Nevin Manimala

Work. 2023 Jun 23. doi: 10.3233/WOR-220565. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: A valid distribution of key anthropometric parameters among participants is often a perquisite of ergonomics research.

OBJECTIVE: In this paper, we investigated the accuracy of self-report stature and body mass of the population in the Netherlands.

METHODS: Data from 4 experiments was synthetized where in each experiment, participants self-reported their stature and body mass prior to being measured, of which they were not notified before.

RESULTS: Statistical analysis of 249 records indicated that on average, participants overreported the stature by 1.31 cm and underreported their mass by 1.45 kg. This is especially true for people with a BMI≥25.

CONCLUSION: Two models were proposed to adjust the self-reported stature and body mass for ergonomic researchers in a survey or recruitment. Limitations in using the models are highlighted as well.

PMID:37355924 | DOI:10.3233/WOR-220565

Int J Risk Saf Med. 2023 Jun 19. doi: 10.3233/JRS-210052. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Dentists using dental amalgam are chronically exposed to low doses of elemental mercury. The complex toxico-kinetics of this systemic toxicant results in polymorphic and variable clinical phenotypes. In this context, adapted statistical methods are required to highlight potential adverse effects of occupational mercury exposure on dentists’ health.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to analyze the distribution of self-reported subjective symptoms, commonly associated with chronic mercury poisoning, according to occupational mercury exposure in a population of Moroccan liberal dentists.

METHODS: In order to achieve the defined objectives, a three-step latent class regression was fitted. First a latent class analysis was performed to cluster the studied population according to their declared symptoms. Dentists were then classified in the defined latent classes based on their posterior probabilities. Finally, a logistic regression is fitted to identify predictors associated with latent classes’ membership.

RESULTS: The final obtained model showed acceptable calibration and discrimination. Its interpretation revealed that the increase of the frequency of amalgam use was associated with significant higher odds of belonging to the high risk latent class.

CONCLUSIONS: The present study represents an initial step towards the development of diagnosis model that predict clinical profiles according to occupational mercury exposure.

PMID:37355914 | DOI:10.3233/JRS-210052

J Alzheimers Dis. 2023 Jun 19. doi: 10.3233/JAD-230324. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Dementia is one of the pathologies that has increased the most among the older population (mainly Alzheimer’s disease), and it has a direct impact on the quality of life (QoL), cognitive performance, and health of these patients. Family functionality can play a role in this QoL if these patients are not institutionalized.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the role of family function in the QoL and health perception of non-institutionalized dementia patients, as well as related variables such as anxiety, depression, optimism, or pessimism.

METHODS: Cross-sectional study with a sample of 54 patients diagnosed with some type of dementia, non-institutionalized, or in outpatient care, from different centers in the province of Valencia (Spain). The EQ-5D, MMSE, Apgar Family or general health, and Goldberg anxiety and depression questionnaires were utilized.

RESULTS: The correlation of the Apgar Family with the General Health Questionnaire-new onset problems variable (GHQ) and Chronicity and General Health Questionnaire-chronic problems (CGHQ) of the Goldberg Quality of Life questionnaire was statistically significant and negative (GHQ r = -0.310; p = 0.034. CGHQ r = -0.363; p = 0.012); as well as between Apgar Family and Anxiety-Depression (r = -0.341; p = 0.020). The correlation of the Apgar Family with the Life Orientation Test-Pessimism variable (LOT) was statistically significant and negative (r = -0.270; p = 0.061). Finally, severe dysfunction of Apgar Family has a negative correlation with self-perception of health (p = 0.036 B = -16.589) determined by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).

CONCLUSION: Family functionality directly influences anxiety, depression, optimism, and pessimism. This could explain why family function is related to the QoL of patients and their self-perception of health.

PMID:37355908 | DOI:10.3233/JAD-230324

J Alzheimers Dis. 2023 Jun 22. doi: 10.3233/JAD-230233. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Macular pigment optical density (MPOD) remains an indispensable biomarker to measure fruit and vegetable intake, with a biologically plausible correlation to vision and cognition. However, evidence in the sub-Saharan regions, including Ghana, is lacking.

OBJECTIVE: This study explored dietary carotenoid intake on MPOD and its influence on cognitive and visual function in a healthy Ghanaian sample.

METHODS: The MPOD of 301 healthy subjects (aged 21.1±1.9 years) was evaluated using the customized Macular DensitometerTM. A battery of cognitive tests and standard vision assessments were employed to assess cognition and visual function, respectively. Dietary lutein and zeaxanthin (L and Z) were estimated based on a twenty-four-hour repeated dietary recall.

RESULTS: The mean MPOD at 0.5° and 1.0° eccentricities were 0.37±0.16 and 0.34±0.15 optical density units, respectively. Dietary intake of L (4.06±10.54 mg/day) was considerably higher than Z (0.33±2.25 mg/day), with cumulative L+Z estimated at 4.39±11.58 mg/day. MPOD was not significantly influenced by demographic, dietary, and visual measures (p≥0.05). However, after statistical adjustment, we found a small but statistically significant positive relationships between F-A-S phonetic verbal fluency (Unstandardized co-efficient (β) = 0.002, p = 0.016) and the never consumed alcohol category (β= 0.062, p = 0.02) with MPOD.

