Conectar
by Jingting Lu, Nur Athirah Abd Rahman, Matthew Wyon, Shazlin Shaharudin
BackgroundFundamental physical functions such as postural control and balance are vital in preserving everyday life, affecting an individual’s quality of life. Dance is a physical activity that offers health advantages across various life stages. Nevertheless, the effects of dance interventions on physical function, postural control, and quality of life among older adults have remained underexplored. The review aimed to examine the strength of evidence for dance interventions on physical function and quality of life among middle-aged and older adults.
MethodsA systematic review was conducted across four databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Medline), focusing on studies involving more than four weeks of dance interventions. MeSH terms [dance or dance intervention or dance rehabilitation or dance movement] and [motor function or functional capacity or postural control or functional mobility or mobility or postural balance or balance or flexibility or gait] and [well-being or quality of life or life satisfaction] were utilized in the search. This review was registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42023422857). Included studies were assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias.
ResultsThe search revealed 885 studies, and 16 met the inclusion criteria. The effects of various dance genres on physical functions and quality of life were compared. Most studies showed that dance intervention improved physical function, balance, postural control and quality of life. Dance intervention showed a high level of adherence compared to physiotherapy, self-care, conventional therapy, and aerobic and resistance exercise.
ConclusionIn terms of improving physical function and quality of life, structured dance is a safe and relatively effective alternative to exercise. Note the effect of movement selection and intensity in the dance interventions. Dance with music may increase participants’ interest, encouraging more physical activity among middle-aged and older adults.
by Álvaro Huerta Ojeda, Emilio Jofré-Saldía, Jimena Arriagada Molina, Patricia Rojas Quinchavil, María Paz Parada Toledo, Sergio Galdames Maliqueo, María-Mercedes Yeomans-Cabrera, Carlos Jorquera-Aguilera, Frano Giakoni-Ramirez, Maximiliano Bravo
Functional autonomy (FA) is a critical factor in determining the quality of life of older adults (OA), especially in the case of older women (OW), as they face a decline in FA in their later years of life. FA should be assessed early, using valid, reliable, and low-cost tests. This study evaluated the test-retest reliability of GDLAM and GDLAM autonomy index (GI) in OW. Thirty-nine OW (71.2 ± 6.50 years) participated in the study. A repeated measures design was used to compare the interday test-retest reliability of the five GDLAM tests (seconds) and the GI (points). The five tests represent activities of daily living, such as dressing or wandering around the house, while the GI provides a weighting of the results of the five tests. The analysis consisted of the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM), and coefficient of variation (CV). A CV ≤ 10% and an ICC ≥ 0.80 were considered acceptable reliability, whereas a CV ≤ 5% and an ICC ≥ 0.90 were considered high reliability. The outcome of the five tests, represented by the GI, showed high interday test-retest reliability (CV = 6.00% and ICC = 0.91). The results of this study demonstrate that the five tests of the GDLAM protocol and the GI have high interday test-retest reliability and good interday reproducibility. From a practical point of view, the GDLAM protocol allows the assessment of FA of community-dwelling OW, providing background for early diagnosis and, with it, the possibility of developing an individualized physical exercise prescription.
by Guorui Fan, Xiaohai Guan, Bo Guan, Hongfei Zhu, Yongchao Pei, Chonghao Jiang, Yonggui Xiao, Zhiguo Li, Fenghong Cao
BackgroundRecent studies have shown that obesity may contribute to the pathogenesis of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). However, the mechanism of this pathogenesis is not fully understood.
MethodsA prospective case–control study was conducted with 30 obese and 30 nonobese patients with BPH. Prostate tissues were collected and analyzed using ultra performance liquid chromatography ion mobility coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-IMS-Q-TOF).
