Demographic Age Research Articles

Surgical management of spontaneous posterior fossa hematoma: predictors of the neurological outcome

ObjectiveTo detect demographic, clinical, and radiological predictors of patient outcomes and prognosis in spontaneous cerebellar hematoma patients that may guide accurate decision making.MethodsThis retrospective study was conducted on 45 patients with spontaneous cerebellar hematoma who underwent surgical treatment. The patient data including demographics (age, gender), preoperative consciousness at the time of admission, medical comorbidities (HTN, DM), radiological findings (location, volume, and diameter of the cerebellar hematoma, hydrocephalus, compression of the fourth ventricle, effacement of the quadrigeminal cistern, intraventricular hematoma, tight posterior fossa, and brain stem compression), and treatment methods were collected and correlated with prognosis. Outcome assessment was done using the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), classified into good outcome (favorable result; GOS > 4) and poor outcome (unfavorable result; GOS < 4).ResultsThere was a statistically significant correlation (p = 0.030) between the time to surgery and GOS, with more favorable outcomes in patients who underwent early surgery compared to late surgery. Unfavorable outcomes were detected in patients with higher Taneda grade and Kirollos grade, and both were statistically significant (p = 0.001). The presence of hydrocephalus and/or brainstem compression had a statistically significant (p < 0.001) negative impact on outcomes. Patients with extensive IVH had an unfavorable outcome compared to other patients (p = 0.016). The mortality rate in our study was 28.9%.ConclusionsSurgical management of spontaneous cerebellar hematoma is challenging. Many factors influence the appropriate decision making and surgical outcome. Predictors of an unfavorable outcome include the level of consciousness at admission, delayed time to surgery, a higher grade of 4th ventricular effacement (Kirollos) and quadrigeminal cistern effacement (Taneda), extensive IVH, hydrocephalus, and brainstem compression (statistically significant). There was no statistical significance regarding gender, age, hematoma volume, or hematoma diameter in relation to an unfavorable outcome.

Determinants of Household Poverty: Identification Using Logistic Regression

The fight against poverty is considered one of the most critical tasks in achieving sustainable development goals. This study aims to identify the key determinants of household poverty in Algeria. The information base is data from the Sixth Cluster Survey (MICS 6) conducted by the National Statistics Office during 2018-2019 with a sample of 31,325 households in each province, which are divided into three groups (poorest, poor, non-poor) using a well-being index, which is based on the data about household assets and living conditions. Polynomial logistic regression was used to model the correlation between the poverty status of households and various demographic (household size, gender, age and education level of the head of the household), socio-economic (employment of the head of the household) and spatial (place of residence (urban/rural), region) characteristics. The results showed that a higher level of education of the head of the household significantly increased the probability of households moving from the “poorest” to the “poor” or “non-poor”. As the age of the household head increases, the likelihood that the household will be non-poor increases. The gender of the head of the household was not a statistically significant factor. The increase in the number of dependents as a factor of creating additional financial pressure and falling into poverty is essential only in a situation of a very drastic change in status – when moving from the status of “non-poor” to “the poorest”. In contrast, a slight change in well-being (a shift from “poor” to “poorest”) is not associated with an increase in the number of household members. Modeling showed that extreme poverty is more common in rural areas than in cities. Regional differences are also revealed, as the poverty level is higher in the southern regions than in the northern ones. The slight increase in household welfare (transition from the category of “poorest” to “poor”) in Algeria is not due to the economic activity of the head of the household. Still, it may be related to the nature of the analyzed data (only the fact of employment was considered without specifying the nature and type of activity). Instead, a significant change in welfare (moving from the category of “non-poor” to “poorest” households) directly depends on whether the head of the household is employed or unemployed. The results of the study are essential in the context of the development of a targeted policy to reduce the poverty risks of Algerian households: increasing the level of education and skills should be a priority, especially for young people and in disadvantaged regions, targeted programs for the development of rural areas and mechanisms for the fair distribution of public investments between provinces are needed to overcome regional disproportions.

