Introduction: Persons with disabilities (PWD) are susceptible to malnutrition. Caregivers or teachers in rehabilitation centres may not be adequately trained in nutrition management of PWD. The aims of this study were (i) to assess the nutrition knowledge, attitude and practice among teachers in community-based rehabilitation centres for PWD; and (ii) to evaluate changes in the nutrition knowledge and attitude of the teachers before and after exposure to a training workshop on nutrition management for PWD. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a guided self-administered Nutrition Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Questionnaire on Persons with Disabilities (KAP-nOKU), among a convenience sample of 210 teachers. Forty-five of them further participated in a nutrition training workshop and completed the post-test evaluation on knowledge and attitude of the same measures. Results: At baseline, the teachers’ average knowledge, attitude and practice scores were 13.80±3.73 for knowledge (below 50th percentile); 51.49±4.08 for attitude (above 75th percentile); and 48.08±3.61 for practice (between 50th and 75th percentile). There was significant positive correlations between knowledge and attitude (r=0.343, p<0.05), as well as between attitude and practice (r=0.147, p<0.05). After exposure to a 3-day nutrition workshop, significant improvements in the teachers’ knowledge and attitude were observed, whereby teachers’ knowledge score increased from 14.20±3.80 to 25.38±2.36 and from 51.16±3.97 to 55.20±4.41 for attitude (p<0.001). Conclusion: Nutrition intervention was associated with improvement in short term knowledge and attitude of the teachers. Sustainable interventional strategies are needed to enhance the nutrition knowledge and skills of teachers of PWD.

Female ; Humans ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; adverse effects ; Metformin ; adverse effects ; Middle Aged ; Vitamin B 12 Deficiency ; chemically induced

Leydig cell tumor is a rare testicular neoplasm that can present as a non-palpable small testicular nodule. Here we present a case of a 36-year-old Filipino male who initially came in for fertility work-up. Semen analysis showed azoospermia. However, an incidental finding on ultrasound showed a well-circumscribed round tumor. The patient underwent radical orchiectomy. On histopathologic examination, a Leydig cell tumor was identified and supported by immunohistochemical staining. We discuss the clinical features pathogenesis, treatment, diagnosis and prognosis of this uncommon entity.
Leydig Cells ; Testis ; Orchiectomy ; Infertility

Multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancer cells can significantly attenuate the response to chemotherapy and increase the likelihood of mortality. The major mechanism involved in conferring MDR is the overexpression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, which can increase efflux of drugs from cancer cells, thereby decreasing intracellular drug concentration. Modulators of ABC transporters have the potential to augment the efficacy of anticancer drugs. This editorial highlights some major findings related to ABC transporters and current strategies to overcome MDR.
ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Sub-Family G, Member 2 ; ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; ATP-Binding Cassette, Sub-Family B, Member 1 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Humans ; Molecular Targeted Therapy ; Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Nanomedicine ; Neoplasm Proteins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; antagonists & inhibitors

Multidrug resistance proteins (MRPs) are members of the C family of a group of proteins named ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. These ABC transporters together form the largest branch of proteins within the human body. The MRP family comprises of 13 members, of which MRP1 to MRP9 are the major transporters indicated to cause multidrug resistance in tumor cells by extruding anticancer drugs out of the cell. They are mainly lipophilic anionic transporters and are reported to transport free or conjugates of glutathione (GSH), glucuronate, or sulphate. In addition, MRP1 to MRP3 can transport neutral organic drugs in free form in the presence of free GSH. Collectively, MRPs can transport drugs that differ structurally and mechanistically, including natural anticancer drugs, nucleoside analogs, antimetabolites, and tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Many of these MRPs transport physiologically important anions such as leukotriene C4, bilirubin glucuronide, and cyclic nucleotides. This review focuses mainly on the physiological functions, cellular resistance characteristics, and probable in vivo role of MRP1 to MRP9.
Antineoplastic Agents ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Biological Transport ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Glutathione ; metabolism ; Humans ; Leukotriene C4 ; metabolism ; Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins ; metabolism ; physiology ; Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Tissue Distribution

Careful analysis of follicular morphology and numbers of different follicular maturation stages, in combination with the measurements of gonadotropic and sex hormone profiles, provide an accurate and rapid evaluation system of the ovarian function. The aim of this study is to improve the existing methods of ovarian tissue section preparation and staining methods, and to establish a fast and easy method to observe and evaluate follicular maturation stage and numbers using mouse ovary samples. Ovaries were collected at menstrual phases of proestrus, oestrus, metestrus and diestrus from C57BL/6J female mice. Then the ovaries were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde, dehydrated with graded sucrose, embedded with OCT, frozen-sectioned at 7 μm thick, and subjected to quick haematoxylin & eosin staining for observation. The results showed that the present method was able to distinguish secondary, preantral, antral, and preovulatory follicles. Although our method was unable to discriminate and distinguish primordial follicles and primary follicles, the results were comparable to those from more complicated techniques. We conclude that this improved and quick method can be used in combination with hormone analysis to investigate ovarian development and function in different mouse models.

