A meta-analysis on dose-response relationship between night shift work and the risk of breast cancer.

This study aimed to conduct a systematic review to sum up evidence of the associations between different aspects of night shift work and female breast cancer using a dose-response meta-analysis approach. We systematicly searched all cohort and case-control studies published in English on MEDLINE, Embase, PSYCInfo, APC Journal Club and Global Health, from January 1971 to May 2013. We extracted effect measures (relative risk, RR; odd ratio, OR; or hazard ratio, HR) from individual studies to generate pooled results using meta-analysis approaches. A log-linear dose-response regression model was used to evaluate the relationship between various indicators of exposure to night shift work and breast cancer risk. Downs and Black scale was applied to assess the methodological quality of included studies. Ten studies were included in the meta-analysis. A pooled adjusted relative risk for the association between 'ever exposed to night shift work' and breast cancer was 1.19 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-1.35]. Further meta-analyses on dose-response relationship showed that every 5-year increase of exposure to night shift work would correspondingly enhance the risk of breast cancer of the female by 3% (pooled RR = 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.05; Pheterogeneity < 0.001). Our meta-analysis also suggested that an increase in 500-night shifts would result in a 13% (RR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.07-1.21; Pheterogeneity = 0.06) increase in breast cancer risk. This systematic review updated the evidence that a positive dose-response relationship is likely to present for breast cancer with increasing years of employment and cumulative shifts involved in the work.

Factors associated with healthy and unhealthy workplace eating behaviours in individuals with overweight/obesity with and without binge eating disorder.

Objective: Most Americans spend an average of 8 hours per day in the workplace. Current understanding of eating behaviours in the workplace and their association with overweight, obesity and binge eating disorder (BED) is limited. Workplace eating behaviours and weight-related self-efficacy were examined in a sample of 98 individuals with overweight or obesity, with or without BED. Design: Participants completed the Weight Efficacy Lifestyle Questionnaire, Work and Social Adjustment Scale, Worker's Perception of Environmental Factors, and a Workplace Questionnaire. Results: Eating unplanned food occurred on average 2.43 times per week (SD = 3.37), and eating unplanned food even when meals were brought from home occurred on average 1.28 times per week (SD = 1.84). Individuals with BED purchased lunch even when they brought food from home significantly more frequently than did individuals without BED. Those with BED also reported significantly poorer work and social adjustment related to binge eating as compared with those without BED. The most significant barriers to healthy eating in the workplace were coworker influence, eating more food in general and more junk food in response to stress, eating unplanned food at work and time constraints. Conclusions: These factors may be important to target in weight-loss treatment to increase individuals' weight loss success. As individuals with BED may be the most vulnerable to eating unplanned foods, clinicians may want to focus on this potential barrier in BED treatment.

Lipid-mediated protein functionalization of electrospun polycaprolactone fibers.

In this study, electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) fibers are plasma-treated and chemically conjugated with cholesteryl succinyl silane (CSS). In addition to Raman spectroscopy, an immobilization study of DiO as a fluorescent probe of lipid membranes provides evidence supporting the CSS coating of plasma-treated PCL fibers. Further, anti-CD20 antibodies are used as a model protein to evaluate the potential of lipid-mediated protein immobilization as a mechanism to functionalize the CSS-PCL fiber scaffolds. Upon anti-CD20 functionalization, the CSS-PCL fiber scaffolds capture Granta-22 cells 2.4 times more than the PCL control does, although the two fiber scaffolds immobilize a comparable amount of anti-CD20. Taken together, results from the present study demonstrate that the CSS coating and CSS-mediated antibody immobilization offers an appealing strategy to functionalize electrospun synthetic polymer fibers and confer cell-specific functions on the fiber scaffolds, which can be mechanically robust but often lack biological functions.

Cohort Profile: Hong Kong Department of Health Elderly Health Service Cohort.