Assessment of ecological civilization construction from the perspective of environment and health in China

This study innovatively evaluated ecological civilization in China from the perspective of environment and health. A Composite Environmental Health Index (CEHI) was constructed based on the Driving force-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) and Coupling Coordination Degree (CCD) models. Results showed that significant and sustained improvements were observed in the ecological environment after ecological civilization, while economic development continued to progress at a steady pace. However, the advancement in population health (impact subsystem), exhibited comparatively modest progress, potentially linked to issues such as demographic aging and the enduring consequences of past exposure to environmental pollutants. At the provincial level, the regional development was uneven. The CEHI performance was highest in the eastern regions, followed by the central regions, with the western regions showing the least progress. Beijing, Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shanghai, and Zhejiang emerged as top performers with higher CEHI scores, which can be attributed to their favorable geographical positioning and the response subsystem. Conversely, northeastern regions (Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning) and northwestern regions (Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, and Qinghai) experienced limited advancements in post-ecological civilization implementation. For these underperforming regions, there is a pressing need to intensify efforts aimed at enhancing their response subsystems. In summary, China's pursuit of ecological civilization has yielded significant successes, potentially offering valuable insights for other nations striving for sustainable development. The ecological civilization model's integration of ecological environmental protection into economic, political, cultural, and social constructs may serve as a meaningful reference for the sustainable development of other countries.

Der demografische Wandel im Wandel

Abstract The assumptions underlying the German Federal Statistical Office’s population projections have evolved, resulting in a moderate increase in the old-age dependency ratio. Previous scenarios anticipated larger gains in life expectancy, leading to demographic aging. However, consistently heightened migration patterns have counteracted the projections. The dual aging process in demographic change has now transformed into a triple demographic transformation, which may have fiscal implications beyond demographic aging.

Examining the Use of Oral Aripiprazole in Patients With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Study of Retrospective Chart Review at a University Medical Center.

The purpose of this study was to examine the patterns of use of oral aripiprazole treatment in children and adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at a university medical center in Korea. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 164 outpatient children and adolescents diagnosed with ASD by child and adolescent psychiatrists. Patient demographic characteristics, clinical features, age and dose of aripiprazole treatment, associated adverse events, and concomitant medications, etc. were evaluated. Aripiprazole treatment was initiated at a mean age of 7.64 years, at a mean initial dose of 1.15 mg. Methylphenidate was often co-administered with aripiprazole. The most commonly reported adverse effects were increased appetite and weight gain, which in some cases led to discontinuation of medication. A follow-up study is warranted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of aripiprazole treatment in Korean children and adolescents diagnosed with ASD, and it is crucial to consider their clinical characteristics and response to treatment in the evaluation.

Direct adjusted comparison of expressed emotion towards patients with schizophrenia between halfway houses and family settings

IntroductionRates of high expressed emotion (EE) towards patients with schizophrenia have only indirectly been compared between families and community residential facilities, since studies including patients in both settings are unfortunately lacking. High EE rates in staff-patient studies are typically lower than in families, with negligible rates of high emotional overinvolvement (EOI). However, indirect comparisons can suffer from many biases.ObjectivesThis study directly compared patients with schizophrenia living in halfway houses or with their families on the EE of their caregivers, adjusting for patient- and caregiver-related confounders.MethodsWe included 40 inpatients with schizophrenia living in halfway houses and 40 outpatients living with their families and recorded the EE of the caring staff (N=22 nurses) or parents (N=56), respectively, through Five Minutes Speech Sample interviews. Each nurse rated 1-12 inpatients and each inpatient was rated by 2-5 nurses, totaling 155 nurse ratings. Each outpatient was rated by one or both parents. Due to the multilevel structure of EE ratings, generalized linear mixed models were fitted. We first adjusted only for differences in patient-related confounders between groups and then added basic caregiver-related demographics.ResultsCompared to outpatients, inpatients were older (p=0.001), less well educated (p=0.002), had a longer disease duration (p=0.047), more hospitalizations (p=0.012), lower severity of psychotic (p=0.027) and, specifically, negative symptoms (p=0.015), and lower perceived criticism (p=0.001). Nurses were younger (p&lt;0.001) and better educated (p=0.001) than parents. After adjusting for patient-related confounders only, EOI was significantly higher in parents (p=0.027) while criticism did not significantly differ between groups. However, after also adjusting for caregiver demographics (age, gender and education), criticism was significantly higher in nurses (p=0.027) while differences in EOI became non-significant.ConclusionsDifferences in EE, when directly compared between parents and professional caregivers, may be explained by differences in patient-related characteristics, caregiver demographics as well as other caregiver characteristics to be investigated in future studies.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

