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Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to identify predictors of severe white matter hyperintensity (WMH) with obesity (SWO), and to build a prediction model for screening obese people with severe WMH without Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) examination. Patients subjects and methods: From September 2020 to October 2021, 650 patients with WMH were recruited consecutively. The subjects were divided into two groups, SWO group and non-SWO group. Univariate and Logistic regression analysis were was applied to explore the potential predictors of SWO. The Youden index method was adopted to determine the best cut-off value in the establishment of the prediction model of SWO. Each parameter had two options, low and high. The score table of the prediction model and nomogram based on the logistic regression were constructed. Of the 650 subjects, 487 subjects (75%) were randomly assigned to the training group and 163 subjects (25%) to the validation group. By resampling the area under the curve (AUC) of the subject's operating characteristics and calibration curves 1,000 times, nomogram performance was verified. A decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to evaluate the nomogram's clinical usefulness. By resampling the area under the curve (AUC) of the subject's operating characteristics and calibration curves 1,000 times, nomogram performance was verified. A decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to evaluate the nomogram's clinical usefulness. Results: Logistic regression demonstrated that hypertension, uric acid (UA), complement 3 (C3) and Interleukin 8 (IL-8) were independent risk factors for SWO. Hypertension, UA, C3, IL-8, folic acid (FA), fasting C-peptide (FCP) and eosinophil could be used to predict the occurrence of SWO in the prediction models, with a good diagnostic performance, Areas Under Curves (AUC) of Total score was 0.823 (95% CI: 0.760--0.885, p < 0.001), sensitivity of 60.0%, specificity of 91.4%. In the development group, the nomogram's AUC (C statistic) was 0.829 (95% CI: 0.760--0.899), while in the validation group, it was 0.835 (95% CI: 0.696, 0.975). In both the development and validation groups, the calibration curves following 1,000 bootstraps showed a satisfactory fit between the observed and predicted probabilities. DCA showed that the nomogram had great clinical utility. Conclusion: Hypertension, UA, C3, IL-8, FA, FCP and eosinophil models had the potential to predict the incidence of SWO. When the total score of the model exceeded 9 points, the risk of SWO would increase significantly, and the nomogram enabled visualization of the patient's WMH risk. The application prospect of our models mainly lied in the convenient screening of SWO without MRI examination in order to detect SWO and control the WMH hazards early. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Home mechanical ventilation (HMV) is a treatment method for patients with chronic respiratory failure. HMV is a challenge for both patients and their caregivers. Some studies have shown a higher risk of depression, job loss, or lifestyle disturbance in family members caring for HMV patients. The purpose of the study was to measure caregiver burden, perceived social support, and coping strategies. Methods: In the cross-sectional study, 58 caregivers (65.52% female) of HMV patients treated at five healthcare institutions were surveyed. The questionnaires including patient/caregiver demographic data, the type and duration of MV, the Caregiver Burden Scale (CBS), the Social Support Scale (SSS), and the Brief-COPE questionnaire were applied. For statistical analysis, the Mann‒Whitney U test, the Kruskal‒Wallis H test, Dunn's test, and Spearman correlations were used. Results: In the CBS, a high level of burden was observed mainly in the isolation and disappointment subscales. The female caregivers achieved a higher score for general strain than did the male caregivers (p = 0.023). Differences in the distribution of the isolation (p = 0.028) and disappointment (p = 0.03) variables between the financial situation groups were observed. The older the patient, the lower the burden in the domains of isolation (p = 0.015) and disappointment (p = 0.005) was elicited. Invasive MV was associated with greater burdens of general strain (p = 0.005), isolation (p = 0.001), and disappointment (p = 0.001). A medium total SSS score was shown (74.5 ± 7.56). Caregivers used various coping strategies. The most common were planning, acceptance, and active coping. Self-blame and denial were positively related to several CBS subscales, whereas acceptance of difficult situations and positive reframing were related to lower scores. Conclusions: Caregivers most frequently experienced a medium level of burden. Female caregivers were characterized by higher level of burden. Invasive ventilation increased the burden. Respondents who assessed their financial situations as good, had lower burden in the selected subscales. Using some positive coping strategies may reduce the level of burden. Interventions to ensure that caregivers overcome these burdens should be undertaken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Are pregnancy and birth‐related parameters important risk factors in the development of