Tag: pubmed

Cereb Cortex. 2024 Aug 1;34(8):bhae333. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhae333.

ABSTRACT

Selection history refers to the notion that previous allocations of attention or suppression have the potential to elicit lingering and enduring selection biases that are isolated from goal-driven or stimulus-driven attention. However, in the singleton detection mode task, manipulating the selection history of distractors cannot give rise to pure proactive inhibition. Therefore, we employed a combination of a working memory task and a feature search mode task, simultaneously recording cortical activity using EEG, to investigate the mechanisms of suppression guided by selection history. The results from event-related potential and reaction times showed an enhanced inhibitory performance when the distractor was presented at the high-probability location, along with instances where the target appeared at the high-probability location of distractors. These findings demonstrate that a generalized proactive inhibition bias is learned and processed independent of cognitive resources, which is supported by selection history. In contrast, reactive rejection toward the low-probability location was evident through the Pd component under varying cognitive resource conditions. Taken together, our findings indicated that participants learned proactive inhibition when the distractor was at the high-probability location, whereas reactive rejection was involved at low-probability location.

PMID:39110410 | DOI:10.1093/cercor/bhae333

Stat Methods Med Res. 2024 Aug 7:9622802241267812. doi: 10.1177/09622802241267812. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The restricted mean survival time (RMST) is often of direct interest in clinical studies involving censored survival outcomes. It describes the area under the survival curve from time zero to a specified time point. When data are subject to length-biased sampling, as is frequently encountered in observational cohort studies, existing methods cannot estimate the RMST for various restriction times through a single model. In this article, we model the RMST as a continuous function of the restriction time under the setting of length-biased sampling. Two approaches based on estimating equations are proposed to estimate the time-varying effects of covariates. Finally, we establish the asymptotic properties for the proposed estimators. Simulation studies are performed to demonstrate the finite sample performance. Two real-data examples are analyzed by our procedures.

PMID:39110407 | DOI:10.1177/09622802241267812

J Occup Rehabil. 2024 Aug 7. doi: 10.1007/s10926-024-10229-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of a problem-solving intervention with workplace involvement (PSI-WPI) added to care as usual (CAU) in reducing sickness absence days among employees with common mental disorders compared to CAU alone in Swedish primary health care on a monthly basis over 18-months follow-up.

METHODS: We conducted a cluster-randomised controlled trial including 197 employees blinded to allocation (85 PSI-WPI and 112 CAU). As sickness absence data was skewed and over-dispersed, generalised estimating equations was used to enable a comparison between the intervention and control group for each month of the follow-up period.

RESULTS: The median number of sickness absence days over the 18-month follow-up was 78 days, inter-quartile range (IQR) 18-196 for employees receiving PSI-WPI and 64 days, IQR 18-161 for employees receiving CAU. The time x group generalised estimating equations analysis showed no statistically significant difference in sickness absence days per month.

CONCLUSION: The addition of a PSI-WPI to CAU was not more effective in reducing sickness absence days. This may be explained by the primary health care context, lack of specialisation in occupational health and the Swedish social insurance system with specific time limits.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT03346395 on January 12th, 2018.

PMID:39110387 | DOI:10.1007/s10926-024-10229-4

J Thromb Thrombolysis. 2024 Aug 7. doi: 10.1007/s11239-024-03025-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The association between thyroid function, coagulation and venous thromboembolism (VTE) has been reported in observational studies with conflicting findings. This study aimed to elucidate the causal effects of thyroid function on coagulation and VTE from a genetic perspective.

METHODS: Two sample Mendelian randomization analysis was conducted using summary statistics from genome-wide association studies in a European population. Coagulation status was associated with nine coagulation-related factors (F VIII, F IX, F XI, Fibrinogen, Antithrombin-III, Thrombomodulin, Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, Protein C and Protein S). Inverse variance weighting with random effect method was used as the main analytic approach with MR-Egger, weighted median, simple mode and weighted mode methods serving as complements. Sensitivity analyses including heterogeneity test, horizontal pleiotropy test and leave-one-out analysis were conducted to further assess the reliability of results.

