Background: Apart from lipid-lowering drugs, dietary changes can also reduce plasma LDL-C concentrations. No studies have been conducted to investigate the clinical effects of a diet with traditional foods originating from the Nordic countries. Method: In a randomised, controlled parallel-group intervention study 88 mildly hypercholesterolemic men and women were randomized to either an ad libitum Nordic diet (ND) or a control diet (CD) for 6 weeks. All meals and foods were provided to the participants in the ND group. Primary outcome measure was LDL-cholesterol, and secondary outcomes were blood pressure, plasma insulin and glucose concentrations. The ND was a high-fibre diet rich in plant foods (fruit, berries, vegetables, root vegetables, whole grain cereals and legumes), vegetable fats (rapeseed oil and nuts) and fatty fish, low-fat milk products, but low in salt, added sugars, saturated fats and red meats. Result: 86 subjects completed the study. Distribution of carbohydrates, fat and protein (E%) in ND was 54, 27, 19, respectively. ND lowered plasma total cholesterol 0.98±0.75 mmol/l (-16%), LDL-C by 0.83±0.67 mmol/l (-21%), HDL-C 0.08±0.23 mmol/l (-5%), including reduced LDL/HDL ratio by -0.42±0.57 (-14%) (all p<0.01 versus controls). Insulin concentrations decreased by 0.51± 2.25 (-9%, p=0.01) and systolic blood pressure by 7±13 mmHg (-5%, P<0.01) compared to controls. Despite diets were eaten ad libitum, body weight decreased by 3.0 kg in the ND (P<0.001). No significant differences were found for diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides or plasma glucose. Conclusion: A Nordic diet improves blood lipid profile, and insulin sensitivity as well as lowering blood pressure to a clinically significant extent in hypercholesterolemic subjects.

Pregnancy and childbirth are in most cases a normal life event. Over the past decades the rate of instrumental birth and caesarean sections has increased at the expense of normal birth. Despite more interventions no difference is seen in the maternal or perinatal morbidity or mortality. The midwife’s work encompasses the normal pregnancy and labour. The aim of this study was to describe how the midwife can promote normal birth. The study was conducted as a literature study in which 13 scientific articles, with both quantitative and qualitative approach, were analyzed. Three categories emerged that explained how the midwife promotes normal birth. The midwife creates through closeness a positive relationship to the woman and gives guidance. By using herself as a source of knowledge, the midwife’s senses, experiences from previous labours and formal knowledge, contribute to make correct decisions. The midwife supports and confirms the normalcy, from the woman’s individual needs, and thereby creates a safe environment for the woman that prevents her from unnecessary interventions. As there is a medical culture within the maternity care, the midwife’s work with normal birth needs to be strengthened. Since the organization has an impact on the midwife’s promoting work, further research is needed in this area.

Despite the majority of all pregnancies are assessed as normal, the interventions during labourprocess increase, where caesarean section without medical reason is one part. One reason may be that care for women with uncomplicated pregnancy is conducted at the same level as a complicated pregnancy. A caesarean section may result in increased risk of health problem for both the woman and the child. The midwife´s work encompasses the normal, uncomplicated pregnancy and labour. The midwife also has the possibility within the working range to promote women’s health. The aim of this study was to gain an increased understanding of how midwives promote the normal labourprocess. A non-participation observational study, of a total of four midwives in duty at a labour ward, was conducted at two hospitals. Grounded Theory was used for data collection and analysis. As a result emerged the core category to act as a pilot with four subcategories. The midwife primarily creates and anchors a relationship with the woman. Through the different stages of labour, the midwife assesses, facilitates and confirms the labourprocess individually, concerning the woman´s needs. The categories together form a model that describes what the midwife performs; in verbal and silent communication and in acting or refraining from acting, to promote a normal birth. There is a need for further research about what in the midwife´s management that promotes the normal birth. It is also essential with research at an organizational level since it has an impact on how the midwife promotes normal birth.    

This study aimed to establish Egyptian women's attitudes and beliefs about female genital cutting (FGC) or mutilation by applying a questionnaire module about violence to a subsample of 5249 married women from a total of 19 474 women who participated in the 2005 Egypt Demographic Health Survey. Women were interviewed to determine if they had been exposed to marital violence in the year prior to the survey, their attitudes and beliefs about FGC, and if they physically abused their children. The association of beliefs about FGC with maternal physical abuse was examined, adjusting for exposure to marital violence and other socio-demographic variables. Of the women surveyed 16.4% and 3.4% had been exposed to physical and sexual violence, respectively, during the year prior to the survey. Around 76% of the women surveyed intended to continue the FGC practice, and 69.8% had slapped or hit their children during the year prior to the survey. Holding positive beliefs about the practice of FGC or intending to continue it was associated with maternal physical abuse and this has significant implications for health and welfare workers in Egypt and for society in general.

The aim of this paper is to investigate the feasibility of using the Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) method to measure motor states in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). Data were collected from 19 PD patients who experimented leg agility motor tests with motion sensors on their ankles once before and multiple times after an administration of 150% of their normal daily dose of medication. Experiments of 22 healthy controls were included. Three movement disorder specialists rated the motor states of the patients according to Treatment Response Scale (TRS) using recorded videos of the experiments. A DTW-based motor state distance score (DDS) was constructed using the acceleration and gyroscope signals collected during leg agility motor tests. Mean DDS showed similar trends to mean TRS scores across the test occasions. Mean DDS was able to differentiate between PD patients at Off and On motor states. DDS was able to classify the motor state changes with good accuracy (82%). The PD patients who showed more response to medication were selected using the TRS scale, and the most related DTW-based features to their TRS scores were investigated. There were individual DTW-based features identified for each patient. In conclusion, the DTW method can provide information about motor states of advanced PD patients which can be used in the development of methods for automatic motor scoring of PD. © 2020 Somayeh Aghanavesi et al.

Objectives: To describe chronic kidney disease (CKD) regarding treatment rates, comorbidities, usage of CKD International Classification of Diseases (ICD) diagnosis, mortality, hospitalisation, evaluate healthcare utilisation and screening for CKD in relation to new nationwide CKD guidelines.

Design: Population-based observational study.

Setting: Healthcare registry data of patients in Southwest Sweden.

Participants: A total cohort of 65 959 individuals aged >18 years of which 20 488 met the criteria for CKD (cohort 1) and 45 470 at risk of CKD (cohort 2).

Primary and secondary outcome measures: Data were analysed with regards to prevalence, screening rates of blood pressure, glucose, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), Urinary-albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR) and usage of ICD-codes for CKD. Mortality and hospitalisation were analysed with logistic regression models.

