An analysis of temporal numerical superiority in the pan-american junior men's water polo matches / Análise da superioridade numérica temporal no pan-americano júnior de polo aquático masculino

ABSTRACT This study compared the frequency, number of goals and attack efficiency in temporal numerical superiority among winning and losing teams and among balanced and unbalanced matches in a junior men's water polo competition. Another analysed relationship was that between a balanced or unbalanced final score and the efficiency at scoring goals in numerical superiority in the winning teams' games. A total of 56 matches from the Pan-American Junior Men's Water Polo championship was analysed. The teams were categorised as losers or winners and the match results were classified as balanced or unbalanced. The chi-squared and Mann-Whitney tests were used for statistical treatment. There is no significant difference in the occurrence of numerical superiority between winners and losers (p = 0.25) despite the winners scoring more goals (p = 0.002) and being more efficient (p < 0.001). There is no significant difference in the occurrence of numerical superiority (p = 0.81) and goals (p = 0.03) in balanced and unbalanced matches. However, there tends to be a higher shot efficiency (p = 0.01) in unbalanced matches. A significant relationship exists (p = 0.04) between the winning teams' efficiency at scoring goals in a situation of numerical superiority and an unbalanced score.

RESUMO Esse estudo teve por objetivo comparar a frequência, a quantidade de gols e a eficiência do ataque em superioridade numérica temporal entre equipes vencedoras e perdedoras e entre partidas equilibradas e desequilibradas em competição júnior de polo aquático masculino. Também foi testada a relação entre a ocorrência do placar equilibrado ou desequilibrado com a eficiência em realizar gols em superioridade numérica nos jogos das equipes vencedoras. Foram analisadas 56 partidas do Campeonato Pan Americano Júnior de Polo Aquático Masculino. As equipes foram classificadas como perdedoras ou vencedoras e o resultado da partida como equilibrado ou desequilibrado. Teste Mann-Whitney e o qui-quadrado foram utilizados. Não há diferença significativa na ocorrência de superioridade numérica entre vencedores e perdedores (p = 0,25) apesar dos vencedores fazerem mais gols (p = 0,002) e serem mais eficientes (p < 0,001). Não há diferença significativa na ocorrência de superioridade numérica (p = 0,81) e de gols (p = 0,03) nas partidas equilibradas e desequilibradas. Entretanto, nas partidas desequilibradas encontrou-se maior eficiência no arremesso (p = 0,01). Foi encontrado relação significativa (p = 0,04) entre a eficácia das equipes vencedoras em realizar gol em superioridade numérica com o placar desequilibrado.

Running performance of non-professional female runners from different Brazilian states: the role of environmental characteristics

Abstract Aims: (i) to compare the running performance of non-professional female runners from different Brazilian states; (ii) to estimate the relationship between environmental state-related variables and running performance; and (iii) to analyze the mediation role of training commitment in the relationship between the environment and running performance. Methods: A total of 418 non-professional female runners were sampled from the five Brazilian regions. An online questionnaire was used for data collection and included self-reported information about age, body weight, body height, place of residence, training volume, and running pace. Environmental characteristics were based on the Census 2010 and included percentages of public illumination, asphalt, sidewalks, and green areas for state capital cities. Linear regression, Pearson correlation, and mediation analysis were performed using SPSS 26, at a 95% confidence interval. Results: The fastest women were from the Rio Grande do Sul. Significant differences were observed between Rio Grande do Sul and Rio Grande do Norte (β= 45.79; 95%CI = 16.86 − 74.73), Distrito Federal (β = 34.55; 95%CI = 1.87−67.24), and Sergipe (β = 35.34; 95%CI = 14.09−56.60). A negative relationship was observed between running pace with green areas (r = −0.206; 95%CI = −0.305 − −0.110) and training volume (r = −0.343; 95%CI = −0.427−0.167). Training volume explained 23% of the relationship between the percentage of green areas and running performance. Conclusion: The fastest runners were from the Rio Grande do Sul. Higher percentages of green areas can favor performance, which is partly mediated by increased training volume.

