Physical activity and change in quality of life during menopause -an 8-year follow-up study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background and objectives</p> <p>The aim of this study was to study the role of menopausal status and physical activity on quality of life.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 1,165 Finnish women aged 45-64 years from a national representative population-based study were followed up for 8 years. Study participants completed the Health 2000 study questionnaire and follow-up questionnaire in 2008. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was used to measure the effect of menopausal status on global quality of life (QoL). Other variables included in the analyses were age, education, change of physical activity as assessed with metabolic equivalents, change of weight and hormone therapy (HRT) use.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Peri- and postmenopausal women increased their physical activity (28% and 27%) during the eight-year follow up period slightly more often than premenopausal (18%) women (p = 0.070). Menopausal status was not significantly correlated with change of QoL. QoL of the most highly educated women was more likely to improve than among the less educated (e^b= 1.28, 95%CI 1.08 to 1.51 p = 0.002). Women whose physical activity increased or remained stable had greater chances for improved QoL than women whose physical activity decreased (e^b= 1.49, 95%CI 1.23 p < 0.001 to 1.80, e^b= 1.46, 95%CI 1.24 to 1.73 p < 0.001 respectively). Women whose weight remained stable during follow-up also improved their QoL compared to women who gained weight (e^b= 1.26, 95%CI 1.07 to 1.50 p > 0.01). Women who had never used HRT had 1.26 greater odds for improved QoL (95%CI 1.02 to 1.56 p = < 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Improvement of global QoL is correlated with stable or increased physical activity, stable weight and high education, but not with change in menopausal status.</p

Developing a Feasible and Credible Method for Analyzing Healthcare Documents as Written Data

Healthcare provides a rich, and constantly increasing, number of written documents, which are underutilized in research data for health and nursing sciences, but previous literature has only provided limited guidance on the process of document analysis. The aim of this paper is to provide a methodological framework for analyzing health care documents as written data, based on a systematic methodological review and the research team's experience of the method. Based on the results, the methods consist of seven phases: (i) identify the purpose, (ii) determine the document selection strategy, (iii) select or design an extraction matrix, (iv) carry out pilot testing, (v) collect and analyze the data, (vi) consider the credibility, and (vii) ethics of the study. The framework that has been developed can be used to carry out document analysis studies that are both feasible and credible

Low Plasma IL-8 Levels During Chemotherapy Are Predictive of Excellent Long-Term Survival in Metastatic Breast Cancer

Plasma interleukin (IL)-8 levels were monitored in 58 patients with metastatic breast cancer before and during first-line chemotherapy, and changes in the IL-8 levels were correlated with patient survival data. Monitoring plasma IL-8 levels before and during chemotherapy identifies patients with excellent prognosis whose IL-8 levels stay constantly below 16.6 pg/mL. Background: Interleukin (IL)-8 is a proinflammatory cytokine, and high levels of IL-8 are associated with poor prognosis in many malignancies. The objective of this study was to explore the clinical benefit of monitoring plasma IL-8 levels during breast cancer chemotherapy. Patients and Methods: We conducted an exploratory analysis of several circulating proteins, including IL-8, in the plasma. Plasma samples were obtained from 58 metastatic breast cancer patients who took part in a prospective phase 2 first-line bevacizumab chemotherapy trial. Samples were analyzed before therapy, after 6 weeks and 6 months of treatment, and at the final study visit. On the basis of a trajectory analysis of the plasma IL-8 levels, the patients were divided into 3 trajectory groups. Results: Plasma IL-8, IL-6, IL-18, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, YKL-40, resistin, and high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) concentrations were measured, and the most pronounced predictor of patient survival was IL-8. On the basis of the trajectory analysis of the IL-8 levels, the majority of patients (n ¼ 35, 60%) belonged to trajectory group 1, and these patients had significantly lower IL-8 levels before and during the entire chemotherapy treatment period than did the patients in the other groups. Trajectory group 1 patients had significantly better overall survival compared to patients in trajectory group 2 (n ¼ 17; age-adjusted HR ¼ 2.45; 95% confidence interval, 1.21-5.97; P ¼ .012) and 3 (n ¼ 6; age-adjusted HR ¼ 8.65; 95% confidence interval, 3.16-23.7; P </p

Discovery and development of ODM-204: A Novel nonsteroidal compound for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer by blocking the androgen receptor and inhibiting CYP17A1

We report the discovery of a novel nonsteroidal dual-action compound, ODM-204, that holds promise for treating patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), an advanced form of prostate cancer characterised by high androgen receptor (AR) expression and persistent activation of the AR signaling axis by residual tissue androgens. For ODM-204, has a dual mechanism of action. The compound is anticipated to efficiently dampen androgenic stimuli in the body by inhibiting CYP17A1, the prerequisite enzyme for the formation of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and testosterone (T), and by blocking AR with high affinity and specificity. In our study, ODM-204 inhibited the proliferation of androgen-dependent VCaP and LNCaP cells in vitro and reduced significantly tumour growth in a murine VCaP xenograft model in vivo. Intriguingly, after a single oral dose of 10-30 mg/kg, ODM-204 dose-dependently inhibited adrenal and testicular steroid production in sexually mature male cynomolgus monkeys. Similar results were obtained in human chorionic gonadotropin-treated male rats. In rats, leuprolide acetate-mediated (LHRH agonist) suppression of the circulating testosterone levels and decrease in weights of androgen-sensitive organs was significantly and dose-dependently potentiated by the co-administration of ODM-204. ODM-204 was well tolerated in both rodents and primates. Based on our data, ODM-204 could provide an effective therapeutic option for men with CRPC.</p

