A case-control study of risk factors for fibrocystic breast conditions: Shanghai Nutrition and Breast Disease Study, China, 1995-2000

This study was conducted to identify reproductive and dietary factors associated with benign proliferative mammary epithelial cell changes. Subjects were women enrolled in a randomized trial of breast self-examination in Shanghai, China. Women who developed fibrocystic breast conditions classified as nonproliferative (175 women), proliferative (181 women), or proliferative with atypia (33 women) between 1995 and 2000 and 1,070 unaffected trial participants were administered general risk factor and food frequency questionnaires. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. High parity and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables were more strongly associated with a reduced risk of proliferative and atypical lesions than with nonproliferative conditions. For the fourth quartile of consumption versus the first, odds ratios for lesions diagnosed as nonproliferative, proliferative, and proliferative with atypia were 0.4 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.2, 0.7), 0.2 (95% CI: 0.1, 0.4), and 0.1 (95% CI: 0.03, 0.5), respectively, for fruit intake and 0.6 (95% CI: 0.3, 1.1), 0.4 (95% CI: 0.2, 0.7), and 0.1 (95% CI: 0.1, 0.9), respectively, for vegetable intake. Reduced but nonsignificant risks in relation to soy products were observed for proliferative and atypical lesions. No single nutrient or botanical family was appreciably more strongly associated with proliferative conditions than with nonproliferative conditions, after results were controlled for total fruit and vegetable consumption. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce cellular proliferation in the mammary epithelium; this is one mechanism by which such a diet could reduce risk of breast cancer.     

Influence of orthopaedic-technical aid on the kinematics and kinetics of the knee joint of patients with neuro-orthopaedic diseases

In our gait laboratory, the gait pattern of 18 youths with neurogenic foot deformities as a result of spina bifida or cerebral palsy was examined. The influence of technical orthopaedic devices for the foot and ankle on kinematics and kinetics of the gait and especially of the knee joint were analyzed. Kinematic data were derived from 3D-video analysis, kinetic data from force plates and pressure distribution plates. Muscle activities were measured with eight-channel EMG. The data were examined to see if there were differences when using the technical devices. All patients had already been supported externally with the different devices like orthopaedic shoes, insoles, Nancy Hilton orthoses and orthoses for the lower leg extremity. The devices restricted to the foot and the ankle joint improved the feeling of gait stability of the patients. In this investigation, the different supports had various but little effects on the kinematics and kinetics of the knee joint, depending on the type of orthoses used and the kind of handicap of the youths. Because of the great expenditure, the data obtained in this study were taken from a small number of patients. Therefore, they are individual findings and are of restricted general significance.     

Apolipoprotein E and alpha-1-antichymotrypsin polymorphisms in sporadic inclusion body myositis

Sporadic inclusion body myositis (s-IBM) is a progressive muscle disease of unknown aetiology. Characteristically, intracellular amyloid deposits are detectable, including beta-amyloid precursor protein, phosphorylated tau, alpha1-antichymotrypsin (alpha1-ACT) and apolipoprotein E (ApoE). Polymorphisms and mutations of the encoding genes have been identified in a variety of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Beside other factors, polymorphisms may lead to protein accumulation in both diseases. In particular, polymorphisms within the ApoE and alpha1-ACT gene have been implicated in the aetiology of AD and s-IBM. We analysed ApoE and alpha1-ACT gene polymorphisms in 35 s-IBM patients. We could not identify any statistical significant correlation between distinct ApoE and alpha1-ACT genotypes and the risk of developing s-IBM. Additionally, ApoE and alpha1-ACT genotypes seem not to influence the onset age of s-IBM. A combination of different alpha1-ACT and ApoE genotypes appears not to enhance the risk of developing s-IBM. Therefore, allelic variations of alpha1-ACT and ApoE are unlikely to be genetic key factors in the aetiology of s-IBM.     

Borjeson-Forssman-Lehmann syndrome and multiple pituitary hormone deficiency

We describe two brothers with Borjeson-Forssman-Lehmann syndrome and the 22A-->T (Lys8X) PHF6 mutation, who presented with the symptoms and signs of multiple pituitary hormone deficiency. Biochemical investigations and radiology confirmed growth hormone (GH), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) as well as gonadotrophin deficiency. They were also found to have optic nerve hypoplasia. This family suggests that the BFL gene product may play an important role in midline neuro-development including the hypothalamo-pituitary axis.     

Brief report: breast-fed one-week-olds demonstrate superior neurobehavioral organization

OBJECTIVES: Following studies conducted during the immediate newborn stage, we investigated whether one-week-olds' neurobehavioral functioning was differentiated by feeding method. We also examined whether feeding-method effects differed among infants of adolescent mothers. METHOD: Participants were infants (N = 83) of breast-feeding (N = 41) and formula-feeding (N = 42) mothers. Approximately half of each group's participants had adolescent mothers and half were infants of adult mothers. Assessments on the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (BNBAS) were conducted on the infants when they were 8.95 days of age. RESULTS: Breast-fed infants surpassed formula-fed infants on items of the orientation, motor, range of state, and state regulation dimensions of the BNBAS. Breast-fed infants also exhibited fewer abnormal reflexes, signs of depression, and withdrawal. Infants of adolescent mothers did not differ from those of adult mothers, regardless of feeding method. CONCLUSION: These data provide compelling evidence that breast-feeding is advantageous to neonates' neurobehavioral organization.     

