Orofacial evaluation of individuals with temporomandibular disorder after LED therapy associated or not of occlusal splint: a randomized double-blind controlled clinical study

Lasers in Medical Science - This study compared the effects of LED therapy associated with occlusal splint (OS) on the signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorder (TMD). In this randomized,...     

Outcomes of Delayed Graft Function in Kidney Transplant Recipients Stratified by Histologic Biopsy Findings

Delayed graft function (DGF) after kidney transplantation is associated with an increased risk of graft failure. We studied the histologic findings among adult kidney transplant recipients transplanted between January 2000 and June 2015 who had DGF and had a kidney biopsy within 14 days of transplant. Death censored graft failure (DCGF) and death at 1 and 3 years after transplant were examined. A total of 269 transplant recipients fulfilled our selection criteria, of which 152 (56.51%) had acute tubular necrosis (ATN), 44 (16.4%) had acute rejection (AR), mainly T-cell mediated rejection (n = 31), 35 (13%) had ATN with AR (mainly T-cell mediated rejection, n = 26), and 38 (14.1%) had other pathology. Compared with those with ATN alone, kidney transplant recipients with AR alone had a significantly higher risk of DCGF at 1 year post transplant (adjusted hazard ratio = 3.70; 95% confidence interval 1.5-9.5; P = .006). Those with AR alone had an increased risk of DCGF at 3 years post transplant (hazard ratio = 3.10; 95% confidence interval 1.3-8.5; P = .01) in crude analyses. There was no association between DGF etiology and mortality. Early renal biopsy can be used to distinguish AR, which has protocolized treatments, from other etiologies. This could potentially alter allograft survival within 1 year of transplant complicated by DGF.     

Perceived Confidentiality Risks of Mobile Technology-Based Ecologic Momentary Assessment to Assess High-Risk Behaviors Among Rural Men Who Have Sex with Men

Archives of Sexual Behavior - Although men who have sex with men (MSM) within rural communities are disproportionately impacted by HIV, limited HIV research and programmatic resources are directed...     

Revision of the Parenting Stress Index

To facilitate early identification of children at risk for developmentof behavioral or emotional disturbance, the Parenting StressIndex (PSI) is designed as a screening and diagnostic instrumentthat measures the relative magnitude of stress in the parent-childsystem. For this study, the most re cent revision of the PSI,Form 6, was evaluated for reliability and factorial validityusing a sample of 534 parents. Form 6 of the PSI was found tohave even higher reliability than previous forms, supportingits continued usefulness both for preliminary screening andfor pretesl/posttest measure ment of the effectiveness of counselingprograms and intervention tech niques. Form 6 of the PSI wasalso found to have high factorial validity, suggesting thatthe domain scores and subscale scores may be confidently utilizedto provide information about specific sources of stress in theparent-child system which should be the focus of further attentionand professional assistance.     

A prospective study of the accuracy of preoperative computed tomographic staging of patients with biopsy-proven rectal carcinoma

From June 1983 to January 1986, 91 patients with biopsy-proven adenocarcinoma of the rectum had computed tomographic scans of the pelvis performed before treatment as part of a "sandwich" radiotherapy-surgery regimen. Two experienced diagnostic radiologists performed locoregional staging of all scans according to the University of California at San Francisco criteria; one of these radiologists repeated this staging at a later time to test the reproducibility of a single observer. Staging was performed without the use of any other radiographic studies or of any clinical information except the patients' age, sex, and the diagnosis of rectal carcinoma, to test the value of computed tomographic scans alone for staging. Agreement between the two stagings performed by the first observer was 51 percent, and interobserver agreement was only 37 percent. Agreement with Dukes' staging was only 33 percent. Therefore, preoperative pelvic computed tomographic scanning of primary rectal adenocarcinoma should not be relied upon for staging or for the selection of patients for treatment options.     

