A Public Health Communication Intervention Using Edutainment and Communication Technology to Promote Safer Sex among Heterosexual Men Patronizing Entertainment Establishments

It is a challenge to reach out, develop and implement a communication intervention for heterosexual men (HSM) patronizing entertainment establishments (EEs) to promote safer sex. We described the theoretical basis and process from assessment to implementation where edutainment (talk shows) and communication technology (interactive web portal) was implemented. A female comedian hosted the talk shows. The portal contained an HIV risk profile calculator with individually tailored strategies to lower risk; two videos on real-life stories of unsafe sex and exit strategies to avoid casual or paid sex; as well as online support. We integrated edutainment, social cognitive theory (SCT) and the elaboration likelihood model (ELM). Edutainment techniques like humor through jokes, fun through games, and narrative persuasion through real-life accounts were applied. The SCT focused on modifying attitudes and social norm on sexual well-being, increasing self-perceived HIV/STI risk as well as building self-efficacy and skills in condom use. We applied the ELM to guide communication strategies and message development. For peripheral processing, we used cues like comedian delivery and charisma. For central processing, we focused on argument framing, issue involvement, argument quality, and modeling. The intervention was effective in promoting condom use with casual partners among the target group in Singapore.     

Comparison of morbidities in very low birthweight and normal birthweight infants during the first year of life in a developing country

Objective : To compare the morbidities in the very low birthweight (VLBW; < 1500 g) and normal birthweight (NBW; ± 2500 g) Malaysian infants during the first year of life.
Methodology : Prospective observational cohort study of consecutive surviving VLBW infants and randomly sampled NBW infants born in the Kuala Lumpur Maternity Hospital between 1 December 1989 and 31 December 1992. Infants were followed up regularly during the first year of life, after correction for prematurity.
Results : Compared with NBW infants ( n = 106), VLBW infants ( n = 127) had significantly higher risk of failure to thrive (odds ratio [OR] = 8.0, 95% confidence intervals [Cl]: 1.1 to 354.3), wheezing (OR = 3.7, 95% Cl: 1.6 to 9.3), rehospitalization (OR = 2.3, 95% Cl: 1.1 to 5.0), cerebral palsy (OR = 8.6, 95% Cl: 2.0 to 77.6), neurosensory hearing loss (OR = 12.0, 95% Cl: 1.7 to 513.6) and visual loss (7.9 vs 0%, P = 0.002). The mean mental developmental index (MDI) and mean psychomotor developmental index (PDI) at 1 year of age were significantly lower among VLBW infants (MDI 99 [SD = 28], PDI89 [SD = 25]) than NBW infants (MDI 106 [SD = 18], PDI 101 [SD = 18]) (95% Cl for difference between means being MDI: -14.1 to -1.7; and PDI: -17.6 to -6.0). Logistic regression analysis showed that among VLBW infants: (i) male sex, Malay ethnicity and bronchopulmonary dysplasia were significant risk factors associated with wheezing; (ii) longer duration of oxygen therapy during the neonatal period, seizures after the post-neonatal period and wheezing were significant risk factors associated with rehospitalization; and (iii) longer duration of oxygen therapy during the neonatal period was a significant risk factor associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcome during the first year of life.
Conclusions : Compared with NBW infants, VLBW Malaysian infants had significantly higher risks of physical and neurodevelopmental morbidities.     

Diabetic fibrous breast disease

Women with long-standing insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and radiographically dense mammary glandular tissue can have benign breast masses clinically resembling cancer. The authors have identified 36 patients, aged 20-54 years, with this little-known condition, which the authors call diabetic fibrous breast disease (DFBD). For a diagnosis of DFBD, the patient must fulfill certain stringent requirements: a long-term history of IDDM; radiographically dense glandular tissue; and one or more hard, irregular, easily movable, discrete, painless, palpable breast masses with strong ultrasonographic acoustical shadowing and firm resistance to the back-and-forth motion of the needle used for fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). Patients meeting all criteria can be monitored with serial FNAC procedures to prevent them from undergoing multiple surgical biopsies. During an average of 6 years of monitoring these 36 women, breast cancer did not develop in any mass fulfilling all requirements for DFBD.     

