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Eating pathology among Black and White smokers.

Among White smokers, many females use smoking as a weight control strategy. Little is known about the relationship between eating pathology and smoking among Black females, and whether smokers who enroll in treatment differ in eating pathology from smokers who decline treatment. We examined eating pathology among Black and White smokers who enrolled in a smoking cessation treatment and those who declined treatment. Participants were 100 Black and 100 White female smokers (ages 18-65) who completed three measures of eating pathology. After controlling for BMI, Whites reported greater levels of overall eating pathology than Blacks [F(1,195)=4.1; p<0.05]. Treatment enrollers reported greater levels of disinhibited eating [F(1,197)=15.0; p<0.001) and hunger awareness [F(1,197)=5.6, p<0.05] than treatment decliners, but did not differ in bulimic symptoms. Status of treatment enrollment accounted for the most variance in disinhibited eating (7%; p<.001) and hunger awareness (2.9%; p<0.05). Results indicate that overall pathological eating behaviors are greater among White than Black smokers. However, once females seek smoking cessation treatment, these ethnic differences are not apparent.

Adolescent↗

Electro-clinical and imaging characteristics of focal cortical dysplasia: correlation with pathological subtypes.

INTRODUCTION: Focal cortical dysplasia (CD) is a common cause of pharmaco-resistant epilepsy. CD is due to abnormalities in neuronal migration, proliferation, and/or differentiation that result in four distinct pathological subtypes: 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B. In order to provide clinical correlation to these pathological subtypes, we reviewed the electro-clinical and imaging characteristics and surgical outcomes of the four pathological subtypes of CD. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patient data from epilepsy surgeries at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation between 1990 and 2002. Only those patients with the definite pathological diagnosis of isolated cortical dysplasia were included in the study (n = 145). RESULTS: Pathological subtypes 2A and 2B were predominantly frontal in location, and had a more severe epilepsy syndrome with lower intelligence quotient scores than subtypes 1A and 1B. Patients with subtype 1A FCD had less severe, later onset epilepsy that was predominantly located in the temporal lobe. Risk factors for epilepsy included febrile seizures for type 1A, head trauma for types 1A and 1B, and perinatal adverse events for type 2B. Type 2B demonstrated significantly more FLAIR signal abnormalities than the other groups. Sixty-three percent of patients overall had an Engel I outcome at 6 months follow-up. The best outcomes were in the 2B subtype, and in those who did not require an invasive EEG evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: Clinically important differences exist between the pathological subtypes of CD, which may assist in their management, and provide further insight into their underlying pathophysiology.

Adolescent↗

Clinically significant small-bowel pathology identified by double-balloon enteroscopy but missed by capsule endoscopy.

BACKGROUND: Capsule endoscopy (CE) is increasingly being used to investigate the small bowel for various indications, including obscure GI bleeding (OGB). However, false negatives have been described. Double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) is a new endoscopic technique developed to potentially view the entire small intestine while allowing therapeutic options to be carried out when appropriate. OBJECTIVE: We described 4 patients with small-bowel pathology missed on CE but detected by DBE. DESIGN: Descriptive retrospective study. All patients underwent CE followed by DBE. SETTING: Single-center tertiary referral hospital. PATIENTS: Four patients were included. Three patients had OGB that required blood transfusions. One patient with celiac disease, compliant on a strict gluten-free diet for 5 months, presented with persistent weight loss and abdominal pain. INTERVENTIONS: DBE followed by surgical exploration and resection of small-bowel pathology. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Successful identification of pathology missed by CE. Definitive treatment of small-bowel pathology by surgical resection. RESULTS: CE did not identify the small-bowel pathology in all 4 patients. The 3 patients with OGB had small-bowel masses found by DBE. Two of these were GI stromal tumors and one was an adenocarcinoma. The patient with celiac disease had a malignant ulcer, confirmed to be a lymphoma after surgical resection. LIMITATIONS: Retrospective study and small sample size. CONCLUSIONS: CE and DBE are complementary investigations. If there is a high index of suspicion of small-bowel pathology despite a negative CE, DBE should be performed.

