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Recent perspectives suggest that osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease involving not only the articular cartilage but also the osteochondral unit, including the synovium, supportive cartilage and subchondral bone. Current conservative treatments for OA are symptomatic and do not prevent progression or reverse the disease process. Compelling data show that intra-articular orthobiologic injections, such as platelet-rich plasma and mesenchymal stromal cells, are effective in providing relief of OA symptoms. However, recent data suggest that injections of orthobiologics into the subchondral bone may be superior to intra-articular injections for the management of OA. This review highlights the rationale and current evidence for intra-articular and subchondral bone injections of orthobiologics for the treatment of OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background RNA degradation is critical to the survival of all cells. With increasing evidence for pervasive transcription in cells, RNA degradation has gained recognition as a means of regulating gene expression. Yet, RNA degradation machinery has been studied extensively in only a few eukaryotic organisms, including Saccharomyces cerevisiae and humans. Giardia lamblia is a parasitic protist with unusual genomic traits: it is binucleated and tetraploid, has a very compact genome, displays a theme of genomic minimalism with cellular machinery commonly comprised of a reduced number of protein components, and has a remarkably large population of long, stable, noncoding, antisense RNAs. Results Here we use in silico approaches to investigate the major RNA degradation machinery in Giardia lamblia and compare it to a broad array of other parasitic protists. We have found key constituents of the deadenylation and decapping machinery and of the 5'-3' RNA degradation pathway. We have similarly found that all of the major 3'-5' RNA degradation pathways are present in Giardia, including both exosome-dependent and exosome-independent machinery. However, we observe significant loss of RNA degradation machinery genes that will result in important differences in the protein composition, and potentially functionality, of the various RNA degradation pathways. This is most apparent in the exosome, the central mediator of 3'-5' degradation, which apparently contains an altered core configuration in both Giardia and Plasmodium, with only four, instead of the canonical six, distinct subunits. Additionally the exosome in Giardia is missing both the Rrp6, Nab3, and Nrd1 proteins, known to be key regulators of noncoding transcript stability in other cells. Conclusions These findings suggest that although the full complement of the major RNA degradation mechanisms were present - and likely functional - early in eukaryotic evolution, the composition and function of the complexes is more variable than previously appreciated. We suggest that the missing components of the exosome complex provide an explanation for the stable abundance of sterile RNA species in Giardia.

The Impact of Events Scale (IES) has been characterized as one of the most widely used measures of the subjective psychological distress associated with traumatic events. However, the scale may measure other aspects of events, such as the cognitive accessbility of an event, as well as emotional distress or symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). To explore this possibility, 58 Texas community collge students (35 women, 23 men) completed the scale with the target "stressor" being the worst movie or television show they had seen recently. Analysis showed that participants' scores approximated IES ranges often associated with significant emotional distress or PTSD. Insofar as the IES measures the memorability, cognitive accessibility or other aspects of events instead of psychopathology associated with events, it may produce misleading results when used as a measure of PTSD or emotional distress. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Compares the response bias in self-reported history of plaintiffs with nonlitigating patients. Association of response bias with the nature of the proceedings; Exhibition of different response patterns than nonlitigating patients when asked about their preinjury problems.

Argues that the integration of counterfactual thinking, hindsight bias and attribution theory gives a comprehensive understanding of the cognitive processes underlying human responses to traumatic events. Review of related literature; Definitions; Factors increasing counterfactual thinking; Foreseeability; Properties of attributions.

Presents the findings of a study on the implications for neuropsychological assessment involving individuals suspected of exposure to formaldehyde. What the relationships between exposure and neuropsychological deficits are based on; What is formaldehyde; Discussion on the shortcomings in formaldehyde research; Insight on the implications of these shortcomings for assessment of individual patients.

Seeks to examine some of the methodological flaws of studies supporting the issue of health effects of long term, low-level exposure to organic solvents. Argument that potential confounds and other factors preclude a consensus on the chronic neurobehavioral effects of exposure to organic solvents; Examination of cross-sectional studies that compared neuropsychological test scores of exposed and nonexposed individuals.

This study investigated response bias in self reported history of factors relevant to the assessment of traumatic brain injury, toxic brain injury and related emotional distress. Response bias refers to systematic error in self report data. A total of 446 subjects comprising 131 litigating and 315 non litigating adults from five locations in the United States completed a symptom questionnaire. Data were obtained from university faculty and students, from patients in clinics specializing in physiatry, neurology, and family medicine, and from plaintiffs undergoing forensic neuropsychological evalua tions. Comparisons were made for litigant and non litigant ratings of their past and current cognitive and emotional functioning, including life in general, ability to concentrate, memory, depression, anxiety, alcohol, drugs, ability to work or attend school, irritability, headaches, confusion, self esteem, and fatigue. Although there is no basis for hypothesizing plaintiffs to be healthier than the general population, plaintiffs rated their pre injury functioning superior to non plaintiffs. These findings suggest that response biases need to be taken into account by forensic examiners when relying on litigants self reports of pre injury status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the research on the perception of illness related to the role of odor detection. Participants used in the research; Method used to conduct the research; Findings of the research; Discussion of results.

