Efficacy of aerobic and resistance exercises on cancer pain: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

Purpose: To evaluate effects of aerobic and resistance exercises for cancer-related pain in adults with and surviving cancer. Secondary objectives were to a) evaluate the effect of exercise on fatigue, psychological function, physical function, b) assess fidelity to exercise.

Design: A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, AMED, CINAHL and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was conducted to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing aerobic and/or resistance exercise to control groups.

Reciprocal discoidin domain receptor signaling strengthens integrin adhesion to connect adjacent tissues.

Separate tissues connect through adjoining basement membranes to carry out molecular barrier, exchange, and organ support functions. Cell adhesion at these connections must be robust and balanced to withstand independent tissue movement. Yet, how cells achieve synchronized adhesion to connect tissues is unknown.

The Caenorhabditis elegans anchor cell transcriptome: ribosome biogenesis drives cell invasion through basement membrane.

Cell invasion through basement membrane (BM) barriers is important in development, immune function and cancer progression. As invasion through BM is often stochastic, capturing gene expression profiles of actively invading cells in vivo remains elusive. Using the stereotyped timing of Caenorhabditis elegans anchor cell (AC) invasion, we generated an AC transcriptome during BM breaching.

Reciprocal discoidin domain receptor signaling strengthens integrin adhesion to connect adjacent tissues.

Separate tissues connect through adjoining basement membranes to carry out molecular barrier, exchange, and organ support functions. Cell adhesion at these connections must be robust and balanced to withstand independent tissue movement. Yet, how cells achieve synchronized adhesion to connect tissues is unknown.

trial: study protocol of a randomised controlled trial of online education modules to facilitate effective family caregiver involvement in oncology.

Objective: Informal family caregivers play a crucial role in cancer care. Effective caregiver involvement in cancer care can improve both patient and caregiver outcomes. Despite this, interventions improving the caregiver involvement are sparse.

Tarsal Navicular Fracture in a Parkour Practitioner, a Rare Injury - Case Report and Literature Review.

Tarsal navicular fractures, as well as other midfoot injuries, are rare, and can result in severe impairment if not properly treated. Parkour, a modern sport, is gaining popularity among young individuals in urban areas, and is prone to result in high-energy trauma, which is scarcely described in the literature. The following is a report of a rare case of tarsal navicular fracture in a 17-year-old male, sustained during parkour practice, which was treated successfully with open reduction and internal fixation.

Instruments that measure psychosocial factors related to vaccination: a scoping review protocol.

Introduction: As vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks increase, there is growing international interest in monitoring public attitudes towards vaccination and implementing and evaluating vaccine promotion interventions. Outcome selection and measurement are central to intervention evaluation. Measuring uptake rates alone cannot determine which elements in a multicomponent vaccine-promotion intervention are most effective, why specific populations are undervaccinated or when confidence in vaccines is wavering.

The use of free fibula-flexor hallucis longus osteomuscular flap for calcaneal reconstruction after partial calcanectomy for the chronic osteomyelitis: A case report.

Introduction: Calcaneal osteomyelitis poses a tough challenge for any reconstructive surgeon. The eradication of the infection and the reconstruction of the defect are the main goals of treatment.

Presentation Of Case: We present the case of a 53-year-old male with chronic calcaneal osteomyelitis.

Mosaicplasty Technique in the Treatment of Isolated Knee Femoral Condyle Osteochondral Lesions - a Retrospective Study.

 Focal osteochondral lesions of the knee are found in two thirds of patients undergoing arthroscopy; their treatment, when isolated and especially in young individuals, remains a debating topic. The present study analyzes the results obtained by the application of the mosaicplasty technique on the treatment of isolated knee femoral condyle osteochondral lesions.  Retrospective study of patients submitted to mosaicplasty and to subjective analyses with pre- and postsurgery International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) scores.

The EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire for cancer patients (QLQ-C30): Australian general population reference values.

Objectives: To generate Australian general population reference values for the EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire for cancer patients (QLQ-C30); to compare Australian values with published EORTC general population reference values, and to explore associations between socio-demographic and health characteristics and QLQ-C30 subscale scores.

Design: Analysis of responses to cross-sectional, online survey (QLQ-C30), March 2015 - February 2016, and supplementary health-related and socio-demographic questions.

Setting, Participants: 1979 people quota-sampled from a national online survey panel to be representative of the Australian general population by age and sex.

Psychometric Evaluation of a Patient-Reported Symptom Index for Nonmuscle Invasive Bladder Cancer: Field Testing Protocol.

Background: Nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is a chronic condition requiring intensive follow-up, repeated endoscopic examinations, tumor resections, and intravesical treatments that can occur every 3 months for life. In this clinical context, patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are a critical concern for patients and their managing clinicians. PROs have enormous potential to be integral to treatment assessment and recommendations for NMIBC; however, current PRO measures are inadequate for NMIBC because they lack key NMIBC-specific symptoms and side effects associated with contemporary treatments.

Psychoeducational Intervention to Reduce Fear of Cancer Recurrence in People at High Risk of Developing Another Primary Melanoma: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose People with a history of melanoma commonly report a fear of cancer recurrence (FCR), yet psychologic support is not routinely offered as part of ongoing melanoma care. This randomized controlled trial examined the efficacy of a psychoeducational intervention to reduce FCR and improve psychologic adjustment in this patient group compared with usual care. Methods The intervention comprised a newly developed psychoeducational resource and three telephone-based psychotherapeutic sessions over a 1-month period timed in accordance with dermatologic appointments.

Encouraging early discussion of life expectancy and end-of-life care: A randomised controlled trial of a nurse-led communication support program for patients and caregivers.

Background: Patients are often not given the information needed to understand their prognosis and make informed treatment choices, with many consequently experiencing less than optimal care and quality-of-life at end-of-life.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of a nurse-facilitated communication support program for patients with advanced, incurable cancer to assist them in discussing prognosis and end-of-life care.

Design: A parallel-group randomised controlled trial design was used.

Solitary Bone Plasmacytoma of the Pelvis: A Rare Tumor.

Solitary bone plasmacytomas are part of a wide range of monoclonal neoplasms that share a common progenitor in the B lymphocyte lineage. In their particular case, a single bone lesion is found, most frequently on the axial skeleton, having evidence of no other osteolytic lesions or systemic involvement. Diagnosis can sometimes prove to be difficult as they are rare tumors, occurring in 3 to 5% (up to 10% in some series) of patients with plasma cell neoplasms, with important considerations regarding the differential diagnosis.

Psychological intervention targeting distress for cancer patients: a meta-analytic study investigating uptake and adherence.

Objective: Although cancer care guidelines recommend screening for distress among cancer patients and offering psychological support when indicated, many patients decline offers of such support. This study aimed to quantify uptake and adherence to psychological support and to identify predictors of each.

Methods: Searches were conducted in Embase, Medline, PsychInfo and Scopus to identify studies reporting uptake or adherence rates for individual psychological interventions targeting distress, anxiety or depression for cancer patients or survivors.

Validation of a Health Literacy Measure for Adolescents and Young Adults Diagnosed with Cancer.

Health literacy can influence long-term health outcomes. This study aimed to validate an adapted version of the Functional, Communicative and Critical Health Literacy measure for adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients and survivors (N = 105; age 12-24 years). Exploratory factor analysis was used to validate the measure, and indicated that a slightly modified item structure better fit the results.

Does motivation predict outcome of pelvic floor muscle retraining?

Aims: Although pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is effective for stress urinary incontinence (SUI), patients need to be motivated to obtain cure. An instrument to assess motivation in such patients was published in 2009: the Incontinence Treatment Motivation Questionnaire (ITMQ). The ITMQ consists of five domains: (i) positive attitudes toward PFMT; (ii) reasons for not doing PFMT; (iii) difficulties living with incontinence; (iv) desire for treatment; and (v) incontinence severity influencing motivation.

Psychometric properties of the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory: an item response theory approach.

Objective: Classical psychometric methods have been used to demonstrate the validity and reliability of the 42-item Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory (FCRI). Our aim was to expand on this evidence with information on the discriminative value of the individual items when administered to people with a personal history of melanoma, using an item response theory (IRT) approach.

Methods: We used a two-parameter IRT model to examine all items of the FCRI, primarily regarding whether people with a personal history of melanoma use the response scale as expected (as indicated by item characteristic curves), and whether the items can discriminate between those low and high on the constructs assessed by the instrument.

Symptom Clusters in Advanced Cancer Patients: An Empirical Comparison of Statistical Methods and the Impact on Quality of Life.

Context: Symptom clusters in advanced cancer can influence patient outcomes. There is large heterogeneity in the methods used to identify symptom clusters.

Objectives: To investigate the consistency of symptom cluster composition in advanced cancer patients using different statistical methodologies for all patients across five primary cancer sites, and to examine which clusters predict functional status, a global assessment of health and global quality of life.

The Melanoma care study: protocol of a randomised controlled trial of a psycho-educational intervention for melanoma survivors at high risk of developing new primary disease.

Background: Despite a good prognosis for most melanoma survivors, many experience substantial fear of new or recurrent melanoma, worry and anxiety about the future, and unmet healthcare needs. In this protocol, we outline the design and methods of the Melanoma Care Study for melanoma survivors at high risk of developing new primary disease. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of a psycho-educational intervention for improving psychological and behavioural adjustment to melanoma risk.

Barriers to radiotherapy utilisation in New South Wales Australia: Health professionals' perceptions of impacting factors.

Introduction: Utilisation of radiation therapy (RT) in Australia is below recommended evidence-based benchmarks. Barriers to the referral of patients for RT and the uptake of RT by patients may be affecting RT utilisation. The current study aimed to examine health professionals' (HPs) perceptions of potential barriers to RT referral and uptake.

Essentialist beliefs, sexual identity uncertainty, internalized homonegativity and psychological wellbeing in gay men.

The present study examined essentialist beliefs about sexual orientation and their implications for sexual identity uncertainty, internalized homonegativity and psychological wellbeing in a sample of gay men. A combination of targeted sampling and snowball strategies were used to recruit 639 gay identifying men for a cross-sectional online survey. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing sexual orientation beliefs, sexual identity uncertainty, internalized homonegativity, and psychological wellbeing outcomes.

Factors influencing the provision of adherence support by community pharmacists: A structural equation modeling approach.

Background: Non-adherence to medication represents an important barrier to achieving optimum patient outcomes. Community pharmacists are well placed to deliver interventions to support adherence.

Aims: To investigate community pharmacists' activities in supporting patient adherence; and identify factors influencing pharmacists' provision of adherence support.

Reflective, causal, and composite indicators of quality of life: A conceptual or an empirical distinction?

Items (or indicators) that constitute "quality of life" instruments can be classified as either reflective (manifestations of some underlying construct), causal (the construct is an effect of the indicators), or composite (the construct is an exact linear combination of the indicators). Psychometric methods based on inter-item associations are only appropriate for reflective indicators, whereas other statistical and non-statistical validation methods can be used for composite or causal indicators. Thus, the distinction has important practical, as well as theoretical, implications.