CONCLUSION: The findings in this population showed significant positive relationships between a measures of cognition and no alcohol intake, as a measure in this sample, with MPOD. These findings necessitate dietary education to augment carotenoid intake and limit alcohol intake for better cognitive functioning.

PMID:37355904 | DOI:10.3233/JAD-230233

J Alzheimers Dis. 2023 Jun 22. doi: 10.3233/JAD-230187. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Clinical significance of additional occipital amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we investigated the effect of regional Aβ deposition on cognition in patients on the AD continuum, especially in the occipital region.

METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical record of 208 patients with AD across the cognitive continuum (non-dementia and dementia). Multivariable linear regression analyses were performed to determine the effect of regional Aβ deposition on cognitive function. A linear mixed model was used to assess the effect of regional deposition on longitudinal changes in Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. Additionally, the patients were dichotomized according to the occipital-to-global Aβ deposition ratio (ratio ≤1, Aβ-OCC- group; ratio >1, Aβ-OCC+ group), and the same statistical analyses were applied for between-group comparisons.

RESULTS: Regional Aβ burden itself was not associated with baseline cognitive function. In terms of Aβ-OCC group effect, the Aβ-OCC+ group exhibited a poorer cognitive performance on language function compared to the Aβ-OCC- group. High Aβ retention in each region was associated with a rapid decline in MMSE scores, only in the dementia subgroup. Additionally, Aβ-OCC+ individuals exhibited a faster annual decline in MMSE scores than Aβ-OCC- individuals in the non-dementia subgroup (β= -0.77, standard error [SE] = 0.31, p = 0.013).

CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrated that additional occipital Aβ deposition was associated with poor baseline language function and rapid cognitive deterioration in patients on the AD continuum.

PMID:37355901 | DOI:10.3233/JAD-230187

J Alzheimers Dis. 2023 Jun 23. doi: 10.3233/JAD-230177. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: There is a close association between Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and circadian rhythms, and neuroinflammatory-related pathways are associated with both interactions.

OBJECTIVE: To reveal the relationship between circadian rhythm (CR) and AD at the level of genes, pathways, and molecular functions through bioinformatics.

METHODS: We analyzed the differential genes between AD and control groups in GSE122063 and found the important gene modules; obtained CR-related genes from GeenCard database; used Venn 2.1 database to obtain the intersection of genes of AD important modules with CR-related genes; and used STRING database and Cytoscape 3.7.1 to construct the gene protein-protein interaction network. The MCODE plugin was used to screen pivotal genes and analyze their differential expression. We trranslated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version) to obtain transcriptional regulatory relationships from the TRRUST database and construct a hub gene-transcription factor relationship network.

RESULTS: A total of 42 common genes were screened from AD and CR genes, mainly involving signaling pathways such as neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions. A total of 10 pivotal genes were screened from the common genes of CR and AD, which were statistically significant in the comparison of AD and control groups (p < 0.001), and ROC analysis showed that all these pivotal genes had good diagnostic significance. A total of 36 TFs of pivotal genes were obtained.

CONCLUSION: We identified AD- and CR-related signaling pathways and 10 hub genes and found strong associations between these related genes and biological processes such as inflammation.

PMID:37355898 | DOI:10.3233/JAD-230177

J Alzheimers Dis. 2023 Jun 20. doi: 10.3233/JAD-230080. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are characterized by widespread cortical and subcortical atrophy. Though atrophy patterns between aging and AD overlap considerably, regional differences between these two conditions may exist. Few studies, however, have investigated these patterns in large community samples.

OBJECTIVE: Elaborate longitudinal changes in brain morphometry in relation to aging and cognitive status in a well-characterized community cohort.

METHODS: Clinical and neuroimaging data were compiled from 72 participants from the Cardiovascular Health Study-Cognition Study, a community cohort of healthy aging and probable AD participants. Two time points were identified for each participant with a mean follow-up time of 5.36 years. MRI post-processing, morphometric measurements, and statistical analyses were performed using FreeSurfer, Version 7.1.1.

RESULTS: Cortical volume was significantly decreased in the bilateral superior frontal, bilateral inferior parietal, and left superior parietal regions, among others. Cortical thickness was significantly reduced in the bilateral superior frontal and left inferior parietal regions, among others. Overall gray and white matter volumes and hippocampal subfields also demonstrated significant reductions. Cortical volume atrophy trajectories between cognitively stable and cognitively declined participants were significantly different in the right postcentral region.

CONCLUSION: Observed volume reductions were consistent with previous studies investigating morphometric brain changes. Patterns of brain atrophy between AD and aging may be different in magnitude but exhibit widespread spatial overlap. These findings help characterize patterns of brain atrophy that may reflect the general population. Larger studies may more definitively establish population norms of aging and AD-related neuroimaging changes.

