Disentangling the influence of neighborhood and individual characteristics on early residential mobility among newly diagnosed patients with schizophrenia: a multilevel analysis

Purpose

Early residential mobility of schizophrenic patients may relate to discontinuity of treatment and adverse outcome. However, factors influencing early residential mobility of these patients are still poorly examined. The aim of this study was to disentangle the influence of individual and neighborhood characteristics on early residential mobility of schizophrenic patients.

Methods

The study used administrative data of 13, 400 individuals newly diagnosed with schizophrenia in Quebec between 2001 and 2002. These individuals were nested in 163 different health territories. Multilevel analyses were used to assess the contribution of individual and neighborhood characteristics on early residential mobility.

Results

The final model indicates that at the individual level, being men, wonder patients and physical comorbidity increased the likelihood of early residential mobility whereas older patients were less likely to migrate earlier. The health territory level explains about 7 % of the variation of early residential mobility and variables influencing residential mobility at this level are the fourth and the third quartiles of the population density.

Conclusions

Factors influencing early residential mobility of schizophrenic patients are located at both individual and neighborhood levels. This suggests that policies targeting only one-level factors are unlikely to significantly delays early residential mobility.     

Calcified tissue of fetal origin in utero

Hysteroscopic examination in a woman with secondary infertility revealed calcified tissue in the uterine cavity. Histopathological examination demonstrated mature bone. Genetic analysis supports its fetal origin.     

Does clinical trial subject selection restrict the ability to generalize use and cost of health services to "real life" subjects?

OBJECTIVES: To explore one aspect of the external validity of the randomized controlled trial (RCT), specifically how being selected for inclusion in a trial and having participated has influenced the use and cost of asthma-related health services. METHODS: Services used by asthmatic users of inhaled corticosteroids (iCSTs) having previously participated in an RCT (TS, n = 46) were compared with individuals who had never participated (NS, n = 51). RESULTS: TS were more likely to use higher (> or = 400 microg) daily doses of iCSTs than NS (OR, 3.3; 95% Cl, 1.1-8.3) but less likely to visit emergency departments (OR, 0.3; 95% Cl, 0.1-0.7). Total asthma-related costs did not differ significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Subject differences may impede generalizing from RCTs to real life.     

Fatty acids platelets and oxidative markers following intravenous n-3 fatty acids administration in cystic fibrosis: An open pilot observational study.

BACKGROUND: An imbalance in the ratio of arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was found in cystic fibrosis (CF) affected tissues and was suggested to promote inflammation. Several studies have shown that the long chain n-3 fatty acids reduced inflammatory activity while others have highlighted prooxidant activity of DHA at high concentrations. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of an intravenous fish-oil emulsion enriched with n-3 FA in patients with CF on plasma and platelet FA composition and peroxidation markers. METHODS: 13 patients with CF received one IV emulsion per week of 2 mL/kg fish-oil n-3 emulsion for 12 weeks. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in 20:5 n-3 and 22:6 n-3 platelet FA composition, no variation in 20:4 n-6, a decrease in n-9. There was no variation in plasma FA composition. Specific urinary markers of lipid peroxidation derived from n-3 and n-6 showed a very high level before infusion compared with usual values in healthy subjects which was not affected by treatment. A significant weight loss and a decrease in reduced glutathione were observed in adult patients. CONCLUSIONS: The intravenous administration of n-3 FA in CF patients induced a significant modification in platelet FA composition but no modification of oxidative markers. However, the weight loss and the decreased level in reduced glutathione observed in adult patients may suggest a potential deleterious activity for some patients. Further studies are necessary to determine the optimal dose and route for long chain FA administration required to reach a potential beneficial effect.     

Medical Ultrasound Disinfection and Hygiene Practices: WFUMB Global Survey Results

As ultrasound technology rapidly evolves and is used more frequently in every area of medical diagnosis and treatment, it may be overlooked as a potential vector in the transmission of a health care-associated infection. A survey on disinfection and hygiene practice in medical ultrasound was disseminated via the World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (WFUMB) to its six member federations and associated ultrasound societies globally. One thousand twenty-nine responses were obtained across a broad range of ultrasound practitioners. A total of 76% of respondents used transducer covers every time to scan open wounds and 71% when blood and bodily fluids were present or for an interventional procedure. Approved high-level disinfectants are not always used, even when blood comes into contact with the transducer or after endocavity scans. Alcohol-based wipes were used by many respondents to clean both external transducers and endocavity transducers. Open-ended responses indicated that a large caseload hindered the time required for cleaning and that access to clear guidelines would be beneficial. Global survey results indicate that some users do not comply with disinfection practice, and there is a gap in knowledge on basic infection prevention and control education within the ultrasound unit. As the infectious status of a patient is not often disclosed prior to an ultrasound examination, training in suitable protocols for the cleaning and disinfection of ultrasound equipment is imperative to mitigate the risk of potential infection.     

Neutrophils promote aerogenous spread of lung adenocarcinoma with bronchioloalveolar carcinoma features.

PURPOSE: Adenocarcinoma with bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) features is a subtype of non-small cell lung cancers characterized by an intense inflammatory reaction composed of macrophages and neutrophils and by a distinct natural history with intrapulmonary spread leading to death due to respiratory failure. We hypothesized that neutrophils could promote aerogenous spread of lung adenocarcinoma with BAC features. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We examined the effect of neutrophils on A549 cell line detachment in vitro and we quantified desquamation of tumor cells on tumor tissue (n = 25) and on matched bronchioloalveolar lavage (n = 17) in vivo in a series of patients with adenocarcinoma with BAC features. RESULTS: Neutrophils induced A549 detachment mediated by signals through cell-to-cell contact. Detached A549 cells were still viable and able to proliferate in vitro. Neutralization studies identified several membrane-bound molecules involved in detachment (i.e., intercellular adhesion molecule-1/lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1, tumor necrosis factor alpha/tumor necrosis factor alpha receptor inhibitor, interleukin-1alpha /interleukin-1alpha receptor, and neutrophil elastase). In tumor tissue, shedding was detected in all samples, with a median shedding score of 42% (range, 4-95%). Micropapillary clusters were detected in 23 of the 25 tumor tissue samples, with a median micropapillary score of 1.40 (range, 0-2.1), and tumor cells were detected in 7 of 17 lavages. The micropapillary score was associated with a high neutrophil count in bronchioloalveolar lavage (P = 0.051). The shedding cell percentage was a significant factor in shorter survival (P = 0.034, univariate Cox analysis). CONCLUSIONS: Tumor shedding is induced by neutrophils. It is a significant factor of shorter survival and may be an important event in adenocarcinoma progression.