256 Comparative Analysis of Emergency Department Visits for Breast Injuries Pre- and Post-COVID

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Studies show a decrease in injury-related emergency department (ED) visitsduring COVID.There is a gap in the literature regarding the effect of the pandemic on breast injury-related ED visits. We aim to compare these visits pre- and post-COVID, and whether this subset reflects the same trends seen in overall injury-related ED visits. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: A retrospective study of breast injuries was conducted between 2018 and 2022, using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System. Patients were categorized into pre-COVID and post-COVID groups, for visits occurring before and after January 20, 2020. A total of 1077 breast injuries were stratified into pre-COVID (n = 444) and post-COVID (n = 633) groups. Clinical data on patient demographics, diagnosis, disposition, location, and alcohol use were collected. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Mean age was significantly different: pre-COVID mean age was 37.29; post-COVID’s was 40.40 (p = 0.0338). &gt;90% of patients were female (p = 0.4066). White patients accounted for 36.0% of pre-COVID visits and 47.2% of post-COVID; BIPOC patients were 32.88% and 31.75% respectively. There was significant difference between race and COVID groups (p = 0.0013). No significant differences were found when considering all diagnoses (p = 0.3841) or the top three diagnoses (other, contusions/abrasions, and burns/scald) (p = 0.6176). Incident location showed a weak evidence of association (α = 0.1), when including unrecorded data (p = 0.1365) and removing those entries (p = 0.0832). Alcohol use did not reveal a significant association (p = 0.2110). DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: There are more breast injuries reported post-COVID. No significant difference was identified in the types of injuries diagnosed, the location these injuries took place, and how these injuries were treated. However, the demographics (age, race) of patients seeking care were significantly different.

Medical Conditions in Former Professional American-Style Football Players Are Associated With Self-Reported Clinical Features of Traumatic Encephalopathy Syndrome.

Consensus criteria for traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES) specify that at least one core clinical feature of cognitive impairment (CI; e.g., difficulties with memory, executive function) or neurobehavioral dysregulation (ND; e.g., explosiveness, rage, and mood lability) be present and not fully accounted for by other health disorders. Associations between self-reported symptoms that mirror the core clinical features of TES-and how they may be related to concomitant medical conditions-remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of medical conditions and football exposures with TES clinical features (CI+/-, ND+/-) in 1741 former professional American-style football (ASF) players (age, 57.7 ± 13.9 years; professional seasons, 6.6 ± 3.9 years). Demographics (age, race/ethnicity, current body mass index, age of first football exposure, use of performance-enhancing drugs, position played, and past concussion symptoms), self-reported medical conditions (anxiety, depression, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], sleep apnea, headache, stroke, hypertension, heart disease, high cholesterol, erectile dysfunction, and low testosterone) were collected. Of 1741 participants, 7.4% were CI+ and/or ND+ (n = 129). Participants who were CI+ or ND+ were more likely to report one or more coexisting medical conditions than participants who did not report CI or ND (odds ratio [OR] = 2.04; 95% confidence interval: 1.25-3.47; p = 0.003). Separate general linear models for each medical condition that adjusted for demographics and football-related factors identified significant associations between ADHD, diabetes, erectile dysfunction, headaches, sleep apnea, anxiety, and low testosterone and CI+ and/or ND+ (ORs = 1.8-6.0). Chi-square automatic interaction detection (CHAID) multi-variable decision tree models that incorporated medical conditions and football exposures accurately differentiated former players meeting either CI or ND clinical criteria from those meeting none (accuracy = 91.2-96.6%). CHAID identified combinations of depression, headache, sleep apnea, ADHD, and upper quartiles of concussion symptom history as most predictive of CI+ and/or ND+ status. CI+ and/or ND+ players were more likely to report medical conditions known to cause cognitive symptoms. Concussion exposure and medical conditions significantly increased the likelihood that a former ASF player would demonstrate cognitive or neurobehavioral dysfunction. Clinicians engaged with this population should consider whether treatable coexisting condition(s) could account for some portion of the clinical picture associated with TES presentation.

