Validity and Accuracy of Step Count as an Indicator of a Sedentary Lifestyle in People With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the validity and accuracy of <5000 steps/day as a sedentary lifestyle indicator, and the optimal step count cut point value for indicating a sedentary lifestyle in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). DESIGN: Analysis of baseline data from a randomized clinical trial. SETTING: Sydney, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Stable COPD on the waitlist for pulmonary rehabilitation. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Step count and time in sedentary behavior (SB) were assessed using thigh-worn accelerometry. A sedentary lifestyle was defined as <5000 steps/day. Pearson correlation coefficients were analyzed between step count and time spent in SB. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were calculated for the <5000 steps/day threshold. Receiver operating characteristic curves with the area under the curve were computed for step count in identifying a sedentary lifestyle. RESULTS: 69 people with COPD (mean age=74 years, SD=9; forced expiratory volume in 1 second, mean=55%, SD=19 predicted) had sufficient wear data for analysis. There was a moderate inverse correlation between step count and time spent in SB (r=-0.58, P<.001). Step count had a fair discriminative ability for identifying a sedentary lifestyle (area under the curve=0.80, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.68-0.91). The <5000 steps/day threshold had a sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 82% (95% CI, 70-94), 70% (95% CI, 54-86), and 78%, respectively. A lower threshold of <4300 steps/day was more accurate for ruling in a sedentary lifestyle. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with thigh-worn accelerometry, <5000 steps/day is a valid and reasonably accurate indicator of a sedentary lifestyle in this population.

Six-week behaviour change intervention to reduce sedentary behaviour in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to determine whether a 6-week behaviour change intervention was more effective than a sham intervention for reducing sedentary behaviour (SB) in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS: People with stable COPD on the waitlist for entry into pulmonary rehabilitation were recruited to this multicentre trial with randomisation (independent, concealed allocation) to either an intervention group or sham group, assessor blinding and intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis. The behaviour change intervention consisted of once weekly sessions for 6 weeks with a physiotherapist to reduce SB through education, guided goals setting and real-time feedback on SB. The sham intervention consisted of once weekly phone calls for 6 weeks to monitor health status. SB was measured continuously over 7 days using thigh-worn accelerometry (activPAL3 micro). The primary outcome was time spent in SB. Participants with at least 4 days of ≥10 hours waking wear time were included in the ITT analysis and those who reported achieving ≥70% of goals to reduce SB or who completed all sham calls were included in a per-protocol analysis. RESULTS: 70 participants were recruited and 65 completed the study (mean±SD age 74±9 years, mean FEV1 55%±19% predicted, 49% male). At 6 weeks, no between-group differences in time spent in SB were observed in the ITT analysis (mean difference 5 min/day, 95% CI -38 to 48) or per-protocol analysis (-16 min/day, 95% CI -80 to 48). DISCUSSION: A 6-week behaviour change intervention did not reduce time in SB compared with a sham intervention in people with stable moderate-to-severe COPD prior to pulmonary rehabilitation.

Haemodialysis for lithium poisoning: Translating EXTRIP recommendations into practical guidelines.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the impact on practice of applying the Extracorporeal Treatments in Poisoning (EXTRIP) Workgroup criteria to lithium toxicity. METHOD: We retrospectively examined the medical records of patients from three hospitals who presented with chronic or acute on chronic lithium poisoning with a lithium concentration ≥1.3 mmol/L (2008-2018). We determined which criteria were met by patients and their subsequent course. We developed and validated a method to predict if lithium concentration would be >1mmol/L at 36 hours. RESULTS: There were 111 acute on chronic and 250 chronic lithium toxic patients. Nine patients (2.5%) were treated with haemodialysis. Six chronic patients had neurological sequelae. The "estimated lithium concentration at 36 hours > 1 mmol/L" criterion required pharmacokinetic calculations. A simple nomogram was developed using Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) and lithium concentration. For chronic toxicity, the nomogram would have correctly predicted lithium concentration >1.4 mmol/L at 36 hours in all except two patients. If EXTRIP criteria were followed, dialysis would have been instituted for 211 patients (58%). However, only 51 patients with chronic toxicity fulfilled both a concentration and a clinical criterion. Late neurological sequelae were observed in five out of six patients who fulfilled a concentration and a clinical criterion on admission, with the sixth meeting these criteria shortly after admission. CONCLUSIONS: The EXTRIP criteria are too broad, but minor modifications allow haemodialysis to be targeted to those most at risk of sequelae. Most acute on chronic poisonings do not need haemodialysis, but it might shorten hospital stay in those with very high concentrations. The nomogram accurately predicts the fall in lithium concentration for chronic poisoning.

