Estimates of the prevalence of arthritis and selected musculoskeletal disorders in the United States

OBJECTIVE: To provide a single source for the best available estimates of the national prevalence of arthritis in general and of selected musculoskeletal disorders (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, the spondylarthropathies, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, polymyalgia rheumatica/giant cell arteritis, gout, fibromyalgia, and low back pain). METHODS: The National Arthritis Data Workgroup reviewed data from available surveys, such as the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey series. For overall national estimates, we used surveys based on representative samples. Because data based on national population samples are unavailable for most specific musculoskeletal conditions, we derived data from various smaller survey samples from defined populations. Prevalence estimates from these surveys were linked to 1990 US Bureau of the Census population data to calculate national estimates. We also estimated the expected frequency of arthritis in the year 2020. RESULTS: Current national estimates are provided, with important caveats regarding their interpretation, for self-reported arthritis and selected conditions. An estimated 15% (40 million) of Americans had some form of arthritis in 1995. By the year 2020, an estimated 18.2% (59.4 million) will be affected. CONCLUSION: Given the limitations of the data on which they are based, this report provides the best available prevalence estimates for arthritis and other rheumatic conditions overall, and for selected musculoskeletal disorders, in the US population.     

Incentive effects of workers' compensation

Economic theory and evidence indicate that workers, employers, and healthcare personnel respond to the incentives built into state workers' compensation systems. Although empirical studies cannot provide precise estimates of the quantitative effects resulting from specific policy changes, research is useful in evaluating the qualitative effects of alternative policies. Studies show that workers' compensation claims are higher the more generous the level of benefits, the shorter the waiting period, and the more readily available is information on benefits to workers. States that decrease real benefit levels and lengthen the period required before workers are compensated for lost earnings can constrain future growth in workers' compensation costs, while continuing to provide partial compensation for workers with the most serious injuries. The most difficult problem facing policymakers is to design and implement reforms that take into account what are often the incompatible incentives of workers, employers, and medical care providers.     

The age-related characteristics of feather formation in birds and the physiological role of sulfur as sodium sulfate in keratin synthesis in the plumage

There were studied formation's processes of feathering in chickens and goslings and role of sulphur sulphate in synthesis of keratin's feathers. It is established, that sulphur sulphate sodium is used for synthesis of precursors of keratin's feathers. The including of 35S-sulphate natrii regulates the intensity of feather's growth. The content of sulphur in amino acids containing sulphur in feathers of chickens for period from 1 till 60 days of age is increasing from 6.34 to 94.47 per cent. Fattening in composition of feed the sulphate natrii stimulates by chickens and goslings the intensity of feather's growth and metabolism of sulphur in skin.     

P-glycoprotein function involves conformational transitions detectable by differential immunoreactivity

The MDR1 P-glycoprotein (Pgp), a member of the ATP-binding cassette family of transporters, is a transmembrane ATPase efflux pump for various lipophilic compounds, including many anti-cancer drugs. mAb UIC2, reactive with the extracellular moiety of Pgp, inhibits Pgp-mediated efflux. UIC2 reactivity with Pgp was increased by the addition of several Pgp-transported compounds or ATP-depleting agents, and by mutational inactivation of both nucleotide-binding domains (NBDs) of Pgp. UIC2 binding to Pgp mutated in both NBDs was unaffected in the presence of Pgp transport substrates or in ATP-depleted cells, whereas the reactivities of the wild-type Pgp and Pgps mutated in a single NBD were increased by these treatments to the level of the double mutant. These results indicate the existence of different Pgp conformations associated with different stages of transport-associated ATP hydrolysis and suggest trapping in a transient conformation as a mechanism for antibody-mediated inhibition of Pgp.     

Some Controversies Regarding the Teaching of Psychoanalysis: Comment on Mendelsohn (2005).

Eric Mendelsohn (2005) emphasizes the value of analysts' learning from patients, optimal ways of working with them psychoanalytically. He exhibits a healthy skepticism about traditional methods of learning to be a psychoanalyst, with particular caution about identifying with strong teachers or all-too-clear systems of thought. He fears this may inadvertently create a kind of fundamentalism and a parallel loss of analytic spontaneity. The author agrees with much of Mendelsohn's thesis but has some concern about going too far in the direction of promoting spontaneity, as this ethos too can reflect an inclination to idealize charismatic teachers who specialize in breaking the rules. He suggests that an emphasis on analytic spontaneity is best acquired after some reasonable period of working as at least a somewhat reserved and cautious young analyst. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Analyzing correlations of three types in selected lines of Drosophila melanogaster that have evolved stable extreme geotactic performance.

The behavior–genetic analysis of Drosophila melanogaster with geotactic performance as the phenotype is an ideal model system with which to investigate the complex relations between heredity and behavior. As part of a long-term, 38-year study, we report 4 experiments that identify and analyze trait correlations in the selected high- and low-geotaxis lines. We performed F2 correlational analyses and backcrosses to examine 3 types of correlations: (a) genotype–genotype (alcohol dehydrogenase [Adh]–amylase [Amy]), (b) genotype–phenotype (Adh and Amy–geotaxis), and (c) phenotype–phenotype (mate preference–geotaxis). Only the Adh-geotaxis correlation survived meiosis and reappeared in the F2 generation, which indicates a genotype-phenotype correlation, whereas the others did not. The importance of hybrid correlational analysis to the behavior–genetic analysis of a species is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Characterization of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 mutants with decreased sensitivity to proteinase inhibitor Ro 31-8959

A human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) variant with highly reduced susceptibility to Ro 31-8959, an inhibitor of the viral proteinase, has been selected by repeated passage of wild-type virus in CEM cells in the presence of increasing concentrations of the inhibitor. Peptide sequences of the proteinase of selected virus were obtained from proviral DNA. Sequence comparison to wild-type (wt) proteinase demonstrated two amino acid substitutions in the resistant virus, a Gly to Val exchange at position 48 and a Leu to Met exchange at position 90. Furthermore, sequences of intermediate passage virus suggest contributions from positions 12, 36, 57, and 63 in early steps of resistance development. The selected virus showed a ca. 40-fold increase in 50% inhibitory concentration of Ro 31-8959. Growth kinetics of resistant virus were comparable to wild-type virus and the resistant genotype proved to be stable in the absence of inhibitor. Directed mutagenesis of the HIV-1 HXB2 proteinase at positions 48 and 90 suggested that each mutation alone led to a moderate decrease in sensitivity of the recombinant virus to proteinase inhibitor. However, a recombinant virus carrying both mutations in the proteinase gene showed a significant reduction in its sensitivity to Ro 31-8959 thus proving the importance of these exchanges for the resistance phenotype.