A breast feeding education and promotion program: Effects on knowledge,attitudes, and support for breast feeding

This study was undertaken to determine the effects of a partner-support, incentive-baed educational program on breast feeding knowledge, attitudes and support and to examine the relationship between feeding intentions and feeding behavior among low-income women. Women who expressed a willingness to participate in the intervention were randomly assigned to intervention and usual breast feeding (control) groups. Sixty-eight primipara women, with expected due dates between May and December, 1992, volunteered to participate in the study. Of these, 34 were randomly assigned to each of the two groups. Approximately 81 percent of the women completed the study, leaving n=29 in the control group and n-26 in the intervention group. The intervention consisted of special incentives (prizes) for women and their partners to participate in several breast feeding education and promotion activities. Intervention group women and their partners experienced positive changes in breast feeding knowledge and attitudes. Furthermore, the intervention seemed to have influenced more women in the treatment group to breast feed despite their prenatal feeding intentions. In addition, the partners of intervention group women were perceived to be more supportive of, breast feeding than control group partners. These findings suggest that incentives, such as donated prizes, can be used to attract lower socioeconomic group women and their partners to breast feeding promotion interventions. Participation in such interventions can produce positive changes in breast feeding knowledge, attitudes, and support, and can have a dramatic effect in promoting breast feeding.This study was supported through contract no. 59-3198-1-050 from the Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.     

Field stimulation-induced responses of circular smooth muscle from guinea-pig stomach

Summary Field stimulation of circular smooth muscle of guinea-pig stomach from the regions of the cardia and fundus caused contraction responses at low stimulation frequencies (0.25–1 Hz) with relaxation at higher frequencies (1–10 Hz), whilst tissues of the body and antrum responded with contraction throughout the frequency range. Atropine (10^–9–10^–8 M) antagonised the contraction responses of all tissues, with relaxation developing at higher concentrations (except for antral tissue). In contrast, metoclopramide (10^–8–10^–6 M) caused modest (cardia, fundus) or marked (body, antrum) enhancement of contractions to field stimulation, whilst domperidone (10^–8–10^–7 M), haloperidol (10^–8–10^–6 M), prazosin, propranolol and methysergide (10^–8–10^–6 M) failed to modify the contraction responses. However, whilst yohimbine and guanethidine failed to modify the contractions of the cardia, fundus and body tissues, those of the antral preparations were antagonised by nanomolar concentrations of yohimbine and by guanethidine (10^–6–5×10^–5 M). To optimise the relaxation responses for study, atropine was included in the physiological solution. Relaxation to field stimulation of preparations from the body and cardia, but not the fundus, was antagonised by reserpine pretreatment (5 mg/kg i.p., 24h), addition of guanethidine (10^–5–10^–4 M), phentolamine, prazosin or propranolol (10^–7–10^–6 M) (the effects of prazosin and propranolol being additive). Higher concentrations of haloperidol and domperidone antagonised the relaxation responses of the body preparations only. Metoclopramide, yohimbine and methysergide (10^–8–10^–6 M) were ineffective. Thus, it is concluded that the contractile effects of the 4 stomach areas to field stimulation reflects a major cholinergic involvement, with an additional ₂-adrenoceptor contractile component in antral tissue. Relaxation responses of cardia and body tissue involve ₂- and -adrenoceptors plus a further, unidentified, non-adrenergic component; the latter represents the total relaxation response of the fundic preparation.     

Apomorphine contracts and relaxes circular smooth muscle of guinea-pig stomach via action on adrenoceptor mechanisms

Summary Nanomolar concentrations of apomorphine caused contractions of the circular smooth muscle from the body region of the guinea-pig stomach, the response showing rapid tachyphylaxis. These contractions were antagonised by yohimbine but not by prazosin, haloperidol, propranolol or methysergide. Higher concentrations of apomorphine caused concentration-related relaxations of the stomach body which were not subject to tachyphylaxis. These were antagonised by propranolol but not by prazosin, yohimbine or haloperidol. Dopamine-induced contractions of the circular smooth muscle from the stomach body were antagonised by apomorphine in nanomolar concentration; acetylcholine-induced contractions and isoprenaline-, dopamine- and phenylephrine-induced relaxations were unaffected by apomorphine. Thus, it is concluded that the contraction of circular smooth muscle from the stomach body to apomorphine is mediated via an adrenoceptor with characteristics of the ₂-type, and that a partial agonist-antagonists action prevents subsequent contractile responses to apomorphine and dopamine. Relaxation caused only at higher concentrations of apomorphine is mediated via an adrenoceptor with characteristics of the -type.