Design of the Balance@Work project: systematic development, evaluation and implementation of an occupational health guideline aimed at the prevention of weight gain among employees

Background  

Occupational health professionals may play an important role in preventive health promotion activities for employees. However, due to a lack of knowledge and evidence- and practice based methods and strategies, interventions are hardly being implemented by occupational physicians to date. The aim of the Balance@Work project is to develop, evaluate, and implement an occupational health guideline aimed at the prevention of weight gain among employees.     

Modulation of gastrointestinal function by MuDelta,a mixed μ opioid receptor agonist/ μ opioid receptor antagonist

BACKGROUND & PURPOSE

Loperamide is a selective µ opioid receptor agonist acting locally in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract as an effective anti-diarrhoeal but can cause constipation. We tested whether modulating µ opioid receptor agonism with δ opioid receptor antagonism, by combining reference compounds or using a novel compound (‘MuDelta’), could normalize GI motility without constipation.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

MuDelta was characterized in vitro as a potent µ opioid receptor agonist and high-affinity δ opioid receptor antagonist. Reference compounds, MuDelta and loperamide were assessed in the following ex vivo and in vivo experiments: guinea pig intestinal smooth muscle contractility, mouse intestinal epithelial ion transport and upper GI tract transit, entire GI transit or faecal output in novel environment stressed mice, or four weeks after intracolonic mustard oil (post-inflammatory). Colonic δ opioid receptor immunoreactivity was quantified.

KEY RESULTS

δ Opioid receptor antagonism opposed µ opioid receptor agonist inhibition of intestinal contractility and motility. MuDelta reduced intestinal contractility and inhibited neurogenically-mediated secretion. Very low plasma levels of MuDelta were detected after oral administration. Stress up-regulated δ opioid receptor expression in colonic epithelial cells. In stressed mice, MuDelta normalized GI transit and faecal output to control levels over a wide dose range, whereas loperamide had a narrow dose range. MuDelta and loperamide reduced upper GI transit in the post-inflammatory model.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

MuDelta normalizes, but does not prevent, perturbed GI transit over a wide dose-range in mice. These data support the subsequent assessment of MuDelta in a clinical phase II trial in patients with diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.     

北京崇文区中老年原发性骨质疏松症的发生及其影响因素：分层多阶段整群抽样调查

目的:了解北京市崇文区中老年人原发性骨质疏松症患病情况及其影响因素。方法:①调查对象:选择1998-06/09居住在北京市崇文区具有正式户口的常住男女人群,按照分层多阶段整群抽样方法抽取年龄在40～85岁中老年人为调查对象。②实验方法和评估指标:骨密度测量采用双能X线骨密度测定仪测量308名中老年人腰椎(L2～L4)前后位及股骨上端的骨股颈、三角区(Ward's)和大粗隆的骨密度;问卷调查分为一般情况、月经和生育史、药物应用史、饮食习惯和体格检查情况。结果:308名中老年人接受调查,其中男140名,女168名。年龄40～85岁,平均(60.80±10.12)岁。①各年龄段不同性别中老年人腰椎和股骨上端骨密度测量结果:大粗隆、骨股颈和三角区骨密度无论男女均随着年龄的增长有下降趋势。②各年龄段不同性别中老年人原发性骨质疏松症患病率情况:腰椎、大粗隆和三角区部位的患病率女性高于男性,股骨颈部位的患病率男性高于女性。男性以股骨颈原发性骨质疏松症检出率最高,女性以三角区检出率最高。原发性骨质疏松症患病率随着年龄的增加有增高的趋势。③Ward's三角区骨密度单因素分析:年龄、绝经后年限、生育次数与Ward's三角区骨密度呈负相关(P<0.05);居住环境采光条件、每周蛋类摄入量、身高和体质量与Ward's三角区骨密度呈正相关(P<0.05)。男性和女性、服用钙剂组和未服用钙剂组、服用避孕药物组和未服用避孕药物组、受背痛困扰组和未受背痛困扰之间差异有显著性(P<0.05)。④Ward's三角区骨密度多因素分析:年龄、体质量、绝经年限(女性)是引起骨密度降低的3个重要因素。结论:对于男性人群腰椎骨密度正常,但有明显骨质增生者应参考股骨上端骨密度方能作出正确评价。绝经后高龄妇女、低体质量的人群是原发性骨质疏松的高危人群。     

