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Comparison of clinical, echographic, and histopathological measurements from eyes with medium-sized choroidal melanoma in the collaborative ocular melanoma study: COMS report no. 21.

OBJECTIVE: To compare pre-enucleation clinical and echographic measurements with postenucleation histopathological measurements of choroidal melanoma of a size and in a location suitable for iodine 125 brachytherapy. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of patients with melanoma classified as medium-sized who were assigned to the enucleation arm of the randomized trial of 125I brachytherapy vs enucleation conducted by the Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study (COMS) Group. METHODS: Measurements of melanoma dimensions by clinical, echographic, and histopathological examinations were compared for 644 eyes. Outcomes Tumor longest basal diameter and apical height. RESULTS: Tumor dimensions were available for 644 (98%) of 660 patients who had unilateral medium-sized choroidal melanoma and were randomly assigned to enucleation. The clinical and histopathological measurements of the longest basal diameter agreed within +/-2 mm for 371 eyes (58%). The clinical measurement was less than the histopathological measurement by more than 2 mm in 32 eyes (5%), which occurred more frequently when the tumor was within 2 mm of the optic disc. The echographic and histopathological measurements of apical height agreed within +/-2 mm in 579 eyes (90%); the echographic measurement was less than the histopathological measurement in only 2 cases. Features associated with echographic estimates larger than histopathological measurements were greater tumor height and anterior tumor apex location. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that tumor measurements made according to COMS protocol were highly reliable in planning radioactive plaque therapy and monitoring changes in tumor size after such treatment.

Brachytherapy↗

Collaboration in urological practice in the new millennium.

The aim of this paper is to highlight areas in which urologists collaborate with other healthcare practitioners and to identify further areas of beneficial collaboration. A review of the literature using Medline search and the authors clinical experience. There is close collaboration with the radiologists in urological investigations and embolization of tumours, aspiration of cysts and abscesses as well as obtaining biopsy specimens. Cross referral of patients occurs between urologists, gynaecologists, oncologists and radiotherapists. Technological advances enabling different specialist to master certain procedures like ultrasonography and laser surgery should make collaboration obligatory and mandatory. Collaboration also occurs with orthopaedic, paediatric and plastic surgeons, proctologists and specialist nurses involved in urological treatments. Sometimes, there have been competition and conflicts with the above specialists, especially the gynaecologist in the treatment of urogenital fistulae. Close co-operation among healthcare practitioners will improve the standard of practice to the benefit of the patient as well as to promote healthier work atmosphere in health care delivery. Conflict and competition are diversionary, costly and unnecessary. The urologist appears best placed to lead the way in collaborative clinical practice in this millennium.

Cooperative Behavior↗

Cross-border alliances in health care: international co-operation between health insurers and providers in the Euregio Meuse-Rhine.

On behalf of the European Commission, a Cross-Border Health Care Project was undertaken to explore how citizens living in the Euregio Meuse-Rhine can obtain improved access to health services in the Member States concerned: Belgium, Germany, and The Netherlands. Main attention of the project is focused on practical issues of cross-border health care. The first results have shown that the new cross-border health alliances resulted in improved possibilities for patients to access more health care facilities than before. The creation of health care alliances could also be an example for future collaboration between the countries in Western, Central, and Eastern Europe. This paper also analyses the rights of patients on cross-border care in the Euregion.

Belgium↗

Hormone therapy does not affect depression severity in older women.

OBJECTIVE: Although estrogens are thought to have a beneficial effect on menopausal symptoms, the role of estrogen in the etiology and treatment of depression in older women remains unclear. The authors examined the relationship between hormone therapy (HT) use and depressive symptom severity. METHODS: Authors report the findings from a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the Improving Mood: Promoting Access to Collaborative Treatment (IMPACT) Study, using data from 1,160 women age 60 years and older. RESULTS: Women who were taking HT were likely to be younger, White, married, and to have had at least some college education. They were also more likely to report good or better health and to have taken antidepressant medications in the past 3 months. Although HT use was associated with more severe depressive symptoms in the unadjusted analysis, it was not associated with depression severity in adjusted analyses. Although there was a trend for a differential effect of college education with HT use on depression scores, no significant interaction was found between HT and race. CONCLUSION: There was no evidence to suggest that women HT users differ from non-HT users in depressive symptom severity.

