Tag: pubmed

Somatosens Mot Res. 2021 Oct 10:1-8. doi: 10.1080/08990220.2021.1986383. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE/AIM: To investigate the effect of muscle selection for botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNT-A) treatment on spasticity in patients with post-stroke elbow flexor muscle over-activity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Chronic stroke patients with a deforming spastic paresis in the upper limb (elbow flexion with forearm pronation) who were injected BoNT-A into at least one of elbow flexor muscles (brachialis, brachioradialis, and biceps brachii) were included in this prospective observational study. The main outcome measure was spasticity angle by Tardieu Scale recorded at pre-treatment and week 4 after treatment.

RESULTS: Three muscle selection groups with sufficient sample size for statistical analysis were able to be created; brachialis (n = 14), biceps brachii (n = 21), and brachialis plus brachioradialis (n = 11). Although there was a significant improvement in spasticity angle within all groups over time (p < 0.05), the change in spasticity angle was not different between the groups (p > 0.05 for each pairwise comparison). However, the magnitude of the change in spasticity angle was larger in the groups in which brachialis was preferred.

CONCLUSIONS: In stroke patients with a spontaneous spastic posture of elbow flexion and forearm pronation, targeting brachialis for BoNT-A injection seems more effective in reducing the severity of spasticity.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NO: NCT04036981.

PMID:34632927 | DOI:10.1080/08990220.2021.1986383

Ergonomics. 2021 Oct 9:1-16. doi: 10.1080/00140139.2021.1992020. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Statistical body shape models (SBSM) provide compact, flexible representations of body shape that can be implemented in design software. However, few SBSMs have been created to represent adults in supported seated postures that are relevant for the design of seated environments, and none has incorporated the effects of age. This paper presents an SBSM based on surface laser-scan data from 155 U.S. adults. The data were processed to obtain homologous mesh structure and symmetric geometry, and the processed data were statistically analyzed using principal component analysis to obtain a compact representation of the data variance. Regression analysis was conducted to predict body size and shape from stature, body mass index, ratio of sitting height to stature, sex, and age. The resulting model allows rapid generation of realistic body models for applications, including product design, accommodation assessment, and safety system optimization. The model is publicly accessible at HumanShape.org.PRACTITIONER SUMMARY: This paper presents a statistical model that represents adult body shapes in a supported seated posture based on 3D anthropometric measurements. This model is the first whole-body parametric model known to incorporate age effects based on data extending beyond 65 years of age.

PMID:34632947 | DOI:10.1080/00140139.2021.1992020

Behav Sleep Med. 2021 Oct 10:1-21. doi: 10.1080/15402002.2021.1982715. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The current study aims to quantify the effect of brief behavioral treatment for insomnia (BBTI) studies through meta-analysis. Method: Searches were performed from inception to February 2020, reporting on the effects of BBTI using randomized controlled trials (RCT) (adults aged 32 to 84). The main outcome measures were sleep onset latency (SOL), wake after sleep onset (WASO), sleep efficiency (SE%), and total sleep time (TST). Results: BBTI showed improved SOL compared with control group in mean difference at early (-15.42 [95% CI: -33.05 to -12.01; I2 =49%]) and late follow-up (-10.52 [95% CI: -1.12 to 0.54; I2=93%]). This was statistically significant at early follow-up, but not at late follow-up. The improvement of WASO by BBTI over the control group was shown at early follow-up (-17.47 [95% CI: -2.67 to 0.45; I2=90%]), and was statistically significant. For WASO, a non-statistically significant improvement of BBTI over the control group was shown at late follow-up (-12.77 [95% CI: -22.47 to -3.08; I2=0%]). SE% was shown improved statistically significant by BBTI over control group at early (4.47 [95% CI: -0.35 to 9.29; I2=98%]) and at late follow-up (6.52 [95% CI: -4.00 to 17.05; I2=89%]). The TST was shown no improvement by BBTI at early follow-up in mean difference (-2.97 [95% CI -38.83 to 32.90; I2=96%]). At late follow-up, TST was shown improvement in BBTI with mean difference (14.52 [95% CI: -31.64 to 60.68; I2=94%]) compared with the control group.Conclusion: Current evidence suggests that BBTI can be considered preliminarily efficacious and can be used for samples of middle-aged and older adults.

