Serum total PSA and free PSA in breast tumors

Now a days measurement of molecular forms of PSA has gained importance in clinical practice. Several studies have demonstrated the production of PSA in female tissues, such as breast. The present piece of work has been undertaken with an objective to estimate the relative proportion of the molecular forms of PSA in serum along with serum testosterone in benign and malignant breast tumor cases and to analyze their association with the severity of the disease process 34 malignant and 26 benign breast disease cases along with 33 healthy controls of same age group were enrolled in this study for evaluation. Serum testosterone was measured by ELISA, whereas serum total PSA (TPSA) and free PSA (FPSA) were estimated by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. A significant rise of fasting plasma glucose along with prominent dyslipidemia was observed in breast tumor cases. Marked rise in serum testosterone as well as TPSA and FPSA was documented in both benign and malignant breast tumor cases. Serum testosterone revealed a significant positive association with both TPSA and FPSA pointing towards an etiological association between them. However, surgical removal of tumor mass resulted in a marked decline of presurgical value of both TPSA and FPSA with a non-significant fall in serum testosterone revealing tumor tissue as the source of FPSA and TPSA. Thus, estimation of PSA provides prognostic information that may assist in future treatment.     

African American and European American children in diverse elementary classrooms: social integration, social status, and social behavior

With a sample of African American and European American 3rd- and 4th-grade children (N = 486, ages 8-11 years), this study examined classroom ethnic composition, peer social status (i.e., social preference and perceived popularity as nominated by same- and cross-ethnicity peers), and patterns of ethnic segregation (i.e., friendship, peer group, and cross-ethnicity dislike). African American--but not European American--children had more segregated relationships and were more disliked by cross-ethnicity peers when they had fewer same-ethnicity classmates. African American children's segregation was positively associated with same-ethnicity social preference and perceived popularity and with cross-ethnicity perceived popularity. European American children's segregation was positively associated with same-ethnicity social preference but negatively associated with cross-ethnicity social preference and perceived popularity.     

Visual constructive and visual-motor skills in deaf native signers

Visual constructive and visual-motor skills in the deaf population were investigated by comparing performance of deaf native signers (n=20) to that of hearing nonsigners (n=20) on the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration, Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test, Wechsler Memory Scale Visual Reproduction subtest, and Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale Paper Folding and Cutting subtest. Deaf signers were found to perform similarly to hearing controls, suggesting that these tests are valid assessment instruments to use with deaf individuals.     

Breastfeeding problems following anesthetic administration

Research literature supports the notion that maternal comfort should be considered a priority and that mothers should receive adequate information regarding any drug prior to receiving that drug. Some studies indicate that difficulties with breastfeeding may be related to the amount of the anesthetic or analgesic that is administered to the mother. Thus, it seems wise to administer the lowest possible dose to the mother in order to minimize the amount of drug (or metabolite) exposure to the nursing infant. Infant exposure can be further reduced if breastfeeding is avoided during the times when the mother receives high doses of anesthetics and analgesics. However, because relatively small amounts of the drug are excreted into the breast milk, some mothers may opt to continue nursing after weighing the benefits of breastfeeding against the potential risk to the infant. Others may choose to "pump and dump" breast milk while they receive anesthetic or analgesic agents. Any concerns in this regard should be discussed with the anesthesia provider, preferably prior to labor or to any surgeries while breastfeeding.     

The money trail: a new historiography for networks, patronage, and scientific careers

Money is everywhere in science. Yet historians have only rarely placed the money trail at the center of their analyses. The essays in this Focus section demonstrate that following the money offers a historiographical path for investigating a number of key issues across disciplinary boundaries in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Drawing on cases and materials relating to a number of scientific fields, including electrical engineering, aeronautics, agriculture, and paleontology, the essays examine the continuous role of money in industrial and military patronage, personal connections and networks, and spatial and geographical dimensions of science, as well as in relation to state funding and ownership. Together, the contributions demonstrate how following the money offers a way of overcoming hyperprofessionalism in the history of science.