Magnetic resonance imaging T1 indices of the brain as biomarkers of inhaled manganese exposure.

Excessive exposure to manganese (Mn) is linked to its accumulation in the brain and adverse neurological effects. Paramagnetic properties of Mn allow the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to identify it in biological tissues. A critical review was conducted to evaluate whether MRI techniques could be used as a diagnostic tool to detect brain Mn accumulation as a quantitative biomarker of inhaled exposure. A comprehensive search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PubMed to identify potentially relevant studies published prior to 9 May 2022. Two reviewers independently screened identified references using a two-stage process. Of the 6452 unique references identified, 36 articles were retained for data abstraction. Eligible studies used T1-weighted MRI techniques and reported direct or indirect T1 measures to characterize Mn accumulation in the brain. Findings demonstrate that, in subjects exposed to high levels of Mn, deposition in the brain is widespread, accumulating both within and outside the basal ganglia. Available evidence indicates that T1 MRI techniques can be used to distinguish Mn-exposed individuals from unexposed. Additionally, T1 MRI may be useful for semi-quantitative evaluation of inhaled Mn exposure, particularly when interpreted along with other exposure indices. T1 MRI measures appear to have a nonlinear relationship to Mn exposure duration, with R1 signal only increasing after critical thresholds. The strength of the association varied depending on the regions of interest imaged and the method of exposure measurement. Overall, available evidence suggests potential for future clinical and risk assessment applications of MRI as a diagnostic tool.

Biomarkers for occupational manganese exposure.

Long-term inhalation exposure to manganese (Mn) metal or its inorganic compounds can result in manganism or subclinical neurofunctional deficits. Studies have described affected workers in Mn dioxide mining, Mn-containing ore crushing and milling facilities, manufacturing of dry-cell batteries, Mn steel and alloy production plants, and in welders. The objective of this study was to critically review existing evidence on the reliability of potential biomarkers of Mn exposure, specifically the relationship between inhalation exposure to Mn particulates in different occupational settings and Mn concentrations in blood and other biological fluids and tissues, with a particular focus on whole blood as a potentially useful medium for measuring internal tissue dose. We also examined available evidence on the relationship between Mn levels in blood and adverse clinical and subclinical neurotoxic outcomes. Three bibliographic databases were searched for relevant studies and identified references were screened by two independent reviewers. Of the 6338 unique references identified, 76 articles were retained for data abstraction. Findings indicate that the relationships between Mn in blood and both external Mn exposure indices and neurofunctional impairments are limited and inconsistent. Different sources of exposure to Mn compounds, heterogeneity in the methodological approaches, and inadequate reporting of essential information limited direct comparison of the reported findings. Among the Mn-exposure biomarkers considered in this review - including biomarkers in blood, plasma, serum, erythrocytes, urine, bone, toenails, fingernails, hair, saliva - biomarkers in whole blood may provide to be most useful in Mn biomonitoring and risk assessment.

Thermographic visualization of facial vasoconstriction is associated with 30-day all-cause mortality in medical patients; prospective observational two-site cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Quick and reliable assessment of acute patients is required for accurate triage. The temperature gradient between core and peripheral temperature could possibly instantly provide information on circulatory status. METHODS: Adult medical patients, who did not receive supplementary oxygen, attending two emergency departments, had a thermographic image taken on arrival. The association between 30-day mortality and gradients was tested using logistic regression. RESULTS: 726 patients were studied, median age was 64 years and 14 (1.9%) died within 30 days. There was a significant association between mortality and temperature gradient, comparable to vital signs, age, and clinical intuition. CONCLUSION: Temperature gradient between nose and eye had an acceptable discriminatory power for 30-day all-cause mortality.

Diabetes care in remote Australia: the antenatal, postpartum and inter-pregnancy period.

