Paraneoplastic syndrome in lung cancer

Aim: To study the nature of different variants of paraneoplastic syndrome (PNPS) in lung cancer, taking into account the features of the tumorous process and the complications of radiochemotherapy. Patients and Methods: We performed an analysis of the data of 1,669 patients with lung cancer aged between 24 and 87 years, among whom there were 89% of men and 11% of women. The ratio of small cell and non-small-cell histological variants of the lung cancer was 1: 4, IB, IIA, IIB, IIIA, IIIB and IV stages of cancer — 1:2:6:58:43:57. Results: PNPS developed in 16% of the lung cancer patients, in these patients we have detected a marked increase in the disease incidence in women, the peripheral form of the tumor, the apical variant of Pancoast — Tobias and adenocarcinoma, but no cases of the median lower localization of the tumor. The number of the upper lobar pathology was decreased, while the severity of the cancer was significantly greater, which more often occurred with exudative pleurisy, germination of the tumor into the chest wall and compression of the upper vena cava. The 21 components of PNPS pathology were established. We distributed them conditionally into the musculoskeletal system lesions, variants of skin vasculitis and autoimmune processes, the nature of which depended on the localization and course of the tumorous process, its histological variation and severity of the course. Moreover, PNPS negatively affected the development of radiochemotherapy complications and worsened survival rate. Conclusions: The course of PNPS in lung cancer is highly diverse, being a risk factor for a severe tumorous process that worsens the survival of patients. Key Words: lung cancer, paraneoplastic syndrome

The state of bone metabolism in lung cancer patients

In recent years, we have discussed the correlation of malignant tumor process with the development of osteoporosis, which can be exacerbated by ongoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The aim of the work was to assess the status of bone metabolism in 32 untreated patients with lung cancer without metastasis. Materials and Methods: Patients underwent dual-energy X-ray osteodensitometry of proximal part of femoral bone. Osteopontin (OP), osteocalcin (OC) and alkaline phosphatase (AP) parameters were studied in blood, as well as osteo-associated chemical elements. Results: Lung cancer proceeds with severe disorders of bone metabolism, which is accompanied by an increase in blood levels of OP, OС, AP, phosphorus, lithium, lead, strontium and cobalt against a decrease of calcium, magnesium and manganese, which were observed in 75; 78; 31; 100; 66; 47; 44; 3; 100; 100, and 6% of patients, respectively; such disorder was associated with a morphological variant of the tumor (cobalt) and stage of disease (calcium, magnesium, manganese, strontium), development of osteodeficit (OP, OC, AR, strontium, zinc). Osteodeficit in the form of osteopenia and osteoporosis is observed more common in women, in every second patient, and osteodensimetric T-score depends on the age of patients, directly correlates with the values of the OP and OC, and inversely — with a zincemia rate. Conclusions: The disorders of bone metabolism in patients with lung cancer indicate the need for the development of antiosteoporosis treatment for cancer patients. Key Words: lung cancer, bone metabolism

A Decade of U.S. Air Force Bat Strikes

From 1997 through 2007, 821 bat strikes were reported to the U.S. Air Force (USAF) Safety Center by aircraft personnel or ground crew and sent to the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, for identification. Many samples were identified by macroscopic and or microscopic comparisons with bat specimens housed in the museum and augmented during the last 2 years by DNA analysis. Bat remains from USAF strikes during this period were received at the museum from 40 states in the United States and from 20 countries. We confirmed that 46% of the strikes were caused by bats, but we did not identify them further; we identified 5% only to the family or genus level, and 49% to the species level. Fifty-five of the 101 bat-strike samples submitted for DNA analysis have been identified to the species level. Twenty-five bat species have been recorded striking USAF planes worldwide. The Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis; n = 173) is the species most commonly identified in USAF strike impacts, followed by the red bat (Lasiurus borealis; n = 83). Bat strikes peak during the spring and fall, with \u3e57% occurring from August through October; 82% of the reports that included time of strike were recorded between 2100 and 0900 hours. More than 12% of the bat strikes were reported at \u3e300 m above ground level (AGL). Although$825,000 and \u3e50% of this sum was attributable to 5 bat-strike incidents. Only 5 bats from the 10 most damaging bat strikes were identified to the species level, either because we did not receive remains with the reports or the sample was insufficient for identification