Diagnostic Errors↗

Pathologic features associated with fibrosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents a spectrum of clinicopatholologic conditions ranging from steatosis alone to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), with varying risks for progression to cirrhosis. Although steatosis alone seems to be nonprogressive, some patients with NASH can progress. This study focuses on the clinical and pathological characteristics of patients with NAFLD associated with the development of histological fibrosis. Patients with an established diagnosis of nonalcoholic fatty liver were identified through our NAFLD database containing extensive clinical, demographic, and laboratory data. Liver biopsy specimens were read blindly by one hepatopathologist using a 19-item pathological protocol and by another hepatopathologist using a second pathological protocol. Clinical and pathological data were matched to the presence of different types of histological fibrosis. Univariate and multivariate analyses helped determine all of the variables independently associated with histological fibrosis. Of 132 NAFLD patients, 21.2% had advanced fibrosis (septal/bridging fibrosis or well-established cirrhosis). Sinusoidal fibrosis was present in 20.3% of patients, whereas perivenular fibrosis was seen in 17.2%. Ballooning degeneration and Mallory bodies were independently associated with both sinusoidal fibrosis and perivenular fibrosis. Aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase ratio and ballooning degeneration were also independently associated with periportal-portal fibrosis. We conclude that the presence of hepatocyte injury in NAFLD is associated with fibrosis. These pathological features can be used to establish the pathological criteria for diagnosis of the progressive form of NAFLD or NASH.

Adult↗

Prognostic impact of large cell neuroendocrine histology in patients with pathologic stage Ia pulmonary non-small cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Most patients with pathologic stage Ia non-small cell lung carcinoma have a good prognosis, and adjuvant chemotherapy is currently not being used in the management of this stage of the disease. However, if significant negative prognostic factors become evident in patients with pathologic stage Ia non-small cell lung carcinoma, patients with negative prognostic factors should have adjuvant treatment after surgery. METHODS: We analyzed 335 cases of pathologic stage Ia non-small cell lung carcinoma treated between 1988 and 2003 by complete resection. The pathologic stage Ia non-small cell lung carcinomas comprised 259 adenocarcinomas, 65 squamous cell carcinomas, and 11 large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas. The prognostic impact of various clinical variables was investigated by the Cox proportional hazards multivariable regression model. RESULTS: Univariate analysis showed that large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma histology, old age, large tumor size, male gender, and smoking predicted poorer overall survival. Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma had a significantly poorer prognosis than other non-small cell carcinomas. Multivariate analysis revealed that large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma was predictive of poorer overall survival (P = .0200, hazard ratio 2.787). CONCLUSIONS: Large cell neuroendocrine histology has a significant adverse prognostic impact on pathologic stage Ia non-small cell carcinoma. Therefore, surgical resection alone represents insufficient treatment for large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, even for pathologic stage Ia disease.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Digital pathology, image analysis, and artificial intelligence in liver disease.

Advances in digital pathology, image analysis, and artificial intelligence (AI) are rapidly transforming how pathologists and researchers interact with tissue samples and enable the development of diagnostic tools that harness high-resolution whole-slide images; these advances are in turn creating new opportunities for research, education, and routine clinical care globally. Liver disease is no exception, and digital pathology and AI have many applications in the diagnosis of liver cancer and liver diseases and in the assessment and management of transplantation. Although quantitative image analysis techniques have been applied to liver disease in research settings for over 50 years, recent improvements in image resolution, data storage, and the availability of advanced AI methods such as deep learning have driven multiple exciting developments. In this Review, we summarise the advancements in digital pathology, image analysis, and AI in liver disease. Key challenges such as access to and the logistics of using digital solutions, quality issues, and appropriate guidance in research and clinical use are reviewed, along with potential solutions to these challenges in the context of liver pathology and liver disease. Digital technologies are well established in liver pathology research, and access in clinical practice is increasing, with potential to address current laboratory challenges. Further evaluation is required to assess real-world effectiveness, clinical safety, and implementation of AI tools in liver pathology.

Journal Article↗

High-definition and 3-dimensional imaging of macular pathologies with high-speed ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography.

