Does coping mediate the relationship between familism and caregiver outcomes?

Objectives: The sociocultural model of stress and coping, which despite receiving support from several studies conducted with diverse ethnic groups, has yet to be tested longitudinally or used within the context of positive caregiver outcomes. The aim of the current study was to test a specific component of the model, which posits that caregiver coping will be influenced by the cultural value of familism (feelings of solidarity and loyalty among family members), which will in turn affect caregiver outcomes.

Method: A questionnaire was completed by 123 family caregivers in the UK assessing familism, use of coping strategies, caregiver gains, anxiety and depression at three time points over nine months.

Results: Mediation analysis followed guidelines proposed by Baron and Kenny. Religious coping and positive reframing at time 2 (T2) were found to significantly mediate between familism values at time 1 (T1) and caregiver gains at time 3 (T3). Behavioural disengagement at T2 was found to mediate between familism at T1 and caregiver depression atT3. Additionally familism was found to be positively associated with both negative and positive aspects of caregiving.

Conclusion: Our longitudinal findings suggest that interventions and services acknowledging caregiver values and the associated coping responses may prove beneficial.     

联合信号转导和转录激活因子3与热休克蛋白90鉴别良恶性嗜铬细胞瘤的探讨

目的:通过检测热休克蛋白90(HSP90)与信号转导和转录激活因子3(STAT3)在良恶性肾上腺嗜铬细胞瘤中的表达情况,探讨HSP90和STAT3在早期诊断恶性嗜铬细胞瘤中的价值。方法:采用免疫组织化学技术检测94例良恶性肾上腺嗜铬细胞瘤组织标本中HSP90和STAT3的表达差异,同时用蛋白免疫印迹法检测24例手术标本中HSP90和STAT3的表达差异,并分析两者联合诊断恶性嗜铬细胞瘤的效用。结果:HSP90和STAT3在恶性嗜铬细胞瘤中阳性表达率分别为66.67%和83.33%,在良性嗜铬细胞瘤中的阳性表达率分别为22.37%和26.32%,在正常肾上腺髓质组织中无表达,恶性嗜铬细胞瘤组与良性嗜铬细胞瘤组之间HSP90和STAT3的表达均存在显著性差异(P=0.001,P0.001);Western Blot分析结果显示HSP90和STAT3在恶性嗜铬细胞瘤中的蛋白表达水平远高于良性嗜铬细胞瘤。联合HSP90和STAT3诊断恶性嗜铬细胞瘤时阳性预测值为0.70。结论:HSP90和STAT3在恶性嗜铬细胞瘤中的表达高于良性嗜铬细胞瘤组织,且联合HSP90和STAT3可有效诊断恶性嗜铬细胞瘤。     

无创正压通气治疗老年COPD合并呼吸衰竭患者的临床疗效观察

目的：探讨无创正压通气治疗老年COPD合并呼吸衰竭患者的临床效果。方法选取我院收治的老年COPD并合并有呼吸衰竭的患者60例,随机分为A组与B组,B组患者行鼻导管持续低流量吸氧和常规药物治疗,A组患者在B组基础上增加机械通气面罩正压通气。比较两组患者血气分析结果、病死率、治疗周期和治疗后肺功能指标间的差异。结果 A组患者血气分析指标和治疗后肺功能指标显著优于B组（ P＜0.05）,病死率显著低于B组（P＜0.05）,治疗周期显著短于B组（P＜0.05）。结论无创正压通气可以有效提高老年COPD并发呼吸衰竭患者的临床治疗效果。     

Preoperative Prediction of Failure Following Two-Stage Revision for Knee Prosthetic Joint Infections

While two-stage revision is the gold standard for treatment of knee prosthetic joint infection (PJI), it is not without risk. The purpose of this study was to develop a tool to preoperatively predict the probability that a two-stage revision would fail to eradicate knee PJI. 3,809 surgical cases were retrospectively reviewed and data were collected from 314 charts. Overall, 105 (33.4%) cases failed to eradicate PJI using this procedure. Univariate analysis identified multiple variables independently associated with reinfection. Logistic regression was used to generate a model (bootstrap-corrected concordance index of 0.773) predicting failure of infection eradication. Preoperative knowledge of a high probability of failure may improve risk assessment, lead to more aggressive management, and allow for time to consider alternative therapies.     

S-(−)equol producing status not associated with breast cancer risk among low isoflavone-consuming US postmenopausal women undergoing a physician-recommended breast biopsy

Soy foods are the richest sources of isoflavones, mainly daidzein and genistein. Soy isoflavones are structurally similar to the steroid hormone 17β-estradiol and may protect against breast cancer. S-(−)equol, a metabolite of the soy isoflavone daidzein, has a higher bioavailability and greater affinity for estrogen receptor β than daidzein. Approximately one-third of the Western population is able to produce S-(−)equol, and the ability is linked to certain gut microbes. We hypothesized that the prevalence of breast cancer, ductal hyperplasia, and overall breast pathology will be lower among S-(−)equol producing, as compared with nonproducing, postmenopausal women undergoing a breast biopsy. We tested our hypothesis using a cross-sectional study design. Usual diets of the participants were supplemented with 1 soy bar per day for 3 consecutive days. Liquid chromatography–multiple reaction ion monitoring mass spectrometry analysis of urine from 143 subjects revealed 25 (17.5%) as S-(−)equol producers. We found no statistically significant associations between S-(−)equol producing status and overall breast pathology (odds ratio [OR], 0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.23-1.89), ductal hyperplasia (OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.20-3.41), or breast cancer (OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.16-1.87). However, the mean dietary isoflavone intake was much lower (0.3 mg/d) than in previous reports. Given that the amount of S-(−)equol produced in the gut depends on the amount of daidzein exposure, the low soy intake coupled with lower prevalence of S-(−)equol producing status in the study population favors toward null associations. Findings from our study could be used for further investigations on S-(−)equol producing status and disease risk.