Nevin Manimala

Cancer Epidemiol. 2022 Jan 6;77:102098. doi: 10.1016/j.canep.2022.102098. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly altered the behavior of adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer. No data exists on how gender influences the adherence of individuals with cancer to COVID-19 related public health guidelines and their preferred methods of receiving COVID-19 related information.

METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of adolescents and young adults with cancer. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess differences in adherence to COVID-19 preventative behaviors, and differences in preferred information sources of COVID-19 related information between men and women.

RESULTS: Among 633 participants, adherence to key COVID-19 preventative measures was 44.9-58.8% for males and 53.4-68.1% for females. After adjusting for key confounding variables in multivariable analysis, males were less likely to adhere to frequent hand washing (AOR [adjusted odds ratio] 1.45, 95% CI [confidence interval] 1.03-2.03), not touching face (AOR 1.82, 95% CI 1.29-2.56) and social distancing (AOR 1.93, 95% CI 1.37-2.71) than females. Both genders preferred to receive information from their cancer institutes and social media.

DISCUSSION: Gender-specific interventions are needed to improve the adherence of males to COVID-19 precautionary measures. Information should be disseminated via cancer institutes and social media as these are the preferred sources of COVID-19 related information among AYAs with cancer.

PMID:35104772 | DOI:10.1016/j.canep.2022.102098

Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2022 Jan 24;16(2):102415. doi: 10.1016/j.dsx.2022.102415. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Wearing an accelerometer during night-time could conflate sedentary behavior time and sleep hours. It is important to assess the impact of including night-time data on sedentary and upright behavior in a sedentary population. Therefore, we investigated differences in sitting and upright time and associated energy expenditure (EE), recorded by a Fibion accelerometer, with and without night-time data in Emirati women working in desk-based jobs.

METHODS: Thirty-one healthy Emirati women working in the government offices used the Fibion accelerometer for a week. Fibion data were included if the participants wore the device for ≥600 min per day for a minimum of three weekdays and one weekend day. Sedentary (sitting) and upright time and associated energy expenditure (EE) were recorded using the Fibion. Variables were compared with and without night-time data using the paired t tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Effect sizes were determined using Cohen’s d.

RESULTS: Statistically significant differences for 15 out of 18 variables were observed when the night-time data were included. Except for cycling time, cycling EE, and vigorous activity time, nearly all other outcome measures showed a significant increase (moderate to large effect sizes) with night-time data compared to those without night-time data.

CONCLUSIONS: Cycling time/EE and vigorous activity time did not change with standard night-time data. Therefore, studies examining only cycling and/or vigorous activity time with the Fibion accelerometer do not require night-time data removal. An analysis of other variables relating to sedentary and upright time will require night-time data exclusion.

PMID:35104752 | DOI:10.1016/j.dsx.2022.102415

J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2022 Jan 29;31(4):106308. doi: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2022.106308. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Rigorous and regular evaluation of defined quality indicators is crucial for further improvement of both technical and clinical results after mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Following the recent international multi-society consensus quality indicators, we aimed to assess trend in these indicators on national level.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The prospective multicenter study (METRICS) was conducted in Czech Republic (CR) in year 2019. All participating centers collected technical and clinical data including defined quality indicators and results were subsequently compared with those from year 2016.

RESULTS: In the 2019, 1375 MT were performed in the CR and 1178 (86%) patients (50.3% males, mean age 70.5 ± 13.0 years) were analyzed. Recanalization (TICI 2b-3) was achieved in 83.7% of patients and 46.2% of patients had good 3-month clinical outcome. Following time intervals were shortened in comparison to 2016: “hospital arrival – GP” (77 vs. 53 min; p<0.0001), “hospital arrival – maximal achieved recanalization” (122 vs. 93 min; p<0.0001), and “stroke onset – maximal achieved recanalization” (240 vs. 229 min; p p<0.0001). More patients with tandem occlusion were treated in 2019 (7.8 vs. 16.5%; p<0.0001) and more secondary transports were in 2019 (31.3 vs. 37.8%; p=0.002). No difference was found in 3-month clinical outcome and in the rate of periprocedural complications. Results of the METRICS study met all criteria of multi-society consensus quality indicators.

CONCLUSION: Nationwide comparison between 2016 and 2019 showed improvement in the key time intervals, but without better overall clinical outcomes after MT.

PMID:35104746 | DOI:10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2022.106308

Epilepsy Behav. 2022 Jan 29;128:108506. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2021.108506. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Seizure severity has been increasingly gaining attention as a complementary assessment to seizure frequency for the measurement of treatment responses. This study aimed to assess the reliability and external validity and of the Persian version of the Seizure Severity Questionnaire (SSQ).

