Mediation analysis of racial disparities in triple-negative breast cancer incidence among postmenopausal women

Breast Cancer Research and Treatment - Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is disproportionately higher in Black women relative to White women. The objective of this study was to examine to what...     

Emergency department admissions to inpatient cardiac telemetry beds: a prospective cohort study of risk stratification and outcomes

PURPOSE: Little is known about physicians' use of inpatient cardiac telemetry units among emergency department patients at risk for cardiac complications. We therefore studied the outcomes of patients admitted to inpatient telemetry beds to identify a subset of patients from whom cardiac monitoring could be withheld safely. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 1, 033 consecutive adult patients admitted to an inpatient telemetry unit from the emergency department of a 700-bed urban public teaching hospital. Subjects with or without chest pain were risk-stratified using a prediction rule and observed for in-hospital cardiac complications, acute myocardial infarction, and transfer to an intensive care unit (ICU). RESULTS: There were no significant differences between patients with (n = 677) or patients without chest pain (n = 356) in the rates of major cardiac complications, myocardial infarctions, or transfers to an ICU. Among 318 patients with chest pain who were classified as being very low risk, none suffered major complications (negative predictive value 100%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 98.8% to 100%). Among 214 very low risk patients without chest pain, 1 (0.5%) had a major complication (negative predictive value 99.5%; 95% CI: 97.4% to 99.9%). CONCLUSIONS: The prediction rule accurately identified patients with or without chest pain who were at very low risk of major complications, identifying a subset from whom cardiac monitoring could be withheld safely.     

Correlates of memory loss and depression among myocardial infarction patients in Al-Qassim,Saudi Arabia

Background

After myocardial infarction (MI), patients have an elevated risk for depression, which has a negative impact on morbidity and mortality for patients. As depression and memory function are associated, we examined them in the context of one another. Our objectives were to determine the proportion of patients with either depression only, memory loss only, or both depression and memory loss and to examine the correlates with each outcome.

Polyhydramnios. Risk factors and outcome

OBJECTIVE: To determine the risk factors associated with polyhydramnios, and assess the maternal and perinatal outcome in these patients. METHODS: A prospective study of all deliveries complicated with polyhydramnios in Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Sultanate of Oman between January 2005 and April 2006. Polyhydramnios was divided into mild and moderate to severe based on the amniotic fluid index values. The demographic data, antenatal complications, gestational age at delivery, mode of delivery, postpartum complications, and perinatal outcome were studied. RESULTS: A total of 2648 singleton deliveries occurred during the study period. Two hundred and eight (7.8%) women with polyhydramnios formed the study group, and 2440 women with normal amniotic fluid formed the control. Polyhydramnios was mild in 179 (86.1%) and moderate to severe in 29 (13.9%) cases. Sixty-eight (32.7%) of these pregnancies were complicated with diabetes as compared with 12.4% of the controls. Preterm delivery occurred in 16 (7.7%) cases. Cesarean delivery rate was 27.9% in the study group compared with 17.3% in the control. Major congenital anomalies were found in 2.8% of newborns compared with 1% among the controls. Eighteen babies were admitted to the special care baby unit. CONCLUSION: These data demonstrates a significant positive relation with maternal age, diabetes in pregnancy, and fetal macrosomia with polyhydramnios. Anemia during pregnancy, cesarean delivery rate, and congenital anomalies were significantly higher in the study group.     

Advancement in carbon nanotubes: basics, biomedical applications and toxicity

Objectives Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted much attention by researchers worldwide in recent years for their small dimensions and unique architecture, and for having immense potential in nanomedicine as biocompatible and supportive substrates, as a novel tool for the delivery of therapeutic molecules including peptides, RNA and DNA, and also as sensors, actuators and composites. Key findings CNTs have been employed in the development of molecular electronic, composite materials and others due to their unique atomic structure, high surface area‐to‐volume ratio and excellent electronic, mechanical and thermal properties. Recently they have been exploited as novel nanocarriers in drug delivery systems and biomedical applications. Their larger inner volume as compared with the dimensions of the tube and easy immobilization of their outer surface with biocompatible materials make CNTs a superior nanomaterial for drug delivery. Literature reveals that CNTs are versatile carriers for controlled and targeted drug delivery, especially for cancer cells, because of their cell membrane penetrability. Summary This review enlightens the biomedical application of CNTs with special emphasis on utilization in controlled and targeted drug delivery, as a diagnostics tool and other possible uses in therapeutic systems. The review also focuses on the toxicity aspects of CNTs, and revealed that genotoxic potential, mutagenic and carcinogenic effects of different types of CNTs must be explored and overcome by formulating safe biomaterial for drug delivery. The review also describes the regulatory aspects and clinical and market status of CNTs.