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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Runner’s Health Choices Questionnaire: Male College Cross-Country Runners’ Perspectives on Health and Eating

J Sport Rehabil. 2021 Nov 13:1-10. doi: 10.1123/jsr.2021-0082. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

CONTEXT: Competitive cross-country runners train at much higher loads and with greater demands than recreational runners, posing a unique set of physiological and psychological challenges. Thus, identification of factors influencing health and nutritional choices in male cross-country runners is needed to help combat energy-related health issues.

PURPOSE: To assess male college cross-country runners’ perspectives regarding sport-related health and the factors impacting their eating behaviors.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey.

PARTICIPANTS/METHODS: The Runner’s Health Choices Questionnaire was distributed to male college cross-country runners. Responses were analyzed using quantitative descriptive statistics.

RESULTS: One hundred nineteen runners completed the survey. Runners reported a diverse range of factors impacting eating and health behaviors from athletic performance enhancement to enjoyment of food. Less than 6% of athletes ranked athletic trainer, registered dietitian, or physician as often consulted for nutrition/health information. However, 75% of runners said they would be somewhat likely or very likely to make dietary or health changes if given new or additional information by a health care provider.

CONCLUSION: Male cross-country runners appear to try to balance a global desire to be healthy with individual preferences. Athletes may be receptive to nutritional education that utilizes a biopsychosocial model with mental and psychological health support, and intentional effort is needed to support runners’ overall health.

PMID:34773919 | DOI:10.1123/jsr.2021-0082

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Hospital discharge location and socioeconomic deprivation as risk factors for alcohol dependence relapses: A cohort study

Drug Alcohol Depend. 2021 Oct 29;229(Pt A):109148. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.109148. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that social support can improve the ability of an individual with alcohol use disorder to manage relapses. However, the role of families and friends in this context is debated as family history and co-drinking are also risk factors for initiating alcohol drinking or maintaining addictive behaviours.

AIM: To quantitatively evaluate whether the hospital discharge location (in company or alone) after an alcohol dependence hospitalisation can influence the risk of relapses and whether this impact is modified by socioeconomic deprivation.

METHODS: A cohort of 1141 patients hospitalised for the first time for alcohol dependence in Scotland between 2010 and 2019 was derived from a routine healthcare database. Relapses were defined as recurrent alcohol-related hospitalisation. Survival analysis was undertaken to compare the risk of relapse for different discharge locations and socioeconomic deprivation groups.

RESULTS: On average, living in company of others was associated with a significant lower risk of relapses compared to living alone (HR: 0.84 95%CI: 0.71-0.99). This association differed across socioeconomic groups, being greater for those living in areas with the highest level of socioeconomic deprivation (HR: 0.76 95%CI: 0.57-1.01) and lower elsewhere. While this effect was not statistically significant (p = 0.056), its extent varied based on how we defined our cohort: it was not detectable when we expanded the cohort to all individuals with alcohol use disorders.

CONCLUSION: Home settings and the environment where individuals reside should be considered as significant psychosocial factors when clinicians design therapies and hospital discharge planning for patients with alcohol dependence.

PMID:34773887 | DOI:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.109148

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Prognostic implication of desmoplastic stroma in synovial sarcoma: A histological review

Pathol Res Pract. 2021 Oct 26;228:153668. doi: 10.1016/j.prp.2021.153668. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Synovial sarcoma (SS) is a malignant soft tissue neoplasm harboring SS18-SSX fusion gene and is histologically characterized by spindle cells and epithelial components. Some investigations have demonstrated that desmoplastic reaction (DR) is an independent prognostic factor of cancers. However, it remains unknown whether DR is of predictive value for the prognosis of synovial sarcoma patients. Here, we reviewed the clinical and histological findings of 88 patients with SS. We defined DR as hyalinized collagenous structures and classified the degree of DR as follows: none, mild, moderate, and severe. Overall, 23 SS cases (24%) showed moderate or severe DR histologically. Statistically, the cases with moderate or severe degree of DR showed poorer prognosis than those with no or mild DR (local recurrence: P = 0.0059, distant metastasis: P = 0.0002, tumor death: P = 0.0382). The findings of the study suggest that the DR of synovial sarcoma could be an important prognostic factor.

PMID:34773915 | DOI:10.1016/j.prp.2021.153668

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Impact of the level of adherence to the Mediterranean Diet on blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

Clin Nutr. 2021 Oct 9;40(12):5771-5780. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2021.10.002. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: High blood pressure (BP) constitutes a common and serious medical condition which is rising globally, and is among preventable factors for cardiovascular, renal, brain and other diseases. Modifiable risk factors of high BP include unhealthy dietary patterns, presence of obesity, excess alcohol consumption and lack of physical activity. Data in regard to the different types of diets show that Mediterranean diet (MD) is associated with healthy levels of BP. In this study we aimed to investigate the impact of the level of adherence to MD in BP.

