A case with breast cancer under the nipple who underwent breast conserving treatment

Although breast conserving treatment (BCT) has become the standard therapy for early breast cancer, breast removal is still recommended for patients with a tumor beneath the nipple or with Paget’s disease. We have employed transposition of a latissimus dorsi myocutaneous (LD-MC) flap after wide local excision of a tumor with the nipple-areola complex. A new nipple-areola complex was reconstructed on the LD-MC flap after breast irradiation. Utilizing reconstructive techniques, BCT will likely become the treatment of choice for more patients with early breast cancer.     

Lipoic (thioctic) acid increases brain energy availability and skeletal muscle performance as shown by in vivo31P-MRS in a patient with mitochondrial cytopathy

A woman affected by chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia and muscle mitochondrial DNA deletion was studied by phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (³¹P-MRS) prior to and after 1 and 7 months of treatment with oral lipoic acid. Before treatment a decreased phosphocreatine (PCr) content was found in the occipital lobes, accompanied by normal inorganic phosphate (Pi) level and cytosolic pH. Based on these findings, we found a high cytosolic adenosine diphosphate concentration [ADP] and high relative rate of energy metabolism together with a low phosphorylation potential. Muscle MRS showed an abnormal work-energy cost transfer function and a low rate of PCr recovery during the post-exercise period. All of these findings indicated a deficit of mitochondrial function in both brain and muscle. Treatment with 600 mg lipoic acid daily for 1 month resulted in a 55% increase of brain [PCr], 72% increase of phosphorylation potential, and a decrease of calculated [ADP] and rate of energy metabolism. After 7 months of treatment MRS data and mitochondrial function had improved further. Treatment with lipoate also led to a 64% increase in the initial slope of the work-energy cost transfer function in the working calf muscle and worsened the rate of PCr resynthesis during recovery. The patient reported subjective improvement of general conditions and muscle performance after therapy. Our results indicate that treatment with lipoate caused a relevant increase in levels of energy available in brain and skeletal muscle during exercise.     

Defining harm reduction

Harm reduction attempts to reduce the adverse consequences of drug use among persons who continue to use drugs. It developed in response to the excesses of a “zero tolerance approach”. Harm reduction emphasizes practical rather than idealized goals. It has been expanded from illicit drugs to legal drugs and is grounded in the evolving public health and advocacy movements. Harm reduction has proved to be effective and it has gained increasing official acceptance; for example, it is now the basis of Canada's Drug Strategy. However, the concept is still poorly defined, as virtually any drug policy or programme, even abstinence-oriented programmes, attempt to reduce drug-related harm. The principle feature of harm reduction is the acceptance of the fact that some drug users cannot be expected to cease their drug use at the present time. Harm reduction is neutral about the long term goals of intervention while according a high priority to short-term realizable goals. Harm reduction should be neutral about legalization. The essence of the concept is to ameliorate adverse consequences of drug use while, at least in the short term, drug use continues.     

The impacts of breast conserving treatment and mastectomy on the quality of life in early-stage breast cancer patients

The quality of life (QOL) in 55 early-stage breast cancer patients after surgery was prospectively assessed using a newly developed Japanese QOL questionnaire: The QOL Questionnaire for Cancer Patients Treated with Anticancer Drugs (QOL-ACD). The impacts of breast conserving treatment (BCT) (22 cases) and modified radical mastectomy (MRM) (33 cases) on the QOL in those subjects were compared. The overall QOL scores were evaluated during four periods (before surgery, 0–2, 3–12, and 13–24 months after surgery). The mean scores of the four categories of the QOL-ACD (activity, physical condition, psychological condition, and social relationships) were also compared. The results demonstrated that a significant improvement was observed in the overall QOL scores among the three periods after surgery (0–2, 3–12, and 13–24 months) only in the BCT group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the overall QOL scores during any of the three periods after surgery, and the mean score of the ‘psychological condition’ during 0–2 months period in the BCT group was significantly lower than that in the MRM group (P< 0.05).     

