Bedrest in healthy women: Effects of menstrual function and oral contraceptives

With the development of the space shuttle program, space flight for the first time is available to individuals who have not been specially selected and trained to be astronauts. In addition, women are being actively recruited into the space program, both as mission specialists and as career astronauts. One purpose of this project was to examine some of the physiological responses of women to a simulated weightlessness program (12 day horizontal bedrest), to compare their responses to those reported in men during similar programs, and to test whether menstrual function might alter some of the physiological changes which occur during bedrest, specifically changes in the plasma volume, exercise tolerance, and venous compliance before and after bedrest

Iodofiltic Acid I 123 (BMIPP) Fatty Acid Imaging Improves Initial Diagnosis in Emergency Department Patients With Suspected Acute Coronary Syndromes A Multicenter Trial

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to assess the performance of β-methyl-p-[123I]-iodophenyl-pentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to detect acute coronary syndromes (ACS) in emergency department patients with chest pain.BackgroundEmergency department diagnosis of chest pain is problematic, often requiring prolonged observation and stress testing. BMIPP SPECT detects abnormalities in fatty acid metabolism resulting from myocardial ischemia, even many hours after symptom cessation.MethodsEmergency department patients with suspected ACS were enrolled at 50 centers. Patients received 5 mCi BMIPP within 30 h of symptom cessation. BMIPP SPECT images were interpreted semiquantitatively by 3 blinded readers. Initial clinical diagnosis was based on symptoms, initial electrocardiograms, and troponin, whereas the final diagnosis was based on all available data (including angiography and stress SPECT) but not BMIPP SPECT. Final diagnoses were adjudicated by a blinded committee as ACS, intermediate likelihood of ACS, or negative for ACS.ResultsA total of 507 patients were studied and efficacy was evaluated in 448 patients with sufficient data. The sensitivity of BMIPP by 3 blinded readers for a final diagnosis of ACS and intermediate likelihood of ACS was 71% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 64% to 79%), 74% (95% CI: 68% to 81%), and 69% (95% CI: 62% to 77%); the corresponding specificity of BMIPP was 67% (95% CI: 61% to 73%), 54% (95% CI: 48% to 60%), and 70% (95% CI: 64% to 76%). Compared with the initial diagnosis alone, BMIPP + initial diagnosis increased sensitivity from 43% to 81% (p < 0.001), negative predictive value from 62% to 83% (p < 0.001), and positive predictive value from 41% to 58% (p < 0.001), whereas specificity was unchanged (61% to 62%, p = NS).ConclusionsThe addition of BMIPP data to the initially available clinical information adds incremental value toward the early diagnosis of an ACS, potentially allowing determination of the presence or absence of ACS to be made earlier in the evaluation process. (Safety and Efficacy Iodofiltic Acid I 123 in the Treatment of Acute Coronary Syndrome [Zeus-ACS]; NCT00514501

Differences in relatives' and patients' illness perceptions in functional neurological symptom disorders compared with neurological diseases

Objective: The illness perceptions of the relatives of patients with functional neurological symptom disorders (FNSDs) and their relation to the illness perceptions of the patients have been little studied. We aimed to compare illness perceptions of relatives of patients with FNSDs with those held by patients themselves. We used control pairs with neurological diseases (NDs) to examine the specificity of the findings to FNSDs. Material and methods: Patients with FNSDs (functional limb weakness and psychogenic nonepileptic seizures) and patients with NDs causing limb weakness and epilepsy, as well as their relatives, completed adapted versions of the Illness Perception Questionnaire - Revised (IPQ-R). Results: We included 112 pairs of patients with FNSDs and their relatives and 60 pairs of patients with NDs and their relatives. Relatives of patients with FNSDs were more likely to endorse psychological explanations and, in particular, stress as causal factors than patients with FNSDs (p. <.001). Relatives of patients with FNSDs were also more pessimistic about the expected duration of the disorder and perceived a greater emotional impact compared with patients themselves (p. <.001). However, the latter two differences between patients and relatives were also found in pairs of patients with NDs and their relatives. Conclusion: The main difference in illness perceptions between relatives and patients that appeared specific to FNSDs was a tendency for relatives to see psychological factors as more relevant compared with patients. Some other differences were observed between pairs of patients with FNSDs and their relatives, but the same differences were also seen in pairs of patients with NDs and their relatives. These other differences were, therefore, not specific to FNSDs. Discussion about possibly relevant psychological factors with patients suffering from FNSDs may be helped by including relatives

“That Looks Like Me or Something i Can Do”: Affordances and Constraints in the Online Identity Work of US LGBTQ+ Millennials

This article examines how search engines and social networking sites enable and constrain the identity-related information practices of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,and queer (LGBTQ+) millennials in the United States

Interim results of an open-label, single-arm trial of ultratrace I-131-iobenguane in patients with metastatic pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (Pheo)

e13592 Background: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of no carrier added (nca) I-131-MIBG in pheo as measured by > 50% reduction of all antihypertensive medication for ≥ 6 months. Secondarily, to evaluate safety (including radiation absorbed dose to normal organs) and the proportion of subjects with objective response per modified RECIST and biomarker response by change in Chromogranin A (CgA). Methods: Pts with metastatic pheo causing secondary hypertension were treated with up to two 500 mCi doses of 131 I-nca-MIBG 3-6 months apart. The administered dose was limited by pretreatment organ dosimetry and normal tissue tolerance estimates of Emami (1991). Response and toxicity were evaluated for a minimum of 1 year. Results: To date, 41 pts (17-72 years) received at least one treatment (full analysis; FA); 34 pts received 2 treatments (per protocol; PP); All patients have been followed at least 1 year or until death. The primary endpoint of sustained reduction in HTN meds was achieved in 32% and 29% of PP and FA, respectively. In total, 25/41 subjects who received at least 1 treatment had ≥ 50% reduction in their HTN meds. Mean duration of the reduction was 7.7 ± 6.6 months (range 0.1 – 22.1 months). Objective PR was seen in 41% (PP) and 34% (FA). 56% of PP had at least objective MR. All subjects in PP had at least stable disease and 90% in FA had at least stable disease. At 8 months there was a 60±33% reduction in CgA from baseline in PP. Primary toxicity was myelosupression: grade 3 (17%), grade 4 (20%). Grade 3 GI disorders were 15%. There were 3 deaths during follow up, all due to disease. Biomarker response correlated well to objective response and HTN improvement. Thrombocytopenia was the most common treatment-emergent SAE (n=9) considered related to study drug. No other treatment-emergent SAE was considered related to study drug in > 2 subjects. Conclusions: 11 of 34 pts in PP in this ongoing study met the primary endpoint of a positive clinical benefit (decreased HTN meds), which correlated with objective tumor response and biomarker levels in this disease with no approved, efficacious therapies. Toxicity for all patients (n=41) was tolerable and predominantly limited to myelosupression