BACKGROUND: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women experience high rates of diabetes in pregnancy (DIP), contributing to health risks for mother and infant, and the intergenerational cycle of diabetes. By enhancing diabetes management during pregnancy, postpartum and the interval between pregnancies, the DIP Partnership aims to improve health outcomes and reduce risks early in the life-course. We describe a mixed methods formative study of health professional's perspectives of antenatal and post-partum diabetes screening and management, including enablers and barriers to care. METHODS: Health professionals involved in providing diabetes care in pregnancy, from a range of health services across the Northern Territory, completed the survey (n = 82) and/or took part in interviews and/or focus groups (n = 62). RESULTS: Qualitative findings highlighted factors influencing the delivery of care as reported by health professionals, including: whose responsibility it is, access to care, the baby is the focus and pre-conception care. The main challenges were related to: disjointed systems and confusion around whose role it is to provide follow-up care beyond six weeks post-partum. Quantitative findings indicated that the majority of health professionals reported confidence in their own skills to manage women in the antenatal period (62%, 40/79) and slightly lower rates of confidence in the postpartum interval (57%, 33/58). CONCLUSION: These findings regarding whose role it is to provide postpartum care, along with opportunities to improve communication pathways and follow up care have informed the design of a complex health intervention to improve health systems and the provision of DIP related care.

Longitudinal alterations in nutrient intake and food pattern in patients with non-small cell lung cancer during anti-neoplastic treatment: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Unintentional weight loss is frequently observed in cancer patients. Nutritional therapy is essential, and dietary counselling is the first step. The present study aimed to explore the nutrient intake and food patterns in weight-stable and weight-losing patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) during anti-neoplastic treatment. METHODS: Patients with NSCLC (n = 62) were observed during first-line systemic anti-neoplastic treatment. Body weight and dietary intake were assessed on the first and second cycle, and after completing three cycles of treatment. Longitudinal changes were analysed in three groups: weight stable, weight losers and mixed weight. RESULTS: Nutrient intake did not change during treatment in weight stable, although weight losers significantly increased the relative protein intake. Weight stable maintained the food pattern during treatment apart from a decreased consumption of oral nutritional support (ONS). At baseline, weight losers were characterised by pretreatment weight loss, high consumption of ONS, as well as low consumption of grains and animal products. During treatment, weight losers increased the consumption of protein, fatty foods and ONS but decreased the consumption of sweets and alcohol. CONCLUSIONS: Large heterogeneity in nutrient and food intake was observed in NSCLC patients during anti-neoplastic treatment. Weight losers and weight stable had a similar nutrient intake although protein intake increased in weight losers. Grains and animal products were lower and ONS higher in weight losers compared to weight stable during treatment. Weight losers further increased the consumption of ONS and fatty foods, while the consumption of sweets and alcohol decreased during treatment.

Comparing efficacy and safety of fibrinogen concentrate to cryoprecipitate in bleeding patients: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Bleeding is associated with the depletion of fibrinogen, thus increasing the risk of coagulopathy, further bleeding and transfusion requirements. Both fibrinogen concentrate and cryoprecipitate replenish low plasma fibrinogen levels. This systematic review aims to identify and evaluate evidence of efficacy and safety of fibrinogen concentrate and cryoprecipitate in bleeding patients. METHOD: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Medline, EMBASE up to 2nd of March 2015 were among the electronic search strategies of randomized controlled trials and non-randomized studies with meta-analysis employed. Studies for inclusion required bleeding patients being treated with either fibrinogen concentrate or cryoprecipitate. Mortality was the primary endpoint. Secondary outcomes included bleeding, coagulopathy, transfusion requirements and clinical complications related to the intervention. PRISMA methodology, a data-extraction form and the Cochrane risk of bias tool were all employed. RESULTS: Four studies were eligible for inclusion in this systematic review; one randomized controlled trial (RCT) consisting of 66 patients and three observational studies involving 218 patients in total. No mortality was reported in the published papers. There were no differences in fibrinogen-level increase, bleeding, RBC transfusions or thromboembolic complications. The RCT showed a possible increased functional improvement of haemostasis after cryoprecipitate therapy compared to fibrinogen concentrate. CONCLUSION: The available evidence directly comparing fibrinogen concentrate to cryoprecipitate is sparse and with high risk of bias. Recommendation of one product over the other for fibrinogen substitution in the bleeding patient with acquired hypofibrinogenaemia is currently not possible. Future research should guide us towards evidence-based decisions of product superiority.