Peripheral itch stimuli are transmitted by sensory neurons to the spinal cord dorsal horn, which then transmits the information to the brain. The molecular and cellular mechanisms within the dorsal horn for itch transmission have only been investigated and identified during the past ten years. This review covers the progress that has been made in identifying the peptide families in sensory neurons and the receptor families in dorsal horn neurons as putative itch transmitters, with a focus on gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP)-GRP receptor signaling. Also discussed are the signaling mechanisms, including opioids, by which various types of itch are transmitted and modulated, as well as the many conflicting results arising from recent studies.
Action Potentials ; drug effects ; Analgesics, Opioid ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Humans ; Pruritus ; metabolism ; pathology ; Sensory Receptor Cells ; metabolism ; Spinal Cord ; pathology ; Synaptic Transmission ; physiology

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore how traditional ritual practices are incorporated into the context of contemporary healthcare. METHODS: An ethnographic study was conducted, using observations and interviews with 27 first-time mothers and 3 nurses at a postpartum nursing center in Taipei, Taiwan. RESULTS: Nursing routines, policies and care provision at the center affected the way traditional ritual practices were conducted. New mothers in this study constructed their everyday activities at the center by incorporating and modifying the ritual practices inside and outside the postpartum nursing center setting. CONCLUSIONS: Social changes have an influence on traditional postpartum ritual practices so a postpartum nursing center becomes a choice for postpartum women. Thus, health care professionals should value their own functions and roles at the postpartum nursing center since the new mothers regard them as the primary support resource to help them recover from giving birth. Therefore, they need to re-examine their practices from the postpartum women's perspective to provide better support and sensitive care to postpartum women and their families.
Adult ; Ambulatory Care Facilities/trends ; Attitude of Health Personnel ; Education, Nonprofessional ; Female ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/trends ; Mothers/education/psychology ; Nurse's Role ; Nursing Process ; Obstetric Nursing/*trends ; Postnatal Care/*trends ; Postpartum Period/*ethnology ; Taiwan/ethnology

ABCC10, also known as multidrug-resistant protein 7 (MRP7), is the tenth member of the C subfamily of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily. ABCC10 mediates multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancer cells by preventing the intracellular accumulation of certain antitumor drugs. The ABCC10 transporter is a 171-kDa protein that is localized on the basolateral cell membrane. ABCC10 is a broad-specificity transporter of xenobiotics, including antitumor drugs, such as taxanes, epothilone B, vinca alkaloids, and cytarabine, as well as modulators of the estrogen pathway, such as tamoxifen. In recent years, ABCC10 inhibitors, including cepharanthine, lapatinib, erlotinib, nilotinib, imatinib, sildenafil, and vardenafil, have been reported to overcome ABCC10-mediated MDR. This review discusses some recent and clinically relevant aspects of the ABCC10 drug efflux transporter from the perspective of current chemotherapy, particularly its inhibition by tyrosine kinase inhibitors and phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors.
Antineoplastic Agents ; Benzamides ; Benzylisoquinolines ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Erlotinib Hydrochloride ; Humans ; Imatinib Mesylate ; Imidazoles ; Multidrug Resistance-Associated Proteins ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Piperazines ; Purines ; Pyrimidines ; Quinazolines ; Sildenafil Citrate ; Sulfonamides ; Sulfones ; Taxoids ; Triazines ; Vardenafil Dihydrochloride

Imatinib, a breakpoint cluster region (BCR)-Abelson murine leukemia(ABL) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), has revolutionized the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). However, development of multidrug resistance(MDR) limits the use of imatinib. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the mechanisms of cellular resistance to imatinib in CML. Therefore, we established an imatinib-resistant human CML cell line(K562-imatinib) through a stepwise selection process. While characterizing the phenotype of these cells, we found that K562-imatinib cells were 124.6-fold more resistant to imatinib than parental K562 cells. In addition, these cells were cross-resistant to second- and third-generation BCR-ABL TKIs. Western blot analysis and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) demonstrated that P-glycoprotein(P-gp) and MDR1 mRNA levels were increased in K562-imatinib cells. In addition, accumulation of [14C]6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) was decreased, whereas the ATP-dependent efflux of [14C]6-MP and [3H]methotrexate transport were increased in K562-imatinib cells. These data suggest that the overexpression of P-gp may play a crucial role in acquired resistance to imatinib in CML K562-imatinib cells.
ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Sub-Family B ; genetics ; metabolism ; Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Benzamides ; Drug Resistance, Multiple ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Imatinib Mesylate ; K562 Cells ; Mercaptopurine ; metabolism ; Methotrexate ; metabolism ; Piperazines ; pharmacology ; Protein Kinase Inhibitors ; pharmacology ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Pyrimidines ; pharmacology ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism