Differential immunoreactivity of her-2/neu oncoprotein in prostatic tissues.

To investigate HER-2/neu oncoprotein immunoreactivity, monoclonal antibody TA1 immunohistochemical examination of flash-frozen radical prostatectomy specimens was performed (n = 35). All prostatic specimens contained benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and/or prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), as well as prostatic carcinoma (CaP). HER-2/neu oncoprotein immunoreactivity in BPH tissues was not significantly different than that for the PIN basal cell layer (P = 0.10) or for the PIN luminal cells (P = 0.17). There was significantly more HER-2/neu oncoprotein immunoreactivity in BPH than in areas of CaP (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the amount of immunoreactivity present in PIN basal cells when compared to the PIN luminal cells (P = 0.49). Both the PIN basal cells and luminal cells stained for the HER-2/neu oncoprotein to a higher degree than cells in the CaP areas (P < 0.001 in both cases). HER-2/neu oncoprotein immunoreactivity is present at a significantly higher degree in BPH and PIN than in malignant prostatic epithelium.     

Ärztliche Fehleroffenbarung – Strafrechtliche Strategien für postinvasive Arzt-Patientengespräche

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Perceived effects of rotating shift work on nurses' sleep quality and duration

The aim of this longitudinal study was to assess the effect of rotating shift work on perceived sleep quality and sleep duration of nurses at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi. Twenty four female nurses were recruited at random from among personnel engaged in rotating shift work. The nurses worked a three-phase schedule: five day shifts (7.00 – 17.00) followed by three night shifts (17.00 – 7.00) and five days off. Controls were 22 female nurses who did not perform night duties. Sleep quality and duration was assessed using standardized and validated questionnaires on sleep duration and subjective sleep quality (SSQ). One-way analysis of variance revealed a significant effect of shift phase on total sleep duration (F = 36.8, d.f. = 8, P < 0.000) and perceived sleep quality (F = 8.81, d.f. = 3, P < 0.000). Night shift work was associated with reduction of sleep quality and duration. The after effects of night shifts persisted during days of the recovery period indicating accumulation of fatigue.     

Promoting clinically effective practice: general practitioners' awareness of sources of research evidence

BACKGROUND: Practitioners are being encouraged to base their clinical practice on research evidence. In order to do this, they must be aware of and use the sources of evidence. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was undertaken to establish GPs' awareness of research evidence in their clinical practice and, in fundholding practices, its influence on purchasing plans. Questionnaires were sent to 360 lead fundholders in North Thames Region and 440 of a random sample of the remaining general practitioners in the region for comparison. RESULTS: Questionnaires were returned by 62% of lead fundholders and 63% of GPs in the random sample. There was limited use of the electronic sources of clinical effectiveness. There was greater reported awareness of published sources of research evidence and fundholding GPs were significantly more likely to have referred to publications summarizing research evidence. CONCLUSIONS: GPs seem to make more use of published clinical effectiveness sources than the electronic databases. Consequently, they need educational and technical support if they are to make full use of the available sources of research evidence available in other media.      

Low Aboriginal Birth-weight-Prematurity or Intrauterine Growth Restriction?

EDITORIAL COMMENT: We accepted this paper for publication because it explores the important question of whether low birth-weight in infants of Aboriginal mothers is due to prematurity or fetal growth-retardation. This paper reviews the previous literature, provides some interesting new information, and shows that a prospective study with verification of fetal maturity is required to resolve the problem. Readers will realize the difficulties that exist in compilation of prospective data with sufficient numbers of cases to answer this question.
Summary: Two thousand, nine hundred and twenty-eight consecutive singleton public births at Cairns Base Hospital were studied retrospectively. Contrary to popular clinical belief, there was no statistically significant difference in the birth-weights, corrected for gestational age between Aboriginal babies and Caucasian babies. There was a highly significant excess of preterm Aboriginal births, when compared with Caucasian births. This study suggests that any attempt to reduce the high incidence of low birth-weight births in Aboriginal people should be directed at reducing the incidence of preterm birth, rather than the supposed high incidence of intrauterine growth restriction.     

Growth effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and a monoclonal antibody against the EGF receptor on four glioma cell lines

Summary Epidermal growth factor (EGF) has been shown to stimulate DNA synthesis and cell division in normal glia. At least half of malignant human gliomas (MHG) express high levels of the EGF receptor (EGFR), which are above those detected in normal brain. The demonstration that antibodies against the EGFR inhibit the growth of squamous cell carcinoma line A-431, with large numbers of EGFR, in vitro and in vivo raises the possibility that these agents could be used therapeutically against malignant human gliomas either alone or conjugated to other agents. We have measured the growth effects of EGF and an anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody, 528 (Ab-528), on four well-characterized human malignant glioma cell lines, D-263 MG, D-247 MG, U-343 MGa Cl 26, and D-37 MG, with 2.9×10⁴, 1.5×10⁵, 8.6×10⁵ and 1.59×10⁶ EGFRs per cell, respectively. EGF significantly increased cell number in D-263 MG and D-37 MG by 65% and 74%, respectively, had no effect on D-247 MG, and significantly decreased cell number in U-343 MGa Cl 26 by 39%. U-343 MGa Cl 26 growth was inhibited 19% by Ab-528, but Ab-528 had no effect on growth of the other MHG lines. Ab-528 significantly inhibited all EGF-mediated growth effects. These studies demonstrate that, although Ab-528 alone has little antiproliferative activity on MGH, it successfully competes with EGF to reduce the biological effects of EGF-EGFR binding. Therefore, this antibody could potentially be used to target radioisotopes to MHG via the EGFR for diagnosis and therapy.Supported by Grants CA-11898, NS-20023, CA-43722, and the Association for Brain Tumor Research (MHW, PAH)