Tag: pubmed

Eur J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2022 Jun 7:zvac041. doi: 10.1093/eurjcn/zvac041. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: Social support is critical in follow-up of patients after heart transplant (HTx) and positively influences well-being and clinical outcomes such as medication adherence. The purpose of this study was to (i) explore received social support variation (emotional and practical) in HTx recipients at country and centre level and (ii) to assess multi-level correlates.

METHODS AND RESULTS: Secondary data analysis of the multi-level cross-sectional BRIGHT study was conducted in 36 HTx centres in 11 countries. Received social support related to medication adherence was measured with emotional and practical sub-scales. The Conceptual Model of Social Networks and Health guided selection of patient, micro (interpersonal and psychosocial), meso (HTx centre) and macro-level (country health system) factors. Descriptive statistics, intraclass correlations, and sequential multiple ordinal mixed logistic regression analysis were used. A total of 1379 adult HTx recipients were included. Patient level correlates (female sex, living alone, and fewer depressive symptoms) and micro-level correlates (higher level of chronic disease management and trust in the healthcare team) were associated with better emotional social support. Similarly, patient level (living alone, younger age, and male sex), micro-level and meso-level (patient and clinician-rated higher level of chronic disease management) were associated with better practical social support. Social support varied at country and centre levels for emotional and practical dimensions.

CONCLUSIONS: Social support in HTx recipients varies by country, centre, and was associated with multi-level correlates. Qualitative and longitudinal studies are needed to understand influencing factors of social support for intervention development, improvement of social support, and clinical outcomes.

PMID:35670232 | DOI:10.1093/eurjcn/zvac041

Headache. 2022 Jun 7. doi: 10.1111/head.14334. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The involvement of inflammation in the pathophysiology of cluster headache (CH) has been suggested, with a role implied for interleukin (IL)-1β. We aimed to measure peripheral blood expression levels of IL-1β-inducing systems, the inflammasome complex, and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) signaling, and investigate their values as putative biomarkers in CH.

METHODS: In this cross-sectional study conducted in the Headache Unit of Istanbul University, Turkey, blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and sera were collected from 30 patients with episodic migraine, 4 with chronic CH, and 47 healthy individuals. Levels of inflammasome complex components (NLRP1, NLRP3, caspase 1, and ASC), end products of inflammasome complex activity (IL-1β, IL-18, and nitric oxide synthase isoforms), neuron-specific enolase, other inflammatory factors (NF-κB, HMGB1, and s100b), and anti-inflammatory IL-4 were measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and/or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS: NLRP3 expression levels were significantly reduced in PBMC samples of patients with CH, obtained during CH attacks (n = 24) or headache-free (out of cycle) episodes (n = 10). CH-attack patients showed greater expression levels of IL-1β (2^-ΔΔCT median [25th-75th percentile], 0.96 [0.66-1.29 vs. 0.52 [0.43-0.73]) and NF-κB (1.06 [0.66-3.00] vs. 0.62 [0.43-1.19]) in PBMCs but not in sera compared with headache-free CH patients. However, these differences did not attain statistical significance (p = 0.058 and p = 0.072, respectively). Moreover, NLRP1 (52.52 [35.48-67.91] vs. 78.66 [54.92-213.25]; p = 0.017), HMGB1 (11.51 [5.20-15.50] vs. 13.33 [8.08-18.13]; p = 0.038), S100b (569.90 [524.10-783.80] vs. 763.40 [590.15-2713.00]; p = 0.013), NSE (11.15 [6.26-14.91] vs. 13.93 [10.82-19.04]; p = 0.021), nNOS (4.24 [3.34-12.85] vs. 12.82 [4.52-15.44]; p = 0.028), and eNOS (64.83 [54.59-91.14] vs. 89.42 [61.19-228.40]; p = 0.034) levels were lower in patients with three or more autonomic manifestations (n = 9). No correlation was found between inflammation factors and clinical parameters of CH.

