Evaluation of an Australian intervention to encourage breast feeding in primiparous women

Breast feeding has nutritional, immunologic and antiallergicadvantages for the infant. Although it has been widely recommendedthat infants be exclusively breast fed until 4–6 monthsof age, only about half of all Australian babies currently receiveextended breast feeding. The present study evaluated an intensiveprogramme designed to increase the proportion ofprimi-parousmothers who breast fed for 4 months or longer. Women who registeredwith the hospital at least 20 weeks before delivery and whointended to breastfeed were eligible for the study. Two hundredand thirty-five women were allocated to receive either usualcare or an intensive breast feeding programme when they registeredwith the hospital. The intensive programme consisted of writtenmaterials, and group and individual sessions with a lactationcounsellor. It also included a visit from a breastfeeding consultantwhile in hospital after the birth and contact on return home.Women were followed up 6 weeks and 4 months after delivery.There were no significant differences in breastfeeding ratesbetween the control and intervention groups at either follow-uppoint. Breast feeding until 4 months was more likely among womenwhose baby did not receive a bottle feed while still in hospitaland who did not smoke, use the combined oral contraceptive pillor introduce solid food before 4 months. Those mothers who enjoyedand felt satisfied with breastfeeding were more likely to continueto 4 months. It seems likely that programmes designed to increasebreastfeeding will need to address underlying factors such ashospital policy rather than simply providing more health education.     

Breast Conservation Therapy in Patients with Early-Stage Breast Cancer Who Have Undergone a Second Re-Excision of the Primary Tumor Bed: A Report of Four Cases

Abstract: For the women with early-stage breast cancer who are candidates for breast conservation therapy, re-excision of the primary tumor bed has commonly been used in patients for several indications. These indications include positive margin or uncertain margin status of the primary excision or residual microcalcifications on postbiopsy mammogram. If the pathology from the re-excision does not confirm negative margin status, mastectomy is generally recommended. This article examines patients who have undergone a second re-excision (i.e., a lumpectomy followed by two re-excisions) who have been treated with breast conservation therapy rather than a mastectomy.
From September 1977 to November 1995, 1,562 patients underwent breast conserving therapy at this institution. Seven hundred forty of these patients underwent a re-excisional biopsy because of positive or uncertain margin status or residual microcalcifications after the first excision. Four patients (0.5%) underwent a second re-excision because of positive or uncertain margin status or residual microcalcifications on mammogram after the first re-excision. The final margin status after the second re-excision of all four patients was negative. The radiation dose was 4,600–5,000 cGy to the whole breast followed by a conedown to bring the total dose to 6,400–6,800 cGy to the primary tumor bed.
Follow-up in the four patients was 13 years, 4 years, 14 months, and 8 months respectively. All four patients are clinically without disease and have not had a locoregional recurrence. Cosmesis was excellent in all four patients. One patient had an adriamycin-induced recall reaction causing a cellulitis, which resolved with antibiotics. There were no other complications.
Highly selected patients may undergo breast-conserving therapy after a second re-excision. Good outcome and cosmesis can be achieved for this small subset of patients with avoidance of a mastectomy.     

Limitations of the keyhole technique for quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced breast MRI

The effect of keyhole data acquisition on quantitative analysis of dynamic MRI was examined. Experiments were performed retrospectively on raw data obtained from clinical dynamic contrast-enhanced breast imaging procedures. The effects of keyhole phase-encoding acquisition and type of reconstruction algorithm on the accuracy of derived quantitative parameters was assessed. Results indicate that the minimum keyhole size used should be restricted by the approximate minimum size of the expected lesions. Furthermore, reconstruction algorithms that offer improved image resolution do not circumvent this restriction.     

乳腺肿瘤组织中Ⅰ型纤溶酶原激活物抑制剂的表达

探查乳腺肿瘤组织中Ⅰ型纤溶酶原激活物抑制剂（ＰＡＩ－１）的表达，并比较乳腺恶性肿瘤组织与良性纤继腺瘤及正常组织中ＰＡＩ－１的差异。用免疫组织化学和原位杂交的方法，确定了乳腺癌、乳腺纤维腺瘤及瘤旁正常组织中ＰＡＩ－１的分布；用发色底物法检测组织提取液中ＰＡＩ－１的活性；用图象分析的方法对组织切片上的ＰＡＩ－１进行灰度定量。结果：ＰＡＩ－１主要分布在乳腺正常腺上皮细胞、瘤上皮细胞和腺癌细胞的胞浆中，但恶性组织中的成纤维细胞、巨噬细胞以及癌旁纤维组织也有染色。癌组织中ＰＡＩ－１的活性（Ｐ＜０．００１）和含量（Ｐ＜０．００５）均高于良性乳腺纤维腺瘤及瘤旁正常组织。结论：ＰＡＩ－１在乳腺恶性肿瘤组织中明显升高，ＰＡＩ－１的检测可能为临床乳腺肿瘤的诊断、预后提供新的指标。     

The effect of supplementation with fish oil during pregnancy on breast milk immunoglobulin A, soluble CD14, cytokine levels and fatty acid composition