Aged↗

Fat distribution is strongly associated with plasma glucose levels and diabetes in Thai adults-the InterASIA study.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Asian populations have high risks of disease at low levels of BMI and weight, possibly because of high rates of abdominal obesity. In such populations, waist circumference and WHR (measures of fat distribution) may better capture the effects of adiposity. METHODS: The strengths of the associations between different measures of adiposity and glucose levels and diabetes were investigated in the Thai component of the International Collaborative Study of Cardiovascular Disease in Asia (InterASIA), a multi-stage cross-sectional survey of risk factors in Thai adults aged 35 years or over. The analyses included 5,302 men and women. RESULTS: All four measures of adiposity were positively associated with plasma glucose and the odds of having diabetes (all p<0.001), but the associations were stronger for measures of fat distribution. The age- and sex-adjusted fasting plasma glucose level increased linearly across each fifth of weight, BMI, waist and WHR by 0.12 mmol/l (SE 0.02), 0.12 (0.02), 0.17 (0.02) and 0.16 (0.02), respectively. The corresponding odds ratios for diabetes were 1.41 (95% CI 1.27-1.56), 1.43 (1.28-1.59), 1.64 (1.47-1.83) and 1.70 (1.52-1.90), respectively. Multivariate analyses incorporating different combinations of adiposity measures, as well as analyses of receiver operating characteristics, confirmed the greater predictive value of measures of fat distribution. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Waist circumference and WHR were more strongly associated with fasting plasma glucose and diabetes than were weight and BMI. These measures of abdominal adiposity are likely to be more useful for assessing the obesity-related risk of cardiovascular diseases in Asian populations.

Adipose Tissue↗

Designing response scales for cross-cultural use in health care: data from the development of the UK WHOQOL.

Designing response scales for use in cross-cultural situations presents several semantic and conceptual challenges. Here we report response scales designed in the UK, using a method developed collaboratively by the WHOQOL Group to tackle some of these issues. The response scales were generated for use with items established for a British version of a new cross-cultural quality of life measure for health and health care--the UK WHOQOL. A quota sample of 20 sick and well people assigned 60 descriptions to separate 100 mm lines (15 for each of 4 types of response scale) where the polar anchor points had been internationally agreed as meaningful in 10 countries. Means and standard deviations (SD) were calculated for each label appropriate to that response scale. The closest mean and smallest SD earmarked labels for each type of scale at the 25%, 50% and 75% interval. This research provides a set of contemporary, 5-point interval response scales that have the potential to be used in any number of British health and health-care questionnaires where subjective measures are needed.

Adult↗

[Dental problems and their management in uraemic patients].

Bad dental status is very often observed in hemodialyzed patients due to the fact of a frequent poor oral hygiene and, in addition of the traditional risk factors, the consequences of uraemic state and its treatment. However , among such immunodepressed patients, oral and dental lesions represent a risk of septic complications. Moreover some works point out the prevalence of inflammation and denutrition due to dental lesions in the uraemic population, with potential atherosclerosis. Therefore, in order to anticipate all these adverse effects and to restore their mouth to health, patients have to be encouraged to have regularly a full dental evaluation and correction if not elimination of all potential sources of infection and other complications. To ensure the best treatment, a close collaboration has to be established with dental practitioners who must be aware and convinced of the complexity of such patients: immunodepression due to uraemic state and sometimes to drug therapy; importance of prophylactic antibiotic therapy surrounding dental cares; cautions to hemostasis circumstances; adjusted use of some medications. To illustrate this matter, we report here a study involving 96 hemodialyzed patients who were investigated by panoramic radiography and clinical cross- examination about their dental complaints and habits. We then expose our practices and detail our collaboration with their dentists in establishing a plan of dental treatment.

