Association between ideal cardiovascular health and multiple disabilities among US adults, BRFSS 2017-2019.

OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular health is the leading cause of death and disability in the United States. Our objective was to estimate the association between ideal cardiovascular health (ICVH) and multiple disabilities among US adults stratified into the three age groups of young (18-44 years), midlife (45-64 years), and older adults (≥65 years). STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data pooled from the 2017 and 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). METHODS: Using American Heart Association's seven-component (four ideal behaviors and three ideal health factors) scoring tool, we identified ICVH as a composite score ≥5 and also computed the ideal behavioral (score ≥3) and ideal health factors (score = 3) submetrics. The outcome, single vs multiple disabilities indicator, was defined using US Census's disability domains and analyzed using multinomial regression. RESULTS: For all three groups, the prevalence of multiple disabilities was significantly lower among those meeting ICVH, ideal behavioral, and ideal health factors compared with those that did not. After controlling for covariates, ICVH score ≥5 was associated with lower relative risk of multiple disabilities in all groups. Although both ideal health and ideal behavioral factors were associated with lower relative risk of multiple disabilities among all groups, the reduction in risk was the highest for multiple disabilities and ideal behavioral factors among midlife (relative risk ratio: 0.30, 95% confidence interval: 0.25, 0.36) and older adults (relative risk ratio: 0.40, 95% confidence interval: 0.33, 0.48). CONCLUSION: Adults with less-than-ideal cardiovascular health had a higher relative risk of multiple disabilities. Addressing the risk of multiple disabilities of US adults will require effective promotion of ICVH.

Process optimization for osmo-dehydrated carambola (Averrhoa carambola L) slices and its storage studies.

An osmotic-dehydration process protocol for Carambola (Averrhoacarambola L.,), an exotic star shaped tropical fruit, was developed. The process was optimized using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) following Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD). The experimental variables selected for the optimization were soak solution concentration (°Brix), soaking temperature (°C) and soaking time (min) with 6 experiments at central point. The effect of process variables was studied on solid gain and water loss during osmotic dehydration process. The data obtained were analyzed employing multiple regression technique to generate suitable mathematical models. Quadratic models were found to fit well (R(2), 95.58 - 98.64 %) in describing the effect of variables on the responses studied. The optimized levels of the process variables were achieved at 70°Brix, 48 °C and 144 min for soak solution concentration, soaking temperature and soaking time, respectively. The predicted and experimental results at optimized levels of variables showed high correlation. The osmo-dehydrated product prepared at optimized conditions showed a shelf-life of 10, 8 and 6 months at 5 °C, ambient (30 ± 2 °C) and 37 °C, respectively.

A process report on physical and psychological determiners of social functioning in leprosy patients.

Management and rehabilitation of leprosy patients needs information aoout the social acceptance and its association with physical and psychological problems of the affected person. Ninety three leprosy patients (72 male and 21 female) were selected from outpatient department of the hospitals/clinics and their demographic and clinical informations were recorded. The patients were screened for common menta diseases using GHQ-60 (Bengali version). The social functioning was assessed using SSFI. Mean age was 35.19 +/- 12.5 years, 69.9% of the subjects were from urban areas. Multibacillary cases accounted for 60.2% of the cases, 21.5% of the patients had deformity, 53.8% of the patients screened positive for common psychiatric diseases. Social functioning impairment of mild, moderate and severe level was 9.7%, 82.8, and 7.5% respectively. On Univariate analysis, presence of deformity was the only variable showing significant association with moderate to severe degree of social impairment. Using decision tree (Exhaustive CHAID) analysis, presence of deformity along with urban residence was strongly predicted severe social functioning impairment. The results of the study show the need to formulate suitable psychosocial intervention strategy especially in the context of high psychiatric morbidity.

Applications of paired ion high-pressure liquid chromatography to catecholamines and phenylephrine.

Paired ion high-pressure liquid chromatography was useful for separating intact catecholamines (epinephrine, isoproterenol, levodopa, and methyldopa) and phenylephrine from some of their decomposition products. Furthermore, methyldopa was separated from either hydrochlorothiazide of levodopa. Under identical conditions without 1-heptanesulfonic acid (a counterion for paired ion chromatography) in the mobile phase, these separations were not possible. Paired ion chromatography also was tried successfully for the quantitative determinations of isoproterenol, levodopa, methyldopa, and phenylephrine in some dosage forms. The results were compared with the results obtained using some literature methods.

Hemiplegia as a manifestation of acute mountain sickness.

A young mountaineer who developed right sided hemiplegia with aphasia at high altitude is reported. This is an uncommon nervous system manifestation in acute mountain sickness.

Prevalence of NIDDM in the general population (> 40 years) in Shimla.

A random survey for determining the prevalence of NIDDM was conducted in the population aged 40 years and above of Shimla town. 1195 subjects were screened for estimation of NIDDM prevalence from seven randomly selected wards. The prevalence of NIDDM in age group 40 years and above was 4.86% (5.17% in males and 4.38% in females). NIDDM was found to be positively associated with increasing age, BMI, WHR, family history of diabetes and negatively with physical activity. Stress should be on early detection of diabetes to reduce the heavy burden of morbidity and mortality caused by diabetes.

Comparative effects of beta adrenergic blocking drugs.

Although many different beta blockers are now in clinical use, there is very little information concerning their relative efficacy, and it is still not clear what clinical importance should be attached to properties such as positive inotropic stimulation (intrinsic sympathomimetic activity or ISA) and membrane stabilizing action ("local anaesthetic effect" or "quinidine-like effect"). In this report we compare the ability of patients with angina to exercise on a bicycle ergometer while receiving a series of commonly used beta blockers, and attempt to determine the importance of ISA. The investigation is in four parts with the drugs given orally or intravenously: statistical analysis of the results was carried out using standard methods, both parametric and non-parametric (Friedmann analysis of variance, Wilcoxon matched pairs signed ranks test) by two independent statisticians. The relevant properties of drugs included in this paper are summarized in Table I. Laboratory reports using many different animal preparations may differ from this assessment under specific conditions, and the Table is intended only as a guide to the generally accepted properties of these drugs when used clinically. Results for sotalol are included for reference in the first part of this paper but the drug was withdrawn from clinical use and was not studied further.

Pacemaker failure resulting from radiation damage.

The authors present a case of radiation-induced pacemaker failure. After 2,000 rad (20 Gy) of photon irradiation for metastatic bronchogenic carcinoma, the pulse generator circuitry failed, producing a "runaway" rhythm. This suggests that present pacemaker circuitry may be more susceptible to irradiation than previously believed, and that even modest radiation doses can induce life-threatening arrhythmias.

Anionic collagen: polymer composites with improved dielectric and rheological properties.

This work describes the preparation and characterization of anionic collagen composites with rhamsan and vinylidene fluoride-trifluorethylene with improved rheological and dielectric properties without loss of collagen secondary structure with an interaction occurring between both macromolecules of the composites. On a comparative basis, the force needed for the extrusion of anionic collagen:rhamsan composites was in the range from 0.088 to 0.080 J compared to that for collagen of 0.189 J. Anionic collagen:vinylidene fluoride-trifluorethylene composites were characterized, in the case of the 1:1 composite, by a pyroelectric coefficient of 1.89 x 10(-4) cm(-2) K(-1), which was significantly higher than those determined under the same conditions for native anionic collagen and vinylidene fluoride-trifluorethylene.