Predictors of pain persistence and disability in high-school students with chronic neck pain at 6-month follow-up

Quality of Life Research - Neck pain tends to persist for periods of 1 to 4 years of follow-up in adolescents, and a high percentage of them report disability. However, studies assessing...     

Maternal Depressive Symptoms and Infant Feeding Practices at Hospital Discharge: Findings from the Born in Queensland Study

Maternal and Child Health Journal - This study aims to explore association between maternal depressive symptoms and infant feeding practice at hospital discharge. Data were obtained from a birth...     

Special surgical approaches during peri-COVID-19 pandemic: Robotic and transanal minimally invasive surgery

During the peri-coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the need of special care has raised, not only for our patients but also for health care workers. These needs are different regarding the procedure and the approach performed. This is a dynamic review in the use of robotics and transanal approaches for colorectal diseases. We searched PubMed and KSREvidence.com for studies related to coronavirus disease and robotic surgery/transanal mesorectal excision/transanal surgery(primary and systematic reviews). From 147 results in PubMed, 11 were selected for full text screening, and 11 were included in this paper. From 3 results in KSREvidence, no relevant systematic reviews were identified. We also checked the references in identified papers for further relevant studies. European Society of Coloproctology guidelines were including as part of the recommendations available. Robotic and transanal MIS can be performed safely during the pandemic, but particular characteristics of these procedure need to be taken into consideration.     

Isolation of putative dengue virus receptor molecules by affinity chromatography using a recombinant E protein ligand

Nucleotide sequences coding for the full-length envelope (E) glycoprotein gene of dengue virus type 4 was amplified using an RT-PCR method from infected C6/36 cells and cloned into pPROEx-Hta expression vector. The expression of the recombinant E protein in Escherichia coli was confirmed by Western blot using a polyclonal anti-dengue polyclonal antibody. The His-tagged fusion protein was obtained from the bacterial cellular extracts in almost pure form by immobilized metal affinity chromatography and the recombinant protein retained its ability to bind to 40 and 45 kDa proteins, previously described as putative receptors for dengue virus in C6/36 cells. To purify the 40 and 45 kDa molecules, a total protein extract from C6/36 cells was passed through an affinity chromatography column using immobilized recombinant E protein. After washing with isotonic buffer, elution was accomplished using a high salt buffer. The two proteins obtained, with molecular weights of 40 and 45 kDa, were recognized by dengue 4 virus, in virus overlay protein binding assay. This procedure allows further characterization of molecules that could be involved in dengue binding and entry.     

Elucidating chromatin and nuclear domain architecture with electron spectroscopic imaging

Electron microscopy has been the ‘gold standard’ of spatial resolution for studying the structure of the cell nucleus. Electron spectroscopic imaging (ESI) offers advantages over conventional transmission electron microscopy by eliminating the need for heavy-atom contrast agents. ESI also provides mass-dependent and element-specific information at high resolution, permitting the distinguishing of structures that are primarily composed of protein, DNA, or RNA. The technique can be applied to understand the structural consequences of epigenetic modifications, such as modified histones, on chromatin fiber morphology. ESI can also be applied to elucidate the multifunctional behavior of subnuclear ‘organelles’ such as the nucleolus and promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies. The authors dedicate this paper to the memory of Ying Ren (1961–2007). We all benefited from knowing her. Our research advanced through the technical creativity she provided.     

The use of natural interferon alpha conjugated to a monoclonal antibody anti mammary epithelial mucin (Mc5) for the treatment of human breast cancer xenografts

Summary An immunoconjugate composed of natural interferon (nIFN) bound in a noncleavable fashion to a monoclonal antibody (MoAb) recognizing a breast epithelial membrane mucin (Mc5) was used to treat xenografts of a human mammary carcinoma cell line (MCF-7) growing in nude mice. The immunoconjugate (nIFN/Mc5) was administered as 20 intralesional (i.l.) injections to 1 of 2 xenografts in each animal. It was found that nIFN/Mc5 produced a significant enhancement of the growth inhibitory actions of nIFN on the injected tumors. Further enhancement was obtained when nIFN or nIFN together with Mc5 (at a dose 10 times larger than that present in nIFN/Mc5) were added to the immunoconjugate. Biodistribution experiments showed that the uptake of¹²⁵I-nIFN/Mc5 by the tumors was greater and its elimination slower than for¹²⁵I-nIFN alone or conjugated to irrelevant mouse IgG₁. In addition, the immunoconjugate up-regulated the antigenic expression of a breast epithelial membrane mucin by the carcinoma cells, an up-regulation which was not significantly different from that produced by nIFN alone. The contralateral noninjected tumors exposed to systemic levels of the immunoconjugate showed an enhancement of antitumor effects, but to a lesser extent than the injected tumors. These findings suggest that the enhancement of the growth inhibitory action of the immunoconjugate was related to the specific binding of Mc5 which targeted the IFN to the carcinoma cells and impeded its elimination. It is likely that the targeting was favored by the IFN-mediated up-regulation of antigenic expression by the carcinoma cells, thereby producing a cascade of interrelated effects. The results of this study point out the feasibility and potential usefulness of IFN treatment by means of immunoconjugates as well as the worth of pursuing and improving this form of therapy.     

