Assessing the association between the strength of state policies on school drug prevention and substance use disorders

Background: Adolescent substance use has been linked to numerous adverse health, social, and educational outcomes. While there have been intensive resources placed in school-based prevention programs, the association of these policies on prevention outcomes is still unclear. State variation in policies provides an opportunity to assess the influence of school-based prevention programs. Objectives: To examine the association between the strength of state high school-based prevention programing and the prevalence of substance use disorders among adolescents ages 14–17 in the United States. Methods: National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data with state-level identifiers were merged with National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) information on school-based prevention policy strength, categorized into “required,” “recommended,” and “no policy.” Unadjusted comparisons and multilevel random intercept linear regression models were estimated to assess the change in rates of substance abuse or dependence from pre- to post- policy implementation, accounting for the nesting of individuals within states. Results: Rates of alcohol and tobacco abuse/dependence were significantly lower in states that required an alcohol prevention curriculum. After covariate adjustment, rates of alcohol abuse/dependence remained significantly lower in those states. Conclusions: Reinforcing alcohol prevention messaging in school appears to have a modest association with decreased rates of adolescent alcohol use disorders, possibly in part due to a different approach to the curriculum. For other substances, policy requirements appear to be less effective in reducing the prevalence of adolescent substance use disorders, suggesting that more targeted messaging with higher-risk students may be required.     

Anti-tumor efficacy of ultrasonic cavitation is potentiated by concurrent delivery of anti-angiogenic drug in colon cancer

This study investigated the efficacy of concurrent delivery of an anti-angiogenic drug and ultrasonic cavitation therapy in a mouse model of human colon cancer. A biotinylated form of the anti-angiogenic drug Endostar was conjugated to a streptavidin-coated microbubble (MB). Mice bearing subcutaneous tumors (HT29) were divided into 4 groups. Group 1 served as an untreated control. Group 2 served as a cavitation control and received naked microbubbles and sham ultrasonic cavitation (MB + sham cavitation). Group 3 received naked microbubbles and ultrasonic cavitation (MB + cavitation). Group 4 received Endostar loaded microbubbles and ultrasonic cavitation (Endostar-MB + cavitation). Ultrasonic cavitation was performed using a high-power custom built sonicator. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging (CEUS) was used to measure tumor blood flow before and after ultrasonic cavitation. In vivo fluorescence imaging was performed to monitor changes in tumor volume. Immunohistochemistry was performed to assess CD31, VEGFR-2 and alpha-v beta-3 integrin expression within the tumor. Apoptosis of the tumor cells was determined by TUNEL assay, and ultrastructural changes within the tumor were examined by electron microcopy. Ultrasonic cavitation with Endostar-MB demonstrated a significantly greater inhibition of tumor blood flow on day 7 and tumor growth on day 16 compared with naked MB and control groups. The Endostar-MB treated mice showed significantly decreased expression VEGFR-2 and alpha-v beta-3 integrin, and increased apoptosis of tumor cells and degradation of the tumor ultrastructure. Our findings indicated that the anti-vascular and anti-tumor effects of ultrasonic cavitation could be potentiated by simultaneously delivering an anti-angiogenic drug in colon cancer.     

A note on dichotomization of continuous response variable in the presence of contamination and model misspecification

The purpose of this note is to raise awareness of the complexity of the practice involving dichotomization. It is well known that the regular regression models are effective tools for analyzing Gaussian‐type response variables, and researchers are often told that it is a ‘bad idea’ to practice dichotomization if continuous measurements are available. We demonstrate through special cases, however, that there is another side of the story if the response variable is contaminated. Although dichotomization causes loss of information, it can also reduce input of contamination. If the reduction of contamination input outweighs the loss of information, analysis based on dichotomization can sometimes provide better results. We derive formulas of bias and variance for binary regression estimators under a contamination model of unknown additive errors, and compare them with both the least squares and robust M‐estimators from the corresponding linear regression analysis using continuous responses. As a case study, we study extensively the case in which the observed response is contaminated by an error with a mean and a variance proportional to the mean and the variance of the uncontaminated true response. Conditions under which dichotomization is preferred are obtained. A simulation study based on a real data setting is provided, which supports the theoretical developments. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

RRM1 and ERCC1 expression in peripheral blood versus tumor tissue in gemcitabine/carboplatin-treated advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Purpose  

To comparatively evaluate the prognostic or predictive value of ribonucleotide reductase M1 (RRM1) and excision repair cross-complementation 1 (ERCC1) gene expression in peripheral blood versus tumor tissue from patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated by gemcitabine/platinum chemotherapy.     

