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Introduction: Worldwide incidence of thyroid cancer has increased in recent decades., Objective: To provide evidence of the diagnostic and care efficiency of a monographic thyroid nodule clinic integrating clinical examination, ultrasound examination, and cytology with on site evaluation., Patients and Methods: Patients attending the monographic thyroid nodule clinic from January 2004 to June 2010. Two periods may be distinguished based on availability of ultrasound equipment at the time of the visit: a first period (P1: 01/2004-09/2007) where no ultrasound equipment was available at the clinic and FNA by palpation was performed, and a second period (P2: 10/2007-06/2010) where this equipment was available and ultrasound-guided FNA was performed., Results: A total of 1036 patients [P1: 537 (52%), P2: 499 (48%)] were seen and enrolled. Diagnostic efficiency (P1 vs P2): 143 vs 181 patients were seen annually, p<0.001; FNA number/nodule: 1.68 vs 1.17, p<0.001; percent FNAs with inadequate material: 26% vs 5.3%, p<0.001; mean (SD) nodule size: 23.6 (12.4) vs 21.7 (11.7) mm, p 0.040; proportion of nodules examined less than 10mm in size: 9.9% vs 13.7%, p 0.030. Care efficiency: mean time (range) from the first visit to surgery indication: 332 (0-2177) vs 108 (0-596) days, p<0.001; proportion of patients referred for surgery due to suspect cytology/other reasons: 1.06 vs 2.21, p<0.001; and operated benign neoplasm/pathology: 0.47 vs 0.93, p=0.002., Conclusion: A monographic thyroid nodule clinic integrating clinical examination, ultrasound, and cytology evaluated on site increases diagnostic and care efficiency in patients with thyroid nodules., (Copyright © 2012 SEEN. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: In France, 15 000-20 000 cancers attributable to occupational exposure occur each year. These cancers appear most often after the worker has retired. Since 1995, a system of post-retirement medical surveillance (PRMS) has been set up for former workers, but it remains largely underused., Design: The SPIRALE program is a public health intervention aimed at identifying the former workers having been exposed to asbestos or wood dust during their working life and to propose them a PRMS. Additionally, it is also an epidemiologic research on the longterm effects of occupational exposure.We report the results of first years of the program conducted in 2006-2008, in 13 districts., Setting and Participants: a self-administered questionnaire was sent to 50 000 newly retired men, to identify potential past occupational carcinogen exposure. For respondents detected as possibly exposed, exposure was assessed in Health Screening Centres and a PRMS was recommended if necessary., Main Outcome Measures: Participation rate, rate of confirmed exposure, increased rate of PRMS, satisfaction about the program., Results: The participation rate was 24%. From 12 002 questionnaires analysed, 72% of respondents were identified as possibly exposed: 3%to wood dust, 50%to asbestos and 19%to both exposures. Exposure to asbestos was confirmed for 73.4%, and according to the level of exposure, PRMS was recommended for 47.1%. Wood dust exposure was confirmed for 56.7%. In these districts, PRMS for asbestos increased by 45% and for wood dust by 600%. Additional surveys showed that participants showed a high degree of satisfaction about the program., Conclusions: The results are positive in terms of detection, information and medical surveillance of exposed workers.

Two series of halogenated 1-benzyl-7-chloro-6-hydroxy-tetrahydroisoquinolines were prepared to explore the influence of each series on the affinity for dopamine receptors. All the compounds displayed a high affinity for D(1)-like and/or D(2)-like dopamine receptors in striatal membranes, although they were unable to inhibit [(3)H]-dopamine uptake in striatal synaptosomes. The halogen placed on the benzylic ring in 1-benzyl-THIQs, compounds of the series 1, 2'-bromobenzyl derivatives with K(i) values into the nanomolar range, and the series 2, 2',4'-dichlorobenzyl-THIQ homologues, proves to be an important factor to modulate affinity at dopamine receptor.

Sister chromatid cohesion mediated by cohesin is essential for accurate chromosome segregation. Classical studies suggest that heterochromatin promotes cohesion, but whether this happens through regulation of cohesin remains to be determined. Heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) is a major component of heterochromatin. In fission yeast, the HP1 homologue Swi6 interacts with cohesin and is required for proper targeting and/or stabilization of cohesin at the centromeric region. To test whether this pathway is conserved in human cells, we have examined the behavior of cohesin in cells in which the levels of HP1 alpha, beta or gamma (the three HP1 proteins present in mammalian organisms) have been reduced by siRNA. We have also studied the consequences of treating human cells with drugs that change the histone modification profile of heterochromatin and thereby affect HP1 localization. Our results show no evidence for a requirement of HP1 proteins for either loading of bulk cohesin onto chromatin in interphase or retention of cohesin at pericentric heterochromatin in mitosis. However, depletion of HP1gamma leads to defects in mitotic progression.