Psychological factors associated with use of home nebulized therapy for COPD

This study examined the relationship between adherence to domiciliary nebulized therapy and psychological factors; patient attitudes, anxiety, depression, and quality of life. Ninety three patients aged 45-77 yrs with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and using domiciliary nebulizers were recruited from a hospital database. They completed the St George's respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ)-1 and the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) and attended a semistructured interview. Their usual nebulizers were replaced by Dataloggers, which record the date, time and duration of each treatment, to use for 4 weeks. The SGRQ was then repeated (SGRQ-2). Eighty two patients completed the study. Fifty six percent were poorly adherent; taking less than 70% of the dose prescribed (or less than 60% on regimens of > or = 5 times daily). The total scores on the SGRQ-2 were negatively correlated with percentage adherence. Multiple regression analysis showed that the SGRQ-2 total score was associated with percentage adherence, depression score, feeling supported by clinic staff, and patients feeling that they tried to ignore their chest disease. Patients who report poor quality of life are more likely to be depressed, feel unsupported by clinic staff and be poorly adherent to treatment. Increased levels of clinic support, with the addition of psychological treatments, may be of benefit to some patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.     

A method of increasing the accuracy and effectiveness of cytologic diagnosis of lung cancer using the prednisolone test

The patients are given oral prednisolone (30 mg daily for 3 days) and then daily for 3-4 days their sputum is examined for lung carcinoma. The method improves cytological diagnosis of lung carcinoma.     

Clinico-pathologic study of 285 cases of ectopic pregnancy in intrauterine devices-users and non-intrauterine devices-users

Two hundred eighty five cases of ectopic pregnancy in Beijing area from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 1990 including 150 cases of intrauterine devices (IUD) and 135 cases of non-IUD users were studied. Clinico-pathological observation included the history of pelvic inflammatory disease, the site of ectopic pregnancy, the classification of previous tubal inflammation of the ectopic side and other pathologic lesions, the side of the corpus luteum of pregnancy and histology of endometrium, etc. Besides, using stereologic technique the cilia length and cilia density of endosalpinx were studied in 50 cases through image analysis system. Results showed that except for a significant higher frequency of ovarian pregnancy in IUD-users, there was no significant differences between the 2 groups. It indicated that the degree of injury of fallopian tubes and the factors causing the damage were similar in both groups. The authors concluded that IUD does not increase the risk of fallopian tube lesions.     

Production of active recombinant human chymase from a construct containing the enterokinase cleavage site of trypsinogen in place of the native propeptide sequence

Human chymase, a chymotrypsin-like proteinase found in mast cells, was produced in an enzymatically active recombinant form. The protein was expressed in Escherichia coli as part of an insoluble fusion protein which was solubilized and renatured. The structure of the fusion protein was NH2-ubiquitin-enterokinase cleavage site-chymase-COOH. The enterokinase cleavage site of trypsinogen replaced the native propeptide sequence of chymase, allowing for activation by a readily available proteinase (enterokinase) of known specificity. Characterization of refolded-activated recombinant chymase with substrates and inhibitors demonstrated properties identical to that of the native proteinase isolated from skin.     

Systematic organization of body-composition methodology: an overview with emphasis on component-based methods

The field of body-composition research currently lacks a systematic organization of methods used to quantitate components at the atomic, molecular, cellular, tissue-system, and whole-body levels of body composition. In this report we propose a classification system for body-composition methodology that proceeds in steps, beginning with division of methods into in vitro and in vivo categories, advances to organization by measurable quantity (property, component, or combined), and ends with grouping of methods by mathematical function (types I and II). Important characteristics of component-based methods are then developed, including a classification of component relationship types, the role of ratios and proportions in type II component-based methods, and the basis of simultaneous equations in multicomponent methods. This classification system, the first founded on a conceptual basis, explains similarities and differences between the many diverse methods, provides a framework for teaching body-composition methodology theories to students, and suggests future research opportunities.     

Absence of ATM truncations in patients with severe acute radiation reactions

PURPOSE: Severe acute toxicity limits the effective use of radiotherapy in patients who are radiosensitive, and it is not usually possible to identify these radiohypersensitive (R-H) individuals before treatment commences. Five such R-H patients were detected over a 3-year period. We undertook this study to determine whether the severe acute radiohypersensitivity of these five individuals showed any correlation with cellular and molecular parameters known to be abnormal in radiosensitivity-related syndromes such as ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T). METHODS AND MATERIALS: Lymphoblastoid cells were isolated from fresh blood from the 5 R-H individuals who had previously demonstrated clinical R-H at least 9 months prior to sampling. Lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) were established to determine the extent of postradiation chromosomal aberrations, cell cycle delay, cell proliferation, and tumor suppressor p53 protein stabilization. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and protein truncation (PTT) assays were used to test for the possibility of mutations in the gene mutated in A-T, termed ATM. RESULTS: LCLs derived from R-H subjects retained a significantly higher degree of radiation-induced chromosomal aberrations when compared to normal control LCLs. p53 stabilization by ionizing radiation appeared normal in all but one R-H subject. There was no evidence of A-T gene truncation mutations in any of the R-H subjects tested. CONCLUSIONS: All R-H subjects in this study had their cellular radiosensitivity confirmed by the chromosomal aberration assay. Delayed p53 stabilization at 4 hours postirradiation in one R-H subject suggested that different etiologies may apply in the radiohypersensitivity investigated in this study.