OBJECTIVE: To assess high-speed ultrahigh-resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) image resolution, acquisition speed, image quality, and retinal coverage for the visualization of macular pathologies. DESIGN: Retrospective cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: Five hundred eighty-eight eyes of 327 patients with various macular pathologies. METHODS: High-speed ultrahigh-resolution OCT images were obtained in 588 eyes of 327 patients with selected macular diseases. Ultrahigh-resolution OCT using Fourier/spectral domain detection achieves approximately 3-mum axial image resolutions, acquisition speeds of approximately 25 000 axial scans per second, and >3 times finer resolution and >50 times higher speed than standard OCT. Three scan protocols were investigated. The first acquires a small number of high-definition images through the fovea. The second acquires a raster series of high-transverse pixel density images. The third acquires 3-dimensional OCT data using a dense raster pattern. Three-dimensional OCT can generate OCT fundus images that enable precise registration of OCT images with the fundus. Using the OCT fundus images, OCT results were correlated with standard ophthalmoscopic examination techniques. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: High-definition macular pathologies. RESULTS: Macular holes, age-related macular degeneration, epiretinal membranes, diabetic retinopathy, retinal dystrophies, central serous chorioretinopathy, and other pathologies were imaged and correlated with ophthalmic examination, standard OCT, fundus photography, and fluorescein angiography, where applicable. High-speed ultrahigh-resolution OCT generates images of retinal pathologies with improved quality, more comprehensive retinal coverage, and more precise registration than standard OCT. The speed preserves retinal topography, thus enabling the visualization of subtle changes associated with disease. High-definition high-transverse pixel density OCT images improve visualization of photoreceptor and pigment epithelial morphology, as well as thin intraretinal and epiretinal structures. Three-dimensional OCT enables comprehensive retinal coverage, reduces sampling errors, and enables assessment of 3-dimensional pathology. CONCLUSIONS: High-definition 3-dimensional imaging using high-speed ultrahigh-resolution OCT improves image quality, retinal coverage, and registration. This new technology has the potential to become a useful tool for elucidating disease pathogenesis and improving disease diagnosis and management.

Adult↗

The association of tongue scalloping with obstructive sleep apnea and related sleep pathology.

OBJECTIVE: The association between OSAS and patient history and physical exam findings is previously established; however, to our knowledge there are no studies that evaluate the role of tongue scalloping as a reliable clinical indicator for OSA, snoring, or the presence of other sleep pathology as evidenced by polysomnography. This study evaluates the hypothesis that such an association exists. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Sixty-one otolaryngology clinic patients were evaluated by history and physical exam for the presence and degree of tongue scalloping, snoring, and other previously established clinical indicators for sleep-disordered breathing and obstructive apnea. Twenty-five of the 61 study patients were additionally evaluated by overnight polysomnography to provide conclusive diagnosis of sleep pathology. The degree of tongue scalloping was graded from 0 to 3 and its significance as a screening, diagnostic, and predictive factor for sleep pathology was then statistically determined. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients (44%) had known or newly documented OSA and 47 (77%) had a history of snoring. Twenty-seven patients (44%) had some degree of tongue scalloping (1-3) and 74% of these patients were male. The presence of any degree of tongue scalloping (grade 1-3) in patients with known or newly documented OSA showed sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of 52%, 68%, 70%, and 50% respectively. The presence of tongue scalloping in patients with either known snoring history or newly documented snoring showed sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of 47%, 64%, 81%, and 26% respectively. Presence of tongue scalloping was 71% specific for abnormal sleep efficiency (<85%), 70% specific for abnormal AHI (>5), and 86% specific for nocturnal desaturation >4% below baseline. Presence of tongue scalloping also showed PPV of 67% for abnormal AHI, 89% for apnea or hypopnea, and 89% for nocturnal desaturation. Presence and severity of tongue scalloping showed positive correlation with increasing Mallampati and modified Mallampati airway classification. CONCLUSIONS: In high-risk patients we found tongue scalloping to be predictive of sleep pathology. Tongue scalloping was also associated with pathologic polysomnography data and abnormal Mallampati grades. We feel the finding of tongue scalloping is a useful clinical indicator of sleep pathology and that its presence should prompt the physician to inquire about snoring history.

Adult↗

T1c prostate cancer detection rate and pathologic characteristics: comparison between patients with serum prostate-specific antigen range of 3.0 to 4.0 ng/mL and 4.1 to 10.0 ng/mL in Korean population.