Metacognitive profiles in children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder

It has been suggested that maladaptive metacognition (beliefs and strategies) is related to the development and maintenance of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The aims of the study were to explore whether subgroups of pediatric OCD patients could be identified based on self-reported generic metacognition, and to compare these potential subgroups with a non-clinical control group. Additionally, differences between subgroups were examined across demographic (age and sex) and clinical characteristics (OCD severity and insight, types of OCD symptoms, and co-occurring symptoms). The study included a pooled sample of 157 pediatric OCD patients (age 7–18 years) and 58 non-clinical controls. Latent profile analyses supported a model with three profiles characterized by low, moderate, and high levels of maladaptive metacognition relative to the control group. Children and adolescents with higher age, greater OCD severity, specific OCD symptoms (e.g., aggressive, sexual, somatic, religious, and self-rated obsessing symptoms), and/or co-occurring internalizing symptoms (including anxiety and depressive symptoms) had a higher probability of belonging to a group with higher levels of maladaptive metacognition. The emergent profiles indicate heterogeneity in metacognition and clinical expression among children and adolescents with OCD, suggesting that generic metacognition could be a possible treatment target for some of these patients.

Personality traits and the risk of urinary incontinence: Evidence from three longitudinal samples.

Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common condition with a substantial negative impact on older adults' quality of life. This study examines whether individual differences in behavioral, cognitive, and emotional traits assessed by the five major dimensions of personality are related to the risk of concurrent and incident UI. Participants were older women and men (N>26,000) from the Midlife in the United States Survey, the Health and Retirement Study, and the English Longitudinal Study of Aging. In each cohort, personality traits (measured with the Midlife Development Inventory) and demographic (age, sex, education, and race), clinical (body mass index, diabetes, blood pressure), and behavioral (smoking) factors were assessed at baseline. UI was assessed at baseline and again 8-20years later. Results for each cohort were combined in random-effect meta-analyses. Consistently across cohorts, higher neuroticism and lower conscientiousness were related to a higher risk of concurrent and incident UI. To a lesser extent, extraversion, openness, and agreeableness were also related to lower risk of concurrent and incident UI. BMI, diabetes, blood pressure, and smoking partially accounted for these associations. There was little evidence that age or sex moderated the associations. The present study provides novel, robust, and replicable evidence linking personality traits to UI. The higher vulnerability for UI for individuals who score higher on neuroticism and lower on conscientiousness is consistent with findings for other multifactorial geriatric syndromes. Personality traits can help identify individuals at risk and may help contextualize the clinical presentation of comorbid emotional, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms.

Reconstructive Classification for Age and Gender Identification in Social Networks

Author profiling is a challenging task that consists of identifying a person’s relevant attributes based on the content he/she generates. In this article, we validate a classification method based on the reconstructive classification to identify two demographic attributes, age and gender, for users of social networks based on the text content they publish. For the problem, we consider balanced and unbalanced data, where a gender or age group has a larger presence than the others. The proposed method is based on using the reconstructive property of singular value decomposition (SVD), and its suitability to work with sparse data, to find a matrix with the main latent components to represent the information of specific gender or age classes. Afterward, we use such a matrix to project and reconstruct new users’ information to identify their demographic variables. We test our method with a set of datasets in several languages collected from Twitter and Pinterest users, and we use different evaluation metrics to compare their performance with the ones of several popular classifiers based on traditional machine learning, and on deep learning, and with some relevant works in the literature. The results show that the proposed classifier performs generally well in identifying the age and gender of users in social networks.

The ‘demographic winter’ in Italy: Crisis factors, problematic issues and policy actions

Demographic issues are becoming key to the debate on the future of Europe, and of Italy in particular, which has the lowest birth rate in Europe but is among the top-ranked countries for demographic ageing. The general improvement of living conditions and the ageing of large cohorts cannot be supported by the economic activity of the younger generations, which calls into question the security of certain aspects of the social pact, such as the provision of pensions and health care. While encouraging an awareness among Italians of the trends and problems they will have to deal with, all national actors must cooperate to ensure the recovery of the birth rate, and to harness the economic benefits of incoming migrants and the experiences of older people. It is equally necessary to meet the needs of young people and enhance their social role. Only through such cooperation will it be possible to create a favourable climate for actions that will allow us to control and direct these demographic phenomena and not to suffer from them.