Humans↗

Declining efficacy of AIDS case list cross-referencing in human immunodeficiency virus look-back: 1981 through 1992.

BACKGROUND: The impact of AIDS case list cross-referencing in human immunodeficiency virus look-back was assessed. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Post-1977 blood donations from former donors identified by 11 collaborating health departments as having developed AIDS have been traced at Irwin Memorial Blood Centers since 1983. To assess the changing efficacy of AIDS case list cross-referencing in identifying infected donors and recipients, trends in cases reported through December 1992 were analyzed. RESULTS: Previous donors (n = 638) were identified from 21,917 AIDS case listings, for an overall match rate of 2.9 percent. The rate of detection of previous donors from listings of AIDS cases declined from a peak of 5.3 percent in 1985 to 1.6 percent in 1992. Overall, 86 percent (1824/2122) of donations by persons later reported on AIDS case lists were made prior to January 1983 when risk exclusion measures were initiated. Of the 212 known infected recipients linked to AIDS case list donors, 87 (41%) were previously identified by other look-back approaches. The rate of identification of infected recipients detected exclusively through AIDS case listings declined from a mean of 21 per year from 1984 to 1987 to a mean of 3 per year from 1990 to 1992. No transmissions have been documented from donations prior to 1979. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate the declining yield of AIDS case list cross-referencing as a trigger for human immunodeficiency virus look-back. Continued reevaluation of look-back programs is essential so that their various components may be curtailed when justified.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Rescue high frequency oscillatory ventilation versus conventional ventilation for pulmonary dysfunction in preterm infants.

BACKGROUND: This section is under preparation and will be included in the next issue. OBJECTIVES: Experimental studies suggest that high frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) reduces pulmonary injury during mechanical ventilation. The main objective of this review is to test the hypothesis that by use of HFOV as compared to conventional ventilation (CV) it may be possible to rescue preterm infants with very severe lung disease and so at high risk of pulmonary air leak (PAL), without adverse effects. SEARCH STRATEGY: A search was carried out for all randomized controlled trials from MEDLINE using the MeSH and text terms, "high frequency ventilation", "high frequency oscillatory ventilation", " oscillatory ventilation" from the years 1980 to 1997. EMBASE, the Oxford Database of Perinatal Trials and trials identified by the Neonatal Review Group of the Cochrane Collaboration were also reviewed. Information was also sought from experts in the field, cross references from studies and proceedings of recent meetings. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomized controlled trials of HFOV vs CV as rescue therapy in preterm infants with severe pulmonary dysfunction. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: The standard review method of the Neonatal Review Group was used. This includes independent quality assessment and data extraction by the second author. Relative risk (RR), risk difference (RD) and number needed to treat (NNT) were used. MAIN RESULTS: Only one trial was found and this showed a reduction in any new pulmonary air leak (PAL) [RR 0.73 (0.55,0.96), RD -0.174 (-0.321,-0.027)]. The number of infants that need to be treated (NNT) to prevent one infant having any PAL is six (95% CI 3, 37). There is no difference in the rate of PIE or of gross pulmonary air leak, such as pneumomediastinum or pneumothorax. Mortality and the use of IPPV at 30 days was similar in the HFOV and CV groups. The rate of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) of any grade is increased in infants treated with HFOV, RR 1.77 (1.06,2.96), RD 0.156 (0.020, 0. 291). Thus for every six infants (95% CI 3, 50) given rescue HFOV, one IVH of any grade is caused. There is a stronger but non-significant trend towards an increase in the more severe grades 3 or 4 IVH. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: There is insufficient information on the use of rescue HFOV to make recommendations for practice. The small amount of data that exists suggest that harm might outweigh any benefit. Any future use of HFOV as rescue therapy for preterm infants with severe RDS should be within randomized controlled trials and address important outcomes such as longer term pulmonary and neurological function.