Results: Of the CKD cohort, 18% had CKD ICD-diagnosis and were followed annually for blood pressure (79%), glucose testing (76%), eGFR (65%), UACR (24%). UACR follow-up was two times as common in hypertensive and cardiovascular versus diabetes patients with CKD with a similar pattern in those at risk of CKD. Statin and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone inhibitor appeared in 34% and 43%, respectively. Mortality OR at CKD stage 5 was 1.23 (CI 0.68 to 0.87), diabetes 1.20 (CI 1.04 to 1.38), hypertension 1.63 (CI 1.42 to 1.88), atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) 1.84 (CI 1.62 to 2.09) associated with highest mortality risk. Hospitalisation OR in CKD stage 5 was 1.96 (CI 1.40 to 2.76), diabetes 1.15 (CI 1.06 to 1.25), hypertension 1.23 (CI 1.13 to 1.33) and ASCVD 1.52 (CI 1.41 to 1.64).

Conclusions: The gap between patients with CKD by definition versus those diagnosed as such was large. Compared with recommendations patients with CKD have suboptimal follow-up and treatment with renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitor and statins. Hypertension, diabetes and ASCVD were associated with increased mortality and hospitalisation. Improved screening and diagnosis of CKD, identification and management of risk factors and kidney protective treatment could affect clinical and economic outcomes. © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

Background: Individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) which necessitates monitoring of risk factors and appropriate pharmacotherapy. This study aimed to identify factors predicting emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and mortality among T2D patients after being newly diagnosed with CVD.

Methods: In a retrospective observational study conducted in Region Halland, individuals aged > 40 years with T2D diagnosed between 2011 and 2019, and a new diagnosis of CVD between 2016 and 2019, were followed for one year from the date of CVD diagnosis. The first encounter for CVD diagnosis was categorized as inpatient-, outpatient-, primary-, or emergency department care. Follow-up included laboratory tests, blood pressure, pharmacotherapies, and healthcare utilization. Hazard ratios (HR) in two Cox regression analyses determined relative risks for emergency visits/hospitalization and mortality, adjusting for age, sex, glucose regulation, lipid levels, kidney function, blood pressure, pharmacotherapy, and healthcare utilization.

Results: The study included a total of 1759 T2D individuals who received a new CVD diagnosis, with 67% diagnosed during inpatient care. The average hospitalization stay was 6.5 days, and primary care follow-up averaged 10.1 visits. Patients with CVD diagnosed in primary care had a HR 0.52 (confidence interval [CI] 0.35–0.77) for emergency department visits/hospitalization, but age had a HR 1.02 (CI 1.00-1.03). Pharmacotherapy with insulin, DPP4-inhibitors, aldosterone antagonists, and beta-blockers had a raised HR. Highest mortality risk was observed when CVD was diagnosed inpatient care, systolic blood pressure < 100 mm Hg and elevated HbA1c. Age had a HR 1.05 (CI 1.03–1.08), eGFR < 30 ml/min HR 1.46 (CI 1.01–2.11), and LDL-Cholesterol > 2,5 h 1.46 (CI 1.01–2.11) and associated with increased mortality risk. Pharmacotherapy with metformin had a HR 0.41 (CI 0.28–0.62), statins a HR 0.39 (CI 0.27–0.57), and a primary care follow-up < 30 days a HR 0.53 (CI 0.37–0.77) and associated with lower mortality risk.

Conclusions: T2D individuals who had a new diagnosis of CVD were predominantly diagnosed when hospitalized, while follow-up typically occurred in primary care. Identifying factors that predict risks of mortality and hospitalization should be a focus of follow-up care, underscoring the critical role of primary care in the effective management of T2D and CVD. © The Author(s) 2024.

ABSTRACT: Our knowledge of the prevalence, impact, and outcomes of chronic pain in the general population is predominantly based on studies over relatively short periods of time. The aim of this study was to identify and describe trajectories of the chronic pain status over a period of 21 years. Self-reported population data (n = 1858) from 5 timepoints were analyzed. Pain was categorized by: no chronic pain (NCP), chronic regional pain (CRP), and chronic widespread pain (CWP). Latent class growth analysis was performed for identification of trajectories and logistic regression analysis for identification of predictors for pain prognosis. Five trajectories were identified: (1) persistent NCP (57%), (2) migrating from NCP to CRP or CWP (5%), (3) persistent CRP or migration between CRP and NCP (22%), (4) migration from CRP to CWP (10%), and (5) persistent CWP (6%). Age, sleeping problems, poor vitality, and physical function at baseline were associated with pain progression from NCP. Female gender, seeking care for pain, lack of social support, poor physical function, vitality, and mental health predicted poor pain prognosis among those with CRP. In conclusion, chronic pain was common in the population including 6% reporting persistent CWP, although the majority persistently reported NCP. Most people had stable pain status, but some had ongoing change in pain status over time including people who improved from chronic pain. It was possible to identify clinically relevant factors, characterizing trajectories of chronic pain development, that can be useful for identifying individuals at risk and potential targets for intervention. Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the International Association for the Study of Pain.

The aim of this study was to evaluate tracking performance when an extra reference block is added to a basic block-matching method, where the two reference blocks originate from two consecutive ultrasound frames. The use of an extra reference block was evaluated for two putative benefits: (i) an increase in tracking performance while maintaining the size of the reference blocks, evaluated using in silico and phantom cine loops; (ii) a reduction in the size of the reference blocks while maintaining the tracking performance, evaluated using in vivo cine loops of the common carotid artery where the longitudinal movement of the wall was estimated. The results indicated that tracking accuracy improved (mean - 48%, p<0.005 [in silico]; mean - 43%, p<0.01 [phantom]), and there was a reduction in size of the reference blocks while maintaining tracking performance (mean - 19%, p<0.01 [in vivo]). This novel method will facilitate further exploration of the longitudinal movement of the arterial wall. (C) 2014 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology.

This paper describes the implementation of a cross-platform software application to aid ambulance paramedics during CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation). It must be able to work both on iOS and Android devices, which are the leading platforms in the mobile industry. The goal of the application is to guide paramedics in the different processes and expected medication to be administered during a cardiac arrest, a scenario that is usually stressful and fast-paced, thus prone to errors or distractions. The tool must provide timely reminders of the different actions to be performed during a cardiac arrest, and in an appropriate order, based on the results of the previous actions. A timer function will also control the duration of each step of the CPR procedure. The application is implemented in React Native which, using JavaScript as programming language, allows to deploy applications that can run both in iOS and Android native languages. Our solution could also serve as a record of events that could be transmitted (even in real-time) to the hospital without demanding explicit verbal communication of the procedures or medications administered to the patient during the ambulance trip. This would provide even higher efficiency in the process, and would allow automatic incorporation of the events to the medical record of the patient as well. © 2021 IEEE.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) rank among the leading global causes of mortality. Early detection and diagnosis are paramount in minimizing their impact. The application of ML and DL in classifying the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases holds significant potential for reducing diagnostic errors. This research endeavors to construct a model capable of accurately predicting cardiovascular diseases, thereby mitigating the fatality associated with CVD. In this paper, the authors introduce a novel approach that combines an artificial intelligence network (AIN)-based feature selection (FS) technique with cutting-edge DL and ML classifiers for the early detection of heart diseases based on patient medical histories. The proposed model is rigorously evaluated using two real-world datasets sourced from the University of California. The authors conduct extensive data preprocessing and analysis, and the findings from this study demonstrate that the proposed methodology surpasses the performance of existing state-of-the-art methods, achieving an exceptional accuracy rate of 99.99%. © 2023 IGI Global. All rights reserved.