Seasonal and temperature effect on serum lithium concentrations.

BACKGROUND: Lithium remains the gold standard treatment for bipolar disorder. However, it has a very narrow therapeutic index (0.6-0.8 mmol/L). It has been suggested that high environmental temperature can lead to dehydration, elevated plasma lithium concentration and then lithium toxicity. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate the effect of seasonal and short-term changes in temperature on serum lithium concentrations in Sydney, Australia. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed data from all patients who had serum lithium concentrations taken from the Prince of Wales and Sutherland Hospitals between 2008 and 2018. Temperature data came from the Bureau of Meteorology. We examined correlations between lithium concentrations and the preceding 5 days maximum temperatures, month and season. We also performed a longitudinal analysis of the effect of temperature and seasons within selected patients who had repeated levels. RESULTS: A total of 11,912 serum lithium concentrations from 2493 patients were analysed. There was no significant association between higher lithium concentration and preceding higher temperatures (r = -0.008, p = 0.399). There was also no important seasonal or monthly variation, across all patients or in the smaller cohort with longitudinal data (n = 123, r = 0.008, 95% confidence interval: [-0.04, 0.06]). CONCLUSION: There were no clinically important differences in serum lithium concentration related to seasons, months or temperatures, which suggests that patients on lithium are able to adequately maintain hydration during hot weather in Sydney.

Patterns and Correlates of Sedentary Behaviour Accumulation and Physical Activity in People with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Few studies have used 24-hour accelerometery to characterise posture and movement patterns in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study aimed to quantify sedentary behaviour (SB), patterns of SB accumulation and physical activity (PA) in people with COPD, and to examine physiological and functional capacity correlates of total SB and patterns of SB accumulation. SB and PA were assessed continuously over seven days using thigh-worn accelerometery in people with COPD. Participants were regarded as "sedentary" if combined sitting/reclining time accounted for ≥70% of waking wear time. Differences in patterns of SB accumulation and PA were compared between "sedentary" and "non-sedentary" participants. Physiological and functional capacity correlates of SB were explored using univariate analysis. Sixty-nine people with COPD (mean (SD) age 74 (9) years, FEV1 55% (19) predicted) had sufficient wear data for analysis. Mean sedentary time was 643 (105) minutes/day (71% (11) of waking wear time), of which 374 (142) minutes/day were accumulated in prolonged bouts of ≥30 min. "Sedentary" participants had a more unfavourable pattern of SB accumulation and spent less time in PA of any intensity. Sedentary time, expressed as a proportion of waking wear time, was inversely correlated with light (r = -0.97, p < .01) and moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA (r = -0.55, p < .01) and exercise capacity (r = -0.33, p < .01), but not with age, body mass index or lung function. People with COPD had high total SB and accumulated the majority of SB in prolonged bouts. High total SB was correlated with low physical activity and exercise tolerance.

Associations of total and type-specific physical activity with mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Regular physical activity is recommended for all people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but the dose of physical activity required to gain mortality benefit in this population is not yet known. This aim of this study was to examine the associations of total and type-specific physical activity with mortality risk in people with COPD. METHODS: People with COPD aged ≥40 years were identified from the 1997 Health Survey for England and the 1998 and 2003 Scottish Health Survey cohorts. Self-reported total physical activity, moderate-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA), walking, domestic physical activity, and sport/exercise were assessed at baseline. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the associations between physical activity and mortality risk. RESULTS: Two thousand three hundred ninety-eight participants with COPD were included in the analysis and followed up for a mean 8.5 (SD 3.9) years. For both total physical activity and MVPA, we observed dose-response associations with all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality risk, and with respiratory mortality risk to a lesser extent. Compared to those who reported no physical activity, participants who met the physical activity guidelines demonstrated the greatest reductions in all-cause (HR 0.56, 95% CI 0.45-0.69), CVD (HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.32-0.71) and respiratory mortality risk (HR 0.40, 95% CI 0.24-0.67). Participants who reported a level of physical activity of at least half the dosage recommended by the guidelines also had a reduced risk of all-cause (HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.56-1.00) and CVD mortality (HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.26-0.88). Dose-response associations with mortality risk were demonstrated for walking and sport/exercise, but not domestic physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: We found a dose-response association between physical activity and all-cause and CVD mortality risk in people with COPD, with protective effects appearing at levels considerably lower than the general physical activity recommendations. People with COPD may benefit from engagement in low levels of physical activity, particularly walking and structured exercise.

