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The treatment of malignant melanoma with inhibitors targeting the BRAF V600E mutation has demonstrated dramatic clinical and radiographic response with improved progression-free and overall survival in the majority of patients receiving treatment. However, cutaneous adverse effects—from proliferative processes to more classic drug side effects—are increasingly being reported in patients on BRAF inhibitors. In this comprehensive literature review we provide (1) an all-inclusive list of cutaneous adverse effects associated with selective class I RAF inhibitors, (2) specific adverse effects associated with each inhibitor, and (3) the therapeutic time interval associated with the onset of all reported lesion types. Twenty-two studies reporting cutaneous adverse reactions with selective class I RAF inhibitor therapy were retrieved from PubMed and sourced from relevant articles referenced by other papers. We identified over 45 differently described lesion types, corresponding to close to 2,000 cases. The most commonly reported lesion types in order of decreasing frequency include inflammatory dermatoses, benign lesions, malignant lesions, and hair/nail-related abnormalities. For the most part, the terminologies used in the original studies were retained. Case totals and time-to-lesion onset are presented for every group, and where available, for individual lesion types, by associated BRAF inhibitor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EBSCO Publishing is an innovative company that has its roots in paper publishing. It now produces hundreds of online resources in a state-of-the-art facility located along the banks of the Ipswich River in Massachusetts. Considerable work occurs behind the scenes in Ipswich (and around the world) to produce the online databases in EBSCOhost that appear to the user at the click of a mouse. Jennifer Carroll toured the headquarters in Ipswich to learn about the processes that make these valuable resources available. Serials Review 2007; 33:145-148. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All right reserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy are risk markers for future maternal coronary heart disease (CHD). Clinical assessment of a woman's history of pregnancy complications relies on self-report, but the predictive value of maternal recall is unclear. A systematic review was conducted to comprehensively review and critically assess the available literature on maternal recall of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. Methods: The PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases were searched through August 2012. We included original research articles comparing maternal recall of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy with medical records. Results: Ten studies met eligibility criteria for qualitative analysis and were independently reviewed by two investigators. Recall periods ranged from 48 hours to 30 years. Length of recall did not appear to uniformly affect recall quality. Sensitivity was generally lower and less consistent for gestational hypertension than for preeclampsia. Specificity was >90% for all hypertensive disorders. Determinants of recall accuracy included maternal education and parity. Conclusions: Although maternal recall of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy is specific, low sensitivity and predictive values may limit the clinical utility of asking mothers to recall their history of hypertensive pregnancy complications. Future research on maternal recall of pregnancy complications should be designed to yield predictive values and test recall of disorder subtypes, recurrent complications, and changing recall over time in the same population. The utility of gestation length and offspring birth weight for clinical identification of women whose pregnancy history puts them at increased CHD risk should also be explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and scope: This article reviews the available quantitative research on psychosocial adjustment and mental health among children (age <18 years) associated with armed forces and armed groups (CAAFAG) - commonly referred to as child soldiers. Methods: PRISMA standards for systematic reviews were used to search PubMed, PsycInfo, JSTOR, and Sociological Abstracts in February 2012 for all articles on former child soldiers and CAAFAG. Twenty-one quantitative studies from 10 countries were analyzed for author, year of publication, journal, objectives, design, selection population, setting, instruments, prevalence estimates, and associations with war experiences. Opinion pieces, editorials, and qualitative studies were deemed beyond the scope of this study. Quality of evidence was rated according to the Systematic Assessment of Quality in Observational Research (SAQOR). Findings: According to SAQOR criteria, among the available published studies, eight studies were of high quality, four were of moderate quality, and the remaining nine were of low quality. Common limitations were lack of validated mental health measures, unclear methodology including undefined sampling approaches, and failure to report missing data. Only five studies included a comparison group of youth not involved with armed forces/armed groups, and only five studies assessed mental health at more than one