ResultsA total of 17 differential metabolites (3 upregulated and 14 downregulated) were identified between the obese and nonobese patients with BPH. Topological pathway analysis indicated that glycerophospholipid (GP) metabolism was the most important metabolic pathway involved in BPH pathogenesis. Seven metabolites were enriched in the GP metabolic pathway. lysoPC (P16:0/0:0), PE (20:0/20:0), PE (24:1(15Z)/18:0), PC (24:1(15Z)/14:0), PC (15:0/24:0), PE (24:0/18:0), and PC (16:0/18:3(9Z,12Z,15Z)) were all significantly downregulated in the obesity group, and the area under the curve (AUC) of LysoPC (P-16:0/0/0:0) was 0.9922. The inclusion of the seven differential metabolites in a joint prediction model had an AUC of 0.9956. Thus, both LysoPC (P-16:0/0/0:0) alone and the joint prediction model demonstrated good predictive ability for obesity-induced BPH mechanisms.
ConclusionsIn conclusion, obese patients with BPH had a unique metabolic profile, and alterations in PE and PC in these patients be associated with the development and progression of BPH.
by Junhao Sun, Siqi Yang, Yue Zhang, Wenzhi Xiang, Xiubo Jiang
As a new definition for the evidence of hepatic steatosis and metabolic dysfunctions, the relationship between phthalates (PAEs) and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) remains virtually unexplored. This study included 3,137 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey spanning 2007–2018. The diagnosis of MAFLD depended on the US Fatty Liver Index (US FLI) and evidence of metabolic dysregulation. Eleven metabolites of PAEs were included in the study. Poisson regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS), and weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression were used to assess the associations between phthalate metabolites and MAFLD. After adjusting for potential confounders, Poisson regression analysis showed that mono-2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl phthalate (MECPP), mono-n-butyl phthalate, mono-(3-carboxypropyl) phthalate, mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP) and mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate were generally significant positively associated with MAFLD (P
by Luiza Mesesan-Schmitz, Claudiu Coman, Carmen Stanciu, Venera Bucur, Laurentiu Gabriel Tiru, Maria Cristina Bularca
This study was designed to explore mothers’ perceptions about changes in parenting behavior in the middle of the pandemic COVID 19 period. Based on the convergent mixed-method design and Parental Stress model, we illustrated these changes by taking into account the impact of the pandemic perceived by mothers and the resources they had available. Research on parenting changes was important in the Romanian context because, in that challenging period, there were no regulations to safeguard parents, especially single parents as mothers. Mothers experienced increased levels of stress, some of them having to leave their jobs to stay at home with their children. Other mothers needed to work from home and in the meantime to take care of their children. In this context we wanted to illustrate the possible changes that occurred in their parenting behavior during the pandemic period. Results from the quantitative survey showed that there is a moderate correlation between the negative impact felt by mothers and the negative changes in their parenting behavior, and this correlation was diminished by a series of resources such as: social support, parenting alliance, or high income. Qualitative data provided better understanding of mothers’ parenting behavior by showing that mothers shared both positive and negative experiences during the pandemic, regardless of the general trend mentioned. As shown by the quantitative data, the qualitative data also showed that mothers who felt more strongly the impact of the pandemic reported more negative changes in their parenting behavior. The positive changes most frequently stated involved expressing affection and communicating more often on various topics, carrying out leisure activities or activities meant to help with the personal development of the child, and involving children in domestic activities. Mothers mostly described negative aspects such as too much involvement in school life, increased control and surveillance of children, especially when it comes to school related activities and to the time children were allowed to spend on their digital devices. These changes led to conflicts and sometimes, mothers resorted to discipline practices. In addition to the resources identified in quantitative research, mothers with higher education and medium–high income also turned to specialized resources (psychologists, online courses, support groups) in order to manage conflicts, them being able to see the challenges of the pandemic as an opportunity to develop and improve the relationship with their children.
by Oluwafemi Adeleke Ojo, Akingbolabo Daniel Ogunlakin, Christopher Oloruntoba Akintayo, Olaoluwa Sesan Olukiran, Juliana Bunmi Adetunji, Omolola Adenike Ajayi-Odoko, Theophilus Oghenenyoreme Ogwa, Olorunfemi Raphael Molehin, Omolara Olajumoke Ojo, Ramzi A. Mothana, Abdullah R. Alanzi
Background and objectiveDiabetic neuropathy (DN) is a complex type of diabetes. The underlying cause of diabetic nephropathy remains unclear and may be due to a variety of pathological conditions resulting in kidney failure. This study examines the protective effect of the methanolic extract of Spilanthes filicaulis leaves (MESFL) in fructose-fed streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic nephropathy and the associated pathway.
