NB housing study protocol: investigating the relationship between subsidized housing, mental health, physical health and healthcare use in New Brunswick, Canada.

BACKGROUND: Income and housing are pervasive social determinants of health. Subsidized housing is a prominent affordability mechanism in Canada; however, waitlists are lengthy. Subsidized rents should provide greater access to residual income, which may theoretically improve health outcomes. However, little is known about the health of tenants who wait for and receive subsidized housing. This is especially problematic for New Brunswick, a Canadian province with low population density, whose inhabitants experience income inequality, social exclusion, and challenges with healthcare access.  METHODS: This study will use a longitudinal, prospective matched cohort design. All 4,750 households on New Brunswick's subsidized housing wait list will be approached to participate. The survey measures various demographic, social and health indicators at six-month intervals for up to 18 months as they wait for subsidized housing. Those who receive housing will join an intervention group and receive surveys for an additional 18 months post-move date. With consent, participants will have their data linked to a provincial administrative database of medical records.  DISCUSSION: Knowledge of housing and health is sparse in Canada. This study will provide stakeholders with a wealth of health information on a population that is historically under-researched and underserved.

A preliminary investigation on the effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy as a treatment for neurogenic heterotopic ossification following traumatic brain injury. Part I: Effects on pain.

INTRODUCTION: Neurogenic heterotopic ossification (NHO) is a complication of a neurological injury following traumatic brain injury (TBI) and may be present around major synovial joints. It is often accompanied by severe pain, which may lead to limitation in activities of daily living. Currently, a common intervention for NHO is surgery, which has been reported to carry many additional risks. This study was designed to assess the effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on pain in patients with TBI with chronic NHO. METHODS: A series of single-case studies (n = 11) was undertaken with patients who had TBI and chronic NHO at the hip or knee. Each patient received four applications of high-energy EWST delivered to the affected joint over 8 weeks. Two-weekly follow-up assessments were carried out, and final assessments were made 3 and 6 months post-intervention. Pain was measured using the Faces Rating Scale, and X-rays were taken at baseline and 6-months post-intervention to physiologically measure the size of the NHO. RESULTS: The application of high-energy ESWT was associated with significant overall reduction of pain in patients with TBI and NHO (Tau-0.412, 95% confidence interval -0.672 to -0.159, p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: ESWT is a novel non-invasive intervention for reducing pain resulting from NHO in patients with TBI.

Gaze is driven by an internal goal trajectory in a visuomotor task.

When we make hand movements to visual targets, gaze usually leads hand position by a series of saccades to task-relevant locations. Recent research suggests that the slow smooth pursuit eye movement system may interact with the saccadic system in complex tasks, suggesting that the smooth pursuit system can receive non-retinal input. We hypothesise that a combination of saccades and smooth pursuit guides the hand movements towards a goal in a complex environment, using an internal representation of future trajectories as input to the visuomotor system. This would imply that smooth pursuit leads hand position, which is remarkable, as the general idea is that smooth pursuit is driven by retinal slip. To test this hypothesis, we designed a video-game task in which human subjects used their thumbs to move two cursors to a common goal position while avoiding stationary obstacles. We found that gaze led the cursors by a series of saccades interleaved with ocular fixation or pursuit. Smooth pursuit was correlated with neither cursor position nor cursor velocity. We conclude that a combination of fast and slow eye movements, driven by an internal goal instead of a retinal goal, led the cursor movements, and that both saccades and pursuit are driven by an internal representation of future trajectories of the hand. The lead distance of gaze relative to the hand may reflect a compromise between exploring future hand (cursor) paths and verifying that the cursors move along the desired paths.