PMID:34632908 | DOI:10.1080/15402002.2021.1982715

J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2021 Oct 10:1-5. doi: 10.1080/14767058.2021.1988924. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is a pregnancy-associated hepatic disorder characterized by pruritus in the setting of elevated serum bile acids (BA). Risk factors for the disease include preexisting hepatobiliary disease, personal or family history of ICP, and advanced maternal age. Recent data suggests that patients with severe ICP (BA ≥100 μmol/L) have a higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes including stillbirth.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with ICP between 2012 and 2019 at a tertiary referral center. ICP was defined as symptomatic pruritus combined with serum BA >10 μmol/L. Maternal characteristics and outcomes were abstracted from electronic medical records. Baseline characteristics were compared between patients with mild (BA <40 μmol/L), moderate (BA 40-99 μmol/L) and severe (BA ≥100 μmol/L) ICP. Obstetrics and neonatal outcomes for patients in each category were then analyzed. Shapiro-Wilk test was used to test for normality for continuous variables, and ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, Chi-squared or Fisher’s exact tests were used as appropriate. A p-value <.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: 438 patients were included in the analysis. Individuals with pregestational diabetes (p < .01), history of ICP (p < .01), prior cholecystectomy (p < .01), and tobacco use (p < .05) were more likely to have severe disease. When compared to individuals with moderate and mild disease, individuals with severe disease were more likely to be diagnosed earlier (29w1d vs 34w1d vs 34w1d, p < .05), have gestational diabetes (50% vs 6% vs 13%, p < .01), hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (42% vs 10% vs 15%, p = .02), and abnormal aspartate aminotransferase (91% vs 65% vs 27%, p < .01) and alanine aminotransferase levels (91% vs 60% vs 26%, p < .01). There were no differences in preterm labor, meconium-stained amniotic fluid, or neonatal respiratory distress syndrome and no stillbirths in this cohort.

CONCLUSIONS: In patients with ICP, those with pregestational diabetes, history of ICP, prior cholecystectomy, and tobacco use are more likely to develop severe disease. Given the adverse outcomes associated with severe disease, serial BA measurements to monitor for development of severe disease may be warranted in this population.

PMID:34632916 | DOI:10.1080/14767058.2021.1988924

Anxiety Stress Coping. 2021 Oct 10:1-16. doi: 10.1080/10615806.2021.1983801. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: According to the Attentional Control Theory, individuals with high levels of anxiety often shift their attention inefficiently due to increased effort to meet task demands. However, literature on the effects of anxiety on shifting performance is discrepant. This study examined the impacts of trait and state anxiety on attentional shifting and whether worry or depression explained variance in shifting.

DESIGN AND METHODS: One-hundred thirty-eight undergraduate psychology students were randomized to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) or control TSST. Subjects completed measures of state/trait anxiety, worry, and depression and a computerized attention task. Statistical analyses included linear mixed modelling (LMM), t-tests, and ANOVAs.

RESULTS: Results revealed significant effects of state and trait anxiety and worry, but not depression. Type (location/direction) and presentation (switch/repeat) of trials also affected response times. Trait anxiety significantly related to trial presentation but did not interact with trial type. State anxiety did not significantly relate to either trial index. State and trait anxiety significantly impacted overall response time. Results revealed variations in cognitive flexibility, but no interactions between state and trait anxiety in predicting task switching.

CONCLUSION: These findings are discussed in the context of Attentional Control Theory and relevant empirical research.

PMID:34632875 | DOI:10.1080/10615806.2021.1983801

Anxiety Stress Coping. 2021 Oct 10:1-18. doi: 10.1080/10615806.2021.1990269. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The majority of patients suffering from anxiety disorders in low- and middle-income countries do not receive evidence-based treatments. The Unified Protocol (UP) for the Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders is an evidence-based cognitive-behavioral intervention designed to treat the range of emotional disorders.

DESIGN AND METHODS: Using a single-case experimental design five patients with panic disorder were assigned to a 3-week baselines assessment phase followed by eight sessions of UP treatment and 4-week follow-up phases. Multiple outcome measures of panic severity, anxiety sensitivity, affectivity, and overall anxiety severity and impairment were administered weekly during the baseline, intervention, and follow-up phases.

RESULTS: At post treatment, all participants showed significant reductions in outcome measures, with changes functionally related to treatment and most improvements maintained at 4-week follow-up.

CONCLUSION: Findings provide preliminary cross-cultural support for UP and add to the growing body of literature showing UP can be useful for patients with anxiety disorders in low- and middle-income countries with non-Western cultures.

PMID:34632890 | DOI:10.1080/10615806.2021.1990269

Food Sci Technol Int. 2021 Oct 9:10820132211050203. doi: 10.1177/10820132211050203. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Ultrasound is a useful alternative to thermal processing that can be applied to many food products and juices to aid with enzymes and microorganism inactivation and to improve the efficiency of unit operations generally applied in the food industry. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a high-intensity sonication treatment (frequency 20 kHz; intensity 39.4 W/cm²) applied for treatment times from 0 to 105 min on the content of polyphenols, vitamin C, organic acids, and carotenoids, and on the hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant capacity and color of orange juice. Treatments were performed in triplicate and data was statistically analyzed. Sonication time did not have a significant effect (P > 0.05) on total polyphenols, total vitamin C, organic acid, and carotenoid contents, lipophilic antioxidant capacity, or juice color. The hydrophilic antioxidant activity and the lutein content increased significantly (P < 0.05) with increased sonication time. These results may be useful as a baseline for the development of sonication treatments that could be used in combination with other traditional and emerging processing approaches to protect the most important bioactive compounds and quality properties of orange juice.

