Kidney organ donation: developing family practice initiatives to reverse inertia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Kidney transplantation is associated with greater long term survival rates and improved quality of life compared with dialysis. Continuous growth in the number of patients with kidney failure has not been matched by an increase in the availability of kidneys for transplantation. This leads to long waiting lists, higher treatment costs and negative health outcomes.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Misunderstandings, public uncertainty and issues of trust in the medical system, that limit willingness to be registered as a potential donor, could be addressed by community dissemination of information and new family practice initiatives that respond to individuals' personal beliefs and concerns regarding organ donation and transplantation.</p> <p>Summary</p> <p>Tackling both personal and public inertia on organ donation is important for any community oriented kidney donation campaign.</p

Spotlight on Differentially Expressed Genes in Urinary Bladder Cancer

INTRODUCTION: We previously identified common differentially expressed (DE) genes in bladder cancer (BC). In the present study we analyzed in depth, the expression of several groups of these DE genes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Samples from 30 human BCs and their adjacent normal tissues were analyzed by whole genome cDNA microarrays, qRT-PCR and Western blotting. Our attention was focused on cell-cycle control and DNA damage repair genes, genes related to apoptosis, signal transduction, angiogenesis, as well as cellular proliferation, invasion and metastasis. Four publicly available GEO Datasets were further analyzed, and the expression data of the genes of interest (GOIs) were compared to those of the present study. The relationship among the GOI was also investigated. GO and KEGG molecular pathway analysis was performed to identify possible enrichment of genes with specific biological themes. RESULTS: Unsupervised cluster analysis of DNA microarray data revealed a clear distinction in BC vs. control samples and low vs. high grade tumors. Genes with at least 2-fold differential expression in BC vs. controls, as well as in non-muscle invasive vs. muscle invasive tumors and in low vs. high grade tumors, were identified and ranked. Specific attention was paid to the changes in osteopontin (OPN, SPP1) expression, due to its multiple biological functions. Similarly, genes exhibiting equal or low expression in BC vs. the controls were scored. Significant pair-wise correlations in gene expression were scored. GO analysis revealed the multi-facet character of the GOIs, since they participate in a variety of mechanisms, including cell proliferation, cell death, metabolism, cell shape, and cytoskeletal re-organization. KEGG analysis revealed that the most significant pathway was that of Bladder Cancer (p = 1.5×10(-31)). CONCLUSIONS: The present work adds to the current knowledge on molecular signature identification of BC. Such works should progress in order to gain more insight into disease molecular mechanisms

Italian guidelines for primary headaches: 2012 revised version

The first edition of the Italian diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines for primary headaches in adults was published in J Headache Pain 2(Suppl. 1):105–190 (2001). Ten years later, the guideline committee of the Italian Society for the Study of Headaches (SISC) decided it was time to update therapeutic guidelines. A literature search was carried out on Medline database, and all articles on primary headache treatments in English, German, French and Italian published from February 2001 to December 2011 were taken into account. Only randomized controlled trials (RCT) and meta-analyses were analysed for each drug. If RCT were lacking, open studies and case series were also examined. According to the previous edition, four levels of recommendation were defined on the basis of levels of evidence, scientific strength of evidence and clinical effectiveness. Recommendations for symptomatic and prophylactic treatment of migraine and cluster headache were therefore revised with respect to previous 2001 guidelines and a section was dedicated to non-pharmacological treatment. This article reports a summary of the revised version published in extenso in an Italian version

Vaccination against human papillomavirus among 865 female students from the health professions in central Greece: a questionnaire- based cross-sectional study

Dimitrios Papagiannis,1 George Rachiotis,1 Emmanouil K Symvoulakis,2 Alexandros Daponte,3 Ioanna N Grivea,4 George A Syrogiannopoulos,4 Christos Hadjichristodoulou11Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Thessalia, 2Private Family Practice Unit, Heraklion, Crete, 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Thessalia Medical School, Thessalia, 4Department of Paediatrics, University of Thessaly, School of Medicine, General University Hospital of Larissa, Thessalia, GreeceBackground: There are still sparse data on vaccination coverage against human papillomavirus (HPV) among students in the health professions. The aim of this study was to investigate HPV vaccination coverage in female students from the health professions in Greece.Methods: A self-administered, anonymous questionnaire was distributed to second-year and third-year female students pursuing degrees in medicine, nursing, and paramedical health disciplines in central Greece.Results: Overall vaccination coverage was 44.3%. The major reason for lack of vaccination was fear about safety of the vaccine. Participants who had received information about safety of the vaccine from the mass media and paramedical students had lower vaccination coverage in comparison with students who had received information about vaccine safety from alternative sources.Conclusion: Further quantitative and qualitative research is needed to design educational activities targeting female students in the health professions in order to create a positive domino effect and improve HPV vaccination coverage levels in Greece.Keywords: human papillomavirus, vaccination, coverage, students, health professions, mass media, Greec

Perfil nosológico de centro de referência em dermatologia no estado do Amazonas - Brasil Nosological profile in a dermatology referral center in the state of Amazonas -Brazil

FUNDAMENTOS: As doenças de pele estão associadas a alta morbidade, baixa mortalidade e baixa proporção de hospitalização. Entretanto, podem causar considerável interferência no bem-estar físico e emocional do indivíduo. Várias delas atingem grandes contingentes populacionais, havendo necessidade de intervenções específicas para seu controle. OBJETIVO: Descrever a frequência das dermatoses diagnosticadas em serviço de dermatologia na cidade de Manaus, capital do estado do Amazonas. MÉTODOS: Coletaram-se dados registrados sobre sexo, idade, procedência e diagnósticos referentes à primeira consulta dos pacientes atendidos entre janeiro de 2000 e dezembro de 2007. RESULTADOS: Das 56.024 consultas registradas, obtiveram-se 56.720 diagnósticos dermatológicos, sendo mais comuns as doenças sexualmente transmissíveis (25,12%), as dermatoses alérgicas (14,03%), as dermatoses não especificadas (13,01%), a hanseníase (6,34%) e acne, seborreia e afins (5,05%). A frequência foi semelhante para ambos os sexos, a faixa etária de 20-29 anos foi predominante e Manaus foi a procedência mais referida. CONCLUSÕES: O padrão das doenças cutâneas identificadas neste estudo pode servir como linha de base para que gestores do sistema de saúde da região desenvolvam estratégias de prevenção e controle das dermatoses mais comuns, com ênfase nas doenças sexualmente transmissíveis, doenças cutâneas alérgicas, hanseníase e acne<br>BACKGROUNDS: Fundaments: Skin diseases are associated wih high morbidity, low mortality and low rate of hospitalization. However, they can cause considerable interference in physical and emotional well-being of the individual. Several of them reach large population, requiring specific interventions for their control. OBJECTIVE: To describe the frequency of skin disease diagnosed in the dermatology service in Manaus, capital of Amazonas State. METHODS: We collected data on registered sex, age, origin and diagnostics for the first consultation of patients attended between January 2000 and December 2007. RESULTS: Of the 56.024 recorded visits, we obtained 56.720 cases of dermatological diagnoses, being the most common sexually transmitted diseases (25,12%), allergic skin disesases (14,03%), unspecified dermatoses (13,01%), leprosy (6,34%) and acne, seborrhea and related diseases (5,05%). The frequency was similar for both sexes, aged 20-29 years predominated and Manaus the origin most reported. CONCLUSIONS: The pattern of skin diseases identified in this study may serve as a baseline to managers of health system in the region develop strategies for prevention and control of dermatoses, with emphasis on sexually transmitted diseases, allergic skin diseases, leprosy and acn