Do outpatients with cancer and their relatives want to use an online booking system to book the appointment and radiographer for their CT examination? A small-scale study in Denmark.

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies have found that online booking systems may be the preferred scheduling tool when booking appointments with healthcare providers. The aim of this study was to examine I) if outpatients with cancer and relatives of cancer patients wanted to use an online booking system to book appointments for the CT examinations, and II) if they wanted to book specific radiographers for the CT examinations. METHODS: An online questionnaire was distributed to outpatients with cancer and relatives of cancer patients registered in the user panel of the Danish Cancer Society. The questionnaires consisted of 13 questions for patients and eight questions for relatives. The study applied statistical analysis and qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach. RESULTS: In total, 555 patients out of 760 (73%) and 115 out of 341 (34%) relatives were included in the present study and 54% of the patients and 65% of the relatives responded that they wanted, "To a high degree" or "To some degree", to use an online system for booking the appointment of the CT examination. Furthermore, 49% of the patients and 60% of the relatives found it important, "To a high degree" or "To some degree", that the appointment of the CT examination also suited their relatives. Only 37% of the patients, in contrast to 56% of the relatives, were interested in the opportunity to book specific radiographers. Approximately half of the patients (48%) and relatives (58%) were interested in being scanned by the same radiographers. CONCLUSION: In this study, a majority of patients and relatives were interested in using an online booking system to book their CT examinations. Furthermore, while a majority of the relatives were more interested in booking specific radiographers for the CT examinations, only a few patients were interested in this function. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Using an online booking system to book the appointment could benefit the overall experience for cancer patients and relatives when attending a CT examination to ensure that the appointment also suits the relatives.

"All boys and men can play football": a qualitative investigation of recreational football in prostate cancer patients.

Evidence is accumulating that exercise-based rehabilitation improves physical capacity and quality of life in cancer survivors. However, recruitment and persistence of male cancer patients in rehabilitation and physical activity are low and novel health promotion strategies are warranted. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the meaning of recreational football as a team and interaction-oriented health-promoting activity in men with prostate cancer (n = 26). Qualitative data were collected through six focus group interviews (n = 4-6) and 20 h of participant observations. The two data sets were analyzed using framework analysis. The analysis produced 11 subthemes that were structured into three overarching themes: (a) motivational drivers; (b) united in sport; and (c) confirmation of own capacity. The findings indicated that participants regarded football as a welcome opportunity to regain control and acquire a sense of responsibility for own health without assuming the patient role, and football training legitimized and promoted mutual caring behavior in a male-oriented context. In conclusion, the study suggests that football, due to its cultural representation of masculine ideals, may be a potent and unique strategy for increasing recruitment and adherence to physical activity in prostate cancer patients.

Mammalian SNM1 is required for genome stability.

The protein encoded by SNM1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been shown to act specifically in DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICL) repair. There are five mammalian homologs of SNM1, including Artemis, which is involved in V(D)J recombination. Cells from mice constructed with a disruption in the Snm1 gene are sensitive to the DNA interstrand crosslinker, mitomycin (MMC), as indicated by increased radial formation following exposure. The mice reproduce normally and have normal life spans. However, a partial perinatal lethality, not seen in either homozygous mutant alone, can be noted when the Snm1 disruption is combined with a Fancd2 disruption. To explore the role of hSNM1 and its homologs in ICL repair in human cells, we used siRNA depletion in human fibroblasts, with cell survival and chromosome radials as the end points for sensitivity following treatment with MMC. Depletion of hSNM1 increases sensitivity to ICLs as detected by both end points, while depletion of Artemis does not. Thus hSNM1 is active in maintenance of genome stability following ICL formation. To evaluate the epistatic relationship between hSNM1 and other ICL repair pathways, we depleted hSNM1 in Fanconi anemia (FA) cells, which are inherently sensitive to ICLs. Depletion of hSNM1 in an FA cell line produces additive sensitivity for MMC. Further, mono-ubiquitination of FANCD2, an endpoint of the FA pathway, is not disturbed by depletion of hSNM1 in normal cells. Thus, hSNM1 appears to represent a second pathway for genome stability, distinct from the FA pathway.

Positional cloning of a novel Fanconi anemia gene, FANCD2.

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a genetic disease with birth defects, bone marrow failure, and cancer susceptibility. To date, genes for five of the seven known complementation groups have been cloned. Complementation group D is heterogeneous, consisting of two distinct genes, FANCD1 and FANCD2. Here we report the positional cloning of FANCD2. The gene consists of 44 exons, encodes a novel 1451 amino acid nuclear protein, and has two protein isoforms. Similar to other FA proteins, the FANCD2 protein has no known functional domains, but unlike other known FA genes, FANCD2 is highly conserved in A. thaliana, C. elegans, and Drosophila. Retroviral transduction of the cloned FANCD2 cDNA into FA-D2 cells resulted in functional complementation of MMC sensitivity.

