The effect of a proprioceptive balance board training program for the prevention of ankle sprains: a prospective controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Ankle sprains are the most common injuries in a variety of sports. HYPOTHESIS: A proprioceptive balance board program is effective for prevention of ankle sprains in volleyball players. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective controlled study. METHODS: There were 116 male and female volleyball teams followed prospectively during the 2001-2002 season. Teams were randomized by 4 geographical regions to an intervention group (66 teams, 641 players) and control group (50 teams, 486 players). Intervention teams followed a prescribed balance board training program; control teams followed their normal training routine. The coaches recorded exposure on a weekly basis for each player. Injuries were registered by the players within 1 week after onset. RESULTS: Significantly fewer ankle sprains in the intervention group were found compared to the control group (risk difference = 0.4/1000 playing hours; 95% confidence interval, 0.1-0.7). A significant reduction in ankle sprain risk was found only for players with a history of ankle sprains. The incidence of overuse knee injuries for players with history of knee injury was increased in the intervention group. History of knee injury may be a contraindication for proprioceptive balance board training. CONCLUSIONS: Use of proprioceptive balance board program is effective for prevention of ankle sprain recurrences.     

4种支架构建复合式口腔黏膜的组织学特点

目的利用4种不同支架材料构建复合式口腔黏膜,并比较其组织结构特点。方法体外培养人口腔黏膜的成纤维细胞和角质形成细胞,在4种支架材料中加入成纤维细胞,培养7d后,在支架表面加入角质形成细胞,培养4d后,移至气-液界面继续培养7d。苏木精-伊红染色镜下观察构建的复合式口腔黏膜的组织形态学特点。结果 4种支架均可构建形成复层上皮。其中,上皮层与脱细胞真皮基质材料(de-epidermised dermis,DED)结合紧密,形成的人工黏膜有明显的上皮钉突。不同于以往报道,上皮层与Alloderm结合并不十分紧密。以胶原凝胶为基质形成的人工口腔黏膜最厚,有明显分层。以胶原海绵-胶原凝胶为基质形成的复层上皮在部分区域长入至胶原海绵的空隙中。结论以DED和胶原凝胶为支架构建的口腔黏膜更接近于天然结构,而后者脆性较大,限制了其临床应用的可能。     

肠息肉发生的细胞和分子生物学研究进展

肠息肉是一类从黏膜表面突出到肠腔内的隆起状病变的临床诊断．在最近的研究中陆续证实,其发生和发展的原因和机制,是由于Bmprla,APC,SMAD4,PTEN,STK11等基强突变而使各种细胞信号分子通过影响BMP信号通路,PTEN信号通路及Wnt信号通路所组成的生长信号调控网络,造成β-catenin在肠干细胞中的过度积聚,使得肠干细胞功能紊乱,导致其自我更新、克隆增殖、分化和凋亡失去平衡的结果．     

Stability and change of emotional functioning in late life: modelling of vulnerability profiles

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The present study investigated stability and change in emotional well-being in a prospective study of a large sample of community-dwelling older adults (> or = 55 years). Emotional functioning was conceptualized according to the tripartite model distinguishing three aspects: general negative affect (NA), depression, and anxiety. The study tested models for the decline of mental health in late life based on the diathesis-stress model. In previous studies, support has been found for the diathesis-stress model (for an overview, see [Goldberg, D.P., Huxley, P., 1992. Common mental disorders: a biosocial model. Routledge, London; Zuckerman, M., 1999. Vulnerability to psychopathology. American Psychological Association, Washington, DC.]). The predictive ability of vulnerability factors (the personality characteristics mastery and neuroticism) and stressful life events and their interaction was tested for an increase in general negative affect, decreased positive affect (PA), and increased anxiety. More specifically, we tested the hypothesis that loss leads to decreased positive affect in subjects with low mastery, whereas threat leads to anxiety in subjects with high neuroticism. METHODS: Data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA) were used. LASA is a longitudinal study in a large representative sample of adults aged 55 to 85 (N=1837). Self-report data on depression, anxiety, and negative affect were collected from adults over a 6-year period in three waves. The data were analyzed using multilevel analysis. RESULTS: The findings revealed an association between low mastery, high neuroticism, and an increase in negative affect, lack of positive affect, and anxiety. Furthermore, high mastery protected against the negative impact of loss events, but neuroticism did not augment the negative impact of threat events on emotional health. CONCLUSION: Partial support was found for a diathesis-stress model of change in emotional functioning in late life. Furthermore, support was found for distinguishing between symptoms of negative affect, depression, and anxiety.     

Internet-Based Treatment for Adults with Depressive Symptoms: Randomized Controlled Trial

Background

Many depressed people do not receive help for their symptoms, and there are various barriers that impede help-seeking. The Internet may offer interesting alternatives for reaching and helping people with depression. Depression can be treated effectively with Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), but a short intervention based on problem solving therapy (PST) could constitute a worthwhile alternative to CBT.