METHODS: The study sample was recruited from 126 patients with epilepsy who attended the neurology outpatient clinic at Imam Khomeini and Roozbeh hospitals, Tehran, Iran. The Forward-Backward technique was applied to translate the questionnaire. The reliability of SSQ was assessed by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The external validity of SSQ was assessed by correlating SSQ scores with Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory-31 (QOLIE-31) subscales.

RESULTS: The sample comprised 63 women (50%) and 63 men (50%) aged 13-76 years. The mean scores of SSQ items ranged from 3.46 to 5.48. Distribution was skewed for all component scores, with a tendency for the item scores to concentrate toward the highest scores. Reliability for almost all domains were moderate to good, with Cronbach’s alpha ranging from 0.615 to 0.770. Component B to D and total score of SSQ had weak-to-moderate inverse correlation with QOLIE-31 subscale scores. However, the result showed no significant correlation with age, sex, or education.

CONCLUSION: With some limitations, the Persian version of the SSQ shows relatively good reliability and content validity, supporting its use as a specific measure of seizure severity in epilepsy in Iran.

PMID:35104735 | DOI:10.1016/j.yebeh.2021.108506

Int J Infect Dis. 2022 Jan 29:S1201-9712(22)00063-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.01.054. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of reproductive-aged female patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of female patients aged 10-49 years notified with COVID-19 in Osaka, Japan, between January and November 2020. We assessed their epidemiological and clinical characteristics according to their pregnancy status.

RESULTS: A total of 4,156 patients were enrolled, of whom 29 (0.7%) were pregnant. Most patients exhibited mild symptoms, and 10.8% of the cases were asymptomatic. No moderate or severe cases were observed in pregnant women, while only 0.1% of the non-pregnant women had severe disease at diagnosis. No clusters were observed in the pregnant patients; however, most acquired the infection from a family member. Of the 29 pregnant women, 22 (75.9%) were hospitalized, while among the non-pregnant women, 579 (14.0%) were hospitalized (P < 0.001). No patients were admitted to the intensive care unit, and there were no deaths among women aged 10-49 years.

CONCLUSIONS: Pregnant women accounted for 0.7% of the total cases of COVID-19 among women aged 10-49 years. Pregnant women were more likely to be hospitalized but generally had mild disease.

PMID:35104668 | DOI:10.1016/j.ijid.2022.01.054

Brain Stimul. 2022 Jan 29:S1935-861X(22)00020-1. doi: 10.1016/j.brs.2022.01.015. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) neuromodulation provides a promising emerging non-invasive therapy for the treatment of neurological disorders. Many studies have demonstrated the ability of tFUS to elicit transient changes in neural responses. However, the ability of tFUS to induce sustained changes need to be carefully examined. In this study, we use the long-term potentiation/long term depression (LTP/LTD) model in the rat hippocampus, the medial perforant path (mPP) to dentate gyrus (DG) pathway, to explore whether tFUS is capable of encoding frequency specific information to induce plasticity. Single-element focused transducers were used for tFUS stimulation with ultrasound fundamental frequency of 0.5 MHz and nominal focal distance of 38 mm tFUS stimulation is directed to mPP. Measurement of synaptic connectivity is achieved through the slope of field excitatory post synaptic potentials (fEPSPs), which are elicited using bipolar electrical stimulation electrodes and recorded at DG using extracellular electrodes to quantify degree of plasticity. We applied pulsed tFUS stimulation with total duration of 5 min, with 5 levels of pulse repetition frequencies each administered at 50 Hz sonication frequency at the mPP. Baseline fEPSP is recorded 10 min prior, and 30+ minutes after tFUS administration. In N = 16 adult wildtype rats, we observed sustained depression of fEPSP slope after 5 min of tFUS focused at the presynaptic field mPP. Across all PRFs, no significant difference in maximum fEPSP slope change was observed, average tFUS induced depression level was observed at 19.6%. When compared to low frequency electrical stimulation (LFS) of 1 Hz delivered to the mPP, the sustained changes induced by tFUS stimulation show no statistical difference to LFS for up to 24 min after tFUS stimulation. When both the maximum depression effects and the duration of sustained effects are both taken into account, PRF 3 kHz can induce significantly larger effects than other PRFs tested. tFUS stimulation is measured with spatial-peak pressure amplitude of 99 kPa, with translates to an estimation of 0.43 °C temperature increase when assuming no loss of heat. The results suggest the ability of tFUS to encode sustained changes in synaptic connectivity through mechanism which are unlikely to involve thermal changes.

PMID:35104664 | DOI:10.1016/j.brs.2022.01.015

Neurobiol Dis. 2022 Jan 29:105645. doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105645. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Despite their possible importance in the design of novel neuromodulatory approaches and in understanding status epilepticus, the dynamics and mechanisms of seizure termination are not well studied. We examined intracranial recordings from patients with epilepsy to differentiate seizure termination patterns and investigated whether these patterns are indicative of different underlying mechanisms.