A behaviour change intervention to reduce sedentary behaviour in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a qualitative study.

OBJECTIVES: To document the experiences of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who underwent a behaviour change intervention to reduce sedentary behaviour (SB) in a clinical trial. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews to explore perspectives of the behaviour change intervention and specific intervention components in people with stable COPD on the waitlist for pulmonary rehabilitation. SETTING: Three outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation programmes in Sydney, Australia. INTERVENTIONS: The six-week behaviour change intervention with once weekly contact with a physiotherapist aimed to reduce SB by replacing it with light-intensity physical activity (PA) and by breaking up prolonged SB. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Of 30 participants who completed the behaviour change intervention, interviews were conducted with 13 participants and analysed using the 'capability, opportunity, motivation, behaviour (COM-B)' framework of behaviour change. RESULTS: Intervention components regarded as most helpful by participants were verbal education on health consequences on SB, goal setting, and self-monitoring of, and feedback on, step count using activity trackers. There was a clear preference during goal setting to increase PA rather than to reduce SB. Physical limitations and enjoyment of SB were the most reported barriers to reducing SB. CONCLUSIONS: Goal setting, verbal education, and self-monitoring of, and feedback on step count, were viewed positively by people with COPD and may show promise for reducing SB and increasing PA based on individual preference. CONTRIBUTION OF THE PAPER.

Patterns of physical activity of people with COPD during participation in a pulmonary rehabilitation program.

INTRODUCTION: Very few studies have examined patterns of physical activity (PA) during a pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program in people with COPD. AIMS: To compare the patterns of PA in: 1) the week before commencing PR (pre-PR) with a week during PR (PR week); 2) PR days and non-PR days during a PR week; 3) pre-PR and the week following PR completion (post-PR). METHODS: This was a multicenter, prospective cohort study. Participants attended twice weekly supervised PR for 8-12 weeks. Daily step count (primary outcome), time in light activities, time in moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA), total sedentary time and sit-to-stand (STS) transitions were measured using a thigh worn accelerometer for seven days, at each assessment time point: pre-PR, PR week and post-PR. RESULTS: 29 participants, mean age (SD) 69years(7), FEV1 53%pred(16). The PR week compared to pre-PR, showed higher daily: step count (mean difference (95%CI)), 941steps(388-1494); and MVPA, 11mins(6-15), with no difference in: time in light activities, -1min(-6-5); total sedentary time, 7mins(-21-36); or STS transitions, 0(-5-6). PR days compared to non-PR days showed higher: step count, 2810steps(1706-3913); time in light activities 11mins(1-20); time in MVPA, 27mins(17-35) and STS transitions, 8(4-12), with no difference in total sedentary time: -33mins(-80-15). There were no differences in any PA measures post-PR compared to pre-PR (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Daily step count and time spent in MVPA increased significantly during the PR week, solely due to increased PA on days participants attended PR.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation Using Minimal Equipment for People With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Pulmonary rehabilitation programs that use minimal equipment for exercise training, rather than gymnasium equipment, would enable delivery of pulmonary rehabilitation to a greater number of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The effectiveness of minimal equipment programs in people with COPD is unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the effects of pulmonary rehabilitation using minimal equipment for aerobic and/or resistance training in people with COPD. METHODS: Literature databases were searched up to September 2022 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effect of minimal equipment programs with usual care or with exercise equipment-based programs for exercise capacity, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and strength. RESULTS: Nineteen RCTs were included in the review and 14 RCTs were included in the meta-analyses, which reported low to moderate certainty of evidence. Compared with usual care, minimal equipment programs increased 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) by 85 m (95% CI = 37 to 132 m). No difference in 6MWD was observed between minimal equipment and exercise equipment-based programs (14 m, 95% CI = -27 to 56 m). Minimal equipment programs were more effective than usual care for improving HRQoL (standardized mean difference = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.31 to 1.67) and were not different from exercise equipment-based programs for improving upper limb strength (6 N, 95% CI = -2 to 13 N) or lower limb strength (20 N, 95% CI = -30 to 71 N). CONCLUSION: In people with COPD, pulmonary rehabilitation programs using minimal equipment elicit clinically significant improvements in 6MWD and HRQoL and are comparable with exercise equipment-based programs for improving 6MWD and strength. IMPACT: Pulmonary rehabilitation programs using minimal equipment may be a suitable alternative in settings where access to gymnasium equipment is limited. Delivery of pulmonary rehabilitation programs using minimal equipment may improve access to pulmonary rehabilitation worldwide, particularly in rural and remote areas and in developing countries.

