Pain behavior and pain coping strategies in low back pain and myofascial pain dysfunction syndrome patients

Pain behavior and pain coping strategies were systematically measured in a group of 32 chronic low back pain (LBP) and 32 myofascial pain dysfunction (MPD) syndrome patients. Both groups reported high levels of psychological distress on the SCL-90R. The LBP patients were significantly less active, took more narcotic and sedative-hypnotic medications, and showed higher levels of motor pain behavior (guarding, rubbing, and bracing) than the MPD patients. The LBP patients used attention diversion, and praying or hoping as pain coping skills to a much greater extent than the MPD patients. The relationship of these findings to prior research is described, and future research needs in this area are identified.     

Dietary intake of total polyphenol and polyphenol classes and the risk of colorectal cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort

Polyphenols may play a chemopreventive role in colorectal cancer (CRC); however, epidemiological evidence supporting a role for intake of individual polyphenol classes, other than flavonoids is insufficient. We evaluated the association between dietary intakes of total and individual classes and subclasses of polyphenols and CRC risk and its main subsites, colon and rectum, within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. The cohort included 476,160 men and women from 10 European countries. During a mean follow-up of 14 years, there were 5991 incident CRC cases, of which 3897 were in the colon and 2094 were in the rectum. Polyphenol intake was estimated using validated centre/country specific dietary questionnaires and the Phenol-Explorer database. In multivariable-adjusted Cox regression models, a doubling in total dietary polyphenol intake was not associated with CRC risk in women (HR_log2?=?1.06, 95% CI 0.99–1.14) or in men (HR_log2?=?0.97, 95% CI 0.90–1.05), respectively. Phenolic acid intake, highly correlated with coffee consumption, was inversely associated with colon cancer in men (HR_log2?=?0.91, 95% CI 0.85–0.97) and positively associated with rectal cancer in women (HR_log2?=?1.10, 95% CI 1.02–1.19); although associations did not exceed the Bonferroni threshold for significance. Intake of other polyphenol classes was not related to colorectal, colon or rectal cancer risks. Our study suggests a possible inverse association between phenolic acid intake and colon cancer risk in men and positive with rectal cancer risk in women.     

More precise localization of nasal tumors associated with chronic exposure of F-344 rats to formaldehyde gas

Considerable interest and research have resulted from the finding that squamous cell carcinomas, polypoid adenomas, and a small number of other nasal neoplasms occurred in F-344 rats following chronic inhalation exposure to formaldehyde. These tumors were reported to originate in the anterior portion of the nasal cavity but their precise location in the nose was not determined. Histologic sections from the nasal passages of these rats have been reexamined and the location of each tumor has been recorded. The majority of squamous cell carcinomas occurred on the anterior portion of the lateral aspect of the nasoturbinate and adjacent lateral wall (57%) or the midventral nasal septum (26%). Polypoid adenomas were confined to a small region of the anterior nasal cavity and were restricted to the free margins of the naso-and maxilloturbinates and lateral wall adjacent to these margins. One neoplasm, considered to be the malignant counterpart of the polypoid adenoma, originated on the dorsal margin of the maxilloturbinate in the same region of the nose. Remaining neoplasms were generally too large or too poorly preserved for assessment of their site of origin. Mechanistic studies directed toward a better understanding of the nasal carcinogenicity of formaldehyde, or other nasal carcinogens, should take into account the anatomic sites of origin of the neoplasms whenever this can be determined.