The effects of counterfactual thinking and causal attribution on accident-related judgments were investigated. Subjects read about a couple who died in an automobile accident where mutability of the outcome was varied. Mutability refers to the extent that a factual event can be mentally altered, with mutable outcomes more easily imagined otherwise than immutable outcomes. In comparison to the immutable scenario, participants reading the mutable scenario saw the accident as more avoidable, ascribed a greater causal role to the accident perpetrator, and perceived the perpetrator having more causal control over the couple's deaths. In addition to increased anger, a harsher financial penalty was levied against the accident perpetrator by participants in the mutable than in the immutable condition. Multiple regression analysis supported the efficacy of attribution theory to explain the affective and behavioral consequences of counterfactual thinking in accident-related judgments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female and male subjects read one of three scenarios depicting a social-sexual interaction between a man and a woman. The scenarios varied in severity of the stimulus male's behavior according to whether sexual harassment had occurred. Subjects then rated the offensiveness of his behavior and whether it constituted sexual harassment. Subjects also rated the stimulus male's behavior on Weiner's (1986) three basic dimensions of causality: locus of causality, or the perceived cause of the behavior as internal or external; stability, or the likelihood of its recurrence; and controllability, or the amount of volitional influence he exercised during the interaction. Additionally, subjects reported their anger at the target male and sympathy for the target female. Findings generally indicated that for both women and men, as the scenarios increased in severity, these ratings were elevated. Gender comparisons also showed elevations in these ratings for female but not for mate subjects, and only in the scenarios of lesser severity. Regression analyses revealed attribution variables--control, stability, and anger--as reliable predictors of perceived offensiveness and harassment in the most severe scenario, whereas affects were the most reliable predictors in scenarios of lesser severity. The implications of these findings for perception of sexual harassment are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examined the influence of hindsight bias and causal attribution on perceptions of a technological disaster. After reading a fictitious account of a toxic substance spill near a populated area, subjects were provided with information that disease rates had either increased or had remained stable (hindsight conditions), or were presented with no outcome information (control condition). Subjects were then asked to predict the likelihood of increases in disease rates and to make causal attributions regarding the target company and residents of the disaster community. When compared to subjects provided with either no outcome information or with information that disease rates remained stable (positive-outcome condition), subjects told that disease rates had increased (negative-outcome condition) showed elevated predictions regarding future disease rates, ascribed greater responsibility for the accident to the target company, and reported more anger toward the company and greater sympathy for the residents. Subjects receiving positive outcome information and no outcome information did not significantly differ on these measures. In addition, results from a path analysis supported the efficacy of attribution theory to account for the cognitive, affective, and behavioral consequences resulting from hindsight bias following a negative environmental event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports base rate data for 113 family practice patients with no history of head trauma or toxic exposure, 68 family practice patients with a history of head trauma or toxic exposure, and 156 personal injury claimants with no history of toxic exposure or head trauma who presented for a psychological evaluation due to emotional distress. Personal injury claimants reported suffering from significantly more neurotoxic and neuropsychologic symptoms than subjects with a reported history of head trauma and/or toxic exposure. The authors urge that evaluating psychologists consider the base rate of these symptoms in litigating populations and use caution in relying on self-reported symptoms as evidence of injury when patients are in litigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As neuropsychologists are involved increasingly in the neuropsychological assessment of individuals reporting both acute and long-term exposure to hydrocarbons, the value of research for providing guidance also increases. Research findings inform neuropsychologists about likely neuropsychological deficits given certain intensity and duration of exposure and about neuropsychological tests most appropriate for detecting hydrocarbon-induced deficits. Although high-dose events are associated with neuropsychological deficits, methodological weaknesses in the existing research impede a consensus on the implications of low-dose exposures in humans. Three flaws inherent in research on low-dose hydrocarbon exposures and their implications for neuropsychological assessment of individuals are discussed: Selection bias in recruitment of research participants, biased recall of research participants, and between-study variation in neuropsychological tests and results. Because they undermine the reliability and validity of existing research, lack of awareness of these weaknesses may interfere with unbiased assessment of individual patients suspected of hydrocarbon-induced neuropsychological deficits. Examples from the social-cognitive psychological literature contribute to understanding how misleading research findings can lead experts to form expectancies that bias assessment of individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The frequency with which various psychological tests are administered in forensic evaluations was assessed. Data was gathered from reports of adult personal injury evaluations by 100 examiners identified as experts in neuropsychology. A rank ordering of tests from most to least used by examiners was created. For example, the most frequently used tests were the WAIS-R, MMPI, WMS-R, Trails A & B, Finger Oscillation Test, Bender-Gestalt, Category Test, and Wisconsin Card-Sorting Test. Selected comparisons were made of test ranking from earlier surveys. Implications of findings for examiners and expert witnesses are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Centrioles play critical roles in the organization of microtubule-based structures, from the mitotic spindle to cilia and flagella. In order to properly execute their various functions, centrioles are subjected to stringent copy number control. Central to this control mechanism is a precise duplication event that takes place during S phase of the cell cycle and involves the assembly of a single daughter centriole in association with each mother centriole . Recent studies have revealed that posttranslational control of the master regulator Plk4/ ZYG-1 kinase and its downstream effector SAS-6 is key to ensuring production of a single daughter centriole. In contrast, relatively little is known about how centriole duplication is regulated at a transcriptional level. Here we show that the transcription factor complex EFL-1-DPL-1 both positively and negatively controls centriole duplication in the Caenorhabditis elegans embryo. Specifically, we find that down regulation of EFL-1-DPL-1 can restore centriole duplication in a zyg-1 hypomorphic mutant and that suppression of the zyg-1 mutant phenotype is accompanied by an increase in SAS-6 protein levels. Further, we find evidence that EFL-1-DPL-1 promotes the transcription of zyg-1 and other centriole duplication genes. Our results provide evidence that in a single tissue type, EFL-1-DPL-1 sets the balance between positive and negative regulators of centriole assembly and thus may be part of a homeostatic mechanism that governs centriole assembly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]