RESULTS: No genetic causal effects of thyroid function on VTE (including pulmonary embolism and deep venous thrombosis) were found. Genetically, hyperthyroidism was suggestively related to decreased Antithrombin-III (β: -0.04 [95% CI: -0.06 to – 0.01], p = 0.010) and Protein C (β: -0.03 [95% CI: -0.06 to 0.00], p = 0.045). No notable associations were observed between other thyroid function parameters and coagulation-related factors.

CONCLUSION: We provide suggestive genetic evidence supporting the causal effect of hyperthyroidism on decreased level of anticoagulant factors including Antithrombin-III and Protein C. However, whether this genetic causality could lead to clinically significant hypercoagulable state and increased risk of VTE in hyperthyroid population needs to be further addressed.

PMID:39110374 | DOI:10.1007/s11239-024-03025-7

Trop Anim Health Prod. 2024 Aug 7;56(7):237. doi: 10.1007/s11250-024-04067-y.

ABSTRACT

This study describes the first outbreak of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) in cattle in the Bengkalis region, Indonesia, and vaccination to control the epidemic. Data on the outbreak and vaccination was obtained from the local veterinary authority of the Bengkalis region, Indonesia. Climatological data was provided by the Meteorological, Climatological, and Geophysical Agency of Riau Province. Over the 5.5 months, the outbreak caused 10.4% (94/906) morbidity and 0.6% (6/906) mortality of cattle on infected farms. Temporally, three epidemic waves occurred during the outbreak period. Villages with cattle populations of > 150 animals (n = 36) were 5.3 times more likely to be infected with LSD compared to villages with smaller cattle populations (n = 107) (CI: 2.56-10.90, P < 0.01). The vaccination campaign covered 43.8% of cattle in villages within a 10 km radius of the cases. However, vaccination in villages with larger cattle populations (n = 29) was 0.63 less likely to cover 50% of the cattle populations compared to villages with smaller cattle populations (n = 41) (CI: 0.39-1.02, P = 0.05). By the time the first two and the major waves ceased, vaccination had covered only 0.0% (n = 6036), 27.8% (n = 6,036) and 9.7% (n = 5,697) of the cattle in the 10 km radius of the respective spatial clusters. The outbreak was statistically associated with rainfall and its interaction with temperature (F(2, 13) = 5.822, R² = 0.47, P = 0.016). This study indicates that the LSD outbreak had low morbidity and mortality. Despite the low vaccination rate, the outbreak ceased, possibly due to plummeting of the abundance of insect vectors.

PMID:39110359 | DOI:10.1007/s11250-024-04067-y

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2024 Aug 7. doi: 10.1007/s10096-024-04918-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We aimed to determine the incidence of TB among immigrants and non-immigrants in Sanliurfa, Türkiye between 2018 and 2022 and to examine the effect of COVID-19 on the incidence, location, and drug resistance patterns of tuberculosis.

METHODS: This study was a retrospective review of patients diagnosed with tuberculosis in Şanlıurfa Tuberculosis Dispensary between January-2018 and May-2022. Patients were assessed in terms of age, sex, site of tuberculosis, and drug resistance profiles before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

RESULTS: A total of 887 patients with TB were included in the study. The mean age of patients diagnosed with tuberculosis was 40.63 ± 17.50 years. Of the total number of patients diagnosed, 50.7% were women, 85.8% were Turkish citizens, and 91.9% were new cases. Comparing the rate of positive cultures between the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 periods revealed a statistically significant rate of positive culture during the COVID-19 period (p < 0.001). In terms of mortality, the mean age of the patients who died was 60.2 ± 18.4 years and that of the survivors was 39.1 ± 16.6 years; these values were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Among the patients who survived, the rate of pulmonary tuberculosis was statistically significantly higher than that of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: The prevalence of pulmonary TB is high and the proportion of women is increasing. During the COVID-19 period, the number of patients diagnosed with TB decreased, but interestingly, the rate of positive cultures remained high, and the rate of resistance to INH also decreased. The results revealed rates similar to those reported by the World Health Organization.