MethodsTwenty-five rats were equally divided randomly into five categories: Control (C), diabetic control, diabetic + metformin (100 mg/kg), diabetic + MESFL 150 mg/kg bw, and diabetic + MESFL 300 mg/kg bw. After 15 days, the rats were evaluated for fasting blood glucose (FBG), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), urea, uric acid, serum creatinine, reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and lipid peroxidation (MDA). Gene expression levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), protein kinase A (PKA), cAMP response element-binding (CREB), cFOS and the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 were examined.
ResultsWe observed that MESFL at 150 and 300 mg/kg bw significantly downregulated the protein expression of cAMP, PKA, CREB, and cFOS and upregulated the Bcl-2 gene, suggesting that the nephroprotective action of MESFL is due to the suppression of the cAMP/PKA/CREB/cFOS signaling pathway. In addition, MESFL increases SOD and CAT activities and GSH levels, reduces MDA levels, and reduces renal functional indices (ALP, urea, uric acid, and creatinine).
ConclusionTherefore, our results indicate that MESFL alleviates the development of diabetic nephropathy via suppression of the cAMP/PKA/CREB/cFOS pathways.
by Gabriela Ferreira Siano, Camila Stefanie Fonseca de Oliveira, Felipe Gaia de Sousa, Suzane Lilian Beier, Adriane Pimenta da Costa-Val
Animal welfare encompasses the overall well-being of an animal, spanning both its physical and mental health, assessable through potential measurements. It stands in contrast to mistreatment, which involves actions, direct or indirect, that endanger an animal’s well-being. This study sought to appraise the factors influencing the Brazilian population’s understanding of dog welfare and mistreatment. The survey questions were adapted from the Animal Welfare Examination Protocol, utilized by veterinarians to evaluate suspected passive abuse cases in dogs. Out of 1377 responses, 1353 were valid and analyzed. Among the 19 assessed indicators, 15 demonstrated an adequate response rate surpassing 90% of all 1353 responses. However, for three questions related to comfort, a smaller yet notable percentage of responses were only minimally adequate. Moreover, in one question within the comfort assessment, 186 participants (13.74%) provided inadequate responses. This implies that these people could potentially subject animals to a state of low Animal Welfare. Lack of knowledge emerged as a potential root of passive abuse, specifically negligence. In the assessment of nutritional indicators, water supply and quality received unanimous adequate responses. In evaluating comfort perceptions, significant associations were noted between gender, dog ownership, family income, and responses regarding resting surface. Regarding health indicators, the majority responded appropriately. Female gender and dog ownership correlated with providing the appropriate response, while not owning a dog was associated with minimally adequate responses. In the context of comfort indicators, "Hitting the Dog" also demonstrated an association with gender, with females tending towards appropriate responses. Given the lack of significant correlation between educational levels and the most suitable responses, it underscores the urgency of implementing environmental education programs in schools with a focus on animal protection.