A STUDY TO ASSESS THE KNOWLEDGE ATTITUDE AND UTILIZATION REGARDING NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME AMONG HEALTH WORKERS IN SMVMCH, PUDUCHERRY

Background: National Health Insurance Schemes are the various health insurance programs. Some of the health insurance schemes launched by the government over the years, include Ayushman Bharat Yojana, Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana, Central Government Health Scheme and Universal Health Insurance Scheme.A Positive Attitude Adequate knowledge and utilization of National Health Insurance Scheme on the clients/patients will delivered better clinical outcomes. A Study to assess the Knowledge Attitude and Utilization regarding National Health Insurance Scheme among health workers in SMVMCH, Puducherry. Methods: Descriptive cross research design was adopted for this study. Sample size 30. Data were assessed using Demographic variables, Self - Developed Knowledge and Attitude questionnaire, Self-developed Utilization questionnaire. Results: The study findings revealed that Majority of the health workers 23 (76.7%) had moderately adequate level of knowledge and 7(23.3%) had inadequate level of knowledge and the mean and standard deviation level of knowledge towards National Health Insurance Scheme among health workers is (9.07±2.463) respectively. Majority of the health workers 22 (73.3%) had unfavourable attitude and 8(26.7%) had favourable attitude and the mean and standard deviation level of attitude towards National Health Insurance Scheme among health workers is (13.33±5.695) respectively. Majority of the health workers not utilized 25 (83.3%) and 5(16.7%) had utilized the scheme and the mean and standard deviation level of Utilization towards National Health Insurance Scheme among health workers is (41.17±8.363) respectively. chi-square of the demographic variable Age in years and Dietary pattern had shown statistically significant association between the level of attitude regarding National Health Insurance Scheme among health workers with their selected demographic variables.The other demographic variable had not shown statistically significant association the level of attitude regarding National Health Insurance Scheme among health workers with their selected demographic variables respectively.The evident of chi-square of the demographic variable Gender and Residence had shown statistically significant association between the level of Utilization regarding National Health Insurance Scheme among health workers with their selected demographic variables.The other demographic variable had not shown statistically significant association the level of utilization regarding National Health Insurance Scheme among health workers with their selected demographic variables respectively. Conclusion: This study implies that on the content of study investigator have assessed the Knowledge Attitude and Utilization among health workers. It is concluded that the health workers have Moderate knowledge, Unfavorable Attitude and Not Utilized towards National Health Insurance Scheme.

Insomnia Among Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Investigation in Peshawar, Pakistan

Sleep health is integral to the overall well-being of nursing students, yet it is prevalent. Objective: The primary objective of this study was to determine the insomnia among nursing students. Methods: A total of 100 nursing students, both male and female, from different academic years participated in the study. A structured questionnaire was utilized to collect demographic information, including gender, age, and academic year. The Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) was employed to assess the prevalence of insomnia among participants. Results: The study findings revealed that most participants, constituting 70%, identified as male, while the remaining 30% identified as female. The analysis of insomnia status revealed that 37% reported no insomnia and 63% experienced insomnia. Conclusions: The findings highlight a diverse landscape of insomnia prevalence among nursing students, necessitating targeted interventions to promote sleep health.

Outcomes of COVID-19 re-infections: a single-center cohort of 167 patients with systemic rheumatic diseases.

Data on COVID-19 re-infections in patients with systemic rheumatic diseases (SRDs) are lacking. We aimed to describe the course and outcomes of COVID-19 re-infections in these patients versus controls. In this single-center retrospective study, we included 167 consecutive SRD patients with at least one COVID-19 re-infection (mean age 47.3 years, females 70.7%). SRD patients were compared in terms of patient-perceived COVID-19 re-infection severity and hospitalizations/deaths with 167 age/sex-matched non-SRD controls. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess potential milder re-infection versus primary infection severity, adjusting for study group, demographics (age, sex), vaccination status, body mass index, smoking, and comorbidities. 23 and 7 out of 167 re-infected SRD patients experienced two and three re-infections, respectively, which were comparable to the re-infection rates in controls (two: 32; and three: 2) who also had comparable COVID-19 vaccination history (89% and 95% vaccinated, respectively). In the initial infection, patients with SRDs were hospitalized (7.2% versus 1.8%, p = 0.017), and had received antiviral treatment (16.1% versus 4.7%, p < 0.001) more frequently than controls. However, hospitalizations (1.8% vs 0.6%) and antiviral treatment (7.8% vs 3.5%) did not differ (p > 0.05) between patients and controls at the first re-infection, as well as during the second and third re-infection; no deaths were recorded. Perceived severity of re-infections was also comparable between patients and controls (p = 0.847) and among those on biologic DMARDs or not (p = 0.482). In multivariable analysis, neither SRDs presence nor demographics or comorbidities were associated with COVID-19 re-infection severity. COVID-19 re-infection severity (patient-perceived/hospitalizations/deaths) did not differ between SRDs and controls.