High-Frequency Ventilation↗

Control of chemotactic signal gain via modulation of a pre-formed receptor array.

The remarkably wide dynamic range of the chemotactic pathway of Escherichia coli, a model signal transduction system, is achieved by methylation/amidation of the transmembrane chemoreceptors that regulate the histidine kinase CheA in response to extracellular stimuli. The chemoreceptors cluster at a cell pole together with CheA and the adaptor CheW. Several lines of evidence have led to models that assume high cooperativity and sensitivity via collaboration of receptor dimers within a cluster. Here, using in vivo disulfide cross-linking assays, we have demonstrated a well defined arrangement of the aspartate chemoreceptor (Tar). The differential effects of amidation on cross-linking at different positions indicate that amidation alters the relative orientation of Tar dimers to each other (presumably inducing rotational displacements) without much affecting the conformation of the periplasmic domains. Interestingly, the effect of aspartate on cross-linking at any position tested was roughly opposite to that of receptor amidation. Furthermore, amidation attenuated the effects of aspartate by several orders of magnitude. These results suggest that receptor covalent modification controls signal gain by altering the arrangement or packing of receptor dimers in a pre-formed cluster.

Amides↗

The development of the Stroke Physiotherapy Intervention Recording Tool (SPIRIT).

PURPOSE: To develop a recording system that describes physiotherapy interventions for the rehabilitation of postural control post-stroke. METHODS DESIGN: A draft recording tool was developed using the method described by Edwards et al, involving literature searches and collaboration with senior clinicians. It was piloted with stroke physiotherapists using a cross-sectional survey design to assess validity, utility and completeness. Participants used the recording tool to record five treatment sessions. Feedback regarding the utility and completeness of the system was obtained via short semi-structured interviews. SETTING: 11 NHS Trusts. PARTICIPANTS: 35 stroke physiotherapists working in acute and rehabilitation settings recorded the treatment of 120 patients in 590 treatment sessions. RESULTS: A double-sided A4 form with a checklist of 79 physiotherapy interventions in 9 categories was produced: the Stroke Physiotherapy Intervention Recording Tool (SPIRIT). The participants found it quick and easy to use and reflective of clinical practice. There were a few missing interventions and some confusion regarding definition of terms. Revisions were to include the omitted interventions and to produce a user's booklet defining the categories and interventions. CONCLUSIONS: SPIRIT provides a system for recording physiotherapy treatment for stroke patients which reflects current clinical practice in acute and rehabilitation settings.

Adult↗

Interagency collaboration in seven North Carolina counties.

This article describes the collaborative efforts of seven North Carolina counties involved in a home visitation program for new mothers. It explores factors that facilitated and impeded collaboration. Program staff reported strong leadership, shared vision, a heterogeneous mix of partners, establishment of trust, a positive attitude, role delineation, and open communication to be factors contributing to successful collaboration. Lack of guidance about how to collaborate, competition between programs and categorical funding, restrictive confidentiality policies that limit cross-agency access to information, and lack of time and energy were major barriers to achieving integrated service delivery systems.

Cooperative Behavior↗

Frequent use of sugar products by schoolchildren in 20 European countries, Israel and Canada in 1993/1994.

The aim of this study was to describe the daily use of certain between-meal sugar products (soft drinks and sweets) of schoolchildren in 20 European countries, Israel and Canada as a part of the Cross-National Survey on Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children--a WHO Collaborative Study. The data were collected using standardised anonymous questionnaires in school classrooms during the 1993/1994 school year. In each country nationally or regionally representative samples of about 1,300 schoolchildren (450 in Greenland) were targeted. Use of sugar products was analysed according to sex, age, country, self-reported school performance and self-reported family economy. One third to one half of the children (30-48 per cent) drank coke or other soft drinks more than once a day in Israel, Northern Ireland, Scotland, the Slovak Republic and Flemish-speaking Belgium. Use of soft drinks was very uncommon in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Latvia and Estonia. The strongest association (odds ratios) was between the use of soft drinks and good family economy; in Russia (20.3), in Lithuania (11.3), in Latvia (10.0), in Poland (8.5) and in Estonia (8.0). In Israel, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Russia and French-speaking Belgium 41-29 per cent of the children ate sweets more than once a day. Boys drank soft drinks and ate sweets slightly more often than girls did. In conclusion, large differences were found between the different countries in the frequency of use of soft drinks and sweets. This should be considered when developing the content of oral health promotion programmes.

