Cannabis use and mental health in young people: cohort study.

Objective: To determine whether cannabis use in adolescence predisposes to higher rates of depression and anxiety in young adulthood.

Design: Seven wave cohort study over six years.

Setting: 44 schools in the Australian state of Victoria.

Executive control function: a review of its promise and challenges for clinical research. A report from the Committee on Research of the American Neuropsychiatric Association.

This report reviews the state of the literature and opportunities for research related to "executive control function" (ECF). ECF has recently been separated from the specific cognitive domains (memory, language, and praxis) traditionally used to assess patients. ECF impairment has been associated with lesions to the frontal cortex and its basal ganglia-thalamic connections.

Emergency surgeon-performed hepatobiliary ultrasonography.

Background: Acute hepatobiliary pathology is a common general surgical emergency referral. Diagnosis requires imaging of the biliary tree by ultrasonography. The accuracy and impact of surgeon-performed ultrasonography (SUS) on the diagnosis of emergent hepatobiliary pathology was examined.

Comparison of five methods for fit-testing N95 filtering-facepiece respirators.

Five fit-testing methods (Bitrex, ambient aerosol condensation nuclei counter using the TSI PortaCount Plus, saccharin, modified ambient aerosol condensation nuclei counter using the TSI PortaCount Plus with the N95-Companion, and generated aerosol using corn oil) were evaluated for their ability to identify poorly fitting N95 filtering-facepiece respirators. Eighteen models of NIOSH-certified, N95 filtering-facepiece respirators were tested by a panel of 25 subjects using each fit-testing method. The penetration of the corn oil and the ambient aerosols through the filter media of each respirator was measured in order to adjust the corresponding generated and ambient aerosol overall fit factors, reflecting only face-seal leakage.

Pathological parameters of radical prostatectomy for clinical stages T1c versus T2 prostate adenocarcinoma: decreased pathological stage and increased detection of transition zone tumors.

Purpose: Studies of radical prostatectomy specimens have suggested that the majority of prostate specific antigen detected (clinical stage T1c) tumors are clinically significant. We compared tumor location and pathological parameters in the radical prostatectomy specimens of stages T1c versus T2 cases in a 3-year period. The percent of stage T1c disease represented a stable majority of patients undergoing treatment for clinically localized prostate cancer.

Beta-blocker therapy and symptoms of depression, fatigue, and sexual dysfunction.

Context: beta-Blocker therapy remains substantially underused in cardiac patients despite its proven mortality benefits. Reluctance to prescribe these agents may derive from concerns about their association with symptoms of depression, fatigue, and sexual dysfunction.

Objective: To determine the association of beta-blockers with depressive symptoms, fatigue, and sexual dysfunction by performing a quantitative review of randomized trials that tested beta-blockers in myocardial infarction, heart failure, and hypertension.

The impact of the development of a program to reduce urgent (off-hours) venous duplex ultrasound scan studies.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop a protocol for evaluation of patients suspected of having deep venous thrombosis (DVT) who came to the hospital after normal noninvasive vascular laboratory (NIVL) working hours in an attempt to both retain registered vascular therapists and provide excellent patient care.

Methods: We developed a protocol for evaluation of patients suspected of having DVT who were seen at night after normal NIVL working hours (8 am to 9 pm). After exclusion of those with contraindications, all eligible patients either received low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH; 1 mg/kg) and were sent home or were placed at bedrest in the emergency department until the NIVL opened the following morning.

'Diagnostic orphans' among young adult cannabis users: persons who report dependence symptoms but do not meet diagnostic criteria.

Objective: To examine the characteristics of 'diagnostic orphans' among cannabis users-those who report one or two symptoms of DSM-IV dependence but do not meet diagnostic criteria for DSM-IV abuse or dependence.

Method: Data were collected from a representative population cohort of 1601 young adults aged 20-21 years. Those who reported that they had used cannabis at least weekly at some point within the past year were assessed for symptoms of DSM-IV cannabis abuse and dependence using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview.

Changes in antibiotic prescribing for children after a community-wide campaign.

Context: Overuse of antibiotics has contributed to microbial resistance, compromising the treatment of bacterial infections. Very high levels (>50%) of antibiotic resistance among invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae have been documented in Knox County, Tennessee.

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of a community-wide intervention aimed at reducing inappropriate antibiotic use among children.

Health related quality of life assessment after radical cystectomy: comparison of ileal conduit with continent orthotopic neobladder.

Purpose: Health related quality of life after urinary diversion has been increasingly recognized as an important outcome measure. However, few studies have directly compared patients with an ileal conduit with those with a continent orthotopic neobladder and even fewer have used validated quality of life instruments. Therefore, we compared health related quality of life in patients who underwent neobladder versus ileal conduit creation using validated questionnaires.

Winter viruses: influenza- and respiratory syncytial virus-related morbidity in chronic lung disease.

Background: Chronic lung disease predisposes to serious consequences of respiratory viruses. While increasing influenza immunization rates in older adults signals an awareness of the impact of influenza, children with asthma are infrequently immunized. While respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is recognized as an important target of vaccine development for infants, its impact on adults is underappreciated.

Two-stage testing in microarray analysis: what is gained?

