Testicular torsion after 12 hours. III

To identify the risk of pet ownership (i.e., cats and dogs) for alveolar echinococcosis caused by Echinococcus multilocularis, the habits and activities of 21 patients (histologic confirmation or positive serology with corresponding evidence on an ultrasonogram, radiograph, or computed tomography scan) in Austria during the period 1967-1997 were compared with the habits and activities of 84 controls matched by sex, age, and residence. Cat ownership (odds ratio (OR) = 6.47, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.54-27.29) and hunting (OR = 7.83, 95% CI 1.16-52.77) were independent risk factors associated with alveolar hydatid disease. The study is not in agreement with the hypothesis that eating mushrooms or certain wild berries which grow near the ground are the main risk factors for acquiring this disease. No other behavior patterns or activities studied were identified as risk factors.     

Testicular tumors. Echographic findings

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the sensitivity and specificity of high resolution ultrasound in testicular tumors. METHODS: The study comprised 18 histologically confirmed testicular tumors. Patient ages ranged from 19 to 79 years (mean 41). The ultrasound and the anatomopathological findings were compared. RESULTS: 12 of 18 were primary testicular tumors: 5 classical seminomas, 1 spermatocytic seminoma, 1 anaplastic seminoma, 3 embryonary carcinoma, 1 mixed teratoma and 1 immature teratoma. Ultrasound detected all tumors, accounting for a sensitivity of 100%. All tumors were hypoechoic. Substantial differences were observed between the classical seminomas and the other tumor types: the echo structure was homogeneous in 60% of the classical seminomas vs 50% for the other tumor types; 80% of the former and none of the other tumor types had well- or partially well-defined tumor margins; and finally, cystic or hyperechoic areas were not observed in the classical seminomas but in 30% of the other tumors. CONCLUSION: High resolution ultrasound should be performed if testicular tumor is suspected. This technique will confirm or discard this condition and, furthermore, if the ultrasound findings show a solid, hypoechoic lesion, regardless of the degree of definition of the tumor margins, with no cystic or hyperechoic areas, a presumptive diagnosis of classical seminoma can be made.     

Most anesthesiologists no longer restrict clear fluids for eight hours before elective surgery

The author reveal the results of treatment with ciclopiroxolamine of women suffering from mycotic colpitis and using OC's. The research covers 26 women users of monophasic OC's with mycotic colpitis during the last 2-3 weeks before the research. The cause for the colpitis in 92% of cases is Candida albicans. The treatment was successful in 84.6% of the cases after the first 6-day-course with Batrafen creme. With 7.7% the treatment course with Batrafen creme was repeated, and with another 7.7% was included oral antimycotic (itraconazol). After treatment was performed microbiological check-up that confirmed the positive result of treatment. The authors' conclusion is that Batrafen creme is an effective device suitable for application on patients, CO's users.     

Comparison of the effects of vasectomy and experimental cryptorchidism in rats: I. Testicular histology

The effects of cryptorchidism, one of the most important congenital malformations resulting with the defects in testicular structure thus infertility, is the best known subject in male reproduction. Those best known effects make the usage of cryptorchidism as a second control criteria when the effects of other male infertility reasons are attempted to be determined. Therefore the persistency or reversibility of the effects of vasectomy on testicular structure have been compared to the testicular features following experimental cryptorchidism and to the control group findings. To do this, rats were divided into 3 groups. While the control group animals were sham operated, the experimental group animals were undergone either vasectomy or experimental cryptorchidism procedures. Testicular histology of the control and experimental groups was determined using convenient staining methods at the light microscopical level. The comparison of the findings from the control and experimental groups showed that the testicular features of the vasectomized group were similar to those seen in the control group in contrast to the experimental cryptorchidism group which had irreversible testicular alterations. Results of the present study indicated the convenience of the usage of vasectomy in male contraception.     

Visiting hours. An open ICU

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive degenerative disorder of the central nervous system characterized by tremor, rigidity, slowness of movement (bradykinesia) and postural abnormalities. The cause is unknown, but the pathology shows that dopamine is profoundly reduced in the basal ganglia of patients with PD. When dopamine is replenished by the administration of levodopa, most of the symptoms of parkinsonism are reduced significantly. Levodopa is considered to be the most reliable and effective symptomatic drug treatment for keeping patients autonomous and functionally independent for as long as possible.     