The impact of targeted shortened preclinical exercises on student perceptions and outcomes

The Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) introduced problem-based learning (PBL) into the dental curriculum in 1994 as a part of curriculum reform. During the reorganization, departments were consolidated, and courses were taught in an interdisciplinary fashion rather than in a discipline-based approach. The changes required a reduction in lecture and preclinical clock hours, which might have affected student performance and anxiety levels. The objectives of this study were to 1) compare the HSDM didactic and laboratory preclinical hours in Endodontics, Operative, and Prosthodontics before and after PBL implementation; 2) compare the HSDM didactic and laboratory preclinical hours in Endodontics, Operative, and Prosthodontics with other schools nationwide; 3) measure students' perceptions of their levels of stress and self-confidence at two time points during their preclinical and clinical years; 4) investigate the correlation between the number of preclinical hours and the students' stress level and self-confidence; and 5) evaluate the impact of shortened preclinical hours on the performance of HSDM students on the National Board Dental Examination Parts I and II. A survey regarding the students' level of stress, self-confidence, and preparation to treat patients during preclinical laboratory exercises was distributed to the HSDM classes of 2005 and 2006 (n=70). The HSDM preclinical curriculum hours were compared to national data as reported by the American Dental Association (ADA). Cross-tabulations were constructed, and the Fisher's exact test was conducted to examine the relationships between the variables. We found that HSDM preclinical hours in Endodontics, Operative, and Prosthodontics were significantly lower than at other schools. During the preclinical exercises, the Prosthodontics preclinical exercises were found to be the most stressful and provided the lowest self-confidence in treating patients as compared to the other preclinical subject areas. HSDM students' scores on the National Board Part I and II examinations continue to be among the highest in the nation and have not been affected by the change in curriculum. We conclude that the change in HSDM's curriculum that resulted in targeted, shorter preclinical exercises has not affected clinical and didactic outcomes, but may have affected the anxiety that students feel when entering the clinic.     

Loss of Programmed cell death 4 (Pdcd4) associates with the progression of ovarian cancer

Background  

Programmed cell death 4 (Pdcd4) is a novel tumour suppressor and originally identified as a neoplastic transformation inhibitor. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression, prognostic significance and potential function of Pdcd4 in ovarian cancer.     

几种抗炎药对白三烯B4生物合成的影响

白三烯B₄为花生四烯酸5-脂氧酶代谢产物,是炎症反应中的重要介质。目前抑制白三烯B₄生物合成的药物尚不多见。本文建立了测定白细胞来源白三烯B₄的反相高效液相色谱法,并初步探讨了几种抗炎药对白三烯B₄生物合成的影响。结果表明阿斯匹林、消炎痛、炎痛喜康、氢化可的松及麝香第一色带对白三烯B₄生物合成几无影响,而氟灭酸可明显抑制白三烯B₄生成,提示它可能是5-脂氧酶抑制剂。     

天然有机化合物质谱研究——Ⅺ.苯丙型苷快原子轰击质谱MNa+的MIKES谱

研究了六种苯丙型苷与Na⁺加合离子的快原子轰击质谱(FAB—MS)和质量分离离子动能谱(MIKES)。结果表明:在FAB谱中[M+Na]⁺加合离子的丰度要比[M+H]⁺离子高得多。由此可给出糖苷的分子量信息,[M+Na]⁺离子的MIKES谱可给出糖基序列信息。     

病人预期寿命缩短对CT检查辐射的潜在患癌风险的影响

目的通过比较评价通常需要接受CT检查的患癌病人、心脏病病人与非患癌病人、非心脏病病人的辐射相关性肺癌的患病风险,量化预期寿命缩短对患癌风险的影响。材料与方法运用临床证实的死亡率表,评估需要经常接受