by Todd M. Hillhouse, Kaitlyn J. Partridge, Patrick I. Garrett, Sarah C. Honeycutt, Joseph H. Porter
Ketamine has been shown to produce analgesia in various acute and chronic pain states; however, abuse liability concerns have limited its utility. The ketamine metabolite (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine (HNK) has been shown to produce antidepressant-like effects similar to ketamine without abuse liability concerns. (2R,6R)-HNK produces sustained analgesia in models of chronic pain, but has yet to be evaluated in models of acute pain. The present study evaluated the efficacy of acute (2R,6R)-HNK administration (one injection) in assays of pain-stimulated (52- and 56-degree hot plate test and acetic acid writhing) and pain-depressed behavior (locomotor activity and rearing) in male and female C57BL/6 mice. In assays of pain-stimulated behaviors, (2R,6R)-HNK (1–32 mg/kg) failed to produce antinociception in the 52- and 56-degree hot plate and acetic acid writhing assays. In assays of pain-depressed behaviors, 0.56% acetic acid produced a robust depression of locomotor activity and rearing that was not blocked by pretreatment of (2R,6R)-HNK (3.2–32 mg/kg). The positive controls morphine (hot plate test) and ketoprofen (acetic acid writhing, locomotor activity, and rearing) blocked pain-stimulated and pain-depressed behaviors. Finally, the effects of intermittent (2R,6R)-HNK administration were evaluated in 52-degree hot plate and pain-depressed locomotor activity and rearing. Intermittent administration of (2R,6R)-HNK also did not produce antinociceptive effects in the hot plate or pain-depressed locomotor activity assays. These results suggest that (2R,6R)-HNK is unlikely to have efficacy in treating acute pain; however, the efficacy of (2R,6R)-HNK in chronic pain states should continue to be evaluated.
by Nicodemus Songose Awarayi, Frimpong Twum, James Ben Hayfron-Acquah, Kwabena Owusu-Agyemang
This study aims to develop an optimally performing convolutional neural network to classify Alzheimer’s disease into mild cognitive impairment, normal controls, or Alzheimer’s disease classes using a magnetic resonance imaging dataset. To achieve this, we focused the study on addressing the challenge of image noise, which impacts the performance of deep learning models. The study introduced a scheme for enhancing images to improve the quality of the datasets. Specifically, an image enhancement algorithm based on histogram equalization and bilateral filtering techniques was deployed to reduce noise and enhance the quality of the images. Subsequently, a convolutional neural network model comprising four convolutional layers and two hidden layers was devised for classifying Alzheimer’s disease into three (3) distinct categories, namely mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, and normal controls. The model was trained and evaluated using a 10-fold cross-validation sampling approach with a learning rate of 0.001 and 200 training epochs at each instance. The proposed model yielded notable results, such as an accuracy of 93.45% and an area under the curve value of 0.99 when trained on the three classes. The model further showed superior results on binary classification compared with existing methods. The model recorded 94.39%, 94.92%, and 95.62% accuracies for Alzheimer’s disease versus normal controls, Alzheimer’s disease versus mild cognitive impairment, and mild cognitive impairment versus normal controls classes, respectively.
by Nafiseh Ghassab-Abdollahi, Haidar Nadrian, Elnaz Shaseb, Narges Kheirollahi, Mina Hashemiparast
BackgroundOlder adults with polypharmacy are more prone to medication errors. People with low educational attainment have more difficulties in taking their medications.
ObjectivesThis study aimed to identify the extent of medication self-administration errors (MSEs) and the contributing factors among illiterate and low-literate community-dwelling older adults with polypharmacy.
MethodThe present cross-sectional study was conducted among people aged 60 and above. The data were collected using the sociodemographic, clinical, and Belief about Medicines Questionnaires (BMQ). To determine the extent of MSE, a medication error checklist was used. The negative binomial hierarchical regression model in the five blocks was performed.
ResultsThe final sample size was 276 people. The frequency of MSEs in the last 6 months was 69.2%. Sixteen percent of participants had made four or more mistakes. The most common MSEs were forgetting, improper taking of medications with food, improper timing, incorrect dosage (lower dose), and forgetting the doctor’s instructions. Near 18% of participants reported adverse events following their mistakes. The significant predictors of MSEs were being completely illiterate (p = 0.021), the higher number of doctor visits per year (p = 0.014), irregularly seeing doctors (p Conclusion
Despite the high prevalence of MSEs among older patients, practical strategies to deal with them at their homes have not been established among health systems. MSE as a multifactorial event can be caused by a collection of internal and external factors. Further studies to identify the role of patients, clinicians, procedures, and systems in developing MSEs as interconnected components are needed.
by Liangfeng Liu, Yang Chen, Guanwen He, Bingbang Lin, Zhongshou Zhu, Rifu Wei, Yangbin Xu
BackgroundAcute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) is characterized by a sudden worsening of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) symptoms, which significantly contributes to hospitalizations related to COPD symptoms. Previous research has mainly focused on the correlation between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and COPD. However, there were few studies that investigated the short-term mortality rate of AECOPD patients with or without OSA.