Gallbladder torsion. A case report

INTRODUCTION: The unusual anatomical position of the organ, generally suspended by a mesentery, allows the rare possibility of its torsion with necrosis and even perforation. CASE REPORT: A woman, aged 78, who presented signs and symptoms similar to those of severe acute cholecystitis: abrupt onset of pain and a large palpable mass below the right costal margin. Immediate laparotomy with detorsion and easy cholecystectomy was performed. CONCLUSIONS: Should a greatly enlarged mass be palpable below the right costal margin within a few hours from the abrupt onset of unremittant abdominal pain the possibility of torsion should come to mind not to delay operation in the supposition of acute cholecystitis.     

Testicular leukemia relapse. Fine needle aspiration findings

Calcification and/or ossification of the ligamenta flava is a well reported clinicopathologic entity causing narrowing of the spinal canal cord compression. It has been described almost exclusively in Japanese people. The authors present the case of a non Japanese patient with thoracic myelopathy caused by ossification of the ligamentum flavum.     

Impact of flexible working hours on productivity.

Using a sample of 246 clerical-level employees, the impact of a 4-mo flexible working hours experimental program on productivity for 5 production units within a large financial institution was investigated. Results of the study are mixed, but overall they indicate that the introduction of flexible working hours had no adverse impact on productivity. Based on comparisons with productivity outcomes during the same period the previous year, the results for one group indicated significant positive effects, based on pre–post comparisons, although other organizational changes may have produced this effect. The results for the other 3 groups indicate neither positive nor negative effects of flexible working hours on productivity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Practicum training hours: Fact and fantasy.

Over the past five years, practicum experience has received increased attention as an important element in the sequence of training. Questions have arisen about the number of hours being counted and the activities occurring in practicum. This study examined the number of practicum hours accrued by comparing the actual number of direct service hours and total hours to an estimated length of time to complete those hours. Based on self-reports, it was estimated that graduate students spend between 2 and 7 years to accrue their practicum hours with 37.5 to 69.6% of that time in direct service. Implications for the profession, faculty, and students are provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Internship hours: Proposing a national standard.

The variation in hours of supervised experience accumulated during internships has created a number of problematic situations for future psychologists, training directors, psychologists who sign off licensing hours, and the profession. This study examined the total number of hours reported by internships to licensing boards and the accuracy or precision in documenting these hours. The reported internship hours ranged from 1,550 to 2,496 (M?=?1,991.83). As the number of reported hours increased, there was increased likelihood that time off (e.g., vacations, holidays) was included. A national standard of 1,800 hr is recommended, and additional suggestions are offered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Respiratory quotient changes in full term newborn infants within 30 hours from birth before start of milk feeding

Over the period of a year I have systematically recorded any episodes of continuing medical education (CME) that I have attended, and reflect on the effectiveness of this system in terms of whether it has achieved its objective, that is, has my behaviour changed, and whether the existence of the need to record CME has influenced this effect. I consider which aspects of CME have been most beneficial. I conclude that the proposed level of CME is readily achievable, useful, but costly. The way in which I learn most or best is in preparing presentations or teaching sessions. There has been some debate on the usefulness of keeping a record of CME to which I would like to add my opinion. I also recommend the form of record keeping I have used as an impetus to reflection and research on the topic of education received, as this reinforces and enhances the educational experience.     

Teaching Bayesian reasoning in less than two hours.

The authors present and test a new method of teaching Bayesian reasoning, something about which previous teaching studies reported little success. Based on G. Gigerenzer and U. Hoffrage's (1995) ecological framework, the authors wrote a computerized tutorial program to train people to construct frequency representations (representation training) rather than to insert probabilities into Bayes's rule (rule training). Bayesian computations are simpler to perform with natural frequencies than with probabilities, and there are evolutionary masons for assuming that cognitive algorithms have been developed to deal with natural frequencies. In 2 studies, the authors compared representation training with rule training; the criteria were an immediate learning effect, transfer to new problems, and long-term temporal stability. Rule training was as good in transfer as representation training, but representation training had a higher immediate learning effect and greater temporal stability. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)