The Department of Health Elderly Health Service Cohort in Hong Kong was set up to promote understanding of ageing in a global context, to exploit the role of Hong Kong as a sentinel for populations currently experiencing very rapid economic development, to provide a developed non-Western 'social laboratory' where empirically derived hypotheses can be tested and to leverage the different patterns of common chronic diseases between East and West to generate novel hypotheses about their determinants. The initial cohort enrolled from July 1998 to the end of December 2001 includes 66 820 people aged 65 years or older, forming about 9% of the population of this age. A comprehensive health assessment was made at enrollment and then repeated regularly on an ongoing basis. The health assessment included a comprehensive assessment of lifestyle, social circumstances, physical health and mental health, including an assessment of cognition and depressive symptoms. Health services use and deaths have been obtained by record linkage and confirmed, where necessary, by telephone interview. Currently, the data are not publicly available; we would welcome collaborations and research proposals.

Performance of nurses in the Department of Health as service providers for a cervical screening programme.

A territory-wide cervical screening programme was launched in Hong Kong in March 2004. Since 2002, 160 nurses from the Department of Health's Maternal and Child Health Centres have completed the training necessary to carry out the screening procedures. A clinical audit of their performance was carried out between 2002 and 2004. A customer satisfaction survey revealed that 94% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with the cervical smear procedure performed by nurses. Since January 2003, all routine cervical screening tests at Maternal and Child Health Centres have been performed by nurses. The mean time required to complete a test is 7 minutes. The mean unsatisfactory smear rate for the year 2003 was 1.3%, well below the benchmark of 5% set by the Working Party on Quality Assurance of the Cervical Screening Task Force. The results of this survey confirm that nurses at Maternal and Child Health Centres are highly effective and efficient at taking smears and that this is well accepted by clients.

Modulation of platelet membrane function via exogenous lipid moiety exposure alters platelet responsiveness to shear.

Shear-induced platelet activation may cause life-threatening thrombosis, particularly in patients with mechanical support devices or coronary atherosclerosis. The majority of present anti-platelet agents target or interfere with biochemical, rather than physical mechanisms of platelet activation. Less data and understanding exists with regard to pharmacologic modulation of shear-mediated platelet activation. In this work, we hypothesized that modulating cell membrane properties, via alteration of membrane composition through addition of exogenous lipid moieties, would alter platelet responsiveness to shear. Here we tested fatty acids, lecithin and cholesterol as additive lipid compounds. We demonstrated that incorporation of fatty acids (DHA/EPA) or lecithin into the platelet membrane triggered enhanced sensitivity of platelets to shear-mediated activation. On the other hand, cholesterol incorporation provides significant protection, limiting the effect of shear on platelet activation. These findings provide valuable insight for the development of therapeutic strategies that can modulate shear-mediated platelet activation.

Norethisterone and levonorgestrel esters: a novel synthetic method.

Aliphatic, alicyclic and arylcarboxylic esters of norethisterone and levonorgestrel were prepared in a one-step synthesis and in near-quantitative yield using trifluoroacetic anhydride.

Improved methods in the synthesis of 1 alpha-hydroxylated vitamin D.

Alternative methods that can be used to synthesize certain key intermediary compounds in the preparation of 1 alpha-hydroxylated vitamin D have been described. These methods are simple and give higher yields than the reported procedures.

Long-acting contraceptive agents: furylalkylcarboxylic acid esters of norethisterone.

5-Methyl- and 5-ethyl-furylalkylcarboxylic esters of norethisterone (17 alpha-ethynyl-17 beta-hydroxyestr-4-en-3-one) were prepared in high yield in the presence of thallous ethoxide. The activities of these compounds as long-acting contraceptive agents have been evaluated.

Long-acting contraceptive agents: levonorgestrel esters of unsaturated acids.

Esters of levonorgestrel (13 beta-ethyl-17 beta-ethynyl-17 beta-hydroxygon-4-en-3-one) with a variety of unsaturated carboxylic acids have been synthesized for evaluation as potential long-acting, injectable contraceptive agents.

