Pacific Islands Families (PIF) Study: housing and psychological distress among Pacific mothers

Objective: In a sample of Pacific mothers living in New Zealand, we examined: 1) maternal reports about seven specific major housing problems (too small, difficult to get to from the street, in poor condition, damp, cold, presence of pests, too expensive); and 2) associations between these housing problems and maternal psychological distress, adjusting for some maternal sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: The Pacific Islands Families longitudinal study follows a cohort of Pacific children born in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2000 and their parents. At the 14‐year phase, mothers (n=844) were asked about housing conditions and psychological distress. Results: Mothers who reported having any major housing problem, particularly the presence of pests and poor housing conditions, were significantly more likely to report psychological distress after adjusting for sociodemographic confounders. Conclusions: The impact of housing on mental health is complex and may be influenced by social, health and sociodemographic characteristics of Pacific mothers. Implications for public health: The finding that housing problems are significantly associated with psychological distress among Pacific mothers in New Zealand is an important finding. However, more in‐depth qualitative research is needed to provide a clearer understanding of the way housing problems affect mental health and to guide strategies that minimise this outcome for Pacific mothers.     

A review of ibuprofen and acetaminophen use in febrile children and the occurrence of asthma-related symptoms

BACKGROUND: Although many studies have investigated the safety and tolerability of ibuprofen or acetaminophen (paracetamol) use in children, few have specifically examined the association of ibuprofen or acetaminophen and the occurrence of asthma in pediatric populations. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of this literature review was to ascertain whether ibuprofen use exacerbates the symptoms of asthma or asthma-related adverse events in febrile children, and how it compares with acetaminophen use. The secondary objective was to develop an algorithm that allows for the consideration of ibuprofen treatment in children by health care professionals. METHODS: Twelve electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Database, DARE, British Nursing Index, CBIB, Derwent Drug File, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, Pharm-Line, CINAHL, PASCAL, SCZZ-SciSearch) were searched from their year of inception to June 2007, to identify English-language articles pertaining to ibuprofen or acetaminophen use in the asthmatic pediatric population. The following search terms were used: asthma, child, pediatric, pediatrics, ibuprofen, Nurofen, Brufen, Motrin, Advil, propionic acid, paracetamol, and acetaminophen. RESULTS: Of 472 articles retrieved, 3 were relevant for the development of the algorithm. Two were subanalyses of a major randomized controlled trial (RCT), the Boston University Fever Study. Therefore, some overlap should be noted. The third article was another RCT. Other studies and review articles identified were used for the discussion. Findings from the literature analysis indicated that the use of ibuprofen in the pediatric population does not exacerbate asthma morbidity. Two of the studies demonstrated that ibuprofen was associated with a lower risk for asthma morbidity in febrile children with or without asthma compared with acetaminophen. In one study, ibuprofen use was associated with a lower relative risk for hospitalization (0.63) and outpatient visits (0.56) for asthma compared with acetaminophen. In the second study, acetaminophen use was associated with the exacerbation of wheezing in febrile children. This observation was corroborated by the findings of other studies that revealed an increased risk for asthma, wheezing, and other atopic outcomes with acetaminophen use. CONCLUSIONS: The evidence reviewed in this article suggests a low risk for asthma-related morbidity associated with ibuprofen use in children and a possible protective and therapeutic effect compared with acetaminophen. The findings also suggest that acetaminophen use in children is associated with an increased risk for wheezing. The pediatric algorithm developed might serve as a guide for health care professionals in assessing suitability for ibuprofen use in children.     

A qualitative study of stakeholder views and experiences of minor ailment services in the United Kingdom

BackgroundAn international strategy designed to promote access to primary care is the utilisation of community pharmacy to deliver structured minor ailment services (MASs). An understanding of key implementation features of MASs will support effective service delivery and implementation, promote MAS viability, sustainability and overall improvement.AimThe aim of this study is to explore the views and experiences of a range of stakeholders concerning the implementation of MASs in the United Kingdom.MethodsA qualitative approach was used to obtain data. Participants were recruited using purposeful and snowball sampling. Stakeholders from five different regions were included. Using the digital recordings of the interviews, thematic content analysis was undertaken.ResultsThirty-three participants agreed to be interviewed. Twenty-nine semi-structured interviews were conducted. Thematic content analysis yielded three major themes, including (1) benefits of MASs, (2) structural challenges associated with MAS design and (3) other implementation factors associated with MAS delivery. Stakeholders recognised the positive impact of the service to improve patient access and care, promote efficiencies, and promote the professional role of the pharmacist. Nevertheless barriers do exist to service delivery and implementation. Stakeholders identified the need to potentially increase the population groups served by MASs, increase the conditions treated and widen their formulary lists. Similarly, marketing strategies needed to be improved to enhance consumer awareness. Stakeholders presented mixed views about whether pharmacists needed to complete clinical training and the need to increase pharmacist's remuneration. In addition the level of healthcare collaboration needed to improve.ConclusionSeveral concepts emerged from the investigation to facilitate service delivery. Barriers to service implementation had a variable impact on implementation. Service delivery should function to meet all stakeholder needs and can be achieved through stakeholder collaboration. However, improved marketing to promote consumer awareness together with better collaborative processes can potentially improve MAS implementation.     

Myosin-XVa Controls Both Staircase Architecture and Diameter Gradation of Stereocilia Rows in the Auditory Hair Cell Bundles

Journal of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology - Mammalian hair cells develop their mechanosensory bundles through consecutive phases of stereocilia elongation, thickening, and...     

