Visual perceptual learning is enhanced by training in the illusory far space.

Visual objects in the peripersonal space (PPS) are perceived faster than farther ones appearing in the extrapersonal space (EPS). This shows preferential processing for visual stimuli near our body. Such an advantage should favour visual perceptual learning occurring near, as compared with far from observers, but opposite evidence has been recently provided from online testing protocols, showing larger perceptual learning in the far space.

Linking Women Experiencing Incarceration to Community-Based HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Care: A Qualitative Study.

Women experiencing incarceration (WEI) in the United States are disproportionately impacted by HIV, yet HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is underutilized by women in the United States. In order to inform an intervention to promote PrEP initiation during incarceration and facilitate linkage to PrEP care following release from incarceration, we conducted individual, semistructured qualitative interviews with WEI ( = 21) and key stakeholders ( = 14). While WEI had little or no previous knowledge about PrEP, they viewed it as something that would benefit women involved in the criminal justice system.

Dysbiosis in the oral microbiomes of anti-CCP positive individuals at risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: An increased prevalence of periodontitis and perturbation of the oral microbiome has been identified in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The periodontal pathogen may cause local citrullination of proteins, potentially triggering anti-citrullinated protein antibody production. However, it is not known if oral dysbiosis precedes the onset of clinical arthritis.

T-cell subset abnormalities predict progression along the Inflammatory Arthritis disease continuum: implications for management.

The presence of a disease continuum in inflammatory arthritis (IA) is a recognised concept, with distinct stages from at-risk stage (presence of anti citrullinated-peptide autoantibody) to diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), including therapy-induced remission. Despite T-cell dysregulation being a key feature of RA, there are few reports of T-cell phenotyping along the IA-continuum. We investigated the disturbances of naïve, regulatory and inflammation related cell (IRC) CD4+ T-cell subsets in 705 individuals across the IA-continuum, developing a simple risk-score (summing presence/absence of a risk-associated with a subset) to predict progression from one stage to the next.

The Impact of an Adolescent Gynecology Provider on Intrauterine Device and Subdermal Contraceptive Implant Use Among Adolescent Patients.

Study Objective: To assess how the addition of a pediatric and adolescent gynecologist (PAG) in an area where one has not previously been available affects the use of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) among adolescent and adult women 13-24 years of age.

Design: Retrospective chart review.

Setting: Academic practice including 12 general practice obstetric/gynecologists (GP) and 1 PAG, and Title X clinics in 3 neighboring counties in West Virginia.

A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of Distress Tolerance Treatment for Weight Concern in Smoking Cessation Among Women.

Introduction: The majority of women who smoke cigarettes report that concern about weight gain is a barrier to quitting. We developed an intervention incorporating distress tolerance, appetite awareness, and mindful eating skills to target concerns about post-cessation weight gain and emotional eating (DT-W). In the current study, we conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial of DT-W versus a smoking health education (HE) intervention.

Pilot feasibility trial of dual contingency management for cigarette smoking cessation and weight maintenance among weight-concerned female smokers.

Many women who smoke cigarettes report that concern about weight gain is a barrier to quitting. Indeed, most quitters gain weight and some attribute relapses to weight gain concern. Contingency management (CM), which refers to reinforcing a target behavior with financial incentives, has been demonstrated effective for promoting smoking abstinence and weight management independently.

Prevalence of Periodontal Disease and Periodontopathic Bacteria in Anti-Cyclic Citrullinated Protein Antibody-Positive At-Risk Adults Without Arthritis.

Importance: The prevalence of periodontitis is increased in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and periodontopathic bacteria can citrullinate proteins. Periodontitis may, therefore, be an initiator of RA and a target for prevention. Periodontal disease and periodontal bacteria have not been investigated in at-risk individuals with RA autoimmunity but no arthritis.

Educational Brochures Influence Beliefs and Knowledge Regarding Exercise during Pregnancy: A Pilot Study.

Women who are pregnant report receiving little or no advice about physical activity during pregnancy from their obstetric provider. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of an evidence-based educational brochure on both immediate and two-week retention of knowledge about exercise during pregnancy. Thirty-two women of childbearing age (age: 25.

S. cerevisiae Srs2 helicase ensures normal recombination intermediate metabolism during meiosis and prevents accumulation of Rad51 aggregates.

We investigated the meiotic role of Srs2, a multi-functional DNA helicase/translocase that destabilises Rad51-DNA filaments and is thought to regulate strand invasion and prevent hyper-recombination during the mitotic cell cycle. We find that Srs2 activity is required for normal meiotic progression and spore viability. A significant fraction of srs2 mutant cells progress through both meiotic divisions without separating the bulk of their chromatin, although in such cells sister centromeres often separate.

MRI inflammation of the hand interosseous tendons occurs in anti-CCP-positive at-risk individuals and may precede the development of clinical synovitis.

Unlabelled: Interosseous tendon inflammation (ITI) has been described in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Whether ITI occurs in at-risk individuals before the onset of clinical synovitis is unknown.

Objectives: To investigate, by MRI, ITI in anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP)-positive at-risk individuals (CCP +at risk) and to describe the anatomy, prevalence and clinical associations across the RA continuum.

Billing Practices Among US Tobacco Use Treatment Providers.

