Physical symptoms/side effects during breast cancer treatment predict posttreatment distress

Background: Studies suggest that the period following completion of treatment can be distressing for cancer patients. One potentially important predictor of distress is physical symptoms/side effects during treatment.Purpose: A longitudinal, observational design was used to examine whether the number of physical symptoms/side effects experienced during treatment was a correlate of cancer-related distress and general distress 4 months after treatment completion, as measured by the Impact of Events Scale and the Mental Health subscale of the Short Form-36, respectively.Methods: Participants were 151 women who had completed chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy for ductal carcinoma in situ or stage 1 or 2 breast cancer. Hierarchical multiple regression was conducted with relevant sociodemographic, clinical, and psychiatric variables entered as controls.Results: Greater physical symptoms/side effects predicted greater total cancer-related distress, intrusive thoughts, and general distress. Physical symptoms/side effects did not significantly predict avoidance. Follow-up analyses indicated that the relationship between physical symptoms/side effects and general distress was mediated by both total cancer-related distress and intrusive thoughts.Conclusions: These results suggest that patients who experience greater physical symptoms/side effects during treatment are at greater risk for later cancer-related distress and, in turn, general distress. Future research should evaluate whether early intervention with these patients is effective in preventing or reducing distress in the posttreatment period. This work was supported by a grant from the National Cancer Institute (5R01 CA082822).     

An Integrated Technique for Identification of Differential Genes Expressed in Patients with Cancer

Summary: To develop a method for identification of differential gene expression between different cell populations, several convenient techniques of molecular biology, including subtractive hybridization, suppression PCR, T/A cloning and sequencing, were used to identify genes expressed differentially in CD45^- and CD45^- cells isolated from U266 cell line of multiple myeloma. Our results showed that the levels of abundant genes scale down 20 times through subtractive hybridization.Plasmid DNA from CD45^- cell clones was hybridized with forward or backward cDNA probes synthesized from CD45^- and CD45 cells, respectively. A few of differentially expressed genes reconfirmed by RT-PCR were identified from 500 expressed clones of CD45^- cells. It is concluded that a strategy for gene expression identification developed from conventional molecular biological methods can be used in different laboratories.     

老年人肱骨近端二部分和三部分移位骨折19例临床分析

目的 探讨老年人肱骨近端二部分和三部分移位骨折的手术治疗方法。方法 回顾性分析19例老年肱骨近端二部分和三部分移位骨折患者的临床资料，其中二部分骨折13例、三部分骨折6例，采用切开复位，肱骨近端解剖钢板固定治疗。结果 二部分骨折术后优良率为76．9％，未出现骨折不愈合及肱骨头坏死；三部分骨折术后优良率为66．7％，肱骨头坏死率16．7％。结论 老年人肱骨近端二部分和三部分骨折应尽量采用有限切开复位，选择肱骨近端解剖钢板固定。     

Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch vs. gastric bypass for severe obesity

Conclusion In the year 2003 there is no “one best bariatric operation” for every severely obese patient. The choice of operation must be tailored to each individual patient’s needs and wishes. For the superobese patient, the patient diagnosed with intestinal metaplasia of the stomach, and for those patients who do not wish to undergo the severe dietary restrictions imposed by the RNY-GB, the BPD-DS is a valuable surgical option.     

Advances in the treatment of depression in older adults

Depressive symptoms in older adults are common, but the minority of elderly meet criteria for major depressive disorder. This has led to confusion regarding the recognition of diagnosis, approach to treatment, and monitoring of outcomes in this needy population. Few depressed older adults are willing to seek treatment from psychiatrists or mental health specialists. Treatment approaches to the depressive spectrum of disorders in late life, which encompasses major and minor depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, and mood disorders related to medical conditions, must include evidence-based algorithms that can be delivered in a variety of health care settings. Several recent multisite trials have advanced the use of collaborative care models and the systematic stepwise approach to the treatment of depression and anxiety states in older adults. This offers the ability to provide effective treatment of depression for older adults, consistent with current guidelines, in primary care and specialized health care settings.     

氟对体外培养人牙乳头间充质细胞合成I型胶原的影响

目的:明确氟对人牙乳头细胞合成 I型胶原的影响。 方法:对人牙乳头细胞进行体外培养 ,分别给予0 .0、0 .2× 10 - 6、1.0× 10 - 6、5 .0× 10 - 6、2 5 .0× 10 - 6 g/ L 氟处理 ,采用免疫细胞化学方法染色 ,图象分析氟对细胞合成 I型胶原的影响。 结果:I型胶原在对照组和 4种氟浓度处理组细胞表达均为阳性。图象分析结果表明 ,4种氟浓度对体外培养的人牙乳头细胞合成 I型胶原量与对照组相比差异无统计学意义 (P>0 .0 5 )。结论:过量氟对牙本质基质 型胶原的影响可能不是通过影响成牙本质细胞内合成实现的