General anesthesia includes both inhalations anesthesia and total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA). After any anesthetic technique a de sirable characteristics is a predictably rapid emergence and sustained alertness. There is a clinical and scientific debate about which anesthetic technique who gives the most rapid emergence in the early postoperative recovery. The aim of this study was to compare patients early postoperative recovery after inhalations anesthesia and after total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA). The methods are based on 15 research articles. They where analysized from the questionnaire: which anesthetic technique gives the most rapid emergence in the early postoperative recovery. The results showed that inhalations anesthesia gave the most rapid emergence in the earky postoperative recovery. The nurse anesthetist handling, planning and experience affect the patients awakening. Therefore further research instead could compare these anesthetic techniques in another way. The time after the nurse anesthetist has extubate the patient until the patient is adequate orientated, could be measured to find a more comparable result.

BACKGROUND: Breastfeeding is associated with many benefits for both mother and child. Initiation rates are high in Sweden. Recently a slight decline is seen.

AIM: The aim of this study was to assess factors associated with discontinuation of breastfeeding during the first 4 weeks.

METHOD: A population-based longitudinal birth cohort study recruiting from 2007 to 2008 in south-western Sweden. At the first visit to the child health centre, parents were asked to complete a questionnaire. Also, the infants' height, weight, head and waist circumference were collected. Response rate was 69.2%.

RESULTS: Twenty-seven per cent of mothers had breastfeeding problems. In a multivariate analysis, there was a negative correlation between breastfeeding and use of pacifier (OR 3.72; CI 2.09-6.63), maternal smoking (OR 2.09; CI 1.08-4.05) and breastfeeding problems (OR 2.54; CI 1.73-3.71). Breastfeeding problems were correlated with poor sucking technique (OR 2.96; CI 2.14-4.07), support from maternity ward (OR 2.56; CI 2.05-3.19) and perceived poor weight gain (OR 1.37; CI 1.00-1.86).

CONCLUSION: Many mothers reported breastfeeding problems that are associated with an early cessation. This is preventable with support, but the timing is crucial. To promote breastfeeding, the support from the child health centres must be tailored with the maternal perspective in mind.

© 2011 Foundation Acta Pædiatrica

OBJECTIVE: Some monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to type II collagen (CII) are arthritogenic upon passive transfer to mice. We undertook this study to investigate whether such mAb are pathogenic in the absence of mediators of inflammation. METHODS: The arthritogenic mAb CIIC1 and M2139, and the nonarthritogenic mAb CIIF4, each reactive with a distinct and well-defined conformational epitope on CII, were compared with control mAb GAD6. Bovine chondrocytes were cultured with one of the mAb, and on days 3, 6, and 9, antibody binding by chondrocytes and newly synthesized extracellular matrix (ECM) was examined by immunofluorescence, morphologic effects were studied by electron microscopy, and synthesis of matrix components was determined by metabolic labeling with (3)H-proline for collagen and (35)S-sulfate for proteoglycans. RESULTS: All 3 mAb to CII bound to the matrix. CIIC1 and M2139 adversely affected the cultures, whereas CIIF4 did not. CIIC1 caused disorganization of CII fibrils in the ECM without affecting chondrocyte morphology, and increased matrix synthesis. M2139 caused thickening and aggregation of CII fibrils in the ECM and abnormal chondrocyte morphology but matrix synthesis was unaffected. CONCLUSION: The unique arthritogenic capacity of particular anti-CII mAb upon passive transfer could be explained by their adverse, albeit differing, effects in primary cultures of chondrocytes. Such effects occur independent of inflammation mediators and are related to the epitope specificity of the mAb. Interference with the structural integrity of CII could precede, and even initiate, the inflammatory expression of disease.

Multiple myeloma is a cancer illness that arises in the bone marrow. In Sweden 500-600 people per year get diagnosed with multiple myeloma. The purpose of the literature study was to highlight the experiences of individuals with multiple myeloma through the six dimension of pain. The study is based on a theoretical frame of reference. To get at overall picture of the individuals experiences of living with multiple myeloma, the result was described through the six dimensions of pain. The result shows that multiple myeloma patient´s social life becomes reduced, their habit changes and booth their physical and psychological health reduces. Pain, fatigue and infections caused by lower immune system affects the individuals. The knowledge of the illness in society is trivial and this makes the understanding for people with multiple myeloma and their illness slight. A proper pain assessment is necessary for the nurse to complete, to get a full understanding about the individuals and their quality of life. More research about the illness, treatments and medications is needed and the goal should be to cure the disease.

Sedan 1960 talet har screening för och vaccinering mot cervixcancer blivit allt mer utbrett, trots detta drabbas fortfarande 450 kvinnor varje år av cervixcancer i Sverige. Då incidensen minskar finns risken för att kunskapen om sjukdomen minskar. Syftet var därför att belysa kvinnors upplevelser av att behandlats för cervixcancer för att öka kunskap och förståelse i mötet med kvinnorna. Studien utfördes som en litteraturstudie där 20 artiklar låg till grund för resultatet. Resultatet belyser kvinnors upplevelser av att behandlats för cervixcancer och hur det påverkade vardagen, reproduktiv och sexuell hälsa, deras syn på framtiden samt hur de upplevde sjukvården. Att ha behandlats för cervixcancer var något som drabbade hela människan, såväl fysiskt, psykiskt som sexuellt och inte bara genitalierna där sjukdomen hade sitt ursprung. Det framkom att kvinnorna ville samtala om tabubelagda ämnena men inte alltid vågade ta upp dem själva. Därför är det betydelsefullt att sjuksköterskorna ställer frågor angående de här ämnena. Omvårdnad bör grundas på evidens och därför är det viktigt att forskningen fortskrider för att optimera vården för kvinnor med cervixcancer.

Purpose: The overall objective in this study is to investigate the early development of radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA) and its association with hand or/and knee OA, metabolic diseases, biomarkers, chronic pain, physical function and daily physical activity types.

Participants: The Halland osteoarthritis (HALLOA) cohort is a longitudinal cohort study that includes individuals with knee pain in the southwest of Sweden. Enrolment took place from 2017 to 2019. The inclusion criteria were current knee pain, with no former known radiographic knee OA and no cruciate ligament rupture or rheumatological disorder. The participants were recruited: (1) when seeking care for knee pain in primary healthcare or (2) by advertisements in local newspapers. There are 306 individuals included in the study, mean age (SD) 51.7 (8.7) years and 69% are women. The baseline and follow-ups include clinical tests, radiographical examinations, blood samples, metabolic measures, pain pressure thresholds, tests of physical functions, daily physical activity types and patient-reported outcomes.

