Correction to: Telomere length of gallbladder epithelium is shortened in patients with congenital biliary dilatation: measurement by quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization

Abstract

In the original publication of this article, Fig. 5 was published with incorrect color of the approximate lines of CBD and Control.

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Different behavioral, neural and neuropeptide responses of fathers to their own and to alien pups in mandarin voles

Abstract

Mothers often prefer to care for their own offspring rather than those of other females. However, whether fathers respond differently to their own pups and to alien ones remains unclear. In this study, we found that male mandarin voles (Microtus mandarinus) directed more sniffing toward their own pups than toward alien pups. The numbers of Fos-immunoreactive neurons in the medial preoptic nucleus, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, nucleus accumbens, anterior cingulate cortex were significantly increased when fathers were exposed to an alien pups; however, more brain regions such as paraventricular nucleus, hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus, lateral habenula, ventral lateral septal nucleus, and medial amygdaloid nucleus showed increased number of Fos-immunoreactive neurons activated when the fathers were exposed to their own pups. Exposure to their own pups also induced a greater number of Fos-immunoreactive neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex, paraventricular nucleus, hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus, lateral habenula, ventral lateral septal nucleus and medial amygdaloid nucleus, as well as higher expression of oxytocin and vasopressin in the paraventricular nucleus, compared with exposure to alien pups. Our results indicated that fathers demonstrated different behavioral and neural responses to their own and to alien pups.

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Design and Operation of the Transformed National Healthy Start Evaluation

Abstract

Purpose Improving pregnancy outcomes for women and children is one of the nation's top priorities. The Healthy Start (HS) program was created to address factors that contribute to high infant mortality rates (IMRs) and persistent disparities in IMRs. The program began in 1991 and was transformed in 2014 to apply lessons from emerging research, past evaluation findings, and expert recommendations. To understand the implementation and impact of the transformed program, there is a need for a robust and comprehensive evaluation. Description The national HS evaluation will include an implementation evaluation, which will describe program components that affect outcomes; a utilization evaluation, which will examine the characteristics of women and infants who did and did not utilize the program; and an outcome evaluation, which will assess the program's effectiveness with regard to producing expected outcomes among the target population. Data sources include the National HS Program Survey, a HS participant survey, and individual-level program data linked to vital records and the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) survey. Assessment Descriptive analyses will be used to examine differences in risk profiles between participants and non-participants, as well as to calculate penetration rates for high-risk women in respective service areas. Multivariable analyses will be used to determine the impact of the program on key outcomes and will explore variation by dose, type of services received, and grantee characteristics. Conclusion Evaluation findings are expected to inform program decisions and direction, including identification of effective program components that can be spread and scaled.

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Co-morbid Non-communicable Diseases and Associated Health Service Use in African and Caribbean Immigrants with HIV

Abstract

We sought to characterize non-communicable disease (NCD)-related and overall health service use among African and Caribbean immigrants living with HIV between April 1, 2010 and March 31, 2013. We conducted two population-based analyses using Ontario's linked administrative health databases. We studied 1525 persons with HIV originally from Africa and the Caribbean. Compared with non-immigrants with HIV (n = 11,931), African and Caribbean immigrants had lower rates of hospital admissions, emergency department visits and non-HIV specific ambulatory care visits, and higher rates of health service use for hypertension and diabetes. Compared with HIV-negative individuals from these regions (n = 228,925), African and Caribbean immigrants with HIV had higher rates of health service use for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [rate ratio (RR) 1.78; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.36–2.34] and malignancy (RR 1.20; 95% CI 1.19–1.43), and greater frequency of hospitalizations for mental health illness (RR 3.33; 95% CI 2.44–4.56), diabetes (RR 1.37; 95% CI 1.09–1.71) and hypertension (RR 1.85; 95% CI 1.46–2.34). African and Caribbean immigrants with HIV have higher rates of health service use for certain NCDs than non-immigrants with HIV. The evaluation of health services for African and Caribbean immigrants with HIV should include indicators of NCD care that disproportionately affect this population.

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A Pilot Program Integrating Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Screening into an Outpatient Endoscopy Unit Improves HBV Screening Among an Ethnically Diverse Safety-Net Hospital

Abstract

Background

Safety-net hospitals are enriched in ethnic minorities and provide opportunities for high-impact hepatitis B virus (HBV) screening.

Aim

We aim to evaluate the impact of a pilot program integrating HBV screening into outpatient endoscopy among urban safety-net populations.

Methods

From July 2015 to May 2017, consecutive adults undergoing outpatient endoscopy were prospectively assessed for HBV screening eligibility using US Preventative Services Task Force guidelines. Rates of prior HBV screening were assessed, and those eligible but not screened were offered HBV testing. Multivariate logistic regression models evaluated predictors of test acceptance among eligible patients.

Results

Among 1557 patients (47.1% male, 69.4% foreign born), 65.1% were eligible for HBV screening, among which 24.5% received prior screening. In our pilot screening program in the endoscopy unit, 91.4% (n = 855) of eligible patients accepted HBV testing. However, only 55.3% (n = 415) of those that accepted actually completed HBV testing. While there was a trend toward higher rates of test acceptance among African-Americans compared to non-Hispanic whites (OR 3.31, 95% CI 0.96–11.38, p = 0.06), no other sex-specific or race/ethnicity-specific disparities in HBV test acceptance were observed. Among those who completed HBV testing, we identified 10 new patients with chronic HBV (2.4% prevalence). Only 24.5% of eligible patients received prior HBV screening among our cohort.

Conclusions

Our pilot program integrating HBV screening into outpatient endoscopy successfully tested an additional 415 patients, improving overall HBV screening from 24.5 to 75.6%. Integrating HBV testing into non-traditional settings has potential to bridge the gap in HBV screening among safety-net systems.

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Acute effect on ambulatory blood pressure from aerobic exercise: a randomised cross-over study among female cleaners

Abstract

Purpose

High occupational physical activity (OPA) is shown to increase the risk for elevated blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases and mortality. Conversely, aerobic exercise acutely lowers the blood pressure up to 25 h post exercise. However, it is unknown if this beneficial effect also apply for workers exposed to high levels of OPA. Cleaners constitute a relevant occupational group for this investigation because of a high prevalence of OPA and cardiovascular disease. Accordingly, the objective was to investigate the acute effects on ambulatory blood pressure from a single aerobic exercise session among female cleaners.

Methods

Twenty-two female cleaners were randomised to a cross-over study with a reference and an aerobic exercise session. Differences in 24-h, work hours, leisure time, and sleep ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) were evaluated using repeated measure 2 × 2 mixed-models.

Results

After the aerobic exercise session, the 24-h systolic ambulatory blood pressure was significantly lowered by 2.4 mmHg (p < 0.01) compared to the reference session. The 24-h diastolic ABP was unaltered. During work hours, a lowered systolic ABP of 2.2 mmHg (p = 0.02) and a higher diastolic ABP of 1.5 mmHg (p = 0.03) were found after the aerobic exercise session. During leisure time, the systolic ABP was lowered by 1.7 mmHg (p = 0.04) and the diastolic ABP was unaltered. During sleep, the systolic and diastolic ABP was unaltered.

Conclusion

A single aerobic exercise session lowered 24-h systolic ABP of 2.4 mmHg. Thus, an aerobic exercise session seems to be beneficial for lowering the risk of hypertension among cleaners.

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Robotic assisted gait as a tool for rehabilitation of individuals with spinal cord injury: a systematic review

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is characterized by a total or partial deficit of sensory and motor pathways. Impairments of this injury compromise muscle recruitment and motor planning, thus reducing functional capa...

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