MethodsData for our research was taken from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care Database IV. A total of 1332 patients were included in the study based on well-defined criteria for selection and exclusion. By analyzing the characteristics of AECOPD patients, we compared those with and without OSA.
ResultsThere were 1122 AECOPD patients without OSA, 210 patients with OSA. In comparison to those without OSA, patients with OSA exhibited lower 30-day and 90-day ICU mortality with unadjusted HR, as well as lower hospital mortality with unadjusted OR. However, after adjustments were made, there were no significant associations observed between OSA and short-term mortality, including 30-day ICU mortality, 90-day ICU mortality, ICU mortality, and hospital mortality in AECOPD patients. Subgroup analysis revealed that OSA may act as a risk factor for AECOPD patients with a BMI lower than 30 kg/m2.
ConclusionsThere is no impact on short-term survival in AECOPD patients with OSA under intensive care unit (ICU) management and nursing.
by Viktor Laskov, David Rothbauer, Hana Malikova
Radiomic features are usually used to predict target variables such as the absence or presence of a disease, treatment response, or time to symptom progression. One of the potential clinical applications is in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Robust radiomic features for this specific imaging method have not yet been identified, which is necessary for proper feature selection. Thus, we are assessing the robustness of radiomic features in dopamine transporter imaging (DaT). For this study, we made an anthropomorphic head phantom with tissue heterogeneity using a personal 3D printer (polylactide 82% infill); the bone was subsequently reproduced with plaster. A surgical cotton ball with radiotracer (123I-ioflupane) was inserted. Scans were performed on the two-detector hybrid camera with acquisition parameters corresponding to international guidelines for DaT single photon emission tomography (SPECT). Reconstruction of SPECT was performed on a clinical workstation with iterative algorithms. Open-source LifeX software was used to extract 134 radiomic features. Statistical analysis was made in RStudio using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and coefficient of variation (COV). Overall, radiomic features in different reconstruction parameters showed a moderate reproducibility rate (ICC = 0.636, p 0.9, p
by Alessandra De Giani, Federica Perillo, Alberto Baeri, Margherita Finazzi, Federica Facciotti, Patrizia Di Gennaro
The human gut is a complex environment where the microbiota and its metabolites play a crucial role in the maintenance of a healthy state. The aim of the present work is the reconstruction of a new in vitro minimal human gut microbiota resembling the microbe-microbe networking comprising the principal phyla (Bacillota, Bacteroidota, Pseudomonadota, and Actinomycetota), to comprehend the intestinal ecosystem complexity. In the reductionist model, we mimicked the administration of Maitake extract as prebiotic and a probiotic formulation (three strains belonging to Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium genera), evaluating the modulation of strain levels, the release of beneficial metabolites, and their health-promoting effects on human cell lines of the intestinal environment. The administration of Maitake and the selected probiotic strains generated a positive modulation of the in vitro bacterial community by qPCR analyses, evidencing the prominence of beneficial strains (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis) after 48 hours. The bacterial community growths were associated with the production of metabolites over time through GC-MSD analyses such as lactate, butyrate, and propionate. Their effects on the host were evaluated on cell lines of the intestinal epithelium and the immune system, evidencing positive antioxidant (upregulation of SOD1 and NQO1 genes in HT-29 cell line) and anti-inflammatory effects (production of IL-10 from all the PBMCs). Therefore, the results highlighted a positive modulation induced by the synergic activities of probiotics and Maitake, inducing a tolerogenic microenvironment.