Localization of the Fanconi anemia complementation group D gene to a 200-kb region on chromosome 3p25.3.

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare autosomal recessive disease manifested by bone-marrow failure and an elevated incidence of cancer. Cells taken from patients exhibit spontaneous chromosomal breaks and rearrangements. These breaks and rearrangements are greatly elevated by treatment of FA cells with the use of DNA cross-linking agents. The FA complementation group D gene (FANCD) has previously been localized to chromosome 3p22-26, by use of microcell-mediated chromosome transfer. Here we describe the use of noncomplemented microcell hybrids to identify small overlapping deletions that narrow the FANCD critical region. A 1.2-Mb bacterial-artificial-chromosome (BAC)/P1 contig was constructed, bounded by the marker D3S3691 distally and by the gene ATP2B2 proximally. The contig contains at least 36 genes, including the oxytocin receptor (OXTR), hOGG1, the von Hippel-Lindau tumor-suppressor gene (VHL), and IRAK-2. Both hOGG1 and IRAK-2 were excluded as candidates for FANCD. BACs were then used as probes for FISH analyses, to map the extent of the deletions in four of the noncomplemented microcell hybrid cell lines. A narrow region of common overlapping deletions limits the FANCD critical region to approximately 200 kb. The three candidate genes in this region are TIGR-A004X28, SGC34603, and AA609512.

Functional complementation by electroporation of human BACs into mammalian fibroblast cells.

Bacterial Artificial Chromosomes (BACs) have been used to complement a metabolic defect and to transfer a drug resistance marker into mammalian cells by electroporation. The selectable markers are stable and the recipient cells have BAC DNA integrated into the chromosomes as shown by fluorescent in situ hybridization, PCR and Southern hybridization.

[Recurrent polychondritis (von Meyenburg-Altherr-Uehlinger syndrome]. / Rezidivierende Polychondritis (von Meyenburg-Altherr-Uehlinger-Syndrom).

UNLABELLED: Relapsing polychondritis is a rare systemic disease. Main symptoms are recurrent inflammations of the cartilage tissues, the eyes, and the cardiovascular system. Etiology and pathogenesis are obscure, there are hints for an immunologic disorder. PATIENT: Our patient has suffered from the disease since the age of 12 years. The patient has experienced recurrent keratitis with spontaneous ulcerations for 15 years.

[Ptosis operations with silicone suspension at the eyebrow]. / Ptosisoperationen mit Silikonsuspension an die Braue.

In severe ptosis with minimal or absent levator muscle function the lid can be connected with the frontalis muscle by means of silicone material. In our 18 patients (21 ptotic lids) the silastic rods arranged as a double sling to Crawford gave better results than the thinner silastic tube single slings.

[Ptosis surgery: shortening the levator aponeurosis of Müller's muscle and the tarsus using an anterior approach]. / Ptosisoperation: Verkürzung der Levatoraponeurose des Müller'schen Muskels und des Tarsus mit vorderem Zugang.

In cases of moderate congenital ptosis, better lid elevation can be achieved by resection of the levator muscle through a skin incision, combined with tarsectomy and shortening of the superior tarsal muscle. The function of the levator muscle can thus be fully exploited.

Novel cyclopentenoid cyanohydrin rhamnoglucosides from flacourtiaceae1.

Two novel cyclopentenoid cyanohydrin glycosides, (1 S,4 R)-and (1 R,4 S)-1-[6- O-(alpha- L-rhamnopyranosyl)-beta- D-glucopyranosyloxy]-4-hydroxy-2-cyclopentene-1-carbonitrile, were isolated from seeds of the Indian medicinal plant HYDNOCARPUS PENTANDRA (F. Ham.) Oken (Flacourtiaceae) and characterized by optical rotations as well as (1)H-and (13)C-NMR spectra. The structural assignment is founded on these data and on degradation with alpha- L-rhamnosidase to the corresponding beta- D-glucopyranosides, epivolkenin and taraktophyllin, also present in the seeds in small amounts. Earlier reports of cyclopentenoid rhamnoglucosides from Passifloraceae are rejected.

Chlamydia trachomatis isolation in patients with endometritis after cesarean section.

Cervical specimens for Chlamydia were collected from 110 patients with endometritis after cesarean section and from 52 intrapartum patients without clinical infection. The C. trachomatis isolation rate was not statistically different between these groups.

Can whole blood be used instead of separated low density cells for examination of the mitogen response?

The response of whole blood and separated low density cells to 3 mitogenic lectins [Phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), Pokeweed mitogen (PWM) and Concanavalin (Con-A)] was tested in 133 normal individual of all ages, including cord blood. The results obtained with the two methods correlated poorly (r = 0.16 for PHA; 0.47 for PWM and 0.42 for Con-A). Thus, the two methods measure different things and results are not comparable.