Effect of an avatar-based discharge education application on knowledge and behaviour in people after acute coronary syndrome: protocol for a pragmatic prospective randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Many hospital presentations for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) occur in people previously hospitalised with coronary heart disease (CHD), leading to increased costs and health burden. Secondary prevention education including a prehospital discharge plan is recommended for all individuals to reduce the risk of recurrence. However, many clinicians lack the time or support to provide education, and patients' uptake of secondary prevention programmes is limited. An avatar-based education app is a novel and engaging way to provide self-delivered, evidence-based secondary prevention information during the hospital admission and remains accessible after discharge. This protocol aims to evaluate the effect of an avatar-based education app on individuals with ACS. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This protocol describes a prospective, randomised controlled trial with 3-month follow-up and blinded assessment of 72 participants. Intervention group participants will download the app onto their own device during the hospital admission and independently complete six interactive education modules based on the National Heart Foundation's six steps to cardiac recovery. All participants will receive a text message reminder of the study after 3 weeks. Both groups will receive usual care consisting of bedside education and a pamphlet about cardiac rehabilitation. The primary outcome is knowledge of CHD, assessed using the Coronary Artery Disease Education Questionnaire II. Secondary outcomes include quality of life, response to heart attack symptoms, cardiac-related readmissions and mortality and modifiable cardiac risk factors. Engagement with the app will be evaluated objectively. Intention-to-treat analysis will be conducted, with between-group comparisons and 95% CIs of the primary outcome analysed using analysis of covariance, adjusting for baseline values. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study protocol has been approved by the Western Sydney Local Health District Human Research Ethics Committee. The results of this study will be disseminated via a peer-reviewed journal and research thesis. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12622001436763).

Pregnancy in acromegaly: experience from two referral centers and systematic review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Acromegaly results from increased growth hormone and its target insulin-like growth factor-1, most commonly due to a pituitary tumour. As it is frequently accompanied by infertility, little is known about the course of this disease in pregnancy. OBJECTIVE: We describe 13 new pregnancies in acromegalic women and compare their outcomes in a systematic review of the literature. METHODS: We collected clinical, biochemical, imaging, and outcomes data during and following pregnancy and performed a systematic review for a total of 47 pregnancies. An extended analysis of 106 pregnancies was also performed. RESULTS: In 13 newly described cases, pregnancy was un-complicated without need for additional surgical intervention. In these pregnancies, adjunctive medical therapy was required in three patients. This was in the form of somatostatin analogs (SA) (3/13) as well as pegvisomant in 1/13 to control symptomatic and biochemical progression. One 37-year-old female succeeded in having two separate pregnancies 2 years apart both without need for any form of medical therapy. Review of an additional 34 published reports allowed for an analysis of outcomes in 47 pregnancies. Adjunctive medical therapy during pregnancy was required in 15 of these cases where 12 received SA and an additional three received dopamine agonists. None of these patients developed endocrine or neurologic complications during pregnancy. In an extended analysis of 106 pregnancies, treatment during pregnancy appears to be associated with good disease control but increased risk of microsomic or macrosomic newborns depending on the medical agent used. CONCLUSIONS: In 13 newly described pregnancies along with systematic review of an additional 34 cases indicate that pregnancy in treated acromegalic women can proceed without significant complications or teratogenicity. Medical treatment during pregnancy with DA or SA appears to be associated with altered neonatal weight. Nevertheless, gestation may have a beneficial impact on acromegaly control both during and following pregnancy.