Functional efficiency of PCR vectors in vitro and at the organism level.

The functional efficiency of the expression cassettes integrated into a plasmid and a PCR- amplified fragment was comparatively analyzed after transient transfection in vitro or introduction into the developing embryo of Danio rerio. The cassettes contained the reporter genes, luciferase of Photinus pyralis (luc) or enhanced green fluorescent protein, under the control of the promoter of human cytomegalovirus immediate-early genes. In the in vitro system, the efficiency of the circular plasmid was 2.5 times higher than that of the PCR- amplified fragment. The effect of mutations in the expression cassette on the efficiency of the transgene expression in the PCR- amplified fragment was quantitatively evaluated. The mutations generated after 25 amplification cycles with Taq DNA polymerase decreased luciferase activity in transfected cells by 65-85%. Thus, mutations are the key factor of decreased functional efficiency of the PCR- amplified fragment relative to the circular plasmid in this experimental model, while other factors apparently have a lesser impact. At the organism level, no significant difference in the expression efficiency of the plasmid and PCR- amplified fragment has been revealed. Comparison of the vector efficiencies in in vivo and in vitro systems demonstrates that the level of luciferase in the D. rerio cell lysate, normalized to the molar concentration of the vector, is by three orders of magnitude higher than that after the cell transfection in vitro, which indicates that the quantitative data obtained for in vitro systems should not be directly extrapolated to the organism level.

The association between psoriasis and health-related quality of life, work productivity, and healthcare resource use in Brazil

Abstract: Background: Psoriasis is a chronic, immune mediated inflammatory condition that affects a significant amount of the global population. Yet geographic variability in the consequences of psoriasis warrants region-level analyses. Objective: The current study contributes to the psoriasis outcomes literature by offering a comprehensive assessment of the humanistic and economic burden in Brazil. Methods: The 2012 Brazil National Health and Wellness Survey (N=12,000) was used to assess health-related quality of life (Short Form-12, version 2), work productivity, and healthcare resource use associated with experiencing psoriasis vs. no psoriasis, along with varying levels of psoriasis severity. Results: A total of 210 respondents reported diagnosis of psoriasis (N=157, 42, and 11 reporting mild, moderate, and severe psoriasis, respectively). Compared with controls, respondents with psoriasis reported diminished mental component summary scores and health utilities, as well as increased presenteeism, activity impairment, and physician visits over the past six months, adjusting for covariates. Among those with psoriasis, physical health decreased as psoriasis severity increased. Although work productivity and healthcare resource utilization did not differ with psoriasis severity, the high rates of productivity loss (e.g. 45.5% presenteeism in the severe psoriasis group) suggest an economic burden. Study limitations: Cost analyses were not performed, and cross-sectional patient-reported data limit causal conclusions and may reflect reporting biases. Conclusions: Nevertheless, these results suggest a significant burden to patients with psoriasis across both humanistic and economic outcomes. The association between psoriasis and mental health aspects and health utilities were particularly strong and exceeded what would be considered clinically meaningful.

The effects of acute carbohydrate and caffeine feeding strategies on cycling efficiency.

To assess the effect of carbohydrate and caffeine on gross efficiency (GE), 14 cyclists (V̇O2max 57.6 ± 6.3 ml.kg-1.min-1) completed 4 × 2-hour tests at a submaximal exercise intensity (60% Maximal Minute Power). Using a randomized, counter-balanced crossover design, participants consumed a standardised diet in the 3-days preceding each test and subsequently ingested either caffeine (CAF), carbohydrate (CHO), caffeine+carbohydrate (CAF+CHO) or water (W) during exercise whilst GE and plasma glucose were assessed at regular intervals (~30 mins). GE progressively decreased in the W condition but, whilst caffeine had no effect, this was significantly attenuated in both trials that involved carbohydrate feedings (W = -1.78 ± 0.31%; CHO = -0.70 ± 0.25%, p = 0.008; CAF+CHO = -0.63 ± 0.27%, p = 0.023; CAF = -1.12 ± 0.24%, p = 0.077). Blood glucose levels were significantly higher in carbohydrate ingestion conditions (CHO = 4.79 ± 0.67 mmol·L-1, p < 0.001; CAF+CHO = 5.05 ± 0.81 mmol·L-1, p < 0.001; CAF = 4.46 ± 0.75 mmol·L-1; W = 4.20 ± 0.53 mmol·L-1). Carbohydrate ingestion has a small but significant effect on exercise-induced reductions in GE, indicating that cyclists' feeding strategy should be carefully monitored prior to and during assessment.

Procesos de aprendizaje en niños de 6 a 10 años de edad con antecedente de nacimiento prematuro / Learning processes of children aged 6 to 10 years old that were born prematurely / Processos de aprendizagem em crianças de 6 a 10 anos de idade com antecedentes de nascimento prematuro

En este estudio sobre los procesos de aprendizaje en niños y niñas prematuros, buscamos establecer las características del desempeño del niño o la niña pretérmino en las actividades base del aprendizaje, en comparación con un grupo de niños y niñas nacidos a término, entre 6 y 10 años de edad. Seleccionamos la muestra según un modelo no probabilístico y voluntario, con un total de 160 participantes, divididos en un grupo clínico de 80 niños y niñas prematuros y otro grupo de 80 niños y niñas nacidos a término. El enfoque empleado para esta investigación es de tipo cuantitativo y el diseño que utilizamos fue comparativo-correlacional, con la aplicación de subtest para evaluar procesos de escritura, lectura, cálculo y lenguaje, siendo la comprensión y la discriminación fonológica las principales dificultades para las personas prematuras, así como procesos de cálculo mental.

This study on the learning processes of children born prematurely aims to establish their academic performance characteristics of these children based on their learning activities, which was then compared to the academic performance of a group of children aged between 6 and 10 years old that were born full-term. The sample is selected using a non-probabilistic and voluntary model, with a total of 160 participants, divided into a clinical group of 80 children that were born prematurely and another group of 80 children that were born full-term. A quantitative approach was used for this research along with a comparative-correlational design. This was achieved through applying a subtest with the two groups that evaluated their writing, reading, arithmetic and language

Este estudo sobre os processos de aprendizagem em crianças prematuras procura estabelecer as características do desempenho da criança que nasceu prematura nas atividades base da aprendizagem, em comparação com um grupo de crianças nascidos a termo, entre 6 e 10 anos de idade. A amostra foi selecionada a partir de um modelo não probabilístico e voluntário, com um total de 160 participantes, divididos num grupo clínico de 80 crianças prematuras e outro grupo de 80 crianças nascidas no tempo normal. O enfoque empregado para esta pesquisa é de tipo quantitativo e a concepção utilizada foi a comparativa-correlacional, com a aplicação de subtestes para avaliar os processos de escrita, leitura, cálculo e linguagem, sendo o entendimento e a discriminação fonológica as principais dificuldades para os prematuros, bem como os processos de cálculo mental

Using PhenX toolkit measures and other tools to assess urban/rural differences in health behaviors: recruitment methods and outcomes.

BACKGROUND: The overall study was designed to examine how vacation behavior affects rural and urban Minnesotans and North Dakotans. The purpose of this substudy was to describe the method for sampling, follow-up and response rate by gender and urban/rural location to help inform future studies in this population. METHODS: Essentia health primary care patients (n=1344) were sent a 21-page self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire included questions on demographics, work history, perceived stress, work productivity, depression and mania screeners, tobacco use, dietary information, vacation habits, and technology use. Participants were offered $10 to complete the questionnaire. RESULTS: The overall response to the three mailings to 1344 adults aged 25-64 was 38.8% for a final sample size of 522 completed surveys. Despite the oversampling of males, the total number of responses from males was lower than for females. The response rates between urban and rural locations were nearly identical for the males (33.3% and 33.0% respectively) but higher for rural females than urban females (47.2% and 42.6% respectively). Seventy-eight percent were currently employed. Sixty-nine percent of the participants reported being married, 5.4% were living with a partner, 14% were divorced widowed or separated and 11% were never married. Forty-seven percent of our population had an associate degree or some college, 29% had a Bachelor's degree or higher, 17% had their diploma or equivalent and 2% had not completed high school. CONCLUSIONS: The goal of the sampling frame and recruitment strategy for this study was to assemble a cohort of approximately 1000 working adults, represented equally by age, gender and rural location. We ended up with a smaller cohort than desired. The law of diminishing returns was observed, although the third mailing was more effective for men than women.

Work productivity loss and fatigue in psoriatic arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between fatigue and work productivity loss (WPL) in people with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). METHODS: Data were collected from participants in the Utah Psoriasis Initiative Arthritis registry between January 2010 and May 2013. WPL was measured with the 8-item Work Limitations Questionnaire. Fatigue was assessed with question 1 from the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI#1), "How would you describe the overall level of fatigue/tiredness you have experienced?" and with question 1 from the Psoriatic Arthritis Quality of Life Questionnaire (PsAQOL#1) "I feel tired whatever I do." Psoriatic activity was evaluated with tender joint count (TJC), swollen joint count (SJC), dactylitis count, enthesitis count, inflammatory back pain (IBP), physician global assessment, body surface area, and psoriasis pain and itch. RESULTS: Among 107 participants, work productivity was reduced by 6.7%, compared to benchmark employees without limitations. Fatigue was reported by 54 patients (50.5%) on PsAQOL#1, and 64 (60.0%) were classified as high fatigue by BASDAI#1. TJC, SJC, enthesitis count, IBP, and depressed mood were highest or most frequent in participants reporting fatigue. After adjustments for psoriatic activity and depressed mood, WPL was associated with fatigue, as measured by PsAQOL#1 (p = 0.01) and BASDAI#1 (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: WPL was associated with fatigue, and the association was not entirely explained by the evaluated musculoskeletal, cutaneous, or psychiatric manifestations of PsA.

Greater loss of productivity among Japanese workers with gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms that persist vs resolve on medical therapy.

BACKGROUND: Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) impairs quality of life; however, the association between GERD and work productivity has not been well investigated in Japan. This study was designed to compare the impact of GERD on productivity between Japanese workers with GERD symptoms that persisted vs resolved on medical therapy. METHODS: A cross-sectional Web-based survey was conducted in workers. The impact of GERD on work and daily productivity was evaluated using a Web-reported Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire for patients with GERD and a GERD symptom severity Questionnaire. Demographic information, clinical history, and satisfaction with GERD medication were also ascertained. KEY RESULTS: A total of 20 000 subjects were invited to the survey. After the exclusion of patients with a history of gastrointestinal (GI) malignancy, peptic ulcer, upper GI surgery, and unemployment, 650 participants were included in the analysis. Participants with persistent GERD symptoms reported a significantly greater losses of work productivity (11.4 ± 13.4 h/week), absenteeism (0.7 ± 3.1 h/week), presenteeism (10.7 ± 12.6 h/week), costs (20 100 ± 26 800 JPY/week), and lower daily productivity (71.3% [95% confidence interval, 69.0-73.7]) than those whose symptoms were alleviated with medications. The level of dissatisfaction with GERD medications among participants with persistent GERD symptoms was significantly correlated with loss of work and daily productivity (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES: GERD places a significant burden on work and daily productivity despite medical therapy. Ineffective GERD therapy is associated with greater productivity loss.

The influences of reproductive status and acute stress on the levels of phosphorylated delta opioid receptor immunoreactivity in rat hippocampus.