A Content Analysis of Online Messages about Sugar-Sweetened Beverages.

Media campaigns can reduce or promote the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). Brief, US-based English-language online messages were gathered from searchable media platforms, a process that yielded 112 anti-SSB videos and 29 pro-SSB commercials. Using a combination of inductive and deductive methods, a content analysis of those messages was conducted to identify their properties. They were coded for the direction (pro vs. anti), target of the advocacy (e.g., consumption vs. policy), actor demographics (gender, age, and ethnicity), persuasive theme (e.g., excessive sugar, nurturing), and message sensation value. Anti-SSB appeals primarily targeted individual-level consumption behavior. They utilized six persuasive themes and often included more than one theme in a single message. Pro-SSB messages used feel-good themes and utilized only one theme per message. The proportions of adults, adolescents, and children differed by the direction of the advocacy. Black, Hispanic, and Asian actors were under-represented in the anti-SSB sample relative to Whites. Pro-SSB appeals were slightly higher than anti-SSB appeals in message sensation value (p = 0.09). The findings illuminate the message features that characterize the universe of brief anti-SSB appeals available online, highlight messaging disparities, and reveal the absence of certain common, effective persuasive themes.

Social Impacts of Hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Citizens and Residents in Qatar

This study aimed to identify the social impacts of hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar on its citizens and residents. Also, it aimed to reveal the differences in these impacts across various demographic variables, including identity, age group, and gender. The researcher adopted a descriptive methodology to achieve these objectives, collecting data mainly through a questionnaire administered to a diverse sample of 411 individuals who willingly participated in the study. The study's findings unveiled a range of significant social effects from this momentous event hosted in Qatar. Notably, these effects manifested in improving the country's image, fostering an incomparable sense of community pride, developing a heightened feeling of belonging, and arousing an overwhelming enthusiasm within the populace in Qatar towards hosting such grand-scale sporting events. Moreover, the World Cup fostered stronger feelings of security and social cohesion. Based on these results, the study advocates recommendations for future investigative endeavors. Despite its significant results, the study recommends future research to encompass a more diverse and inclusive representation from various regions. This is crucial to understand better the social outcomes of large-scale sporting events among the population.

Impact of sitting at work on musculoskeletal complaints of German workers - results from the study on mental health at work (S-MGA)

IntroductionSedentary behavior (including prolonged sitting) is a form of physical inactivity that has a negative impact on health, possibly including musculoskeletal complaints (MSCs). The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which time spent sitting at work is associated with the one-year prevalence of MSCs in the neck, shoulder, upper back/thoracic spine, and lower back among workers from the Study of Mental Health in the Workplace (S-MGA). In addition, the study also examined whether leisure time, physical activity, and sex modify the relationship between occupational sitting and MSCs.MethodsFor this analysis, we used the S-MGA, a 5-year prospective study in Germany. The S-MGA is a nationwide representative employee cohort study with a baseline survey in 2012 and a follow-up survey in 2017. Sitting at work was measured using a question asked at baseline. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used to determine the one-year prevalence of MSCs in the neck, shoulder, upper back, and lower back pain (yes/no). The assessment of MSCs was only conducted at the 2017 follow-up. Adjusted Poisson regression models were used to determine the association of baseline level of weekly hours spent sitting at work with MSCs during follow-up. In addition to unadjusted models, models were adjusted for demographic (age, sex, body mass index and occupational skill level), occupational (heavy lifting at work), psychological disorders and lifestyle factors (smoking status and leisure time physical activity), as well as preexisting musculoskeletal conditions reported at baseline. To examine whether the relationship between sitting time and pain was modified by sex and leisure time physical activity, the models were stratified for both these variables.ResultsAmong the participants analyzed (n = 2,082), 49.8% were male, while 50.2% were female, and more than 60% of the study population spent over half of their working hours in a sitting position. Exposure to increased sitting at work reported at baseline was not consistently associated with 12-month prevalence of MSCs in the upper body at follow-up. However, differences in the association between occupational sitting and MSCs were dependent on the intensity of leisure time physical activity. Prevalence ratios (PRs) indicated an increased prevalence of MSC in the neck (PR = 1.46; 95% CI = 1.18–1.80) and shoulder (PR = 1.30; 95% CI = 1.03–1.64) in workers without leisure time physical activity who spent 25 to < 35 weekly working hours sitting.DiscussionThese findings suggest that leisure time physical activity interacts with the relationship between sitting at work and MSCs. The relationship between sitting at work and musculoskeletal pain needs further investigation, but we found indications that leisure time physical activity may counter the effects of sitting at work.