What Interventions Do Physical Therapists Provide for Patients With Cardiorespiratory Conditions, Neurological Conditions, and Conditions Requiring Acute Hospital Care? A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this systematic review was to determine what percentages of physical therapists provide interventions that are of high value, low value, or unknown value for cardiorespiratory conditions, neurological conditions, or conditions requiring acute hospital care. Whether an intervention was considered high or low value was determined by reference to guidelines or systematic reviews. METHODS: Searches of numerous databases were performed by combining terms synonymous with "practice patterns" and "physical therapy" until April 2018. Studies that investigated what interventions physical therapists provide for any cardiorespiratory condition, neurological condition, or condition requiring acute hospital care through surveys and audits of clinical notes were included. Through the use of medians and interquartile ranges, the percentages of physical therapists who provided interventions that were of high value, low value, or unknown value were summarized. RESULTS: Twenty-six studies were included. The median percentages of physical therapists who provided interventions of high, low, and unknown value for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ranged from 78% to 96%, 67% to 100%, and 56% to 91%, respectively. These percentages ranged from 61% to 97%, 87% to 98%, and 83% to 98% for adults who were critically ill in intensive care units; 70% to 93%, 38% to 50%, and 8% to 95% before or after cardiac/thoracic surgery; 25% to 96%, 23% to 84%, and 96% for acute stroke; and 11% (high value) and 13% (unknown value) for Parkinson disease, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This review found patterns of physical therapist practice for cardiorespiratory conditions, neurological conditions, and conditions requiring acute hospital care that were both evidence based and not evidence based. A concern is that a substantial percentage of physical therapists provided interventions that were of low or unknown value despite the availability of high-value interventions. IMPACT: This systematic review is the first, to our knowledge, to summarize the percentage of physical therapist treatment choices that were high versus low value for cardiorespiratory conditions, neurological conditions, and conditions requiring acute hospital care. The findings highlight areas of practice where low-value care could be replaced with high-value care-such as in the management of patients who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or who are in intensive care-and identify an urgent need to develop and test strategies to ensure that patients with these conditions receive the interventions most likely to improve their outcomes.

Physical Activity and Health-Related Quality of Life in People With Back Pain: A Population-Based Pooled Study of 27,273 Adults.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the association between moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in people with back pain. METHODS: The sample comprised adults aged 16 years and older who participated in the Welsh Health Survey (2011-2015). The HRQoL was evaluated using the 36-item short form. Participants were categorized into 4 groups based on minutes per week of MVPA: inactive (no MVPA), insufficiently active (<150 min/wk), sufficiently active (≥150 and <300 min/wk), and very active (≥300 min/wk). The authors investigated the association between MVPA and HRQoL using generalized linear models and multiple linear regression. RESULTS: Of the 74,578 adults in the survey cohorts, 27,273 participants diagnosed with back pain were included in the analyses. Consistent direct curvilinear associations between MVPA and HRQoL were demonstrated for all 36-item short form domains (P < .001), in both the minimally and fully adjusted models, with the highest scores observed for sufficiently active and very active participants. Compared with the inactive group, those who were insufficiently active; sufficiently active; and very active had an average difference of 6.31 (95% confidence interval, 5.70-6.92), 7.72 (95% confidence interval, 7.04-8.41), and 8.00 (95% confidence interval, 7.12-8.89) points in the overall HRQoL, respectively. CONCLUSION: The authors found a consistent direct curvilinear association between MVPA and HRQoL.