A multicenter, randomized trial of flat dosing versus intrapatient dose escalation of single-agent carboplatin as first-line chemotherapy for advanced ovarian cancer: an SGCTG (SCOTROC 4) and ANZGOG study on behalf of GCIG.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study is to demonstrate that intrapatient dose escalation of carboplatin would improve the outcome in ovarian cancer compared with flat dosing. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with untreated stage IC-IV ovarian cancer received six cycles of carboplatin area under the curve 6 (AUC 6) 3 weekly either with no dose modification except for toxicity (Arm A) or with dose escalations in cycles 2-6 based on nadir neutrophil and platelet counts (Arm B). The primary end-point was progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS: Nine hundred and sixty-four patients were recruited from 71 centers. Dose escalation was achieved in 77% of patients who had ≥1 cycle. The median AUCs (cycle 2-6) received were 6.0 (Arm A) and 7.2 (Arm B) (P < 0.001). Grade 3/4 non-hematological toxicity was higher in Arm B (31% versus 22% P = 0.001). The median PFS was 12.1 months in Arm A and B [hazard ratio (HR) 0.99; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.85-1.15; P = 0.93]. The median overall survival (OS) was 34.1 and 30.7 months in Arms A and B, respectively (HR 0.98; 95% CI 0.81-1.18, P = 0.82). In multivariate analysis, baseline neutrophil (P < 0.001), baseline platelet counts (P < 0.001) and the difference between white blood cell (WBC) and neutrophil count (P = 0.009) had a significant adverse prognostic value. CONCLUSIONS: Intrapatient dose escalation of carboplatin based on nadir blood counts is feasible and safe. However, it provided no improvement in PFS or OS compared with flat dosing. Baseline neutrophils over-ride nadir counts in prognostic significance. These data may have wider implications particularly in respect of the management of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia.

Concurrent validity of the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI): a study of African American precollege students.

Concurrent validation procedures were employed, using a sample of African American precollege students, to determine the extent to which scale scores obtained from the first edition of the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) were appropriate for diagnostic purposes. Data analysis revealed that 2 of the 10 LASSI scales (i.e., Anxiety and Test Strategies) significantly correlated with a measure of academic ability. These results suggested that scores obtained from these LASSI scales may provide valid assessments of African American precollege students' academic aptitude. Implications for teachers, school counselors, and developmental studies professionals were discussed.

Five-day oral etoposide treatment for advanced small-cell lung cancer: randomized comparison with intravenous chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Oral etoposide is an active single agent in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and is widely prescribed as first-line treatment as an alternative to intravenous combination chemotherapy in patients with extensive disease. PURPOSE: The intention of this study was to determine if the effects of oral etoposide therapy on survival and quality of life are equivalent to those of intravenous chemotherapy. METHODS: In a randomized trial of palliative treatment in advanced SCLC, oral etoposide (100 mg given twice daily for 5 days) was compared with intravenous chemotherapy consisting of alternating cycles of cisplatin and etoposide (PE) and cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and vincristine (CAV). Six cycles of chemotherapy were administered every 21 days in both regimens. Symptom control and quality of life were measured with the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist and a daily diary card. In January 1996, after 155 patients had been randomly assigned from a projected intake of 365 patients, an independent Data Monitoring Committee examined the interim results. Survival was determined by the Kaplan-Meier method, and the logrank test was used to compare treatments. For quality-of-life comparisons, average scores were calculated for each time point. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine any significant overall differences between treatments. For the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist, separate analyses were done for each subset (psychological well-being, physical symptoms, lung cancer symptoms, treatment symptoms, activity, and quality of life). Response rates and toxicity scores were compared by using chi2. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS: Survival was inferior at 1 year in the oral etoposide group compared with intravenous therapy (9.8% for oral versus 19.3% for intravenous; difference = 9.5%; 95% confidence interval of difference = 0.3%-18.7%; P<.05), and there was a trend toward inferior overall survival. Median survival was 4.8 months for oral treatment and 5.9 months for intravenous therapy. Progression-free survival was worse in the oral etoposide arm (median = 3.6 months versus 5.6 months; P<.001), as well as overall response rate (32.9% versus 46.3%; P<.01). With the exception of acute nausea and vomiting associated with intravenous chemotherapy, all aspects of symptom control and quality of life were either the same or worse in the oral etoposide group. Study closure was recommended. CONCLUSIONS: These interim results show that this schedule of oral etoposide is inferior to intravenous chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced SCLC and should not be used as first-line treatment of this disease.

Human MAFA has alternatively spliced variants.

