Economic Evaluation of an Extended Telehealth Worksite Exercise Intervention to Reduce Lost Work Time from Low Back Pain in Career Firefighters

Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation - Purpose Low back pain (LBP) is a leading cause of lost work time (LWT) in firefighters and is related to poor muscle endurance. Although exercise can...     

Prevention and screening efficacy messages in newspaper accounts of cancer

The news media are a primary source of cancer prevention and detection information for the general public, but little is known about the content of cancer prevention and detection messages in mainstream media. This study examines how cancer prevention and screening efficacy messages are presented in cancer news media coverage. Efficacy messages provide information about skills related to prevention and screening behaviors. Analysis of cancer-related stories in 44 major US daily newspapers during 2003 (n = 2448) reveals that efficacy messages were rarely present in cancer stories. Efficacy messages were less likely to appear in stories that had a 'local' angle, but efficacy messages were more likely to appear in stories that contained 'mobilizing information' (additional resources for readers) or stories that mentioned highly preventable cancers (lung, skin, esophagus and bladder). The discussion includes a theory of norms for effectively influencing cancer-related behaviors through news reports. Implications of this work extend to the lack of efficacy messages when highly detectable cancers are mentioned, thus the lack of actionable information when health risks are presented, and a dearth of efficacy messages when localized information is present, each of which represent key areas for encouraging health journalists to include more efficacy statements.     

Attachment of human epithelial cells and periodontal ligament fibroblasts to tooth dentin

A goal of treatment in periodontal therapy is to regenerate a new fibroblastic attachment rather than to repair lost attachment with a long junctional epithelium. To date, there is no evidence that fibroblastic attachment formed during regeneration is stronger or less susceptible to periodontal breakdown than a long junctional epithelial attachment. We measured the rate and strength of attachment of epithelial cells (NHEK) and periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PDLF) cultured individually and cocultured to dentin surfaces to determine which cell type has a faster attachment rate and greater adhesive strength to human dentin, and whether the cell types attach independently. Longitudinal dentin slices were seeded with either PDLF or NHEK for 2 or 24 h. The specimens were placed into a parallel plate flow chamber and defined laminar shear stresses were applied. Shear stress was created by step increases in fluid flow rate. Effluent fluid was collected and cell numbers (detached) were counted using a hemocytometer. Cocultures of PDLF and NHEK at three seeding ratios (10:1, 1:1, 1:10) were also tested. Each cell type attached equally well to polystyrene or dentin. PDLF showed a stronger attachment to polystyrene and dentin at 24 versus 2 h. NHEK attached to polystyrene or dentin equally well at 2 and 24 h. NHEK were more strongly attached after 2 h when compared to PDLF. PDLF were more strongly attached after 24 h versus NHEK. When NHEK and PDLF were seeded together on dentin at a 1:1 ratio, PDLF appeared to be more strongly attached than NHEK at 2 but not 24 h. At a ratio of 10 PDLF:1 NHEK, PDLF appeared to be more strongly attached at 2 and 24 h. At a ratio of 1 PDLF:10 NHEK, NHEK appeared to be more strongly attached at 2 h, but PDLF showed a trend of stronger attachment at 24 h. We conclude that epithelial cells attach more quickly to dentin surfaces than PDLF, but do not demonstrate increased attachment strength over time (PDLF do show increased attachment strength overtime). The purported advantages of periodontal regeneration over periodontal repair are supported by our results. Furthermore, our results support the concept of guided tissue regeneration. On the basis of on cellular competition experiments, epithelial cells and PDLF do not act independently, because epithelial cells enhanced the attachment rate of PDLF.     

Examination of the Cognitive Diathesis-Stress Conceptualization of the Hopelessness Theory of Depression in Children With Chronic Illness: The Moderating Influence of Illness Uncertainty

This study utilized a cognitive diathesis-stress conceptualization to examine the relationship of attributional style and illness uncertainty to depression in children with type 1 diabetes, asthma, or cystic fibrosis. Children ages 8 to 12 completed measures of illness uncertainty, attributions for illness-unrelated negative events, and depressive symptoms. Results indicated that general attributions for negative events predicted higher levels of depressive symptoms under conditions of both high and low illness uncertainty. Subsequent plotting of the regressions revealed that depressive symptoms were greater at higher levels of uncertainty when attributions were stable and global. Findings support a diathesis-stress conceptualization in pediatric chronic illness and highlight the importance of interventions targeting management of illness uncertainty and maladaptive cognitions.     