Paraneoplastic syndrome in lung cancer

Aim: To study the nature of different variants of paraneoplastic syndrome (PNPS) in lung cancer, taking into account the features of the tumorous process and the complications of radiochemotherapy. Patients and Methods: We performed an analysis of the data of 1,669 patients with lung cancer aged between 24 and 87 years, among whom there were 89% of men and 11% of women. The ratio of small cell and non-small-cell histological variants of the lung cancer was 1: 4, IB, IIA, IIB, IIIA, IIIB and IV stages of cancer — 1:2:6:58:43:57. Results: PNPS developed in 16% of the lung cancer patients, in these patients we have detected a marked increase in the disease incidence in women, the peripheral form of the tumor, the apical variant of Pancoast — Tobias and adenocarcinoma, but no cases of the median lower localization of the tumor. The number of the upper lobar pathology was decreased, while the severity of the cancer was significantly greater, which more often occurred with exudative pleurisy, germination of the tumor into the chest wall and compression of the upper vena cava. The 21 components of PNPS pathology were established. We distributed them conditionally into the musculoskeletal system lesions, variants of skin vasculitis and autoimmune processes, the nature of which depended on the localization and course of the tumorous process, its histological variation and severity of the course. Moreover, PNPS negatively affected the development of radiochemotherapy complications and worsened survival rate. Conclusions: The course of PNPS in lung cancer is highly diverse, being a risk factor for a severe tumorous process that worsens the survival of patients. Key Words: lung cancer, paraneoplastic syndrome

Peculiarities of lung cancer clinical course in woman comparing with men

Introduction: In recent years there has been a redistribution of the lung cancer (LC) frequency in groups of different sexes according to the histological variants, localization of the disease and dissemination. Aim: to evaluate the sexual dimorphism of the lung cancer (LC) clinical course, to reveal peculiarities of lung cancer clinical course in woman comparing with men. Patients and methods: there were 1071 LC patients under observation at the National Cancer Institute (Kyiv) from 2000 to 2015, which were included in the main object of the study. Among these patients there were 887 (82.8%) men and 184 (17.2%) women, at the age of 59.7±0.32 years and 57.0±0.89 years, respectively. Results: The patients’ sex has an effect on the integral parameters of the LC course, the localization of the tumor process and the nature of the complications. The side of the lung lesions, localization in lobes, the form of the disease, the histological variant of LC and its staging, the development of small cell cancer, adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma depend on the sex of the patients. Women had more often middle lobe right lung lesion and upper lobe localization of both lungs. Women were 52% more likely to have IV lung cancer stage; the germination of LC in the ribs was not observed in women at all, and the compression syndrome and tracheal injury accordingly appeared less often at 52% and 72%, whereas pleurisy was observed 2.2 times more often. Metastasis in women was observed 27 times more often in the thyroid gland, 16.5 times - in the abdominal wall, 2.2 times - in the brain. The metastatic lesion of the skeleton (the so-called “bone form of the LC”) was the prerogative of women. Adenocarcinoma of the upper lobe diagnosed in women 2.2 times more often, and squamous cell carcinoma - 2 times less often. Female sex has an effect on metastases in the mediastinal and inguinal lymphatic nodes, lung, thyroid and spine. The gender parameters of survival in men and women were the same. Conclusions: the course of the LC in woman has its own dimorphism, which is a risk factor for a severe tumorous process

ЕКСПЕРТНЕ ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ ДОРОЖНЬО-ТРАНСПОРТНИХ ПОДІЙ, ПОВ’ЯЗАНИХ ІЗ НАЇЗДОМ НА ПІШОХОДІВ ПРИ НЕНАЛЕЖНОМУ ТЕХНІЧНОМУ ОБЛАШТУВАННІ ПІШОХІДНОГО ПЕРЕХОДУ

Consideration is given to the questions raised by experts when conducting the forensic autotechnical examinations (expert research) in the event of run down on pedestrians who crossed the roadway on a ground unregulated pedestrian crossing.Розглянуто питання, які виникають у експертів під час проведення судових автотехнічних експертиз (експертних досліджень) при наїзді на пішоходів, які перетинали проїзну частину по наземному нерегульованому пішохідному переході

