Chemoprophylaxis against infective endocarditis following dental surgery

Patients with certain cardiovascular abnormalities are recognised to beat risk - and some at high risk - of developing infective endocarditis following episodes of bacteraemia. Whenever a clinically important bacteraemia is anticipated in such susceptible patients, chemoprophylaxis (use of systemic antimicrobials) is advocated. However, the effectiveness of such measures remains unclear. Patients undergoing dentisty/oral surgery (especially extractions) experience bacteraemias (mainly viridans streptococci) lasting minutes. For susceptible patients undergoing the latter procedures, it is appropriate to sensibly educate them about the risks, ensure good dental hygiene, consider prior topical antisepsis, and be vigilant to the possible failure of chemoprophylaxis. Currently advocated chemoprophylactic guidelines are confusing and ambiguous. For patients susceptible to infective endocarditis - including those at high risk - undergoing potentially bacteraemic dental/oral surgical procedures, the recommendations in this account have been simplified. In individuals with a history of penicillin hypersensitivity or recent exposure, instead of erythromycin, the use of clindamycin (orally) or vancomycin (parenterally) is stressed.published_or_final_versio

Colonoscopic surveillance and screening for familial colorectal cancer: experience of a regional registry

Conference Theme: Challenges to specialists in the 21st centurypublished_or_final_versio

Genetic-guided screening programme for familial adenomatous polyposis: result of a regional registry

Conference Theme: Challenges to specialists in the 21st centurypublished_or_final_versio

From Body to Mind and Spirit: Qigong Exercise for Bereaved Persons with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome-Like Illness

Bereavement may bring negative impacts on the mind, body, and spiritual well-being of grieving persons. Bereavement as a major negative life event is also a risk factor for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). . Some bereaved persons with chronic fatigue syndrome- (CFS-) like illness experience a dual burden of distress. This study investigated the effects of bereavement on CFS-like illness by comparing bereaved and nonbereaved participants. It also adopted a random group design to investigate the effectiveness of Qigong on improving the well-being of bereaved persons with CFS-like illnessparticipants. The Qigong intervention comprised 10 group sessions delivered twice a week for 5 weeks and home-practice for at least three times a week lasting 15-30 minutes each lasting 15–30 minutes each. The participants’ fatigue, anxiety, and depression, quality of life (QoL), and spiritual well-being were measured at baseline and 3 months after treatment. The bereaved participants experienced significantly greater mental fatigue (16.09 versus 14.44,published_or_final_versio

Microsatellite instability, Epstein-Barr virus, mutation of type II transforming growth factor receptor and BAX in gastric carcinomas in Hong Kong Chinese

Conference Theme: Challenges to specialists in the 21st centurypublished_or_final_versio

Microsatellite instability and mismatch repair gene mutations are common in young colorectal cancer patients in Hong Kong

Conference Theme: Challenges to Specialists in the 21st centurypublished_or_final_versio

A randomized controlled trial of qigong exercise on fatigue symptoms, functioning, and telomerase activity in persons with chronic fatigue or chronic fatigue syndrome

BACKGROUND: Chronic fatigue is common in the general population. Complementary therapies are often used by patients with chronic fatigue or chronic fatigue syndrome to manage their symptoms. PURPOSE: This study aimed to assess the effect of a 4-month qigong intervention program among patients with chronic fatigue or chronic fatigue syndrome. METHODS: Sixty-four participants were randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a wait list control group. Outcome measures included fatigue symptoms, physical functioning, mental functioning, and telomerase activity. RESULTS: Fatigue symptoms and mental functioning were significantly improved in the qigong group compared to controls. Telomerase activity increased in the qigong group from 0.102 to 0.178 arbitrary units (p < 0.05). The change was statistically significant when compared to the control group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Qigong exercise may be used as an alternative and complementary therapy or rehabilitative program for chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue syndrome.published_or_final_versio

Liver Enzymes: Interaction Analysis of Smoking with Alcohol Consumption or BMI, Comparing AST and ALT to γ-GT

A detrimental interaction between smoking and alcohol consumption with respect serum γ-glutamyltransferase (γ-GT) has recently been described. The underlying mechanisms remain unknown. The present work aimed to provide further insights by examining similar interactions pertaining to aspartate and alanine transaminase (AST, ALT), routine liver markers less prone to enzyme induction.<0.0001). The interactions all were in the same directions as for γ-GT, i.e. synergistic with alcohol and opposite with BMI.The patterns of interaction between smoking and alcohol consumption or BMI with respect to AST and ALT resembled those observed for γ-GT. This renders enzyme induction a less probable mechanism for these associations, whereas it might implicate exacerbated hepatocellular vulnerability and injury

The association between pro-inflammatory marker, interleukin (IL)-1b and psychosocial status among persons with insomnia and depressive disorders

Parallel session II: IIa. Interdisciplinary approaches to improve mental health - no. O5cpublished_or_final_versio

Application of Chinese Jun-Cao technique for the production of Brazilian Ganoderma lucidum strains

Ganoderma lucidum is a medicinal mushroom traditionally used in China against a wide range of diseases such as cancer and also for its prevention. In this work, commercial Chinese strains G. lucidum were compared to wild Brazilian strains aiming to determine the cultivation potential through the use of Jun-Cao. Six formulations were tested and the strains presented good response to the applied method. In general, the mixture between the grass and wood was well suited for the basidiomycetes, contributing to the preparation of substrates that generated better results in Jun Cao