An observational study of self-reported sedentary behaviour in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchiectasis.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined sedentary behaviour in chronic respiratory disease. The limited evidence suggests that increased levels of sedentary behaviour are associated with increased mortality. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare the level of self-reported sedentary behaviour in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchiectasis as well as to identify associations between sedentary time with functional performance measures and health-related quality of life in the chronic respiratory disease group. METHODS: An observational study design was used. Participants completed the Sedentary Behaviour Questionnaire from which average sedentary time (hours/day) was determined. Functional performance was measured using the six-minute walk test, the four-metre gait speed test and the five sit-to-stand test. Health-related quality of life was measured using the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire. Sedentary time was compared between groups using an unpaired t-test. Univariate analysis explored relationships amongst variables. RESULTS: The convenience sample consisted of 103 people with COPD [52% male; mean±SD age: 73±9 years, FEV1% predicted: 56±23] and 33 people with bronchiectasis [52% male; 74±8 years, FEV1% predicted: 69±25]. Average self-reported sedentary time in COPD was 7.6±2.7 hours/day and in bronchiectasis was 8.0±4.1 hours/day, with no between-group difference (-0.4, 95% CI -1.7, 0.8). No associations were found between sedentary time and any functional performance outcome or with health-related quality of life. CONCLUSION: There was no difference in the high sedentary time between people with COPD and bronchiectasis. Sedentary behaviour was not associated with functional performance or disease-related health-related quality of life in people with chronic respiratory disease.

Expression of the melanoma-associated antigen is associated with progression of human thyroid cancer.

Thyroid cancer exhibits a spectrum from relatively indolent tumors to tumors that are invasive, metastatic, or progress to poorly differentiated carcinoma. Microarray expression analysis of thyroid cancer cell lines has implicated a member of the melanoma-associated (MAGE) family of cancer-testis antigens in thyroid cancer development and progression. We performed this study to validate the role of MAGE in human thyroid cancers. A tissue microarray (TMA) of samples from 375 patients with thyroid cancer was analyzed with immunohistochemistry (IHC) to localize MAGE. Western blotting of fractionated proteins from MAGE-transfected cells was used to confirm intracellular localization of proteins. Automated analysis of TMA samples was evaluated and subjected to statistical analysis. MAGE immunoreactivity was identified in nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments of normal and malignant tissues. Specificity of staining was proved by fractionation studies that confirmed MAGE expression in nucleus and cytoplasm. Normal thyroid tissue exhibited weak cytoplasmic and strong nuclear MAGE reactivity. Tumors exhibited an increase in cytoplasmic MAGE scores that correlated with clinical behavior: larger tumors had higher MAGE scores, and there was a positive and significant correlation between MAGE cytoplasmic score and the number of histologically proven lymph node metastases. There was a statistically significant negative correlation between cytoplasmic MAGE and the percentage of p53-positive nuclei. Our data confirm gene-profiling evidence that members of the MAGE family play a role in thyroid cancer progression. The use of TMA analyses identifies IHC techniques that are translatable to the clinical setting for prognostic assessment of patients with thyroid cancer.

Physical activity and chronic back conditions: A population-based pooled study of 60,134 adults.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the association between different types of physical activity (PA) and chronic back conditions (CBCs) at the population level. We investigated the association between levels of total and type-specific PA participation and CBCs. METHODS: The sample comprised 60,134 adults aged ≥16 years who participated in the Health Survey for England and Scottish Health Survey from 1994 to 2008. Multiple logistic regression models, adjusted for potential confounders, were used to examine the association between total and type-specific PA volume (walking, domestic activity, sport/exercise, cycling, football/rugby, running/jogging, manual work, and housework) and the prevalence of CBCs. RESULTS: We found an inverse association between total PA volume and prevalence of CBCs. Compared with inactive participants, the fully adjusted odds ratio (OR) for very active participants (≥15 metabolic equivalent h/week) was 0.77 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.69-0.85). Participants reporting ≥300 min/week of moderate-intensity activity and ≥75 min/week of vigorous-intensity activity had 24% (95%CI: 6%-39%) and 21% (95%CI: 11%-30%) lower odds of CBCs, respectively. Higher odds of CBCs were observed for participation in high-level manual domestic activity (OR = 1.22; 95%CI: 1.00-1.48). Sport/exercise was associated with CBCs in a less consistent manner (e.g., OR = 1.18 (95%CI: 1.06-1.32) for low levels and OR = 0.82 (95%CI: 0.72-0.93) for high levels of sport/exercise). CONCLUSION: PA volume is inversely associated with the prevalence of CBCs.