urinary incontinence (UI)? The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence of UI and associated risk factors in Turkish women in the third postpartum month. Incontinence after childbirth is a common problem. A cross‐sectional study that included 370 women in third postpartum month in Çanakkale is presented in this paper. Wagner's quality of life scale questionnaire exploring the risk factors for UI was used as the principle data collection tool. All women gave consent prior to inclusion in the study. Chi‐square, t test, Mann‐Whitney U test and Binary logistic regression were used for comparison. The prevalence of self‐reported postpartum UI was 35.9%. In this study; age, educational level, parity, number of normal birth, nocturia and constipation were determined to be the associated risk factors for postpartum UI in univariate analysis. When examining these risk factors by using logistic regression, it was found that the number of birth being 2 increased UI 2.7 times (P = 0.002, 95% CI:1.434‐5.324), the number of birth being 3 or more increased UI 20.3 times (P = 0.001, 95% CI:7.130‐58.332) and nocturia being 3 times and more increased UI 2.6 times (P = 0.041, 95% CI:1.042‐6.790). Pregnancy and birth‐related parameters are important risk factors in development of UI. It would be useful to increase the awareness in women in pregnancy and the postpartum period, by providing health training and consultancy services about UI protection and the reduction of risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are multiple recommended protocols for Vitamin D (VitD) supplementation in elderly; however, only a few studies achieved to examine the role of VitD supplements before intertrochanteric fracture surgery on mortality and complications after surgery. Methods: This single-center block-randomized double-blinded trial was conducted on 80 patients with intertrochanteric fractures and a sufficient level of 25 (OH) VitD. The intervention group received an intramuscular 300,000 IU VitD ampule before surgery. The primary outcome was a 6-month mortality rate, and the secondary outcomes were 1- and 2-year mortality rates and Harris Hip Score (HHS) in 6, 12, and 24 months after surgery. Chi-square, t-test, repeated measure ANOVA, and Cox regression survival model was used for statistical analysis. Results: 40 patients were allocated to each group. Demographic, clinical characteristics, and preoperative evaluations were not significantly different between the groups. Mortality rate 6-month after the surgery was 7.5% and 10% for the intervention and placebo groups respectively (P value =.71), 15% and 12.5% at 1-year (P value =.83), and 25% and 27.5% at 2-year (P value =.98). Based on the Cox regression model, only age was significantly associated with mortality (HR = 1.229, P value <.001). Significant HHS changes from baseline through 24 months after surgery were observed within both groups; however, mean differences were not significantly different between groups. Conclusions: A single preoperative 300,000 IU VitD did not significantly impact 2-year survival and HHS in patients with intertrochanteric fractures and sufficient serum VitD level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document analyzes a survey conducted in three geographical areas in Spain, focusing on centers for individuals with cerebral palsy (CP). The study aims to determine the adherence rate to recommended physical activity guidelines, assess if there is a decline in interest in physical activity over time, identify the stage at which this decline occurs, and explore potential mechanisms, tools, or strategies to sustain long-term engagement in regular physical activity for this population. The 36-item questionnaire comprises multiple-choice, open-ended, and Likert scale-type questions. Data were collected on physical activity frequency and duration, daily living activities, and demographics. Statistical analysis identified patterns and relationships between variables. Findings reveal that only a 17.6% meets the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations regarding regular physical activity (RPA), decreasing in frequency or number of days a week, (3.7 d/w to 2.9 d/w; p < 0.01) and duration (50.5 min/d to 45.2 min/d; p < 0.001) with age, especially for those with higher Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) mobility levels. Obesity slightly correlates with session duration (ρ = −0.207; p < 0.05), not mobility limitations. Gender has no significant impact on mobility, communication, or physical activity, while age affects variables such as body mass index (BMI) and engagement (p < 0.01). A substantial proportion follows regular physical activities based on health professionals' advice, with interest decreasing with age. To improve adherence, focusing on sports-oriented goals, group sessions, and games is recommended. These findings emphasize the importance of personalized programs, particularly for older individuals and those with greater mobility limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to analyze the technical-tactical performance profile of the serve for various age groups and categories of competition in men's volleyball. The sample comprised 13,262 serves performed by 986 players in 299 sets observed in various categories of competition (U-14, U-16, U-19, national senior, and international senior). An observational design was used. The variables studied were category of competition, type of execution, and serve performance. The results showed that for higher age groups (senior categories), there were significantly fewer jump serves and poorer serve performance, regardless of players' maturity and training development. The use of the jump serves increased the serve risk while attempting to hinder the organization of the opponent attack. This paper discusses the serve evolution and the implications on the training process at the different age groups in men's volleyball. