Incidence and risk factors of suicide among patients diagnosed with bladder cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Patients with bladder cancer have a high risk of suicide. This study aimed to assess how bladder cancer increases suicide risk and to identify the demographic and clinical factors associated with suicidal death among patients with bladder cancer. Methods: Literature search of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, Web of Sciences and Cochrane Library databases was conducted up to April 2020 to identify eligible studies related to the incidence and risk factors of suicide after bladder cancer diagnosis. Summary multivariate-adjusted risk estimates and their associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using inverse variance method with random or fixed-effect modeling. Results: Five retrospective cohorts comprising 563,680 patients with bladder cancer were included. Higher risk of suicide by 1.90-fold was observed among patients with bladder cancer (hazard ratio, HR = 1.90, 95% CI: 1.29–2.81; P = 0.001; I² = 81.2%), especially in those aged 70 years or older (HR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.29–1.43; P < 0.001; I² = 0%), unmarried (HR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.61–1.83; P < 0.001; I² = 0%), and those with regional bladder cancer (HR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.10–3.21; P = 0.021; I² = 96.3%), compared with those without bladder cancer. Furthermore, gender and race were not associated with increased suicide risk among patients with bladder cancer. Conclusions: Suicide risk is increased among patients with bladder cancer, particularly those aged 70 years or older, unmarried and those with regional bladder cancer. Hence, early psychological support must be provided during the follow-up period of these special populations with a high suicide risk.     

Computed Tomography Evaluation of Forearm and Hand Muscles in Patients With Distal Radius Fracture

Introduction: Computed tomography (CT) can be used to assess bone status with measurement of Hounsfield unit (HU). The objective of this study was to evaluate whether HU of muscle might be associated with parameters of bone and muscle status. Methods: We reviewed 71 women aged over 50 yr of age who had distal radius fracture and underwent CT evaluation of affected wrist. We assessed HUs of forearm flexor muscles (flexor digitorum superficialis) and thenar muscles and bone HUs at the capitate and the ulnar head. Other parameters included femur neck and lumbar bone mineral density (BMD), upper extremity lean mass, hand grip strength, and muscle fiber cross-sectional area. We performed correlation analyses to determine associations between variables. Results: Thenar and forearm muscle HUs were significantly correlated with each other, but not with other parameters. HUs of the capitate and ulnar head were positively correlated with femur neck and lumbar BMDs and inversely correlated with age. Ulnar head HU was positively correlated hand grip strength. Conclusions: HUs of forearm and thenar muscles did not show significant correlations with bone or muscle parameters, although bone HUs correlated well with bone mineral densities. These results support the opportunistic use of CT for evaluating bone fragility. Clinical usefulness of muscle HU measurement needs further studies.     

The Effect of Providing Audiovisual Surgical Information on Decisional Conflict in Patients Undergoing Plate Fixation for Distal Radius Fractures

BackgroudPatients experiencing acute trauma have limited time for their involvement in shared decision making, which may lead to decisional conflict. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether providing audiovisual surgical information can reduce decisional conflict when deciding between surgical and nonsurgical treatment in patients with distal radius fractures (DRFs) and to evaluate factors that may affect decisional conflict.MethodsWe prospectively enrolled 50 consecutive patients who presented with acute DRFs and chose to undergo surgery, for which volar plate fixation was recommended. We randomized these patients into 2 groups. The test group was given a video clip of audiovisual surgical information in addition to regular information while the control group was only given regular information. The video clip consisted of the purpose, procedure, and effect of the surgery, precautions and complications after the operation, and other treatment options that could be performed if operation was not performed. At 2 weeks after the surgery, we evaluated patients'' decisional conflict using a decisional conflict scale (DCS). In addition, we evaluated factors that might affect decisional conflict, such as age, dominant hand, comorbidities, history of previous operations, perceived disability, and provision of the video clip.ResultsThe test group showed significantly lower DCS scores than the control group (19.6 vs. 32.1, p = 0.001). In multivariate analysis, younger age and provision of the video clip were associated with lower DCS scores.ConclusionsThis study has demonstrated that providing information through audiovisual media such as video clips could reduce decisional conflict in patients who chose to undergo plate fixation for DRFs. This study also suggests that older patients may need more careful doctor-patient communication as they have more decisional conflict than younger patients.     

淋巴因子激活的NK细胞杀伤肿瘤细胞的免疫电镜观察

用胶体金标记的扫描与透射免疫电镜术观察ＣＤ１６＾＋淋巴因子激活的杀伤细胞杀伤肺腺癌细胞系ＬＴＥＰａ２或人红白血病细胞Ｋ５６２的过程。发现ＣＤ１６＾＋ＬＡＫ细胞能伸出分支的指状突起较深地插入肿瘤细胞浆内，造成靶细胞表面大小深浅不等的隐窝，及陷窝内局部细胞膜损伤，在ＣＤ１６＾＋ＬＡＫ细胞这种指状突起基底部附近的浆内，有大量胞浆颗粒与囊泡聚集。靶细胞被攻击后常发生凋落型死亡。同时可见坏死型死亡。说明ＣＤ     