Objective

In this study we evaluated the effectiveness of Internet-based CBT and Internet-based PST in comparison to a waiting list control group (WL), and we determined the differences between the two treatments.

Methods

We conducted a 3-arm randomized controlled trial to compare CBT, PST, and WL. The main inclusion criterion was presence of depressive symptoms (≥ 16 on the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale). CBT and PST consisted of eight and five weekly lessons respectively. Participants were supported by email. Self-report measures of depression, anxiety, and quality of life were completed at pretest and after 5, 8, and 12 weeks.

Results

A total of 263 participants were randomized to the three conditions (CBT: n=88; PST: n=88; WL: n=87). Of the 263 participants, 184 (70%) completed questionnaires after 5 weeks, 173 (66%) after 8 weeks, and 151 (57%) after 12 weeks. Between-group effect sizes for depressive symptoms were 0.54 for CBT after 8 weeks (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.25 - 0.84) and 0.47 for PST after 5 weeks (95% CI: 0.17 - 0.77). These effects were further improved at 12 weeks (CBT: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.41 - 0.98; PST: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.36 - 0.95). For anxiety, effect sizes were also at a medium level. Effect sizes for quality of life were low. The number of participants showing clinically significant change at 12 weeks was significantly higher for CBT (n = 34, 38.6%) and PST (n = 30, 34.1%), compared to WL (n = 0).

Conclusions

Both Internet-based treatments are effective in reducing depressive symptoms, although the effect of PST is realized more quickly.

Trial Registration

International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): 16823487; http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN16823487/16823487 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/5cQsOj7xf).     

Smoking behaviour and biological maturation in males and females: a 20-year longitudinal study. Analysis of data from the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study

Primary objective : (1) Describe the longitudinal smoking behaviour of boys and girls during adolescence in relation to calendar age, skeletal age, years from peak height velocity (PHV) and years from menarche (in girls). (2) and (3) Investigate the timing of biological maturation (early or late maturation) in relation to smoking behaviour in adolescence and in adulthood (i.e. calendar age 32/33). Hypothesis : We hypothesized skeletal age, years from PHV and years from menarche to be better predictors of smoking than calendar age. Research design : This study is part of the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGAHLS) that was started in 1977 with 619 pupils from two secondary schools (mean age 13.0 SD 0.6). Methods and procedures : Smoking behaviour was assessed four times between 1977 and 1980 and once in 1996/1997. Calendar age and skeletal age were measured annually whereas height and menarche were measured every 4 months. Maturation rate (skeletal age minus calendar age), age at PHV and age at menarche were used to estimate timing of biological maturation. Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) analysis was used to study maturation rate in relation to smoking during adolescence, whereas logistic regression analyses were used to study mean maturation rate, years from PHV and years from menarche in relation to smoking in adulthood. Outcomes and results : Skeletal age, years from PHV and years from menarche are no better predictors of smoking during adolescence than calendar age. The prevalence of smoking rises gradually with the increase in all four estimates of biological maturation. Timing of biological maturation was positively related to smoking but only at calendar age 13 (OR 3.34, CI 1.58, 7.07). None of the three measures to estimate timing of biological maturation was significantly related to smoking status in adulthood.     

Serum concentrations of oestradiol-17beta, progesterone, relaxin and chorionic gonadotrophin during blastocyst implantation in natural pregnancy cycle and in embryo transfer cycle in the rhesus monkey

The present study was undertaken to assess the temporal association between the profiles of serum concentrations of oestradiol-17beta, progesterone, chorionic gonadotrophin (CG) and relaxin in pregnancies established naturally, and after embryo transfer, as well as in failed pregnancies in rhesus monkeys. In naturally mated cycles (group 1) a conception rate of 75% was obtained. In group 1, the mean day of CG detection in serum was 11.5 +/- 1.9 day post-ovulation, and for relaxin, 9.0 +/- 2.5 day post-ovulation. In group 2, embryo transfer to synchronous, non-mated surrogate recipients was performed; seven embryo transfer cycles yielded three pregnancies which were allowed to continue to term and normal infants were delivered. In embryo transfer cycles the mean day of CG detection was 14.8 +/- 1.8 day post- ovulation, and for relaxin, 11.4 +/- 2.6 day post-ovulation. A delay of about 3 days was observed in the appearance in circulation of CG (P < 0.05) and also of relaxin (P < 0.05) between natural mated and embryo transfer conception cycles. Significant differences (P < 0.05 for progesterone and P < 0.03 for oestradiol) were obtained for the areas under the curves for progesterone and oestradiol between days 12 and 16 in conception cycles compared with failed pregnancies. These data provide the first observation of the normal hormonal signals associated with maternal recognition of transferred embryos during the peri- implantation period, and suggest that the use of such an experimental primate embryo transfer model may help to elucidate components of maternal and embryonic signal-response mechanisms during embryo implantation.