BACKGROUND: Breast milk contains many immunomodulatory factors (soluble CD14 (sCD14), IgA and cytokines) with the potential to influence infant immune development. OBJECTIVE: To determine if changes in breast milk omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) composition as a result of maternal dietary fish oil supplementation during pregnancy can modify levels of these immunological parameters in breast milk. METHOD: In a randomized controlled trial, 83 atopic women received either 4 g fish oil capsules (containing 3.7 g n-3 PUFA) (n = 40) or 4 g olive oil capsules (n = 43) from 20 weeks gestation until delivery. Breast milk was collected 3 days post-partum and fatty acids were analysed by gas liquid chromatography and IgA, sCD14 and cytokines (IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma) were quantitated by ELISA or time resolved fluorescence (TRF). RESULTS: Omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5n-3) levels were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in breast milk from women supplemented with fish oil (n = 33, DHA mean 1.15%, SD 0.47% and EPA mean 0.16%, SD 0.07%) than in samples from the control group (n = 40, DHA mean 0.50%, SD 0.17% and EPA mean 0.05%, SD 0.02%). Breast milk arachidonic acid (AA; 20:4n-6) levels were significantly lower (P = 0.045) in the fish oil group (mean 0.55%, SD 0.12%) compared with the control group (mean 0.61%, SD 0.14%). Breast milk IgA was positively correlated with DHA (P = 0.046) and 22:5n-3 (P = 0.003), but inversely correlated with linoleic acid (LA; 18:2n-6) (P=0.034). Levels of sCD14 were also positively correlated with 22:5n-3 (P=0.009). Cytokines involved in IgA synthesis (IL-10 and IL-6) were also significantly correlated with both IgA and n-3 PUFA levels, although there were no differences in the levels of breast milk IgA, sCD14 or cytokines between study groups. CONCLUSION: Supplementation with fish oil during pregnancy significantly alters early post-partum breast milk fatty acid composition. omega-3 PUFA levels were positively associated with IgA and sCD14 levels, suggesting a relationship between fatty acid status and mucosal immune function.     

115例乳腺癌临床分析

目的 :总结乳腺癌的发病规律、早期临床表现 ,提高乳腺癌的诊断及治疗水平。 方法 :对 115例乳腺癌患者的临床表现、诊断、治疗和预后进行回顾性分析。 结果 :红外线诊断占 78 3% (18/ 2 3) ,X线钼靶的诊断占93 5 % (2 9/ 31) ,细胞学诊断占 80 % (16 / 2 0 )。分期早期与晚期的雌激素受体 (ER)及抗凋亡相关基因 (Bag 1)的表达差异无统计学意义 (P >0 .0 5 ) ,腋淋巴结转移组与无淋巴结转移组Bag 1的表达差异有统计学意义 (P <0 .0 5 )。随访 89例 ,2年、5年生存率分别为 92 .1% (82 / 89)和 85 7% (5 4 / 6 3)。 结论 :本组乳腺癌患病年龄以 4 1～6 0岁年龄多见 ,红外线、X线钼靶、细胞学检查是诊断乳腺癌的主要手段。早诊断、早治疗是提高乳腺癌患者生存率的关键。     

Learning and retention of movement sequences in Parkinson's disease.

The purpose of this study was to examine motor learning and retention given extensive practice in two fundamentally different movement sequences. One sequence was a memory-driven task (performing a series of whole body positions from memory) and the other a context-driven task (buttoning). Practice took place over 3 weeks, with performance measured weekly; retention was measured weekly for 3 weeks after practice. There were 7 people with Parkinson's disease (PD) and 7 age-matched neurologically healthy people who participated in this study. Both groups improved performance on both tasks with practice, with the majority of the change for the PD group occurring between 1 and 2 weeks of practice. Although those with PD did not necessarily perform as well as age-matched controls, they learned both sequences in a manner similar to age-matched controls, and exhibited retention across the 3-week retention interval. If people with PD are given sufficient practice they can learn and retain both memory-based and context-driven movement sequences as well as age-matched controls. The results provide support for maintaining physical activity and for intervention through movement therapy.     

Computed tomographic changes of the brain and clinical outcome of patients with seizures and epilepsy after an ischaemic hemispheric stroke.

It is not well established whether seizures and epilepsy after an ischaemic stroke increase the disability of patients. Seventy-two patients with delayed seizures after a hemispheric infarct (37 with a single seizure and 35 with epilepsy) were included in the study. The modified Rankin scale was used to compare disability of the patients at 1 month after stroke and at 2 weeks after single or the last seizure, in case of epilepsy. The size of the X-ray hypoattenuation zone was compared on computed tomographic (CT) scans, performed in the weeks after the stroke and 1 week after single or repeated seizures. Lesion size was determined by superimposing the CT slices on digital cerebral vascular maps, on which the contours of the infarct area were delineated. The extent of the infarcts was expressed as the percentage fraction of the total surface area of the cerebral hemisphere. Groups with a single seizure and with epilepsy were mutually compared. Infarcts predominated in the parieto-temporal cortical regions. In the overall group the median Rankin score worsened significantly after seizures. The average size of the X-ray hypoattenuation zone was also significantly increased on the CT scans after the seizures, compared with those after stroke, without clear evidence of recent infarction. Mutual comparison of patients with a single seizure episode and of those with epilepsy showed only a trend of more severe disability and of increase in lesion size in the post-stroke epilepsy group. Delayed seizures and epilepsy after ischaemic stroke are accompanied by an increase in lesion size on CT and by worsening of the disability of the patients. This study does not allow to determine whether this is due to stroke recurrence or due to additional damage as a result of the seizures themselves.     

假体隆乳术后并发症的防治

目的探讨乳房假体隆乳术后并发症产生的相关因素及预防方法。方法对198例患者乳房假体隆乳术后1~17年出现的并发症进行分析,阐述防治措施,针对不同情况进行相应的处理。结果本组198例患者,其中92例患者随访半年至1年,除Ⅲ°包膜挛缩患者术后仍出现Ⅱ~Ⅲ°包膜挛缩外(包膜松解术后3例,包膜切除术后4例),余患者对治疗效果满意。结论乳房假体隆乳术后出现的并发症,多数是可以预防和治疗的,只要术中操作规范,对并发症及早准确的处理,是提高手术效果,减少并发症发生的有效方法。