point in time. Across studies, a number of risk and protective factors were associated with postconflict psychosocial adjustment and social reintegration in CAAFAG. Abduction, age of conscription, exposure to violence, gender, and community stigma were associated with increased internalizing and externalizing mental health problems. Family acceptance, social support, and educational/economic opportunities were associated with improved psychosocial adjustment. Conclusions: Research on the social reintegration and psychosocial adjustment of former child soldiers is nascent. A number of gaps in the available literature warrant future study. Recommendations to bolster the evidence base on psychosocial adjustment in former child soldiers and other war-affected youth include more studies comprising longitudinal study designs, and validated cross-cultural instruments for assessing mental health, as well as more integrated community-based approaches to study design and research monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression is a major public health problem among youth, currently estimated to affect as many as 9% of US children and adolescents. The recognition that both genes (nature) and environments (nurture) are important for understanding the etiology of depression has led to a rapid growth in research exploring gene-environment interactions (GxE). However, there has been no systematic review of GxE in youth depression to date. Methods: The goal of this article was to systematically review evidence on the contribution of GxE to the risk of child and adolescent depression. Through a search of PubMed and PsycINFO databases to 1 April 2010, we identified 20 candidate gene-environment interaction studies focused on depression in youth (up to age 26) and compared each study in terms of the following characteristics: research design and sample studied; measure of depression and environment used; genes explored; and GxE findings in relation to these factors. Results: In total, 80% of studies ( n = 16) found at least one significant GxE association. However, there was wide variation in methods and analyses adopted across studies, especially with respect to environmental measures used and tests conducted to estimate GxE. This heterogeneity made it difficult to compare findings and evaluate the strength of the evidence for GxE. Conclusions: The existing body of GxE research on depression in youth contains studies that are conceptually and methodologically quite different, which contributes to mixed findings and makes it difficult to assess the current state of the evidence. To decrease this heterogeneity, we offer 20 recommendations that are focused on: (a) reporting GxE research; (b) testing and reporting GxE effects; (c) conceptualizing, measuring and analyzing depression; (d) conceptualizing, measuring and analyzing environment; (e) increasing power to test for GxE; and (f) improving the quality of genetic data used. Although targeted to GxE research on depression, these recommendations can be adopted by GxE researchers focusing on other mental health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: To determine the association of the Apolipoprotein E (APOE) E4 gene polymorphism with bone mineral density (BMD) and fractures we conducted a meta-analysis of 17 reports. Despite lower trochanteric and lumbar BMD in APOE4 carriers, there is insufficient evidence to support a consistent association of APOE with bone health. Introduction: APOE has been studied for its potential role in osteoporosis risk. It is hypothesized that genetic variation at APOE locus, known as E2, E3, and E4, may modulate BMD through its effects on lipoproteins and vitamin K transport. The purpose of this study was to determine the association of the APOE-E4 gene polymorphism with bone-related phenotypes. Methods: We conducted a meta-analysis that combined newly analyzed individual data from two community-based cohorts, the Framingham Offspring Study ( N = 1,495) and the vitamin K clinical trial ( N = 377), with 15 other eligible published reports. Bone phenotypes included BMD measurements of the hip (total hip and trochanteric and femoral neck sites) and lumbar spine (from the L2 to L4 vertebrae) and prevalence or incidence of vertebral, hip, and other fractures. Results: In sex-pooled analyses, APOE4 carriers had a 0.018 g/cm lower weighted mean trochanteric BMD than non carriers ( p = 0.0002) with no evidence for between-study heterogeneity. A significant association was also detected with lumbar spine BMD ( p = 0.006); however, inter-study heterogeneity was observed. Associations with lumbar spine and trochanteric BMD were observed predominantly in women and became less significant in meta-regression ( p = 0.055 and 0.01, respectively). There were no consistent associations of APOE4 genotype with BMD at other skeletal sites or with fracture risk. Conclusions: Based on these findings, there is insufficient evidence to support a strong and consistent association of the APOE genotype with BMD and fracture incidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Features the Educator Resource Center (ERC) online learning space developed by the Museum of Science in Boston, Massachusetts. Usability of the online service; Distinct features of the online collection; Levels of the online resources; Ways on searching the online resources.