A phenomenological study on male patients with lung cancer undergoing radiotherapy.

A Phenomenological study included five male patients with lung cancer undergoing radiotherapy in the Radiotherapy Department of Yangon General Hospital to describe and interpret their experiences through a series of face to face unstructured interviews, Sub-themes such as chest pain, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhoea, cough and itching are extracted under physical experiences. Most participants expressed their diminished sexual desire. Feeling of boredom, feeling of disclosure needs, feeling of role changes associated with client's perception on body image, fear of undergoing radiotherapy and guilty feeling of delay in seeking health care are common sub-themes under the psychosocial issues. Beliefs in supernatural healer, traditional medicine, and modern therapeutic care are found to be common sub-themes under spiritual issues. Moreover, coping styles of the participants vary and are not clearly identified. Based on this finding, information dissemination and support to the community who are at risk of lung cancer are needed to decrease late diagnosis and the complication associated with illness and radiotherapy. Thus, nurses' role such as health educator, counselor, researcher, care-giver, advocate, and good communicator are essential in Oncology Nursing Practice in community as well as in hospital settings.

Interleukin-18 promoter gene polymorphisms in Chinese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: association with CC genotype at position -607

<p><b>INTRODUCTION</b>Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a Th1 cytokine, which is postulated to play a role in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the IL-18 promoter gene region were found to influence the quantitative expression of the IL-18 protein. The aim of this study was to determine whether IL-18 promoter gene polymorphisms are associated with SLE.</p><p><b>MATERIALS AND METHODS</b>One hundred and thirteen Chinese SLE patients and 218 Chinese healthy individuals were recruited. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral venous blood. Sequence-specific primer PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis were used to genotype the DNA samples for SNP-137 and SNP- 607. The following genotypes were obtained: SNP(-607) AA, AC, CC and SNP(-137) GG, GC, CC. Plasma IL-18 concentrations of patients and control subjects were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>the frequency of SNP-607/CC genotype was significantly higher in SLE patients (Pc < 0.05) while genotype SNP-607/AC was significantly decreased in SLE patients compared to the control group (Pc <0.05). Plasma IL-18 concentrations were significantly higher in SLE patients than in control subjects (P <0.05). Both patients and control subjects with CC and AC genotypes have significantly higher IL-18 concentrations than those with AA genotype.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The IL-18 promoter gene polymorphism SNP-607 C allele is associated with SLE and may result in the enhanced production of IL-18 protein in SLE and normal individuals.</p>

Effectiveness of the different modes of case detection in Hmawbi Leprosy Control Project, 1964-1974

Leprosy Control in Myanmar was started in 1952 with case finding and domicilliary treatment as the two main strategies. Because of the emphasis on case finding the total number of registered leprosy cases increased from 47280 in 1958 to 271353 in 1976. The study was undertaken to determine the types of cases and the disabilities status among cases that are detected through different means of case detection methods in Hmawbi Township prior to integration of the case finding activities into Basic Health Services. A retrospective study on 320 new cases that have been detected in Hmawbi Township during the period 1964 to 1974 was undertaken. 74.14 Percent of the lepromatous type of new leprosy cases are seen to be suffering from various degree of disabiligy, whereas for Tuberculoid new cases the disability percent is only 33.47 Percent. Out of a total 320 new cases 46.56 Percent of them were detected through active case finding methods. The proportion of lepromatous new cases is seen to be high among new cases detected through mass surveys (23.21 Percent) and passive case detections (23.21 Percent). New cases detected through school children examinations and contact examinations are seen to be suffering from less disability than that of mass surveys, referrals from B.H.S and voluntary examination.