Usefulness of the nurse-assisted screening and psychiatric referral program

BACKGROUND: Major depression and adjustment disorders are common psychiatric disorders in patients with cancer, but they are often overlooked in clinical oncology settings. The nurse-assisted screening and psychiatric referral program (NASPRP) has been introduced in clinical practice to facilitate psychiatric treatment for major depression and adjustment disorders. This study assessed the usefulness of the NASPRP and compared it with usual practice. METHODS: The program consists of two stages. In the first stage, consecutive patients newly admitted to the Oncology/Hematology Unit are administered the Distress and Impact Thermometer (DIT) by nurses as a brief screening tool for major depression and adjustment disorders. In the second stage, the nurses recommend psychiatric referral to patients with scores above the cutoff point. Patients' records were reviewed for a 3-month period before the start of the program and during the 3-month period after the start of the program. These records were then compared. RESULTS: Of 157 patients newly admitted during the program period, 86.0% (135/157) completed the DIT and results were positive in 49.6% (67/135), but only 28.2% (19/67) accepted psychiatric referral. Ultimately, 11.5% (18/157) of patients newly admitted were diagnosed with major depression or adjustment disorders and treated by psychiatric service, a significantly higher proportion than during the preceding 3-month period, before the program was begun (2.5%; P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The NASPRP enabled identification of major depression and adjustment disorders in patients with cancer and introduced them to psychiatric treatment. Nevertheless, there is room for improvement in the program.     

G protein-coupled receptor signaling through Gq and JNK negatively regulates neural progenitor cell migration

In the early development of the central nervous system, neural progenitor cells divide in an asymmetric manner and migrate along the radial glia cells. The radial migration is an important process for the proper lamination of the cerebral cortex. Recently, a new mode of the radial migration was found at the intermediate zone where the neural progenitor cells become multipolar and reduce the migration rate. However, the regulatory signals for the radial migration are unknown. Using the migration assay in vitro, we examined how neural progenitor cell migration is regulated. Neural progenitor cells derived from embryonic mouse telencephalon migrated on laminin-coated dishes. Endothelin (ET)-1 inhibited the neural progenitor cell migration. This ET-1 effect was blocked by BQ788, a specific inhibitor of the ETB receptor, and by the expression of a carboxyl-terminal peptide of Galpha q but not Galpha i. The expression of constitutively active mutant of Galpha q, Galpha qR183C, inhibited the migration of neural progenitor cells. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of ET-1 was suppressed by the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor SP600125 and the expression of the JNK-binding domain of JNK-interacting protein-1, a specific inhibitor of the JNK pathway. Using the slice culture system of embryonic brain, we demonstrated that ET-1 and the constitutively active mutant of Galpha q caused the retention of the neural progenitor cells in the intermediate zone and JNK-binding domain of JNK-interacting protein-1 abrogated the effect of ET-1. These results indicated that G protein-coupled receptor signaling negatively regulates neural progenitor cell migration through Gq and JNK.     

African-American menthol and nonmenthol smokers: differences in smoking and cessation experiences

BACKGROUND: Despite smoking fewer cigarettes per day, African Americans have lower cessation rates and experience disproportionately higher rates of smoking-related health consequences. Because of their high preference for menthol cigarettes, it has been suggested that smoking menthol cigarettes may contribute to the excess smoking-related morbidity experienced by African Americans. Smoking menthol cigarettes could increase health risks from smoking if smokers of menthol cigarettes have lower cessation rates and thereby have longer duration of smoking compared to smokers of nonmentholated cigarettes. Few studies have examined associations between smoking of mentholated cigarettes and smoking cessation among African Americans. This study examined the smoking patterns of menthol cigarette smokers and their smoking cessation experiences. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 480 African-American smokers at an inner-city health center. Survey examined sociodemographics, smoking characteristics, and smoking cessation experiences of participants. Menthol smokers (n = 407) were compared to nonmenthol smokers (n = 73) in these characteristics. RESULTS: Menthol smokers were younger and more likely to smoke cigarettes with longer rod length, with filters, and those high in nicotine and tar. Although both groups did not differ by number of past quit attempts, time since most recent quit attempt was shorter for menthol smokers. The durations of most recent and longest-ever quit attempts were nonsignificantly shorter for menthol, compared to nonmenthol smokers. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that African-American menthol smokers are less successful with smoking cessation. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings and examine mechanisms underlying such differences.     

Dual role of NF-kappaB in apoptosis of THP-1 cells during treatment with etoposide and lipopolysaccharide

One of the mechanisms repressing apoptosis in tumor cells can involve the expression of anti-apoptotic NF-kappaB target genes. In this study, we demonstrated that a potent NF-kappaB inhibitor, Nalpha-tosyl-L-lysinyl chloromethyl ketone (TLCK), inhibits apoptosis of THP-1 cells triggered by etoposide (VP16), and actinomycin D (ACT D) or cycloheximide inhibits apoptosis. However, persistent activation of NF-kappaB by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) led to the survival of leukemic cells against VP16-induced apoptosis. Thus, the molecular events (Bax/X-chromosome-linked IAP (XIAP)) occurring downstream of NF-kappaB activation during VP16 and/or LPS stimulation may become important to understand the multiple effects of NF-kappaB.     