PIP: This paper describes the synthesis of esters of levonorgestrel (13 beta-ethyl-17 beta-ethynyl-17 beta-hydroxygon-4-en-3-one) with a variety of unsaturated carboxylic acids for evaluation as potential longacting injectable contraceptive agents. 1-Cyclohexenylacetic acid was prepared by the hydrolysis of 1-cyclohexenylacetonitrile. The synthesis of E-penta-2,4-dienoic acid was achieved by the condensation of acrolein with malonic acid. Reformatsky reaction between crotonaldehyde and ethyl 2-bromopropionate followed by dehydration of the condensation product was used for the synthesis of E,E-2-methylhexa-2,4-dienoic acid. In the preparation of 5-methyl-2-furylacetic acid, 5-methylfurfural was subjected to condensation reaction with rhodanine followed by hydrolysis. The levonorgestrel esters were synthesized by reaction of the appropriate acid chloride with the thallim salt of levonorgestrel, which was obtained by use of thallous ethoxide. The esters prepared were levonorgestrel 1-cyclohexenylacetate; levonorgestrel 1-cyclopentenylacetate; levonorgestrel E-penta-2,4-dienoate; levonorgestrel E,E-2methylhexa-2,4-dienoate; levonorgestrel 5-methyl-2-furylethaoate; levonorgestrel 3-(5'-methyl-2'-furyl)propanoate; levonorgestrel 3-(5'-ethyl-2'-furyl)propanoate; leveonorgestrel 4-(5'-methyl-2'-furyl)butanoate; levonorgestrel E-non-2-en-4-ynoate; 1-cyclohexenylacetic acid; 1-cyclopentenylacetic acid; E-penta-2,4-dienoic acid; E,E-2-methylhexa-2,4-dienoic acid; 5-methyl-2-furylacetic acid; and E-non-2-en-4-ynoic acid.

Long-acting contraceptive agents: norethisterone esters of arylcarboxylic acids.

The synthesis of esters of norethisterone (17 alpha-ethynyl-17 beta-hydroxy-estr-4-en-3-one) with acids containing a benzene ring is described, two methods of esterification being compared in terms of yield and convenience. The activities of these esters as long-acting contraceptive agents have been evaluated.

Intravenous cannula: an instrument and a port in laparoscopic surgery.

BACKGROUND: An intravenous cannula was used experimentally as a cheap and scarless alternative to an endoloop to provide retraction and lumen occlusion. It is also a miniport for introduction of ligatures and small catheters. METHODS: This possibility was explored during standard procedures such as laparoscopic cholecystectomy and laparoscopic appendectomy. RESULTS: This technique was successfully applied in 89% of laparoscopic cholecystectomies and 86% of laparoscopic appendectomies. CONCLUSIONS: In many instances a standard port for laparoscopic instruments was unnecessary, despite the fact that the authors did not intentionally work towards port number reduction for laparoscopic procedures.

Treatment of childhood phimosis with a moderately potent topical steroid.

BACKGROUND: Recently, topical steroid application has been shown by a small number of studies to be an effective alternative to circumcision for the treatment of phimosis. However, only potent or very potent corticosteroids have been more thoroughly studied in this treatment option. A prospective study was conducted to determine whether comparable results could be achieved using a weaker steroid cream. METHODS: Boys, 3-13 years of age, with non-retractable foreskin due to a tight ring at the tip were offered the regimen of twice-daily preputial retraction and topical application of 0.02% triamcinolone acetonide cream. The degree of preputial retractability was assessed at presentation and at 4 and 6 weeks of treatment. Success was defined as full retraction or free retraction up to agglutination of the foreskin to the glans. RESULTS: Eighty-three boys completed the treatment. Successful retraction was achieved in 48/83 (58%) patients after 4 weeks and 70/83 (84%) patients after 6 weeks of application. The overall response rate aggregated from six published series using 0.05% betamethasone was 87% at 4 weeks and 90% on completion of treatment. Thus, the results appear inferior when analysed at 4 weeks but compare favourably with those reported for a more potent steroid on completion of the full course of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Even though the triamcinolone cream used in the present study is less potent than the more commonly used 0.05% betamethasone valerate cream, it could effect comparable improvements in foreskin retractability after 6 weeks of treatment.

Hydrophobicity and antifilarial activities of 4-aminoquinolines.

The apparent partition coefficients (Papp.) of eight 4-aminoquinolines in 1-octanol/pH 7.4 buffered solutions have been determined and correlated with their reported antifilarial activities. Antifilarial activity appears to be present only in those 4-aminoquinolines which have log Papp. values falling within a narrow range of 2.8 to 3.2.