End-of-life care: Where do cancer patients want to die? A systematic review.

The importance to die at preferred death place is substantial among terminally ill cancer patients. Previously, several studies have investigated this issue, but no systematic review has been made for many years. This systematic review was made in order to investigate preferred death place among cancer patients.

[Male identity, sport and health : Starting points for gender-sensitive support of boys and young men].

Sport is highly relevant in the life of boys and young men. It is not only one of the most common and important leisure activities, but also helps male self-assurance through physical conflicts and competitions as well as through physical proximity and social involvement. At the same time, sport is an ambivalent area that preserves health, but can also be dangerous to it.

Effect of Increased Radiotoxicity on Survival of Patients with Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Treated with Curatively Intended Radiotherapy.

Aim: To elucidate the impact of different forms of radiation toxicities (esophagitis, radiation pneumonitis, mucositis and hoarseness), on the survival of patients treated with curatively intended radiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Patients And Methods: Data were individually collected retrospectively for all patients diagnosed with NSCLC subjected to curatively intended radiotherapy (≥50 Gy) in Sweden during the time period 1990 to 2000.

Results: Esophagitis was the only radiation-induced toxicity with an impact on survival (hazard ratio=0.

Randomized Trials of Systemic Medically-treated Malignant Mesothelioma: A Systematic Review.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare but aggressive malignancy mainly localized to the pleura. Malignant mesothelioma grows highly invasive into surrounding tissue and has a low tendency to metastasize. The median overall survival (OS) of locally advanced or metastatic disease without treatment is 4-13 months but, during recent years, improvement in survival has been achieved since treatment for patients with mesothelioma has improved with better palliative care, systemic medical treatment, surgery and improved diagnostics methods.

Association between obesity and periodontal risk indicators in adolescents.

Objective: In a cross-sectional study design we test the hypothesis of whether obesity in adolescence is associated with periodontal risk indicators or disease.

Study Design: Obese adolescents (n=52) and normal weight subjects (n=52) with a mean age of 14.5 years were clinically examined with respect to dental plaque, gingival inflammation, periodontal pockets and incipient alveolar bone loss.

Ion channel density regulates switches between regular and fast spiking in soma but not in axons.

The threshold firing frequency of a neuron is a characterizing feature of its dynamical behaviour, in turn determining its role in the oscillatory activity of the brain. Two main types of dynamics have been identified in brain neurons. Type 1 dynamics (regular spiking) shows a continuous relationship between frequency and stimulation current (f-I(stim)) and, thus, an arbitrarily low frequency at threshold current; Type 2 (fast spiking) shows a discontinuous f-I(stim) relationship and a minimum threshold frequency.

Association between obesity, flow rate of whole saliva, and dental caries in adolescents.

In a cross-sectional study design, we test the hypothesis whether childhood obesity is associated with reduced flow rate of stimulated whole saliva and dental caries. Obese adolescents (n = 65) with a mean age of 14.5 years and normal weight subjects (n = 65) with a mean age of 14.

Pattern of accessory regions and invasive disease potential in Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Background: The invasive disease potential (IDP) of Streptococcus pneumoniae differs between serotypes, but the reason for this is unknown.

Methods: A total of 47 pneumococcal isolates from 13 serotypes with different IDPs in humans that belonged to 37 multilocus sequence types were compared by whole genome microarrays and mutant analyses.

Results: Approximately 34% of the genes were variable, including 95 genes previously shown by signature-tagged mutagenesis (STM) to be required for invasive disease in mice.

The rise and fall of bacterial clones: Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Globally spreading bacterial strains belong to clonal types that have the capacity to colonize, spread and cause disease in the community. Recent comparative genomic analyses of well-defined clinical isolates have led to the identification of bacterial properties that are required for the successful spread of bacterial clones. In this Review, we discuss the evolution of bacterial clones, the importance of recombination versus mutations for evolution of clones, common methods used to study clonal relationships among bacteria, factors that may contribute to the clonal spread of bacteria and the potential relevance of bacterial clones to clinical disease.

The influence of in vitro fitness defects on pneumococcal ability to colonize and to cause invasive disease.

Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae is a genetically diverse major human pathogen, yet a common colonizer of the nasopharynx. Here we analyzed the influence of defects affecting in vitro growth rate, on the ability of S. pneumoniae to colonize and to cause invasive disease in vivo.

Determination of accessory gene patterns predicts the same relatedness among strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae as sequencing of housekeeping genes does and represents a novel approach in molecular epidemiology.

Relatedness between isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae can be determined from sequences of multiple genes belonging to the core genome (multilocus sequence typing [MLST]), but these do not provide information on gene content that may affect the potential of isolates to cause invasive pneumococcal disease. Gene content data, obtained using microarrays, were gathered for 40 clinical isolates of 12 serotypes belonging to 30 multilocus sequence types. We found that sequence variations in housekeeping genes assessed by MLST correlated well with whole-genome microarray analyses identifying the presence/absence of accessory genes/regions.

Prevalence and correlates of insufficient calcium intake in a Swedish population.