Hippocampal volume and first major depressive episode after cancer diagnosis in breast cancer survivors

OBJECTIVE: Patients experiencing their first major depressive episode after receiving a diagnosis of cancer are frequently seen in clinical oncology settings; however, little is known about the neurobiological basis of the first episode. In previous studies, a smaller hippocampus than in healthy comparison subjects has been observed in patients with a history of recurrent and prolonged major depressive episodes. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether there is an association between hippocampal volume and a first major depressive episode after cancer diagnosis in cancer survivors. METHOD: The subjects were 68 female cancer survivors who had undergone breast cancer surgery 3 or more years earlier (mean interval=4.3 years, SD=0.9). The hippocampal volume and delayed recall function of the 17 cancer survivors who had their first major depressive episode after receiving their cancer diagnosis and the 51 with no history of major depressive episode at any time during their lives were measured by magnetic resonance imaging and the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised, respectively. RESULTS: The mean duration of the major depressive episode after cancer diagnosis was 11.9 weeks (SD=14.2). There were no significant differences in left or right hippocampal volume or in delayed recall function between the cancer survivors with and without a major depressive episode after cancer diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: First major depressive episodes after cancer diagnosis in female cancer survivors do not appear to be associated with hippocampal volume. However, a longitudinal study with healthy comparison subjects is needed to draw a definite conclusion.     

Over-expressed Bcl-2 cannot suppress apoptosis via the mitochondria in buprenorphine hydrochloride-treated NG108-15 cells

We previously reported that the morphine alkaloid derivative buprenorphine hydrochloride (Bph) induces rapid apoptosis in NG108-15 nerve cells accompanied by the activation of caspase-3. Here, we found this kind of apoptosis was also accompanied by rapid loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential, followed by the efflux of cytochrome c from the mitochondria to the cytosol and the activation of caspases-9 and -3. Together, these results strongly suggested the Bph death signal was routed through the mitochondrial pathway in NG108-15 cells. In these cells, serum-starvation induces a different apoptosis, which we exploited to investigate Bcl-2's role as an apoptosis inhibitor. We made an NG108-15 transfectant, Bcl-2(P2), that stably expressed human Bcl-2, and used it to test Bcl-2's effect on the serum-starvation-induced apoptosis in NG108-15 cells. Cell viability, DNA-ladder formation, and efflux of cytochrome c from the mitochondria were all detected, showing that the human Bcl-2 functioned normally in the Bcl-2(P2) cells. Although the apoptotic events tested were identical in the parental cells and transformants, Bcl-2 expression completely failed to inhibit Bph-induced apoptosis in the Bcl-2(P2) cells.     

Relationship between anxiety and physical traits of facial expressions

The purpose of this study is to investigate correlations between anxiety and physical traits of facial expressions. In this study, subjects were divided into two groups on the basis of MAS (manifest anxiety scale), and were taken pictures under three different conditions. In Analysis I, we examined how facial expressions differ between high-anxiety and low-anxiety groups. The results showed that facial expressions differed between two groups especially in mouth, left half of the face, and asymmetry of the face. In Experiment I and II, we investigated whether human beings could identify one's anxiety trait and apparent anxiety in facial expressions only on the basis of its facial expressions. The results showed that one's anxiety trait and apparent anxiety could be detected through the mouth. From these results, human beings can recognize one's anxiety through its facial expressions.     

Acute cerebral infarction: effect of JPEG compression on detection at CT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) compression ratios of 10:1 and 20:1 on detection of acute cerebral infarction at computed tomography (CT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: CT images obtained in 25 patients with acute cerebral infarction and 25 patients with no lesions were compressed by means of a JPEG algorithm at ratios of 10:1 and 20:1. Normal and abnormal sections (on original and compressed images) were reviewed by using a color soft-copy computed monochrome cathode ray tube monitor. Five observers rated the presence or absence of a lesion with a 50-point scale (0, definitely absent; 25, equivocal; and 50, definitely present). Diagnostic accuracy was evaluated with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Significant difference was defined as a P value less than.05 for the area tested with a two-tailed paired Student t test. RESULTS: At ROC analysis, no statistically significant difference was detected for all cases considered together (Az [area under the ROC curve] = 0.887 +/- 0.038 [mean +/- SD] on noncompressed images, Az = 0.897 +/- 0.038 on 10:1 compressed images, and Az = 0.842 +/- 0.073 on 20:1 compressed images; P >.05). CONCLUSION: JPEG compression at ratios of 10:1 and 20:1 was tolerated in the detection of acute cerebral infarction at CT.