CONCLUSION: Our results support the involvement of the IL-1β system in attacks of CH. However, the components of the inflammasome complex are suppressed in the peripheral blood and do not appear to play a role in the pathophysiology of CH. These findings argue against a potential biomarker value of the inflammasome complex in CH.

PMID:35670197 | DOI:10.1111/head.14334

Anim Genet. 2022 Jun 7. doi: 10.1111/age.13201. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Liancheng white duck has two phenotypic traits: white feather and black beak-black foot, but the genes controlling these phenotypic traits are unknown. The objective of this study is to identify various candidate genes related to the plumage of Liancheng white duck. This study used F₂ population construction generated between white Kaiya duck and Liancheng white duck and F_ST analysis between the dominant and recessive loci associated with the Liancheng white duck white feather in order to identify specific gene regions. As per the feather color statistics of the F₂ population, it is estimated that there are about three or four genes controlling the white feather of Liancheng white ducks, and the F_ST results showed that four significant signals were found on chromosomes 4, 12, 13, and 21. Further annotation of these regions led to the identification of five genes involved in the melanin pathway, namely, KIT, CLOCK, MITF, CEBPA, and DOK5. Among them, CEBPA and DOK5 might be affecting the white feather traits of Liancheng white duck by regulating the melanin production and its transfer to the feather. The results provide insightful understanding into the genetic mechanisms of white feather in Liancheng white duck.

PMID:35670225 | DOI:10.1111/age.13201

No Shinkei Geka. 2022 May;50(3):578-585. doi: 10.11477/mf.1436204590.

ABSTRACT

Skull base surgery for malignant skull base disease is one of the most difficult surgeries. The success of the surgery depends on the harmonization of the excellent skills of the three departments: neurosurgery, otorhinolaryngology/head and neck surgery, and plastic surgery. In addition, it is necessary to perform complete resection, that is, resection in which the malignant tumor is removed along with some surrounding healthy tissue. It is known that there is a statistically significant difference between negative and positive resection margins. In the event of a positive resection margin, chemoradiation with high-dose cisplatin is standard for the most common squamous cell carcinomas.

PMID:35670171 | DOI:10.11477/mf.1436204590

Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2022 Jun 7. doi: 10.1111/ggi.14398. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: This study contributes to previous initiatives examining healthy and active aging in the Philippines.

METHODS: We employed the Sullivan method to calculate healthy life expectancy (HLE) and active life expectancy (ALE) using the 2007 Philippine Survey on Aging and the 2018 Longitudinal Study of Ageing and Health. We compared the estimates at two time points, providing evidence of change over time.

RESULTS: There was no statistically significant change in the relative proportion of HLE over time for both sexes, suggesting dynamic equilibrium. For men, the increase in life expectancy was mainly an increase in unhealthy state (UHLE). The slight increases in HLE for all ages were not statistically significant. The differences in relative increase in HLE were not statistically significant. HLE for women increased over time, with statistically significant increases at ages 60 and 70 years. ALE declined in all age groups for both sexes, but the decline was statistically significant only among women in their 60s and 70s. There was also a statistically significant decline in the proportion of remaining life in an active state for all ages among both men and women, suggesting an expansion of morbidity.

CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest no evidence of compression of morbidity in the Philippines from 2007 to 2018. The HLE results suggest a dynamic equilibrium, while ALE results indicate an expansion of morbidity. The findings emphasize the need for the government to promote life course interventions that foster healthy choices and conduct further research to understand the factors influencing longevity and active aging in the Philippines. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2022; ••: ••-••.

PMID:35670130 | DOI:10.1111/ggi.14398

Headache. 2022 Jun 7. doi: 10.1111/head.14328. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between self-reported triggers and the occurrence of migraine attacks using a smartphone application.

BACKGROUND: One of several issues around the study of migraine attack triggers is that limited available evidence supports whether self-reported triggers can induce a headache on a particular subject.