Demand for hospital services following admission with suspected myocardial infarction in 1983 and 1989

Formulation of business plans by National Health hospitals requires information on likely demands for the services they provide. Two cohorts of patients admitted to the Nottingham hospitals in 1983 and 1989 with suspected myocardial infarction were sampled to determine the workload implications due to initial in-hospital tests, subsequent readmission and outpatient investigations. The results show that attendance in the first year after discharge related principally to cardiac problems, while in subsequent years non-cardiac problems predominated. An estimation of the total workload, based upon 1,000 patients admitted in 1989, suggests that demands for hospital services in the following year include over 4,000 electrocardiographs, 1,400 chest X-rays and 18,000 laboratory tests, and only 118 exercise tests and 37 cardiac catheterisations. Admission with suspected myocardial infarction makes great demand on hospital services in the year after discharge. Any change in practice, which increases the potential demand for cardiac investigations, could have important financial implications for Nottingham hospitals.     

The accompanying male parent in the intensive care unit

A study is made in the Intensive Care Unit of "José L. Miranda" Provincial Pediatric Teaching Hospital in Santa Clara in order to know the sequence with which the father occupies the place of the mother in the care of hospitalized children. With this objective, 54 male companions are surveyed in the first trimester of 1987. The prevailing occupational profile was that of worker. A higher number of the respondents were between 17 and 25 years of age. The school level of secondary school prevailed among patient companions. Most of them reported no economic inconveniences during the child's disease. The desire to remain at the bedside and the inability of the mother to do so were the major reasons for their stay. The advantages recognized by the nursing personnel in male companions are made known.     

Somatic symptoms,pain, catastrophizing and the association with disability among children with heritable connective tissue disorders

The aim of the present study was to investigate the nature and prevalence of nonspecific somatic symptoms, pain and catastrophizing in children with Heritable Connective Tissue Disorders (HCTD), and to determine their association with disability. This observational, multicenter study included 127 children, aged 4–18 years, with Marfan syndrome (MFS) (59%), Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS) (8%), Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) (12%) and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) (23%). The assessments included the Children's Somatization Inventory or parent proxy (CSI, PCSI), pain visual-analogue scale (VAS), SUPERKIDZ body diagram, Pain Catastrophizing Scale Child or parent proxy (PCS-C, PCS-P) and Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ-30). Data from children aged ≥8 years were compared to normative data. In children ≥ 8 years (n = 90), pain was present in 59%, with a median of 4 (IQR = 3–9) pain areas. Compared to normative data, the HCTD group reported significantly higher on the CSI (p ≤ 0.001, d = 0.85), VAS pain intensity (p ≤ 0.001, d = 1.22) and CHAQ-30 (p ≤ 0.001, d = 1.16) and lower on the PCS-C (p = 0.017, d = −0.82) and PCS-P (p ≤ 0.001, d = −0.49). The intensity of nonspecific somatic symptoms and pain explained 45% of the variance in disability (r² = 0.45 F(2,48) = 19.70, p ≤ 0.001). In children ≤ 7 years (n = 37), pain was present in 35% with a median of 5(IQR = 1–13) pain areas. The mean(SD) VAS scores for pain intensity was 1.5(2.9). Functional disability was moderately correlated to the number of pain areas (r = 0.56, p ≤ 0.001), intensity of nonspecific somatic symptoms (r = 0.63, p ≤ 0.001) and pain (r = 0.83, p ≤ 0.001). In conclusion, this study supports the need for comprehensive assessment of nonspecific somatic symptoms, pain, and disability in children with HCTD to allow tailored treatment.     

Nonpuerperal breast infection

Objective: We undertook a microbiological study of purulent specimens from women with symptomatic breast abscesses.Methods: Fifty-one purulent samples were collected in 2 periods (December 1991-April 1992 and January 1994-June 1994) from nonpuerperal breast abscesses in 44 patients attending our hospital.Results: One of the most frequently isolated microorganisms was Proteus mirabilis (9 patients, 20.4%), present as a pure culture in all but 1 specimen (isolated together with Peptostreptococcus spp.). Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in 10 specimens, 6 of which were post-tumorectomy abscesses. Polymicrobial anaerobic flora were isolated in 11 specimens (21.5%); Staphylococcus epidermidis in 4 (8%); and Streptococcus milleri,Alcaligenes sp., and mixed aerobic-anaerobic flora in 1 specimen each. The 7 remaining samples (13.7%) were negative bacteriological cultures.Conclusions: We draw attention to the frequent isolation of P. mirabilis in recurrent and torpid breast abscesses in 4 women in whom surgery was necessary in addition to antibiotic treatment.