Tissue banking in head and neck cancer

Progress in the molecular oncology in head and neck cancer (HNSCC) depends on high quality appropriate tissue samples for research. The expanding availability of new molecular platforms makes ever increasing demands on any available biospecimens. HNSCC offers several key advantages over other tumour sites to the cancer researcher such that, through effective tissue collection, clinicians will be of great help the basic scientist. Informed consent and ethical approval are pre-requisites for tissue banking and it is vital to develop protocols for collection and storage such that the best possible quality of tissue is utilised in future research.     

Venous thromboembolism in cervical cancer

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is common in malignant disease and is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Recently, VTE has received increased attention as a result of the use of newer drugs, such as erythropoietin-stimulating agents or antiangiogenic drugs, which increase the risk of this condition. Several reviews have been published on VTE in cancer, but none have specifically focused on cervical cancer. In this review, we focus on the incidence of VTE, patient, tumour, and treatment-related risk factors for VTE, and treatment and prevention of VTE in the setting of cervical cancer.     

Increased levels of mercury associated with high fish intakes among children from Vancouver, Canada

OBJECTIVE: To assess exposure to mercury (Hg) among children in population subgroups whose traditional dietary practices include fish. STUDY DESIGN: We determined blood Hg, red blood cell phosphatidylethanolamine omega-3 eicosapentaenoic acid as a marker of fish intake, and assessed indexes of childhood behavior in preschool children 1.5 to 5 years of age (n = 228) living in an ethnically diverse neighborhood in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. RESULTS: The median blood Hg was 4.6 nmol/L, range 0-67.9 nmol/L. Twelve (6%) children, all of whom were Chinese, had a blood Hg > 28.9 nmol/L. Blood Hg, total fish intake, and eicosapentaenoic acid were higher among Chinese than Caucasian children; however, higher fish intake did not predict blood Hg. Blood Hg was inversely associated with attentional focusing in children over 3 years of age after adjusting for confounding family variables, iron deficiency anemia, and zinc deficiency. Major sources of fish among Chinese children were imported fish rather than local fish. CONCLUSION: Children from population subgroups within populations not considered at risk may be at increased risk of neurotoxicity caused by Hg exposure from fish.     

Bringing the Life Needs Model to life: implementing a service delivery model for pediatric rehabilitation

This article describes the use and utility of the Life Needs Model of Pediatric Service Delivery at a regional children's rehabilitation center. The model is a transdisciplinary, evidence-based model that guides pediatric service delivery to meet the long-range goals of community participation and quality of life for children and youth with disabilities. The article describes the use of the model as a tool to assist with the development of organizational culture, strategic and operational planning, the development of therapists' expertise, and the development of community partnerships. The model also has influenced human resources practices, community relations activities, and research. The model provides needed direction to service planners about the types of services that are important to provide in a geographical region, and fills a gap in outlining the nature of services that can be encompassed in pediatric rehabilitation.     

Pediatric atopic eczema: the impact of an educational intervention

Patient education has been regarded as having a key role in the self-management of atopic eczema. However, the relationship between the educational interventions and clinical outcomes including severity of eczema, quality of life, and family impact has not been rigorously examined. The purpose of this longitudinal randomized controlled study was to evaluate the impact of an intensive education program with a focus on dermatology and immunology designed for parents and children diagnosed with atopic eczema. The intention of this study was not to change treatment regimes prescribed by the patient's physician. The Scoring Atopic Dermatitis rating system was used for assessment of disease impact, and the impact on quality of life was quantified by using the Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index, Infants' Dermatology Quality of Life Index, and Dermatitis Family Impact. A total of 61 pediatric patients (0-16 years) diagnosed with atopic eczema from the metropolitan area of Adelaide were randomized to either the control or intervention group. Results of the study showed that the intervention group had a significant improvement in the scoring atopic dermatitis measure when compared to the control group at week 4 and week 12. Quality of life measures did not significantly improve with decreased severity of eczema except in the group of children aged 5-16 years which, despite small numbers, showed a significant improvement in quality of life scores. These findings suggest that education provides an important role in decreasing the severity of eczema.     

Does Genetic Diversity Predict Health in Humans?

Genetic diversity, especially at genes important for immune functioning within the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC), has been associated with fitness-related traits, including disease resistance, in many species. Recently, genetic diversity has been associated with mate preferences in humans. Here we asked whether these preferences are adaptive in terms of obtaining healthier mates. We investigated whether genetic diversity (heterozygosity and standardized mean d²) at MHC and nonMHC microsatellite loci, predicted health in 153 individuals. Individuals with greater allelic diversity (d²) at nonMHC loci and at one MHC locus, linked to HLA-DRB1, reported fewer symptoms over a four-month period than individuals with lower d². In contrast, there were no associations between MHC or nonMHC heterozygosity and health. NonMHC-d² has previously been found to predict male preferences for female faces. Thus, the current findings suggest that nonMHC diversity may play a role in both natural and sexual selection acting on human populations.     

Strain imaging in echocardiography: methods and clinical applications

Echocardiography is the most common diagnostic method for assessing cardiac functions. However, echocardiographic measures are subjective, semi-quantitative, and relatively insensitive when detecting subtle perturbations in contractility. Furthermore, early detection of abnormalities is crucial and may often influence treatments and establish prognosis. Echocardiographic- and Doppler-derived strain and strain rate imaging are relatively newer and more comprehensive techniques. They characterize the mechanics of myocardial contraction and relaxation (deformation imaging) more precisely and find applications in many cardiac pathologies. They are especially useful for assessing longitudinal myocardial deformation, which is otherwise difficult to assess using standard echocardiographic visual inspection. This review describes the fundamental concepts of strain imaging derived from tissue Doppler and two-dimensional speckle tracking and investigates how these methods can be incorporated into echocardiographic examinations and highlights their clinical applications. The considerable potentiality of imaging modalities for numerous cardiac conditions is thereby shown.     

Unusual haematologic manifestations of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection

A 2-year-old male presented with fever, cervical lymphadenopathy, anaemia, neutrophilia and thrombocytosis. There was no evidence of pulmonary disease. Severe cold antibody (IgM) mediated haemolytic anaemia developed during admission. Infection with Mycoplasma pneumoniae was demonstrated, highlighting the extrapulmonary manifestations of the infection, in the absence of pulmonary signs.