Effectiveness of a Tai chi Qigong program in promoting health-related quality of life and perceived social support in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease clients

Purpose  

This paper evaluates the effectiveness of a 3-month Tai chi Qigong (TCQ) program in promoting the psychosocial functional health of clients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Hong Kong.     

AGI-1067: a multifunctional phenolic antioxidant,lipid modulator,anti-inflammatory and antiatherosclerotic agent

To explore the therapeutic efficacy and potential mechanisms of action of a new class of antiatherosclerotic drugs, AGI-1067 [mono[4-[[1-[[3,5-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-hydroxyphenyl]thio]-1-methylethyl]thio]-2,6-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)phenyl] ester] (butanedioc acid) was tested in several animal models of atherosclerosis. AGI-1067, a novel phenolic antioxidant, was well tolerated in a 1-year study in hypercholesterolemic cynomolgus monkeys. It lowered low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc) by 41 and 90% at oral doses of 50 and 150 mg/kg, respectively and increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc) by 107% at the higher dose. In contrast, another phenolic antioxidant, probucol, had a modest LDLc-lowering effect (15% at 250 mg/kg) while decreasing HDLc (37% at 150 mg/kg). Histopathology of the aortas and coronary arteries revealed no atherosclerosis in the AGI-1067 (150 mg/kg) group and minimal-to-moderate atherosclerosis in the vehicle and probucol (150 mg/kg) groups. AGI-1067 also inhibited atherosclerosis in LDL receptor-deficient (LDLr -/-) mice and apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE -/-) mice even in the absence of a lipid-lowering effect. In LDLr -/- mice, AGI-1067 reduced aortic atherosclerosis by 49%. In ApoE -/- mice, AGI-1067 reduced atherosclerosis by 25, 41, and 49% in the arch, thoracic, and abdominal regions of the aorta. AGI-1067 also reduced vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) mRNA levels in lungs of lipopolysaccharide-stimulated mice. At the cellular level, AGI-1067 inhibited tumor necrosis factor-alpha-inducible expression of VCAM-1, MCP-1, and E-selectin in human aortic endothelial cells (IC50 values = 6, 10, and 25 microM, respectively). These data show that AGI-1067 can inhibit atherosclerosis not only via its lipid-lowering effects but also by having direct anti-inflammatory effects on the vessel wall and suggest that it may be a novel therapeutic agent for coronary artery disease.     

Prognostic contribution of the HER-2 oncogene overexpression to the Nottingham Prognostic Index in breast cancer.

The Nottingham prognostic index (NPI) is a widely adopted prognostic tool in breast cancer. The HER-2 oncogene overexpression is also associated with higher risk. The aim of our study is to investigate the correlation between the NPI and HER-2 in breast cancer. Two hundred and five patients with breast cancer managed in the Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong Medical Centre, at Queen Mary Hospital between January 1995 and December 1997 were studied. This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected database. Variables evaluated for the analysis of prognostic significance included tumor size, axillary lymph node status, histological grade, estrogen and progesterone receptor status and HER-2 oncogene expression. NPI was calculated from tumor size, lymph node status and histological grade. In univariate analysis, tumor size, axillary lymph node status, distant metastasis status, HER-2 oncogene overexpression and NPI score were found to be significant variables. Significant poorer overall survival was also observed with higher NPI category and positive HER-2. Only tumor size and NPI category with subdivision by HER-2 status were independent factors in multivariate analysis . The combination of the HER-2 oncogene expression status with the widely adopted NPI provides a reliable way to predict prognosis in breast cancer patients.     

Is somatization a significant depressive symptom in older Taiwanese Americans?

Adapting to psychosocial and physical changes can trigger nonspecific somatic complaints and depression. Somatization has been noted in all societies and cultures; however, it is more frequently observed in Asian populations. This study used the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) to screen 100 Taiwanese American older adults for depressive symptoms and found that seven participants (7%) experienced depressive symptoms (GDS >/= 14). Although the mean number of illnesses reported was significantly higher (t = -16.8, P <.001) in the depressive group, the seven individuals did not focus on physical symptoms during interview. They reported guilt, sadness, anger, resentment, loneliness, helplessness, hopelessness, inability to enjoy activities, and anhedonia. If older adults are given the time to express themselves, they are able to reveal their emotional pain and distress rather than remain preoccupied with somatic complaints. A simple depression screening tool, such as the GDS, can help detect depression.     