METHODS: Seizures were classified into one of two termination patterns: (a) those that end simultaneously across the brain (synchronous), and (b) those whose termination is piecemeal across the cortex (asynchronous). Both types ended with either a burst suppression pattern, or continuous seizure activity. These patterns were quantified and compared using burst suppression ratio, absolute energy, and network connectivity.

RESULTS: Seizures with electrographic generalization showed burst suppression patterns in 90% of cases, compared with only 60% of seizures which remained focal. Interestingly, we found similar absolute energy and burst suppression ratios in seizures with synchronous and asynchronous termination, while seizures with continuous seizure activity were found to be different from seizures with burst suppression, showing lower energy during seizure and lower burst suppression ratio at the start and end of seizure. Finally, network density was observed to increase with seizure progression, with significantly lower densities in seizures with continuous seizure activity compared to seizures with burst suppression.

SIGNIFICANCE: Based on this spatiotemporal classification scheme, we suggest that there are a limited number of seizure termination patterns and dynamics. If this bears out, it would imply that the number of mechanisms underlying seizure termination is also constrained. Seizures with different termination patterns exhibit different dynamics even before their start. This may provide useful clues about how seizures may be managed, which in turn may lead to more targeted modes of therapy for seizure control.

PMID:35104646 | DOI:10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105645

Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2022 Jan 29:103854. doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2022.103854. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is a non-invasive non-radiological regional lung function measurement. The aim of the study was to examine the feasibility of assessing ventilation distribution with EIT in scoliosis patients using generic and individual thorax shape.

METHODS: Eight subjects were measured with EIT before scoliosis surgery. Reconstructions with two different forward models were compared: the generic shape and the individual thorax shapes. Three EIT-based parameters measuring ventilation distribution were calculated: left lung to overall ratio, center of ventilation (CoV), global inhomogeneity index.

RESULTS: EIT measurements were successfully conducted in all subjects. No statistical differences were found in the EIT-based parameters using the different reconstruction models. CoV based on the generic shape was significantly correlated to the main Cobb angle (r=-0.84, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION: It was feasible to monitor regional ventilation distribution in scoliosis patients with EIT. Individual thorax shapes might not be required for reliable patient assessment in a clinical setting.

PMID:35104639 | DOI:10.1016/j.resp.2022.103854

Top Companion Anim Med. 2022 Jan 29:100640. doi: 10.1016/j.tcam.2022.100640. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Overweight and obesity contribute to a variety of disease processes and negatively affect quality of life in dogs. A considerable number of epidemiological studies performed in a variety of canine communities revealed varied prevalence, and identified associated risk factors, including neutering. Associations between excessive body weight and certain diseases, including orthopedic diseases, were also reported. However, risk factors and disease associations of overweight and obesity in a larger population of dogs seen in recent years at a single referral veterinary hospital remains undefined. The present study utilized descriptive statistics and logistic regression models to characterize prevalence, risk factors, and disease associations of excessive body weight (both overweight and obesity) in 40,038 dogs that visited the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at the University of California, Davis from January 2006 to December 2015. The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity in 40,038 dogs were 21.1% (n = 8,461) and 20.2% (n = 8,089) respectively. Dogs that were neutered, female, and considered middle-aged or senior were at increased risk of overweight and obesity. Certain breed types, including Retriever and Spaniel, and certain disease processes, including orthopedic diseases, were also at increased risk of overweight and obesity. Overweight and obesity are prevalent problems, which can benefit from continual education to raise awareness of the scale of the problem to both the veterinary community and the general public. Structured disease surveillance plans monitoring these associated factors also help to guide further research and to better prevent overweight and obesity.

PMID:35104633 | DOI:10.1016/j.tcam.2022.100640

Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2022 Jan 29:110520. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110520. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Next-generation sequencing now enables the rapid and affordable production of reliable biological data at multiple molecular levels, collectively referred to as “omics”. To maximize the potential for discovery, computational biologists have created and adapted integrative multi-omic analytical methods. When applied to diseases with traceable pathophysiology such as cancer, these new algorithms and statistical approaches have enabled the discovery of clinically relevant molecular mechanisms and biomarkers. In contrast, these methods have been much less applied to the field of molecular psychiatry, although diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers are similarly needed. In the present review, we first briefly summarize main findings from two decades of studies that investigated single molecular processes in relation to mood disorders. Then, we conduct a systematic review of multi-omic strategies that have been proposed and used more recently. We also list databases and types of data available to researchers for future work. Finally, we present the newest methodologies that have been employed for multi-omics integration in other medical fields, and discuss their potential for molecular psychiatry studies.

PMID:35104608 | DOI:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110520