Comparison of the acceptance of progressive addition multifocals with blended bifocals

An evaluation of the relative influence of the optical features of two forms of invisible addition lenses, one of progressive power form and one in blended bifocal form, is made upon a number of subjects. One group consisted of previous progressive lens wearers and served not only the above purpose but also as an analysis of patient preference after the initial novelty had worn off. The second group consisted of subjects unacquainted with either type presented in a double-masked procedure. Progressive forms of invisible lenses were overwhelmingly preferred over blended forms in both groups. The first group also showed a preponderant inclination for retention of progressive lenses after some span of wear even among subjects previously accustomed to the usual visible bifocal forms.     

Human prosthetic joint infections are associated with myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs): Implications for infection persistence

Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a devastating complication of joint arthroplasty surgery typified by biofilm formation. Currently, mechanisms whereby biofilms persist and evade immune‐mediated clearance in immune competent patients remain largely ill‐defined. Therefore, the current study characterized leukocyte infiltrates and inflammatory mediator expression in tissues from patients with PJI compared to aseptic loosening. CD33⁺HLA‐DR^?CD66b⁺CD14^?/low granulocytic myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (G‐MDSCs) were the predominant leukocyte population at sites of human PJI compared to aseptic tissues. MDSCs inhibit T cell proliferation, which coincided with reduced T cells in PJIs compared to aseptic tissues. IL‐10, IL‐6, and CXCL1 were significantly elevated in PJI tissues and have been implicated in MDSC inhibitory activity, expansion, and recruitment, respectively, which may account for their preferential increase in PJIs. This bias towards G‐MDSC accumulation during human PJI could account for the chronicity of these infections by preventing the pro‐inflammatory, antimicrobial actions of immune effector cells. Clinical significance: Animal models of PJI have revealed a critical role for MDSCs and IL‐10 in promoting infection persistence; however, whether this population is prevalent during human PJI and across distinct bacterial pathogens remains unknown. This study has identified that granulocytic‐MDSC infiltrates are unique to human PJIs caused by distinct bacteria, which are not associated with aseptic loosening of prosthetic joints. Better defining the immune status of human PJIs could lead to novel immune‐mediated approaches to facilitate PJI clearance in combination with conventional antibiotics. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:1605–1613, 2018.

     

Cortical iron mediates age‐related decline in fluid cognition

Brain iron dyshomeostasis disrupts various critical cellular functions, and age‐related iron accumulation may contribute to deficient neurotransmission and cell death. While recent studies have linked excessive brain iron to cognitive function in the context of neurodegenerative disease, little is known regarding the role of brain iron accumulation in cognitive aging in healthy adults. Further, previous studies have focused primarily on deep gray matter regions, where the level of iron deposition is highest. However, recent evidence suggests that cortical iron may also contribute to cognitive deficit and neurodegenerative disease. Here, we used quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) to measure brain iron in 67 healthy participants 18–78 years of age. Speed‐dependent (fluid) cognition was assessed from a battery of 12 psychometric and computer‐based tests. From voxelwise QSM analyses, we found that QSM susceptibility values were negatively associated with fluid cognition in the right inferior temporal gyrus, bilateral putamen, posterior cingulate gyrus, motor, and premotor cortices. Mediation analysis indicated that susceptibility in the right inferior temporal gyrus was a significant mediator of the relation between age and fluid cognition, and similar effects were evident for the left inferior temporal gyrus at a lower statistical threshold. Additionally, age and right inferior temporal gyrus susceptibility interacted to predict fluid cognition, such that brain iron was negatively associated with a cognitive decline for adults over 45 years of age. These findings suggest that iron may have a mediating role in cognitive decline and may be an early biomarker of neurodegenerative disease.