小剂量万乃洛韦预防肾移植术后CMV感染的临床观察

目的:观察小剂量盐酸万乃洛韦预防肾移植术后巨细胞病毒(CMV)感染的效果,为临床预防肾移植术后CMV感染提供一种有效方法。方法:将47例接受血清学CMV-IgG阳性供肾的血清学阴性受者(D /R-)和59例血清学阳性受者(D±/R )分别随机分为预防组和对照组,肾移植术后第2天预防组口服盐酸万乃洛韦0.6g,每天3次,共服90天;对照组不用任何预防性抗病毒药物。观察预防组和对照组CMV感染、CMV病、急性排斥反应发生情况。结果:万乃洛韦减少了术后CMV感染率及CMV病发病率(P<0.05);万乃洛韦延缓了CMV感染及CMV病的发病时间(P<0.01)。万乃洛韦减少了急性排斥反应的发生率(P<0.05)。结论:对肾移植术后高危受者使用小剂量万乃洛韦是预防CMV感染、减少急性排斥反应的一种有效方法。     

Melatonin effects on luteinizing hormone in postmenopausal women: a pilot clinical trial NCT00288262

Background  

In many mammals, the duration of the nocturnal melatonin elevation regulates seasonal changes in reproductive hormones such as luteinizing hormone (LH). Melatonin's effects on human reproductive endocrinology are uncertain. It is thought that the same hypothalamic pulse generator may both trigger the pulsatile release of GnRH and LH and also cause hot flashes. Thus, if melatonin suppressed this pulse generator in postmenopausal women, it might moderate hot flashes. This clinical trial tested the hypothesis that melatonin could suppress LH and relieve hot flashes.     

n-Butyrate Mediated Inhibition of Papovavirus DNA Replication In Vivo and in Cell Culture: A Mechanistic Approach

n-Butyrate, an inhibitor of G₁-to-S transition inhibits papovavirus DNA replication in cell culture. To explore the efficacy of n-butyrate in vivo and to better understand its mechanism, we studied the effect of n-butyrate on viral DNA replication in mice acutely infected with polyomavirus and in the papovavirus-infected cells in culture. Newborn mice treated with n-butyrate stop growing and become runted. When infected with polyomavirus, these mice show a strong overall inhibition of viral DNA. However, a notable exception to this was the continued viral DNA replication in the differentiated mouse keratinocytes and renal epithelial cells as determined by in situ hybridization. n-Butyrate significantly inhibited viral DNA replication in the cultured IDL cells, and in polyomavirus-infected C2C12 myoblasts based on Southern blot analysis and in situ hybridization. DNA polymerase alpha (but not DNA polymerase beta) and the characteristic nuclear expression of PCNA were both inhibited in the n-butyrate treated IDL and C2C12 cells. n-Butyrate, therefore, inhibited host and viral DNA synthesis in the undifferentiated cells.     

Fluorocurcumins as Cyclooxygenase-2 Inhibitor: Molecular Docking,Pharmacokinetics and Tissue Distribution in Mice

Purpose  

The purpose of the current study was to assess the effect of newly synthesized Curcumin analogs on COX-2 protein by molecular docking studies and by assessments of the effect of one such analog (CDF) on nuclear factor NF-κB and PGE₂. In addition, we have determined the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of CDF in mice compared to Curcumin.     

Inactivation of NF-kappaB by 3,3'-diindolylmethane contributes to increased apoptosis induced by chemotherapeutic agent in breast cancer cells

Constitutive activation of Akt or nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) has been reported to play a role in de novo resistance of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents, which is a major cause of treatment failure in cancer chemotherapy. Previous studies have shown that 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM), a major in vivo acid-catalyzed condensation product of indole-3-carbinol, is a potent inducer of apoptosis, inhibitor of tumor angiogenesis, and inactivator of Akt/NF-kappaB signaling in breast cancer cells. However, little is known regarding the inactivation of Akt/NF-kappaB that leads to chemosensitization of breast cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents, such as Taxotere. Therefore, we examined whether the inactivation Akt/NF-kappaB signaling caused by B-DIM could sensitize breast cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents both in vitro and in vivo. MDA-MB-231 cells were simultaneously treated with 15 to 45 micromol/L B-DIM and 0.5 to 1.0 nmol/L Taxotere for 24 to 72 h. Cell growth inhibition assay, apoptosis assay, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and Western blotting were done. The combination treatment of 30 micromol/L B-DIM with 1.0 nmol/L Taxotere elicited significantly greater inhibition of cell growth compared with either agent alone. The combination treatment induced greater apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells compared with single agents. Moreover, we found that NF-kappaB activity was significantly decreased in cells treated with B-DIM and Taxotere. We also have tested our hypothesis using transfection studies, followed by combination treatment with B-DIM/Taxotere, and found that combination treatment significantly inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells mediated by the inactivation of NF-kappaB, a specific target in vitro and in vivo. These results were also supported by animal experiments, which clearly showed that B-DIM sensitized the breast tumors to Taxotere, which resulted in greater antitumor activity mediated by the inhibition of Akt and NF-kappaB. Collectively, our results clearly suggest that inhibition of Akt/NF-kappaB signaling by B-DIM leads to chemosensitization of breast cancer cells to Taxotere, which may contribute to increased growth inhibition and apoptosis in breast cancer cells. The data obtained from our studies could be a novel breakthrough in cancer therapeutics by using nontoxic agents, such as B-DIM, in combination with other conventional therapeutic agents, such as Taxotere.