METHODS: This is an observational longitudinal cohort study of individuals with migraine registered to track their headaches prospectively using a smartphone application. For 90 days, participants entered daily data about triggers (potential triggers and premonitory symptoms) that may be associated with attack risk, as well as migraine symptoms. The statistical significance of univariate associations between each trigger and migraine recurrent events was determined for each individual. Statistically identified triggers were then compared to self-reported triggers.

RESULTS: In 328 individuals (290/328 [88.4%] female; mean [standard deviation] 4.2 [1.5] migraine attacks/month) the mean (standard deviation) number of triggers moderately or highly endorsed per individual was 28.0 (7.7) in individuals presented with up to 38 possible triggers. Of these, an average (standard deviation) of 2.2 (2.1) triggers per individual were statistically associated with increased risk of attacks. Even the most commonly endorsed triggers (sleep quality, stress, tiredness/fatigue, sleep duration, dehydration, neck pain, missed meals, eyestrain, mean barometric pressure, and anxiety) were statistically associated in fewer than one third of individuals suspecting each, with the exception of neck pain (117/302 [38.7%]).

CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with episodic migraine believe that many triggers contribute to their attacks; however, few of these withstand statistical testing at the individual level. Improved personal knowledge of potential triggers and premonitory symptoms may help individuals adopt behavioral changes to mitigate attack risk.

PMID:35670125 | DOI:10.1111/head.14328

JACC Heart Fail. 2022 May 25:S2213-1779(22)00302-X. doi: 10.1016/j.jchf.2022.05.004. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) are associated with disease severity and outcomes among patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated associations between both biomarkers and clinical outcomes in the Empagliflozin Outcome Trial in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (EMPEROR-Preserved) Trial.

METHODS: Of 5988 study participants, 5986 (99.9%) and 5825 (97.3%) had available baseline NT-proBNP and hs-cTnT; post-baseline NT-proBNP was also available. Baseline characteristics were expressed by biomarker quartiles. The effect of empagliflozin on cardiovascular death/HF hospitalization, the individual components, total HF hospitalizations, slope of decline of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and a composite renal endpoint was examined across biomarker quartiles. Change in NT-proBNP across study visits as a function of treatment assignment was also assessed.

RESULTS: Higher baseline NT-proBNP and hs-cTnT concentrations were associated with more comorbidities and worse HF severity. Incidence rates for cardiac and renal outcomes were 2-5-fold higher among those in the highest vs lowest NT-proBNP or hs-cTnT quartiles. Empagliflozin consistently reduced the risk for cardiovascular events and reduced slope of eGFR decline across NT-proBNP or hs-cTnT quartiles. Empagliflozin treatment modestly lowered NT-proBNP; by 100 weeks the adjusted mean difference in NT-proBNP from placebo was 7%. Increase in NT-proBNP from baseline to 12-weeks was strongly associated with risk of CV death/HF hospitalization.

CONCLUSIONS: The benefit of empagliflozin on cardiac outcomes and decline of eGFR is preserved across the wide range of baseline NT-proBNP and hs-cTnT evaluated. Empagliflozin modestly reduces NT-proBNP in HFpEF.

PMID:35670067 | DOI:10.1016/j.jchf.2022.05.004

Pediatrics. 2022 Jun 7:e2021056052. doi: 10.1542/peds.2021-056052. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Outcome prediction of preterm birth is important for neonatal care, yet prediction performance using conventional statistical models remains insufficient. Machine learning has a high potential for complex outcome prediction. In this scoping review, we provide an overview of the current applications of machine learning models in the prediction of neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm infants, assess the quality of the developed models, and provide guidance for future application of machine learning models to predict neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm infants.

METHODS: A systematic search was performed using PubMed. Studies were included if they reported on neurodevelopmental outcome prediction in preterm infants using predictors from the neonatal period and applying machine learning techniques. Data extraction and quality assessment were independently performed by 2 reviewers.