Epigenetics of pituitary tumors: Pathogenetic and therapeutic implications.

Genetic mutations involving oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes are relatively uncommon in human sporadic pituitary tumors. Instead, increasing evidence has highlighted frequent epigenetic alterations including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and enhanced miRNA expression. This review covers some of this evidence as it illuminates mechanisms of tumorigenesis and highlights therapeutic opportunities.

Low leisure-based sitting time and being physically active were associated with reduced odds of death and diabetes in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a cohort study.

QUESTIONS: In people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are activity phenotypes (based on physical activity and recreational screen time) associated with mortality and cardiometabolic risk factors? DESIGN: Cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: People with COPD aged≥40years and who were current or ex-smokers were identified from the 2003 Scottish Health Survey. OUTCOME MEASURES: Data were collected regarding demographics, anthropometric measurements, medical history, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, health outcomes, and mortality. ANALYSIS: Participants were categorised into one of the following activity phenotypes: 'couch potatoes' were those who were insufficiently active with high leisure-based sitting time and/or no domestic physical activity; 'light movers' were insufficiently active with some domestic physical activity; 'sedentary exercisers' were sufficiently active with high leisure-based sitting time; and 'busy bees' were sufficiently active with low leisure-based sitting time. 'Sufficiently active' was defined as adhering to physical activity (PA) recommendations of≥7.5 metabolic equivalent (MET) hours/week. 'Low leisure-based sitting time' was defined as≤200minutes of recreational screen time/day. RESULTS: The 584 participants had a mean age of 64 years (SD 12) and 52% were male. Over 5.5 years (SD 1.3) of follow-up, there were 81 all-cause deaths from 433 COPD participants with available data. Compared to the 'couch potatoes', there was a reduced risk of all-cause mortality in the 'busy bees' (Hazard Ratio 0.26, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.65) with a trend towards a reduction in mortality risk in the other phenotypes. The odds of diabetes were lower in the 'busy bees' compared to the 'couch potatoes' (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.67). CONCLUSIONS: Adhering to physical activity guidelines and keeping leisure-based sitting time low had a mortality benefit and lowered the odds of diabetes in people with COPD. [McKeough Z, Cheng SWM, Alison J, Jenkins C, Hamer M, Stamatakis E (2018) Low leisure-based sitting time and being physically active were associated with reduced odds of death and diabetes in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a cohort study. Journal of Physiotherapy 64: 114-120].

Associations of Diet and Physical Activity with Risk for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Rising rates of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and related complications have prompted calls to identify potentially modifiable risk factors that are associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). We systematically reviewed the scientific literature for observational studies examining specific dietary and/or physical activity (PA) factors and risk of GDM. Our search included PubMed, Medline, CINAHL/EBSCO, Science Direct and EMBASE, and identified 1167 articles, of which 40 met our inclusion criteria (e.g., singleton pregnancy, reported diet or PA data during pre-pregnancy/early pregnancy and GDM as an outcome measure). Studies were assessed for quality using a modified Quality Criteria Checklist from American Dietetic Association. Of the final 40 studies, 72% obtained a positive quality rating and 28% were rated neutral. The final analysis incorporated data on 30,871 pregnant women. Dietary studies were categorised into either caffeine, carbohydrate, fat, protein, calcium, fast food and recognized dietary patterns. Diets such as Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and Alternate Healthy Eating Index diet (AHEI) were associated with 15­38% reduced relative risk of GDM. In contrast, frequent consumption of potato, meat/processed meats, and protein (% energy) derived from animal sources was associated with an increased risk of GDM. Compared to no PA, any pre-pregnancy or early pregnancy PA was associated with 30% and 21% reduced odds of GDM, respectively. Engaging in >90 min/week of leisure time PA before pregnancy was associated with 46% decreased odds of GDM. We conclude that diets resembling MedDiet/DASH diet as well as higher PA levels before or in early pregnancy were associated with lower risks or odds of GDM respectively. The systematic review was registered at PROSPERO (www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO) as CRD42016027795.