Diet and breast cancer: evidence that extremes in diet are associated with poor survival.

PURPOSE: Diet has been postulated to influence breast cancer prognosis; however, existing evidence is weak and inconsistent. Previous studies have sought evidence of a linear relationship between diet and breast cancer outcomes. Because of a U-shaped association of body mass index (BMI) with survival in breast cancer, we hypothesized that a nonlinear association also existed for dietary variables. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Four hundred seventy-seven women with surgically resected T1 to T3, N0/1, M0 breast cancer completed the Block Food Frequency Questionnaire 9.3 +/- 4.6 weeks (mean +/- standard deviation) after diagnosis, reporting intake over the preceding 12 months. Data on tumor-related factors, treatment, and outcomes were obtained prospectively from medical records. A series of Cox models was performed, modeling the association of dietary factors with breast cancer survival linearly and quadratically, adjusting for total energy intake, tumor- and treatment-related variables, and BMI. RESULTS: Significant nonlinear survival associations were found for protein, oleic acid, cholesterol, polyunsaturated-saturated fat ratio, and for percentage of calories from fat and percentage of calories from carbohydrates in multivariate models. The shape of the survival associations varied across nutrients. Hazard ratios for highest risk quintiles ranged from 2.1 to 6.5. For total fat, adjustment for BMI reduced the multivariate P value obtained from nonlinear Cox models from.05 to.10. No significant linear associations were identified. CONCLUSION: The association of key dietary variables with breast cancer survival may be U-shaped rather than linear. Our data suggest that midrange intake of most major energy sources is associated with the most favorable outcomes, and extremes are associated with less favorable outcomes.     

Neurotensin polyplex as an efficient carrier for delivering the human GDNF gene into nigral dopamine neurons of hemiparkinsonian rats.

Recently we showed that the neurotensin polyplex is a nanoparticle carrier system that targets reporter genes in nigral dopamine neurons in vivo. Herein, we report its first practical application in experimental parkinsonism, which consisted of transfecting dopamine neurons with the gene coding for human glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (hGDNF). Hemiparkinsonism was induced in rats by a single dose of 6-hydroxydopamine (30 microg) into the ventrolateral part of the striatum. We showed that transfection of the hGDNF gene into the substantia nigra of rats 1 week after the neurotoxin injection produced biochemical, anatomical, and functional recovery from hemiparkinsonism. RT-PCR analysis showed mRNA expression of exogenous hGDNF in the transfected substantia nigra. Western blot analysis verified transgene expression by recognizing the flag epitope added at the C-terminus of the hGDNF polypeptide, which was found mainly in dopamine neurons by double immunofluorescence techniques. These data indicate that the neurotensin polyplex holds great promise for the neuroprotective therapy of Parkinson disease.     

Early postoperative lipid administration after neonatal surgery

The ability of neonates to eliminate and utilize lipid emulsions after surgery was investigated in 12 patients. All were subjected to major surgery within 29 h of birth. All neonates were given 10% glucose iv intraoperatively. Six patients continued with 10% glucose iv for 24 h postoperatively and 6 patients received a combination of 5% glucose and soy bean emulsion (Intralipid 20%). Both regimes provided equal amounts of fluid and energy. Blood glucose, lactate, triglycerides, free fatty acids, fractions of fatty acids in triglycerides, 3-hydroxybutyrate and arterial blood gases were measured at predetermined intervals throughout this period. Administration of a lipid emulsion early after neonatal surgery was well tolerated and utilized, with some latency. Concentrations of triglycerides, free fatty acids and 3-hydroxybutyrate were higher in the lipid group, but no accumulation of these substances was found. Palmitinic and linoleic acid were also higher in the lipid group.     

电针结合高压氧治疗突发性耳聋临床观察

目的 观察电针结合高压氧治疗突发性耳聋的疗效。方法 将72例突发性耳聋患者随机分为两组，电针结合高压氧治疗(实验组)36例(39耳)，单纯高压氧治疗(对照组)36例(38耳)，对两组患者疗效进行分析。结果 实验组有效率84.6％，对照组有效率63．2％，两组有显著差异(P＜0．05)。病程≤15d的有效率(实验组92．6％，对照组76、o％)，病程＞15d的有效率(实验组66、7％，对照组38．5％)，两组均有显著差异(P＜0．05)。结论 电针结合高压氧治疗突发性耳聋疗效明显伏于单纯高压氧治疗，并且病程≤15d治疗的患者疗效明显伏于病程＞15d的患者。     

Formoterol, a new inhaled beta-2 adrenergic agonist, has a longer blocking effect than albuterol on hyperventilation-induced bronchoconstriction

The duration of effect of inhaled formoterol (24 micrograms) was compared with that of a placebo and that of inhaled albuterol (200 micrograms) in 12 adult asthmatic subjects who underwent hyperventilation tests with cold dry air (-20 degrees C) on 4 study days. On the control day, they were subjected to four hyperventilation tests to ensure functional stability. On the 3 remaining days, after a first hyperventilation test, they inhaled placebo, albuterol, or formoterol in randomized, double-blind fashion. The hyperventilation test was repeated 1, 4, and 8 h and, if the blocking effect was still present, 12 and 24 h after the drug had been administered. The dose of hyperventilation of cold air causing a 20% fall in FEV1 (PD20) was interpolated on the dose-response curve. The magnitude of the blocking effect at each time interval on each study day was assessed by comparing the changes in PD20 from baseline with the within-day variability of PD20 (standardized change in PD20). The acute bronchodilator effect was not significantly different as assessed 15 min (21 +/- 14% for albuterol and 18 +/- 18% for formoterol) and 1 h (20 +/- 13% for albuterol and 18 +/- 17% for formoterol) after administering the medication. The duration of the blocking effect, defined as the return to 2 SD from the standardized change in PD20, was significantly more prolonged for formoterol (8.0 +/- 3.4 h) than for albuterol (3.0 +/- 1.7 h) (t = 4.2, p less than 0.0001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The impact of latency on surgical precision and task completion during robotic-assisted remote telepresence surgery.

OBJECTIVE: It has been suggested that robotic-assisted remote telepresence surgery with a signal transmission latency of greater than 300 ms may not be possible. METHODS: We evaluated the impact of four different latencies of up to 500 ms on task completion and error rate in five surgeons after completion of three different surgical tasks. RESULTS: The surgeons were able to complete all tasks with a latency of 500 ms. However, higher latency was associated with higher error rates and task completion time (TCT). There were significant variations between surgeons and different tasks. CONCLUSION: Surgeons are able to complete tasks with a signal transmission latency of up to 500 ms. The clinical impact of slower TCT and increased error rates encountered at higher latency needs to be established.     

RELATIONSHIP AMONG MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION, INSERTION／DELETION POLYMORPHISM OF FVII GENE PROMOTER REGION AND FVII ACTIVITY

Objective To explore the relationship among myocardial infarction (MI) , promoter regionpolymorphism of FVII gene and FVII activity in a Chinese population. Methods Denaturing gradient gel electro-phoresis technique was used to study promoter region polymorphism of FVII gene, and plasma FVII activity (FVIIC) was examined by one stage clotting assay in 74 cases with MI as well as 123 normal controls. Results An insertion/deletion polymorphism of 10bp was found in the promoter region. Plasma FVII activity was significantly higher in the myocardial infarction (P <0. 05). Conclusion Elevated FVII activity may be a risk factor for myocardial infarction. There is no correlation found between the insertion/deletion polymorphism of FVII gene promoter region and myocardial infarction in a Chinese population (74 MI cases and 123 normal controls).