Working conditions and health behavior as causes of educational inequalities in self-rated health: an inverse odds weighting approach

Objective:Using a novel mediation method that presents unbiased results even in the presence of exposure–mediator interactions, this study estimated the extent to which working conditions and health behaviors contribute to educational inequalities in self-rated health in the workforce.Methods:Respondents of the longitudinal Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) in 16 countries were selected, aged 50–64 years, in paid employment at baseline and with information on education and self-rated health (N=15 028). Education, health behaviors [including body mass index (BMI)] and working conditions were measured at baseline and self-rated health at baseline and two-year follow-up. Causal mediation analysis with inverse odds weighting was used to estimate the total effect of education on self-rated health, decomposed into a natural direct effect (NDE) and natural indirect effect (NIE).Results:Lower educated workers were more likely to perceive their health as poor than higher educated workers [relative risk (RR) 1.48, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.37–1.60]. They were also more likely to have unfavorable working conditions and unhealthy behaviors, except for alcohol consumption. When all working conditions were included, the remaining NDE was RR 1.30 (95% CI 1.15–1.44). When BMI and health behaviors were included, the remaining NDE was RR 1.40 (95% CI 1.27–1.54). Working conditions explained 38% and health behaviors and BMI explained 16% of educational inequalities in health. Including all mediators explained 64% of educational inequalities in self-rated health.Conclusions:Working conditions and health behaviors explain over half of the educational inequalities in self-rated health. To reduce health inequalities, improving working conditions seems to be more important than introducing health promotion programs in the workforce.     

Ultrasound‐guided wire localization of focal ductal dilatation in the evaluation and treatment of pathologic nipple discharge

Patients presenting with pathologic nipple discharge (PND) often pose a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. We used ultrasound to identify focal ductal dilatation—hypothesized to be a radiographic manifestation of the causative lesion—in patients with PND and no relevant clinical or radiographic findings. Twenty‐two excisions guided by ultrasound wire localization of focal duct dilation were performed. Surgical pathology revealed papilloma in 20 cases (91%); atypia or carcinoma was detected in 7 cases (32%). The ultrasound finding of focal duct dilatation enables excision of otherwise occult though clinically significant lesions and is worthy of further study.     

两种中度宫腔粘连治疗方案的临床对照研究

目的比较两种中度宫腔粘连治疗方案的疗效。方法将120例中度宫腔粘连患者随机分为两组,研究组:60例,采用治疗方案A:宫腔粘连分离术后立即宫腔内留置Foley导管并注入2 mL透明质酸钠凝胶(HA),术后第3天再次于宫腔内注入2 mL HA,术后第4天取出Foley导管并上宫型环,同时予雌孕激素人工周期治疗3个月;对照组60例,采用治疗方案B:除术后第3天宫腔内未注入HA外,其余治疗方法均同研究组。所有患者均于术后第3次月经干净3~7 d内复查宫腔镜,观察两组的宫腔粘连复发情况及月经改善情况,以初步评价两种治疗方案的疗效。结果研究组粘连复发率15%,月经改善率90%;对照组粘连复发率31.67%,月经改善率71.67%,两组比较差异具有显著性(P值均<0.05)。结论对于中度宫腔粘连的患者,治疗方案A的疗效明显优于治疗方案B,值得进一步探讨其临床推广应用价值。     

The influence of occupational class and physical workload on working life expectancy among older employees

Objective:This study investigates the impact of physical workload factors and occupational class on working life expectancy (WLE) and working years lost (WYL) in a sample of older Finnish workers.Methods:A 70% random sample of Finns in 2004 was linked to a job exposure matrix for physical workload factors and register information on occupational class and labor market status until 2014. Transitions between being at work, time-restricted work disability, unemployment, economic inactivity, disability retirement, retirement and death were estimated. A multistate Cox regression model with transition-specific covariates was used to estimate the WLE and WYL at age 50 up to 63 years for each occupational class and physical workload factor for men and women (N=415 105).Results:At age 50, male and female manual workers had a WLE of 10.13 and 10.14 years, respectively. Among both genders, manual workers had one year shorter WLE at age 50 than upper non-manual employees. This difference was largely attributable to unemployment (men: 0.60, women: 0.66 years) and disability retirement (men: 0.28, women: 0.29 years). Self-employed persons had the highest WLE (11.08 years). Men and women exposed to four or five physical workload factors had about one year lower WLE than non-exposed workers. The difference was primarily attributable to ill-health-related reasons, including disability retirement (men: 0.45 years, women: 0.53 years) and time-restricted work disability (men: 0.23, women: 0.33 years).Conclusions:Manual workers and those exposed to physical workload factors had the lowest WLE. The differences in WYL between exposure groups can primarily be explained by ill-health-based exit routes.     