A Low Systemic Inflammatory Response Index Is Associated With Improved Survival in Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Patients

BackgroundPredicting the long-term survival in adenoid cystic carcinoma(ACC) patients remains is challenging. Inflammatory cell-based indices are emerging as prognostic indicators of oncology. PurposeThis study aimed to determine the associations between the preoperative systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI) and, systemic immunoinflammatory index (SII), and the 10-year survival rates in patients with ACC of the head and neck (ACCHN). Study Design, Setting, SampleThis retrospective cohort study comprised ACCHNN patients treated at the Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital between November 2003 and December 2020. Predictor VariableThe inflammatory response, assessed using the SIRI and SII, was the predictor variable, The optimal cut-off values were based on the maximum Youden index values (sensitivity ＋ specificity－1), The patients were divided into two-group each, based on the SIRI (low, ≤ 0.15) and (high, > 0.15), and SII (low, ≤ 562.8 and high, > 562.8) values. Outcome VariableOverall survival (OS), or the number of days, weeks, or months between treatment initiation and death (or last follow-up date), was the primary outcome variable. CovariatesThe covariates were classified as demographic (age, gender, body mass index), medical (hypertension, diabetes), inflammatory (neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, platelets, lymphocyte-monocyte ratio, platelet-lymphocyte ratio, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio), and perioperative (tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, tumor size, treatment type). AnalysesDescriptive, univariate, and multivariate Cox proportional risk regression analyses were performed to determine whether the SIRI and SII were independent prognostic factors for OS. Kaplan–Meier survival curves and log-rank tests were used to determine their associations with the OS. ResultsThe study sample comprised 162 patients (mean age, 52 ± 14; males, 39.5%). The median follow-up time was 6.81 ± 0.23, and the 10-year OS rate was 7.68 ± 0.25. The low and high SIRI groups comprised 109 and 53 patients, while the low and high SII groups comprised 116 and 46 patients, respectively. SIRI was identified as a prognostic factor (P < 0.01; hazard ratio, 2.45; 95% confidence interval, 1.35–4.45). Conclusion and RelevanceThe SIRI has the advantages of reproducibility, convenience, non-invasiveness, and affordability, making it a promising prognostic inflammatory index for patients with ACCHN.

Biomarkers for Managing Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Neurological disorders are the leading cause of cognitive and physical disability worldwide, affecting 15% of the global population. Due to the demographics of aging, the prevalence of neurological disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases, will double over the next two decades. Unfortunately, while available therapies provide symptomatic relief for cognitive and motor impairment, there is an urgent unmet need to develop disease-modifying therapies that slow the rate of pathological progression. In that context, biomarkers could identify at-risk and prodromal patients, monitor disease progression, track responses to therapy, and parse the causality of molecular events to identify novel targets for further clinical investigation. Thus, identifying biomarkers that discriminate between diseases and reflect specific stages of pathology would catalyze the discovery and development of therapeutic targets. This review will describe the prevalence, known mechanisms, ongoing or recently concluded therapeutic clinical trials, and biomarkers of three of the most prevalent neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and Parkinson's disease (PD).