A Case of Primary Cutaneous Mucinous Carcinoma with Neuroendocrine Differentiation

Primary cutaneous mucinous carcinoma is a rare malignant tumor that originates from the deepest portion of the eccrine sweat duct. Common sites of involvement are the face and scalp. Biopsy shows dermal epithelial cell islands embedded in mucin pools separated by fibrous septae. It is difficult to differentiate this tumor histologically from metastatic adenocarcinoma. Recurrence after excision is common but metastases are rare. We report a primary cutaneous mucinous carcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation on the right cheek of a 63-year-old man.     

Relation of sweat chloride concentration to severity of lung disease in cystic fibrosis

In cystic fibrosis (CF), sweat chloride concentration has been proposed as an index of CFTR function for testing systemic drugs designed to activate mutant CFTR. This suggestion arises from the assumption that greater residual CFTR function should lead to a lower sweat chloride concentration, as well as protection against severe lung disease. This logic gives rise to the hypothesis that the lower the sweat chloride concentration, the less severe the lung disease. In order to test this hypothesis, we studied 230 patients homozygous for the DeltaF508 allele, and 34 patients with at least one allele associated with pancreatic sufficiency, born since January 1, 1955, who have pulmonary function data and sweat chloride concentrations recorded in our CF center database, and no culture positive for B. cepacia. We calculated a severity index for pulmonary disease, using an approach which takes into account all available pulmonary function data as well as the patient's current age and survival status. Patients with alleles associated with pancreatic sufficiency had significantly better survival (P = 0.0083), lower sweat chloride concentration (81.4 +/- 23.8 vs. 103.2 +/- 14.2 mEq/l, P < 0.0001), slower rate of decline of FEV(1) % predicted (-0.75 +/- 0.34 vs. -2.34 +/- 0.17% predicted per year), and a better severity index than patients homozygous for the DeltaF508 allele (median 73rd percentile vs. median 55th percentile, P = 0.0004). However, the sweat chloride concentration did not correlate with the severity index, either in the population as a whole, or in the population of patients with alleles associated with pancreatic sufficiency, who are thought to have some residual CFTR function. These data suggest that, by itself, sweat chloride concentration does not necessarily predict a milder pulmonary course in patients with cystic fibrosis.     

Napping during the night shift and recovery after work among hospital nurses

OBJECTIVE:

To analyze the association between the length of napping during the night shift and the recovery after work among nurses.

METHOD:

Cross-sectional epidemiological study involving 1940 nurses from 18 public hospitals in the City of Rio de Janeiro. A multidimensional and self-applied questionnaire was used with information about health, sociodemographic and occupational characteristics, health-related behaviors and housework. Multiple logistic regression was applied to identify the association, adjusted for confounding variables.

RESULTS:

The gross analyses showed 44%, 127% and 66% higher chances of a high level of recovery after work for nurses who sleep up to two hours, between 2.1 and 3 hours and 3.1 hours or more, respectively, when compared to the nurses who do not sleep. After adjusting for confounding variables, the association only continues significant for the group that sleeps 2.1 to 3 hours during the night shift (OR=1.79; 95%CI=1.33-2.41).

CONCLUSION:

The association between the length of napping and the high level of recovery after work, confirmed in the present results, can be included in the studies that aim to support more appropriate policies aimed at improving the workers'' work, life and health conditions, not only in nursing, but night-shift workers in general.     

蓝光与眼健康

蓝光是波长介于400 ～ 500 nm的短波长光,蓝光对视网膜细胞造成损伤的特性引起了学者广泛的关注.同时,它在调节昼夜节律、产生暗视力以及屈光发育等方面具有重要作用.蓝光是否安全？是否该从日常生活中清除？本文对蓝光的作用及安全性问题作一综述.     