PMID:34632838 | DOI:10.1177/10820132211050203

Crit Rev Anal Chem. 2021 Oct 10:1-17. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Nowadays, wild edible bolete mushrooms are more and more attractive among consumers due to their natural health, nutrition, and delicious characteristics. Appropriate analytical techniques together with multivariate statistics analysis are required for the quality control and evaluation of these edible mushrooms. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) and infrared (IR) technologies have the advantages of time-saving, low-cost, and environmentally friendly, are now prominent among major analytical technologies for quality evaluation of bolete mushrooms. Chemometrics methods have been developed to solve classification and regression issues of bolete mushrooms in combination with spectrum. This paper reviewed the most recent applications of UV-Vis and IR technology coupled with chemometrics in wild edible bolete mushrooms, including the identification of species, origin, and storage duration, fraud detection, and antioxidant properties evaluation, and discussed the limitations and prospects of spectroscopy technologies in the researches of bolete mushrooms, excepting to provide a reference for further research and practical application of wild edible bolete mushrooms.

PMID:34632861

Cancer Rep (Hoboken). 2021 Oct 10:e1570. doi: 10.1002/cnr2.1570. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Uterine cervical cancer rates also increase with aging. Especially, the primary treatments of patients with cervical cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.

AIM: Our aim is to discuss the effect of clinical and histopathological risk factors on survival in patients over 65 years old with invasive cervical cancer in the light of the literature.

METHODS AND RESULTS: The files of 60 patients aged 65 and over who were diagnosed, examined, and treated for invasive cervical uteri cancer between 2004 and 2021 by the gynecological oncology clinic of Akdeniz University were analyzed retrospectively after obtaining approval from the Akdeniz University ethics committee with the number KAEK-110. Detailed written consent was obtained from all patients and their relatives for data analysis. Patients aged 65 and over who were diagnosed with invasive cervical uteri cancer at all stages who accepted treatment were included in the study. The patients who were not included in the study were those who did not accept treatment, did not continue their follow-up regularly, were under 65 years of age, had preinvasive cervical lesion, had a second primary cancer, had an unknown stage, and died due to accidents or similar reasons. When the demographic data of 60 cases were examined, the mean age was 70.5, the youngest age was 65, and the oldest age was 84. When we divided them into two groups by age groups, 76.7% were between 65 and 75 years old and 23.3% were over 75 years old. When the data of 60 patients who were referred to our hospital, which was a tertiary center in the 15 years duration, were examined, the mean disease-progression free survival (PFS) of patients with locally advanced stage was 45 months, however, it was 4 months for metastatic patients, this difference was significant and a statistically significant difference was found between the two groups (p: .001). When the total survival was examined, the mean was 108.7 months in the locally advanced stage group, while it was 2.9 months in metastatic cases, and this difference was also statistically significant between the two groups (p: .001). When we divide the cases into two groups as between 65 and 75 and over 75 years of age, the mean age of disease-free survival is 76.9 months in the 65-75 years old group, while 16 months in the 76-85 years old group, however, the p value of this difference in PFS between the two groups was not significant (p: 0.154). However, when the total survival was examined, it was seen that the mean was 140.4 in the 65-75 years old group, while it was 56 months in the 76-85 years old group and this difference was significant between the two groups (p: .046).

CONCLUSION: In parallel with the increased population worldwide, advanced age cancer rates are increasing. In parallel with the population growth, it should be remembered that the patients over 65 years of age who were diagnosed with invasive uterine cervical cancer had difficulty in accessing screening tests, late diagnosis and inadequate treatment regimens due to concomitant diseases, resulting in recurrence in a short time and poor clinical symptoms due to short total survival.

PMID:34632735 | DOI:10.1002/cnr2.1570

Biomed Res Int. 2021 Oct 1;2021:9963703. doi: 10.1155/2021/9963703. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Countries need vital statistics for social and economic planning. World Health Organization (WHO) recommends at least 80% coverage to use registration data on births and deaths for social and economic planning. However, registration remains low in developing countries. National coverage for Kenya in 2014 was 62.2% for births and 45.7% for deaths, with wide regional differentials. Kilifi County in the coastal region in Kenya reported rates below the national coverage at 56% for births and 41% for deaths in 2013.

OBJECTIVE: To determine level of knowledge and practice and reasons for low coverage of birth and death in Kilifi County.

METHOD: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study that employed multistage cluster random sampling procedure to select a sample of 420 households from which household heads and women with children below five years old were surveyed.

RESULTS: Out of the 420 households sampled, about all respondents (99%) were aware of birth registration while death was 77%. Their main sources of information were assistant chiefs at 77% for both birth and death registration and family and friends at 67% for deaths and 52% for births. Coverage for birth registration was 85% and death 63%. More deaths occurred at home (55%) than in hospital (44%) while 55% of deliveries occurred in hospital and 44% at home. Main reasons for not registering death were ignorance (77%) and transport and opportunity cost (21%) while for birth registration were ignorance (42%), travel and opportunity cost (41%), lack of identification documents (9%), and home deliveries (7%).

CONCLUSION: Registration of birth and death has improved in Kilifi County. The drivers are legal and requirements to access social rights. Reasons for not registering are ignorance and opportunity costs. Community should be sensitized on the importance of registration, address home deliveries and deaths, and increase efficiency in registration. Further research is recommended to determine the severity of teenage pregnancy and orphanhood in the county.

PMID:34631893 | PMC:PMC8500746 | DOI:10.1155/2021/9963703