Systematic review of acceptability,cardiovascular, neurological,bone health and HRT outcomes following risk reducing surgery in BRCA carriers

Primary surgical prevention in the form of risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) is the most effective option and the gold standard for ovarian cancer (OC) risk-reduction, particularly given the absence of an effective national OC screening programme. However, premenopausal RRSO leads to premature surgical menopause with detrimental long-term health sequelae particularly in women who do not/are unable to take hormone replacement therapy (HRT). HRT uptake in women undergoing pre-menopausal oophorectomy appears low and is dependent on informed counselling, the safety of HRT and efficacy in mitigating the health sequelae of premature menopause. Acceptance of a central role for the fallopian tube in OC etiopathogenesis, coupled with the detrimental consequences of premature menopause, has led to the attractive proposal of early-salpingectomy with delayed oophorectomy as an alternative OC surgical prevention strategy in premenopausal women who have completed childbearing but decline or wish to delay RRSO. The successful implementation of risk reducing surgery for OC prevention depends on the acceptability of surgery to both, recipients (e.g. BRCA1/BRCA2 carriers) and intervention deliverers (healthcare professionals/researchers). Acceptability is also informed by an understanding of health outcomes following risk reducing surgery and the safety of HRT. It is therefore vital to understand the effects of surgery on important health outcomes such as cardiovascular health, neurological function and bone health. We present a comprehensive review of acceptability, the selected health outcomes mentioned above and HRT safety following risk reducing surgery.     

Measuring the Quality of Hospital-based Domestic Violence Programs

OBJECTIVE: To obtain consensus among a panel of experts on performance measures useful for evaluating the quality of hospital-based domestic violence (DV) programs. METHODS: The Delphi process of consensus development was used with a panel of 18 experts including DV researchers, program planners, and advocates. Three rounds were conducted over a period of six months, with each round involving the completion of a written questionnaire. Panelists were instructed to concentrate on structure and process measures of DV program performance. Health outcome measures were not considered. During each round, panelists rated (scale of 1-5) their level of agreement with each measure, in terms of the measure's usefulness for evaluating hospital-based DV programs. Data were entered into SPSS on a personal computer and frequency distributions, measures of central tendency, and variance were computed for each measure. Consensus development was defined as a reduction in the item-specific variance from one round to the next. RESULTS: A total of 37 performance measures were agreed upon. These measures fell within nine different domains of DV program activities, including: Policies and Procedures, Hospital Physical Environment, Hospital Cultural Environment, Training of Providers, Screening and Safety Assessment, Documentation, Intervention Services, Evaluation Activities, and Collaboration. CONCLUSIONS: A number of measures have been identified as useful for evaluating hospital-based DV programs. Use of these measures should assist researchers, program planners, and administrators in assessing the quality of hospital-based DV programs.     

Glafenine-associated anaphylaxis as a cause of hospital admission in the Netherlands

Summary In 1981 generalized anaphylaxis was registered on 166 occasions in Dutch general and academic hospitals. Clinical details of 120 of those patients revealed that in 107 anaphylaxis was either probable (n=90) or possible (n=17), whereas in 13 cases some other reaction than anaphylaxis had occurred. The series of confirmed cases contained 46 men and 61 women, with mean ages of 47 y and 48 y, respectively.There was a complete recovery in 102 patients and two patients died. Hypotension was present in 79 cases (74%), dyspnoea in 34 cases (32%) and a skin reaction, mainly urticaria, erythema or angioedema, was mentioned in 62 cases (58%). Most cases of anaphylaxis were drug-induced (76%), the main causes being the analgesic glafenine and contrast media. Glafenine was mentioned as the cause in 36% of all admissions for drug-induced anaphylaxis. Only 3.7% of cases had been reported to the voluntary reporting scheme of the Netherlands Centre for Monitoring of Adverse Reactions to Drugs.On the basis of reimbursement data, the risk of developing severe anaphylaxis to glafenine was estimated at 11.7–19.3-fold relative to indomethacin, and 13.4–20.2-fold relative to oral penicillins.     

Some practical perspectives for educating gifted children

This article identifies common characteristics of educationally related programs that form a common basis for understanding and working with gifted programs. Special approaches and programs for educational enrichment as well as specific activities that have been successful are discussed.     

Drug related hospital admissions

Summary As part of a high-intensity monitoring study of drug events as the cause of admission to departments of internal medicine, the effect of an educational intervention programme was studied. Two departments were included, one specialising in geriatrics and one that received patients by non-selected referral. The series consisted of 607 consecutive admissions studied before and 703 after the intervention. The drug events considered were adverse drug reactions and dose-related therapeutic failures, mainly due to non-compliance.A modest, statistically non-significant decrease in drug related hospital admissions (DRH) was seen, from 14% before to 13% after the intervention period. However, DRHs classified as definitely avoidable showed the significant decrease of 83%.There was no apparent relationship between the topics selected for the intervention programme and changes in the pattern of DRHs. No relationship between alterations in sales data and hospital admissions caused by a given drug could be demonstrated. A blinded external evaluation of case abstracts did not disclose any significant shift in the investigators' assessments.The intervention may have had an non-specific effect on avoidable DRHs.     

Implications of remarriage and stepfamily formation for marriage education*

Couples in remarriages with stepchildren are a significant portion of the marriage population and have unique educational needs regarding aspects of couple functioning within the context of stepfamily development. From a review of the literature, we examine current curricula focused on these couples. Information is offered on implementation issues regarding recruitment, delivery context, facilitator and participant characteristics, and evaluation.     

规范临床新技术、新项目管理的做法与体会

探讨安徽省立医院规范临床新技术、新项目管理的做法:一是明确新技术、新项目的管理范畴和管理部门;二是抓好申报与管理的三个环节;三是管理与激励并重,实现两个效益稳步增长.并结合三年来的实践谈自身体会.     

药物构效关系研究与药物设计中常用计算机软件

分子力学、量子化学和分子图形学是研究有机药物分子电子特性、空间性质及其与受体相互作用的有力工具。现扼要介绍国内外较常用的量子化学和分子力学及分子图形学有关计算机程序的应用特性。     

乙型肝炎病毒转基因小鼠体内肝靶向反义RNA抗病毒疗效研究

目的：探讨半乳糖修饰的反义RNA真核表达质粒在乙型肝炎病毒转基因小鼠体内的抗病毒作用。方法：以半乳糖多聚赖氨酸（Gal-PLL)作肝靶向载体，将乙型肝炎病毒基因C区的反义RNA真核表达重组质粒（pCEP4-aC）制备为Gal-PLL－pCEP4-aC。将24只血清HBV DNA、HBsAg阳性的小鼠，随机等分为Gal-PLL－pCEP4-aC治疗组、Gal-PLL-pCEP4对照组和生理盐水阴性对照组，于实验第1天尾静脉分别注射Gal-PLL－pCEP4-aC、Gal-PLL－pCEP4（100μg/只）和等体积的生理盐水，观察治疗前后血清HBV DNA以及HBsAg变化。结果：Gal-PLL－pCEP4-aC治疗组21天时血清HBV－DNA转阴率62．5％（5／8），且7，14，21天时血清HBsAg明显降低；而Gal-PLL－pCEP4组血清HBV DNA转阴1只（1／8），生理盐水组8只均未转阴，两组用药后血清中HBsAg与用药前比较差异性均不明显（P＞0．05）。结论：肝靶向反义RNA能在乙肝基因小鼠体内抑制HBV的复制和抗原表达。