PMID:37355895 | DOI:10.3233/JAD-230080

Clin Hemorheol Microcirc. 2023 Jun 22. doi: 10.3233/CH-231833. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate if there is a correlation between lipid-lowering treatment with statins and the occurrence, number, and location of cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) among patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease (ICVD), and also to compare treatment with atorvastatin and rosuvastatin in terms of the occurrence of CMBs and their differences.

METHODS: In this retrospective study, we included patients who were diagnosed with ICVD and underwent susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) in a grade A tertiary hospital from October 1, 2014 to October 1, 2022. We collected information on previous statin use, past medical history, clinical test indicators, and imaging data.

RESULTS: We found that out of 522 patients, 310 patients (59.4%) had no CMB and 212 patients (40.6%) had CMBs. There was no statistically significant correlation between prior statin use, the occurrence, and number of CMBs in patients diagnosed with ICVD (P < 0.05). As for the location of CMB, there was a statistically significant correlation between prior statin use and lobar CMBs (P < 0.048). However, there was no statistically significant correlation between the use of atorvastatin and rosuvastatin and the occurrence of CMBs (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION: There was no independent correlation between previous statin use, and the occurrence, and number of CMBs in patients with ICVD. As for CMBs in different locations, there was a correlation between previous use of statin and lobar CMBs. There was no significant difference between atorvastatin and rosuvastatin in the occurrence of CMBs in patients with ICVD.

PMID:37355888 | DOI:10.3233/CH-231833

Breast Dis. 2023;42(1):183-189. doi: 10.3233/BD-239001.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the associations between breast cancer staging and body mass index (BMI), menopausal status, and family history of breast cancer, as well as to assess the expression of tumor markers in women with breast cancer in Brunei Darussalam.

METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out at The Brunei Cancer Centre. Cases of women with breast cancer between 2000 and 2013 were retrieved from the medical records section and entered into a clinical proforma. These were reviewed and analyzed using appropriate statistical methods.

RESULTS: Overall, the mean age at diagnosis was 53.6 years ± 9.83. The postmenopausal women had a significantly higher risk of being diagnosed with late-onset breast cancer than premenopausal women (P = 0.022). The expressions of PR (P = 0.034), Her2 (P = 0.046), and CatD (P = 0.004) were significantly different in breast cancer staging. Other factors did not have a statistically-significant association with breast cancer staging.

CONCLUSION: While most of the factors studied were not significantly different in breast cancer staging, our findings showed that it is recommended that high-risk women perform regular breast screening after the age of 40 years old. A future study highly appreciates comparing breast cancer risk factors among the Bruneian and Western populations.

PMID:37355881 | DOI:10.3233/BD-239001

J Assoc Physicians India. 2022 Oct;70(10):11-12. doi: 10.5005/japi-11001-0090.

ABSTRACT

CONTEXT: Fatigue is the most prominent feature of long COVID. With the increasing burden of long COVID cases post-acute phase of illness after recurrent waves of the pandemic, understanding its pathophysiology is of paramount importance. Such fatigue and post-viral illness could be associated with features of neuroimmune exhaustion and thus be a part of a larger syndrome such as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). Identifying the proportion of patients having ME from those experiencing fatigue would bring us one step closer to understanding the pathophysiology. International consensus criteria (ICC) originally published in English (ICC-E) is a valid and reliable tool for identifying cases of ME. However, a validated Hindi version of ICC-E is not available. : To develop and validate an equivalent version of ICC-E in the native Hindi language (ICC-H) to suit Indian patients and health care workers even at peripheries and to make conducting large scales surveys more feasible.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Once permission from the ethics board was granted, guidelines given by MAPI Research Trust were followed and ICC-H was developed from ICC-E, in the following steps: (a) translation to Hindi, (b) back translation, (c) comparison between the translated and back-translated version performed by experts, and (d) pre-pilot test in the intended population. The ICC-H was applied to 53 bilingual individuals knowing both Hindi and English.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: The distribution of Hindi and English questionnaires was analyzed using the Chi-square test and Spearman’s correlation coefficient was used for correlation between answers of each question.

RESULTS: The score of individual items and its global score was highly correlated with each other (p&lt;0.001). The scores of individual components and global scores of ICC-H at baseline and original ICC-E after 4 weeks did not differ significantly.

CONCLUSION: This study shows that the ICC-H is a valid and reliable instrument for the assessment of ME. ICC-H can be used for Hindi speaking population for identifying cases of ME. Key Messages There is a significant overlap in symptoms of long COVID and ME, with fatigue being a major component in both. Understanding the prevalence of ME in the post-acute phase of COVID illness can bring us a step closer to understanding its pathophysiology. In a multilingual country like ours, regionally translated criteria are a must for conducting large-scale surveys.

PMID:37355868 | DOI:10.5005/japi-11001-0090