冷冻同种异体骨段移植修复股骨近段大块骨缺损

为观察大块冷冻同种异体骨移植后免疫功能的改变及预后,对13例恶性骨肿瘤瘤段切除后的骨缺损10.8～19.4cm(平均为14.6cm),分别采用冻冷异体松质骨段移植的髋关节加压融合术(6例)和异体股骨近段半关节移植成形术(7例)修复.10例分别于术前4天及术后14和28天检测其空腹外周血各项免疫学指标,以及术后3、6、9、12、24、48个月进行99mSPECT骨扫描(5例)和X-线片检查(12例),以观察宿主的免疫反应和异体骨愈合情况.结果:①外周血T淋巴细胞亚群(OKT3+,OKT4+,OKT8+)及血清补体(C3,C4)和循环免疫复合物(CiC)手术前后比较无显著性差异(P>0.05).②99mTe SPECT骨扫描显示:术后3～6个月移植的异体骨两端及髓腔内同位素浓集明显低于正常,而异体骨两端所对应的自体骨端同位素浓集明显高于正常,此现象于植入后9个月开始减弱,可达数年.X线片显示:异体骨愈合率为92.3%(12/13),2例移植的异体松质骨段于术后4～6年完全成活替代.以上可见:①冻冷异体骨段移植后宿主的全身免疫机能改变不明显,其反应是以局部炎症为主的细胞免疫过程;②异体骨可做为修复大块骨缺损的良好材料.     

二尖瓣脱垂的外科治疗

报道５７例二尖瓣脱垂（ＭＶＰ０不同术式的外科治疗效果。手术随机分为３组;传统的二尖瓣成形组,Ｇｏｒｅ－Ｔｅｘ线人工腱索替换组和瓣膜置换组。结果显示,Ⅱ组和Ⅲ组术后每搏二尖瓣返流量明显少于Ⅰ组。各组术后长期随访机能状况均明显改善。ＭＶＰ的外科治疗应首选二尖瓣成形;而Ｇｏｒｅ－Ｔｅｘ线人工腱索替换和人造瓣环盛开有方法安全可靠,其效果优于传统的腱索成形,并可避免瓣膜置换术后长期抗凝的并发症。     

P53与ras癌基因产物对直肠癌的诊断价值

目的提高直肠癌术前活检的诊断率。方法5年来手术治疗的168例直肠癌病人中,有20例（11．9％）第一次手术前活检不能明确诊断。对其中17例患者的活检组织石蜡标本（实验组）和10例正常肠粘膜活检标本（对照组）进行常规病理、P53与ras癌基因产物检测。结果实验组中P53与ras基因表达阳性率分别为71％与47％,阳性率均高于常规病理,有显著性差异。17例标本中,11例为不典型增生,5例仅有慢性炎症。不典型增生的P53与ras基因表达分别为11例和7例,而慢性炎症则全部为阴性。二者之间,两种基因表达阳性率均有显著差异。实验结果还显示P53与ras基因表达有较好的一致性。对照组的10例正常肠粘膜的活检标本P53与ras基因检测结果均阴性,与实验组比较,P53阳性率有显著差异。结论P53与ras基因表达检测,可以作为常规病理的补充,提高直肠良恶性病变的鉴别力。     

CART: from gene to function

CART was identified as a novel mRNA regulated by psychostimulant drugs. CART peptides appear to be neurotransmitters involved in a variety of functions such as feeding. The mouse gene has been characterized and localized to Chromosome 13. The processing of CART peptides is evident in Western blotting studies.     

Expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) is reduced in permanent focal cerebral ischemic mouse brain using an adenoviral vector to induce overexpression of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist

Our previous studies have demonstrated that overexpression of recombinant human interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein (IL-1ra) via gene transfer can reduce ischemic brain injury. However, the mechanism of action of IL-1ra in ischemia is unclear. Since interleukin-1 can up-regulate intercellular adhesion molecules in endothelium, the present study was designed to determine whether overexpression of the IL-1ra can reduce the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) after ischemic injury. Normal saline or adenovirus vector (1x109 particles) encoding the human IL-1ra gene (Ad.RSVIL-1ra) or the Escherichia coli LacZ gene (Ad.RSVlacZ) was injected into the right lateral cerebral ventricle of adult CD-1 mice. After five days, permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was achieved for 24 h using an intraluminal suture. Cerebral blood flow was monitored by transcranial laser Doppler flowmetry to verify the occlusion. ICAM-1 protein was quantified using Western blot analysis and localized using immunohistochemistry. After MCAO, surface blood flow in the ischemic hemisphere was decreased to 9-11% of the baseline. There were fewer ICAM-1 positive vessels in the ischemic cortex of the Ad.RSVIL-1ra transfected mice than in the Ad.RSVlacZ transfected and saline treated mice (138+/-19 vs. 249+/-25, 284+/-22, p<0.05). Western blot analysis shows that ICAM-1 protein decreased 50-60% in the Ad. RSVIL-1ra group compared to the other two groups. There were no significant differences in the numbers of positive vessels in the ischemic basal ganglia and contralateral hemisphere among the three groups. Our studies suggest that IL-1ra overexpression can down-regulate the expression of ICAM-1 in the ipsilateral cortex in ischemic mice. Interleukin-1 may play an important role in the activation of inflammatory reaction during focal cerebral ischemia by promoting leukocyte adhesion on the endothelium cells.