High baseline Tie1 level predicts poor survival in metastatic breast cancer

BackgroundAngiopoietin growth factors (Angs) regulate angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis by binding to the endothelial Tie2 receptor. Ang2 expression is elevated in tissue hypoxia and inflammation, which also induce cleavage of the extracellular domain of the orphan Tie1 receptor. Here we have examined if the concentrations of Ang2 and the soluble extracellular domain of Tie1 in patient plasma are associated with the prognosis of patients with metastatic breast cancer.MethodsPlasma Tie1 and Ang2 levels were measured in metastatic breast cancer patients treated in a phase II trial with a taxane-bevacizumab combination chemotherapy in the first-line treatment setting. They were analyzed before treatment, after 6weeks and 6months of treatment, and at the final study visit. Using the median concentrations as cutoffs, Tie1 and Ang2 data were dichotomized into low and high concentration groups. Additionally, we analyzed Tie1 concentrations in plasma from 10 healthy women participating in a breast cancer primary prevention study.ResultsPlasma samples were available from 58 (89%) of the 65 patients treated in the trial. The baseline Tie1 levels of the healthy controls were significantly lower than those of the metastatic patients (p<0.001). The overall survival of the patients with a high baseline Tie1 level was significantly shorter (multivariate HR 3.07, 95% CI 1.39-6.79, p=0.005). Additionally, the progression-free survival was shorter for patients with a high baseline Tie1 level (multivariate HR 3.78, 95% CI 1.57-9.09, p=0.003). In contrast, the baseline Ang2 levels had no prognostic impact in a multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. The combined analysis of baseline Tie1 and Ang2 levels revealed that patients with both high Tie1 and high Ang2 baseline levels had a significantly shorter overall survival than the patients with low baseline levels of both markers (multivariate HR for overall survival 4.32, 95% CI 1.44-12.94, p=0.009).ConclusionsThis is the first study to demonstrate the prognostic value of baseline Tie1 plasma concentration in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Combined with the results of the Ang2 analyses, the patients with both high Tie1 and Ang2 levels before treatment had the poorest survival.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov: NCT00979641, registration date 19-DEC-2008. The regional Ethics Committee: R08142M, registration date 18-NOV-2008

High baseline Tie1 level predicts poor survival in metastatic breast cancer

BackgroundAngiopoietin growth factors (Angs) regulate angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis by binding to the endothelial Tie2 receptor. Ang2 expression is elevated in tissue hypoxia and inflammation, which also induce cleavage of the extracellular domain of the orphan Tie1 receptor. Here we have examined if the concentrations of Ang2 and the soluble extracellular domain of Tie1 in patient plasma are associated with the prognosis of patients with metastatic breast cancer.MethodsPlasma Tie1 and Ang2 levels were measured in metastatic breast cancer patients treated in a phase II trial with a taxane-bevacizumab combination chemotherapy in the first-line treatment setting. They were analyzed before treatment, after 6weeks and 6months of treatment, and at the final study visit. Using the median concentrations as cutoffs, Tie1 and Ang2 data were dichotomized into low and high concentration groups. Additionally, we analyzed Tie1 concentrations in plasma from 10 healthy women participating in a breast cancer primary prevention study.ResultsPlasma samples were available from 58 (89%) of the 65 patients treated in the trial. The baseline Tie1 levels of the healthy controls were significantly lower than those of the metastatic patients (pPeer reviewe

Ilmastonmuutos työn arjessa : Kyselytutkimus suomalaisten työntekijöiden näkemyksistä

Ilmastonmuutos sekä ekologisesti kestävään talouteen ja kasvuun tähtäävä vihreä siirtymä vaikuttavat monin tavoin työelämään. Raportti sisältää tietoa siitä, millaisia tästä aiheutuvia toimenpiteitä suomalaisilla työpaikoilla on tähän mennessä toteutettu ja miten työntekijät itse asemoituvat suhteessaan ilmastonmuutokseen ja vihreään siirtymään. Tiedot perustuvat Työterveyslaitoksen yhdessä Tilastokeskuksen kanssa vuonna 2022 toteuttamaan Ilmastonmuutos ja työ -kyselyyn, johon vastasi 1917 työntekijää eri toimialoilta. Kysely oli ensimmäinen Suomessa toteutettu aihetta käsittelevä tutkimus, joka kohdistui edustavasti koko palkansaajaväestöön

Ilmastonmuutos työn arjessa: Kyselytutkimus suomalaisten työntekijöiden näkemyksistä

Climate change and the green transition towards an ecologically sustainable economy and growth affect work life in many ways. The report contains information on what kind of measures have been taken in Finnish workplaces in response to these changes and how employees position themselves in relation to climate change and the green transition. The data are based on the Climate Change and Work survey conducted by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health in cooperation with Statistics Finland in 2022, with responses from 1917 employees across all sectors of the economy. The survey was the first representative study of the entire wage-earning population on the topic carried out in Finland