PMID:39110338 | DOI:10.1007/s10096-024-04918-4

Clin Rheumatol. 2024 Aug 7. doi: 10.1007/s10067-024-07095-z. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVES: Optic nerve sheath (ONS) enhancement using magnetic resonance imaging of the orbits was observed in patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA). We previously showed that ONS diameter (ONSD) by bedside ultrasound is increased in patient with active GCA. This study aims to assess whether ONSD decreases with clinical remission in patients with GCA.

METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted from June 2022 to January 2023. Patients who had an optic nerve ultrasound at GCA diagnosis as part of a previous crosssectional study were eligible. Optic nerve ultrasound was performed by the same investigator at diagnosis and month 3. ONSD (includes the optic nerve and its sheath) and optic nerve diameter (OND) were measured. Descriptive statistics for baseline characteristics and paired sample t-test were performed to assess the mean difference in OND and ONSD between diagnosis and month 3.

RESULTS: Nine patients with GCA were included. The median age at disease onset was 79 years (interquartile range (IQR) of 79-82 years), and 7 patients were males. All patients were in clinical remission at month 3 on prednisone (median dose of 15 mg/day, IQR of 10-25 mg). The mean ONSD was lower at month 3 (3.76 mm) compared to baseline (5.98 mm), with a paired mean difference of 2.22 mm (95% CI 1.41-3.03 mm, p < 0.001). As anticipated, OND measurements did not vary between diagnosis and month 3.

CONCLUSION: ONSD on ultrasound improves after 3 months of therapy in patients with GCA. A longer prospective study is required to determine if ONSD is useful to assess disease activity in GCA. Key Points • ONS ultrasound can identify patients with active GCA. • The ONSD on ultrasound is dynamic and improved after 3 months of GCA therapy. • ONS ultrasound may be useful to monitor disease activity in GCA.

PMID:39110327 | DOI:10.1007/s10067-024-07095-z

Clin Rheumatol. 2024 Aug 7. doi: 10.1007/s10067-024-07077-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Biomechanical stress may exacerbate inflammation in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). This study aimed to investigate disease activity, work disability, and drug response/retention rates in PsA patients among two different occupation’s types: blue-collar workers (BCol) with manual labor versus white-collar workers (WCol) with sedentary occupations. PsA patients registered in the Swiss cohort (SCQM) were classified as BCol or WCol workers and assessed at the initiation of a biologic or targeted synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (b-/tsDMARD). We compared the baseline characteristics at treatment start and the DAS28-CRP for the 1-year remission. Treatment retention was investigated using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analysis. Multivariable models were adjusted for potential confounders. Of 564 patients, 29% were BCol, and 71% were WCol workers. Baseline disease activity was comparable between both groups. BCol workers were predominantly male (79.8%) and more work disabled at baseline (84.0% vs. 27.9%; p < 0.01). One hundred seventy-four treatment courses (TCs) of 165 PsA patients were included for longitudinal analysis. Occupation did not significantly influence the achievement of DAS28-CRP remission at 1 year. Kaplan-Meier analysis (n = 671) indicated longer retention for BCol workers (mean retention duration: 3.15 years vs. 2.15 years, (p = 0.006). However, adjusted Cox regression analysis did not corroborate these findings. This study indicates that physically demanding occupations correlate with increased rates of work disability among PsA patients, while treatment response seems to be unaffected by the patients’ occupation type. Additional research is required to thoroughly comprehend the relationship between physical workload, disease activity, and treatment outcomes. Key Points • This study indicates that physically demanding occupations correlate with increased rates of work disability among PsA patients. • The treatment response among of PsA patients seems unaffected by the patients’ occupation type.