OBJECTIVES: To prospectively evaluate the Stage T1c prostate cancer detection rate and pathologic characteristics of patients with a serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level of 3.0 to 4.0 ng/mL and compare this with the rate of patients who had a PSA level of 4.1 to 10.0 ng/mL. METHODS: We analyzed the data of patients who had PSA levels of 3.0 to 10.0 ng/mL, benign findings on digital rectal examination, and no specific lesion identified on transrectal ultrasonography. The clinical characteristics, cancer detection rate, and pathologic findings of the biopsy and prostatectomy specimen were compared between the low (3.0 to 4.0 ng/mL) and intermediate (4.1 to 10.0 ng/mL) PSA groups. RESULTS: A total of 450 patients met our criteria. Of these 450 patients, 85 and 365 had a low or an intermediate PSA level, respectively. Prostate cancer was diagnosed in 26% of the low and 19% of the intermediate PSA group. No significant difference was found between the two groups in the pathologic biopsy findings, including the mean Gleason score and percentage of patients with a Gleason score of 7 or more. The pathologic findings of the prostatectomy specimens also showed no significant differences between the two groups, including the mean Gleason score, pathologic stage, and percentage of insignificant prostate cancer. CONCLUSIONS: No statistically significant difference was found in the incidence of Stage T1c prostate cancer or pathologic characteristics in comparison between the low and intermediate PSA groups. These results suggest that a lower PSA cutoff should be considered as an indication for prostate biopsy in the Korean population.

Biopsy, Needle↗

Lung pathology and immediate hypersensitivity in a mouse model after vaccination with pertussis vaccines and challenge with Bordetella pertussis.

While evaluating vaccine efficacy against clinical Bordetella pertussis isolates in mice, after challenge vaccinated mice showed increased lung pathology with eosinophilia, compared to challenged, non-vaccinated animals. This led us to study bacterial clearance, lung pathology, lung TNF-alpha expression, and parameters of immediate hypersensitivity (IH), being serum IgE levels, eosinophil numbers in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and ex vivo IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-13, and IFN-gamma production by the bronchial lymph node cells. BALB/c mice received a combined Diphtheria (D), Tetanus (T), Poliomyelitis, and whole-cell Pertussis vaccine (WCV), a combined D, T, and three-component acellular Pertussis vaccine (ACV), aluminium hydroxide adjuvant, or PBS, 28 and 14 days before B. pertussis infection. Similarly treated non-infected mice were taken as a control. Infection induced pathology; this induction was stronger after (especially WCV) vaccination. WCV but not ACV vaccination induced TNF-alpha expression after challenge. After challenge, IH parameters were strongly increased by (especially ACV) vaccination. Vaccinated IL-4 KO mice showed similar clearance and pathology, in the absence of IgE and with reduced numbers of eosinophils. Vaccinated (Th1-deficient) T-bet KO mice showed reduced clearance and similar pathology. In summary, after challenge vaccination increased lung pathology, TNF-alpha expression (only WCV), and IH parameters. Th1 cells were critical for clearance.

Administration, Intranasal↗

Expression of the small heat-shock protein alphaB-crystallin in tauopathies with glial pathology.

Intracellular accumulations of filamentous material composed of tau proteins are defining features of sporadic and familial neurodegenerative disorders termed "tauopathies." In Alzheimer's disease, the most common tauopathy, tau pathology is predominantly localized within neurons; however, robust glial pathology occurs in other tauopathies. Although the pathogenesis of tauopathies remains primarily unknown, molecular chaperones such as heat-shock proteins (HSPs) are implicated in these tau disorders as well as other neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the accumulation of insoluble protein aggregates such as alpha-synuclein in Parkinson's disease and polyglutamine in Huntington's disease. We analyzed a variety of tauopathies with antibodies to a panel of HSPs to determine their role in the pathogenesis of these disorders. Although HSPs are not found in neuronal tau inclusions, we demonstrate increased expression of the small HSP alphaB-crystallin in glial inclusions of both sporadic and familial tauopathies. alphaB-crystallin was observed in a subset of astrocytic and oligodendrocytic tau inclusions as well as the neuropil thread pathology in cellular processes, but the co-expression of alphaB-crystallin with tau inclusions was relatively specific to tauopathies with extensive glial pathology. Thus, increased alphaB-crystallin expression in glial tau inclusions may represent a response by glia to the accumulation of misfolded or aggregated tau protein that is linked to the pathogenesis of the glial pathology and distinct from mechanisms underlying neuronal tau pathology in neurodegenerative disease.

Astrocytes↗

Do patients with OCD and pathological gambling have similar dysfunctional cognitions?

The obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorder (OCSD) theory postulates that a wide range of disorders is closely related to OCD. Current cognitive models ascertain that certain beliefs leading to misinterpretation of the significance of intrusions are important in the etiology and maintenance of OCD. This study examined whether pathological gambling, a disorder belonging to the OC spectrum, is characterized by similar dysfunctional cognitions as OCD. Dysfunctional beliefs of OCD patients were compared to those of patients with pathological gambling, panic disorder and normal controls. These beliefs were measured by the Obsessive-compulsive Beliefs Questionnaire-87 (OBQ-87), which was developed by a group of leading OCD researchers [Behav. Res. Ther. 35 (1997) 667]. It was hypothesized that according to the OCSD theory, pathological gamblers would exhibit similar cognitions to OCD patients, as well as increased levels of OCD symptoms. Analysis showed that OCD patients exhibited higher OBQ-87 scores than both panic patients and normal controls, but equal to pathological gambling patients. Pathological gamblers exhibited, however, no increase in OCD symptoms. These mixed results do not seem to support the OC spectrum theory for pathological gambling, moreover being contradictory to contemporary cognitive OCD models.

Adult↗

Disrupted sensory gating in pathological gambling.

BACKGROUND: Some neurochemical evidence as well as recent studies on molecular genetics suggest that pathologic gambling may be related to dysregulated dopamine neurotransmission. METHODS: The current study examined sensory (motor) gating in pathologic gamblers as a putative measure of endogenous brain dopamine activity with prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle eye-blink response and the auditory P300 event-related potential. Seventeen pathologic gamblers and 21 age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects were assessed. Both prepulse inhibition measures were recorded under passive listening and two-tone prepulse discrimination conditions. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, pathologic gamblers exhibited disrupted sensory (motor) gating on all measures of prepulse inhibition. Sensory motor gating deficits of eye-blink responses were most profound at 120-millisecond prepulse lead intervals in the passive listening task and at 240-millisecond prepulse lead intervals in the two-tone prepulse discrimination task. Sensory gating of P300 was also impaired in pathologic gamblers, particularly at 500-millisecond lead intervals, when performing the discrimination task on the prepulse. CONCLUSIONS: In the context of preclinical studies on the disruptive effects of dopamine agonists on prepulse inhibition, our findings suggest increased endogenous brain dopamine activity in pathologic gambling in line with previous neurobiological findings.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

Percent of cancer in the biopsy set predicts pathological findings after prostatectomy.

PURPOSE: The ability to use pretreatment variables to identify patients with organ confined prostate cancer continues to challenge physicians. We examined information available preoperatively, including prostate needle biopsy, clinical stage and preoperative prostate specific antigen (PSA), and evaluated these data based on pathological variables after radical retropubic prostatectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed results in 135 consecutive patients who underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy at a single institution. Needle biopsy information, such as the number of cores, percent of tumor per biopsy set, laterality of positive cores and Gleason sum, were compared with pathological data on the radical retropubic prostatectomy specimen, including pathological stage, Gleason sum and tumor volume. Clinical data, including biopsy information and pathological findings, were compared using univariate and multivariate models. RESULTS: Overall total PSA, percent of tumor in the biopsy and bilateral positive cores directly correlated with tumor volume (p <0.01). Also, increasing PSA, increasing percent of tumor in the biopsy and bilateral positive cores were associated with increased risks of extracapsular extension (p <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: From the information readily available from prostate needle biopsy these results suggest that percent of tumor in the biopsy is a useful predictor of pathological stage and tumor volume. Furthermore, including percent of tumor in the biopsy set and bilateral disease with traditional variables such as serum PSA and clinical stage may improve pretreatment tumor staging. This finding adds additional credence to the inclusion of percent of tumor in the biopsy set in models for the preoperative prediction of pathological stage and should be factored into discussions with patients on treatment options.

Adult↗

Using the percentage of biopsy cores positive for cancer, pretreatment PSA, and highest biopsy Gleason sum to predict pathologic stage after radical prostatectomy: the Center for Prostate Disease Research nomograms.