Phosphorylation of Ribosomal Proteins by Substrate-Specific Protein Kinases from Rabbit Reticulocytes

Three protein kinase activities have been identified in ribosome-free supernatant from rabbit reticulocytes by DEAE-chromatography. Two of the protein kinase activities have similar substrate specificities, but differ in respect to dependency on cAMP for activation. These kinases preferentially phosphorylate histone, and also phosphorylate identical ribosomal proteins. One protein band in the 40S ribosomal subunit and six protein bands in the 60S subunit are phosphorylated, as demonstrated by Na dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. The third kinase activity preferentially phosphorylates casein, instead of histone, and can use both [gamma-(32)P]ATP and [gamma-(32)P]GTP as phosphate donors. This protein kinase activity phosphorylates one protein band in the 40S subunit different from that phosphorylated by the other two kinases and four bands in the 60S subunit, only one of which is coincident with the proteins phosphorylated by the histone-specific activities.     

Milia En Plaque: Three New Pediatric Cases

Abstract: Milia en plaque (MEP) is an unusual and extremely rare clinical variant of milia, characterized by multiple milia‐like lesions overlying an erythematous edematous plaque with histologic findings consistent with milia. MEP tends to affect the middle‐aged patients and shows a predilection for women. Among children, this entity is rarely described and, to our knowledge, only four cases have been reported to date in the dermatologic literature. We add three new cases of children, one of whom had an unusual site of presentation.     

Relevance of thyroiditis and of other autoimmune diseases in children with vitiligo

BACKGROUND: Studies that clearly define the possible association of childhood vitiligo with autoimmune and/or endocrine diseases are lacking. OBJECTIVE: To examine the presence of autoimmune disorders, in particular of thyroid disease, in paediatric patients with vitiligo and investigate the utility of such screening in these patients. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-one paediatric patients (40 males, 81 females) with vitiligo were grouped in segmental and non-segmental vitiligo. All patients were screened for thyroid disease. RESULTS: 13 out of 121 patients had different degrees of thyroid parameter alterations. These patients were all affected by the non-segmental type while none of those with the segmental form presented thyroid alterations. CONCLUSION: In paediatric patients with non-segmental vitiligo, a significant incidence of thyroid dysfunction was found. Since vitiligo usually appears before the development of the thyroid disease, it may be useful to screen thyroid autoantibodies in all paediatric patients with non-segmental vitiligo who present symptoms related to thyroid disease.     

应用宫腔镜诊治幼女和少女妇科疾病

幼女和少女妇科疾病的诊治在以往是一个比较棘手的问题。由于其生理和解剖特点,加上受到传统观念的影响,在必须进行经阴道检查和手术时,处女膜就成为了妇科医生诊断和治疗的障碍。近年来妇科内镜技术的发展使宫腔镜成为诊治幼女和少女妇科疾病的重要手段。宫腔镜进入时无需使用拉钩过度牵拉阴道,可在不损伤处女膜的前提下通过尚未发育成熟的相对狭窄的阴道,帮助确立诊断并可进行治疗,因而可替代大部分传统的需用阴道窥器的经阴道检查和手术,其全程均在可视下操作所以更加安全。近年来,应用宫腔镜在不损伤处女膜的情况下诊治幼女和少女的妇科疾病已经成为一种趋势,但大多数相关报道还仅局限于个案报道和含有少量病例的临床研究。对评估应用宫腔镜进行阴道内镜和（或）宫腔镜检查或手术来诊治幼女和少女妇科疾病的可行性和有效性进行综述。