A national survey of practical airway training in UK anaesthetic departments. Time for a national policy?

The Fourth National Audit Project (NAP4) recommended airway training for trainee and trained anaesthetists. As the skills required for management of airway emergencies differ from routine skills and these events are rare, practical training is likely to require training workshops. In 2013, we surveyed all UK National Health Service hospitals to examine the current practices regarding airway training workshops. We received responses from 206 hospitals (62%) covering all regions. Regarding airway workshops, 16% provide none and 51% only for trainees. Of those providing workshops, more than half are run less than annually. Workshop content varies widely, with several Difficult Airway Society (DAS) guideline techniques not taught or only infrequently. Reported barriers to training include lack of time and departmental or individual interest. Workshop-based airway training is variable in provision, frequency and content, and is often not prioritised by departments or individual trainers. It could be useful if guidance on workshop organisation, frequency and content was considered nationally.

Foot Lesions in Farmed Mink (Neovison vison): Pathologic and Epidemiologic Characteristics on 4 Danish Farms.

The aim of this study was to evaluate gross and histologic lesions and epidemiologic factors of foot lesions in farmed mink. The feet of 1159 mink from 4 Danish farms were examined and lesions described. Swabs from the lesions were taken from 27 mink for microbiology, and tissue samples from a representative spectrum of feet with and without lesions (n= 22) were examined histologically. Feet were grouped according to gross inspection: no lesions (55.1%), hair loss (7.1%), hyperkeratosis (35.8%), and crusting (5.3%). Lesions were predominantly located in plantar metatarsal skin (98.1%). Staphylococci were the most prevalent microorganisms cultured from the lesions. There was a significant association between presence of lesions and sex (P< .0001), age (P< .0001), and color type (P= .023). Lesion size was significantly different between hair loss and crusts and between hyperkeratosis and crusts (P< .0001). Histologically, lesions included varying degrees of orthokeratotic to parakeratotic hyperkeratosis and granulomatous to pyogranulomatous dermatitis with trichogranulomas as a dominant feature in all mink. The gross and microscopic lesions were comparable to physically induced changes in other species that develop as a response to repetitive friction or pressure. The condition may have an impact on animal welfare in mink production.

Targeted social protection in a pastoralist economy: case study from Kenya.

Social protection programmes are designed to help vulnerable populations - including pastoralists - maintain a basic level of well-being, manage risk, and cope with negative shocks. Theory suggests that differential targeting according to poverty status can increase the reach and effectiveness of budgeted social protection programmes. Chronically poor households benefit most from social protection designed to help them meet their basic needs and make vital investments necessary to graduate from poverty. Vulnerable non-destitute households benefit from protection against costly temporary shocks, but do not necessarily need regular assistance. Welfare gains occur when a comprehensive social protection programme considers the needs of both types of households. The authors use evidence-based understanding of poverty dynamics in the pastoralist-based economy of northern Kenya's arid and semi-arid lands as a case study to discuss and compare the observed impacts of two different social protection schemes on heterogeneous pastoralist households: a targeted, unconditional, cash-transfer programme designed to support the poorest, and an index-based livestock insurance programme, which acts as a productive 'safety net' to help stem a descent into poverty and increase resilience. Both types of social protection scheme have been shown to decrease poverty, improve food security and protect child health. However, the behavioural response for asset accumulation varies with the type of protection and the household's unique situation. Poor households that receive cash transfers retain and accumulate assets quickly. Insured households, who are typically vulnerable yet not destitute, protect existing herds and invest more in the livestock they already own. The authors argue that differential targeting increases programme efficiency, and discuss Kenya's current approach to implementing differentially targeted social protection.