Findings to date: There were associations between metabolic factors and radiographic knee OA, even in those with normal body mass index at baseline. In addition, clinical hand OA was positively associated with fasting plasma glucose. We also found that modifiable factors as increased visceral fat and total body fat were associated with increased pain sensitivity among individuals with knee pain.

Future plans: By studying possible pathophysiological mechanisms of OA over time, we aim to provide new insights on OA progression, identify usable preventive measures helping the clinicians in the management of the disease and improve health for the patients. It is also important to study the development of chronic pain in OA, to get tools to identify individuals at risk and to be able to offer them treatment.

 © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. 

Objective: Metabolic factors have been shown to be associated to severe radiographic knee osteoarthritis (RKOA). However, more knowledge is needed in early clinical knee osteoarthritis (KOA). The aim was to study associations between metabolic factors and radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA) in individuals with knee pain. A second aim was to study associations between metabolic factors and RKOA in those with normal BMI and in those overweight/obese, respectively. Method: This cross-sectional study included 282 individuals with knee pain (without cruciate ligament injury) and aged 30–67 years, and 70% women. Waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), proportion of fat and visceral fat area (VFA) were assessed. RKOA was defined as Ahlbäck grade 1 in at least one knee. Fasting blood samples were taken and triglycerides, cholesterol (total, low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL)), C-reactive protein (CRP), glucose, HbA1C were analysed. Metabolic syndrome was defined in accordance with the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). Associations were analysed by logistic regression. Results: Individuals with RKOA were older, had higher BMI, higher VFA, larger waist circumference and had increased total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol, but not fasting glucose. There was no difference between the group with RKOA vs. non-radiographic group regarding the presence of metabolic syndrome. In a subgroup analysis of individuals with normal BMI (n = 126), those with RKOA had higher VFA, more central obesity, higher levels of CRP and total cholesterol, compared with individuals without RKOA. In individuals with obesity, age was the only outcome associated to RKOA. Conclusion: There were clear associations between metabolic factors and RKOA in individuals with knee pain, also in those with normal BMI. In individuals with obesity age was the only variable associated to RKOA. Trial registration:: clinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04928170. © 2022, The Author(s).

Background: There is some evidence supporting associations between metabolic factors, clinical hand osteoarthritis (OA) and radiographic knee OA. However, more studies are needed regarding early knee OA.

Objectives: The aim was to study associations between metabolic factors and clinical hand OA at baseline in a cohort of individuals with knee pain, with and without radiographic knee OA.

Methods: In an ongoing five-year longitudinal study of knee pain, hand OA was assessed by clinical examinations in 296 of the included individuals at baseline [1]. BMI, waist circumference (WC) and blood pressure was measured. Body composition was assessed with Inbody 770. Fasting plasma glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, HDL-and LDL-cholesterol and HbA1c was analysed. Metabolic syndrome (MetS)was present if central obesity (WC ≥94 cm in men and ≥80cm in women) plus any two of the following factors: raised blood pressure (systolic blood pressure ≥ 130 or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 85 mm Hg or treatment of hypertension), raised triglycerides (≥ 1.7 mmol/L or specific treatment), reduced HDL-cholesterol (men < 1.03 mmol/L and women < 1.29 mmol/L or specific treatment), raised glucose (glucose ≥ 5.6 mmol/L, or type 2 diabetes). Hand strength and self-reported disability of the arm, shoulder and hand (quickDASH) was assessed.

The individuals were divided according to having clinical hand OA or not, according to Altman [1]. The associations between background factors and clinical hand OA were calculated by crude logistic regression analyses, adjusting for age and sex.

Results: Fifty-five percent of the individuals in the study was overweight or obese, 40% had MetS and 23% had radiographic knee OA. In total 34% of the individuals had clinical hand OA. The group with hand OA were older, had higher proportion of body fat, fasting plasma glucose, HbA1C, worse quickDASH score and lower hand strength, table 1. Clinical hand OA was significantly associated to higher age (OR 1.04, 95%CI 1.01-1.07), higher fasting plasma glucose (1.56, 1.05-2.30), worse quickDASH (1.04, 1.02-1.06) and lower hand strength (0.99, 0.99 -0.998), but not to proportion of body fat and HbA1c.

Conclusion: In this cross-sectional study, the only metabolic factor associated with clinical hand OA was fasting plasma glucose. Contrary to other studies, there were no gender differences found. The association between development of clinical hand OA and metabolic factors in individuals with knee pain need to be further assessed in longitudinal studies.

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to study associations between chronic widespread pain, widespread pain sensitivity, leptin, and metabolic factors in individuals with knee pain. A secondary aim was to study these associations in a subgroup of individuals with normal BMI.

METHOD: This cross-sectional study included 265 individuals. The participants were categorised into three different pain groups: Chronic widespread pain (CWP), chronic regional pain (ChRP), or no chronic pain (NCP). The pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) were assessed using computerised pressure algometry. Low PPTs were defined as having PPTs in the lowest third of all tender points. Leptin and metabolic factors such as BMI, visceral fat area (VFA), lipids, and glucose were also assessed.

RESULT: Sixteen per cent reported CWP, 15% had low PPTs, and 4% fulfilled both criteria. Those who fulfilled the criteria for CWP were more often women, more obese, and had increased leptin levels. In logistic regression, adjusted for age and gender, leptin was associated with fulfilling criteria for CWP, OR 1.015 (95% CI 1.004-1.027, p = 0.008). In logistic regression, adjusted for age and gender, leptin was associated with low PPTs, OR 1.016 (95% CI 1.004-1.029, p = 0.012). Leptin was also associated with fulfilling both criteria, adjusted for age, sex, and visceral fat area (VFA), OR 1.030 (95% CI 1.001-1.060), p = 0.040.

CONCLUSION: Leptin was associated with fulfilling the combined criteria for chronic widespread pain and low PPTs, even after adjusting for the visceral fat area (VFA). Longitudinal studies are needed to study the causal relationships between leptin and the development of widespread pain.

