Interacting as equals reduces partisan polarization in Mexico.

In many contemporary democracies, political polarization increasingly involves deep-seated intolerance of opposing partisans. The decades-old contact hypothesis suggests that cross-partisan interactions might reduce intolerance if individuals interact with equal social status. Here we test this idea by implementing collaborative contact between 1,227 pairs of citizens (2,454 individuals) with opposing partisan sympathies in Mexico, using the online medium to credibly randomize participants' relative social status within the interaction.

Resilience and recovery from total knee arthroplasty (TKA): a pathway for optimizing patient outcomes.

Identifying and promoting resilience factors may offer novel strategies for optimizing the recovery of patients following orthopedic surgery. Prior research has suggested that self-efficacy, positive affect, vigor, and vitality may function as resilience factors in the face of chronic pain. The present study examines these resilience factors in a prospective, cognitive-affective-behavioral pathway to recovery.

A Web-Based Interactive Patient-Provider Software Platform Does Not Increase Patient Satisfaction or Decrease Hospital Resource Utilization in Total Knee and Hip Arthroplasty Patients in a Single Large Hospital System.

Background: Web-based platforms used to enhance patient-provider communication are being explored to improve patient satisfaction and care delivery, and decrease cost. This study tested a web-based interactive patient-provider software platform (IPSP), JointCOACH, which enabled patient communication with their care team and preparatory/recovery guidance. The aims of this study are to compare (1) patient satisfaction and (2) healthcare resource utilization by patients who underwent total knee and hip replacements and added IPSP to standard of care (SOC).

Bilateral Symmetrical Comparison of Femoral and Tibial Anatomic Features.

Background: Variability in morphologic features of the human lower extremity within and across populations has been reported, but limb asymmetry within individuals is often overlooked. For example, in 19 studies of version of the lower extremity in the literature, 6 document asymmetry in the population, but none of these reports document asymmetry in an individual. The aim of this study was to identify the (a)symmetry and quantify variability in the tibiae and femora of matched pairs of limbs.

Physiological Indices of Stress Prior to and Following Total Knee Arthroplasty Predict the Occurrence of Severe Post-Operative Pain.

Objective: The severe pain and disability associated with osteoarthritis often motivate individuals to undergo arthroplastic surgery. However, a significant number of surgical patients continue to experience pain following surgery. Prior research has implicated both the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) in the sensitization of pain receptors and chronic pain conditions.

Trauma history as a resilience factor for patients recovering from total knee replacement surgery.

Unlabelled: Research concerning the impact of trauma history on individuals' ability to cope with subsequent events is mixed. While many studies find that trauma history increases vulnerability for conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic pain, others reveal that there are benefits associated with moderate levels of stress (e.g.

A prospective, longitudinal study of patient satisfaction following total knee arthroplasty using the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) survey stratified by various demographic and comorbid factors.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the longitudinal variations in SF-36 physical and mental scores and the effects of demographics and comorbidities after TKA. This prospective study evaluated 108 men and 173 women who had a mean age of 66 years. All patients were followed for a minimum of five years and SF-36 physical and mental component scores were evaluated longitudinally.

Using established predictors of post-traumatic stress to explain variations in recovery outcomes among orthopedic patients.

The present studies examine whether information contained in medical records can be used to predict outcomes following two orthopedic procedures: repair of hip fracture and total knee replacement. Study 1 reports the acute, in-hospital recovery data from the medical records of 119 hip fracture patients. Study 2 is a prospective, longitudinal investigation of 3-month postoperative recovery of 110 total knee replacement patients.

Clinical and patient-reported outcomes of primary TKA with a single-radius design.

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a cost-effective procedure used to treat degenerative knee disease with excellent long-term outcomes. However, TKA has not always resulted in excellent functional and patient satisfaction outcomes, partly due to the use of prostheses that did not reproduce natural knee kinematics. Due to a paucity of reports on single-radius designs, the authors evaluated the clinical and patient-reported outcomes of primary TKA in patients who had received a single-radius prosthesis.

Review: biomechanical issues in total hip replacement.

During total hip arthroplasty, the biomechanics of the joint may be altered by removal of bone and by a change in the center of rotation of the joint. Joint pathologies existing at the time of reconstruction may also affect post-operative joint motion. In order to achieve optimized biomechanics of the replaced joint, it is important to understand the muscle actions that are involved in joint movement and the forces that are imposed on the construct by patient activity.

Predicting symptoms of post-traumatic stress among patients undergoing orthopedic surgery on the basis of routinely collected cardiovascular data.

The present study examined whether in-hospital assessments of heart rate and blood pressure predicted symptoms of post-traumatic stress (PTS) in 110 patients undergoing total knee replacement surgery. After controlling for conceptually relevant factors, in-hospital cardiovascular functioning predicted symptoms of PTS three months following surgery. Specifically, lower pre-surgical and post-surgical systolic and diastolic blood pressure predicted more symptoms of avoidance and PTS (total).

Symptoms of postsurgical distress following total knee replacement and their relationship to recovery outcomes.

Objective: Prior research has suggested that posttraumatic stress symptoms may occur in the context of medical events. Further, these symptoms are often comorbid with conditions associated with pain. Therefore, the current study examined the occurrence of distress following arthroplastic surgery and the relationship of these symptoms to postoperative recovery.

Maximizing patient satisfaction and functional results after total knee arthroplasty.