RESULTS: Fourteen studies were included, focusing mainly on very or extreme preterm infants, predicting neurodevelopmental outcome before age 3 years, and mostly assessing outcomes using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Predictors were most often based on MRI. The most prevalent machine learning techniques included linear regression and neural networks. None of the studies met all newly developed quality assessment criteria. Studies least prone to inflated performance showed promising results, with areas under the curve up to 0.86 for classification and R2 values up to 91% in continuous prediction. A limitation was that only 1 data source was used for the literature search.

CONCLUSIONS: Studies least prone to inflated prediction results are the most promising. The provided evaluation framework may contribute to improved quality of future machine learning models.

PMID:35670123 | DOI:10.1542/peds.2021-056052

Neuromodulation. 2022 Jun;25(4):578-587. doi: 10.1111/ner.13342. Epub 2022 Feb 15.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for working memory is an enticing treatment, but there is mixed evidence to date.

OBJECTIVES: We tested the effects of electric field strength from uniform 2 mA dosing on working memory change from prestimulation to poststimulation. Second, we statistically evaluated a reverse-calculation method of individualizing tDCS dose and its effect on normalizing electric field at the cortex.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed electric field modeling on a data set of 28 healthy older adults (15 women, mean age = 73.7, SD = 7.3) who received ten sessions of active 2 mA tDCS (N = 14) or sham tDCS (N = 14) applied over bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (DLPFC) in a triple-blind design. We evaluated the relationship between electric field strength and working memory change on an N-back task in conditions of above-median, high electric field from active 2 mA (N = 7), below-median, low electric field from active 2 mA (N = 7), and sham (N = 14) at regions of interest (ROI) at the left and right DLPFC. We then determined the individualized reverse-calculation dose to produce the group average electric field and measured the electric field variance between uniform 2 mA doses vs individualized reverse-calculation doses at the same ROIs.

RESULTS: Working memory improvements from pre- to post-tDCS were significant for the above-median electric field from active 2 mA condition at the left DLPFC (mixed ANOVA, p = 0.013). Furthermore, reverse-calculation modeling significantly reduced electric field variance at both ROIs (Levene’s test; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: Higher electric fields at the left DLPFC from uniform 2 mA doses appear to drive working memory improvements from tDCS. Individualized doses from reverse-calculation modeling significantly reduce electric field variance at the cortex. Taken together, using reverse-calculation modeling to produce the same, high electric fields at the cortex across participants may produce more effective future tDCS treatments for working memory.

PMID:35670064 | DOI:10.1111/ner.13342

Histol Histopathol. 2022 Jun 7:18479. doi: 10.14670/HH-18-479. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Ductal epithelial changes (lympho-epithelial lesions-LEL) in prostatic chronic inflammation (CI) are not well studied so far.

AIM: to investigate LEL immediately adjacent to prostatic CI.

METHODS: We studied LEL in 144 prostatic surgical and autopsy specimens in various types of prostatic CI: NIH-category IV prostatitis (histologic prostatitis-HP), nonspecific granulomatous prostatitis (NSGP), and the reactive lymphoid infiltrates in the vicinity of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate adenocarcinoma (PCa). CI is scored as low and high grade (LG, HG) according to the severity of inflammation.

RESULTS: LEL was identified in all types of prostatic specimens and in all types of prostatic CI: in 70.9% of patients with HP; in 100% of cases with NSGP; in 68.7% and in 80% adjacent to BPH and PCa respectively. Statistical analysis showed a significant correlation of the presence of LEL with HG CI (p&#60;0.001). LEL showed strong membranous PD-L1 expression.

CONCLUSIONS: The study presents the first attempt to examine LEL in inflammatory human prostate. PD-L1 positive LEL have no diagnostic organ specificity, although they are a constant histological finding in HG prostatic CI. LEL, inducible after birth by CI, are an integral part of prostate-associated lymphoid tissue (PALT) and of the inflammatory prostatic microenvironment.

PMID:35670049 | DOI:10.14670/HH-18-479