A Systematic Review of Job Loss Prevention Interventions for Persons with Inflammatory Arthritis

Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation - Purpose To present an overview of the evidence of the effect of job loss prevention interventions, aiming to improve work ability and decrease absenteeism...     

Indications for thyroxine therapy after surgery for nontoxic benign goitre

Of 287 consecutive patients, surgically treated at our department for benign, nontoxic goitre during a six-year period, 261 could be followed up, on average, 8.0 years postoperatively. Unilateral surgical procedures had been used in 199 patients, subtotal thyroidectomy in 62. 29 patients were treated with thyroxine (T4) immediately postoperatively ("recurrence prophylaxis"); in the other patients thyroxine was only given in cases of hypothyroidism (significant increase of s-TSH). 26 patients had a goitre recurrence 0.5-10 years after surgery; of these 3 had got T4 as "recurrence prophylaxis" and 23 had not. There was no significant difference between patients with and without T4 postoperatively regarding the rate of recurrence. Of 55 patients treated with subtotal thyroidectomy, 33 had postoperative latent (n = 26) or manifest (n = 7) hypothyroidism. Only 13 of 177 patients operated on unilaterally developed hypothyroidism; two of these had Hashimoto's thyroiditis. All cases of hypothyreosis except 4 were detected within the first 12 months of follow-up. This study indicates that routine use of thyroxine as prophylaxis against recurrence after surgery for benign nontoxic goitre can be strongly questioned and that the risk of hypothyroidism is high after subtotal thyroidectomy.     

Continuous blockade of the lumbar plexus after knee surgery: a comparison of the plasma concentrations and analgesic effect of bupivacaine 0.250% and 0.125%

In 20 patients a continuous block of the lumbar plexus was administered after knee-joint surgery, and the analgesic effect of two different concentrations of bupivacaine was compared. The same volume of bupivacaine was given to both groups of patients: a bolus dose of 0.4 ml/kg, 0.5% or 0.25%, followed by infusion of 0.14 ml/kg/h, 0.25% or 0.125%, respectively, via a catheter placed in the neurovascular fascial sheath of the femoral nerve according to the "3-in-1 block" technique. The median morphine consumption during the first 16 h postoperatively was 6.0 mg when bupivacaine 0.5/0.25% was used and 9.5 mg when 0.25/0.125% was used. This difference is not significant. The visual analogue pain scores were also similar in the two groups (P greater than 0.05). All plasma concentrations were below 4 micrograms/ml, the highest concentration measured being 3.6 micrograms/ml. It is concluded that when used for a continuous block of the lumbar plexus after knee-joint surgery, bupivacaine in a concentration of 0.125% offers the same pain relief as a concentration of 0.25%, and the risk of toxic reactions is reduced.     

Screening methods for thyroid hormone disruptors

The U.S. Congress has passed legislation requiring the EPA to implement screening tests for identifying endocrine-disrupting chemicals. A series of workshops was sponsored by the EPA, the Chemical Manufacturers Association, and the World Wildlife Fund; one workshop focused on screens for chemicals that alter thyroid hormone function and homeostasis. Participants at this meeting identified and examined methods to detect alterations in thyroid hormone synthesis, transport, and catabolism. In addition, some methods to detect chemicals that bind to the thyroid hormone receptors acting as either agonists or antagonists were also identified. Screening methods used in mammals as well as other vertebrate classes were examined. There was a general consensus that all known chemicals which interfere with thyroid hormone function and homeostasis act by either inhibiting synthesis, altering serum transport proteins, or by increasing catabolism of thyroid hormones. There are no direct data to support the assertion that certain environmental chemicals bind and activate the thyroid hormone receptors; further research is indicated. In light of this, screening methods should reflect known mechanisms of action. Most methods examined, albeit useful for mechanistic studies, were thought to be too specific and therefore would not be applicable for broad-based screening. Determination of serum thyroid hormone concentrations following chemical exposure in rodents was thought to be a reasonable initial screen. Concurrent histologic evaluation of the thyroid would strengthen this screen. Similar methods in teleosts may be useful as screens, but would require indicators of tissue production of thyroid hormones. The use of tadpole metamorphosis as a screen may also be useful; however, this method requires validation and standardization prior to use as a broad-based screen.     

Social environment and longevity in schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE: The role of social support as a predictor of long-term survival among patients with schizophrenia was examined. METHODS: Social histories were abstracted from the medical records of a cohort of 133 deceased schizophrenic patients admitted for inpatient treatment between 1934 and 1944. Two independent raters assessed the quantity and quality of support available in each patient's social environment. RESULTS: Cox regression analysis revealed that higher quantity of social support was significantly related to survival time (p<.05) after controlling for marital status and quality of support. The Cox model indicated that a 1-point increase in the support quantity rating was associated with a proportional 25% decrease in the hazard rate. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings suggest that social environment, specifically the quantity of social support available to the patient, may impact longevity in psychiatric populations.     