Human mast cell function-associated antigen (MAFA) cDNA has been cloned. This molecule is similar to the rat form having an intracellular domain containing a putative immunoreceptor tyrosine inhibition motif and an extracellular C type lectin-like domain. However, in contrast to rat MAFA, the amino acid sequence suggests the presence of two additional extracellular N-linked glycosylation sites. In addition, alternative mRNA transcripts are observed that differ substantially from those found in the rat.

The sodium-alanine interaction in rabbit ileum. Effect of sodium on alanine fluxes.

The model of the interaction between Na and alanine at the mucosal border of rabbit ileum has been tested further by examining the efflux of alanine from the cells toward the mucosal solution. Alanine efflux shows a tendency toward saturation as cellular alanine concentration increases and is influenced by cellular Na concentration. A decrease in cell Na concentration causes an increase in the apparent Michaelis constant with little change in maximal efflux rate. Studies on strips of mucosa treated with ouabain or cyanide showed that the direction of net alanine transfer between the cells and the medium is determined by the direction of the Na concentration difference. The cells extrude alanine against a concentration difference when cell [Na] exceeds medium [Na] and accumulate alanine when cell [Na] is less than medium [Na]. The observations are consistent with the model previously suggested involving a transport site that combines with and translocates both Na and alanine, and with the concept that the Na concentration difference between mucosal solution and cytoplasm provides at least part of the energy for active transport of alanine.

Paclitaxel plus platinum-based chemotherapy versus conventional platinum-based chemotherapy in women with relapsed ovarian cancer: the ICON4/AGO-OVAR-2.2 trial.

BACKGROUND: Despite improvements in the treatment of ovarian cancer, most patients develop recurrent disease within 3 years of diagnosis. There is no agreed second-line treatment at relapse. We assessed paclitaxel plus platinum chemotherapy as such treatment. METHODS: In parallel international, multicentre, randomised trials, between January, 1996, and March, 2002, 802 patients with platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer relapsing after 6 months of being treatment-free were enrolled from 119 hospitals in five countries. Patients were randomly assigned paclitaxel plus platinum chemotherapy or conventional platinum-based chemotherapy. Analysis was by intention to treat, except for toxic effects. FINDINGS: With a median follow-up of 42 months, 530 patients have died. Survival curves showed a difference in favour of paclitaxel plus platinum (hazard ratio 0.82 [95% CI 0.69-0.97], p=0.02), corresponding to an absolute difference in 2-year survival of 7% between the paclitaxel and conventional treatment groups (57 vs 50% [95% CI for difference 1-12]), and median survival of 5 months (29 vs 24 months [1-11). 717 patients developed progressive disease or died. The progression-free survival curves show a difference in favour of paclitaxel plus platinum (hazard ratio 0.76 [0.66-0.89], p=0.0004), corresponding to an absolute difference in 1-year progression-free survival of 10% (50 vs 40% [4-15]) and in median progression-free survival of 3 months (13 vs 10 months [1-5]). INTERPRETATION: Paclitaxel plus platinum chemotherapy seems to improve survival and progression-free survival among patients with relapsed platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer compared with conventional platinum-based chemotherapy.

Phase I study of intravenous 4-hydroxyanisole.

4-Hydroxyanisole is a depigmenting agent which has been shown to have activity against malignant melanoma when given intra-arterially in man. An intravenous dose escalation study has been carried out with the aim of obtaining maximum plasma concentrations in a 5 day schedule. 8 patients entered this study which was stopped because of drug toxicity after 3 patients had been treated at the third dose escalation of 15 g/m2. 2 patients had WHO grade 4 liver and one also grade 4 renal toxicity and another had grade 4 haemoglobin toxicity. Extrapolated plateau plasma levels between 112 and 860 mumol/l were obtained, which in vitro studies suggested would be cytotoxic. Hopefully, newer analogues will have a greater specificity for the melanin pathway with less toxicity.

The application of isoelectric focusing to routine screening for paraproteinaemia.

We present a scheme for routine screening of patients' sera for monoclonal immunoglobulin by isoelectric focusing in agarose gels. Using this method combined with immunofixation, we have been able to detect monoclonal immunoglobulin in the sera of patients, and to identify the isotype of the immunoglobulin when conventional techniques such as zonal and immunoelectrophoresis have yielded equivocal results.

Inhibition of antigen presentation in vitro and in vivo by MHC antagonist peptides.