老年住院患者夜间给药安全的调查

目的：了解老年住院患者夜间药物服用情况及其影响因素,减少给药差错的发生。方法采用目的抽样方法,选择三级医院临床一线护士165名和老年患者274例为调查对象,通过对老年患者夜间跟踪调查及护理人员问卷调查,对结果进行Spearman相关性分析,了解影响口服药发放安全的风险因素。结果165名护士夜间安全给药执行情况,发药查对严格执行率最高,占90.9%,发药到口严格执行率最低,占33.3%。患者服用方式、服用时间与护士发药到口执行程度呈正相关( r值分别为0.407,0.335;P<0.05);患者遵医行为、服药姿势与护士对药物知识宣教执行程度呈正相关(r值分别为0.380,0.429;P<0.05);患者不良反应处理与护士观察服药后反应的执行程度呈正相关(r=0.464,P<0.05)。结论指导老年患者正确服用药物、提高其遵医行为应该作为老年患者健康教育的重要内容,开展对护理人员全面系统的药物相关知识培训,增加护士药品知识的储备能力也是降低夜间给药风险的必要措施。     

Correlations between night eating,sleep quality,and excessive daytime sleepiness in a severely obese UK population

Objective

The relationships between night eating, poor sleep quality, and obesity-related comorbidity in a severely obese UK clinic population is unknown. We used validated tools to identify prevalence and to explore this relationship.

Methods

Consecutive consenting clinic attendees completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Score (ESS), and Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ) to identify sleep quality, excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) (a surrogate marker for suspected obstructive sleep apnea [OSA]), and night eating, respectively. Proportions of individuals above and below tool cutoff points were compared. Pearson product moment correlation coefficients examined relationships between total scores.

Results

Reported prevalence from 144 participants (mean body mass index [BMI] 46.9 [9.5] kg/m²; age 44.6 [12.1] years; 68% women) had poor sleep quality (73.0%), suspected OSA (30.8%), and night-eating behavior (2.8%). The strongest correlation between PSQI and NEQ scores (r = 0.54; P < .001) was undiminished after controlling for EDS. Although significantly correlated, PSQI and ESS scores (r = 0.31; P < .001) reduced after controlling for night eating (r = 0.21; P = .02). Correlation between NEQ and ESS scores (r = 0.26; P = .002) was smaller and nonsignificant after controlling for sleep quality (r = 0.12; P = .18).

Conclusions

Poor sleep quality is common in severe obesity, though night eating is rare. The association between poor sleep quality and night eating is not influenced by the presence of EDS.     

The influence of shift work on cognitive functions and oxidative stress

Shift work influences health, performance, activity, and social relationships, and it causes impairment in cognitive functions. In this study, we investigated the effects of shift work on participants' cognitive functions in terms of memory, attention, and learning, and we measured the effects on oxidative stress. Additionally, we investigated whether there were significant relationships between cognitive functions and whole blood oxidant/antioxidant status of participants. A total of 90 health care workers participated in the study, of whom 45 subjects were night-shift workers. Neuropsychological tests were administered to the participants to assess cognitive function, and blood samples were taken to detect total antioxidant capacity and total oxidant status at 08:00. Differences in anxiety, depression, and chronotype characteristics between shift work groups were not significant. Shift workers achieved significantly lower scores on verbal memory, attention–concentration, and the digit span forward sub-scales of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R), as well as on the immediate memory and total learning sub-scales of the Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT). Oxidative stress parameters were significantly associated with some types of cognitive function, including attention–concentration, recognition, and long-term memory. These findings suggest that night shift work may result in significantly poorer cognitive performance, particularly working memory.     

杓型与非杓型原发性高血压患者的心脏结构、功能之比较

目的　比较杓型与非杓型原发性高血压 (EH )患者的心脏结构、功能改变的不同。方法　根据夜间血压下降率分组 ,对 3 88例EH患者进行 2 4h动态血压监测 (ABPM )和超声心动图 (UCG)检查。结果　非杓型组 2 4hSBP、2 4hDBP、nSBP、nDBP均显著高于杓型组 ,IVS、PW、LVM、LVMI、LAD、A、ATVI、A/E显著增加 ,而FS、ESV显著降低。结论　非杓型组夜间血压显著高于杓型组 ,左室肥厚 (LVH)及舒张功能减退 (LVDF)比杓型组更严重。