Going beyond The three worlds of welfare capitalism: regime theory and public health research.

International research on the social determinants of health has increasingly started to integrate a welfare state regimes perspective. Although this is to be welcomed, to date there has been an over-reliance on Esping-Andersen's The three worlds of welfare capitalism typology (1990). This is despite the fact that it has been subjected to extensive criticism and that there are in fact a number of competing welfare state typologies within the comparative social policy literature.

The psychosocial and health effects of workplace reorganisation. 2. A systematic review of task restructuring interventions.

Objective: To systematically review the health and psychosocial effects (with reference to the demand-control-support model) of changes to the work environment brought about by task structure work reorganisation, and to determine whether those effects differ for different socioeconomic groups.

Design: Systematic review (QUORUM) of experimental and quasi-experimental studies (any language) reporting health and psychosocial effects of such interventions.

Data Sources: Seventeen electronic databases (medical, social science and economic), bibliographies and expert contacts.

The psychosocial and health effects of workplace reorganisation. 1. A systematic review of organisational-level interventions that aim to increase employee control.

Objective: Systematic review of the health and psychosocial effects of increasing employee participation and control through workplace reorganisation, with reference to the "demand-control-support" model of workplace health.

Design: Systematic review (QUORUM) of experimental and quasi-experimental studies (any language) reporting health and psychosocial effects of such interventions.

Data Sources: Electronic databases (medical, social science and economic), bibliographies and expert contacts.

Age and gender of informal carers: a population-based study in the UK.

This paper identifies variations in the age and gender characteristics of informal carers in the UK. The paper is based on the Individual Sample of Anonymous Records, a 3% random sample of the 2001 UK Census. The sample size was 1 825 595.

A politics of health glossary.

This glossary reflects a (re-)emerging awareness within public health of the political dimension of health and health inequalities, and it also attempts to define some of the key concepts from the political science literature in a way that will be of use in future public health analyses. Examples from different domains (healthcare and population health) are provided to highlight how political concepts pervade health.

What are the effects of anti-discriminatory legislation on socioeconomic inequalities in the employment consequences of ill health and disability?

Objective: To investigate how anti-discrimination legislation in the form of the UK Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) affected socioeconomic disparities in the employment rates of people with a limiting long-term illness (LLTI) or disability.

Design: National cross-sectional data on employment rates for people with and without an LLTI or disability were obtained from the General Household Survey (GHS) for a 14-year period (1990-2003; 12 surveys). Representative population samples were analysed.

What is the association between sickness absence, mortality and morbidity?

This paper examines the area-level relationships in England and Wales between sickness absence ('incapacity benefit'), mortality and morbidity. It uses a random sample of incapacity benefit claims, and population counts of mortality and Census morbidity for local government districts. Although there is little correspondence between sickness absence claims by specific cause and mortality, all cause sickness absence has a strong relationship with all cause mortality (male r 0.

Has the Disability Discrimination Act closed the employment gap?

Study Objective: To investigate whether the disparity in employment rates between people with a limiting long-term illness or disability and those without has decreased since the implementation of the Disability Discrimination Act in the UK.

Design: National cross-sectional data on employment rates for people with and without a limiting long-term illness or disability were obtained from the General Household Survey for a twelve-year period (1990-2002; 10 surveys). Representative population samples were analysed.

Intraperitoneal alginate-encapsulated neonatal porcine islets in a placebo-controlled study with 16 diabetic cynomolgus primates.

Background: A nonhuman primate model of diabetes is valuable for assessing porcine pancreatic islet transplants that might have clinical benefits in humans.

Methods: Neonatal porcine islets, microencapsulated in alginate-polyornithine-alginate, were injected intraperitoneally (10,000 IEQs/kg islets) into eight adult male cynomolgus monkeys rendered diabetic with streptozotocin. Eight diabetic controls were given an equivalent dose of empty placebo capsules.

Is patriarchy the source of men's higher mortality?

Objective: To examine the relation between levels of patriarchy and male health by comparing female homicide rates with male mortality within countries.

Hypothesis: High levels of patriarchy in a society are associated with increased mortality among men.

Design: Cross sectional ecological study design.

The effect of endometriosis, cycle stage, lymphocyte suppression and pregnancy on CA-125 levels in peritoneal fluid and serum in baboons.

Background: Serum CA-125 during the mid-follicular phase has been reported to be a clinically useful and reproducible marker in the diagnosis of advanced endometriosis in women. This study was undertaken to document the effect of the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and lymphocyte suppression on CA-125 levels in peritoneal fluid (PF) and serum in baboons with a normal pelvis and baboons with endometriosis.

Methods: CA-125 levels were measured in 264 serum samples that were serially obtained during one menstrual cycle from 10 animals with and without endometriosis.

Transplantation of micro- and macroencapsulated piglet islets into mice and monkeys.

Neonatal porcine islets within alginate microcapsules transplanted intraperitoneally (IP) or within semi-permeable macrocapsules (TheraCyte) and transplanted subcutaneously (SC) survive and reverse diabetes for up to 16 weeks in diabetic autoimmune nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice. The islets in microcapsules transplanted IP into nondiabetic cynomolgus monkeys survived for 8 weeks. Similar results were shown with islets transplanted in TheraCytes.