The purpose of this article is to review the issues regarding preoperative patient expectations for total knee arthroplasty and whether or not these are fulfilled after surgery. The demographics of the typical total knee arthroplasty patient are changing, and the expectations regarding the outcome of the surgery have been changing as well. Patients are younger, heavier, more active, and often come to the surgeon's office with information provided via the Internet that may be inaccurate and/or misleading.

The impact of gender and hypothalamic pituitary adrenal activity on depressive symptoms following surgical stress.

The impact of gender and cortisol levels on depression following planned surgery was examined in 95 men and women. Patients were assessed prior to surgery and at one and three months following surgery. Higher cortisol levels conferred greater risk for depression at one and three months following surgery.

Spousal support following knee surgery: roles of self-efficacy and perceived emotional responsiveness.

Objective: The objective was to investigate self-efficacy to manage recovery from surgery and perceptions of the spouse's emotional responsiveness of adults recovering from knee surgery as mediators of the association between the quality of support from the spouse following surgery and recovery outcomes.

Research Method: In-person interviews of married older adults (N = 134) with osteoarthritis of the knee who underwent total knee replacement surgery were conducted at 1 month before surgery, 1 month after surgery, and at 3 months after surgery.

Main Outcome Measures: Outcomes were knee limitations and depressive symptoms.

In-hospital levels of C-reactive protein and IL-6 predict post-operative depressive symptoms among patients undergoing total knee replacement surgery.

Behavioral changes observed following immune system activation are similar to many of the hallmark symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD), including appetite change, lethargy, fatigue, negative mood and anhedonia. Acute phase proteins, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) have been implicated in the production of sickness behavior, and research has revealed significant differences in the levels of these acute phase proteins between depressed and non-depressed individuals. The current study examined whether early post-operative IL-6 and CRP levels predicted subsequent depressive symptoms in 110 patients undergoing total knee replacement surgery (TKR).

Spouses' use of pressure and persuasion to promote osteoarthritis patients' medical adherence after orthopedic surgery.

Objective: The authors investigated health-related effects of social control (influence) that spouses exert in relation to osteoarthritis patients' medical adherence after total knee replacement surgery. Patients' behavioral and emotional responses to control were examined as mediators of associations between spouses' use of two control strategies (pressure, persuasion) and patients' physical and psychological recovery.

Design: The authors used a three-wave panel design with assessments at one month before surgery, 1 month and 3 months after surgery.

Patients' reasons for electing to undergo total knee arthroplasty impact post-operative pain severity and range of motion.

The present study examines the reasons cited by 103 patients for their electing to undergo total knee arthroplastic surgery and the relationship between these reasons and their post-operative pain and range of motion. Results suggest that individuals who describe different reasons for undergoing surgery vary in their post-operative recovery. Specifically, patients who cite pain as the reason they are undergoing surgery report greater levels of pain during the early post-operative period.

Triathlon total knee arthroplasty: 4-year outcomes with a high-performance implant.

The 4-year outcomes of a prospective study of patients undergoing Triathlon total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are presented. There were 2035 consecutive cemented TKAs performed on 1688 patients. Mean follow-up was 21 months, including 713 knees with a follow-up of > or =2 years.

Quadriceps muscle function in primary total knee arthroplasty.

Patient expectations after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) continue to increase as the arthroplasty population becomes younger. Patients desire more than just pain relief, function, and the ability to return to higher level activities after TKA. Quadriceps muscle function and strength are critical determinants of this outcome.

Gender-specific design in total knee arthroplasty.

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has now been performed for more than 3 decades, with millions of implantations, and a tremendous volume of scientific data regarding its use. There is little, if anything, in the academic literature to suggest an inferior result when a TKA is performed in a female patient. Recently, implant manufacturers have introduced TKA designs with modified dimensions to accommodate the anatomical differences that occur between sexes.

Early experience with a new total knee implant: maximizing range of motion and function with gender-specific sizing.

Patients considering total knee arthroplasty (TKA) now have higher expectations of performance including long-term implant survival and a rapid return of normal function. While modern implant systems have many sizes available, implant fit - especially in women - is often imperfect. The ability to achieve outstanding outcomes has many factors, requiring excellent implant fit, alignment, stability, range of motion, and kinematics, as well as long-lasting bearing surfaces and durable fixation.

Effects of spousal control and support on older adults' recovery from knee surgery.

The authors investigated associations between spousal control (influence) and support on the recovery outcomes for 70 men and women (mean age = 70) undergoing an increasingly common surgical treatment for osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. Spouses' positive (motivating) and negative (pressuring) control and spouses' emotional (understanding) and problematic (dismissing) support were examined as predictors of patients' adherence and improvement in well-being. Positive control was associated with better adherence, but only among patients whose spouses provided little problematic support.

Sleep disruptions mediate the relationship between early postoperative pain and later functioning following total knee replacement surgery.

Despite relatively standardized surgical procedures, patients undergoing total knee replacement (TKR) surgery differ dramatically in the speed of their recovery. Previous research has suggested a relationship between the experience of pain and sleep disruptions among patients with chronic pain or those undergoing surgery, such that more severe pain is associated with more frequent awakenings throughout the night. This study examined sleep disruptions 1 month following surgery as a mediator of the relationship between pain 1 month following surgery and functional limitations 3 months following surgery.