PMID:39110326 | DOI:10.1007/s10067-024-07077-1

Mol Cell Biochem. 2024 Aug 7. doi: 10.1007/s11010-024-05073-2. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that can cause destruction of cartilage and bone’s extracellular matrix. Bromodomain 4 (BRD4), as a transcriptional and epigenetic regulator, plays a key role in cancer and inflammatory diseases. While, the role of BRD4 in bone destruction in RA has not been extensively reported. Our study aimed to investigate the effect of BRD4 on the bone destruction in RA and, further, its mechanism in the pathogenesis of the disease. In this study, receiving approval from the Ethical Committee of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, we evaluated synovial tissues from patients with RA and OA for BRD4 expression through advanced techniques such as immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and Western blotting. We employed a collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mouse model to assess the therapeutic efficacy of the BRD4 inhibitor JQ1 on disease progression and bone destruction, supported by detailed clinical scoring and histological examinations. Further, in vitro osteoclastogenesis assays using RAW264.7 macrophages, facilitated by TRAP staining and resorption pit assays, provided insights into the mechanistic effects of JQ1 on osteoclast function. Statistical analysis was rigorously conducted using SPSS, applying Kruskal-Wallis, one-way ANOVA, and Student’s t-tests to validate the data. In our study, we found that BRD4 expression significantly increased in the synovial tissues of RA patients and the ankle joints of CIA mice, with JQ1, a BRD4 inhibitor, effectively reducing inflammation, arthritis severity (p < 0.05), and bone erosion. Treatment with JQ1 not only improved bone mass and structural integrity in CIA mice but also downregulated osteoclast-related gene expression and the RANKL/RANK signaling pathway, indicating a suppression of osteolysis. Furthermore, in vitro assays demonstrated that JQ1 markedly inhibited osteoclast differentiation and function, underscoring the pivotal role of BRD4 in osteoclastogenesis and its potential as a target for therapeutic intervention in RA-induced bone destruction. Our study concludes that targeting BRD4 with the inhibitor JQ1 significantly mitigates inflammation and bone destruction in rheumatoid arthritis, suggesting that inhibition of BRD4 may be a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of bone destruction in RA.

PMID:39110281 | DOI:10.1007/s11010-024-05073-2

Clin Oral Investig. 2024 Aug 7;28(9):472. doi: 10.1007/s00784-024-05866-1.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate the incidence and intensity of postoperative pain in oncological patients with infected teeth subjected to nonsurgical root canal treatment or retreatment.

METHODS: Teeth with apical periodontitis from healthy control patients and oncological patients (n = 70 per group) were root canal treated/retreated and evaluated for the development of postoperative pain. Patients from the two groups were matched for tooth type, gender, clinical manifestation of apical periodontitis, and intervention type. A visual analogue scale (VSA) was used to evaluate the incidence of postoperative pain at 24 h, 72 h, 7d, and 15d after chemomechanical procedures. Data were statistically analyzed for the incidence and intensity of postoperative pain in the two groups.

RESULTS: Preoperative pain occurred in 10% of the individuals and in all these cases pain showed a reduction in intensity or was absent after endodontic intervention at 24-h evaluation. The overall incidence of postoperative pain at 24 h was 14% in oncology patients and 30% in controls (p = 0.03). At 72 h, the respective corresponding figures were 4% and 8.5% (p > 0.05). At 7 and 15 days, all patients were asymptomatic, irrespective of the group.

CONCLUSIONS: No significant differences in postoperative pain were found between control and oncological patients. The low incidence of postoperative pain observed in both groups supports the routine use of nonsurgical root canal treatment/retreatment as valid options in oncological patients.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Oncological patients had no increased risk of postoperative pain in comparison with control patients.

PMID:39110264 | DOI:10.1007/s00784-024-05866-1