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of urinary incontinence on body image, self‐esteem, and quality of life. Methods: The study was conducted with 218 women with urinary incontinence. The study data were collected using the Socio‐Demographic Characteristics Questionnaire, Body Cathexis Scale, Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale, and Incontinence Quality of Life Questionnaire. Results: There was a weak, statistically significant, positive relationship found between the Body Cathexis Scale total average scores and the Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale total average scores of the women and a weak, statistically significant, negative relationship with the Incontinence Quality of Life Questionnaire total average scores. In addition, a weak, statistically significant, negative relationship was found between the Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale total score averages and Incontinence Quality of Life Questionnaire total score averages. Significant effects were seen for body image score with pad usage; for self‐esteem in relation to number of deliveries, duration, and frequency of urinary incontinence; and for incontinence quality of life and duration and frequency of urinary incontinence and pad usage. Conclusions: It was concluded that most of the women with urinary incontinence had negative body image and that more than half of them had moderate or low self‐esteem and a moderate quality of life. SUMMARY STATEMENT: What is already known about this topic? More than 200 million people in the world have incontinence problems, and the majority are women.Urinary incontinence causes negative psychosocial effects such as continuous leakage of urine and fear of smelling bad, feeling unclean, decreased self‐esteem, deterioration of body image, stigmatization, embarrassment, and decreased sexual desire.There are very few studies in the literature that determine the relationship between body image and self‐esteem in women with urinary incontinence. What this paper adds? Negative effects were demonstrated for urinary incontinence in relation to women's body image, self‐esteem, and quality of life. The implications of this paper: Urinary incontinence does not directly threaten women's lives but can become a problem that physically and psychologically affects the family and social life of a woman significantly; therefore, women with incontinence should be carefully considered and evaluated from a holistic viewpoint.Nurses should assess the emotions, thoughts, and perceptions of body image, self‐esteem, and quality of life of women with urinary incontinence, and as the awareness about urinary incontinence and its treatment increases, the population of patients receiving help will increase, thus increasing the success rate in urinary incontinence management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occupational stress, cumulative fatigue, and work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are major concerns in the field of occupational health. Previous studies on occupational health focused on key industries, such as medical care, while there were few related studies on Information Technology (IT) industry. Our study explored the factors influencing occupational stress, cumulative fatigue, and musculoskeletal disorders in the IT industry. We collected 1363 IT workers' valid questionnaires, of which 73.1% of participants were technicians in Chongqing, 2021. The core occupational stress scale (COSS), self-diagnosis checklist for the assessment of workers' accumulated fatigue and Chinese musculoskeletal disorders questionnaire were used to measure the occupational stress, cumulative fatigue, and musculoskeletal disorders of the respondents. Logistic regressions were used to explore the correlated factors affecting these indicators. The results showed that the prevalence of occupational stress, cumulative fatigue, and musculoskeletal disorders was 50.4%, 47%, and 72.3%, respectively. Working in the current position for 3–10 years was a common increased risk for all three indicators. Insomnia was associated with an increased risk of cumulative fatigue (Odds Ratio, OR = 2.156, p < 0.001) and musculoskeletal disorders (OR = 1.878, p < 0.001). Cumulative fatigue was also associated with an increased risk of having WMSDs (OR = 3.207, p < 0.001). According to our findings, occupational factors, such as long working years, overtime work, and personal lifestyle, are highly related to the occurrence of occupational stress, cumulative fatigue, and musculoskeletal disorders for IT industry workers. More attention should be paid to women and those with long working hours in the IT industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health care organizations are increasingly incorporating social care programs into medical care delivery models. Recent studies have identified burnout as a potential unintended consequence of this expansion. Successful implementation of these programs requires investment in the health care team, although understanding the impact of this expansion on nonphysician team members remains limited. Utilizing a theory-informed model for organizational behavior change, the authors aim to characterize the perceived elements of capacity to address patients' social needs within a heterogenous group of health care workers, and to examine the association of these behavioral conditions with burnout. