Vacuum-UV negative photoion spectroscopy of CH4

Using synchrotron radiation in the range 12-35 eV, negative ions are detected by mass spectrometry following vacuum-UV photoexcitation of methane. Ion yields for H$^-$, CH$^-$ and CH$_2^-$ are recorded, the spectra of CH$^-$ and CH$_2^-$ for the first time. All ions display a linear dependence of signal with pressure, showing that they arise from unimolecular ion-pair dissociation. Cross sections for ion-pair formation are put onto an absolute scale by calibrating the signal strengths with those of F$^-$ from SF$_6$ and CF$_4$. Following normalisation to total vacuum-UV absorption cross sections, quantum yields for anion production are reported. There is a major discrepancy in the H$^-$ cross section with an earlier measurement, which remains unresolved. The anions arise from both direct and indirect ion-pair mechanisms. For a generic polyatomic molecule AB, the former is defined as AB $\rightarrow$ A$^-$ + B$^+$ (+ neutrals), the latter as the predissociative crossing of an initially-excited Rydberg state of AB by an ion-pair state. In a separate experiment, the threshold photoelectron spectrum of the second valence band of CH$_4$, ionisation to CH$_4^+$ A $^2$A$_1$ at 22.4 eV, is recorded with an instrumental resolution of 0.004 eV; many of the Rydberg states observed in indirect ion-pair formation converge to this state. The widths of the peaks are lifetime limited, increasing with increasing $v$ in the $v_1$ (a$_1$) vibrational ladder. They are the first direct measurement of an upper value to the dissociation rate of these levels into fragment ions

The Impact of Rurality and Disadvantage on the Diagnostic Interval for Breast Cancer in a Large Population-Based Study of 3202 Women in Queensland, Australia.

Delays in diagnosing breast cancer (BC) can lead to poorer outcomes. We investigated factors related to the diagnostic interval in a population-based cohort of 3202 women diagnosed with BC in Queensland, Australia. Interviews ascertained method of detection and dates of medical/procedural appointments, and clinical information was obtained from medical records. Time intervals were calculated from self-recognition of symptoms (symptom-detected) or mammogram (screen-detected) to diagnosis (diagnostic interval (DI)). The cohort included 1560 women with symptom-detected and 1642 with screen-detected BC. Symptom-detected women had higher odds of DI of >60 days if they were Indigenous (OR = 3.12, 95% CI = 1.40, 6.98); lived in outer regional (OR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.09, 2.06) or remote locations (OR = 2.46, 95% CI = 1.39, 4.38); or presented with a "non-lump" symptom (OR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.43, 2.36). For screen-detected BC, women who were Indigenous (OR = 2.36, 95% CI = 1.03, 5.80); lived in remote locations (OR = 2.35, 95% CI = 1.24, 4.44); or disadvantaged areas (OR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.17, 2.43) and attended a public screening facility (OR = 2.10, 95% CI = 1.40, 3.17) had higher odds of DI > 30 days. Our study indicates a disadvantage in terms of DI for rural, disadvantaged and Indigenous women. Difficulties in accessing primary care and diagnostic services are evident. There is a need to identify and implement an efficient and effective model of care to minimize avoidable longer diagnostic intervals

Expression of interferon-γ in human adrenal gland and kidney tumours

It is known that interferon-γ (IFN-γ) is produced by activated T and NK lymphoid cells, mononuclear cells, and macrophage and dendritic cells. Our previous studies have shown that IFN-γ-like immunoreactivity also appears in human adrenal cortical tumour and phaeochromocytoma. To investigate whether human tumour cells can produce IFN-γ, we examined 429 biopsy specimens of 30 kinds of tumour and tumour-surrounding tissues in adrenal glands and in kidneys by using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridisation. IFN-γ immunoactivity was shown in 34.3% of the adrenal cortical adenomas, 50% of the adrenal cortical carcinomas, 26.7% of the phaeochromocytomas, 26.7% of the clear cell renal cell carcinomas (RCCs), 22% of the adrenal cortexes and 40% of medullas adjacent to tumours. The positive samples and expression areas were well overlapped between the IFN-γ mRNA and the immunohistochemistry staining. Western blot analysis has further confirmed the immunohistochemistry results by showing a distinct IFN-γ band corresponding to 17.4 kDa in tissue extracts from adrenal cortical adenoma, phaeochromocytoma and clear cell RCCs. These results indicate that IFN-γ is produced by some types of tumour cells, suggesting it may play a dual role in the development of these tumours