In the hippocampus, ovarian hormones and sex can alter the trafficking of delta opioid receptors (DORs) and the proportion of DORs that colocalize with the stress hormone, corticotropin releasing factor. Here, we assessed the effects of acute immobilization stress (AIS) and sex on the phosphorylation of DORs in the rat hippocampus. We first localized an antibody to phosphorylated DOR (pDOR) at the SER363 carboxy-terminal residue, and demonstrated its response to an opioid agonist. By light microscopy, pDOR-immunoreactivity (ir) was located predominantly in CA2/CA3a pyramidal cell apical dendrites and in interneurons in CA1-3 stratum oriens and the dentate hilus. By electron microscopy, pDOR-ir primarily was located in somata and dendrites, associated with endomembranes, or in dendritic spines. pDOR-ir was less frequently found in mossy fibers terminals. Quantitative light microscopy revealed a significant increase in pDOR-ir in the CA2/CA3a region of male rats 1h following an injection of the opioid agonist morphine (20mg/kg, I.P). To look at the effects of stress on pDOR, we compared pDOR-ir in males and cycling females after AIS. The level of pDOR-ir in stratum radiatum of CA2/CA3a was increased in control estrus (elevated estrogen and progesterone) females compared to proestrus and diestrus females and males. However, immediately following 30min of AIS, no significant differences in pDOR levels were seen across estrous cycle phase or sex. These findings suggest that hippocampal levels of phosphorylated DORs vary with estrous cycle phase and that acute stress may dampen the differential effects of hormones on DOR activation in females.

Systematic review of predictors of surgical performance.

BACKGROUND: Selection criteria for surgical training are not scientifically proven. There is a need to define which attributes predict future surgical performance. The aim of this study was to examine the predictive value of specific attributes that impact on surgical performance. METHODS: All studies assessing the predictive power of specified attributes with regard to outcome measures of surgical performance in MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Educational Resources Information Centre databases, and bibliographies of selected articles from 1950 to November 2010 were considered for inclusion by two independent reviewers. Information on study identifiers, participant characteristics, predictors assessed, evaluation methods for predictors, outcome measures, results and statistical analysis was collected. Quality assessment was carried out using the Hayden criteria. RESULTS: Visual-spatial perception correlated with both subjective and objective assessments of surgical performance, including rate of skill acquisition. Visual-spatial perception did not correlate with operative ability in experts, although it did with operative ability at the end of a training programme. Psychomotor aptitude, assessed collectively, correlated with rate of skill acquisition. Academic achievement predicted completion of a training programme and passing end-of-training examinations, but did not predict clinical performance during the training programme. CONCLUSION: Intermediate- and high-level visual-spatial perception, as well as psychomotor aptitude, can be used as criteria for assessing candidates for surgical training. Academic achievement is an effective predictor of successful completion of training programmes and should continue to form part of the assessment of surgical candidates.

Nicotine increases brain functional network efficiency.

Despite the use of cholinergic therapies in Alzheimer's disease and the development of cholinergic strategies for schizophrenia, relatively little is known about how the system modulates the connectivity and structure of large-scale brain networks. To better understand how nicotinic cholinergic systems alter these networks, this study examined the effects of nicotine on measures of whole-brain network communication efficiency. Resting state fMRI was acquired from fifteen healthy subjects before and after the application of nicotine or placebo transdermal patches in a single blind, crossover design. Data, which were previously examined for default network activity, were analyzed with network topology techniques to measure changes in the communication efficiency of whole-brain networks. Nicotine significantly increased local efficiency, a parameter that estimates the network's tolerance to local errors in communication. Nicotine also significantly enhanced the regional efficiency of limbic and paralimbic areas of the brain, areas which are especially altered in diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. These changes in network topology may be one mechanism by which cholinergic therapies improve brain function.

Glycomic strategy for efficient linkage analysis of di-, oligo- and polysialic acids.

Sialic acid polymers of glycoproteins and glycolipids are characterized by a high diversity in nature and are involved in distinct biological processes depending inter alia on the glycosidic linkages between the present sialic acid residues. Though suitable protocols are available for chain length and sialic acid determination, sensitive methods for linkage analysis of di-, oligo-, and polysialic acids (di/oligo/polySia) are still pending. In this study, we have established a highly sensitive glycomic strategy for this purpose which is based on permethylation of di/oligo/polySia after tagging their reducing ends with the fluorescent dye 1,2-diamino-4,5-methylenedioxybenzene (DMB). Using DMB-labeled sialic acid di/oligo/polymers glycosidic linkages could be efficiently determined and, optionally, the established working procedure can be combined with HPLC for in depth characterization of distinct di/oligo/polySia chains. Moreover, the outlined approach can be directly applied to mammalian tissue samples and linkage analysis of sialic acid polymers present in biopsy samples of neuroblastoma tissue demonstrating the usefulness of the outlined work flow to screen, for example, cancer tissue for the presence of distinct variants of di/oligo/polySia as potentially novel biomarkers. Hence, the described strategy offers a highly sensitive and efficient strategy for identification of glycosidic linkages in sialic acid di/oligo/polymers of glycoproteins and glycolipids.

