Cardiovascular responses to and modulation of pressure pain sensitivity in normotensive, pain-free women.

Background and purpose The psychophysiological responses to and modulation of pressure pain stimulation are relatively new areas of investigation. The aims of the present study were to characterize subjective and cardiovascular (CV) responses to pressure pain stimulation, and to examine the relationship between CV responding and pain pressure pain sensitivity. Methods Thirty-nine pain-free, normotensive women were included in the study and tested during the follicular phase of their menstrual cycles.

Psychological predictors of change in the number of musculoskeletal pain sites among Norwegian employees: a prospective study.

Background: The pathogenesis of syndromes of widespread musculoskeletal pain remains an enigma. The present study sought to determine if psychological states, job satisfaction, pain intensity, and sleep problems contributed to the spread and decline of the number of musculoskeletal pains.

Methods: A sample of 2989 Norwegian employees completed a questionnaire at baseline and follow-up 2 years later.

In vitro genotoxicity testing of four reference metal nanomaterials, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, cerium oxide and silver: towards reliable hazard assessment.

There is serious concern about the potential harmful effects of certain nanomaterials (NMs), on account of their ability to penetrate cell membranes and the increased reactivity that results from their increased surface area compared with bulk chemicals. To assess the safety of NMs, reliable tests are needed. We have investigated the possible genotoxicity of four representative NMs, derived from titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, cerium oxide and silver, in two human cell lines, A549 alveolar epithelial cells and lymphoblastoid TK6 cells.

Citrobacter rodentium NleB Protein Inhibits Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) Receptor-associated Factor 3 (TRAF3) Ubiquitination to Reduce Host Type I Interferon Production.

Interferon signaling plays important roles in both intestinal homeostasis and in the host response to pathogen infection. The extent to which bacterial pathogens inhibit this host pathway is an understudied area of investigation. We characterized Citrobacter rodentium strains bearing deletions in individual type III secretion system effector genes to determine whether this pathogen inhibits the host type I IFN response and which effector is responsible.

Effects of Psychological and Social Work Factors on Self-Reported Sleep Disturbance and Difficulties Initiating Sleep.

Study Objectives: This prospective cohort study examined previously underexplored relations between psychological/social work factors and troubled sleep in order to provide practical information about specific, modifiable factors at work.

Methods: A comprehensive evaluation of a range of psychological/social work factors was obtained by several designs; i.e.

Analysis of fall injuries by body mass index.

Objective: To examine the association of body mass index (BMI) and fall injuries.

Methods: Data were derived from the 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and included subjects aged 45 years and older from Texas. The outcome was self-reported falls that resulted in injury to the respondents.

Time-course of occupational psychological and social factors as predictors of new-onset and persistent neck pain: a three-wave prospective study over 4 years.

The current study estimated the impact of psychological and social work factors over time on neck pain. A sample of Norwegian employees (n=1250) was surveyed on 3 occasions spanning 4 years. Five exposures were studied: quantitative demands, decision control, social climate, empowering leadership, and role conflict.

Work and back pain: a prospective study of psychological, social and mechanical predictors of back pain severity.

Studies relating occupational psychological and social factors to back pain have traditionally investigated a small number of exposure factors. The current study explored longitudinally a comprehensive set of specific psychological/social and mechanical work factors as predictors of back pain severity (defined as the product of back pain intensity and duration). Employees from 28 organizations in Norway, representing a wide variety of occupations, were surveyed with a follow-up period of 2 years.

How much sick leave is work-related?

Background: Sick leave is a topical subject, particularly following the revision of the Agreement on a More Inclusive Working Life (the IA agreement). However, there has been little discussion about the extent to which sick leave may be related to work.

Material And Methods: The paper is based on a non-systematic literature search using PubMed combined with personal research and experience.

Work and neck pain: a prospective study of psychological, social, and mechanical risk factors.

To determine the impact of occupational psychological/social and mechanical factors on neck pain, a prospective cohort study with a follow-up period of 2 years was conducted with a sample of Norwegian employees. The following designs were tested: (i) cross-sectional analyses at baseline (n=4569) and follow-up (n=4122), (ii) prospective analyses with baseline predictors, (iii) prospective analyses with average exposure over time [(T1+T2)/2] as predictor, and (iv) prospective analyses with measures of change in exposure from T1 to T2 as predictors. A total of 2419 employees responded to both the baseline and follow-up questionnaire.

Biotransformation of benzo[a]pyrene in Ahr knockout mice is dependent on time and route of exposure.

