Comparison of the effects of octreotide and melatonin in preventing nerve injury in rats with experimental spinal cord injury.

In this study, we aimed to investigate the biochemical and histopathological protective effects of octreotide and melatonin in an experimental model of spinal cord injury. Fifty- six male albino Wistar rats were divided into four groups. Rats in the G1 group (n=7; control group) did not undergo any treatment except for anesthesia prior to being killed. Rats in the G2 group (n=7) underwent laminectomy and aneurysmal clip application at the T4-5 level. G3 group rats (n=14) were either treated with a 7.5 mg/kg intraperitoneal dose of melatonin (Sigma, St. Louis, MO, USA) immediately after laminectomy, then the same dose again on the day following injury (G3a), or given three equal doses over 10 days to achieve a total dose of 7.5 mg/kg/day (G3b). G4 group rats (n=14) were either treated with a 30microg/kg intraperitoneal dose of octreotide (Sandostatin; Novartis, Istanbul, Turkey) immediately after laminectomy, then the same dose again on the day following injury (G4a), or given three equal doses over 10 days to achieve a total dose of 30miocrog/kg/day (G4b). Rats in the G3 and G4 groups were sacrificed on days 1 and 10 after spinal cord injury (n=7 at each time point) and spinal cord samples were obtained. Tissue malonyldialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels were assayed. G3a, G3b and G4b had significantly lower levels of MDA than G2 (p<0.01). G3b had significantly higher SOD and GSH-Px levels than G2 (p<0.01). Histopathologically, melatonin significantly reduced necrosis and degeneration in both the initial and late stages (p<0.01). Octreotide had significant effects on necrosis and degeneration during the late stages, and on edema and congestion in both the initial and the late stages of injury (p<0.01). Melatonin was found to be superior to octreotide with respect to the prevention of congestion, edema, axonal degeneration and necrosis.     

Perspectives of healthcare practitioners: An exploration of interprofessional communication using electronic medical records

Contemporary state-of-the-art healthcare facilities are incorporating technology into their building design to improve communication and patient care. However, technological innovations may also have unintended consequences. This study seeks to better understand how technology influences interprofessional communication within a hospital setting based in the United States. Nine focus groups were conducted including a range of healthcare professions. The focus groups explored practitioners’ experiences working on two floors of a newly designed hospital and included questions about the ways in which technology shaped communication with other healthcare professionals. All focus groups were recorded, transcribed, and coded to identify themes. Participant responses focused on the electronic medical record, and while some benefits of the electronic medical record were discussed, participants indicated use of the electronic medical record has resulted in a reduction of in-person communication. Different charting approaches resulted in barriers to communication between specialties and reduced confidence that other practitioners had received one’s notes. Limitations in technology—including limited computer availability, documentation complexity, and sluggish sign-in processes—also were identified as barriers to effective and timely communication between practitioners. Given the ways in which technology shapes interprofessional communication, future research should explore how to create standardised electronic medical record use across professions at the optimal level to support communication and patient care.     

Evaluation of a robotic technique for transrectal MRI-guided prostate biopsies

Objectives  

To evaluate the accuracy and speed of a novel robotic technique as an aid to perform magnetic resonance image (MRI)-guided prostate biopsies on patients with cancer suspicious regions.     

循环中胰岛素样生长因子-Ⅰ水平调节结肠癌的生长和转移研究

目的　探讨血清中肝特异性胰岛素样生长因子 Ⅰ (IGF Ⅰ )水平在刺激小鼠结肠癌生长和转移中的作用。方法　我们实验中所用的肝脏特异性IGF Ⅰ基因缺失 (LID)小鼠 ,其循环中IGF Ⅰ水平仅为正常小鼠 (对照组小鼠 )的 2 5 %。将Colon 3 8腺癌组织块 (碎片 )植入LID和对照组小鼠的盲肠表面。总共 15 6只 5周龄的雄鼠 (其中 82只LID小鼠 ,74只对照鼠 )接受了肿瘤移植。小鼠被随机分成两组 :一组接受腹腔注射重组人IGF 1(rhIGF 1) ,每天 2次 ,共 6周 ,另一组接受生理盐水注射。结果　接受rhIGF Ⅰ注射组的LID和对照小鼠 ,血清IGF 1和IGFBP 3水平均升高。在生理盐水注射组中 ,对照鼠的盲肠肿瘤的发生率和肝脏转移率显著高于LID小鼠。和盐水注射组相比 ,腹腔注射rhIGF 1组中 ,LID和对照组小鼠均有显著的盲肠癌发生率和肝脏转移率。对照小鼠的肝脏转移结节数明显高于LID鼠。结肠癌组织VEGF的表达和血管的密度依赖于血液中IGF Ⅰ水平。结论　血液循环中IGF I水平在结肠癌发展和转移中起了重要作用。     

The Israel Society for the Prevention of Alcoholism

This paper describes the profile of the Israel Society for the Prevention of Alcoholism (ISPA), which is a nation-wide, public, non-profit association. It portrays various aspects of ISPA treatment and rehabilitation facilities-the residential treatment center, the rehabilitative hostel and the 'warm home' for homeless alcoholics. It depicts ISPA prevention activities, prevention materials and its usage of the media, and deals with ISPA involvement in policy issues. The paper also addresses the research reality of ISPA and its scientific journal, and refers to the society's structure and its future.