Fear of cancer recurrence and change in hair cortisol concentrations in partners of breast cancer survivors.

Purpose: Partners of breast cancer (BC) survivors report high rates of psychological distress including fear of cancer recurrence (FCR). Research suggests that partners may have poorer physical health outcomes than the general population, but little research has examined the physiological biomarkers by which distress may impact partner health outcomes. The current study examined the associations between FCR and changes in hair cortisol among BC partners.

Romantic relationships and type 2 diabetes: The role of invisible social control.

Objective: This study aimed to determine whether invisible social control provided by a romantic partner is associated with improved objective glucose outcomes for patients with Type 2 diabetes. Social control reflects a partner's attempt to modify or influence a patient's health behaviors. We hypothesized that the best outcome for all continuous glucose monitoring measures would be captured by an interaction condition reflecting invisible social control.

Daily partner responsiveness and everyday sleep outcomes in breast cancer survivors and their partners.

Purpose: Breast cancer (BC) survivors and their intimate partners face several adverse consequences from the cancer experience, including sleep disturbance, which is a common side effect of BC and its treatment. Sleep has been conceptualized and examined as an individual phenomenon despite most adults sharing a bed/room with a partner. Limited research has examined the associations between daily relationship processes and sleep in couples coping with cancer.

Occupational Characteristics and Patterns as Risk Factors for Parkinson's Disease: A Case Control Study.

Background: Associations have been reported between the risk of Parkinson's disease (PD) and employment in certain fields. Most studies have focused on toxic exposures as potential causal explanations. However, PD also has been associated with personality characteristics that may influence occupational choices and patterns.

Compliance with recommendations for lipid management among patients with type 2 diabetes in an academic family practice.

Background: Lipid abnormalities are twice as common in patients with type 2 diabetes, and this contributes substantially to their increased risk of cardiac disease. The American Diabetic Association (ADA) has defined treatment goals for high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (>45 mg/dL), triglyceride (<200 mg/dL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (<100 mg/dL). It is unknown, however, how frequently patients with diabetes managed in primary care settings are able to attain these treatment goals.

Prevalence of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus reaching the American Diabetes Association's target guidelines in a university primary care setting.

Background: The success with which primary care physicians are able to meet American Diabetes Association (ADA) clinical goals is unknown.

Methods: Charts of 218 randomly sampled type 2 diabetic patients were abstracted to assess the attainment of six ADA treatment goals and receipt of four ADA-recommended health services.

Results: The mean number of ADA goals attained was 4.

Multiple ephrins regulate hippocampal neurite outgrowth.

Increasing evidence indicates that the eph family of ligands and receptors guides the formation of topographic maps in the brain through repulsive interactions. For example, we have recently found that in the hippocamposeptal system, the ligand ephrin-A2, which is expressed in an increasing gradient from dorsal to ventral septum, selectively induces pruning of topographically inappropriate medial hippocampal axons. The recent detection of ephrins A3 and A5, as well as A2, in the septum raised critical functional questions.

Sequence analysis of the rat Brca1 homolog and its promoter region.

Since the identification of the human breast and ovarian cancer gene, BRCA1, a large spectrum of germline mutations has been characterized that predispose women to developing these diseases. We have determined the complete coding sequence for the rat BRCA1 homolog and compared it with those of the mouse, dog, and human to help identify the important functional domains of the BRCA1 protein. The overall rat Brcal amino acid identity compared with the predicted mouse, dog, and human gene products is 81%, 69%, and 58%, respectively.

Characterization of the rat and mouse homologues of the BRCA2 breast cancer susceptibility gene.

Inherited BRCA2 mutations confer profound susceptibility to human breast and ovarian cancer. The rat and mouse Brca2 homologues share 58% and 59% identity (72% similarity), respectively, with the human BRCA2 protein. The Brca2 proteins also share a potential nuclear localization signal (human codons 3263-3269) and a highly conserved large carboxyl region (77% identity, 86% similarity between human and rodents) that may represent important functional domains.

Brca1 is expressed independently of hormonal stimulation in the mouse ovary.

