Patient-related Risk Factors for Nausea and Vomiting with Standard Antiemetics in Patients with Breast Cancer Receiving Anthracycline-based Chemotherapy: A Retrospective Observational Study

Purpose

The aim of this study was to identify a high-risk or low-risk population for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting among patients with breast cancer treated with a current standard 3-drug antiemetic regimen and receiving anthracycline.

Isomer pattern and elimination of dioxins in workers exposed at a municipal waste incineration plant

The aim of this study was to clarify patterns of serum concentrations of dioxins in the employees of a waste incineration plant and to estimate elimination rates and half-lives of serum dioxin isomers, and the maximum serum concentrations of dioxin isomers at the time of plant shutdown. Sixteen subjects participating 3 times or more in annual health examinations during an 8-yr period from 2000 to 2007 were recruited for this study. Serum concentrations of dioxins expressed as TEQ/g lipid decreased gradually after plant shutdown with the highest decrease observed in polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) followed by polychlorinated deibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and then coplanar PCBs. The serum toxic equivalency (TEQ) concentrations of PCDF and PCDD congeners in the employees were higher than those in the general population survey by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan, whereas the serum concentrations of coplanar PCBs were similar to those in the general population. The estimated half-lives and elimination rates of PCDDs and PCDFs in the highly exposed workers increased compared with the moderately exposed workers. The estimated geometric mean serum concentrations of PCDDs, PCDFs and total dioxins at the time of plant shutdown were 35, 53 and 107 pg TEQ/g lipid, respectively.     

Nasal nicotine spray in smoking cessation. Results of a multicenter study

We have carried out an open multicenter follow-up study of the efficacy of a smoking cessation therapy that combined psychological support with use of a nicotine nasal spray. Fifty-seven subjects (37 men, 20 women) with a mean age of 40.3 +/- 15.7 yr and smoking 37.4 +/- 4.7 cigarettes per day were enrolled. The mean Fagerstr?m test score was 8.9 +/- 1.1. Patients received minimal psychological support and were prescribed a nicotine nasal spray at the recommended dose of 1 to mg/h for use while awake for a period of three months, with gradual reduction of dose. Subjects were seen on six occasions (on the first day of consultation; 1, 2 and 6 weeks after quitting; 3 and 6 months after quitting). After three months of follow-up, 22 patients (39%) were abstinent; six months after first trying to quit, only 20 of the 57 enrolled had succeeded (35%). Although most subjects (over 90% in the first 15 days, and over 50% at three months) used the treatment, only a small percentage (3%) followed the appropriate doses in the first 15 days and 31% reported doing so at the three-month check-up. The mean score reflecting withdrawal syndrome tripled over baseline level during the first six weeks of follow-up. Over three quarters of the subjects suffered side effects caused by the spray, the most common being nasal irritation, rhinorrhea and tearing. Five patients (87%) lef the study because of intolerance to medication. In conclusion, our study found a rate of success of 35% after six months of follow-up. Use of the prescribed medication was inadequate; withdrawal syndrome was more intense and the prevalence of side effects increased during the early treatment period.     

Rabies in wildlife in Latvia

In the Baltic States, lyssaviruses are often detected in wildlife and presumed to constitute an important public health hazard. In order to decrease rabies incidence and eradicate wildlife reservoirs, a national rabies eradication program has been in place. Since 1970 a vaccination program in dogs and cats has been executed, and in 1991 oral vaccination of foxes was started. However, due to an insufficient budget, the latter was not done regularly and nationwide before 2000. Now, the program in force consists of compulsory vaccination of all dogs and cats, and a tetracycline marker vaccine oral vaccination program of foxes in the whole country. In 2001, 151 of 285 (53%) fox jaws were tested positive for tetracycline. All animals showing rabies-like symptoms were killed and tested for rabies. In this way, 250-400 cases of rabies per year were diagnosed in wildlife. To molecularly characterize the prevalent lyssaviruses in wildlife, lyssavirus RNA of 25 recent rabies positive samples, collected in the year 1999, was amplified by RT-PCR. Direct sequencing of the RT-PCR-amplified products of the virus' nucleoprotein encoding region and subsequent sequence analyses resulted in a 99.3-100% homology between isolates and a 99.0-100% similarity with a 1995 genotype I, classical rabies virus (RABV) raccoon dog isolate from Estonia. These results confirmed that RABV is endemic in wildlife in Latvia and should be considered a serious public health threat. To successfully eradicate the wildlife reservoirs, the national rabies eradication program must be continued, and it may need to be intensified.