Polymorphisms of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene in ovarian cancer

OBJECTIVE: The free radical nitric oxide is known to be critically involved in ovarian carcinogenesis by inducing apoptosis and by mediating various cytostatic and cytotoxic effects, but also by promoting growth, invasion, and metastasis. METHODS: We investigated two polymorphisms (exon 7 Glu298Asp and a 27-bp repeat in intron 4) of the gene encoding endothelial nitric oxide synthase (Nos3) in 130 patients with ovarian cancer, 26 patients with borderline ovarian cancer, and 133 healthy age-matched Caucasian women using PCR and pyrosequencing, respectively. RESULTS: Genotypes and allelic frequencies did not differ between patients with ovarian cancer and controls. Within the ovarian cancer group, however, the presence of at least one mutant allele of intron 4 was associated with advanced tumor stage and positive lymph node involvement, but not with tumor grading. The presence of the mutant allele of exon 7 was not associated with the investigated clinicopathological parameters. No correlation with patients' overall and disease-free survival was ascertained. CONCLUSIONS: We are the first to report on Nos3 polymorphisms in ovarian cancer. Allelic variation within intron 4 of Nos3 is associated with an advanced tumor stage and positive lymph node involvement in ovarian cancer.     

Calculation of hallux bending moments from plantar pressure distribution measurement

PURPOSE: The following study aims to demonstrate the bending stress on a hallux valgus during normal gait. The bending axis was related to the position of an open wedge osteotomy. The moments were calculated from plantar pressure measurements. METHOD: In the gait analysis laboratory plantar pressure distribution measurement was done with healthy adult volunteers during barefoot gait. From the plantar pressure distribution the vertical forces were derived just for the region hallux metatarsal I. The following calculation of the bending stress regarding to the hypothetic region of the osteotomy was done by integrating the pressure distribution multiplicated with the distance to the osteotomy. The measurements are compared with theoretical values derived from the anatomy of the foot under some plausible assumptions. RESULTS: The results of the mean values of the bending stress were 15.8 +/- 4.8 Nm for the female subjects and 21.6 +/- 5.6 Nm for the male subjects. The amount of the bending moments depended with low significance on the weight. More important is the individual type of gait. CONCLUSION: The measurements show the size of bending stress the plate stabilizing the osteosynthesis has to resist under unfavorable circumstances (for example if the plantar foot muscles are not adequately activated) and if no external stabilization (for example, cast) is used.     

New mothers' knowledge and attitudes about perinatal human immunodeficiency virus infection

OBJECTIVES: To assess new mothers' attitudes toward perinatal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing, their knowledge about perinatal HIV, and their trust of government and scientists. METHODS: In a cross-sectional survey of 1362 postpartum women at four United States locations in 1997, a standardized interview was administered to new mothers 24-48 hours postpartum to determine their HIV test acceptance, attitudes, and knowledge. RESULTS: Seventy-five percent of women who were offered HIV tests reported being tested. Although 95% of women were aware of perinatal HIV transmission, only 60% knew that HIV can be transmitted through breast-feeding, and only 51% knew of medication to prevent perinatal transmission. Eighty-four percent of women thought that all pregnant women should be tested for HIV, and 60% thought that prenatal HIV testing should be legally mandated. Twenty percent of women indicated mistrust of government and scientists regarding origins of HIV and potential cures for AIDS. Knowledge about perinatal transmission was unrelated to receipt of prenatal HIV tests. When other factors were controlled for, mistrust was not significantly associated with getting tested. CONCLUSION: Incomplete knowledge of prevention of perinatal HIV transmission and mistrust were prevalent among new mothers. Knowledge deficits or mistrust did not appear to reduce reported prenatal test rates, but our data suggest that future public health efforts need to educate women about methods of preventing perinatal HIV transmission and at enhancing their trust in the public health system.     

Auditory-evoked potentials and selective attention: different ways of information processing in cannabis users and controls

The present study tested the hypothesis that chronic cannabis use leads to persistent attentional dysfunctions and that age of onset of cannabis use is a potential predictor of impaired test performance and information processing. Brain event-related potentials (ERPs) during a complex auditory selective attention task were recorded from 21 cannabis users divided into two groups according to age of onset and from 13 controls comparable with respect to age, IQ and educational background. Participants were instructed to detect target tones of a particular location, pitch and duration from a total sample of random frequencies. The study reveals that the latency of the greatest negative peak of ERPs (200 and 300 ms) to target tones was shorter in controls, while there was no clear difference between target and non-target within cannabis users. In addition, users displayed a reduced P3 to target tones. This was more pronounced in early-onset cannabis users. These data suggest that chronic cannabis use relates to different types of information processing under conditions of selective attention. There is some evidence that users employed different strategies of attention allocation. The results are discussed with respect to possible underlying mechanisms and clinical implications.