Structuring effect of tools conceptualized through initial goal fixedness for work activity

Analysis of work activities in nuclear industry has highlighted a new psycho-cognitive phenomenon: the structuring effect of tools (SET) sometimes leading to unexpected operating deviations; the subject is unable to perform a task concerning object A using or adapting a tool designed and presented to perform the same task concerning object B when object A is expected by the subject. Conditions to isolate and identify the SET were determined and reproduced in experiments for further analysis. Students and seven professional categories of adults (N = 77) were involved in three experimental conditions (control group, group with prior warning, group with final control) while individually performing a task with similar characteristics compared to real operating conditions and under moderate time-pressure. The results were: (1) highest performance with prior warning and (2) demonstration that academic and professional training favor the SET. After discussing different cognitive processes potentially related to the SET, we described (3) the psycho-cognitive process underlying the SET: Initial Goal Fixedness (IGF), a combination of the anchoring of the initial goal of the activity with a focus on the features of the initial goal favored by an Einstellung effect. This suggested coping with the negative effect of the SET by impeding the IGF rather than trying to increase the subjects’ awareness at the expense of their health. Extensions to other high-risk industries were discussed

Behavioral changes in mice caused by Toxoplasma gondii invasion of brain

Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan parasite, is capable of infecting a broad range of intermediate warm-blooded hosts including humans. The parasite undergoes sexual reproduction resulting in genetic variability only in the intestine of the definitive host (a member of the cat family). The parasite seems to be capable of altering the natural behavior of the host to favor its transmission in the environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the number of parasite cysts formed in the hippocampus and amygdala of experimentally infected mice as these regions are involved in defense behaviors control and emotion processing, and to assess the influence of the infection on mice behavior. The obtained results revealed the presence of parasite cysts both in the hippocampus and the amygdala of infected mice; however, no clear region-dependent distribution was observed. Furthermore, infected mice showed significantly diminished exploratory activity described by climbing and rearing, smaller preference for the central, more exposed part of the OF arena and engaged in less grooming behavior compared to uninfected controls

The Effect of a DNA Damaging Agent on Embryonic Cell Cycles of the Cnidarian Hydractinia echinata

The onset of gastrulation at the Mid-Blastula Transition can accompany profound changes in embryonic cell cycles including the introduction of gap phases and the transition from maternal to zygotic control. Studies in Xenopus and Drosophila embryos have also found that cell cycles respond to DNA damage differently before and after MBT (or its equivalent, MZT, in Drosophila). DNA checkpoints are absent in Xenopus cleavage cycles but are acquired during MBT. Drosophila cleavage nuclei enter an abortive mitosis in the presence of DNA damage whereas post-MZT cells delay the entry into mitosis. Despite attributes that render them workhorses of embryonic cell cycle studies, Xenopus and Drosophila are hardly representative of diverse animal forms that exist. To investigate developmental changes in DNA damage responses in a distant phylum, I studied the effect of an alkylating agent, Methyl Methanesulfonate (MMS), on embryos of Hydractinia echinata. Hydractinia embryos are found to differ from Xenopus embryos in the ability to respond to a DNA damaging agent in early cleavage but are similar to Xenopus and Drosophila embryos in acquiring stronger DNA damage responses and greater resistance to killing by MMS after the onset of gastrulation. This represents the first study of DNA damage responses in the phylum Cnidaria

Indications for and Utilization of ACE Inhibitors in Older Individuals with Diabetes