OBJECTIVES: To develop probability nomograms to predict pathologic outcome at the time of radical prostatectomy (RP) on the basis of established prognostic factors and prostate biopsy quantitative histology. METHODS: Using information from the database of the Center for Prostate Disease Research (CPDR), univariate and multivariate analyses were performed on 1510 men who had undergone transrectal ultrasound and biopsy for diagnosis and had radical prostatectomy as primary therapy, with variables of age, race, clinical stage, pretreatment prostate-specific antigen (PSA), biopsy Gleason sum, and percentage of biopsy cores positive for cancer (total number of cores positive for cancer divided by the total number of cores obtained). The percentages of biopsy cores positive were grouped as less than 30%, 30% to 59%, and greater than or equal to 60%. The three most significant variables were used to develop probability nomograms for pathologic stage. RESULTS: PSA, biopsy Gleason sum, and percentage of cores positive were the three most significant independent predictors of pathologic stage. The assigned percentage of biopsy core-positive subgroups along with pretreatment PSA and highest Gleason sum were used to develop probability nomograms for pathologic stage. CONCLUSIONS: Pretreatment PSA, highest biopsy Gleason sum, and the percentage of cores positive for cancer are the most significant predictors for pathologic stage after radical prostatectomy. On the basis of these findings, CPDR probability nomograms were developed to predict pathologic outcome at the time of RP.

Adult↗

TNF-receptor 1 deficiency fails to alter the clinical and pathological course in mice with globoid cell leukodystrophy (twitcher mice) but affords protection following LPS challenge.

Twitcher mice have an autosomal recessive mutation in the gene for the lysosomal enzyme galactosylceramidase, which is the same gene that is affected in human globoid cell leukodystrophy (Krabbe's disease). The failure to digest galactosylceramide and psychosine leads to initial pathological changes in oligodendrocytes. Secondary pathological changes that include infiltrating macrophages and other inflammatory responses have been postulated to promote the disease course. TNFalpha levels are elevated in twitcher mice compared to control animals, and studies on another demyelinating disease, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, indicate that TNF promotes pathogenesis via TNF-receptor 1 (TNF-R1). In the present study, twitcher/TNF-R1 deficient mice were generated, and the clinical and pathological course was compared between these mice and regular twitcher mice. There was no statistical evidence for any differences between these two groups of mice for all clinical (life span, weight loss, onset day of twitching) and pathological (demyelination, astrocyte gliosis, macrophage infiltration) measures that were examined. If mice were administered an intraperitoneal injection of LPS, then twitcher/TNF-R1 deficient mice had a longer [corrected] life span and a decreased [corrected] disruption to the blood-brain barrier compared to regular twitcher mice. These results showed that TNF-R1 is not sufficiently activated to affect the pathological and/or clinical signs during the natural course of this disease. However, when there is a secondary insult, TNF-R1 activation does lead to a significant acceleration of the development of clinical and pathological signs.

Animals↗

Pathologically-proven intracranial germinoma treated with radiation therapy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: A retrospective multi-institutional study was conducted to survey what percentage of intracranial germinomas were treated with pathological confirmation before radiotherapy and to investigate the influence of field selection on outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-seven percent of patients (41 of 110 patients) were pathologically confirmed before radiotherapy during the past 16 years at eight institutions in Northern Japanese prefectures. Pathological confirmation was obtained in 26, 37 and 53% of cases during 1978-1983, 1984-1989 and 1990-1994, respectively. All 110 patients were examined using computed tomography (CT) scans. Among the 41 patients with pathologically confirmed germinoma, radiation fields were craniospinal in 23 patients, whole-brain in 10 patients and local without ventricle inclusion in eight patients. RESULTS: For the 41 patients with pathologically confirmed germinoma, the actuarial and cause-specific survival rates were 91/94% at 5 years and 87/90% at 10 years, respectively. The relapse-free survival rate at 10 years was 90. 76 and 22% for the craniospinal field, whole-brain field and local field without ventricle inclusion, respectively. CONCLUSION: Pathological confirmation was obtained in only 37% of CT-scan era cases, although the confirmations were more commonly carried out later in the study period. Limited local irradiation alone without ventricle inclusion cannot be recommended for localized tumors even with the help of CT scanning.

Adolescent↗

On the classification and diagnosis of pathological grief.

It has been suggested that pathological grief should become either a separate category of mental disorder or be integrated within existing, extended classifications in systems such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Despite strong arguments for inclusion, and advancements by scientists toward development of diagnostic classification, there has been a lack of critical evaluation. Several issues need further scrutiny and clarification. These concern the definition of pathological grief, the distinction of pathological from normal grief, its relationship with other disorders, and the lack of agreement among scientists about criteria for pathological grief. Further research needs to focus on delineation of syndromes that comprise "pathological grief," and on derivation of acceptable, valid, diagnostic criteria. Evaluation of the ramifications--both positive and potentially negative--associated with the revision of the diagnostic status of pathological grief needs also to be undertaken.

Grief↗