HLA-DRB1, -DQA1, -DQB1, -DPA1 and -DPB1 genes in Japanese multiple sclerosis patients

Japanese MS patients and controls were examined for the distribution of HLA-DRB1, -DQA1, -DQB1, -DPA1 and -DPB1 alleles using in vitro amplification of genomic DNA and probing with sequence-specific oligonucleotides. No significant difference in frequency of the examined alleles was observed among the two groups. This is in contrast to Norwegian MS patients, where an association to a combination of certain DQA1 and DQB1 alleles has previously been demonstrated.     

Rheumatoid arthritis may be primarily associated with HLA-DR4 molecules sharing a particular sequence at residues 67–74

Genomic typing of in vitro amplified DNA with sequence-specific oligonucleotide (SSO) probes was performed for DRB1, DQA1, DQB1, DPA1 and DPB1 alleles in 54 random Norwegian rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and 181 healthy controls. DRB1 alleles encoding the serological specificity DR4 were found in 80% of the patients, compared to 34% of the controls (relative risk = 7.9, p less than 0.0001). All DR4-positive RA patients carried either DRB1*0401 (Dw4), 0404 (Dw14), or 0405 (Dw15), while no patients were found to carry DRB1*0402 (Dw10) or 0403 (Dw13). The frequency of the DRB1*0101 allele encoding DR1 was not increased, even among DR4-negative RA patients, and we were unable to detect any sharing of other class II alleles among DR4-negative patients. No contribution of any DQA1, DQB1, DPA1 or DPB1 alleles to RA susceptibility could be detected. The results suggest that in the Norwegian population RA is primarily associated with a shared sequence at residues 67-74 of the DR beta 1 chain, but only when this sequence is expressed on DR4 molecules.     

Implementing a Stratified Vocational Advice Intervention for People on Sick Leave with Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Multimethod Process Evaluation

Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation - Purpose To perform a process evaluation of a stratified vocational advice intervention (SVAI), delivered by physiotherapists in primary care, for people on...     

The effects of bright light treatment on subjective and objective sleepiness during three consecutive night shifts among hospital nurses – a counter-balanced placebo-controlled crossover study

Objectives:The objective was to investigate effects of timed bright light treatment on subjective and objective measures of sleepiness during three consecutive night shifts among hospital nurses.Methods:Thirty-five nurses were exposed to bright light (10,000 lux) and red dim light (100 lux) during three consecutive night shifts in a counter-balanced crossover trial lasting nine days, which included three days before and three days after the three night shifts. Light exposure for 30 minutes was scheduled between 02:00–03:00 hours on night 1, and thereafter delayed by one hour per night in order to delay the circadian rhythm. Subjective sleepiness was measured daily (heavy eyelids, reduced performance) and every second hour while awake (Karolinska Sleepiness Scale, KSS). Objective sleepiness (Psychomotor Vigilance Task, PVT) was measured at 05:00 hours during each night shift. Beyond nocturnal light exposure on the night shifts, no behavioral restrictions or recommendations were given at or off work.Results:Bright light treatment significantly reduced heavy eyelids during night shifts. However, results on KSS and PVT were unaffected by bright light. There were no differences in subjective sleepiness during the three days following the night shifts.Conclusions:This bright light treatment protocol did not convincingly reduce sleepiness among nurses during three consecutive night shifts. Nor did bright light impede the readaptation back to a day-oriented rhythm following the night shift period. Too few consecutive night shifts, inappropriate timing of light, and possible use of other countermeasures are among the explanations for the limited effects of bright light in the present study.     

Association between food patterns and difficulties in falling asleep among adolescents in Norway — a descriptive Young-Hunt3 study

Journal of Public Health - Adolescents’ sleep duration has decreased over the past century; this is mainly caused by problems with falling asleep. Short sleep duration, poor sleep quality,...     

Expression of activated extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 in malignant melanomas: relationship with clinical outcome.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present work was to analyze the protein expression of activated extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) in a panel of superficial spreading (SSM) and nodular (NM) primary and metastatic melanomas, and to correlate the expression level with clinicopathological parameters. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Expression of activated ERK1/2 was examined by immunohistochemistry in 172 primary melanomas (108 SSM and 64 NMs), 67 metastatic lesions, and in 41 benign nevi. RESULTS: Fifty four percent of primary and 33% of metastatic melanomas expressed variable levels of activated ERK1/2. No immunoreactivity was detected in benign nevi. In 21% of the primaries only cytoplasmic expression was detected, whereas 3% and 30% showed positive immunoreactivity in either nucleus or cytoplasm and nucleus, respectively. Activated ERK1/2 expression varied significantly with the thickness of superficial spreading melanomas, with lower expression in thinner lesions (P = 0.016). A significant correlation between activated ERK1/2 and cyclin D1 (P = 0.031) in nodular, as well as between activated ERK1/2 and cyclin D3 (P = 0.030) in SSMs were observed. The protein level of p27(Kip1) correlated with activated ERK1/2 (P = 0.048) in the nucleus. Furthermore, a strong inverse correlation between activated ERK1/2 and membrane-bound beta-catenin (P = 0.004) in nodular melanomas was revealed. Activation of ERK1/2 did not have any impact on relapse-free or overall survival. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that activation of ERK1/2 may be involved in cell cycle regulation in SSMs. Moreover, the inverse association between membrane-bound beta-catenin and ERK1/2 in NMs suggest that ERK1/2 activation may play a role in decreasing homotypic interactions through destabilization of beta-catenin.     

Effectiveness of physical activity on cardiorespiratory fitness and health-related quality of life in young and middle-aged cancer patients shortly after chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a supervised home-based flexible training program on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), mental distress, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) parameters in young and middle-aged cancer patients shortly after curative chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred eleven patients age 18 to 50 years who had received chemotherapy for lymphomas or breast, gynecologic, or testicular cancer completed the trial. These patients were randomly allocated to either an intervention group (n = 59), which underwent a 14-week training program, or a control group (n = 52) that received standard care. Primary outcome was change in CRF, as determined by Astrand-Rhyming indirect bicycle ergometer test (maximum oxygen uptake [VO(2max)]), between baseline (T0) and follow-up (T1). Secondary outcomes were mental distress, as assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and HRQOL, as assessed by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire. Two-way analysis of covariance was used to analyze changes from T0 to T1. RESULTS: VO(2max) increased by 6.4 mL/kg(-1)/min(-1) in patients in the intervention group and by 3.1 mL/kg(-1)/min(-1) in patients in the control group (P < .01). The fatigue score decreased by 17.0 points in the control group compared with only 5.8 points in the intervention group (P < .01). There were no intergroup differences in mental distress or HRQOL. CONCLUSION: A supervised, home-based, flexible training program has significant effect on CRF in young and middle-aged cancer patients shortly after curative chemotherapy, but it has no favorable effect on patients' experience of fatigue, mental distress, or HRQOL.