Sun-protective behaviors of California farm workers

OBJECTIVE: Farm workers are exposed to long hours of solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR), placing them at higher risk for skin cancer. The goal of this study was to evaluate farm workers' sun exposure behaviors. METHODS: Farm workers (n=326) in the San Joaquin Valley of California were interviewed about their sun protective behaviors; these behaviors also were observed directly and these data were used to assess whether participants adequately protected against UVR exposure. RESULTS: All participants were Latino men with a mean age of 33 years. Although rates of wearing any hat and long-sleeved shirts were high, rates of wearing wide-brimmed hats and sunscreen were low. CONCLUSIONS: This study is important because there is limited research focused on farm workers' protective behaviors against UVR exposure. Interventions to improve sun protection behaviors of farm workers are needed.     

Healthcare Use Among California Farmworkers: Predisposing and Enabling Factors

Farmworkers are at risk for developing occupation-related health conditions, yet healthcare use is limited. National Agricultural Workers Survey data were used to test a modification of the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations on use of healthcare in the past two years and type of healthcare used. Barriers to care were examined to determine associations with use and type of use. The farmworkers (N = 2,291) were primarily foreign-born Latino/Hispanic married males who reported limited ability to read and speak English. Healthcare use in the past two years was more likely among females, those with more than six years of education, who earned an annual income of more than $15,000 annually, were authorized, non-migrant, insured, and who reported living in the US for more than two years. Healthcare system barriers were most prominent. This study provides important targets for policy and health promotion initiatives to reduce health disparities in this marginalized community.     

Use of the middle colic vein for liver cell transplantation in infants and small children

INTRODUCTION: Because it is less invasive, intraportal liver cell transplantation (LCT) is an interesting alternative to whole organ transplantation. The inferior mesenteric vein is usually chosen for portal vein access. However, anatomical variations are common in children, so we investigated catheter insertion into the middle colic vein. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Three children (3 weeks to 3 years; 3 to 14 kg) underwent LCT in our center for acute liver failure or severe neonatal urea cycle disorders. Small 4.2-French Hickman lines were surgically introduced into the middle colic vein and advanced to the portal vein stem. The patients received repetitive infusions of liver cells over a period of 4-11 days. RESULTS: Catheter insertion was feasible and tolerated well despite the poor clinical condition of 1 patient and the metabolic instability in the other 2 patients. Blood could be drawn from all catheters, and measurement of portal vein pressure was possible in 2 children. The patient with acute liver failure died after 11 days from complications of the underlying disease. In the other 2 children, portal vein catheters stayed patent for several months. CONCLUSIONS: The middle colic vein can be recommended for placement of intraportal LCT catheters even in small and critically ill infants.     

In-vivo and ex-vivo characterization of laser-induced choroidal neovascularization variability in mice

Background

Retinal argon laser coagulation is an established procedure for induction of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in rodents. This study aimed to evaluate the in-vivo and ex-vivo morphology and variability of laser-induced CNV spots over time.

Methods

Female C57/Bl/6 mice, 3–6?months of age, were treated with five spots of retinal argon laser coagulation per eye (150?mW, 100?ms, 50?μm). In-vivo fluorescein angiography (FA) and standard high-resolution spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) were performed on day (d) 0, d1, d4, d7, d14 and d21. Ex-vivo histology, CD31 immunostaining, flatmount and confocal microscopy were also conducted. CNV size in the retinal and choroidal focus, CNV morphology, central retinal thickness (CRT) and FA CNV activity grading were assessed in-vivo at all times and compared to the ex-vivo assessments.

Results

SD-OCT revealed sub-retinal and intra-retinal fluid, and permitted evaluation of longitudinal morphologic changes of the induced CNV. Laser spot area in FA and CRT in SD-OCT did not differ in longitudinal evaluation. CNV could not be consistently outlined on SD-OCT images, and CNV volume as assessed on SD-OCT did not change over time. Significant CNV activity changes were only found in FA CNV activity grading, peaking on d4 and decreasing by d7.

Conclusions

Non-invasive SD-OCT provides additional morphological information on laser-induced CNV. However, reliable evaluation of CNV requires FA. Spontaneous regression of CNV activity within 14?days after induction has to be taken into account when utilizing this model for testing the efficacies of potential future treatments.     

Interferon-α mRNA in Splenic CD11b+ Marginal Zone Macrophages of C4-Deficient Mice

The absence of early complement components (C1, C4 and C2 but not C3) is a predisposing factor for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Recently, we demonstrated that, in C4‐deficient (C4 def.) mice, IgM‐containing immune complexes (IgM‐IC) are filtered by the splenic barrier of marginal zone macrophages (MZM), resulting in an increased immune response against antigens within these IgM‐IC, but this could not be observed in wildtype or C3 def. mice. We hypothesized that splenic CD11b⁺ MZM play an important role in the induction of autoimmunity, and we therefore analysed their cytokine profile after isolation with the help of magnetic antibody cell sorting. mRNA was isolated, and real‐time PCR was performed with specific primers for murine IFN‐γ (IFN‐γ), interleukin‐12 (IL‐12) and IFN‐α (IFN‐α). We observe a moderate increase of IL‐12 and IFN‐γ mRNA in CD11b⁺ cells of C4 def. mice compared to wildtype cells. Surprisingly, the concentration of IFN‐α mRNA is six times higher in C4 def. mice. Preliminary results suggest that mRNA in CD11b⁺ cells of C3 def. mice is even lower than that in wt. Six hours following i.v. application of 20 µg of a murine monoclonal IgM anti‐dsDNA antibody, production of IL‐12, IFN‐γ and IFN‐α mRNA is increased in CD11b⁺ cells of both C4 def. and wt mice. Several references described increased levels of INF‐α in patients with SLE. Dendritic cells are discussed as a major source of IFN‐α. Our observation that C4‐deficient, SLE‐susceptible mice demonstrate an increased spontaneous IFN‐α production by splenic CD11b⁺ marginal zone macrophages could be an early sign and a trigger for the development of SLE. This is supported by the fact that the absence of C3 is not a predisposing factor for SLE and our observation that C3 def. animals display low levels of IFN‐α mRNA.     

Hopelessness and suicidal ideation in Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans reporting subthreshold and threshold posttraumatic stress disorder

We examined hopelessness and suicidal ideation in association with subthreshold and threshold posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a sample of Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans (U.S., N = 275) assessed within a specialty VA postdeployment health clinic. Veterans completed paper-and-pencil questionnaires at intake. The military version of the PTSD Checklist was used to determine PTSD levels (No PTSD; subthreshold PTSD; PTSD), and endorsement of hopelessness or suicidal ideation were used as markers of elevated suicide risk. Veterans were also asked if they received mental health treatment in the prior 6 months. Veterans reporting subthreshold PTSD were 3 times more likely to endorse these markers of elevated suicide risk relative to the Veterans without PTSD. We found no significant differences in likelihood of endorsing hopelessness or suicidal ideation comparing subthreshold and threshold PTSD groups, although the subthreshold PTSD group was less likely to report prior mental health treatment. Clinicians should be attentive to suicide risk in returned Veterans reporting both subthreshold and threshold PTSD.