovascular accident in 9, uremic coma in 2, extensive GI bleeding in 2, GI perforation in 2, intestinal infarction in 1, and pneumonia in 2 patients. We conclude that the risk of peritonitis-related death in CAPD patients is increased with Staph. aureus or multibacterial peritonitis. Contributing factors are concomitant cardiovascular disease and delayed (greater than 5 days) catheter removal.

A study of the left ventricular function based on the haemodynamic data combined with those provided by biplane cineangiography was performed in 35 cases with left ventricular volume overload (20 cases of mitral incompetence and 15 of aortic insufficiency). The importance of the haemodynamic changes and of the adaptation mechanisms set up were described. The more intense dilatation-hypertrophy of aortic incompetence than of mitral incompetence plays an essential part. The role of Starling's mechanism is underlined. Estimation of the contractile value of the myocardium, taken into account the mechanical overload and the conditions of late-diastolic lengthening of the fibre and of impedance to left ventricular ejection was determined. An obvious myocardial failure, demonstrated in approximately one third of the cases, by determination of some contractility indices estimated in the ejection phase, Vf sigma max in particular, the only one valid in the presence of valvular regurgitation. In the other cases, the moderate decrease of myocardial contractility was masked by compensatory mechanisms.

Three patients with MEN IIA S belonging to the same family, which has five affected subjects in two generations, have been studied. Constitutional karyotype examination identified an extra ring chromosome in 3% of the cells in one of the affected subjects. The number of rings for each cell varied, and different evolutionary aspects of the ring, such as doubling and interlocking, were present. Furthermore, asynchronous DNA replication of doubling rings was observed. This nonhomogeneous, nonrandom chromosome abnormality found in normal tissue of patients with MEN IIA S could be indicative of sensitivity to structural alteration of some chromosome regions.

Blood flow through the brachial and radial artery at different temperatures and during reactive hyperaemia was measured in 23 patients with Raynaud's phenomenon (9 patients with Raynaud's disease, 7 - Raynaud's syndrome with thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS), and 8 - Raynaud's syndrome and scleroderma), and 11 control subjects. Blood flow was determined by an ALVAR pulse-wave Doppler system enabling measurement of vessel diameter and blood flow rate. The measurements suggest that the blood flow through brachial artery reflects the changes of blood flow through the hand immersed in water of different temperatures. Maximum vasoconstriction was the same in all groups of Raynaud's phenomenon. The lowest blood flow at higher temperatures and during reactive hyperaemia was found in patients with scleroderma, whereas in the group of TOS and partly in patients with Raynaud's disease one can suspect only functional changes.

Vascular reactivity to heat and cold was studied in 11 normal subjects without vascular disease and in 23 patients with Raynaud's phenomenon (etiologies: Raynaud's disease, scleroderma, thoracic outlet syndrome). The study of hand and digital temperatures and brachial artery blood flow was performed in ambiant conditions (room temperature 23.5 +/- 1 degree C) and after thermal (cold or warm exposure: 10, 33 and 40 degrees C), mechanical and metabolic modifications (with a wrist tourniquet). In these conditions, blood flow was studied at each temperature, before, during and after 3 minutes ischemia of the hand. Analysis of results showed that vasomotricity possibilities were preserved but that responses were not identical. Patients with primary Raynaud's phenomenon, and even more those with scleroderma as well, had reduced brachial artery blood flow after cooling (10 degrees C). After ischemia, maximal blood flow was also reduced. The microcirculatory disease existing in Raynaud's phenomenon limits the vasodilator capacity of hand vessels, but probably more in tissues with vascular lesions. Vasodilation seems to be limited during exposure to low well as high temperatures, but vasoconstriction capacity is not disturbed.