Les programmes de protection sociale ont pour but d'aider les populations vulnérables (y compris les pasteurs) à maintenir un niveau acceptable de bienêtre, à gérer le risque et à faire face aux situations de crise. Théoriquement, le traitement différencié en fonction du niveau de pauvreté permet d'accroître la couverture et l'efficacité des programmes de protection sociale budgétisés. Les ménages vivant dans une pauvreté chronique tirent un meilleur bénéfice d'une protection sociale leur permettant de couvrir leurs besoins de base et de réaliser les investissements indispensables pour sortir de la pauvreté. Les ménages vulnérables mais non entièrement démunis tirent un meilleur bénéfice d'une protection leur permettant de couvrir les dépenses liées à des crises ponctuelles, mais n'ont pas nécessairement besoin d'un dispositif d'aide permanent. Des gains de bien-être sont constatés lorsque des programmes de protection sociale complets prennent en compte les besoins de ces deux catégories de foyers. À partir d'éclairages factuels sur la dynamique de la pauvreté dans le système économique à dominante pastorale des régions arides et semi-arides du nord du Kenya, les auteurs réalisent une étude de cas qui leur permet d'examiner et de comparer les impacts avérés de deux dispositifs différents de protection sociale sur un ensemble hétérogène de ménages pastoraux : le premier est un programme ciblé de transfert de liquidités sans conditionnalités, destiné aux foyers les plus pauvres, le deuxième est un programme d'assurance du bétail doté d'une clause d'indexation et faisant office de « filet de sécurité ¼ productif pour aider les pasteurs à ne pas basculer dans la pauvreté en cas de coup dur et à améliorer leur capacité de résilience. Chacun des deux dispositifs de protection sociale permet de contenir la pauvreté, d'améliorer la sécurité alimentaire et de protéger la santé infantile. Néanmoins, les comportements qui en résultent en termes d'accumulation d'actifs varient suivant le type de protection et la situation particulière de chaque foyer. Les foyers les plus pauvres aidés par un apport de liquidités conservent et accumulent rapidement des actifs. Les foyers habituellement vulnérables mais pas entièrement démunis soutenus par un dispositif d'assurance protègent leurs troupeaux et investissent davantage pour le bétail qu'ils possèdent déjà. Après avoir plaidé en faveur du ciblage différencié, qui selon eux améliore l'efficacité des programmes, les auteurs font le point sur la manière dont le Kenya met actuellement en oeuvre une protection sociale ciblée et différentielle.

Los programas de protección social están concebidos para ayudar a las poblaciones vulnerables (entre ellas, las pastorales) a mantener un nivel básico de bienestar, gestionar el riesgo y hacer frente a los acontecimientos negativos. Según la teoría, los programas de protección social presupuestados pueden revestir mayor alcance y eficacia cuando distinguen entre los beneficiarios y se adaptan a ellos en función de su nivel de pobreza. Las familias que sufren pobreza crónica son las que más se benefician de los dispositivos de protección social concebidos para ayudarles a cubrir sus necesidades básicas y hacer las inversiones vitales necesarias para salir de la pobreza. Las familias vulnerables, pero no desposeídas, se benefician de la protección contra malas rachas temporales que tienen un costo elevado, pero no necesitan forzosamente ayuda sistemática. Para que un programa integral de protección social depare mayores cotas de bienestar es preciso que en él se tengan en cuenta las necesidades de ambos tipos de familias. Los autores emplean una descripción científicamente contrastada de la dinámica de la pobreza en la economía basada en el pastoreo de las tierras áridas y semiáridas del norte de Kenia como estudio monográfico a partir del cual examinar y comparar los efectos observados de dos dispositivos diferentes de protección social en un conjunto heterogéneo de familias de pastores: un programa selectivo y no condicionado de transferencia de efectivo, destinado a respaldar a los más pobres; y un programa de seguro del ganado basado en un índice, que ofrece una «red de seguridad¼ productiva y ayuda a las familias en cuestión a protegerse de la pobreza y adquirir mayor resiliencia. Se ha demostrado que ambos tipos de programa de protección social reducen la pobreza, mejoran la seguridad alimentaria y protegen la salud infantil. Sin embargo, el comportamiento de respuesta en cuanto a la acumulación de activos difiere según el tipo de protección y la situación propia de cada familia. Los hogares pobres que reciben transferencias de efectivo retienen y acumulan activos rápidamente. Los hogares asegurados, que normalmente son vulnerables pero no están desposeídos, protegen los rebaños existentes e invierten más en el ganado que ya poseen. Los autores postulan que la diferenciación entre beneficiarios confiere mayor eficacia al programa, y examinan el planteamiento adoptado actualmente en Kenia, que consiste en aplicar dispositivos de protección social diferenciados en función del beneficiario.