BRCA1 mutations lead to cancer susceptibility in hormonally dependent tissues such as the ovary and breast. To test the hypothesis that Brca1 expression in the ovary is hormonally regulated and specifically regulated by a functional estrogen receptor, we examined its expression by in situ hybridization in ovaries from virgin, pregnant, and lactating mice, in hypophysectomized mice treated with hormones, and in estrogen-receptor-deficient mice. To determine the relationship between Brca1 expression and cell cycle, serial and adjacent sections of ovary were evaluated for proliferating cell nuclear antigen by immunohistochemistry.

Evidence of gender bias in patients undergoing flexible sigmoidoscopy.

Some studies have revealed gender bias against women in various aspects of medical care. There is no substantial evidence of gender bias in patients undergoing cancer evaluations, specifically colorectal cancer screening and diagnosis of colorectal complaints. This study was designed to examine the role of gender bias related to patients undergoing flexible sigmoidoscopy.

Microsomal epoxide hydrolase polymorphism as a risk factor for ovarian cancer.

Microsomal epoxide hydrolase (EPHX) is one of many enzymes involved in the metabolism of endogenous and exogenous toxicants. Polymorphic forms of the human EPHX gene have been described that vary in enzymatic activity, and one, Tyr113His, has been associated with hepatocellular carcinoma susceptibility. We demonstrated that EPHX was highly expressed in the human ovary, and investigated whether specific EPHX genotypes are associated with ovarian cancer susceptibility.

Treatment options for early Parkinson's disease.

Proper treatment of tremor in any clinical setting depends on correct diagnosis. Essential, or familial, tremor is symptomatic with movement and involves the limbs, head and voice. Parkinson's disease tremor occurs at rest, involves the jaw and limbs and is associated with bradykinesia, rigidity and falling.

The disclosure of the diagnosis of cancer.

Before significant efforts relative to patient education and subsequent informed decision making can occur, it is essential to assess the patient's perceptions and emotional responses to the diagnosis. The direction and depth of this exploration are likely to be determined by such factors as quality of the previous relationship with the patient, the patient's belief and support system, and the patient's previous experience with trauma. Other determining factors are the sense of urgency with which medical decisions need to be made and the interpersonal skills of the physician.

Isolation of the mouse homologue of BRCA1 and genetic mapping to mouse chromosome 11.

The BRCA1 gene is in large part responsible for hereditary human breast and ovarian cancer. Here we report the isolation of the murine Brca1 homologue cDNA clones. In addition, we identified genomic P1 clones that contain most, if not all, of the mouse Brca1 locus.

Barriers to screening among participants of a media-promoted breast cancer screening project.

Breast cancer detection and awareness projects have been implemented nationwide in an attempt to increase compliance with screening mammography. Previous studies, however, showed that the elderly, minorities, and women of lower socioeconomic status fail to respond in representative numbers. A cross-sectional analysis of 6640 participants of a Breast Cancer Detection and Awareness Project in Tampa, FL, was conducted to determine if barriers and motivations to screening differed among targeted (the elderly, minorities, women of lower socioeconomic status) and nontargeted groups.

Reverse targeting in a media-promoted breast cancer screening project.

Background: The American Cancer Society has sponsored community-based, low-cost, Breast Cancer Detection Awareness Projects throughout the United States. The authors hypothesized that these projects tend to exclude minorities and women of lower socioeconomic status--groups with a higher incidence of late-stage disease.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was performed of participants in the 1990 Breast Screening Project in Tampa, Florida.

Compliance with screening mammography. Survey of primary care physicians.

A survey of primary care physicians in the greater Tampa Bay metropolitan area was conducted to determine compliance with screening mammography and associated physician characteristics. Information requested included their age, sex, specialty, and board certification status, and the ages and frequencies that they recommend screening mammography for their patients. A total of 565 physicians responded.

Family practitioner's guide to patient self-treatment of acute diarrhea.

The majority of cases of acute, nonspecific diarrhea are of short duration, can be treated symptomatically with nonprescription medications and adequate hydration, and do not require a visit to the physician's office. If the family practitioner can determine via telephone that the patient, or the caller's child, is not experiencing certain signs and symptoms often associated with diarrheal illness that may indicate a more severe condition (e.g.

Venomous snakebites in the United States.

Venomous snakebite treatment is controversial. Venomous snakebites are known to occur in all but a few states. Approximately 10 to 15 individuals die from snakebites each year, with bites from diamondback rattlesnakes accounting for 95 percent of fatalities.