Vaccination With Detoxified Leukocidin AB Reduces Bacterial Load in a Staphylococcus aureus Minipig Deep Surgical Wound Infection Model.

Vaccines against Staphylococcus aureus have eluded researchers for >3 decades while the burden of staphylococcal diseases has increased. Early vaccine attempts mainly used rodents to characterize preclinical efficacy, and all subsequently failed in human clinical efficacy trials. More recently, leukocidin AB (LukAB) has gained interest as a vaccine antigen. We developed a minipig deep surgical wound infection model offering 3 independent efficacy readouts: bacterial load at the superficial and at the deep-seated surgical site, and dissemination of bacteria. Due to similarities with humans, minipigs are an attractive option to study novel vaccine candidates. With this model, we characterized the efficacy of a LukAB toxoid as vaccine candidate. Compared to control animals, a 3-log reduction of bacteria at the deep-seated surgical site was observed in LukAB-treated minipigs and dissemination of bacteria was dramatically reduced. Therefore, LukAB toxoids may be a useful addition to S. aureus vaccines and warrant further study.

[Rehabilitation Outcome and Therapeutic Alliance of Inpatients of Psychosomatic Rehabilitation with Pension Request]. / Psychosomatische Rehabilitation bei Patientinnen und Patienten mit Rentenüberlegungen: Reha-Erfolg und therapeutische Beziehung.

OBJECTIVE: Inpatients of psychosomatic rehabilitation with a latent or manifest desire for a pension are a risk group with regard to successful participation in rehabilitation and return to work. Reaching this group of patients, is both a legal requirement (rehabilitation before retirement), and important from an economic and health perspective. This study examines patients who are considering applying for a reduced earning capacity. The questions are whether these patients differ in socio-demographic variables and the success of rehabilitation from patients without pension considerations, and which patients benefitted from their rehabilitation despite pension considerations. Particular attention is paid to the therapeutic relationship. METHODS: Data are routinely collected from patients of 2 rehabilitation clinics who were undergoing inpatient psychosomatic treatment between October 2012 and February 2017 (n=8503). RESULTS: Inpatients with pension considerations were slightly older, more often incapacitated for work and more often receiving unemployment benefits. Both groups reported a significant reduction in symptoms over the course of the rehabilitation. Within the group considering retirement, patients who reported an improvement in symptoms reported a more positive relationship satisfaction. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Patients who are thinking about retirement often have difficult socio-demographic and health-related conditions for successful rehabilitation. Despite these conditions, many report an improvement in psychosomatic symptoms and a positive therapeutic relationship.

[Testing the Psychometric Properties of the Helping Alliance Questionnaire (HAQ) in Different Health Care Settings]. / Psychometrische Überprüfung des Helping Alliance Questionnaire (HAQ) in unterschiedlichen Versorgungssettings.

Introduction The Helping Alliance Questionnaire developed by Luborsky was psychometricly examined for the first time and translated into German by Bassler et al. in the mid-1990s. It consists of 11 Items, which are summarized to the scales "relation to the therapist" and "satisfaction with therapeutic outcome". HAQ is now one of the most used instruments to measure therapeutic alliance. The goal of this study was to test the psychometric properties based on three large patient samples in different treatment settings. Material and methods Analyses were conducted based on 2 samples of patients in inpatient psychosomatic/psychotherapeutic rehabilitation (n=655, n=2494) and one sample in outpatient psychotherapy (n=1477). Exploratory factor analyses and for verification confirmatory factor analyses were applied. Furthermore reliability and validity analysis were conducted. Results The 2-factorial structure found in literature was replicated with an increasing stability at the end of treatment. Item 2 and 3 had inconsistent factor loadings at different points of measurement and study. Reliability and validity indices were satisfying to good. The fit of the model, on the other hand, was less satisfying and suggests a solution without Item 2 and 3. For reasons of content as well as for reasons of dissemination, it is pleaded for the maintenance of the existing item assignments in the HAQ for the present.

Wellness Within REACH: mind, body, and soul: a no-cost physical activity program for African Americans in Portland, Oregon, to combat cardiovascular disease.

Wellness Within REACH (WWR) aims to saturate the heart of the African-American community in Portland, Oregon, with culturally appropriate physical activity opportunities. The purpose of this project is to develop and implement no-cost physical activities to increase the number of African Americans leading active lifestyles, while shifting the community norm. Certified African-American instructors conduct exercise classes at community venues. A pre- and post-questionnaire is administered to participants attending exercise classes each quarter, to assess frequency of attendance, lifestyle changes, and attitudes over time. To date, more than 700 individuals have participated in the WWR classes. Participants (58%) in a recent sample (N=75) reported exercising more now than in the 6 months prior to joining the program. Community members are bringing members of their social networks to try classes otherwise not available or affordable to them. By centering classes around the culture of this specific community, WWR has become a "movement" of healthy, active living.