Comparison of methods to measure body fat in 7-to-10-year-old children: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate methodological aspects in body fat (BF) measurements in 7-to-10-year-old children. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review of the literature. METHODS: The studies were chosen from the PubMed and Scielo databases according to a protocol that defined: inclusion criteria; a search and quality-assessment strategy; and information extraction. RESULTS: 27 studies published from 2004 to 2014 were included. The literature describes skinfold measurements and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) as being the reference methods most widely used in the assessment of the ability of methods to identify BF. The most commonly-used statistical analyses were the Pearson correlation coefficient, and sensitivity and specificity performance analyses. The comparison between the tested methods and the references showed that body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) are strongly correlated to BF as calculated by bioelectrical impedance or skinfolds, and that there is a moderate positive correlation with percent body fat as calculated by DEXA, air-displacement plethysmography (ADP) or isotope dilution. There was a moderate positive correlation between waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and BF, as estimated by ADP and skinfolds. Performance studies suggest that BMI and WC are very specific but less sensitive methods. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this systematic review show favourable evidence for the use of anthropometric indicators - above all BMI and WC- in the measurement of BF, when more accurate techniques such as DEXA and ADP are not feasible. They also demonstrate features that make them advantageous for epidemiological studies in a child population, since they are easy and safe to obtain and well tolerated by the children.

Neuropsychiatric disease relevance of circulating anti-NMDA receptor autoantibodies depends on blood-brain barrier integrity.

In 2007, a multifaceted syndrome, associated with anti-NMDA receptor autoantibodies (NMDAR-AB) of immunoglobulin-G isotype, has been described, which variably consists of psychosis, epilepsy, cognitive decline and extrapyramidal symptoms. Prevalence and significance of NMDAR-AB in complex neuropsychiatric disease versus health, however, have remained unclear. We tested sera of 2817 subjects (1325 healthy, 1081 schizophrenic, 263 Parkinson and 148 affective-disorder subjects) for presence of NMDAR-AB, conducted a genome-wide genetic association study, comparing AB carriers versus non-carriers, and assessed their influenza AB status. For mechanistic insight and documentation of AB functionality, in vivo experiments involving mice with deficient blood-brain barrier (ApoE(-/-)) and in vitro endocytosis assays in primary cortical neurons were performed. In 10.5% of subjects, NMDAR-AB (NR1 subunit) of any immunoglobulin isotype were detected, with no difference in seroprevalence, titer or in vitro functionality between patients and healthy controls. Administration of extracted human serum to mice influenced basal and MK-801-induced activity in the open field only in ApoE(-/-) mice injected with NMDAR-AB-positive serum but not in respective controls. Seropositive schizophrenic patients with a history of neurotrauma or birth complications, indicating an at least temporarily compromised blood-brain barrier, had more neurological abnormalities than seronegative patients with comparable history. A common genetic variant (rs524991, P=6.15E-08) as well as past influenza A (P=0.024) or B (P=0.006) infection were identified as predisposing factors for NMDAR-AB seropositivity. The >10% overall seroprevalence of NMDAR-AB of both healthy individuals and patients is unexpectedly high. Clinical significance, however, apparently depends on association with past or present perturbations of blood-brain barrier function.

Leveraging browse and grazing forage estimates to optimize index-based livestock insurance.