Objective: To examine associations between calcium intake in the diet, lifestyle factors, and forearm bone mineral density (BMD) in order to identify population subgroups for targeting by screening programs.

Methods: A questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 15% of the inhabitants aged 20-79 years from 2 Swedish municipalities, and the subsample from one of the municipalities was invited to measurement of BMD. The survey response rate was 74% (n = 1,112/1,510) and participation in BMD measurements was 68% (n = 448/659).

Clonal success of piliated penicillin nonsusceptible pneumococci.

Antibiotic resistance in pneumococci is due to the spread of strains belonging to a limited number of clones. The Spain(9V)-3 clone of sequence type (ST)156 is one of the most successful clones with reduced susceptibility to penicillin [pneumococci nonsusceptible to penicillin (PNSP)]. In Sweden during 2000-2003, a dramatic increase in the number of PNSP isolates was observed.

Ion channel density and threshold dynamics of repetitive firing in a cortical neuron model.

Modifying the density and distribution of ion channels in a neuron (by natural up- and down-regulation, by pharmacological intervention or by spontaneous mutations) changes its activity pattern. In the present investigation, we analyze how the impulse patterns are regulated by the density of voltage-gated channels in a model neuron, based on voltage clamp measurements of hippocampal interneurons. At least three distinct oscillatory patterns, associated with three distinct regions in the Na-K channel density plane, were found.

Evaluation of an osteoporosis and fall risk intervention program for community-dwelling elderly. A quasi-experimental study of behavioral modifications.

Background And Aims: Osteoporosis and fall fractures are increasing problems amongst the elderly. The aim of this study was to explore whether combined population-based and individual interventions directed at risk factors for osteoporosis and falls result in behavioral changes in an elderly population.

Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used for the study.

Variation in the self-incompatibility response within and among populations of the tropical shrub Witheringia solanacea (Solanaceae).

Breakdown of genetically enforced self-incompatibility (SI), an extremely common and important evolutionary transition in plants, has conventionally been conceived as a qualitative rather than a quantitative change. We evaluated qualitative and quantitative variation in SI for four populations of Witheringia solanacea in Costa Rica, examining growth of self-pollen tubes in pollinations of buds and mature flowers. We also measured levels of RNase production in styles to determine whether enzyme production was correlated with differences in self-rejection.

Channel density regulation of firing patterns in a cortical neuron model.

Modifying the density and distribution of ion channels in a neuron (by natural up- and downregulation or by pharmacological intervention or by spontaneous mutations) changes its activity pattern. In this investigation we analyzed how the impulse patterns are regulated by the density of voltage-gated channels in a neuron model based on voltage-clamp measurements of hippocampal interneurons. At least three distinct oscillatory patterns, associated with three distinct regions in the Na-K channel density plane, were found.

Impact of a community-based osteoporosis and fall prevention program on fracture incidence.

Associations between a 10-year community-based osteoporosis and fall prevention program and fracture incidence amongst middle-aged and elderly residents in an intervention community are studied, and comparisons are made with a control community. A health-education program was provided to all residents in the intervention community, which addressed dietary intake, physical activity, smoking habits and environmental risk factors for osteoporosis and falls. Both communities are small, semi-rural and situated in Ostergotland County in southern Sweden.

Na channel kinetics: developing models from non-stationary current fluctuations by analytic methods.

In a previous study, we analyzed Na current fluctuations in myelinated axons from Xenopus laevis under voltage clamp conditions. The statistical properties were analyzed in terms of covariance functions for consecutive time intervals of varying duration during the pulse step. The underlying channel kinetics was analyzed by performing stochastic simulations of published Na channel models and calculating corresponding covariance functions.

On the appearance of function and organisation in the origin of life.

Models for the steps of organisation in the origin of life are discussed with an emphasis on stability, and the possibilities of acquiring a diversity of functions. In particular, two basic models are described: that of simple self-replicating molecules, and that of autocatalytic self-reproduction, which is accomplished by a hypercyclic organisation. The latter may be exemplified by the RNA world.

Logics and logistics of community intervention against osteoporosis: an evidence basis.

Under designations like small areas action research and intervention, directed 'ground-up' health promotion and prevention in the population form an important part of the ongoing medical systems development. There is recent evidence of the success of community intervention against cardiovascular disease. In osteoporosis, however, there is still a lack of conclusive data on both the logics and logistics of such an approach.

The Professional Indemnity Review: what did it accomplish?

In a previous article,* Richard Tjiong criticised the Professional Indemnity Review's specific recommendations for reform of professional indemnity insurance. But the Review covered many other issues, particularly to do with identifying, evaluating and reducing adverse outcomes of medical procedures. Charlotta Blomberg highlights some of the key findings (and failings) of the Review's Final Report.

The role of accuracy for early stages of the origin of life.

The role of accuracy in developing stages in the origin of life is investigated by mathematical models. Errors yield difficult stability problems in a description of a cooperative system with information-carriers (genes) and catalytic polymers (enzymes) that are related to each other. This problem is highly relevant for a proper understanding of the RNA world.