Achievement↗

Oral hygiene habits of 11-year-old schoolchildren in 22 European countries and Canada in 1993/1994.

This study is part of the Cross-National Survey on Health Behaviour in School-aged Children--a WHO Collaborative Study, which started in 1982. The aim of the study was to describe the oral hygiene habits (toothbrushing and flossing) of 11-year-old schoolchildren in 22 European countries (Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, FInland, France, Germany, Greenland, Hungary, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Russia, Scotland, the Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, and Wales) and Canada. The data were collected from standardized anonymous questionnaires in school classrooms during the 1993-1994 school year. At least 1300 school children, representing the whole country, participated in the study in each country. Oral hygiene habits were analyzed according to gender, age, country, school performance, and family economy. The children brushed most favorably in Sweden, Denmark, German, Austria, and Norway (83-73% brushed twice a day). More-than-once-a-day toothbrushing was especially uncommon (from 26 to 33%) among boys in Finland, Lithuania, Russia, Estonia, and Latvia. Toothbrushing frequency differed significantly according to school performance in Canada, the Czech Republic, Scotland, Poland, Northern Ireland, and Wales and between different socio-economic groups in Northern Ireland, Wales, the Czech Republic, Scotland, Poland, and Russia. Use of dental floss was rare. In general, flossing was less frequent among boys than among girls. Daily flossing was most common among Canadian adolescents (25%). In conclusion, there are considerable differences in toothbrushing frequency among children in European countries.

Achievement↗

Variation in requests for imaging investigations by general practitioners: a multilevel analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the variation in the numbers of imaging investigations requested by general practitioners (GPs) and to find likely explanations for this variation. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey of the use of eight imaging investigations by 229 GPs collaborating in 40 local GP groups from five regions in the Netherlands during 1997. A multivariable, multilevel regression analysis was used to link these data with survey data on professional characteristics such as knowledge about and attitude towards test ordering, and with data on contextual factors such as practice type or experience with feedback on test-ordering data. RESULTS: Data for 221 GPs (97%) were available. After adjustment for practice size and working time, the median number of imaging investigations ordered per GP was 148 (interquartile range 71 to 300), with large differences (up to twofold) between the regions (P<0.001). Overall, chest X-rays were the largest single category (median = 48 interquartile range 17 to 100). GPs working in a group practice requested, on average, 34% fewer investigations than their colleagues working in single-person practices (95% confidence interval 17 to 48%). CONCLUSIONS: Only practice type was found to be associated with the number of imaging investigations requested, adjusted for practice size and working time factor. No further explanations were found for the inter-regional differences. Future studies on the ordering of imaging investigations by GPs should attempt to delineate contextual from regional factors.

Diagnostic Imaging↗

Fibronectin-mediated adhesion rescues cell cycle arrest induced by fibroblast growth factor-1 by decreased expression of p21(cip/waf) in human chondrocytes.