African pastoralists suffer recurrent droughts that cause high livestock mortality and vulnerability to climate change. The index-based livestock insurance (IBLI) program offers protection against drought impacts. However, the current IBLI design relying on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) may pose limitation because it does not consider the mixed composition of rangelands (including herbaceous and woody plants) and the diverse feeding habits of grazers and browsers. To enhance IBLI, we assessed the efficacy of utilizing distinct browse and grazing forage estimates from woody LAI (LAIW) and herbaceous LAI (LAIH), respectively, derived from aggregate leaf area index (LAIA), as an alternative to NDVI for refined IBLI design. Using historical livestock mortality data from northern Kenya as reference ground dataset, our analysis compared two competing models for (1) aggregate forage estimates including sub-models for NDVI, LAI (LAIA); and (2) partitioned biomass model (LAIP) comprising LAIH and LAIW. By integrating forage estimates with ancillary environmental variables, we found that LAIP, with separate forage estimates, outperformed the aggregate models. For total livestock mortality, LAIP yielded the lowest RMSE (5.9 TLUs) and higher R2 (0.83), surpassing NDVI and LAIA models RMSE (9.3 TLUs) and R2 (0.6). A similar pattern was observed for species-specific livestock mortality. The influence of environmental variables across the models varied, depending on level of mortality aggregation or separation. Overall, forage availability was consistently the most influential variable, with species-specific models showing the different forage preferences in various animal types. These results suggest that deriving distinct browse and grazing forage estimates from LAIP has the potential to reduce basis risk by enhancing IBLI index accuracy.

Cross study analyses of SEND data: toxicity profile classification.

A SEND toxicology data transformation, harmonization and analysis platform was created to improve the identification of unique findings related to the intended target, species, and duration of dosing using data from multiple studies. The lack of a standardized digital format for data analysis had impeded large-scale analysis of in vivo toxicology studies. The CDISC SEND standard enables the analysis of data from multiple studies performed by different laboratories. This work describes methods to analyze data and automate cross study analysis of toxicology studies. Cross study analysis can be used to understand a single compound's toxicity profile across all studies performed and/or to evaluate on-target versus off-target toxicity for multiple compounds intended for the same pharmacological target. This work involved development of data harmonization/transformation strategies to enable cross-study analysis of both numerical and categorical SEND data. Four de-identified SEND data sets from the BioCelerate database were used for the analyses. Toxicity profiles for key organ systems were developed for liver, kidney, male reproductive tract, endocrine system, and hematopoietic system using SEND domains. A Cross-Study Analysis dashboard with a built-in user-defined scoring system was created for custom analyses, including visualizations to evaluate data at the organ system level and drill down into individual animal data. This data analysis provides the tools for scientists to compare toxicity profiles across multiple studies using SEND. A cross-study analysis of two different compounds intended for the same pharmacological target is described and the analyses indicate potential on-target effects to liver, kidney, and hematopoietic systems.

Chronic pain and the development of a symptom checklist: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: There is currently no instrument to systematically assess the range of symptoms/problems and their bothersomeness in patients with chronic non-cancer pain (CNPN). Systematic assessment and prioritizing may target treatments and improve outcomes. METHODS: The authors developed a checklist of symptoms and problems, the Copenhagen Symptom Checklist (CSC), presented clinically by patients. Fifty-three items representing biological, psychological and social areas were selected. Symptom/problem severity was rated on a 5-point scale anchored at 0 = 'not at all' and 4 = 'severe'. Patients ranked the five most bothersome symptoms/problems and could add five open-ended items. Patients completed the CSC after the first visit at the multidisciplinary pain centre. RESULTS: One hundred and twelve consecutive patients completed the CSC. Eighty-nine percent scored pain as rather severe or very severe (score = 3 plus score = 4), followed by reduction in physical activity (67%), fatigue (66%) and sleep disturbance (53%). Pain and fatigue, but not reduction in physical activity, were given highest priority. Cognitive problems were important to a third of the patients. Depressive symptoms, cognitive problems and worry explained 17.5% of the total variance. Patients filled in the CSC without important loss of information, but a minority prioritized more than three areas or used the free text alternative. CONCLUSIONS: Patients prioritized pain and fatigue as the most burdensome symptoms, but reduction in physical activity and sleep problems were also highly ranked. Patients were positive to the idea of symptom reporting; however, the 53-item number in this version of CSC is larger than may be necessary.

Uncertainty in low back pain care - insights from an ethnographic study.

