Article Gate
Not a member yet
471 research outputs found
Sort by
Time spent in outdoor light is associated with the risk of dementia: a prospective cohort study of 362094 participants
Get PDFData on the association between free-living daytime sunlight exposure and incident dementia are scarce. The objective is to evaluate whether the time spent in outdoor light is related to the dementia risk and to investigate whether the optimal duration varies with clinical parameters.
Methods
Data were from a prospective cohort of 362,094 UK Biobank participants. A questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate how many hours the participants spent outdoors on typical summer and winter days. A restricted cubic spline (RCS) was performed to explore the potential nonlinear relationship between sunlight exposure and the risk of dementia. We used multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) for the associations between sunlight exposure and dementia outcomes, with the change points as a reference.
Results
After a median follow-up of 9.0 years, 4149 (1.15%) individuals were diagnosed with dementia. RCS showed a J-shaped relationship between time spent in outdoor light and the dementia risk, with the lowest risk at three change points (1.5 h/day on average, 2 h/day in summer, and 1 h/day in winter). Cox hazard regression models showed a marked increase in risk at low exposure (HR=1.287, 95%CI 1.094–1.515) but a relatively slow increase at higher exposure (HR=1.070, 95%CI 1.031–1.10). Results are more pronounced among participants over 60 years old, females, and those with exactly 7 h of sleep every night.
Conclusions
Sunlight exposure had a J-shaped association with dementia risk. Giving detailed guidance on sunlight exposure can effectively prevent dementia
Public opinion about climate policies: A review and call for more studies of what people want
Get PDFAround the world, most people are aware of the problem of climate change, believe it is anthropogenic, and feel concerned about its potential consequences. What they think should be done about the problem, however, is less clear. Particularly due to widespread support among policy experts for putting a price on greenhouse gas emissions, more studies have investigated public attitudes towards carbon taxes than any other type of policy. Such studies have found substantial public opposition to carbon taxes, largely due to political distrust, though also some evidence that careful design and messaging can mitigate people’s skepticism. Surprisingly few studies have investigated attitudes towards other climate policies, and there is an urgent need for more research about what—given their beliefs about the nature and severity of the problem—people would like to see their governments doing. This is especially the case for residents of lower-income and/or non-Western nations
Ten simple rules for establishing a mentorship programme
Get PDFIn recent years, a wide variety of mentorship programmes targeting issues that cannot be addressed through traditional teaching and learning methods alone have been developed. Mentoring plays significant roles in the growth and development of both mentors and mentees, and the positive impacts of mentoring have been well documented. Mentorship programmes are therefore increasingly being implemented in a wide variety of fields by organisations, academic institutes, businesses, and governments. While there is a growing body of literature on mentoring and mentorship programmes, gaining a clear overview of the field is often challenging. In this article, we therefore provide a concise summary of recommendations to consider when designing and establishing mentorship programmes. These recommendations are based on the collective knowledge and experiences of 4 different emerging and established mentorship programmes and can be adapted across various mentorship settings or contexts
Regional Differences in the Prevalence of Atopic Dermatitis among Schoolchildren in Japan and Its Associated Factors from 2006 to 2018
Get PDFThe trends in the prevalence of atopic dermatitis for each prefecture over recent years have not been investigated in Japan, and no studies investigating the factors associated with the prevalence using nationwide data have been conducted. We investigated the trends in the prevalence of atopic dermatitis among schoolchildren for each prefecture in Japan from 2006 to 2018 and identified the factors associated with regional differences in prevalence. The data on the atopic dermatitis prevalence in schoolchildren aged 6–17 years were collected as part of the School Health Statistics Research. The demographic, socioeconomic, medical, and environmental characteristics of the prefectures were examined for possible associations with the prevalence. The age-standardized prevalence rates of atopic dermatitis were calculated separately for boys and girls and by prefecture and year. We examined the associations between the age-standardized prevalence rates and prefectural characteristics using an ecological study. The age-standardized prevalence rates of atopic dermatitis tended to be stable for Japan as a whole, whereas the trend in the age-standardized prevalence rates differed across prefectures. In the regression analysis, the year was negatively associated and the number of medical clinics per 100,000 persons was positively associated with the age-standardized prevalence in girls. The taxable income per capita was positively associated with the age-standardized prevalence both in boys and in girls
Alternatives to Subcutaneous Immunotherapy for Allergic Rhinitis