国内六大行政区域六城市中老年人群膝关节骨性关节炎患病危险因素比较

目的：了解中国不同地区间中老年人群膝关节骨性关节炎患病危险因素。方法：调查时间为2005—07／08。①从中国六大行政区（西北，华北，华东。中南，东北，西南）选出六城市（西安，石家庄，上海。广州，哈尔滨市，成都），用分层多阶段整群抽样方法，抽取6218名40岁及以上具有正式户口常住男女人群进行膝关节骨性关节炎的流行病学问卷调查（包括一般情况、现病史、既往史、体格检查、X射线片检查情况和疾病诊断6个方面，共计94个问题141个变量指标），并对其中4808名有症状者进行X射线平片膝正侧位投照。②膝关节骨性关节炎诊断标准为临床症状阳性加X射线Kellgren ＆ Lawrence分级二级及以上者。③计算患病率，并采用Epilnf06．0和SPSS 10．0软件对其中83个变量进行多因素非条件Logistfc回归分析，表示疾病与暴露因素之间联系强度的指标用比值比（OR），若OR〉1，说明疾病发生危险性增加，与暴露因素呈正关联；若OR〈1，说明疾病发生危险性减少，与暴露因素呈负关联。 结果：①六城市膝关节骨性关节炎总患病率为15．6％，其中西安7．7％，石家庄11．2％，上海9．8％。广州30．5％，哈尔滨16．9％，成都17．5％，各城市患病率比较差异显著（P〈0．01）。②Logistic回归分析膝关节骨性关节炎在大部分城市有共同的危险因素如年龄大（OR=1．032—1．181），使用蹲坑排便年限长（OR=1．021-1．077），体质量高（OR=1．048—1．073），和开始饮酒年龄大（OR=1．008～1．028）；而从事专职体育运动（OR=1．651，西安），骨质疏松病史（OR=3．311，石家庄），吸烟（OR=2．654，石家庄），类风湿关节炎病史（OR=4．964，上海），文化程度高（OR=2．593，上海），女性（OR=2．510，广州），姐妹骨关节炎史（OR=13．251，哈尔滨），母亲骨关节炎史（OR=5．683，成都）等危险因素分别在不同地区出现． 结论：年龄大、使用蹲坑排便年限长、体质量高和开始饮酒年龄大是中国六地区膝关节骨性关节炎患病的共同危险因素，同时，不同地区主要危险因素又有一定差异。     

Expression of phosphorylcholine-specific B cells during murine development

The TEPC 15 (T15) clonotype, a putatively germline antibody specificity, does not appear in the neonatal B-cell repertoire until approximately 1 wk of age. This report extends this observation by the demonstration that (a) the T15 clonotype follows similar kinetics of appearance in germfree as well as conventionally-reared mice; (b) maternal influences and genetic background play a minor role in the development of the T15 clonotype since CBFI neonates raised by C57BL/6 or BALB/c mothers acquire the T15 clonotype at the same time in ontogeny as BALB/c neonates; (c) the lack of phosphorylcholine (PC)-specific B cells shortly after birth is reflected in a dearth of PC-binding cells in the neonate as well; and (d) no PC-specifc B cells are found in 19-day fetal liver or in bone marrow until 7 days of life, coincident with their appearance in the spleen. These findings, along with a previous report that PC-specific splenic B cells are tolerizable as late as day 10 after birth, confirm the invariant, late occurrence of the T15 clonotype and support a highly- ordered, rigorously predetermined mechanism for the acquisition of the B- cell repertoire. The results are discussed in light of other studies on the ontogeny of B-cell specificity, and in terms of the implications on the mechanism by which antibody diversity is generated.     