AIMS-METHODS: A systematic literature search (up to 08.2021) in PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane and Google Scholar databases was conducted, and 54 observational studies were included.

RESULTS: Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was found to be lower in the high adherence to MD group SMD: -0.08, (95%CI: -0.15, -0.02) whereas no differences regarding diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were observed between the high and low adherence to MD groups [SMD: -0.07, (95%CI: -0.13, 0.00)]. Mean DBP of all included studies for both high and low adherence groups were in healthy levels (<90 mmHg).

CONCLUSIONS: Higher adherence to MD could positively influence SBP, but further research is needed in this field due to the heterogeneous definitions of low/high adherence and the type of studies used (observational).

PMID:34773865 | DOI:10.1016/j.clnu.2021.10.002

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Corrigendum to “Perioperative supplemental oxygen and NT-proBNP concentrations after major abdominal surgery – A prospective randomized clinical trial” [Journal of Clinical Anaesthesia volume 73 (2021) article 110379]

J Clin Anesth. 2021 Nov 10;76:110579. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinane.2021.110579. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:34773870 | DOI:10.1016/j.jclinane.2021.110579

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Sexual orientation differences in childhood sexual abuse, suicide attempts, and DSM-5 alcohol, tobacco, other drug use, and mental health disorders in the US

Child Abuse Negl. 2021 Nov 10;123:105377. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105377. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) contributes to increased risk of substance use and mental health disorders in the general population.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence and associations of CSA and suicide attempts, substance use, and mental health disorders as a function of sex (female, male) and sexual orientation (lesbian, gay, bisexual, heterosexual-identified with same-sex attraction and/or behavior, heterosexual-identified without same-sex attraction and/or behavior, and unsure).

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Data were collected using structured diagnostic face-to-face interviews in a nationally representative sample of 36,309 US adults.

METHODS: We used descriptive statistics and logistic regression modeling to analyze data from the 2012-2013 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC-III).

RESULTS: Childhood sexual abuse was most prevalent among sexual minorities, especially bisexual females. Nearly one-third of bisexual females (30.6%) reported experiencing two or more types of CSA, p < .001. Among all participants, exposure to one or more types of CSA was associated with greater odds of lifetime suicide attempts, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) alcohol, tobacco or other drug use disorder, and mental health disorders, after adjusting for other childhood adversity/maltreatment and general life stressors.

CONCLUSIONS: Sexual minority females and males in the US are more likely than their heterosexual counterparts to report CSA. Higher risk of suicide attempts and DSM-5 alcohol, tobacco, other drug use, and mental health disorders in adulthood was directly associated with CSA, particularly among bisexual females. Health professionals working with individuals who have experienced CSA should assess these risks and intervene as needed.

PMID:34773839 | DOI:10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105377

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Fantasy islands – The emergence of NMP in GBL-containing liquids in New Zealand

Forensic Sci Int. 2021 Nov 4;329:111093. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.111093. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Over the last few years there has been a dramatic increase in the amount of “Fantasy” type drugs seized in New Zealand, with gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) being by far the most prevalent. In 2018, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) was detected in a liquid, along with GBL, for the first time in New Zealand. Since this seizure, the number of seizures containing mixtures of GBL and NMP that have been submitted for analysis by New Zealand authorities have significantly increased, with 82% of submitted samples containing GBL also containing NMP. Analysis of these liquids showed that the majority had GBL and NMP purities of approximately 60-70% and 30-40%, respectively. Subsequent investigations by New Zealand authorities revealed a potential source of these liquids being a diverted legitimate industrial product. The health and psychoactive effects of NMP, along with GBL and NMP mixtures, are unknown. Health statistics in New Zealand have indicated increased harm from GBL use over the last few years.

PMID:34773817 | DOI:10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.111093

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Postmortem redistribution of morphine in humans: Important variables that might be influencing the central blood/peripheral blood ratio

Forensic Sci Int. 2021 Nov 4;329:111094. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.111094. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: In the field of forensic toxicology, many unexpected deaths are investigated as to whether toxicological substances may have caused or contributed to someone’s death. One of the factors that makes interpretation of the results of quantitative analysis in postmortem toxicology challenging, is that measured postmortem drugs levels may vary according to the sampling site and the interval between death and specimen collection. These site- and time-dependent variations are caused by ‘postmortem redistribution’ (PMR). Literature shows that there are several factors that determine the degree of PMR, such as cell and tissue changes after death, decomposition and the physicochemical characteristics of drugs. Blood from peripheral sites seems to be less affected by PMR than cardiac blood. Therefore, the ratio of cardiac blood concentration/peripheral blood concentration (C/P) of a drug is often used as a marker of the extent of postmortem redistribution. In this study, we investigated the relationship between different potentially important variables and the C/P ratio of morphine in humans in order to provide new insights that might assist in the interpretation of quantitative results in forensic casework.