Acute milk yield response to frequent milking during early lactation is mediated by genes transiently regulated by milk removal.

Milking dairy cows four times daily (4×) instead of twice daily (2×) during early lactation stimulates an increase in milk yield that partly persists through late lactation; however, the mechanisms behind this response are unknown. We hypothesized that the acute mammary response to regular milkings would be transient and would involve different genes from those that may be specifically regulated in response to 4×. Nine multiparous cows were assigned at parturition to unilateral frequent milking (UFM; 2× of the left udder half, 4× of the right udder half). Mammary biopsies were obtained from both rear quarters at 5 days in milk (DIM), immediately after 4× glands had been milked (experiment 1, n = 4 cows), or 2.5 h after both udder halves had last been milked (experiment 2, n = 5 cows). Affymetrix GeneChip Bovine Genome Arrays were used to measure gene expression. We found 855 genes were differentially expressed in mammary tissue between 2× vs. 4× glands of cows in experiment 1 (false discovery rate ≤ 0.05), whereas none were differentially expressed in experiment 2 using the same criterion. We conclude that there is an acute transcriptional response to milk removal, but 4× milking did not elicit differential expression of unique genes. Therefore, there does not appear to be a sustained transcriptional response to 4× milking on day 5 of lactation. Using a differential expression plot of data from both experiments, as well as qRT-PCR, we identified at least two genes (chitinase 3-like-1 and low-density lipoprotein-related protein-2 that may be responsive to both milk removal and to 4× milking. Therefore, the milk yield response to 4× milking may be mediated by genes that are acutely regulated by removal of milk from the mammary gland.

The traveling salesrat: insights into the dynamics of efficient spatial navigation in the rodent.

Rodent spatial navigation requires the dynamic evaluation of multiple sources of information, including visual cues, self-motion signals and reward signals. The nature of the evaluation, its dynamics and the relative weighting of the multiple information streams are largely unknown and have generated many hypotheses in the field of robotics. We use the framework of the traveling salesperson problem (TSP) to study how this evaluation may be achieved. The TSP is a classical artificial intelligence NP-hard problem that requires an agent to visit a fixed set of locations once, minimizing the total distance traveled. We show that after a few trials, rats converge on a short route between rewarded food cups. We propose that this route emerges from a series of local decisions that are derived from weighing information embedded in the context of the task. We study the relative weighting of spatial and reward information and establish that, in the conditions of this experiment, when the contingencies are not in conflict, rats choose the spatial or reward optimal solution. There was a trend toward a preference for space when the contingencies were in conflict. We also show that the spatial decision about which cup to go to next is biased by the orientation of the animal. Reward contingencies are also shown to significantly and dynamically modulate the decision-making process. This paradigm will allow for further neurophysiological studies aimed at understanding the synergistic role of brain areas involved in planning, reward processing and spatial navigation. These insights will in turn suggest new neural-like architectures for the control of mobile autonomous robots.

Musculoskeletal pain in the workforce: the effects of back, arthritis, and fibromyalgia pain on quality of life and work productivity.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of musculoskeletal pain on health-related quality of life and work productivity losses among US workers. METHODS: Data from the 2008 US National Health and Wellness Survey were used. Among those currently employed aged 20 to 64 years (N = 30,868), workers with arthritis (n = 2,670), back (n = 4,920), and fibromyalgia (n = 439) pain were compared with workers without those respective musculoskeletal pain conditions. RESULTS: Arthritis, back, and fibromyalgia pain were all associated with significantly lower levels of health-related quality of life, often at clinically meaningful levels. All pain conditions were associated with higher levels of work productivity loss, even after adjusting for demographic and health characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Musculoskeletal pain conditions were highly prevalent and associated with a significant burden. Improved management of these conditions may lead to improved productivity, benefiting both employers and workers alike.