Microarray technology for gene expression studies offers powerful new technology for understanding changes in gene expression as a function of other observable or manipulable variables. However, microarrays also pose a number of new challenges. One of the most prominent of these is the difficulty in establishing a procedure for declaring whether a gene's expression level is associated with the independent variable that offers reasonable and specifiable false-positive (type 1 error) and false-negative (type 2 error) rates.

Percent of cancer in the biopsy set predicts pathological findings after prostatectomy.

Purpose: The ability to use pretreatment variables to identify patients with organ confined prostate cancer continues to challenge physicians. We examined information available preoperatively, including prostate needle biopsy, clinical stage and preoperative prostate specific antigen (PSA), and evaluated these data based on pathological variables after radical retropubic prostatectomy.

Materials And Methods: We reviewed results in 135 consecutive patients who underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy at a single institution.

Prediction of tumour volume and pathological stage in radical prostatectomy specimens is not improved by taking more prostate needle-biopsy cores.

Objective: To determine what, if any, additional prognostic information is available from the prostate needle biopsy by comparing the number of biopsy cores obtained with the pathology assessed from the radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) specimen.

Patients And Methods: The results from 135 consecutive patients who underwent RRP at a single institution were reviewed. Needle biopsy information (number of cores, percentage of positive cores, laterality of the positive cores, and Gleason sum) were compared with the pathological data of the RRP specimen, including stage, Gleason sum and tumour volume.

Cannabis dependence in young adults: an Australian population study.

Objectives: The symptomatology of cannabis dependence remains ill-defined and its importance controversial. Compared with alcohol dependence, the symptom profile of cannabis dependence has received little attention. We aimed to (a) report cannabis use in a representative population of young adults, (b) examine cannabis dependence symptoms according to frequency in the dependence syndrome and (c) contrast the symptomatology of cannabis and alcohol syndromes.

Parental 'affectionless control' in adolescent depressive disorder.

Background: Adults with depressive disorder report high rates of sub-optimal maternal care in childhood. Despite the greater salience of relationships with parents earlier in life, associations with parenting style have not yet been systematically studied in adolescent onset disorder.

Methods: A six-wave, 3-year study of adolescent health in 2032 Australian secondary school students provided an opportunity to undertake a two-phase study of early onset depression.

Cognitive correlates of human brain aging: a quantitative magnetic resonance imaging investigation.

The relations between age-related changes in brain structure and neuropsychological test performance in 320 elderly nonclinical volunteers (ages 66-90) were examined by using quantitative MRI data and measures of attention, information processing speed, language, memory, and visuospatial ability. Final path analyses revealed significant brain-behavior relationships for two of the six cognitive measures: the Trail Making Test part B and visual delayed memory. Poorer performance on Trails B was associated with smaller cerebral hemisphere volumes and larger volumes of peripheral CSF, lateral ventricles, and third ventricle.

Improving the detection of simulated masses in mammograms through two different image-processing techniques.

Rationale And Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine whether contrast-limited adaptive histogram equalization (CLAHE) or histogram-based intensity windowing (HIW) improves the detection of simulated masses in dense mammograms.

Materials And Methods: Simulated masses were embedded in portions of mammograms of patients with dense breasts; the mammograms were digitized at 50 microm per pixel, 12 bits deep. In two different experiments, images were printed both with no processing applied and with related parameter settings of two image-processing methods.

Alterations in lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase-2 catalytic activity and mRNA expression in prostate carcinoma.

Recent studies in prostate tissues and especially cell lines have suggested roles for arachidonic acid (AA) metabolizing enzymes in prostate adenocarcinoma (Pca) development or progression. The goal of this study was to more fully characterize lipoxygenase (LOX) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene expression and AA metabolism in benign and malignant prostate using snap-frozen tissues obtained intraoperatively and mRNA analyses and enzyme assays. Formation of 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HETE) was detected in 23/29 benign samples and 15-LOX-2 mRNA was detected in 21/25 benign samples.

Adverse outcomes of alcohol use in adolescents.

Aims: To compare the occurrence of behaviours occurring under the influence of alcohol in 16-17-year-olds and determine associated risk factors for the different behaviours.

Design/setting: Cross-sectional survey administered by laptop computers in secondary schools across the state of Victoria, Australia. MEASUREMENT/FINDINGS: The participation rate was 79%.

Clinical under staging of high risk nonmuscle invasive urothelial carcinoma treated with radical cystectomy.

Purpose: The role of radical cystectomy in patients with nonmuscle invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder remains controversial. The risk of overtreatment must be balanced against the potential benefit of aggressive therapy. We reviewed our results in these patients with a particular emphasis on clinical under staging.

AAPM protocol for 40-300 kV x-ray beam dosimetry in radiotherapy and radiobiology.

The American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) presents a new protocol, developed by the Radiation Therapy Committee Task Group 61, for reference dosimetry of low- and medium-energy x rays for radiotherapy and radiobiology (40 kV < or = tube potential < or = 300 kV). It is based on ionization chambers calibrated in air in terms of air kerma. If the point of interest is at or close to the surface, one unified approach over the entire energy range shall be used to determine absorbed dose to water at the surface of a water phantom based on an in-air measurement (the "in-air" method).