METHOD: Toxicological results of all morphine positive postmortem cases investigated by the Netherlands Forensic Institute between January 1, 2010 and July 31, 2020 were reviewed. Morphine was quantified in both femoral and cardiac blood in a total of 103 cases. The C/P ratios were determined for all selected cases. To collect data for this study, all corresponding files were reviewed. C/P ratios were compared between subgroups by performing either a Mann-Whitney U test or a Kruskal-Wallis test, followed by a post-hoc Mann-Whitney U test. Bonferroni correction was performed to correct for the likelihood of a significant result by chance due to multiple testing. After Bonferroni correction, a p-value< 0.004 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: The data suggests a relationship between grade of decomposition at autopsy, position of the corpse at discovery, route of administration, attempted resuscitation and the C/P ratio of morphine with p-values of 0.010, 0.026, 0.035 and 0.046, respectively.

CONCLUSION: Grade of decomposition at autopsy, position of the corpse at discovery, route of administration and attempted resuscitation seem to be influencing the C/P ratio of morphine. Of these four variables, the route of administration seems to have the greatest impact.

PMID:34773819 | DOI:10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.111094

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment of production and consumption of pulses in the United States

J Environ Manage. 2021 Nov 10;302(Pt B):114062. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.114062. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Environmental impact associated with production and consumption of pulses in the United States was evaluated using life cycle assessment (LCA). The system boundary was set to cradle-to-grave with a functional unit of 60 g (dry basis) of pulses consumed in a US household. Varieties of pulses modeled in the study included field pea (Pisum sativum), lentil (Lens culinaris), chickpea (Cicer arietinum), and dry bean. Three methods of cooking pulses at the consumer stage tested in the study were cooking in open vessel on electric cooking range (OVC), cooking in stovetop pressure cooker on electric cooking range (SPC), and cooking in electric pressure cooker (EPC). OVC formed the base scenario against which all other scenarios were compared. The environmental impact of pulses varied with type of pulse crop, cooking method, and the batch size. Consumption of approximately 60 g of dry pulses resulted in the greatest environmental impact for OVC. The consumer stage contributed at least 83, 81, 76, 75, and 87 percent for global warming potential (GWP), fossil resource scarcity (FRS), water consumption (WC), freshwater eutrophication (FE), and marine eutrophication (ME), respectively for this scenario. EPC resulted in the greatest decrease in the environmental impact, compared to OVC, for GWP, FRS, FE, and ME for all pulse varieties, which was validated in the uncertainty analysis. SPC, on the other hand, decreased the impact across these categories only for chickpea and dry bean. The uncertainty analysis suggested that the differences associated with cooking methods in the mean land use and water consumption scores of pulses were statistically non-significant. The impact categories were also highly sensitive to the mass of pulses cooked in a batch. Increasing the reference flow in OVC to 1 kg decreased the environmental impact of pulses by 49-87 percent for all impact categories, excluding land use. Overall, the study identified the consumer stage as the hotspot for environmental impact in the supply chain of pulses in the United States. The large contribution of the consumer stage to the overall environmental impact of pulses was attributed to electricity consumption for cooking and associated upstream emissions.

PMID:34773783 | DOI:10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.114062

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor in patients with epilepsy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Epilepsy Res. 2021 Oct 26;178:106794. doi: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2021.106794. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Epilepsy affects almost 1% of people and is characterized by sudden seizures. To date, no reliable biomarker has been found to diagnose or predict the outcomes of epilepsy. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels have recently been shown to differ between patients with certain neurologic disorders and normal population, and it is unknown whether this is the case for epilepsy. In this study, we mainly aim to answer this question.

METHODS: We searched three databases for studies comparing BDNF levels between patients with epilepsy and controls. Quality assessment of included studies was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale and statistical analyses were carried out in STATA software version 16.

RESULTS: Final analyses included 10 studies involving 403 patients with epilepsy. BDNF levels were statistically similar between patients and controls (standardized mean difference (SMD) = – 0.30, 95% CI = – 1.32 to 0.71, p = 0.56). When categorized by epilepsy subtype, patients with partial epilepsy showed lower BDNF measures than controls (95% CI = – 1.42 to – 0.32, p < 0.01), while the difference was not significant in patients with generalized epilepsy (95% CI = – 2.81 to 1.65, p = 0.61). Subgroup analyses indicated that BDNF was lower in patients than controls when age or sex matching was not present. Patient samples acquired in the morning also showed significantly lower BDNF levels than controls, unlike afternoon samples. Meta-regression identified no predictor for the difference in BDNF levels.

CONCLUSION: Generally, patients with epilepsy had BDNF levels similar to general population, although patients with partial epilepsy showed lower BDNF levels. Taking into account the sub-group analyses, further studies with higher qualities are required to evaluate the role and utility of BDNF in epilepsy.

PMID:34773766 | DOI:10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2021.106794