PURPOSE: To explore how uncertainty plays out in low back pain (LBP) care and investigate how clinicians manage accompanying emotions/tensions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted ethnographic observations of clinical encounters in a private physiotherapy practice and a public multidisciplinary pain clinic. Our qualitative reflexive thematic analysis involved abductive thematic principles informed by Fox and Katz (medical uncertainty) and Ahmed (emotions). RESULTS: We identified three themes. (1) Sources of uncertainty: both patients and clinicians expressed uncertainty during clinical encounters (e.g., causes of LBP, mismatch between imaging findings and presentation). Such uncertainty was often accompanied by emotions - anger, tiredness, frustration. (2) Neglecting complexity: clinicians often attempted to decrease uncertainty and associated emotions by providing narrow answers to questions about LBP. At times, clinicians' denial of uncertainty also appeared to deny patients the right to make informed decisions about treatments. (3) Attending to uncertainty?: clinicians attended to uncertainty through logical reasoning, reassurance, acknowledgement, personalising care, shifting power, adjusting language and disclosing risks. CONCLUSIONS: Uncertainty pervades LBP care and is often accompanied by emotions, emphasising the need for a healthcare culture that recognises the emotional dimensions of patient-clinician interactions and prepares clinicians and patients to be more accepting of, and clearly communicate about, uncertainty.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONUncertainty pervades LBP care and is often accompanied by emotions.Neglecting complexity in LBP care may compromise person-centred care.Acknowledging uncertainty can enhance communication, balance patient-clinician relationships and address human aspects of care.

Examination of clinical sleep difficulties in college student-athletes.

BACKGROUND: Due to the rising concern of inadequate sleep, critical analysis is needed for the presence of sleep problems in diverse populations. Research has shown that college athletes may be one such population at risk for sleep disturbances. Poor sleep may lead to physiological, psychological, and cognitive deficits that can impact college athletes academically and athletically. This investigation was performed to examine the relationship of age, sex, and history of concussion on sleep disturbance in college athletes. METHODS: A total of 191 collegiate athletes between the ages of 18-26 from a single academic NCAA institution in the Rocky Mountain region of the USA, consented to participate in the study. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire and the Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ). Results were analyzed using SPSS Version 27. RESULTS: Primary results revealed that female athletes reported higher sleep disturbance scores when compared to males (U=3643.0, P=0.016). Self-reported sleep disturbances when traveling for sport were higher for females (X(1) = 23.800, P<0.001). Males were also less likely to report daytime dysfunction when traveling for sport (X(1) =22.988, P<0.001). Sleep disturbance had a significant association with age (X(1) =4.145, P=0.042), with older participants (20+ years of age) reporting greater sleep disturbance. Concussion history did not associate with sleep disturbance in the present study. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that sophomore or older female may be at higher risk for sleep disturbances. Clarifying sex-specific sleep health and understanding the role of age and academic class is crucial to enhance and personalize interventions.

Maternal obesity driven changes in collagen linearity of breast extracellular matrix induces invasive mammary epithelial cell phenotype.

Obesity has been linked with numerous health issues as well as an increased risk of breast cancer. Although effects of direct obesity in patient outcomes is widely studied, effects of exposure to obesity-related systemic influences in utero have been overlooked. In this study, we investigated the effect of multigenerational obesity on epithelial cell migration and invasion using decellularized breast tissues explanted from normal female mouse pups from a diet induced multigenerational obesity mouse model. We first studied the effect of multigenerational diet on the mechanical properties, adipocyte size, and collagen structure of these mouse breast tissues, and then, examined the migration and invasion behavior of normal (KTB-21) and cancerous (MDA-MB-231) human mammary epithelial cells on the decellularized matrices from each diet group. Breast tissues of mice whose dams had been fed with high-fat diet exhibited larger adipocytes and thicker and curvier collagen fibers, but only slightly elevated elastic modulus and inflammatory cytokine levels. MDA-MB-231 cancer cell motility and invasion were significantly greater on the decellularized matrices from mice whose dams were fed with high-fat diet. A similar trend was observed with normal KTB-21 cells. Our results showed that the collagen curvature was the dominating factor on this enhanced motility and stretching the matrices to equalize the collagen fiber linearity of the matrices ameliorated the observed increase in cell migration and invasion in the mice that were exposed to a high-fat diet in utero. Previous studies indicated an increase in serum leptin concentration for those children born to an obese mother. We generated extracellular matrices using primary fibroblasts exposed to various concentrations of leptin. This produced curvier ECM and increased breast cancer cell motility for cells seeded on the decellularized ECM generated with increasing leptin concentration. Our study shows that exposure to obesity in utero is influential in determining the extracellular matrix structure, and that the resultant change in collagen curvature is a critical factor in regulating the migration and invasion of breast cancer cells.