Comparative assessment of primary and paraneoplastic gout in lung cancer

Abstract Introduction. Lung cancer (LС) is the most common cause of the so-called paraneoplastic syndrome (PNPS) development, caused by the complex immunoinflammatory, degenerative and vascular distant changes. The risk of LC development is increased in patients with gout which proves the connection between violations of purine metabolism and carcinogenesis. Paraneoplastic (neoplastic) gout is one of the relatively frequent manifestations of LC, but such a relationship of the diseases requires further study. The objective of the study: to compare the clinical and laboratory course of primary gout and disease in the LC patients compared with the tumor process clinical course in the other signs of PNPS presence and to identify risk factors. Materials and methods. 113 patients with gout (97 men and 16 women aged 33 to 79 years) were observed. They were divided into two groups: the first group consisted of 54 patients with primary gout and the second group consisted of 59 patients with paraneoplastic variant of LC. Whereas in the 1st group the ratio of men and women was 26:1, in the 2nd – only 3: 1, and the average age was 50 and 59 years, respectively. The clinical course of gout and tumor process in the 2nd (main) group was compared with that in 199 LC patients with PNPS (comparison group), which was diagnosed in 15.5 % of LC observations. Purine metabolism was assessed by blood levels of uric acid and oxypurinol, their renal clearance, serum activity of xanthine oxidase, xanthine deaminase, adenosine deaminase, and 5-nucleotidase. Results. Paraneoplastic (neoplastic) gout develops in 3.5 % of the LC patients and in 22.9 % of those with PNPS. It differs from the primary (idiopathic) gout by the greater frequency of the disease development in women, the hand joints involvement and the metabolic type of hyperuricemia, but less often observed urolithiasis, peripheral tophi, chronic form of arthritis and the absence of renal type of purine metabolism impairment. Patients with tumorous gout differ from other LC patients with PNPS by the absence of bilateral and median lobe localization of the lung process, but relatively frequent occurrence of Pancoast tumor, high levels of uric acid and xanthine oxidase in the blood. The development of paraneoplastic gout depends on the clinical course of the LC (tumor invasion into the thoracic wall and pericardium, the number of distant organs metastasis) and the power of chemotherapy, the use of alkylating antineoplastic agents and alkaloids. Treatment-associated myelodepression, radiation pneumofibrosis and acute thrombophlebitis development depends on paraneoplastic gout. The presence of gout does not worsen the survival of LC patients with PNPS. LC patients with hyperuricemia (> 420 μmol / l in men and > 360 μmol / L in women) should be prescribed with xanthine oxidase inhibitor - allopurinol in the complex of therapeutic measures. Conclusions. Paraneoplastic gout is a frequent PNPS manifestation in LC, its course has peculiarities compared with the primary gout and is closely related to the tumor process character and the power of chemotherapy, it can determine the complications development in the course of therapeutic interventions. The data presented in the study require further comparative analysis of the other signs of PNPS, comparison of tumor and idiopathic variants of the musculoskeletal system lesion, cutaneous vasculitis and autoimmune systemic syndromes, which might assist in developing of the additional prognostic criteria for the tumor process clinical course, increasing the efficiency of therapy and its control quality

A Decade of United States Air Force Bat Strikes

From 1997 to 2007, 821 bat strikes were reported to the United States Air Force (USAF). Many samples were identified by macroscopic and/or microscopic comparisons with bat specimens housed in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, and in recent years by using molecular techniques. We received bat strike reports from 20 countries and 40 of the United States during this time frame. Forty-six percent of the strikes were identified to order; 5% were identified to family or genus; and 49% were identified to the species level. Fiftyfive of the 101 bat strikes submitted for DNA analysis since 2006 resulted in species-level identifications. Twenty-five species of bat have been recorded striking USAF planes world-wide. The most commonly identified bat involved in USAF strike impacts is the Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis; n=173), followed by the red bat (Lasiurus borealis; n=83). Bat strikes peaked during the spring and fall with more than 57% taking place between August and October; 82% of the strikes that recorded a mishap time occurred between 2100 and 0900; and more than 12% of the bat strikes were reported at or above 1000 feet. Although less than 1% of the bat strike reports indicated damage to USAF aircraft, cumulative damages for 1997-2007 totaled over $825,000.00 and more than half of this sum is attributed to five bat strikes. Only five of the ten most damaging bat strikes were identified to the species level because we did not receive samples, or the evidence received was insufficient for identification. Improving the identification of bat species involved in aircraft strikes will increase our knowledge of bat movement, life history, and behavior, and help improve flying safety by predicting times, areas, and altitudes of increased bat movement and activity

The "waiting city". Gdynia - Gotenhafen (1926-1945)

Die polnische Stadt Gdynia während der deutschen Okkupation in den Jahren des Zweiten Weltkriegs: Alltagsleben, NS-Bevölkerungspolitik, militärische und wirtschaftliche Bedeutung des Hafens und der Stadt.The polish city of Gdynia during the german occupation in the Second World War: everyday life, national socialist's population policy, military and economic importance of the harbour and the city

Teacher and Parent/guardian Perspectives on Student Retention

Student retention, the practice of having a student repeat a grade level of schooling due to low academic performance or delayed behavioral and social development, is a common yet controversial educational practice in the United States. Extensive literature exists on the effects of retention on students’ academic outcomes, socialization, and self-esteem, but with mixed results. The perceptions of teachers and principals on the practice of retention have also been studied. Even though many school districts have policies stating that decisions on retaining students at the elementary level are made by teachers and parents/guardians, the perceptions of parents/guardians as compared to teachers on the practice of retention has not been thoroughly examined. This mixed methods study collected quantitative and qualitative data on the perceptions of teachers and parents/guardians on student retention through an established survey and through personal interviews. The study revealed that there are significant differences in the perceptions of parents/guardians as compared to teachers on when retention is appropriate for students. There are also differences in what teachers and parents/guardians identify as factors to consider for recommending retention and their long-term concerns for students when considering retention. Revealing these differences and understanding that both parties have an overall concern for the well-being of the student will help to bridge the communication gap between teachers and parents/guardians and guide them toward making collaborative decisions for students. Although this study is a first step toward this understanding and collaboration, there are many factors involved in making decisions on student retention, so these findings will require further research