Epidemiological survey of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in the west-central region of Guangdong Province, China

The study was to understand the Angiostrongylus cantonensis infectious situation of rodent definitive host, snail intermediate host, and local residents in the west-central region of Guangdong Province in China. The snails Achatina fulica and Pomacea canaliculata collected from the survey place were digested with artificial gastric juice, and the third-stage larvae of A. cantonensis in the snails were examined under microscope. The heart and lung of rats captured from the survey place were taken to check the adult of A. cantonensis. The questionnaire surveys related to the infection of A. cantonensis were taken in local residents randomly selected, and the IgG antibody against A. cantonensis was tested in those residents with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A total of 1,391 rats including eight kinds of rats, such as Rattus norvegicus, Rattus flavipectus, Bandicota indica, Rattus sladeni, Mus musculus, Rattus rattoides, Suncus Murinus, and Rattus confucianus, were examined and 132 of them were infected by A. cantonensis, with an average infection rate of 9.49% and a mean intensity of A. cantonensis in infected rats was 9.39. A total of 3,184 snails A. fulica and 3,723 snails P. canaliculata were detected. The average infection rates of them were 25.03% (797/3,184) and 6.50% (242/3,723), respectively. There were 180 positive samples of IgG antibody against A. cantonensis in 1,800 serum samples of the residents, with a positive rate of 10.00%. The west-central region of Guangdong Province is the natural focus of A. cantonensis. In comparison with the investigation results in other regions of China, the infection rate of rat definitive host is at the middle level; in the intermediate host, the infection rate of snail A. fulica is above the middle level, and the infection rate of snail Pomacea canaliculata is below the middle level. Some local residents had already been infected by A. cantonensis or at the risk of being infected.     

Modified Split‐Cast Technique: A New,Timesaving Clinical Remount Technique

Interocclusal discrepancies can be eliminated by a clinical remount procedure, but most practitioners avoid it because of the time involved. This article introduces a new timesaving method, the modified split‐cast technique. It uses a semi‐adjustable articulator, tin foil as plaster separator, and an addition‐type, silicone bite‐registration material. The technician does most of the remounting procedures before the denture delivery appointment, so the dentist spends very little time chairside to complete the clinical remount procedure. Compared with the conventional and two other remounting techniques, the new technique is faster and easier to manipulate.     

Stressors in the ICU: a comparison of patients' and nurses' perceptions

Aims and objectives. The aim of the study was to compare the stressors as perceived by patients in an intensive care unit (ICU) against those of nurses on the basis of their perceptions of patients’ stressors. Background. Getting admitted to an ICU is viewed as a stressful event by patients. However, numerous studies have indicated that nurses do not always accurately perceive the stressors of their clients. Therefore, it is important for nurses to know what seems most stressful from the patients’ perspective so that appropriate nursing measures can be directed towards minimising such stressors. Design. Survey. Methods. As a convenience sample, 60 patients and 54 critical care nurses were recruited. The Intensive Care Unit Stressor Questionnaire (Chinese) (ICU‐CSQ) was used to collect the perceptions of stressors by the patients. Nurses were also asked to rate the items in the said questionnaire according to how they believe patients would rate them. Results. In every comparison, nurses evaluated the items to be significantly more stressful than patients did. Overall perceived stress levels of nurses were also significantly higher than those of their patients (z = ?8·78, p < 0·001). Conclusions. Nurses tended to rate the items as more stressful than did the patients, perhaps over‐emphasising the stressful nature of the ICU. The findings also highlight the importance of cultural beliefs on the perceived stress levels among the Chinese population. Relevance to clinical practice. Findings in this study have strong implications in clinical practice, especially in a critical care setting. Nurses must attempt to identify and endeavour to cope with the situations that patients listed as most stressful. Moreover, attention must be drawn towards measures aimed at relieving the stress of patients by taking into account their cultural values so that culture‐specific interventions for reducing their stress can be established.