Does 'welfare-to-work' work? A systematic review of the effectiveness of the UK's welfare-to-work programmes for people with a disability or chronic illness.

Welfare-to-work programmes promoting employment of people with a disability or chronic illness are an expanding aspect of welfare reform in the UK. What evidence is there of impact on employment outcomes? This paper presents a systematic review of the evidence on UK policy initiatives. Both quantitative and qualitative studies were identified: 5399 abstracts were located, from which 16 studies were critically appraised.

Towards a politics of health.

The importance of public policy as a determinant of health is routinely acknowledged, but there remains a continuing absence of mainstream debate about the ways in which the politics, power and ideology, which underpin public policy influence people's health. This paper explores the possible reasons behind the absence of a politics of health and demonstrates how explicit acknowledgement of the political nature of health will lead to more effective health promotion strategy and policy, and to more realistic and evidence-based public health and health promotion practice.

Evidence for public health policy on inequalities: 2: assembling the evidence jigsaw.

Study Objective: To garner research leaders' perceptions and experiences of the types of evidence that influence policy on health inequalities, and their reflections on how the flow of such research evidence could be increased.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Qualitative two day residential workshop with senior research leaders, most of whom were currently involved in evaluations of the health effects of major policies. In four in depth sessions, facilitated by the authors in turn, focused questions were presented to participants to reveal their views and experiences concerning evidence synthesis for policy on inequalities.

Effect of menstruation and intrapelvic injection of endometrium on inflammatory parameters of peritoneal fluid in the baboon (Papio anubis and Papio cynocephalus).

Objective: Our purpose was to test the hypothesis that menstruation and intrapelvic injection of endometrium for the induction of endometriosis affect inflammatory parameters in peritoneal fluid from baboons.

Study Design: In the first part of this study, 107 laparoscopies were performed in 62 female baboons with a normal pelvis during menstruation, the follicular phase, and the luteal phase. In the second part of this study, 21 baboons were studied during paired laparoscopies in the follicular phase and the luteal phase of the cycle.

DNA typing of primate major histocompatibility complex (Mhc)-DQA1 locus by PCR and dot blot hybridization.

Non-human primates (NHPs) are increasingly utilized as models to investigate different aspects of immune responses against self (autoimmunity) and foreign antigens. These animals provide valuable models for testing the efficacy of candidate vaccines against pathogens such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and also fertility regulating agents (immunocontraceptives). In order to fully understand the effects of vaccination, it may be necessary to elucidate the immunogenetic background of these animals.

Pelvic inflammation induced by diagnostic laparoscopy in baboons.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that diagnostic laparoscopy can cause pelviperitoneal inflammation.

Design: Retrospective analysis of data collected during a prospective controlled study in baboons.

Setting: An academic research environment.

Expression of cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 in the baboon endometrium during the menstrual cycle and pregnancy.

Cyclooxygenase (COX) is the rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of PGs. PGs together with ovarian steroids play important regulatory roles in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy in a number of different species. In the primate, little is known about the role of PGs in these processes.

Current status of reproductive behaviour in Africa.

The current annual population growth rate of 3.2% in Africa will double the population by the year 2025. The majority of this population is below 15 years of age, and Africa concurrently also has the highest incidence of infertility in the world.

Colinear synthesis of an antigen-specific B-cell epitope with a 'promiscuous' tetanus toxin T-cell epitope: a synthetic peptide immunocontraceptive.

Carrier conjugation is commonly used to provide T-cell help for small, linear peptides containing antigen-specific B-cell epitopes. However, carrier conjugation is expensive, variable and often results in adverse side effects if the conjugate is administered repeatedly. To eliminate the need for carrier conjugation, we examined two synthetic peptides for their ability to elicit sustained antibody titres in female rabbits and baboons.

Flow cytometric analysis on reactivity of human T lymphocyte-specific and cytokine-receptor-specific antibodies with peripheral blood mononuclear cells of chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta), and squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus).

There are relatively few monoclonal antibodies (mAb) that have been characterized for their applicability in studies on the immune system of various nonhuman primates. In the present study, we identified a large number of mAb that can be used in future immunological studies in three different nonhuman primates, i.e.

Analysis of primate major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-DQA1 locus by PCR-single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP).

Major histocompatibility complex (Mhc) gene products play an important role in the immune responses against pathogens and autoimmunity, disease resistance and transplantation. Non-human primates (NHPs) are increasingly being utilized as models to test the safety and efficacy of candidate vaccines. Mhc typing of NHPs is an important component of the vaccine trial studies and in the investigations of any associations between Mhc alleles and disease.

The effect of pregnancy on endometriosis in baboons (Papio anubis, Papio cynocephalus).

Background: This study was performed to test the hypothesis that endometriosis undergoes regression during pregnancy.

Methods: This study was performed on 11 baboons with histologically proven endometriosis, housed at the Institute of Primate Research, Nairobi, Kenya. In each individual baboon paired laparoscopies were performed prior to and during pregnancy (6 during first and 5 during second trimester of gestation) with an interval of 5 +/- 3 months.