Objectives: The US Affordable Care Act (ACA) now requires almost all health insurance plans to cover tobacco use treatment (TUT), but TUT remains underutilized.

Methods: We conducted an anonymous online survey of US TUT providers in 2016 regarding their billing practices.

Results: Participants (n = 131) provided services primarily in medical and behavioral health settings and were from a variety of professions.

Comorbidities in Anti-Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Positive At-Risk Individuals Do Not Differ from Those Patients with Early Inflammatory Arthritis.

Objectives: To compare comorbidities in a cohort of cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody positive patients without or prior to onset of inflammatory arthritis (IA) to those in patients with early IA.

Methods: Baseline data from two established cohorts were used. The first recruited people at risk of IA: CCP antibody positive cases without IA (CCP Cohort,  = 296).

Magnetic resonance imaging in individuals at risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

Individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) benefit from early diagnosis and initiation of therapy. There can be delays in both due to diagnostic uncertainties. Imaging modalities, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), can detect inflammation earlier than clinical examination alone in early RA patients.

Comparison of Affect and Cardiorespiratory Training Responses Between Structured Gym Activities and Traditional Aerobic Exercise in Children.

Physical activities (PA) that are pleasurable are likely to be repeated. Structured gym activities (SGA) are defined as dodging, chasing, and fleeing games. Traditional aerobic exercises (TAE) are defined as treadmill, cycle ergometer, and elliptical exercise.

Ultrasound findings predict progression to inflammatory arthritis in anti-CCP antibody-positive patients without clinical synovitis.

Objectives: To determine whether ultrasound can identify anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibody-positive patients without clinical synovitis (CS) who progress to inflammatory arthritis (IA).

Methods: In a prospective study, anti-CCP-positive patients without CS underwent ultrasound imaging of 32 joints (wrists, metacarpophalangeal joints, proximal interphalangeal joints and metatarsophalangeal joints (MTPs)) and were monitored for the development of IA. Associations between baseline ultrasound findings (grey scale (GS), power Doppler (PD) and erosions) and (1) progression to IA and (2) development of CS within an individual joint were measured.

Enriching case selection for imminent RA: the use of anti-CCP antibodies in individuals with new non-specific musculoskeletal symptoms - a cohort study.

Objectives: Around 1% of the population test positive for anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies. This biomarker predicts the progression to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) but over a variable time frame. To increase its clinical relevance, this study sought to determine (1) if the proportion of anti-CCP-positive individuals could be enriched by case selection of people attending primary care with new non-specific musculoskeletal (MSK) symptoms but without clinical synovitis (CS) and (2) whether these individuals progress rapidly to inflammatory arthritis (IA), in particular RA.

Impact of Specialized Nursery Care for Late Preterm Infants on NICU Admission Rate and Length of Stay.

Objective: To compare neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission rates and length of stay (LOS) of late preterm infants (LPIs) born before and after opening a specialized care nursery (SCN) at our academic, pediatric tertiary care center with ∼4,500 total deliveries annually.

Study Design: Retrospective chart review of inborn LPIs (35(0/7)-36(6/7) weeks) who were asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic at birth and delivered 7 months before the opening of the SCN (pre-SCN) or 7 months subsequently (post-SCN). Infants were excluded for major congenital anomalies or other conditions requiring immediate NICU admission.

Defining populations at risk of rheumatoid arthritis: the first steps to prevention.

Preventing disease is a public health priority. In recent years, this focus has evolved to include noncommunicable chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus but is novel in rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In order to prevent RA, the 'at-risk' populations need to be defined.

Autoantibodies to posttranslational modifications in rheumatoid arthritis.

Autoantibodies have been associated with human pathologies for a long time, particularly with autoimmune diseases (AIDs). Rheumatoid factor (RF) is known since the late 1930s to be associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The discovery of anticitrullinated protein antibodies in the last century has changed this and other posttranslational modifications (PTM) relevant to RA have since been described.

Posttraumatic stress symptoms and well-being following relationship dissolution: past trauma, alexithymia, suppression.

To investigate whether posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from past trauma, alexithymia and suppression would impact on the experience of Posttraumatic Stress symptoms (PTSS) and psychological well-being following romantic relationship dissolution. One hundred and eighty-nine participants completed questionnaires measuring PTSD, alexithymia, suppression, PTSS and psychological well-being. The results showed that following relationship dissolution, higher levels of intrusion and avoidance (PTSS) and lower levels of psychological well-being were associated with PTSD from past trauma.

"It gave me something big in my life to wonder and think about which took over the space … and not MS": managing well-being in multiple sclerosis through art-making.

Background And Aim: Individuals living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) often face progressive loss of function, uncertainty and disruption to self-image and valued roles. Previous studies show that creative self-expression is valued by some people living with long-term illness, yet its meaning for people living with MS is unclear. This research study explored the meanings of leisure-based visual art-making for people living with MS.

Etanercept in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Introduction: Biologic agents have transformed clinical outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis, and there are now several immune-modulating therapies available. Tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) inhibitors were the first biologic drug class licensed for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Etanercept is a fusion protein composed of two TNF receptors bound to the constant portion (Fc) of human immunoglobulin G (IgG).