Knowledge and Usage of Emergency Contraceptives Among University Students in Ghana

Contraceptive use is an important strategy for the prevention of unwanted pregnancy and avoidance of induced abortion. Of all the contraception methods, emergency contraceptive (EC) offers the last chance to achieve this. However, few studies have documented the use of EC among young people in Ghana. This study explored knowledge and usage of EC as well as the factors associated with it among University of Cape Coast students. Data were obtained on the knowledge and usage of ECs among University of Cape Coast students in 2013. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association between students’ socio-demographic characteristics and EC knowledge and use. More male students (72 %) than females (59 %) were sexually active. Fifty-seven percent of the respondents had ever heard of EC and 36 % had ever used EC. Although males were more likely to be sexually active, females were more likely to have knowledge of EC use compared to males. The study underscores the need to increase awareness regarding EC among University students in order to offer them the opportunity that EC provides if other forms of contraceptives are missed.     

Esophageal Calibration with Soft Orogasrtric Tube During Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication may Reduce Postoperative Transient Dysphagia

Gastroesophageal reflux is the most common benign disorder of the esophagus and laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication has become the standard surgical treatment for its treatment. In our area, where the use of bougie calibration is debatable, postoperative dysphagia is encountered often after this surgery although it is usually not permanent. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of using a soft silicone tube 39 F in diameter for esophageal calibration during laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication on the incidence of postoperative dysphagia. We divided cases scheduled to undergo laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication between January 2009 and November 2010 into two groups, each consisting 25 patients. Esophageal calibration with a 39 F silicone orogastric tube was used for the first group while there was no operative calibration in the second group. The surgical duration was recorded; the presence and severity of the postoperative dysphagia was calculated by using a dysphagia severity scoring system during the 1-year postoperative follow-up. The dysphagia severity scores were significantly lower in group 1 than group 2 on the postoperative second day and at the end of the first week and first month. We did not find a significant difference at the end of the 6-month and first year. There was also no significant difference regarding surgery duration. The use of a soft orogastric tube 39 F in diameter for esophagus calibration during laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication has significantly decreased the incidence of postoperative transient dysphagia without affecting the duration of surgery. Although dysphagia gradually resolves in the majority of patients, a safe and easy calibration method for its prevention is worth developing, and we believe that the use of our method in larger series could be beneficial.     

Worsening head bleeds in elderly blunt head trauma patients taking antithrombotics: Delayed CT head fails to change management

Background

Most elderly trauma patients suffer blunt head injury and many utilize antithrombotic (AT) medications. The utility of delayed CT-head (D-CTH) in neurologically intact elderly patients using AT who have an intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) on presentation is unknown. We hypothesized that D-CTH would not alter clinical management and aimed to evaluate the role of D-CTH in this population.

食管癌根治性放疗剂量研究进展

同步放化疗是不可手术局部晚期食管癌的标准治疗模式,国际推荐根治性放疗剂量为50.0~50.4Gy,但中国食管癌与西方国家在病理类型、生物学行为等方面大有不同,行根治性放疗剂量仍倾向于60Gy。增加放疗剂量能否带来生存获益成为临床亟待解决的问题。有研究认为高剂量放疗可提高局控率、改善生存,但也有研究认为提高剂量未能带来生存获益,且可增加不良反应事件发生率。因此,本文就食管癌根治性放疗剂量对预后的影响进行探讨,并通过放化疗后疗效评估对放疗剂量做出适当调整,以期达个体化放疗。     

Ets-1、MMP-1及TIMP-1在膀胱移行细胞癌中的表达

目的研究Ets-1、基质金属蛋白酶1(MMP-1)及基质金属蛋白酶1抑制物(TIMP-1)在膀胱移行细胞癌(BTCC)中的表达及意义。方法用免疫组化方法检测40例BTCC组织和12例正常膀胱黏膜组织中Ets-1、MMP-1及TIMP-1的表达;分析Ets-1与BTCC临床病理特征间的关系;研究BTCC中MMP-1、TIMP-1表达与Ets-1表达的相关性。结果①Ets-1在BTCC中高度表达,阳性率为82.5%(P<0.01),且随BTCC临床分期和病理分级的升高而增加,肿瘤复发组高于无复发组,肿瘤转移组高于无转移组(P<0.05)。②MMP-1阳性表达率膀胱癌组(85.0%)明显高于对照组(58.3%)(p<0.05);TIMP-1阳性表达率对照组(83.3%)明显高于膀胱癌组(47.5%)(P<0.05)。③MMP-1与Ets-1表达呈正相关(Rs为0.824,P<0.01),而TIMP-1与Ets-1表达呈负相关(Rs为-0.821,P<0.01)。结论①Ets-1在BTCC中高度表达,并随BTCC分期分级升高而增加;Ets-1与BTCC转移及复发密切相关。②BTCC中Ets-1上调MMP-1表达,而下调TIMP-1表达,从而参与BTCC侵袭与转移。     

Hippocampal damage and cytoskeletal disruption resulting from impaired energy metabolism

To determine if impaired energy metabolism might contribute to some aspects of Alzheimer disease (AD), including the vulnerability of the CA1 region of the hippocampal formation and the altered cytoskeleton evident in neurofibrillary tangles, we examined the effects of metabolic poisons on neuronal damage and cytoskeletal disruption in the hippocampal formation. Intrahippocampal injection of 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP) and malonic acid resulted in neuronal death, particularly in CA1. Cytoskeletal disruption included loss of dendritic MAP2, but sparing of axonal τ. MK-801 (a noncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist) did not atenuate the lesions produced by intrahippocampal injection of malonate. MK-801, however, was effective against intrastriatal malonate. Acute systemic 3-NP resulted in neuronal damage and cytoskeletal disruption in the CA1 region of the hippocampal formation, including an extensive loss of MAP2 immuno-reactivity, but sparing of τ. The neuronal loss in CA1 was delayed as compared to striatum. Chronic intraventricular infusion of 3-NP produced a different pattern of neuronal damage. Loss of τ-1 immuno-reactivity was observed in CA3 and CA1 s. oriens, whereas MAP2 immunostaining was preserved. These results demonstrate that chronic and acute administration of metabolic inhibitors produce distinct patterns of neuronal damage and cytoskeletal disruption. The results further suggest a differential involvement of the NMDA receptor in malonate-induced neuronal damage in striatum as compared to the hippocampus. The pattern of neuronal damage and cytoskeletal disruption observed following acute metabolic impairment resembled some aspects of neurofibrillary pathology in AD, but did not result in τ hyperphosphorylation.