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted of a survey of ∼1900 health care staff from 46 organizations in a large delivery system. Exploratory factor analysis identified factors contributing to the "Perceived Capacity to Address Social Needs" domain; Motivation, Organizational Reinforcement, and 3 task-specific capacities (Identification of social needs, Providing care for patients with social needs, and Linkage to social needs resources). Logistic regression found both a lower sense of motivation (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.59–0.86), and organizational reinforcement (OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.42–0.62) associated with a higher rate of burnout. These associations with burnout differed by organizational role, suggesting role-specific relationships between these behavioral conditions. As health care has evolved into team-based interventions, staff across the care spectrum are now tasked with addressing larger social issues that affect their patients. A systems approach, aligning organizational priorities and staff motivations, in addition to task-specific skill sets is likely necessary to prevent burnout in this setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Despite efforts to increase coverage by two doses of measles vaccine in Italy, measles continues to circulate, with over 13 000 cases of disease since 2013. This study aimed to evaluate immunity to measles in Italian children and adolescents. Methods A total of 378 serum samples from subjects aged 9 months–18 years were collected in Northern, Central and Southern regions of Italy between 2012 and 2016. Specific IgG antibodies against measles were measured by a commercial ELISA kit. Results The frequency of IgG-positive samples ranged from 10.5% in infants under 1 year to 98.3% in children aged 6–7 years. The frequency of IgG was 72.2% in subjects aged 1–2 years, 85.6% in those aged 3–5 years and 88.3 and 86.8% in those aged 8–10 and 11–18 years, respectively. In Northern Italy, IgG prevalence was consistent with data on vaccination coverage, whereas some differences were observed in samples from subjects aged more than 8 years in Central and Southern Italy. Conclusions Our findings confirm that a large proportion of children and adolescents in Italy are still susceptible to measles. While data on first- and second-dose measles vaccination are essential, they are not sufficient to identify susceptible population cohorts to be targeted by vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ageing is associated with a decline in skeletal muscle mass and function (strength and power), known as sarcopenia. Inadequate dietary protein and inactivity have been shown to accelerate sarcopenia outcomes, occurring at different rates in males and females. Regardless, active older adults who often exceed the exercise guidelines still show signs of sarcopenia. This study aimed to explore the link between age, physical activity, protein intake, and biological sex with skeletal muscle mass, strength, power, and physical capacity/performance in active older adults. Fifty-four active older adults were recruited from this trial and grouped according to age (middle aged: 50–59 years, and older age: ≥ 60 years), exercise volume (low: ≥ 90–149 min/week, moderate: ≥ 150–299 min/week, and high: ≥ 300 min/week), protein intake (low: < 0.8 g/kg body mass (BM), moderate: ≥ 0.8–1.19g /kg BM, and high: ≥ 1.2 g/kg BM), and biological sex (males and females). Skeletal muscle and fat mass (dual X-ray absorptiometry), strength (1-repetition maximum using leg press, chest press, lateral pull down, and hand grip), power (counter movement jump), and general fitness (cardiorespiratory capacity and gait speed) were assessed. Data were grouped based on variables, and a general linear model (ANCOVA) or an independent t test was used to determine between group differences. Results: Fifty three of the total participants' data were analysed. The middle-aged group had 18%, 11%, and 10% higher leg press, chest press, and lateral pull down, respectively, compared to the older-aged group (p <.05). There were no significant differences between different levels of training volume and any of the outcomes. Higher protein intakes were associated with significantly less body fat mass (p =.005) and a trend towards a higher leg press (p =.053) and higher relative power (W/kg) (p =.056) compared with the moderate and low protein intake groups. Significant differences based on biological sex were observed for all outcomes except for gait speed (p =.611) and cardiorespiratory fitness (p =.147). Conclusions: Contributions of age, physical activity, daily protein intake, and biological sex can explain the individual variation in outcomes related to changes in body composition, strength, power, and/or cardiorespiratory fitness in a cohort of active older adults. The preprint version of this work is available on Research Square: https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-51873/v1. Trial Registration: This trial is registered in the ANZCTR.org.au, no. ACTRN12618001088235 (https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=375286). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim and objectives: To assess the prevalence of anxiety, sleep disorders and self‐efficacy and their predicting factors among nurses facing COVID‐19. Background: The spread of COVID‐19 throughout the world determined a series of modifications of several National Health Service organisations, with a potential series of psychological consequences among nurses, who were particularly afflicted by this situation of changes and precariousness. Design: A cross‐sectional study was carried out from February–April 2020. Methods: A total of 1,005 nurses employed in different Italian hospital wards, during the COVID‐19 pandemic, were recruited. Analyses were based on descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression. The STROBE checklist for cross‐sectional studies was used in this study. Results: The prevalence of sleep disturbances, moderate anxiety and low self‐efficacy was 71.4%, 33.23% and 50.65%, respectively. We found a positive correlation between anxiety and sleep quality (0.408; p <.0001) and negative correlations between self‐efficacy and anxiety (−0.217; p <.0001) and sleep quality and self‐efficacy (−0.134; p <.0001). The factor independently associated with all variables was gender. Females were more prone to sleep disturbances, anxiety and low levels of self‐efficacy than males (p <.05). Conclusions: The prevalence of anxiety, sleep disorders and low self‐efficacy among Italian nurses during the COVID‐19 pandemic was high. Healthcare managers should recognise and consider these results to reduce the risk of the onset of major mental problems that could result in post‐traumatic stress disorder. Relevance to clinical practice: Nurses facing major incidents as COVID‐19 pandemic are among healthcare personnel exposed to a high risk to develop psychological disturbance that should be assessed and recognised, in order to find helpful coping strategies to inform support services and avoid to hesitate in post‐traumatic stress disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To study the correlation between the workload of intensive care nursing teams and the sociodemographic, anthropometric and clinical characteristics of patients in critical condition in a Portuguese Intensive Care Unit (ICU) during a 5‐year period. Background: Currently, indices of nursing workload quantification are one of the resources used for planning and evaluating ICUs. Evidence shows that there are several factors related to critical patients and their hospitalisation which potentially influence the nursing workload. Design: Retrospective cohort analysis of a health record database from adult patients admitted to a Portuguese ICU between 1 January 2015–31 December 2019. Methods: Simplified Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System (TISS‐28) scores of 730 adult patients. Three TISS‐28 assessments were considered: first assessment, last assessment and average. The STROBE guidelines were used in reporting this study. Results: The TISS‐28 has an average of 34.2 ± 6.9 points at admission, which is considered a high nursing workload. A somewhat lower result was found for the discharge and average assessments. It shows that basic activities accounted for the highest percentage of time spent (38.0%), followed by the cardiovascular support category (26.5%). The TISS‐28 shows consistent results throughout the study period, despite a small trend reduction in the last 2 years. Conclusions: Lower workloads were found for age ≤44 years and with a shorter length of stay. Higher workload was more probable in patients classified in Cullen Class IV (OR = 2.5) and with a normal to higher weight percentile (OR = 1.9 and 1.5, respectively). Relevance to clinical practice: Knowledge of the factors influencing the nursing workload facilitates the implementation of rules to improve performance in nursing interventions, based on the redefinition of care priorities, increased productivity, human resources management and reduction of additional costs to the organisation, related to possible adverse events, among others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Semi-precious stone mining may cause occupational lung disease. The impact of inhaling silica on workers' exercise capacity has only been partially studied. OBJECTIVES: To study lung function, exercise capacity, and identify factors associated with functional impairment. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study of 193 current miners from Ametista do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, medical and occupational data were collected. The diagnosis of silicosis was established by the history of dust exposure and chest radiographic findings. All workers performed a spirometry and a 6-minute walk test (6MWT). RESULTS: Of the sample 51 (26.4%) had silicosis. Time working in mine was 14.7±8.7 years. Spirometry showed a normal, restrictive or obstructive ventilatory pattern in 75.1 %, 13 % and 9.3 % of the workers, respectively. The diagnosis of silicosis and length of time working in mining negatively affected lung function, although exercise capacity was preserved. In the multivariate analysis, time working in mining, diagnosis of silicosis and education remained significant for forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1; r = 0.60; r2 = 0.36; p < 0.001) and age and height for distance in 6MWT (r = 0.66; r2 = 0.43; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results show impaired lung function and preserved exercise capacity in current mineworkers exposed to silica. Length of time working in mining, presence of silicosis and lower education were factors associated with reduced lung function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II is still commonly used as an index of illness severity in patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) and has been validated for many research and clinical audit purposes. Aims and objectives: To investigate the diagnostic value of the APACHE II score for predicting mortality rate of critically ill patients. Design This was a single‐centre, retrospective study of 200 Iranian patients admitted in the medical–surgical adult ICU from June 2012 to May 2013. Methods: Demographic data, pre‐existing comorbidities and variables required for calculating the APACHE II score were recorded. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed, and the area under the ROC curves was calculated to assess the predictive value of the APACHE II score. Results: Of the 200 patients with a mean age of 55·27 ± 21·59 years enrolled in the study, 112 (54%) were admitted in the medical ICU and 88 (46%) in the surgical ICU. Finally, 116 patients (58%) died, and 84 patients (42%) survived. The overall actual and predicted ICU mortality were 58% and 25·16%, respectively. The mean APACHE II score was 16·31 in total patients, 17·78 in medical ICU and 14·45 in surgical ICU patients (P = 0·003). Overall, the APACHE II score had the highest prognostic value for predicting the mortality rate of critically ill patients with an area under the cure of 0·88, and with a cut‐off value of 15, the APACHE II score predicted mortality of patients with a sensitivity of 85·3%, a specificity of 77·4%, a positive predictive value of 83·9% and a negative predictive value of 73·9%. Conclusion: This study shows that an APACHE II score of 15 provides the best diagnostic accuracy to predict mortality of critically ill patients. Our observed mortality rate was greater than the predicted death rate, in comparison to the other prestigious centres in the world. Therefore, it appears that we must improve our intensive care to reduce mortality. Relevance to clinical practice: There is a need to create a suitable scoring system to predict the mortality rate of critically ill patients in accordance with the advanced technological equipment and experienced physicians and nurses in that ICU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background This study examines substance use disparities among homosexual, bisexual and heterosexual adolescents and young adults from nine countries. Methods Data from 58 963 respondents (aged 16 and 35 years) to the 2015 'Global Drug Survey' were utilized. Rates of lifetime, last-year, last-month use and age of onset of 13 different substances were compared across sexual identity subgroups. Results Adolescents and young adults with a sexual minority identity generally reported higher rates of substance use and an earlier age of onset compared to their heterosexual counterparts. Differences in substance use were larger among female groups than male groups, and rates of substance use were generally higher among bisexuals than homosexuals of both genders. Conclusion Higher rates of substance use in bisexuals compared with homosexuals among both genders and larger differences between female groups highlight the importance of differentiating between sexual minority identities in substance use research, and in designing substance misuse interventions for people with a sexual minority identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been an increase in utilization of the Emergency Department (ED) in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) which may reflect a deficit of services (Green et al., Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 40(3):325-332, 2001; Gurney et al., Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine 160:825-830, 2006; Leichtman et al., American Journal of Orthopsyhciatry 72(2):227-235, 2001). The current study examined the rates of ED utilization between 2005 and 2013 in ASD youth 12- to 21-years-old. Adolescents with ASD accessed ED services four times as often as adolescents without ASD. Older adolescents and those living in rural areas showed a significant increase in ED visits over time. Post hoc analysis revealed increased ED utilization for females and behavioral health ED services over time. Better access to and greater understanding of services for adolescents with ASD is a critical need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Urinary