Objective: We tested the potential of circulating galectin-1, interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-6, and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) levels at baseline in individuals with knee pain as biomarkers for development of radiographic knee and/or hand osteoarthritis (OA). Design: This study comprised 212 individuals with knee pain from the Halland osteoarthritis cohort (HALLOA). Clinical characteristics and serum/plasma levels of galectin-1, IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF alpha were measured at baseline, and knee and hand radiographs were obtained at a two-year follow-up. The predictive value of circulating inflammatory markers and clinical variables at baseline was assessed using multinominal logistic regression for those who developed radiographic OA in knees only (n ​= ​25), in hands only (n ​= ​40), and in both knees and hands (n ​= ​43); the group who did not develop OA (n ​= ​104) was used as reference. Correlations were assessed using Spearman's correlation coefficients. Results: As expected, age was identified as a risk factor for having radiographic knee and/or hand OA at the two-year follow-up. Baseline circulating galectin-1 levels did not associate with developing radiographic knee OA but associated with developing radiographic hand OA (odds ratio (OR) for a 20% increased risk: 1.14, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01–1.29) and both radiographic knee and hand OA (OR for a 20% increased risk: 1.18, 95% CI 1.05–1.30). However, baseline IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF alpha did not associate with developing radiographic knee and/or hand OA. Conclusion: Non-age adjusted circulating galectin-1 is superior to IL-6, IL-1 beta, and TNF alpha in predicting radiographic hand but not knee OA. © 2024 The Author(s)

Notes that being affected by aphasia influences the total life experience. The aim of this study was to generate a theoretical model, from a nursing perspective, of what 12 aphasic persons (aged 28-92 yrs old) experience in encounters with other people. Data were collected through interviews which adopted a biophysical, socio-cultural and psychological approach and then analyzed using grounded theory method. Two main categories emerged, namely: interaction and support. Encountered experiences led to (1) a feeling of having ability, (2) a feeling of being an outsider, and (3) a feeling of dejection or uncertainty. The feeling state was dependent on whether the interaction was obstructed or secure and on whether the support resulted in strengthened or impaired self-esteem. Therefore, nurses need to give support that enhances patients self-esteem and which results in them gaining a positive and realistic view of their aphasia, as well as involving those around them in this perspective. This then will give the possibility for the patient to turn the interaction process from an obstructed into a secure one.

Telephone counseling is a common form of care. In an increasing medical and technical development in ophthalmological care is ophthalmic nurses skills demanded by both patients, relatives and colleagues in other areas of health care. The purpose of this study was to examine the eye nurses experiences of telephone counseling in ophthalmology. The study was conducted using a qualitative approach and data were collected through semi-structured interview. The material was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The results showed that eye nurses were confident and proud of their professional role. They experienced the work as fun, stimulating and challenging. They saw themselves as a pilot in the care of a large advisory role related to their specific knowledge. They also described some difficulties in triagera by phone. They wanted better assessment documentation but was confident in their assessments and any fear of notifications to the regulator were not revealed. They also expressed a need for training in counseling skills. Ophthalmic nurses lacked the time for collegial reflection to develop their professional attitude in the work of telephone counseling.

Background: Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic inflammatory disease primarily affecting the axial skeleton causing pain, inflammation, and stiffness. Individuals with axSpA are at greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease, which can be counteracted by physical activity. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has been shown to improve cardiovascular health, but the effect on disease activity and the level of inflammation in axSpA has been less studied. With the aim of investigating how levels of inflammatory cytokines, myokines, and protein markers for bone metabolism are acutely affected by one bout of HIIT, we studied serum from individuals with axSpA and healthy controls (HC).

Methods: Ten participants with axSpA and 11 age- and sex-matched HC performed a single HIIT bout on a cycle ergometer: 4x4 minutes intervals with three minutes active rest in between. Blood samples were taken before and one hour after the HIIT bout. Serum proteins (IL-6, IL-17, IL-18, TNFa, CXCL-10, VEGF-A, BDNF, DKK-1, osteoprotegerin, osteocalcin, osteopontin, BMP-7, CRP) were analyzed with a Luminex system or ELISA. Descriptive data are presented as mean with standard deviation. A two-way ANOVA was used for comparisons.

Results: A main effect from baseline to one hour post HIIT showed that both groups had a significant increase in serum levels (pg/ml) of IL-6: axSpA 2.2 (3.0) to 3.2 (1.8) and HC 0.4 (0.4) to 1.9 (2.0), p=0.03. VEGF-A (pg/ml) was significantly lower in the axSpA group: 159 (138) vs. HC 326 (184), p=0.03, but was not affected by the HIIT bout. BMP-7 (ng/ml) increased in both groups after the HIIT: axSpA 61.6 (13.1) to 75.2 (20.0) and HC 64.6 (20.8 to 75.0 (17.8), p<0.001. For the other proteins analyzed, there were no significant differences in serum concentrations between individuals with axSpA and HC, or within the two groups before and after one bout of HIIT.

Conclusions: One acute bout of HIIT significantly increases the serum concentrations of IL-6 and BMP-7 after 1 hour in both individuals with axSpA and HC.

© Research Square 2024

Atelektaser uppstår inom tio minuter hos 90 % av alla patienter som sövs och leder till försämrad syresättning men kan även leda till postoperativa lungkomplikationer. Syftet med studien var att beskriva hur anestesisjuksköterskan med olika ventilationsstrategier kan förebygga atelektasbildning under generell anestesi. Studien genomfördes som en litteraturstudie där 19 vetenskapliga artiklar granskades och analyserades. Resultatet visar att när 100 % syrgas ges under induktionen av anestesi ökar uppkomsten av atelektaser. Om positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) 6-10 cmH2O används tillsammans med 100 % syrgas motverkas detta. Det är mer oklart vilken effekt PEEP har efter induktionen av anestesi. PEEP bör kombineras med rekryteringsmanöver för att effektivt motverka atelektasbildning. Olika metoder för att genomföra rekryteringsmanöver finns beskrivna men gemensamt är att topptrycket ska nå upp till cirka 40 cmH2O. Efter induktionen kan anestesisjuksköterskan även förebygga uppkomst av atelektaser genom använda 40 % syrgas. I den kliniska verksamheten saknas ofta riktlinjer för vilken ventilationsstrategi som ska användas. För att kunna arbeta preventivt med att förebygga atelektasbildning måste anestesisjuksköterskan diskutera ventilationsstrategi med anestesiläkaren innan problem med syresättningen uppstår. För framtida forskning skulle det kunna vara av intresse att undersöka hur olika ventilationsinställningar påverkar patientens upplevelse under preoxygenering.

Background: Substantial resources are invested by Health Departments worldwide in introducing National Clinical Audits (NCAs). Yet, there is variable evidence on the NCAs’ effectiveness and little is known on factors underlying the successful use of NCAs to improve local practice. This study will focus on a single NCA (the National Audit of Inpatient Falls -NAIF 2017) to explore: (i) participants’ perspectives on the NCA reports, local feedback characteristics and actions undertaken following the feedback underpinning the effective use of the NCA feedback to improve local practice; (ii) reported changes in local practice following the NCA feedback in England and Wales. Methods: Front-line staff perspectives were gathered through interviews. An inductive qualitative approach was used. Eighteen participants were purposefully sampled from 7 of the 85 participating hospitals in England and Wales. Analysis was guided by constant comparative techniques. Results: Regarding the NAIF annual report, interviewees valued performance benchmarking with other hospitals, the use of visual representations and the inclusion of case studies and recommendations. Participants stated that feedback should target front-line healthcare professionals, be straightforward and focused, and be delivered through an encouraging and honest discussion. Interviewees highlighted the value of using other relevant data sources alongside NAIF feedback and the importance of continuous data monitoring. Participants reported that engagement of front-line staff in the NAIF and following improvement activities was critical. Leadership, ownership, management support and communication at different organisational levels were perceived as enablers, while staffing level and turnover, and poor quality improvement (QI) skills, were perceived as barriers to improvement. Reported changes in practice included increased awareness and attention to patient safety issues and greater involvement of patients and staff in falls prevention activities. Conclusions: There is scope to improve the use of NCAs by front-line staff. NCAs should not be seen as isolated interventions but should be fully embedded and integrated into the QI strategic and operational plans of NHS trusts. The use of NCAs could be optimised, but knowledge of them is poor and distributed unevenly across different disciplines. More research is needed to provide guidance on key elements to consider throughout the whole improvement process at different organisational levels. © 2023, The Author(s).