by Gabriel Ott, Yannik Schaubelt, Juan Miguel Lopez Alcaraz, Wilhelm Haverkamp, Nils Strodthoff
Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading global cause of mortality. Age is an important covariate whose effect is most easily investigated in a healthy cohort to properly distinguish the former from disease-related changes. Traditionally, most of such insights have been drawn from the analysis of electrocardiogram (ECG) feature changes in individuals as they age. However, these features, while informative, may potentially obscure underlying data relationships. In this paper we present the following contributions: (1) We employ a deep-learning model and a tree-based model to analyze ECG data from a robust dataset of healthy individuals across varying ages in both raw signals and ECG feature format. (2) We use explainable AI methods to identify the most discriminative ECG features across age groups.(3) Our analysis with tree-based classifiers reveals age-related declines in inferred breathing rates and identifies notably high SDANN values as indicative of elderly individuals, distinguishing them from younger adults. (4) Furthermore, the deep-learning model underscores the pivotal role of the P-wave in age predictions across all age groups, suggesting potential changes in the distribution of different P-wave types with age. These findings shed new light on age-related ECG changes, offering insights that transcend traditional feature-based approaches.
by Longgang Zhao, Yuan Wang, Eric Mishio Bawa, Zichun Meng, Jingkai Wei, Sarah Newman-Norlund, Tushar Trivedi, Hatice Hasturk, Roger D. Newman-Norlund, Julius Fridriksson, Anwar T. Merchant
BackgroundCognitive impairment has multiple risk factors spanning several domains, but few studies have evaluated risk factor clusters. We aimed to identify naturally occurring clusters of risk factors of poor cognition among middle-aged and older adults and evaluate associations between measures of cognition and these risk factor clusters.
MethodsWe used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III (training dataset, n = 4074) and the NHANES 2011–2014 (validation dataset, n = 2510). Risk factors were selected based on the literature. We used both traditional logistic models and support vector machine methods to construct a composite score of risk factor clusters. We evaluated associations between the risk score and cognitive performance using the logistic model by estimating odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).
ResultsUsing the training dataset, we developed a composite risk score that predicted undiagnosed cognitive decline based on ten selected predictive risk factors including age, waist circumference, healthy eating index, race, education, income, physical activity, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and annual visit to dentist. The risk score was significantly associated with poor cognitive performance both in the training dataset (OR Tertile 3 verse tertile 1 = 8.15, 95% CI: 5.36–12.4) and validation dataset (OR Tertile 3 verse tertile 1 = 4.31, 95% CI: 2.62–7.08). The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve for the predictive model was 0.74 and 0.77 for crude model and model adjusted for age, sex, and race.
ConclusionThe model based on selected risk factors may be used to identify high risk individuals with cognitive impairment.
by Weiyong Chen, Qiaoqin Ma, Xiaohong Pan, Lin Chen, Hui Wang, Xin Zhou, Tingting Jiang, Wanjun Chen
ObjectivesThe characteristics of men who have sex with men (either exclusively or with both men and women; MSM) who engaged in casual sex among Chinese male university students have not been compared with the characteristics of men who have sex with only women (MSW). This information is important for tailoring targeted behavioral interventions to prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/sexually transmitted infection (STI) transmission in this subgroup of MSM.
MethodsData were derived from a large cross-sectional electronic questionnaire survey conducted at 13 universities in Zhejiang Province, China, in 2018. Bivariate analyses were used to compare demographic, HIV-related psychosocial, and behavioral characteristics between MSM and MSW students who engaged in casual sex during the previous year. Proportion differences between the two groups and their 95% confidence intervals were analyzed.
