Health promotion programs, modifiable health risks, and employee absenteeism

This literature review demonstrates that the health risks and failure of employees to participate in fitness and health promotion programs are associated with higher rates of employee absenteeism. When determining how to manage absenteeism, employers should carefully consider the impact that health promotion programs can have on rates of absenteeism and other employee-related expenses.     

Fanconi anemia A due to a novel frameshift mutation in hotspot motifs: lack of FANCA protein

Homozygosity for a frameshift mutation at codon 1213 of FANCA gene was identified in a Turkish patient. Immunoprecipitation-western blot analysis showed the complete absence of the FANCA protein band. This novel mutation, a deletion of T at position 3639 in exon 37 (3639delT), is responsible for the disease and causes premature termination of translation 32 aa downstream. The deletion is (i) the T residue of 2 overlapping TGAGGC and CCTG hot spot motifs, (ii) flanked by several direct repeats, (iii) surrounded by the highly GC rich region that have frequently been identified at the site of human DNA deletions. The patient is the third living child of a first degree cousin marriage. The major abnormalities of the patient at the age of 6 months were growth retardation, microcephaly, hypoplastic right thumb, distal displacements of both thumbs and pelvic displacement of left kidney. Hematological presentation of the disease started before the age of 4 years.     

Outcome in congenital stridor (laryngomalacia)

Twenty-one children who had been diagnosed as having laryngomalacia by direct laryngoscopy in infancy were reviewed 7 to 12 years later. The natural history of the disease is documented. A wide variation in the time of onset and duration of the stridor was found and there was a high incidence of feeding difficulties. A previously reported association with mental retardation or cerebral palsy is not confirmed. 4 out of the 21 children had early speech problems.     

Precise intraoperative location of gastrointestinal bleeding with a hand-held counter. Work in progress

The nuclear medicine bleeding scan is frequently insufficient to locate sites of bleeding precisely, in spite of its great sensitivity. A small, hand-held Geiger-Müller counter, placed directly on exposed intestine in the operating room, enables precise location of the probable bleeding site. In three patients, the technique allowed a minimal amount of intestine to be resected, distinguished between large- and small-intestinal hemorrhage, and eliminated other foci as sites of bleeding.     

Differential expression of pepsinogen isozymogens in a patient with Barrett esophagus

The pepsinogen A (PGA) isozymogens in the gastric mucosa and Barrett epithelium of a female patient with Barrett esophagus were studied on different occasions during a 3-year period by electrophoretic analysis of in vivo steady-state pepsinogen in biopsies by activity staining in combination with variant specific monoclonal antibodies and of de novo synthesized pepsinogen by autoradiography. In Barrett epithelium only one (Pg3) or two (Pg3 and Pg5) primary PGA gene products were detected, whereas in gastric mucosal biopsies three (Pg3, Pg4 and Pg5) primary gene products were demonstrated on all occasions. These differences strongly suggest differential expression/activation of individual gene numbers in the PGA gene cluster in Barrett esophagus and are in line with the preneoplastic nature of this condition. The mechanism behind this deregulation is currently under investigation by cell biology and molecular genetic techniques.     

Effects of a very-low-calorie diet and physical-training regimens on body composition and resting metabolic rate in obese females

Sixty-nine obese females received 90 d of a liquid diet providing 2184 kJ/d in clinical trials. Groups were diet only (C), diet plus endurance exercise (EE), diet plus weight training (WT), or diet plus endurance exercise and weight training (EEWT). Changes in body weight, percent fat, fat weight, and fat-free mass were not different between groups. Declines in resting metabolic rate (RMR) were approximately 7% to approximately 12% of baseline values with no differences among groups. A significant increase in work capacity (approximately 16%) was shown for EEWT. Strength index showed declines of approximately 6% for C and EE and gains of approximately 3% and approximately 10% for EEWT and WT, respectively. These clinical trials did not show advantages of any exercise regimen over diet alone for weight loss, body-composition changes, or declines in RMR. Improvements in work capacity were limited and strength improved in groups that participated in strength training.