Regular physical exercise/activity has been shown repeatedly to promote positive benefits in cognitive, emotional and motor domains concomitant with reductions in distress and negative affect. It exerts a preventative role in anxiety and depressive states and facilitates psychological well-being in both adolescents and adults. Not least, several meta-analyses attest to improvements brought about by exercise. In the present treatise, the beneficial effects of exercise upon cognitive, executive function and working memory, emotional, self-esteem and depressed mood, motivational, anhedonia and psychomotor retardation, and somatic/physical, sleep disturbances and chronic aches and pains, categories of depression are discussed. Concurrently, the amelioration of several biomarkers associated with depressive states: hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis homeostasis, anti-neurodegenerative effects, monoamine metabolism regulation and neuroimmune functioning. The notion that physical exercise may function as "scaffolding" that buttresses available network circuits, anti-inflammatory defences and neuroreparative processes, e.g. brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), holds a certain appeal. © 2014 Bentham Science Publishers.

Background: Specialist nurses in psychiatric health care meet patients with suicide problems on a daily basis. Suicide is seen as a public health problem and is a complex area to work with. Aim: was to describe specialist nurses' experiences of nursing in suicide problems in psychiatric health care. Method: Qualitative design with inductiveapproach. Twelve semistructured interviews were analyzed according to qualitative content analysis. Results: The study revealed three categories "The need for continuous and uniform assessments for patient safety","The importance of collegial collaboration as a basis for participation" and "The importance of competence in creating security". The results described the specialist nurse's experience of sometimes feeling alone in suicide risk assessments and thus emphasized the importance of collegial cooperation. Specialist nurses have an important role in meeting patients with suicide problems and in conveying knowledge to colleagues in other organisations. Conclusion: The time to be there for the patients was highlighted as important and the importance of education and supervision was described as significant efforts in the work with patients with suicide problems. 

oken, den första i sitt slag, har ett hälsofrämjande förhållningssätt både vad gäller att förhindra att psykisk ohälsa uppstår och att förhålla sig till personer som i någon mening drabbats av psykisk ohälsa. Syftet är att locka fram hälsofrämjande processer, att hitta hälsan i det sjuka. Författarna beskriver den vårdande insatsen, mötet och relationen mellan vårdare och patient/vårdtagare. Boken belyser också betydelsen av att övriga sociala relationer fungerar, såväl inom familjen som i övriga samhällslivet.

(Beskrivning från förlaget)

Depression is a disease where scientists are not in agreement on its origin. Research indicates that depression will be the second most common disease in the world year 2020. Physical activity is important for the public health and benefits the individuals both physically and psychologically. The purpose of this literature study was to illustrate the relation between depression and physical activity. The result is based on 14 articles which relate to the purpose. The result showed that persons who are physically active have less risk of suffering from psychological difficulties such as depression. There is also a connection between how much physical activity that is carried out and the degree of depression. The nurse's role is important to prevent and relieve depression. In consultation with the patient, physical activity can be suggested as a complement to medical treatment. It can be enough with a couple of walks per week to prevent beginning of depression as well as ease symptoms for those who already suffer from depression. If more people exercised on a regular basis the frequency of depression would most likely be reduced. Further research in this area should be carried out as well as the implementation of knowledge that already exists. It is important that the beneficial effects, which physical activity has on depression, reach all relevant persons within health and medical care industries and that it is implemented. In conjunction with additional research this can lead to physical activities being partial replacement to medical treatment.

Aim: Taking a gender perspective, this study explores and analyzes the labour market situation for 2745 gainfully employed men and women with an educational background in the Swedish upper secondary school for pupils with intellectual disability (ID).

Method: This quantitative register study is based on the cross-classification of a newly created register and a two additional Swedish national registers. The analyses are based on logistic regression and chi-square tests.

Results: Those who are employed after upper secondary school for pupils with ID are 70.8% men and 29.2% women. Both the road to work and the situation at work differs between men and women. Small private companies are the main employers in general, and for women the public sector is also a major employer. Men and women are mainly employed in traditionally “male” and “female” occupations. Also, salary levels and additional support from the welfare system differs between the sexes and within the different educational programs.

Conclusion: Traditional gender roles of the labour market are clearly manifested among the people included in the study. Questions about the gender structure of the Swedish labour market and the impact of educational background on wage labour will be discussed.

The aim of this article is to examine life after school for young adults with intellectual disabilities in Sweden. It identifies a snapshot of the post-school destination in 2011 of students of Swedish Upper Secondary Schools for Pupils with Intellectual Disability (Special Secondary Schools), who graduated between 2001 and 2011. This national registry study used personal identification numbers to link data for about 12,269 former students in the Halmstad University Register on Pupils with Intellectual Disability with data about labour market participation and service provision under the Swedish disability legislation (Swedish LSS Act, 1994). Results showed that the largest proportion (47%) of former students participated in disability day programs, known as “daily activities”; 22.4% were employed, most with some type of wage subsidy; and 6.6% participated in various types of further education programs. A sizeable group (24%) were described as being “elsewhere”, not engaged in employment, education, or disability day programs. The type of post-school occupation is associated with gender, the type of educational program undertaken at secondary school, and age. The authors found a high risk of young people with intellectual disabilities falling through safety-net welfare or post-school participation provisions. Even in a country such as Sweden, which has comprehensive post-school programs, almost a quarter of young adults with intellectual disabilities were socially excluded, without education, disability day programs, or employment. © 2015 Australasian Society for Intellectual Disability

Rheumatic diseases have significant adverse impact on the individual from physical, mental and social aspects, resulting in a low estimation of health-related quality of life (HRQL). Patients with rheumatoid arthritis who receive a multi-disciplinary team-based care in a rheumatology clinic could get improved HRQL. Several factors can be supposed to promote health in patients with rheumatic diseases and in health-promoting work within the clinical practice it would be valuable to identify health factors that affect HRQL in a positive direction.