In chondrocytes, fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) inhibit chondrocytes proliferation by upregulation of the cell cycle inhibitor p21(cip/waf). In this report, we first investigated the roles of fibronectin (FN)-mediated cell adhesion in the modulation of FGF-1's antiproliferative function in chondrocytes. In this study, we found that FN-mediated signaling could rescue cell cycle arrest induced by FGF-1 in primary human chondrocytes. This prevention of cell cycle arrest induced by FGF-1 was due to the suppression of the cell cycle inhibitor p21(cip/waf) expression on adhesion to FN and its downstream activation of signaling pathways. Finally, we showed that this rescue induced by FN-mediated adhesion is dependent on the extracellular regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway. Taken together, these studies support that, despite FGF-FGF receptor's growth-inhibitory function, the FN-mediated signaling can collaborate to compensate for its negative effect on chondrocytes proliferation, providing evidence for cross talk between signals emerging from these cell surface molecules in chondrocyte.

Cell Adhesion↗

Functional association of CD9 with the Fc gamma receptors in macrophages.

CD9, a member of the tetraspan family of proteins, is highly expressed on macrophages. Although a clear function for the molecule has yet to be described, we have found that the anti-CD9 mAb activates mouse macrophages. The rat anti-CD9 mAb, KMC8.8, but not the F(ab')(2), induced tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins including syk and cbl and induced cell aggregation in the mouse macrophage cell line, J774, suggesting that co-cross-linking of CD9 and Fc gamma R was required for the signal. Co-cross-linking of CD9-Fc gamma R with KMC8.8 on macrophages from three different FcR-deficient mice, FcR gamma-chain(-/-), Fc gamma RIIB(-/-), and Fc gamma RIII(-/-), revealed that Fc gamma RIII is specific and crucial for syk phosphorylation. Although both KMC8.8 and the anti-Fc gamma RIIB/III mAb, 2.4G2, evoked similar phosphorylation patterns, only KMC8.8 induced cell aggregation. Additionally, KMC8.8 treatment led to reduce levels of TNF-alpha production and p42/44 extracellular signal-related kinase phosphorylation relative to 2.4G2 stimulation. Immunofluorescence staining showed that co-cross-linking of CD9-Fc gamma R with KMC8.8 induced filopodium extension before cell aggregation, which was followed by simultaneous colocalization of CD9, Fc gamma RIIB/III, Mac-1, ICAM-1, and F-actin at the cell-cell adhesion site. Moreover, KMC8.8 treatment of Fc gamma R-deficient macrophages revealed that the colocalization of CD9, Fc gamma RIII, Mac-1, and F-actin requires co-cross-linking of CD9-Fc gamma RIII, whereas co-cross-linking of CD9-Fc gamma RIIB induced the colocalization of only CD9 and Fc gamma RIIB. Our results demonstrate that co-cross-linking of CD9 and Fc gamma Rs activates macrophages; therefore, CD9 may collaborate with FcRs functioning in infection and inflammation on macrophages.

Actins↗

Serum alkaline phosphatase and bone mineral density: to assess bone loss in oral contraceptive pill user.

An analytic cross-sectional retrospective study was done in the Department of Pharmacology BSMMU. In collaboration with the Department of Obstetric and Gynecology and Department of Biochemistry of BSSMU, Dhaka to define any relation between the oral combined pill (OCP), bone mineral density (BMD) and serum alkaline phosphatase in pre and post menopausal women. A total of 100 closely matched healthy women were selected non-randomly. The age range was 35-55 years. Among them 50 were controls or nonuser and 50 were case or users of OCP. They were further subdivided into pre and postmenopausal groups. Bone density of the 100 women was measured in distal radius and ulna by single photon Absorptiometry Bone Densitometer DTX-100. Serum alkaline phosphatase was measured by reaction principle spectrophotometer UV 1201 Shimadzu by optimized standard method. It was found in this study that OCP users both pre and post menopausal women had lower level of mean alkaline phosphatase and higher mean BMD compared to non-users who had higher level of mean alkaline phosphatase and lower mean BMD. These data indicates that OCP non-users had elevated bone turn over, which appears to adversely influence BMD and fracture risk. It can be concluded that the most important non-contraceptive benefit of OCP may be positive effects on bone mass and combined biochemical and BMD screening may provide better prediction of future fracture risk than BMD alone.

Adult↗