ResultsAmong the 583 sexually active male students who engaged in casual sex during the previous year, 128 and 455 were MSM and MSW, respectively. Compared with MSW students, larger proportions of MSM students reported knowing that male-to-male sexual behavior was the main mode of HIV transmission among Chinese students (62.5% vs. 45.5%), consenting to commercial sex (67.2% vs. 53.4%), wanting to know the HIV serostatus of partners before casual sex (65.8% vs. 51.3%), feeling at risk of HIV infection (40.5% vs. 11.8%), high condom-decision scale scores (55.3% vs. 42.6%), engaging in sex with ≥ 5 casual sex partners (44.6% vs. 25.9%), searching for casual partners online (89.2% vs. 51.3%), consuming alcohol before casual sex (64.8% vs. 45.0%), engaging in sex with regular partners (83.1% vs. 67.0%), engaging in commercial sex (54.2% vs. 26.4%), and visiting a clinic for voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) (16.4% vs. 8.4%). However, compared with MSW students, smaller proportions of MSM students reported knowing that consistent condom use could prevent HIV transmission (80.5% vs. 95.2%) and that VCT should be actively sought after risky sexual behavior (78.9% vs. 93.8%), using condoms sometimes/often (26.4% vs. 44.3%), and consistently using condoms (28.9% vs. 40.1%) while engaging in sex with casual partners.
ConclusionsMSM students who engaged in casual sex were at a greater risk of HIV/STI transmission, compared with MSW students. Comprehensive interventions to address the risks of unprotected male-to-male sex, searching for casual sex partners online, and non-use of HIV testing services are needed to reduce the burden of HIV/STI transmission among this subgroup of MSM.
by Leslie Hayden, James M. Lightner, Stacy Strausborger, Teri J. Franks, Nora L. Watson, Michael R. Lewin-Smith
The role that inhaled particulate matter plays in the development of post-deployment lung disease among US service members deployed to Southwest Asia during the Global War on Terrorism has been difficult to define. There is a persistent gap in data addressing the relationship between relatively short-term (months to a few years) exposures to high levels of particulate matter during deployment and the subsequent development of adverse pulmonary outcomes. Surgical lung biopsies from deployed service members and veterans (DSMs) and non-deployed service members and veterans (NDSMs) who develop lung diseases can be analyzed to potentially identify residual deployment-specific particles and develop associations with pulmonary pathological diagnoses. We examined 52 surgical lung biopsies from 25 DSMs and 27 NDSMs using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to identify any between-group differences in the number and composition of retained inorganic particles, then compared the particle analysis results with the original histopathologic diagnoses. We recorded a higher number of total particles in biopsies from DSMs than from NDSMs, and this difference was mainly accounted for by geologic clays (illite, kaolinite), feldspars, quartz/silica, and titanium-rich silicate mixtures. Biopsies from DSMs deployed to other Southwest Asia regions (SWA-Other) had higher particle counts than those from DSMs primarily deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, due mainly to illite. Distinct deployment-specific particles were not identified. Particles did not qualitatively associate with country of deployment. The individual diagnoses of the DSMs and NDSMs were not associated with elevated levels of total particles, metals, cerium oxide, or titanium dioxide particles. These results support the examination of particle-related lung disease in DSMs in the context of comparison groups, such as NDSMs, to assist in determining the strength of associations between specific pulmonary pathology diagnoses and deployment-specific inorganic particulate matter exposure.
by Juan F. Zapata-Acevedo, Mónica Losada-Barragán, Johann F. Osma, Juan C. Cruz, Andreas Reiber, Klaus G. Petry, Amael Caillard, Audrey Sauldubois, Daniel Llamosa Pérez, Aníbal José Morillo Zárate, Sonia Bermúdez Muñoz, Agustín Daza Moreno, Rafaela V. Silva, Carmen Infante-Duarte, William Chamorro-Coral, Rodrigo E. González-Reyes, Karina Vargas-Sánchez
Chronic neuroinflammation is characterized by increased blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, leading to molecular changes in the central nervous system that can be explored with biomarkers of active neuroinflammatory processes. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has contributed to detecting lesions and permeability of the BBB. Ultra-small superparamagnetic particles of iron oxide (USPIO) are used as contrast agents to improve MRI observations. Therefore, we validate the interaction of peptide-88 with laminin, vectorized on USPIO, to explore BBB molecular alterations occurring during neuroinflammation as a potential tool for use in MRI. The specific labeling of NPS-P88 was verified in endothelial cells (hCMEC/D3) and astrocytes (T98G) under inflammation induced by interleukin 1β (IL-1β) for 3 and 24 hours. IL-1β for 3 hours in hCMEC/D3 cells increased their co-localization with NPS-P88, compared with controls. At 24 hours, no significant differences were observed between groups. In T98G cells, NPS-P88 showed similar nonspecific labeling among treatments. These results indicate that NPS-P88 has a higher affinity towards brain endothelial cells than astrocytes under inflammation. This affinity decreases over time with reduced laminin expression. In vivo results suggest that following a 30-minute post-injection, there is an increased presence of NPS-P88 in the blood and brain, diminishing over time. Lastly, EAE animals displayed a significant accumulation of NPS-P88 in MRI, primarily in the cortex, attributed to inflammation and disruption of the BBB. Altogether, these results revealed NPS-P88 as a biomarker to evaluate changes in the BBB due to neuroinflammation by MRI in biological models targeting laminin.