This is a longitudinal cohort study in 185 patients with rheumatic diseases with test one week and 12 months after rehabilitation on a Swedish rheumatology clinic. HRQL was assessed by SF-36 together with suggested health factors (chronic musculoskeletal pain, sleep quality, food habits, exercise habits, leisure habits, sexual lust, sense of coherence (SOC), social support and socio-demographic variables). The association between SF-36 subscales and suggested health factors were estimated by OR and 95 % CI calculated by multivariable logistic regressions.

Factors predicting better outcome in HRQL in one or several SF-36 subscales were being of younger ages or middle-ages, feeling painless, having good sleep structure, feeling rested after sleep, doing low effort of exercise more than twice a week, having strong SOC, having emotional support and practical assistance, having higher educational level, and having working capacity. The most important factors were having strong SOC, feeling rested after sleep, having working capacity, being of younger ages or middle-ages, and having no/small problem with sleep structure.

The most important factors promoting HRQL in patients with rheumatic diseases 12 months after rehabilitation were having strong SOC, feeling rested after sleep, having working capacity, being of younger ages or middle-ages, and having no/small problem with sleep structure. These health factors are important to address in clinical work with rheumatic diseases to optimise treatment strategies.

Bakgrund

Personer med reumatiska sjukdomar skattar sitt hälsostatus lågt. Hälsostatus och tron på den egna förmågan att kunna påverka hälsan påverkar i sin tur valet av egenvårdsbeteenden. Egenvårdsbeteenden är vanliga och kan förhindra försämrad hälsa och förlust av värdefull fysisk och psykisk aktivitet. Kunskaperna är små om hur personer med reumatiska sjukdomar upplever att utföra egenvård. Syftet är därmed att beskriva hur personer med reumatiska sjukdomar erfar att utföra egenvård för att nå hälsa.

Metod

Studien har en kvalitativ design med en fenomenlogisk ansats och en livsvärldsteoretisk grund. Data har samlats in genom ostrukturerade och öppna intervjuer med 12 personer med olika diagnostiserade reumatiska sjukdomar.

Resultat

Personer med reumatiska sjukdomar upplever att egenvård är ett sätt att leva och att det innebär att ständigt vara redo för att förstå och reagera på signaler från den levda kroppen. Egenvård upplevs som en inre dialog inom den levda kroppen, men också en yttre dialog med närmiljön. Egenvård beskrivs också som en maktkamp där personen strävar efter och tvingar sig att kämpa mot sjukdomen och dess konkreta konsekvenser. Egenvården kräver också att val görs. Avgörande för valet är att personen har tillit till sig själv och tror på sin egen förmåga att välja hälsobefrämjande egenvård. Personer med reumatiska sjukdomar prioriterar egenvård som upplevs som positiv och/eller ger en belöning till den levda kroppen.

Sammanfattning

Personer med reumatiska sjukdomar upplever egenvård som ett sätt att leva och det innebär att vara i beredskap för att förstå och reagera på signaler som den levda kroppen sänder ut. Egenvård kräver dialog, maktkamp och val. Denna kunskap bidrar till en mer fullständig förståelse av faktorer som från ett patientperspektiv är viktiga för hälsan vid kronisk reumatisk sjukdom.

Empowerment is a central concept in a patient-focused rheumatology care. WHO describes empowerment as a process in which the person receives more control over decisions and actions that affect the own life and health. Today there is no Swedish empowerment instrument for rheumatic diseases created or transl[...]

The already existing questionnaire, Swedish Diabetes Empowerment Scale (SWE-DES-23), was adapted for use in patients with rheumatic diseases by exchanging the word diabetes with rheumatic disease in all the questions. No items were added or removed. The adapted questionnaire was called SWE-RES-23. In 2009, 260 patients with rheumatic diseases from a rheumatology unit in the southwest of Sweden completed the questionnaire.

In order to establish discriminant validity, a question about self-perceived health from SF-36 was used in addition to SWE-RES-23.

Construct validity was tested by using exploratory factor analysis. In order to determine unidimensionality of the empowerment subscales, inter-item correlations were calculated. Internal consistency reliability was tested by the use of the Cronbach-α coefficient.

The exploratory factor analysis resulted in five factors (empowerment subscales) with Eigenvalues >1 explaining 64.1% of the variance. The five empowerment subscales were: Goal achievement and overcoming barriers to goal achievement, Self-awareness, Managing stress, Assessing dissatisfaction and readiness to change, and Support for caring. The Cronbach-α values ranged from 0.59 to 0.91 and for the total score 0.92. All inter-item correlations were significant. Patients with very good and good self-reported health scored significantly higher on three empowerment subscales (Goal achievement, Self-awareness and Managing stress). The same patterns were seen in the other two empowerment subscales (Readiness to change and Support for change), but did not reach significance.

The SWE-RES-23 was a first step in developing a questionnaire for assessment of empowerment of patients with rheumatic diseases. The questionnaire possesses acceptable validity and reliability. To fully validate the SWE-RES-23 further studies are needed, but the instrument is even now possible to use in empowerment education programmes for patients with rheumatic diseases.

Twenty-seven children, with typical language development (TLD), 8-10 years old and 10-12 years old, were assessed with keystroke-logging in order to investigate their narrative writing. Measures of the writing process and the written product were used. One purpose was to explore how children produce written narratives in on-line production, and to relate the writing process to the written product. The results showed that those children who produced the final text faster, also wrote stories that comprised of more words. In the group of older children, children with better narrative ability used less pause time than those with worse ability, and the girls were faster writers than the boys. We believe that keystroke-logging gives valuable information for the assessment of young children's writing and that it is a potentially valid assessment tool for children from about 10 years of age.

The purpose of the study was to explore the narrative writing of 18 children, ages 11 to 19, with severe and profound hearing impairment who had cochlear implants (CI), compared with the performance of hearing children. Nine of the 18 children had prelingual deafness and 9 children had postlingual deafness. The hearing impairment was progressive in 11 children. The participants thus formed a heterogeneous group, which was split in two ways: according to age at testing and age at implantation. The narratives were collected by means of keystroke logging. The difference between the children with CI and the hearing children was most prominent for two measures: the percentage of pause time (in the group of children older than 13 years) and lexical density. Furthermore, the children implanted after 5 years of age performed more like the hearing children. This group consisted of children with postlingual deafness and also of children who were deafened progressively. Our interpretation is that these children benefited from the early linguistic input. Taking the whole group of participants into consideration, the results reflect linguistic and cognitive processing limitations in complex linguistic tasks like narration for the children with CI in comparison with their hearing peers.

Many languages in Ethiopia use a unique alphabet called Ethiopic for writing. However, there is no OCR system developed to date. In an effort to develop automatic recognition of Ethiopic script, a novel system is designed by applying structural and syntactic techniques. The recognition system is developed by extracting primitive structural features and their spatial relationships. A special tree structure is used to represent the spatial relationship of primitive structures. For each character, a unique string pattern is generated from the tree and recognition is achieved by matching the string against a stored knowledge base of the alphabet. To implement the recognition system, we use direction field tensor as a tool for character segmentation, and extraction of structural features and their spatial relationships. Experimental results are reported.

