Major retinal autoantigens remain stably expressed during all stages of spontaneous uveitis

Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) is a valuable model for autoimmune diseases, since it develops frequently and occurs spontaneously. We investigated the overall expression level of three major retinal autoantigens in normal retinas and various ERU stages. Analysis of retinal proteomes of both, healthy and diseased retinas revealed an almost unaffected expression of IRBP, S-antigen and cRALBP in ERU cases. Validation of these findings with western blots and immunohistochemistry confirmed constant to increased expression of these autoantigens, although loss of their physiological expression sites within retina is evident. In contrast to stable expression of autoantigens, rhodopsin, the major component of phototransduction in photoreceptors, disappeared from destructed retinas. These results explain persistent uveitic attacks even in severely damaged eyes and draw the attention to further investigations of biological pathways and regulations in autoimmune target tissues.     

Routine screening mammography in women older than 74 years: a review of the available data

OBJECTIVE: The efficacy of population screening mammography for the age group of 50-74 years has been demonstrated. However, only limited data are available regarding women aged 75 and over, and recommendations for breast cancer screening in this age group vary in different countries. The aim of the current study is to review the evidence of the efficacy of breast cancer screening in women over the age of 74 years. METHODS: Studies published in English were retrieved by systematically searching MEDLINE (for papers published until August 2006), and by manually examining the references of the original articles and reviews retrieved. All studies that dealt with screening mammography over age 74 years were included. The studies were reviewed according to their outcomes and study design, focusing on breast cancer mortality and stage of breast cancer at diagnosis. RESULTS: Three studies focused on the relationship between breast cancer screening and mortality; in the 75-84 years age group, the risk of disease-specific mortality was approximately two-fold higher among women who did not perform screening mammography compared to women who did. Another four studies showed that women who underwent screening mammography had significantly smaller tumors and earlier disease stage at diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Regular mammography screening in older women may be associated with an earlier-stage disease and lower breast cancer mortality. These data support the use of screening mammography above age 75 years based on individual evaluations, rather than setting an upper age limit for breast cancer screening.     

The electrophysiological correlate of contour integration is similar for color and luminance mechanisms

Contour integration perceptually links together similarly oriented line elements hidden between randomly oriented distracters. To investigate how contour integration depends on early sensory processing, we compared the electrophysiological correlate of contour integration of elements defined by luminance (black-and-white) or isoluminant color (red-and-green) contrasts. Detection performance for color- and luminance-defined contours (both open and closed) was matched. Detectable contours elicited a negative shift over posterior electrodes starting 220 ms after stimulus onset. The shift occurred for both color and luminance contrasts, even when possible luminance artifacts in red-and-green stimuli were masked. This indicates a common physiological processing stream for orientation-based contour integration of red-and-green and black-and-white elements.     

Implementation of the redesigned Community Health Fund in the Dodoma region of Tanzania: A qualitative study of views from rural communities

The need to understand how an intervention is received by the beneficiary community is well recognised and particularly neglected in the micro–health insurance (MHI) domain. This study explored the views and reactions of the beneficiary community of the redesigned Community Health Fund (CHF) implemented in the Dodoma region of Tanzania. We collected data from focus group discussions with 24 groups of villagers (CHF members and nonmembers) and in‐depth interviews with 12 key informants (enrolment officers and health care workers). The transcribed material was analysed thematically. We found that participants highly appreciate the scheme, but to be resolved are the challenges posed by the implementation strategies adopted. The responses of the community were nested within a complex pathway relating to their interaction with the implementation strategies and their ongoing reflections regarding the benefits of the scheme. Community reactions ranged from accepting to rejecting the scheme, demanding the right to receive benefit packages once enrolled, and dropping out of the scheme when it failed to meet their expectations. Reported drivers of the responses included intensity of CHF communication activities, management of enrolment procedures, delivery of benefit packages, critical features of the scheme, and contextual factors (health system and socio‐political context). This study highlights that scheme design and implementation strategies that address people's needs, voices, and values can improve uptake of MHI interventions. The study adds to the knowledge base on implementing MHI initiatives and could promote interests in assessing the response to interventions within the MHI domain and beyond.     

A prefabricated precision attachment: 3 years of experience with the Swiss Mini-SG system. A prospective clinical study

The aim of this prospective long-term clinical trial was to verify the clinical success of prefabricated precision attachments with regard to periodontal condition, wearing comfort, and stability of attachment friction. Twenty-eight patients were fitted with 35 prostheses with Swiss Mini-SG precision attachments. Following clinical investigation and monitoring over a 3-year period, 80% of the prostheses were functioning well. The average pocket depth of the abutment teeth at the buccal sites and the periodontal parameters Approximal Plaque Index and Sulcus Bleeding Index showed statistically significant improvements. The abutment tooth mobility (Periotest measurements) decreased. It is not advisable to support the attachments on single abutment teeth.     

Clinical study on the correlation between psychogenic dental prosthesis incompatibility, oral stereognosis, and the psychologic diagnostic tools SCL-90-R and CES-D

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to use an oral stereognosis test to evaluate possible intraoral/sensorimotor causes in patients with a psychologic diagnosis of psychogenic prosthesis incompatibility, and to evaluate possible correlations between oral stereognosis and the psychologic diagnostic tools Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) and Center of Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study cohort comprised 83 patients with complete dentures fabricated according to a standardized protocol. Twelve patients diagnosed with psychogenic prosthesis incompatibility (11 women, 1 man) using the SCL-90-R and CES-D scales in a previous study and a group of 24 randomly selected control subjects (14 women, 10 men) underwent an oral stereognosis test with 10 neutral-tasting plastic test specimens with a maximum edge length of 8 mm in 2 test cycles. RESULTS: The results revealed no significant differences in oral stereognostic ability between patients with diagnosed psychogenic dental prosthesis incompatibility and the control patients. The patients in the test group expressed clear dissatisfaction with their dentures. No correlation was found between oral stereognostic ability and the SCL-90-R or CES-D values. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to use oral stereognosis tests for patients with psychologically diagnosed psychogenic dental prosthesis incompatibility. The diagnosis of psychogenic prosthesis incompatibility by the SCL-90-R and CES-D scales is affirmed by the lack of correlations between the functional/anatomic aspects of oral stereognostic ability, psychologic diagnostic tools, and the clinical picture of psychogenic prosthesis incompatibility. Thus, psychogenic prosthesis incompatibility can be classified more explicitly as a psychosomatic disorder.