biomarkers may be indicators of acute kidney injury (AKI), although little is known of their developmental characteristics in healthy neonates across a full range of gestational age (GA). The purpose of this study was to examine patterns of urinary biomarkers across GA groups from birth to 3 months of age. Methods: Fifty-two infants ranging from 24 to 41 weeks' GA had urine assayed from birth through 3 months of age for 7 biomarkers including albumin (ALB), beta-2-microglobulin (B2M), cystatin-C (CysC), epidermal growth factor (EGF), neutrophil-gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), osteopontin (OPN), and uromodulin (UMOD). Results: Of the seven urinary biomarkers, EGF and UMOD increased while others decreased with advancing GA. By 3 months of age, EGF and UMOD had increased in preterm infants to levels similar to those of term infants. UMOD/ml and EGF/ml appeared to be predominantly developmental biomarkers distinguishing estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) <30 ml/min/1.73 m with receiver operator characteristic area under the curve (ROC-AUC) of 0.82; p = 0.002. When factored by urine creatinine CysC/cr + ALB/cr were the most significant functional markers with AUC = 0.79; p = 0.004; sensitivity 96 %; specificity 58 %. Conclusions: Among healthy neonates, urinary biomarkers vary with GA. These data support the use of urinary biomarkers in the assessment of normal kidney development in the absence of injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study analysed the asbestos lung burden in necroscopic samples from 55 subjects free from asbestos-related diseases, collected between 2009 and 2011 in Milan, Italy. Multiple lung samples were analysed by light microscopy (asbestos bodies, AB) and EDXA-scanning electron microscopy (asbestos fibres and other inorganic fibres). Asbestos fibres were detected in 35 (63.6%) subjects, with a higher frequency for amphiboles than for chrysotile. Commercial (CA) and non-commercial amphiboles (NCA) were found in roughly similar frequencies. The estimated median value was 0.11 million fibres per gram of dry lung tissue (mf g-1) for all asbestos, 0.09 mf g-1 for amphiboles. In 44 (80.0%) subjects no chrysotile fibres were detected. A negative relationship between asbestos mass-weighted fibre count and year of birth (and a corresponding positive increase with age) was observed for amphiboles [-4.15%, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -5.89 to -2.37], talc (-2.12%, 95% CI = -3.94 to -0.28), and Ti-rich fibres (-3.10%, 95% CI = -5.54 to -0.60), but not for chrysotile (-2.84%, 95% CI = -7.69 to 2.27). Residential district, birthplace, and smoking habit did not affect the lung burden of asbestos or inorganic fibres. Females showed higher burden only for amphiboles (0.12 versus 0.03 mf g-1 in males, P = 0.07) and talc fibres (0.14 versus 0 mf g-1 in males, P = 0.03). Chrysotile fibres were shorter and thinner than amphibole fibres and NCA fibres were thicker than CA ones. The AB prevalence was 16.4% (nine subjects) with concentrations ranging from 10 to 110 AB g-1 dry, well below the 1000 AB g-1 threshold for establishing occupational exposure. No AB were found in subjects younger than 30 years. Our study demonstrated detectable levels of asbestos fibres in a sample taken from the general population. The significant increase with age confirmed that amphibole fibres are the most representative of cumulative exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Journal of Clinical & Experimental Hypnosis is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of malnutrition in Polish elderly population and analyse its social and economic correlates based on the data from the PolSenior project, the first large-scale study of a representative group of Polish seniors. Design: A cross-sectional population-based study. Setting: All territorial provinces in Poland. Participants: 4482 community-dwelling respondents aged 65 years or above (women: n=2142, age=79.0±8.4 years; men: n=2340, age= 78.3±8.6 years). Measurements: The nutritional status of participants was assessed through the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (the revised MNA-SF). Out of social and economic correlates we evaluated age, sex, level of education, marital status, place of residence, living conditions and economic status. Economic status of the respondents was determined on the basis of questions on how well they could manage their own budgets. Those who could afford only the cheapest food or clothes were considered the group of self-reported poverty. Results: Frequency of malnutrition in the PolSenior population accounted for 7.5% (in 5.0% men and 9.0% women; p<0.001). The risk of malnutrition was present in 38.9% (33.3% men and 42.4% women; p<0.001). In our study female sex, older age, unmarried status, living in a rural area and self-reported poverty were independent correlates of malnutrition. Conclusions: Our data showed high prevalence of malnutrition and the risk of its development among the community-dwelling elderly people in Poland. Screening with MNA-SF should focus in particular on unmarried, poorly educated individuals, in late old age, living in rural areas and self-reporting a poor financial state, especially women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]