Data presented here demonstrate that FLA is a sensitive and specific biochemical marker of inflammation for use in the diagnosis and interval assessment of pediatric patients with IBD, and its level correlates well with both clinical disease activity indices and ESR. Elevated levels of FLA may also identify patients at greater risk for the development of subsequent clinical flares.

Bipolar disorder is a common, chronic and severe mental disorder, affecting approximately 2% of the adult population. Bipolar disorder causes substantial psychosocial morbidity that frequently affects the patient's marriage, children, occupation, and other aspects of the patient's life. Few studies have examined the functional impairment in patients with affective illness. Earlier outcome studies of mania reported favorable long-term outcomes. However, modern outcome studies have found that a majority of bipolar patients evidence high rates of functional impairment. These low reports of functional recovery rates are particularly surprising. The basis for such limited functional recovery is not entirely clear. Factors associated with functional dysfunction include presence of inter-episode symptoms, neuroleptic treatment, lower social economic class, and lower premorbid function. Cognitive dysfunction, a symptom domain of schizophrenia, has been identified as an important measure of outcome in the treatment of schizophrenia. Recently, there has been some suggestion that there may be impaired neuropsychological performance in euthymic patients with recurring mood disorders. Whether impaired neuropsychological performance in associated with the functional impairment in bipolar patients who have achieved syndromal recovery is an intriguing question. The literature on functional impairment and cognition in bipolar disorder is reviewed.

The objective of this study was to assess compliance with Boston's 100% smoke-free bar regulation within the first 3 months of implementation. An observational survey was conducted of a random sample of 102 bars in Boston before and after the smoking ban went into effect. Forty bars were observed both pre- and postban, serving as a true comparison group; 62 additional bars were observed postban only. From preban to postban, highly significant decreases were found in the mean proportion of patrons smoking inside (22.5% to 0.19%, p < 0.0001), in the proportion of bars with smoking patrons (100% to 2.5%, p < 0.0001), and in the average number of ashtrays present in each bar (24 to 0, p < 0.0001). A highly significant increase was found in the average number of "no smoking" signs posted in each bar (0 to 3.3, p < 0.0001). Within the 3 months immediately following the 100% smoke-free bar regulation in Boston, bars were highly compliant with the ban, including not allowing patrons and employees to smoke, removing ashtrays, and posting signs indicating that smoking is prohibited. Therefore, with proper time and preparation, public health practitioners can change social norms before a ban goes into effect and can implement smoke-free policies smoothly and with immediate compliance.

No abstract

This project examined whether smokers differentially responded to messages about oral health that emphasized either the benefits of quitting smoking or the risks of continued smoking. Messages concerning oral health and smoking were developed to emphasize the benefits of quitting smoking (gain-framed) or the costs of continued smoking (loss-framed). These messages were embedded in recruitment brochures for smoking cessation trials, which were placed in twenty dental office waiting rooms for a six-month period. The number of brochures taken from the waiting rooms was tracked, as well as calls to inquire about smoking cessation studies. As hypothesized, dental patients were more likely to acquire gain-framed brochures. Out of 271 brochures taken from the dental office waiting rooms, significantly more brochures contained gain-framed messages compared to loss-framed messages (59 percent vs. 41 percent, p<.05). There was an equal number of calls to inquire about smoking cessation studies for each message type. Overall, individuals in dental office waiting rooms were more likely to take brochures about smoking cessation trials that contained gain-framed messages concerning oral health and smoking. Information about oral health and smoking typically emphasizes the dangers of continued smoking. This study found that smokers are more receptive to information that emphasizes the benefits of quitting.