Benzo[a]pyrene (BP) is an ubiquitous environmental pollutant with potent mutagenic and carcinogenic properties. The Ah receptor (Ahr) is important in the metabolic activation of BP and is therefore central to BP-induced carcinogenesis. Although Ahr(-/-) mice are refractory to BP-induced carcinogenesis, higher levels of BP-DNA and -protein adducts were formed in them than in wild-type mice.

Epimerization and stability of two new cis-benzo[a]pyrene tetrols by the use of liquid chromatography-fluorescence and mass spectrometry.

Quantitative determination of the hydrolysis products from proteins and DNA gives valuable information regarding the reactive metabolite that forms the protein and DNA adduct. Quantification of protein-benzo[a]pyrene (BP) adducts represents a more sensitive method than quantification of BP-DNA adducts. The aim of the present study was to identify two hydrolysis products from BP-derived protein adducts found in vitro and in vivo in a previous study.

The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire--a tool for the assessment and improvement of the psychosocial work environment.

Objectives: The aim of this article is to present the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ), a questionnaire developed in three different lengths for assessing psychosocial factors at work, stress, and the well-being of employees and some personality factors. The purpose of the COPSOQ concept is to improve and facilitate research, as well as practical interventions at workplaces.

Methods: The development of the questionnaire was based on a survey of a representative sample of 1858 Danish employees aged 20-59 years.

An uncertainty budget for the measurement of ethanol in blood by headspace gas chromatography.

An uncertainty budget was constructed for the measurement of ethanol in blood by headspace gas chromatography. The uncertainty budget, covering the analytical range of ethanol concentrations up to 3.00 g/kg, included analytical uncertainty components, traceability uncertainty components, and effects caused by interindividual variation in blood water content.

The Guide to expression of uncertainty in measurement approach for estimating uncertainty: an appraisal.

Background: The aim of the Guide to Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM) is to harmonize the different practices for estimating and reporting uncertainty of measurement. Although there are clear advantages in having a common approach for evaluating uncertainty, application of the GUM approach to chemistry measurements is not straightforward. In the above commentary, Krouwer suggests that the GUM approach should not be applied to diagnostic assays, because (a) the quality of diagnostic assays is to low, and (b) the GUM uncertainty intervals are too narrow to predict the outliers that occasionally trouble these methods.

Description of a generally applicable model for the evaluation of uncertainty of measurement in clinical chemistry.

There is a growing pressure on clinical chemistry laboratories to conform to quality standards that require the evaluation and expression of the uncertainty of results of measurement. Nevertheless, there is some reluctance to accept the uncertainty concept in the analytical community due to difficulty in evaluating uncertainty in practice. For example, often the uncertainty of some uncertainty components is not known very well in clinical chemistry measurements, such as those associated with matrix effects or with the values of the calibrators.

Study of adjuvant effect of model surfactants from the groups of alkyl sulfates, alkylbenzene sulfonates, alcohol ethoxylates and soaps.

The sodium salts of representatives of anionic surfactants, dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS), dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and coconut oil fatty acids, and a nonionic surfactant, dodecyl alcohol ethoxylate, were studied for adjuvant effect on the production of specific IgE antibodies in mice. The surfactants were injected subcutaneously (sc) in concentrations of 1000, 100, 10 or 1 mg/l, respectively, together with 1 microg of ovalbumin (OVA). In addition, groups of mice received OVA in saline (control group) or in Al(OH)(3) (positive adjuvant control group).

A strong genotoxic effect in mouse skin of a single painting of coal tar in hairless mice and in MutaMouse.

The dorsal skin of C3H/Tif/hr hairless mice was painted with coal tar, pharmacological grade. Epidermal cells and hepatocytes were isolated after 4, 24, 48 and 96 h and DNA strand breaks were determined as tail moment by the alkaline comet assay. The tail moment of epidermal cells was significantly greater at the time points 4, 24, 48 and 96 h after exposure compared to the controls, with the most DNA strand breaks at 24 h.

Incidence of lung cancer among shipyard welders investigated for siderosis.

The incidence of lung cancer among 428 shipyard welders exposed for more than ten years to welding fumes was investigated. The welders were examined for siderosis by the Directorate of Labor Inspection in 1975. The present study was a follow-up based on historical information from the Norwegian registry of dust-exposed workers.

A Neuropsychological Study of Patients Exposed to Organic Solvents.

Sixty-seven male patients exposed to organic solvents were neurospychologically examined. Twenty-five subjects had possible causes of encephalopathy other than solvent exposure, leaving 42 patients for the study of the association between exposure and neuropsychological test results. The patients had been heavily exposed for, on average, 24.