44 research outputs found
Predictor variables and screening protocol for depressive and anxiety disorders in cancer outpatients
Background
Cancer patients are at increased risk of persistent depressive and anxiety symptoms and disorders compared to the general population. However, these issues are not always identified, which may worsen the prognosis and increase morbidity and mortality. Therefore, the objectives of this study are to identify predictor variables (demographic and clinical) for the development of mood and anxiety disorders in cancer outpatients and to propose a probabilistic screening protocol considering these variables and certain standardized screening instruments.
Methods
A total of 1,385 adults, of both genders, receiving outpatient cancer care were evaluated using a questionnaire and screening instruments. Thereafter, 400 of these subjects responded to the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (SCID-IV) by telephone to confirm or rule out the presence of a Current Major Depressive Episode (CMDE) or Anxiety Disorder (AD).
Results
Of the patients surveyed, 64% met the criteria for CMDE and 41% for AD. Female gender was found to be a risk factor for both disorders, and the presence of previous psychiatric history and marital status (divorced and widowed) were risk factors for anxiety disorders. When scoring above the recommended cutoff score, the screening instruments also indicated a risk of the studied disorders. Based on these findings, a screening protocol and nomograms were created for the quantification, combination and probabilistic estimate of risk, with accuracy indicators >0.68.
Conclusion
The prevalence rates for the disorders under study are extremely high in cancer patients. The use of the proposed protocol and nomogram can facilitate rapid and wide screening, thus refining triage and supporting the establishment of criteria for referral to mental health professionals, so that patients can be properly diagnosed and treated.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Platelet-Activating Factor Receptor Plays a Role in Lung Injury and Death Caused by Influenza A in Mice
Influenza A virus causes annual epidemics which affect millions of people
worldwide. A recent Influenza pandemic brought new awareness over the health
impact of the disease. It is thought that a severe inflammatory response against
the virus contributes to disease severity and death. Therefore, modulating the
effects of inflammatory mediators may represent a new therapy against Influenza
infection. Platelet activating factor (PAF) receptor (PAFR) deficient mice were
used to evaluate the role of the gene in a model of experimental infection with
Influenza A/WSN/33 H1N1 or a reassortant Influenza A H3N1 subtype. The following
parameters were evaluated: lethality, cell recruitment to the airways, lung
pathology, viral titers and cytokine levels in lungs. The PAFR antagonist
PCA4248 was also used after the onset of flu symptoms. Absence or antagonism of
PAFR caused significant protection against flu-associated lethality and lung
injury. Protection was correlated with decreased neutrophil recruitment, lung
edema, vascular permeability and injury. There was no increase of viral load and
greater recruitment of NK1.1+ cells. Antibody responses were
similar in WT and PAFR-deficient mice and animals were protected from
re-infection. Influenza infection induces the enzyme that synthesizes PAF,
lyso-PAF acetyltransferase, an effect linked to activation of TLR7/8. Therefore,
it is suggested that PAFR is a disease-associated gene and plays an important
role in driving neutrophil influx and lung damage after infection of mice with
two subtypes of Influenza A. Further studies should investigate whether
targeting PAFR may be useful to reduce lung pathology associated with Influenza
A virus infection in humans
Network centrality and organizational aspirations: A behavioral interaction in the context of international strategic alliances
Whereas social network analysis has been associated with organizational aspirations, little is known on how firm's structural positioning, and particularly network centrality, affects organizational aspirations to engage in international strategic alliances (ISA). This study examines the impact of network centrality on firm's internationalization behavior within the ISA domain in response to the performance-aspiration gap. We build on social and behavioral perspectives to predict that network centrality and performance-based aspirations will be associated with the number of ISA the firm engages in. Using a sample of 7760 alliance collaborations from the top 81 global pharmaceutical firms for the period of 1991-2012, we find supporting evidence for most of our arguments
Environmental risk assessment of pesticides in the River Madre de Dios, Costa Rica using PERPEST, SSD, and msPAF models
Four Novel Loci (19q13, 6q24, 12q24, and 5q14) Influence the Microcirculation In Vivo
Jaakko Tuomilehto Global BPgen Consortium'n jäsenPeer reviewe