A series of analogue peptides have been generated, using as a template the core region of the OVA 323-339 peptide identified as critical in determining binding to I-Ad. Several of these "core extended" peptides had increased affinities for the I-Ad molecule compared to the native sequence, and were able to inhibit activation of an I-Ad-restricted T cell hybridoma in vitro. The induction of a T cell proliferative response to a peptide antigen could be inhibited by co-administration of core-extended peptide with antigen in the same adjuvant emulsion. Furthermore, inhibition also occurred when the inhibitor molecule was delivered separately one day before immunization. Finally, the induction of the autoimmune disease, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), in susceptible mice could be reduced by the administration of a core-extended peptide with high affinity for the appropriate class II molecule. These findings have implications for the use of MHC antagonists in the control and treatment of MHC-associated autoimmune conditions in humans.

High rates of Chlamydia trachomatis infections in young Papua New Guinean infants.

OBJECTIVE: Determine the importance of Chlamydia trachomatis in the etiology of severe infection in young Papua New Guinean infants. METHODS: Between March, 1991, and April, 1993, children <3 months old were recruited as outpatients at Goroka Base Hospital, Papua New Guinea, as part of a multicenter study in four developing countries. Children with predefined inclusion criteria were enrolled. C. trachomatis was identified by direct fluorescent antibody staining in nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPAs) collected from children with and without signs of severe disease and eye swabs from children with and without conjunctivitis. Two to three radiologists read chest radiographs without knowledge of clinical and laboratory findings. RESULTS: Of 3280 outpatients seen 2168 enrolled, 955 NPAs were tested for C. trachomatis and 549 chest radiographs were read. Of 210 eye swabs from children with conjunctivitis 57% were positive for C. trachomatis compared with 8% from 167 children with no conjunctivitis. The prevalence of C. trachomatis in NPAs was 9% in asymptomatic children and 18 and 33% in children with nonsevere or severe pneumonia, respectively. C. trachomatis in NPAs was strongly associated with clinically severe pneumonia [odds ratio (OR), 2.91], reduced arterial oxygen saturation (OR 2.58) and radiographic evidence of pneumonia (OR 5.84) and was also associated with pneumococcal bacteremia (OR 3.48). CONCLUSIONS: In Papua New Guinea Chlamydia must be considered as a cause when treating pneumonia in infants, and effective treatment and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases are urgently needed for a number of reasons, including the need to curb high rates of chlamydial infection in women and infants.

Increasing social and psychological information conveyed to General Practitioners after bad news consultations by use of separate letters from the Lung Cancer Nurse Specialist.

Multidisciplinary teams (MDT) now review all cases of lung cancer. These teams include a Lung Cancer Nurse Specialist (LCNS). These Nurses help support the patient and should facilitate communication and liaise with other services. The LCNS is present when the diagnosis is given to the patient but also usually spends time afterwards with the patient and their family. We postulated that a separate letter from the LCNS to the General Practitioner (GP) after the consultations would convey extra information to the GP. In 58 new lung cancer patients reviewed in the clinic, the LCNS and Physician independently wrote separate letters after the consultation in which the diagnosis of lung cancer was given. The GPs were asked by questionnaire about the usefulness of the letter from the LCNS. This letter was considered by the GP to provide extra information in: (i) 69% concerning the patients reaction to the diagnosis; (ii) 85% concerning who attended the clinic with the patient; (iii) 85% about what referrals were made to community services; (iv) 86% about who the patient was living with; (v) 81% about who the patients carers were; (vi) 81% information on the patients condition; (vii) 70% concerning the information given to patients about benefits. Ninety-seven percent of the GPs found the LCNS letter useful or very useful and 92% of the GPs thought that the information in the letter would be useful or very useful when they next saw the patient. Separate and independent letters from the LCNS after "bad news" consultation in lung cancer provides added useful information for GPs. Ninety-one percent of the GPs wanted the letters from the LCNS to continue.

Ultrasound assessment of renal cortical brightness in infants: is naked eye evaluation reliable?

Twenty observers estimated renal cortical brightness compared with the liver in 28 ultrasound images. Their judgment was compared with objective densitometer readings. High inter- and intra-observer variation was found. Estimates of brightness of ultrasound images by eye alone should be interpreted with care.