肾移植术后单剂应用人源化抗CD3单克隆抗体的临床观察

目的 研究肾移植受者体内应用人源化抗CD3单克隆抗体(OKT3)注射液单次剂量递增给药后的短期和长期安全性.方法 2008年6-12月,共29例肾功能稳定的尸体肾移植受者入选该研究.每位受试者按入组顺序随机分至2.5 mg(n=9)、5.0 mg(n=10)、10.0 mg(n=10)3个剂量组,并于移植术后7～14 d内接受相应剂量的OKT3单次给药.同时选取同期未参加试验的30例肾移植受者作为对照组.所有患者至少随访2年,随访期间监测肝功能、肾功能、血常规等指标,并观察有无其他不良事件.结果 各剂量组受试者在给药后48 h内,出现低热(7/29)、畏寒(4/29)、肝功能损害(2/29)、上呼吸道感染(1/29)和头痛(1/29),未出现明显的首剂效应,其余的不良反应轻微,发生率与剂量无关.随访期间内,试验组和对照组2-年人/肾长期存活率分别为100%/100%和100%/97%;移植肾活检证实的急性排斥发生率分别为6.9%(2/29)和10.0%(3/30),肺部感染发生率分别为10.3%(3/29)和13.3%(4/30).术后1周及3、6、12、24个月监测血肌酐值显示,两组差异均无统计学意义(均P＞0.05).结论 人源化OKT3不同剂量单次给药在肾移植受者体内安全性良好,其有望成为一种抗排斥能力强、毒副作用较小的免疫抑制剂.

Abstract：

Objective To evaluate short-term and long-term safety of using single-dose escalation of recombinant humanized anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (OKT3) in kidney transplantation recipients.Methods A total of 29 recipients of cadaveric kidney transplant from June 2008 to December 2008 were sequently assigned to receive single-dose intravenous injection of OKT3 with different doses of 2. 5 mg( n =9) , 5.0 mg (n = 10) and 10. 0 mg (n = 10) at Days 7 - 14 post-operation. Meanwhile, a control group was established by selecting kidney transplant recipients, who did not participate in the trial in the same period.All patients were followed up for at least 2 years. During this period, liver function, kidney function,hemoglobin and other biochemical indicators were monitored and adverse events recorded over time. Results No obvious first dose effect was observed,except low heat (7/29), chills (4/29) , mild liver damage (2/29) , upper respiratory tract infection and headache (1/29) across all doses. Other adverse reactions were mild, unrelated with doses. The 2-year patients/ grafts survival rates of treatment goup and control group were 100% / 100%, and 100% / 97%, respectively. The incidence of acute rejection confirmed by renal biopsy was 6. 9% (2/29) and 10. 0% (3/30) in treatment group and control group, respectively. The incidence of lung infection was 10. 3% ( 3/29 ) and 13.3% ( 4/30 ), respectively. The values of serum creatinine at 1 week and 3, 6, 12, 24 months showed no statistically significance in two groups ( all P ＞0. 05). Conclusion It is safe to use single-shot OKT3 intravenously in kidney transplant recipients. The recombinant humanized OKT3 may be an effective immunosuppressive agent with milder toxicity for solid organ transplantation.     

Regional myocardial function and response to acute afterload increase in chronically anemic fetal sheep: evaluation by two-dimensional strain echocardiography

We hypothesized that in chronic fetal anemia, remodeling of the myocardium is related to abnormalities in regional wall motion and acutely increased afterload further disturbs myocardial strain. Chronic anemia was induced in one fetus of each of seven sheep twin pregnancies. The fetuses were studied by two-dimensional (2-D) strain echocardiography at baseline and during increased afterload via angiotensin II (AT II) infusion. At baseline, the peak systolic longitudinal, radial and circumferential strains in the left ventricular lateral wall in anemic fetuses were lower than those in the controls (all p<0.05). During AT II, the circumferential strain of right ventricular free wall decreased significantly both in the control and anemic fetuses. Left ventricular free wall systolic strains were not affected by AT II. Fetal myocardial remodeling in chronic anemia decreases left ventricular systolic free wall strains. The myocardial adaptation does not change ventricular responses to acutely increased afterload.     

特殊表型遗传性先天性白内障的超微结构和基因定位

目的 探讨一表型特殊、晶状体呈簇状混浊的常染色体显性遗传性先天性白内障(ADCC)的超微结构,并初步定位该疾病的相关候选基因。方法 收集特殊表型ADCC一家系资料,对家系成员行眼部检查;在光学显微镜和透射电镜下观察晶状体细胞超微结构的改变;选择γ-晶状体蛋白基因附近多个微卫星位点,对该家系ADCC疾病相关候选基因进行连锁分析。结果 光学显微镜下特殊表型ADCC患者晶状体纤维细胞失去正常排列规则,产生不规则折光,并可见网格样改变、黏液样变性及结晶样物质析出等局灶性退行性变;透射电镜下可见细胞皱缩、变形,失去正常长六边形形态,细胞间隙增宽,细胞内可见异常高密度球形颗粒沉着。连锁分析结果显示,该家系ADCC疾病相关候选基因与微卫星位点D2S2208、D2S2382及D2S164连锁,最大LOD值为3．34。结论 特殊表型ADCC的特异性病理学改变集中在晶状体纤维细胞,其疾病相关候选基因极可能为γ-晶状体蛋白基因。（中华眼科杂志,2004,40：306-310)