by Levi Matthies, Hendrik Amir-Kabirian, Medhanie T. Gebrekidan, Andreas S. Braeuer, Ulrike S. Speth, Ralf Smeets, Christian Hagel, Martin Gosau, Christian Knipfer, Reinhard E. Friedrich
In Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), peripheral nerve sheaths tumors are common, with cutaneous neurofibromas resulting in significant aesthetic, painful and functional problems requiring surgical removal. To date, determination of adequate surgical resection margins–complete tumor removal while attempting to preserve viable tissue–remains largely subjective. Thus, residual tumor extension beyond surgical margins or recurrence of the disease may frequently be observed. Here, we introduce Shifted-Excitation Raman Spectroscopy in combination with deep neural networks for the future perspective of objective, real-time diagnosis, and guided surgical ablation. The obtained results are validated through established histological methods. In this study, we evaluated the discrimination between cutaneous neurofibroma (n = 9) and adjacent physiological tissues (n = 25) in 34 surgical pathological specimens ex vivo at a total of 82 distinct measurement loci. Based on a convolutional neural network (U-Net), the mean raw Raman spectra (n = 8,200) were processed and refined, and afterwards the spectral peaks were assigned to their respective molecular origin. Principal component and linear discriminant analysis was used to discriminate cutaneous neurofibromas from physiological tissues with a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 97.3%, and overall classification accuracy of 97.6%. The results enable the presented optical, non-invasive technique in combination with artificial intelligence as a promising candidate to ameliorate both, diagnosis and treatment of patients affected by cutaneous neurofibroma and NF1.
by Hirokazu Okada, Atsushi Ono, Koji Tomori, Tsutomu Inoue, Norio Hanafusa, Ken Sakai, Ichiei Narita, Toshiki Moriyama, Yoshitaka Isaka, Kei Fukami, Seiji Itano, Eiichiro Kanda, Naoki Kashihara
BackgroundInformation of short-term prognosis after hemodialysis (HD) introduction is important for elderly patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and their families choosing a modality of renal replacement therapy. Therefore, we developed a risk score to predict early mortality in incident elderly Japanese hemodialysis patients.
Materials and methodsWe analyzed data of incident elderly HD patients from a nationwide cohort study of the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy Renal Data Registry (JRDR) to develop a prognostic risk score. Candidate risk factors for early death within 1 year was evaluated using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The risk score was developed by summing up points derived from parameter estimate values of independent risk factors. The association between risk score and early death was tested using Cox proportional hazards models. This risk score was validated twice by using an internal validation cohort derived from the JRDR and an external validation cohort collected for this study.
ResultsUsing the development cohort (n = 2,000), nine risk factors were retained in the risk score: older age (>85), yes = 2, no = 0; sex, male = 2, female = 0; lower body mass index (2.0 mg/dL), yes = 2, no = 0. In the internal and external validation cohorts (n = 739, 140, respectively), the medium- and high-risk groups (total score, 6 to 10 and 11 or more, respectively) showed significantly higher risk of early death than the low-risk group (total score, 0 to 5) (p Conclusion
We developed a prognostic risk score predicting early death within 1 year in incident elderly Japanese HD patients, which may help detect elderly patients with a high-risk of early death after HD introduction.
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