The value of scintigraphy in hips with slipped capital femoral epiphysis and the value of radiography and MRI after 10 years

Preoperative bone scintigraphy of the femoral head in 33 hips with slipped capital femoral epiphysis, showed no relation to duration of symptoms or degree of slip. The preoperative uptake was always normal or increased. Two hips had postoperative femoral head uptake below normal, both had complications affecting the vascular supply, resulting in necrosis of the femoral head and severe arthrosis. At follow-up after 10 (5-15) years of 28 hips, no relation could be demonstrated between Adolescent Hip Questionnaire which included clinical data, and radiography or magnetic resonance imaging. We only recommend scintigraphy after complications jeopardizing the vascular supply of the femoral head in slipped capital femoral epiphysis.     

Suppression of human inflammatory cell function by subtype-selective PDE4 inhibitors correlates with inhibition of PDE4A and PDE4B

1. Of the four major phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) subtypes, PDE4A, PDE4B and PDE4D are widely expressed in human inflammatory cells, including monocytes and T lymphocytes. We explored the functional role of these subtypes using ten subtype-selective PDE4 inhibitors, each belonging to one of two classes: (i) dual PDE4A/PDE4B inhibitors or (ii) PDE4D inhibitors. 2. These compounds were evaluated for their ability to inhibit antigen-stimulated T-cell proliferation and bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) release from peripheral blood monocytes. 3. All compounds inhibited T-cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner; with IC50 values distributed over an approximately 50 fold range. These compounds also inhibited TNFalpha release concentration-dependently, with a wider ( approximately 1000 fold) range of IC50 values. 4. In both sets of experiments, mean IC50 values were significantly correlated with compound potency against the catalytic activity of recombinant human PDE4A or PDE4B when analysed by either linear regression of log IC50 values or by Spearman's rank-order correlation. The correlation between inhibition of inflammatory cell function and inhibition of recombinant PDE4D catalytic activity was not significant in either analysis. 5. These results suggest that PDE4A and/or PDE4B may play the major role in regulating these two inflammatory cell functions but do not rule out PDE4D as an important mediator of other activities in mononuclear leukocytes and other immune and inflammatory cells. Much more work is needed to establish the functional roles of the PDE4 subtypes across a broader range of cellular functions and cell types.     

Improving the nicotinic pharmacophore with a series of (Isoxazole)methylene-1-azacyclic compounds: synthesis, structure-activity relationship, and molecular modeling

A series of (isoxazole)methylene-1-azacyclic compounds was prepared. The compounds were tested for affinity to central nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and central muscarinic receptors. The compounds covered a broad range of affinities for the nAChRs (IC(50) = 0.32 to >1000 nM), with selectivities for the nAChRs over the muscarinic receptors in the range of 3-183. The high-affinity compound (Z)-26 (3-(4-methyl-5-isoxazolyl)methylene-1-azabicyclo[2.2. 2]octane, IC(50) = 3.2 nM) having only one energy minimum was used as the reference structure in a computational study. This ligand has enabled definition of an important distance parameter, and the existence of this parameter was supported by showing that other potent nicotinic ligands (for example, nicotine and epibatidine) fit the model.     

Evaluation of a variable ratio cardioplegia system

Gish Biomedical has designed a blood cardioplegia delivery system (MyoManager) which is purported to provide rapid control of blood and crystalloid solution ratios for myocardial preservation. The present study was designed to evaluate the ability of this device to provide cardioplegia solutions of specific hematocrit and potassium ion concentrations ([K+]). An in vitro circuit was designed whereby a blood perfusate with a [K+] of 5 mEq/L was mixed with a base crystalloid solution containing 210 mEq/L of K+. Data was collected at several blood to crystalloid ratios (1:1, 4:1, 8:1, 16:1, 25:1), and at four delivery rates (100, 150, 200, 250 ml/min). Predicted and observed values of total cardioplegia volume, hematocrit, crystalloid volume, and [K+] were statistically (ANOVA) analyzed, and statistical significance accepted at p 0.05. There were no statistically significant differences observed at any flows or ratios in hematocrit. However, at 100 ml/min flow rates, the crystalloid delivery volume difference of 2.4 +/- 2.0 ml was significantly higher than that observed at 250 ml/min, 1.5 +/- 1.5 ml (p < 0.02) and at 200 ml/min flow rates, 1.5 +/- 1.6 ml (p < 0.02). There was no statistical significance in [K+] difference between flows across all ratios. However, within ratios, a significant difference in [K+] at 100 ml/min, 1:1 blood to crystalloid ratio, was observed (p < 0.0001) versus all other ratios and flows. The only statistically significant difference that was shown in total cardioplegia delivery volume was observed between 100 and 200 ml/min (p < 0.04) when analyzed across all ratios. The data suggests that the MyoManager effectively provides precise control of [K+] and hematocrit at cardioplegia flows greater than 100 ml/min.     

A model for the evaluation of allied health education

The variety and complexity of evaluation designs, procedures and philosophies has proved confusing for educators and health practitioners. Many evaluation models do not provide for the scope of information needed by allied health programs and are inflexible in regard to the information needs of individual programs. The model presented here is based on the principles of "Systems Theory," which provides a comprehensive framework for the study of educational programs. Input, process, product and environment components are proposed as a method to study all aspects of program operations. With clearly definable rules for the evaluator and program decision-makers, the faculty can adopt and change the course of the evaluation as they work through the planning, implementation and recycling stages of the model. Use of the model should help programs identify information needs and bring existing evaluation efforts together under a comprehensive umbrella.