Ultrasound assessment of liver and kidney brightness in infants. Use of the gray-level histogram.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Ultrasonic image analysis aims to provide information related to tissue histology. Routine ultrasonography uses subjective criteria for analysis. Quantitation of the image is expected to aid diagnosis and may be helpful in follow-up of pathology. The authors describe normal findings in infant liver and kidney. METHODS: Texture parameters derived from the gray-level histogram and the first order statistics from the ultrasound images of the liver, right kidney, and a tissue-mimicking phantom in 50 newborn infants were studied. RESULTS: A set of normal values for mean and standard deviation of the histogram for infant liver and kidney was established. Results of a time-related study indicate that in infants the liver is not a good internal standard for tissue characteristic comparison. CONCLUSIONS: The method described and results obtained provide a basis of normality for further studies of pathology in infant renal and hepatic disease.

An evaluation of the autoanalyzer SMA-4.

The Technicon AutoAnalyzer SMA-4 has been systematically evaluated. Carry-over from the sample cups was found to be within an acceptable range. The precision and accuracy of the four parameters determined by the instrument have been investigated. The haemoglobin results were found to be accurate. There was good agreement with leucocyte counts performed on the model A Coulter electronic cell counter. After certain modifications had been made in the manifold, satisfactory degrees of accuracy were also obtained for the erythrocyte counts. Although the determination of the haematocrit by conductance is influenced by a variety of factors, the mean coefficient of variation was found to be 0.83% and 95% of the results agreed within +/- 2% of those obtained by the microhaematocrit centrifugation method.A logistic assessment of the SMA-4 when it was put into routine use indicated the need to select blood samples without excess anticoagulant, to calibrate the instrument before each run, to test for instrumental drift, to use a rapid method of correcting stoppages, and, if concurrent reporting is carried out, to employ the part-time services of a second operator. The presence of dust in the environment was found to have a deleterious effect on both the mechanical and electronic components of the system requiring preventive maintenance. It should be possible, by interfacing an analogue-digital converter and automatic punch, to produce data compatible with records.

An evaluation of the Fisher Hem-Alyzer.

The Fisher Hem-Alyzer is a multitest sequential discrete analyser with automatic printout of digitized results on paper tape. The instrument is well designed, soundly constructed, and reliable in routine use. Cross contamination from the sampler probe or between the cuvettes is minimal. Accuracy and precision are both highly satisfactory. Although the standard rate of throughput is 32 specimens per hour the instrument can be used at irregular intervals to analyse smaller batches or even individual specimens. In a routine daily service the Hem-Alyzer was capable of handling a workload of 200 specimens per day, requiring three hours of laboratory technician time. The Hem-Alyzer produces only three parameters. By not determining the packed cell volume it is not possible to incorporate the derived indices (MCV and MCHC) into the system and this, in the long term, is bound to be a disadvantage.

An evaluation of the Celloscope 401 electronic blood cell counter.

For counting erythrocytes the instrument was precise, with a mean coefficient of variation of 1.21%. Erythrocyte counts showed close agreement with results obtained on a Coulter A electronic counter of proven accuracy. When the Celloscope 401 was modified by the manufacturers to eliminate electrical interference from other laboratory equipment, satisfactory precision and accuracy for white cell counting was obtained. Using cetrimide diluent the coefficient of variation was 1.6% but when using saponin/saline diluent the coefficient of variation was 3.5%. For leucocyte counting there was close agreement between duplicate tests performed on the Celloscope 401 and the Coulter S. The instrument was capable of satisfactory precision and accuracy in platelet counting, provided that the sedimentation method was used to obtain a platelet-rich plasma. The best results were obtained if a two-step dilution was carried out with a first dilution in 10% EDTA and a second in 2.5 mM cocaine in water. Using this method the precision study indicated a coefficient of variation of 3.11%. Close agreement was obtained between platelet counts on the Celloscope 401 when compared with the results obtained either by phase-contrast microscopy or using another electronic counter. Allowing for predilution and duplicate counts on each sample, the rate of throughput was approximately 32 samples per hour. Throughout the test period, the instrument remained electronically and mechanically stable.