ANGIOTENSIN CONVERTING ENZYME AND SUBSTANCE P CHANGES IN BLISTER FLUID FOLLOWING AFFERENT NERVE STIMULATION IN THE RAT

We have examined the effect of electrical nerve stimulation on substance P and angiotensin converting enzyme activity in the interstitial fluid of rat skin using a blister model. Following sciatic nerve stimulation, blister fluid immunoreactive substance P (fmol/ml) was increased from 118 (unstimulated side, s.e.m. = 13, n = 15) to 197 (stimulated side, s.e.m. = 26, n = 15, P less than 0.0125, paired t-test, 14 d.f.). Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity (nmol HL/ml per h) was reduced in blister fluid from 26.5 (unstimulated side, s.e.m. = 2.4, n = 12) to 22.4 (stimulated side, s.e.m. = 1.4, P less than 0.05, paired t-test, 11 d.f.). Electrical stimulation of afferent nerves inhibits angiotensin converting enzyme activity in vivo. This may contribute to the process of neurogenic inflammation.     

Improving patient access and choice: Assisted Bibliotherapy for mild to moderate stress/anxiety in primary care

Current traditional methods of mental healthcare service delivery, based on 'specialists' providing 'outpatient appointments' for formal therapy, are often inappropriate for the needs of patients in primary care. The estimated numbers of adults with mental health problems are immense, and it is this, combined with Department of Health initiatives aimed at improving choice and access, which make it essential that new ways of delivering services are explored. This trial examines the use of an assisted self-help treatment package for mild to moderate stress/anxiety [Assisted Bibliotherapy (AB)] with an adult clinical population referred by their general practitioner. Assisted Bibliotherapy is a brief intervention (8 weeks), with limited therapist contact (20-min sessions). Non-parametric statistical testing of scores from the Zung Anxiety Scale and the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation (CORE) questionnaire indicated positive results. There was significant improvement at post-treatment, which was maintained at 3 month follow-up. The results from this trial and a previous trial of AB by Kupshik & Fisher in 1999, indicate that it is an effective treatment which could be used as part of a stepped care approach to managing and treating stress/anxiety in primary care.     

2-甲酰(乙酰)取代喹啉缩氨基硫脲的合成

缩氨基硫脲类化合物有抗肿瘤、抗病毒和抗菌等多种药理活性。Barret等首次报道了乙二醛二缩氨基硫脲(Ⅰ)的抗疟活性。Klayman等研究了缩     

Grafting assay distinguishes promotion sensitive from promotion resistant JB6 cells

The JB6 mouse epidermal cell system has been used extensively as an in vitro transformation model for the study of tumor promotion. The standard JB6 cell assay for promotion of transformation is carried out in soft agar or other anchorage independent conditions. The present study was directed to the development of an in vivo model to distinguish the promotion resistant (P-) and promotion sensitive (P+) progression phenotypes. Results indicate that the grafting assay distinguishes P- and P+ cells in vivo with P+ but not P- cells forming tumors within 7-9 weeks. Expression of dominant negative mutant jun TAM67 blocks both anchorage independent transformation response and graft bed tumor formation by P+ cells, suggesting that the requirement for AP-1 activation in transformation now applies in vivo. Expression of mutated p53 produced a gain of P+ phenotype in P- cells in vitro, but not in vivo. Histochemical and Northern blot analysis for expression of various keratinocyte markers revealed no evidence for expression, suggesting a loss of keratinocyte markers following establishment in culture. In summary, the skin-grafting assay described in this study appears to be a valid in vivo assay for distinguishing the preneoplastic progression phenotypes represented by JB6 P- and P+ cells.