Revealing Deformation Mechanisms in Polymer-Grafted Thermoplastic Elastomers via In Situ Small-Angle X-ray Scattering.

The tunable properties of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs), through polymer chemistry manipulations, enable these technologically critical materials to be employed in a broad range of applications. The need to "dial-in" the mechanical properties and responses of TPEs generally requires the design and synthesis of new macromolecules. In these designs, TPEs with nonlinear macromolecular architectures outperform the mechanical properties of their linear copolymer counterparts, but the differences in the deformation mechanism providing enhanced performance are unknown. Here, in situ small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements during uniaxial extension reveal distinct deformation mechanisms between a commercially available linear poly(styrene)-poly(butadiene)-poly(styrene) (SBS) triblock copolymer and the grafted SBS version containing grafted poly(styrene) (PS) chains from the poly(butadiene) (PBD) midblock. The neat SBS (φSBS = 100%) sample deforms congruently with the macroscopic dimensions, with the domain spacing between spheres increasing and decreasing along and transverse to the stretch direction, respectively. At high extensions, end segment pullout from the PS-rich domains is detected, which is indicated by a disordering of SBS. Conversely, the PS-grafted SBS that is 30 vol % SBS and 70% styrene (φSBS = 30%) exhibits a lamellar morphology, and in situ SAXS measurements reveal an unexpected deformation mechanism. During deformation, there are two simultaneous processes: significant lamellar domain rearrangement to preferentially orient the lamellae planes parallel to the stretch direction and crazing. The samples whiten at high strains as expected for crazing, which corresponds with the emergence of features in the 2D SAXS pattern during stretching consistent with fibril-like structures that bridge the voids in crazes. The significant domain rearrangement in the grafted copolymers is attributed to the new junctions formed across multiple PS domains by the grafting of a single chain. The in situ SAXS measurements provide insights into the enhanced mechanical properties of grafted copolymers that arise through improved physical cross-linking that leads to nanostructure domain reorientation for self-reinforcement and craze formation where fibrils help to strengthen the polymer.

Exploring effort-reward imbalance and professional quality of life among health workers in Cape Town, South Africa: a mixed-methods study.

BACKGROUND: In the context of a growing appreciation for the wellbeing of the health workforce as the foundation of high-quality, sustainable health systems, this paper presents findings from two complementary studies to explore occupational stress and professional quality of life among health workers that were conducted in preparation for a task-shifting intervention to improve antenatal mental health services in Cape Town. METHODS: This mixed-methods, cross-sectional study was conducted in public sector Midwife Obstetric Units and associated Non-Profit Organisations in Cape Town. Semi-structured interviews and a quantitative survey were conducted among facility-and community-based professional and lay health workers. The survey included demographic as well as effort-reward imbalance (ERI) and professional quality of life (PROQOL) questionnaires to examine overall levels of work-related psychosocial stress and professional quality of life, as well as differences between lay and professional health workers. Qualitative data was analysed using a thematic content analysis approach. Quantitative data was analysed using STATA 12. RESULTS: Findings from 37 qualitative interviews highlighted the difficult working conditions and often limited reward and support structures experienced by health workers. Corroborating these findings, our quantitative survey of 165 professional and lay health workers revealed that most health workers experienced a mismatch between efforts spent and rewards gained at work (61.1% of professional and 70.2% of lay health workers; p = 0.302). There were few statistically significant differences in ERI and PROQOL scores between professional and lay health workers. Although Compassion Satisfaction was high for all health worker groups, lay health workers also showed elevated levels of burnout and compassion fatigue, with community-based health workers particularly affected. CONCLUSIONS: Findings of this study add to the existing evidence base on adverse working conditions faced by South African public-sector health workers that should be taken into consideration as national and local governments seek to 're-engineer' South Africa's Primary Health Care system. Furthermore, they also highlight the importance of taking into consideration the wellbeing of health workers themselves to develop interventions that can sustainably foster resilient and high-quality health systems.