Effectiveness and safety of etanercept in patients with psoriatic arthritis in a Canadian clinical practice setting: the REPArE trial.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the longterm effectiveness and safety of etanercept in Canadian patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), treated over 24 months in clinical practice. METHODS: Patients with active PsA (≥ 3 tender and ≥ 3 swollen joints) were recruited from 22 centers. Etanercept was administered at 50 mg/week subcutaneously. In addition to clinical assessment of skin and joint disease, conducted at baseline and at Months 6, 12, 18, and 24, regular patient interviews were conducted by telephone. Patient responses related to health status, disability, and work productivity were scored using the patient global assessment tool, the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), the Health and Labour Questionnaire (HLQ), and the Fatigue Severity Scale. RESULTS: Out of 110 patients, 71 (65%) maintained etanercept treatment through the end of our study. All clinical measures of disease severity, including joint tenderness/pain, joint swelling, and Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score, improved significantly between baseline and Month 6 of etanercept treatment and remained constant thereafter. By the end of our study, 79% of patients achieved a Psoriatic Arthritis Response Criteria response, and 56% of patients achieved a 0.5-point improvement on HAQ, indicating clinically significant improvement in disability; 14% of patients finished our study free of disability (HAQ = 0). Patients' work productivity and fatigue improved significantly in parallel with these clinical and functional improvements. CONCLUSION: Continuous treatment with etanercept over 2 years in a clinical setting improved clinical symptoms of PsA while reducing fatigue, improving work productivity, and ameliorating or eliminating disability.

Rapid immunomagnetic negative enrichment of neutrophil granulocytes from murine bone marrow for functional studies in vitro and in vivo.

Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) mediate early immunity to infection but can also cause host damage if their effector functions are not controlled. Their lack or dysfunction is associated with severe health problems and thus the analysis of PMN physiology is a central issue. One prerequisite for PMN analysis is the availability of purified cells from primary organs. While human PMN are easily isolated from peripheral blood, this approach is less suitable for mice due to limited availability of blood. Instead, bone marrow (BM) is an easily available reservoir of murine PMN, but methods to obtain pure cells from BM are limited. We have developed a novel protocol allowing the isolation of highly pure untouched PMN from murine BM by negative immunomagnetic isolation using a complex antibody cocktail. The protocol is simple and fast (~1 h), has a high yield (5-10*106 PMN per animal) and provides a purity of cells equivalent to positive selection (>80%). Most importantly, cells obtained by this method are non-activated and remain fully functional in vitro or after adoptive transfer into recipient animals. This method should thus greatly facilitate the study of primary murine PMN in vitro and in vivo.

Organized colorectal cancer screening programmes: how to optimize efficiency in the general population.

In France, free faecal occult blood testing is offered to individuals aged between 50 and 74 years every 2 years as a method of screening for colorectal cancer (CRC). To assess how a proposed organized programme of CRC screening would be perceived among a representative sample of individuals living in France, aged between 40 and 75 years, and by a representative sample of general practitioners, two nationwide observational telephone surveys were carried out in 2005 (EDIFICE 1; 1601 individuals) and 2008 (EDIFICE 2; 1801 individuals). In 2008, 38% of individuals aged between 50 and 74 years reported undergoing screening for CRC; this corresponded to a statistically significant 13% increase in CRC screening rate compared with 2005 (P=0.01). When asked whether it was possible to screen for CRC, 94% of individuals who had undergone screening (N=350) responded positively compared with 87% of individuals who had not been screened. The main reason for individuals not to undergo screening was a lack of awareness (35% of men and 37% of women, P=not significant); the second reason was lack of advice and referral from their general practitioner (21% of women versus 15% of men, P=0.03). The French population is aware of the potential benefit of CRC screening; however, many do not undergo regular screening. It is therefore important to identify the hurdles associated with CRC screening.