Selective microdochectomy after ductoscopic wire marking in women with pathological nipple discharge

Background  

To investigate the diagnostic reliability of selective microdochectomy after direct ductoscopic wire marking of suspect lesions in patients with pathological nipple discharge.     

Atopic eczema: Its social and financial costs

Atopic dermatitis is a disorder with considerable social and financial costs. A recent Australian study indicates that the family stress related to the care of a child with moderate or severe atopic dermatitis is significantly greater than that of care of children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The factors contributing to family stress include: sleep deprivation; loss of employment; time taken for care of atopic dermatitis; and financial costs. An estimate of the yearly financial costs for a family and community (which includes medical, hospital, direct costs of treatments and indirect costs from loss of employment), range from $A1142 per child per year with mild atopic dermatitis, to $A6099 per year for a child with severe atopic dermatitis. As the current prevalence of atopic dermatitis in Australia is 10-15%, this indicates a considerable financial burden on the community. It is possible that appropriate interventions directed to reducing trigger factors, may produce worthwhile savings, in addition to benefits for the individuals and families. Atopic dermatitis should not be regarded as a minor skin disorder but as a condition which has the potential to be a major handicap involving considerable personal, social and financial consequences both for the family and for the community.     

AIRE试验

标 题１．雷米普利对急性心肌梗死疗效的研究：基本原理、设计、组织和结果确定 ２．雷米普利对有急性心肌梗死心力衰竭临床证据存活者病死率和患病率的影响 作 者 １．Ｈａｌｌ ＡＳ,等 ２．ＡＩＲＥ研究者 参考文献 １．１ Ｃａｒｄｉｏｖａｓｃ Ｐｈａｒｍａ－ｃｏｌ,１９９１,１８（ｓｕｐｐｌ １２）：Ｓ１０５～Ｓ１０９ ２．Ｌａｎｃｅｔ,１９９３,３４２：８２１～８２８ 研究疾病 急性心肌梗死,心力衰竭。 目 的 评价心力衰竭并急性心肌梗死患者早期用雷米普利治疗是否降低病死率。 设 计 随机、双盲、安慰剂对照、多中心。 …     

Estrogen and Progesterone Expression in Colorectal Carcinoma: A Clinicopathological Study

Sex steroids have been suggested to influence colorectal cancer (CRC) carcinogenesis. Also, exposure to exogenous hormones might contribute to its incidence. This study conducted to evaluate ER and PR expression as a prognostic factor in patients with CRC attending Sohag University Hospital (SUH) and Sohag Cancer Center (SCC). Materials and Methods: Tumor samples tested for Estrogen receptor (ER) / progesterone receptor (PR) expression using immunohistochemical staining (IHC). Association of this expression with overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were evaluated. Results: Thirty out of 50 CRC tissues were evaluable for hormone receptor expression. Expression of both ER and PR was cytoplasmic. ER and PR expressions were 60% and 76.66%, respectively. There was a significant difference between loss of ER expression and depth of invasion (p= 0.01). Also, ER and PR negative expression cases were significantly at higher risk for progression (p= 0.03; 0.009 respectively). High levels of ER and PR expression were associated with higher cumulative PFS at one year and at the end of follow up time (p=0.01; 0..02 respectively); however this did not reach statistical significance on Cox proportional hazards regression analysis for progression or OS (p= 0.05; HR= 0.22; p=0.5; HR=0.67 respectively) for ER level and (p=0.07; HR=0.22; p=0.6; HR=0.72respectively) for PR level. Conclusions: This study suggests that lower ER/PR expression levels were associated with more extensive CRC primary tumors and poorer prognosis. These data suggest that ER/PR expression might possess a prognostic value for CRC cases.     

Diabetes Mellitus in India: The Modern Scourge

India has a high prevalence of diabetes mellitus and the numbers are increasing at an alarming rate. In India alone, diabetes is expected to increase from 40.6 million in 2006 to 79.4 million by 2030. Studies have shown that the prevalence of diabetes in urban Indian adults is about 12.1%, the onset of which is about a decade earlier than their western counterparts and the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes is 4–6 times higher in urban than in rural areas. The risk factors peculiar for developing diabetes among Indians include high familial aggregation, central obesity, insulin resistance and life style changes due to urbanization. Screening for gestational diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance among pregnant women provides a scope for primary prevention of the disease in mothers as well as in their children. The problems of obesity and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) (important predisposing factors) are not confined to adults alone but children are also increasingly getting affected. Most long standing macro and micro vascular complications are also more common among Indian diabetics as compared to other races and ethnic groups. A strong familial clustering of diabetic nephropathy among Indian Type 2 diabetics has also been noted. Clustering of cardiovascular risk factor like Syndrome X is common among urban Indians. The rising incidence of diabetes and its complications are going to pose a grave health care burden on our country. Timely effective interventions/measures and screening tests for complications at the time of diagnosis becomes imperative not only for early detection, but also to prevent progression to end stage disease. Screening for gestational diabetes among pregnant women would also go a long way in primary prevention of the disease. Life style changes/interventions and drugs like rosiglitazone are the current strategies that can prevent and/or delay the onset of diabetes. Simple interventional strategies like “Eat less, Eat on time and Walk more” can go a long way in preventing these chronic disorders among present as well as in the future generations.Key Words: Type 2 diabetes, Central obesity, Insulin resistance, Gestational diabetes, Waist hip ratio, Familial aggregation     

Failure of Bay K 8644 to induce RhoA kinase-dependent calcium sensitization in rabbit blood vessels

Background and purpose:

Checkpoint kinase 2 (CHK2) is activated by DNA damage and can contribute to p53 stabilization, modulating growth arrest and/or apoptosis. We investigated the contribution of CHK2 to oxaliplatin-mediated toxicity in a colorectal cancer model.

Experimental approach:

We evaluated the ability of CHK2 small molecule inhibitors to potentiate oxaliplatin-induced toxicity. The role of CHK2 in oxaliplatin-induced apoptosis was investigated in HCT116 cells that were wild-type (WT) or KO for CHK2. Small molecule inhibitors of CHK2 were used in combination studies with oxaliplatin in this cell model.

Key results:

In oxaliplatin-treated CHK2 KO cells, accelerated apoptosis was accompanied by attenuated p53 stabilization and p21^WAF-1 up-regulation correlating with increased Bax expression, cytochrome c release and elevated caspase activity. The higher levels of apoptosis in CHK2 KO cells were restored to control (WT) levels when CHK2 was re-introduced. This ‘uncoupling’ of p53 stabilization and Bax up-regulation in CHK2 KO cells suggested oxaliplatin-induced apoptosis was due to a p53-independent response. Combination studies revealed that CHK2 inhibitor II or debromohymenialdisine antagonized the responses to oxaliplatin. This inhibitory effect correlated with decreases in apoptosis, p53 stabilization and DNA inter-strand cross-link formation, and was dependent on the presence (but not activity) of CHK2.

Conclusions and implications:

Combinations of CHK2 inhibitors with oxaliplatin should further sensitize cells to oxaliplatin treatment. However, these inhibitors produced an antagonistic effect on the response to oxaliplatin, which was reversed on the re-introduction of CHK2. These observations may have implications for the use of oxaliplatin in colorectal cancer therapy in combination with therapies targeting CHK2.