Hormone therapy use after the Women's Health Initiative.

OBJECTIVE: To continue surveillance of hormone therapy (HT) use in an Australian population and to assess the impact of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) and associated reports on HT use 16 months after the results of the WHI were first reported. METHODS: Data were obtained from the 2003 South Australian Health Omnibus Survey, which involves a representative, population face-to-face interview survey. Data were compared to five surveys undertaken between 1991 and 2000, which had consistent methods and quality-control procedures. A total of 907 interviews were conducted with women over 40 years in their own homes by trained health interviewers. RESULTS: In association with the timing of media reporting of the WHI, current HT use rates dropped from 28% in women over 50 years in 2000 to an estimated 10.2% in 2002. By October 2003, current use rates had returned to 18.8% in this age group. The media had been the main influence in the women's decision-making. Half of those who restarted therapy changed to another type of HT. Only 2.8% changed to an alternative/complementary therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly two-thirds (64%) of those currently using HT in 2002 stopped therapy, mostly in response to the media reporting of the WHI. Nearly half of those who stopped HT in 2002 have since restarted. Media reporting greatly influences the use of hormonal therapies.     

Perforated colorectal neoplasms: correlation of clinical, contrast enema, and CT examinations

Results of clinical, contrast enema (CE), and computed tomographic (CT) examinations in 39 patients with perforated colorectal neoplasms were retrospectively reviewed. Twenty patients were toxemic at initial presentation, but in only four patients was the diagnosis of perforated colorectal neoplasm initially suspected clinically. CE study was performed in 22 patients and enabled the diagnosis of perforated neoplasm in 11 cases, neoplasm alone in eight, and neither neoplasm nor perforation in three. CT was performed in 38 patients and enabled the diagnosis of perforated neoplasm in 36; pericolic phlegmon but no mass lesion was evident in two. In 16 patients, CT also demonstrated metastatic disease. Because of its reliability in establishing the diagnosis and staging the extent of the inflammatory and neoplastic disease, CT is indicated in cases of suspected or proved perforated colorectal neoplasm and in cases in which CE study findings are indeterminate or suggestive of perforated neoplasm.     

氯仿重结晶棉酚的质量研究

报道了氯仿重结晶的棉酚的化学性质,样品在不同温度下干燥恒重后,经熔点、薄层层析、紫外光谱、红外光谱、X-射线衍射、热重量分析、元素(C,H,Cl)分析及棉酚合量测定等一系列的分析,确证了在60℃以下棉酚与氯仿成溶剂化物(solvate)。随着干燥温度的升高或在室温长时间的贮存,此现象逐渐消失,100℃真空干燥恒重后成为纯棉酚。     

Comparison of the potential therapeutic effects of interleukin 2 or interleukin 4 secretion by a single tumour.

Engineering of a variety of rodent tumour cells to secrete either interleukin 2 (IL-2), or interleukin 4 (IL-4), has been demonstrated to reduce their tumorigenicity. However the mechanisms of action of secreted IL-2 and IL-4 have not been compared in a single rodent tumour. Here we demonstrate that the weakly immunogenic murine fibrosarcoma FS29 had reduced growth rate and in some cases was rejected by syngeneic animals, when modified to secrete either IL-2 or IL-4, but not IL-5. Immunohistochemical analysis of tumour nodules undergoing regression showed stimulation of a largely lymphocytic infiltrate by IL-2 and a macrophage and granulocyte infiltrate, with a small number of lymphocytes by IL-4. Indeed, secretion of low levels of IL-2 and IL-4 in combination resulted in optimal rejection, suggesting that the two cytokines might mobilise different and complementary effector cell mechanisms. Both IL-2 and IL-4-secreting cells failed to induce the rejection of admixed, unmodified FS29 cells. The loss of cytokine secreting cells from such admixtures occurred more rapidly for IL-2-secreting cells. Injection of IL-4-secreting, but not IL-2-secreting FS29 cells could protect mice from a delayed challenge with unmodified FS29 cells. These data suggest that IL-4 secretion stimulates the better long-term host anti-tumour response.     

Comparison between short- and long-term haloperidol administration on somatostatin and substance P concentrations in the rat brain

Neuroleptics influence a variety of putative neurotransmitters in the basal ganglia, including somatostatin and substance P. Most studies have been performed in animals after only 3 or 4 weeks of neuroleptic administration and have seldom examined the effects of withdrawal. To understand better the effects of haloperidol on neuropeptide systems, the effects of short-term (3 weeks) and long-term (8 months) administration, as well as withdrawal from long-term administration of haloperidol, on somatostatin and substance P concentrations were examined in the rat. Short-term haloperidol significantly decreased the concentrations of somatostatin in the caudate-putamen, nucleus accumbens, and ventral tegmental area, and decreased the concentration of substance P in the substantia nigra and the nucleus accumbens. However, long-term administration only decreased the concentration of somatostatin in the nucleus accumbens. In addition, a slight reduction in the concentration of substance P in the medial prefrontal cortex was detected after long-term treatment. After withdrawal from long-term haloperidol administration the concentrations of these peptides did not differ from control values in any of the brain regions examined. These results confirm that dopamine receptor blockade can affect the somatostatin and substance P systems in the basal ganglia and indicate that during long-term administration (8 months) tolerance develops to some of the effects that are observed after shorter (3 weeks) treatment periods.     

Groups for poorly socialized children in the elementary school

Many inner-city children, living in resource-poor violent communities, have low self esteem, deficient social skills and do not know how to prevent and cope with provocation and conflict. A group therapy model is described for assisting elementary school children deal with these problems. Groups were led by volunteer mental health professionals in two inner-city elementary schools.     

Coralline hydroxyapatite bone graft substitutes: preliminary report of radiographic evaluation

A new bone graft substitute made by conversion of the calcium carbonate exoskeleton of reef-building sea coral into hydroxyapatite has recently become clinically available. The normal radiographic appearance of two forms of this material is described. In the immediate postoperative period, the exoskeletal architecture of these implants is readily appreciated. With graft incorporation over the ensuing months, their intrinsic structure is gradually lost in association with poor marginal definition. Evolving radiographic findings reflect the biocompatible nature of these implants, which provides the potential for ingrowth of native bone with preservation of the coralline scaffold, resulting in enhanced biomechanical properties.