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) improve cardiovascular outcomes in high-risk individuals with diabetes. Despite the marked benefit, it is unknown what percentage of patients with diabetes would benefit from and what percentage actually receive this preventive therapy. OBJECTIVES : To examine the proportion of older diabetic patients with indications for ACE or ARB (ACE/ARB). To generate national estimates of ACE/ARB use. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS : Survey of 742 individuals≥55 years (representing 8.02 million U.S. adults) self-reporting diabetes in the 1999 to 2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. MEASUREMENTS : Prevalence of guideline indications (albuminuria, cardiovascular disease, hypertension) and other cardiac risk factors (hyperlipidemia, smoking) with potential benefit from ACE/ARB. Prevalence of ACE/ARB use overall and by clinical indication. RESULTS : Ninety-two percent had guideline indications for ACE/ARB. Including additional cardiac risk factors, the entire (100%) U.S. noninstitutionalized older population with diabetes had indications for ACE/ARB. Overall, 43% of the population received ACE/ARB. Hypertension was associated with higher rates of ACE/ARB use, while albuminuria and cardiovascular disease were not. As the number of indications increased, rates of use increased, however, the maximum prevalence of use was only 53% in individuals with 4 or more indications for ACE/ARB. CONCLUSIONS : ACE/ARB is indicated in virtually all older individuals with diabetes; yet, national rates of use are disturbingly low and key risk factors (albuminuria and cardiovascular disease) are being missed. To improve quality of diabetes care nationally, use of ACE/ARB therapy by ALL older diabetics may be a desirable addition to diabetes performance measurement sets.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/74734/1/j.1525-1497.2006.00351.x.pd

'Asking the right question'. A comparison of two approaches to gathering data on 'herbals' use in survey based studies

BACKGROUND:Over the last decade academic interest in the prevalence and nature of herbal medicines use by pregnant women has increased significantly. Such data are usually collected by means of an administered questionnaire survey, however a key methodological limitation using this approach is the need to clearly define the scope of 'herbals' to be investigated. The majority of published studies in this area neither define 'herbals' nor provide a detailed checklist naming specific 'herbals' and CAM modalities, which limits inter-study comparison, generalisability and the potential for meta-analyses. The aim of this study was to compare the self-reported use of herbs, herbal medicines and herbal products using two different approaches implemented in succession. METHODS:Cross-sectional questionnaire surveys of women attending for their mid-trimester scan or attending the postnatal unit following live birth at the Royal Aberdeen Maternity Hospital, North-East Scotland. The questionnaire utilised two approaches to collect data on 'herbals' use, a single closed yes/no answer to the question "have you used herbs, herbal medicines and herbal products in the last three months"; and a request to tick which of a list of 40 'herbals' they had used in the same time period. RESULTS:A total of 889 responses were obtained of which 4.3% (38) answered 'yes' to herbal use via the closed question. However, using the checklist 39% (350) of respondents reported the use of one or more specific 'herbals' (p<0.0001). The 312 respondents who reported 'no' to 'herbals' use via the closed question but "yes" via the checklist consumed a total of 20 different 'herbals' (median 1, interquartile range 1-2, range 1-6). CONCLUSIONS:This study demonstrates that the use of a single closed question asking about the use of 'herbals', as frequently reported in published studies, may not yield valid data resulting in a gross underestimation of actual use

tAnGo: a randomised phase III trial of gemcitabine in paclitaxel-containing, epirubicin/cyclophosphamide-based, adjuvant chemotherapy for early breast cancer: a prospective pulmonary, cardiac and hepatic function evaluation

tAnGo is a large randomised trial assessing the addition of gemcitabine(G) to paclitaxel(T), following epirubicin(E) and cyclophosphamide(C) in women with invasive higher risk early breast cancer. To assess the safety and tolerability of adding G, a detailed safety substudy was undertaken. A total of 135 patients had cardiac, pulmonary and hepatic function assessed at (i) randomisation, (ii) mid-chemotherapy, (iii) immediately post-chemotherapy and (iv) 6 months post-chemotherapy. Skin toxicity was assessed during radiotherapy. No differences were detected in FEV1 or FVC levels between treatment arms or time points. Diffusion capacity (TLCO) reduced during treatment (P<0.0001), with a significantly lower drop in EC-GT patients (P=0.02). Most of the reduction occurred during EC and recovered by 6-months post treatment. There was no difference in cardiac function between treatment arms. Only 11 patients had echocardiography/MUGA results change from normal to abnormal during treatment, with only five having LVEF<50%. Transient transaminitis occurred in both treatment arms with significantly more in EC-GT patients post-chemotherapy (AST P=0.03, ALT P=0.003), although the majority was low grade. There was no correlation between transaminitis and other toxicities. Both treatment regimens reported temporary reductions in pulmonary functions and transient transaminitis levels. Despite these being greater with EC-GT, both regimens appear well tolerated