The effect of the illumination time when treating port-wine stains

This paper reports the electron microscopy results obtained from two patients who were treated with 5 W of yellow (578 nm) light from a copper vapour laser with an illumination time of 3.6 ms and a 0.3 mm spot diameter. The endpoint of treatment was transient blanching. Following treatment, erythema was observed. There was minimal damage to the epidermis and non-vascular tissue such as the nerve fibres. There was severe damage to the endothelial cells of the ectatic vessels. Twenty-four hours after treatment, platelet activation and collagen were present, indicating that these vessels were no longer viable. Theoretical calculations are used to determine the flow of heat within and away from a 50m diameter vessel. From this, heating of the entire vessel is shown to occur with illumination times of 4 ms, with minimal heating of the non-vascular tissue. Shorter illuminations do not heat the entire vessel, while the use of longer illumination times will cause excessive damage to the surrounding non-vascular tissue. Illumination times close to 4 ms must be regarded as optimal.     

城市生活垃圾无害化处理的研究

目的：研究城市生活垃圾无害化自理问题。方法：用微生物对１００吨城市生活垃圾进行自理第六天使垃圾的温度超过７０℃,且在此温度下保持７天,然后温度逐渐下降到１５天。结果：自理后在垃圾固有微生物中,细菌总数、真菌数、产气荚膜杆菌量及烘大肠菌的量分别下降了９５．５１％、９９．０９％、８７．６０％和９９．７０％。对金黄色葡萄球菌１大肠杆菌、枯草芽孢杆菌、白色念球菌、乙型肝炎病毒及蛔虫卵的杀灭率分别是９９．９     

蛛网膜下腔出血的院前诊治体会—附6例病例报告

蛛网膜下腔出血要强调诊断快速、准确,本病特点为突发,“头要裂开”样剧痛,重者伴有颅内压增高表现和神经根刺激征。脑膜刺激征是本病的主要体征。处置：应减少搬动,镇静、止痛,必要时降低血压或颅内压。尽早转入医院治疗。强调：行脑血管形象学检查是进一步找出病因、进行根冶的必须手段。     

综合治疗对脑梗塞相关危险因素的影响

目的　探讨综合治疗对脑梗塞复发的相关危险因素的影响。方法　随机选择85 例脑梗塞伴各类危险因素患者在综合治疗前后,对他们进行血压、空腹血糖、胆固醇、甘油三酯及血液流变学等8 项指标的测定。结果　经过1 ～3 年临床观察随访,有50 % 以上高血糖、高血脂、高粘滞血症患者检验指标趋于正常,94 .3 % 的高血压得到控制与稳定,经t 检验,血液流变学4 项P 值< 0 .05 ,差异有显著意义,高血压、空腹血糖、胆固醇、甘油三酯的P 值< 0 .01 ,差异有非常显著意义。结论　综合治疗对控制相关危险因素,预防脑梗塞复发有重要临床意义     

Impact of Treatment for Childhood Obesity on Parental Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease

Background. Family-based approaches using the parents as agents of change to treat childhood obesity are superior to programs targeting only children in achieving weight reduction and have a lower dropout rate.Objective. The aim of this study was to compare the impact of two behavioral approaches (parents only vs children only) for the treatment of childhood obesity on parental weight, eating, and activity habits as well as cardiovascular risk factors.Design. A randomized 1-year clinical intervention study was performed.Methods. Sixty obese children (≥20% over ideal weight for age, height, and sex), ages 6–11 years, were randomly allocated to the experimental (parents as sole agents of change) or conventional groups (children as sole agents of change). Fourteen (1-h-long) support/educational sessions were conducted by a clinical dietitian for the parents in the experimental group and 30 sessions for children in the conventional group. Anthropometric and biochemical measurements were determined at the start and end of the program.Results. The experimental approach, when compared to the conventional intervention, was found to be superior in the reduction of fathers overweight (P < 0.05). The former approach resulted also in improved profile of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in both parents. These changes could be ascribed to a greater improvement in eating and activity behaviors observed in parents belonging to the experimental intervention group who participated in a family-based intervention to treat their children's obesity.Conclusions. Treatment of childhood obesity targeting the parents as the sole agent of change, which is more effective for the treatment of childhood obesity when compared to a children-oriented program, may in addition award parents with the benefit of changing their own eating and activity patterns, thus making this program ideal for treatment of obesity in children and their overweight parents.