This paper presents a novel framework for recognition of Ethiopic characters using structural and syntactic techniques. Graphically complex characters are represented by the spatial relationships of less complex primitives which form a unique set of patterns for each character. The spatial relationship is represented by a special tree structure which is also used to generate string patterns of primitives. Recognition is then achieved by matching the generated string pattern against each pattern in the alphabet knowledge-base built for this purpose. The recognition system tolerates variations on the parameters of characters like font type, size and style. Direction field tensor is used as a tool to extract structural features.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common condition in the family of functional gastrointestinal disorders where patients suffer from abdominal pain and irregular bowel habits. The relationship between physical activity and IBS has not been well explored particularly in the area of physical activity’s role in mitigating the risk and improving the symptoms.In this systematic review, a comprehensive search was done on PubMed and Science Direct in order to find articles that help understand the relationship between physical activity levels and IBS in two folds; first, if there is a correlation between low physical activity levels and IBS, and second, if IBS patients would attain benefits on their symptoms and quality of life by increasing their physical activity levels.15 articles were found matching the inclusion criteria and were reviewed whereby relevant data has been extracted and synthesized; and after being critically analyzed, it transpires that the evidence on low physical activity level as a risk factor in IBS is not conclusive and requires future studies that adopt standard and streamlined methodologies for diagnosing IBS and assessing physical activity levels. Prospective studies in particular are recommended for that purpose.On the other hand, for those who are already diagnosed with IBS, there is an important evidence that increasing physical activity levels leads to lighter symptoms and remarkable improvements in quality of life which proposes physical activity as a primary treatment option in IBS patients. Nevertheless, in order to reach a more comprehensive understanding and a greater level of certainty, future research is needed on the effects of resistance training as well as the responses of each IBS sub-type to increased physical activity.

Background Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is highly prevalent and causes serious health complications in individuals with and without type 2 diabetes (T2D). Early diagnosis of NAFLD is important, as this can help prevent irreversible damage to the liver and, ultimately, hepatocellular carcinomas. We sought to expand etiological understanding and develop a diagnostic tool for NAFLD using machine learning. Methods and findings We utilized the baseline data from IMI DIRECT, a multicenter prospective cohort study of 3,029 European-ancestry adults recently diagnosed with T2D (n = 795) or at high risk of developing the disease (n = 2,234). Multi-omics (genetic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic) and clinical (liver enzymes and other serological biomarkers, anthropometry, measures of beta-cell function, insulin sensitivity, and lifestyle) data comprised the key input variables. The models were trained on MRI-image-derived liver fat content (<5% or ≥5%) available for 1,514 participants. We applied LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) to select features from the different layers of omics data and random forest analysis to develop the models. The prediction models included clinical and omics variables separately or in combination. A model including all omics and clinical variables yielded a cross-validated receiver operating characteristic area under the curve (ROCAUC) of 0.84 (95% CI 0.82, 0.86; p < 0.001), which compared with a ROCAUC of 0.82 (95% CI 0.81, 0.83; p < 0.001) for a model including 9 clinically accessible variables. The IMI DIRECT prediction models outperformed existing noninvasive NAFLD prediction tools. One limitation is that these analyses were performed in adults of European ancestry residing in northern Europe, and it is unknown how well these findings will translate to people of other ancestries and exposed to environmental risk factors that differ from those of the present cohort. Another key limitation of this study is that the prediction was done on a binary outcome of liver fat quantity (<5% or ≥5%) rather than a continuous one. Conclusions In this study, we developed several models with different combinations of clinical and omics data and identified biological features that appear to be associated with liver fat accumulation. In general, the clinical variables showed better prediction ability than the complex omics variables. However, the combination of omics and clinical variables yielded the highest accuracy. We have incorporated the developed clinical models into a web interface (see: https://www.predictliverfat.org/) and made it available to the community. © This is an open access article, free of all copyright, and may be freely reproduced, distributed, transmitted, modified, built upon, or otherwise used by anyone for any lawful purpose. The work is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication.

All rights reserved.It is well known that high von Willebrand factor (VWF) and factor VIII (FVIII) levels are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. It is still debated whether VWF and FVIII are biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis or whether they have a direct causative role. Therefore, we aimed to unravel the pathophysiological pathways of increased VWF and FVIII levels associated with cardiovascular risk factors. First, we performed a randomized controlled trial in 34 Göttingen miniswine. Diabetes mellitus (DM) was induced with streptozotocin and hypercholesterolemia (HC) via a high-fat diet in 18 swine (DM + HC), while 16 healthy swine served as controls. After 5 months of follow-up, FVIII activity (FVIII:C) was significantly higher in DM + HC swine (5.85 IU/mL [5.00-6.81]) compared with controls (4.57 [3.76-5.40], p = 0.010), whereas VWF antigen (VWF:Ag) was similar (respectively 0.34 IU/mL [0.28-0.39] vs. 0.34 [0.31-0.38], p = 0.644). DM + HC swine had no endothelial dysfunction or atherosclerosis during this short-term follow-up. Subsequently, we performed a long-term (15 months) longitudinal cohort study in 10 Landrace-Yorkshire swine, in five of which HC and in five combined DM + HC were induced. VWF:Ag was higher at 15 months compared with 9 months in HC (0.37 [0.32-0.42] vs. 0.27 [0.23-0.40], p = 0.042) and DM + HC (0.33 [0.32-0.37] vs. 0.25 [0.24-0.33], p = 0.042). Both long-term groups had endothelial dysfunction compared with controls and atherosclerosis after 15 months. In conclusion, short-term hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia increase FVIII, independent of VWF. Long-term DM and HC increase VWF via endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis. Therefore, VWF seems to be a biomarker for advanced cardiovascular disease. © 2021 Georg Thieme Verlag. 

Somatic stem cells are ultimately responsible for mediating appropriate organ homeostasis and have therefore been proposed to represent a cellular origin of the ageing process-a state often characterized by inappropriate homeostasis. Specifically, it has been suggested that ageing stem cells might succumb to replicative senescence by a mechanism involving the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p16(INK4A). Here, we tested multiple functional and molecular parameters indicative of p16(INK4A) activity in primary aged murine hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). We found no evidence that replicative senescence accompanies stem cell ageing in vivo, and in line with p16(INK4A) being a critical determinant of such processes, most aged HSCs (>99%) failed to express p16(INK4A) at the mRNA level. Moreover, whereas loss of epigenetically guided repression of the INK4A/ARF locus accompanied replicative senescent murine embryonic fibroblasts, such repression was maintained in aged stem cells. Taken together, these studies indicate that increased senescence as mediated by the p16(INK4A) tumor suppressor has only a minor function as an intrinsic regulator of steady-state HSC ageing in vivo.