Get PDFAllergic rhinitis (AR) is an important public health issue worldwide due to its increasing prevalence and impact on quality of life, school performance, and work productivity. Subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) is used to treat AR and involves repeated injections of allergen extracts. SCIT is used for cases of severe AR with symptoms that are not adequately controlled by medication, when the side effects of medication limit treatment options, or where the aim is to cure rather than symptomatically treat. Although SCIT is effective, it is not necessarily curative. Furthermore, there is also a low but present risk of systemic allergic reactions, with systemic side effects occurring in less than 0–1% of treated patients. Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) has emerged as an effective and safe alternative to SCIT. SCIT and SLIT are the only immunotherapies currently available for AR. In addition to sublingual administration as an alternative to SCIT, other routes of antigen administration have been attempted with the goal of increasing safety while maintaining efficacy. This review discusses the efficacies of SCIT and SLIT, their mechanisms, the utility of intralymphatic immunotherapy (ILIT) as an alternative route of antigen administration, and the potential for immunotherapy using other routes of antigen administration
The FAR protein family of parasitic nematodes
Get PDFFatty acid–and retinol-binding proteins (FARs) belong to a unique family of excreted/secreted proteins (ESPs) found exclusively in nematodes. Much of our understanding of these proteins, however, is limited to their in vitro binding characteristics toward various fatty acids and retinol and has provided little insight into their in vivo functions or mechanisms. Recent research, however, has shown that FARs elicit an immunomodulatory role in plant and animal model systems, likely by sequestering lipids involved in immune signaling. This alludes to the intricate relationship between parasitic nematode effectors and their hosts
Inducible CRISPR activation screen for interferon-stimulated genes identifies OAS1 as a SARS-CoV-2 restriction factor
Get PDFInterferons establish an antiviral state through the induction of hundreds of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). The mechanisms and viral specificities for most ISGs remain incompletely understood. To enable high-throughput interrogation of ISG antiviral functions in pooled genetic screens while mitigating potentially confounding effects of endogenous interferon and antiproliferative/proapoptotic ISG activities, we adapted a CRISPR-activation (CRISPRa) system for inducible ISG expression in isogenic cell lines with and without the capacity to respond to interferons. We used this platform to screen for ISGs that restrict SARS-CoV-2. Results included ISGs previously described to restrict SARS-CoV-2 and novel candidate antiviral factors. We validated a subset of these by complementary CRISPRa and cDNA expression experiments. OAS1, a top-ranked hit across multiple screens, exhibited strong antiviral effects against SARS-CoV-2, which required OAS1 catalytic activity. These studies demonstrate a high-throughput approach to assess antiviral functions within the ISG repertoire, exemplified by identification of multiple SARS-CoV-2 restriction factors
Ibrutinib plus Obinutuzumab as Frontline Therapy for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Is Associated with a Lower Rate of Infusion-Related Reactions and with Sustained Remissions after Ibrutinib Discontinuation: A Single-Arm, Open-Label, Phase 1b/2 Clinical Trial NCT0231576
Get PDFIbrutinib-based therapies are costly and require continuous administration. We hypothesized combining BTK inhibition with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies would yield deep remissions allowing discontinuation. We enrolled 32 therapy-naïve CLL patients to receive ibrutinib plus obinutuzumab, followed by single-agent ibrutinib. Patients could discontinue ibrutinib after 36 months with sustained complete response (CR). We evaluated treatment safety, efficacy, and outcomes after ibrutinib discontinuation. The overall response rate was 100%, 28% achieved a CR, and 12.5% achieved bone marrow undetectable minimal residual disease. At a three-year median follow-up, 91% remain in remission with 100% overall survival. Five patients in sustained CR stopped ibrutinib and have not progressed. Eight non-CR patients discontinued for other reasons, with only two progressing. The treatment was safe, with a lower IRR rate. All patients responded to treatment with longer time-to-progression after discontinuation of ibrutinib. Our data support the evaluation of ibrutinib discontinuation strategies in more extensive clinical trials (https://Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02315768)
Effect of non-pharmaceutical interventions in the early phase of the COVID-19 epidemic in Saudi Arabia
Get PDFNon-pharmaceutical interventions have been widely employed to control the COVID-19 pandemic. Their associated effect on SARS-CoV-2 transmission have however been unequally studied across regions. Few studies have focused on the Gulf states despite their potential role for global pandemic spread, in particular in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through religious pilgrimages. We study the association between NPIs and SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the first pandemic wave between March and October 2020. We infer associations between NPIs introduction and lifting through a spatial SEIR-type model that allows for inferences of region-specific changes in transmission intensity. We find that reductions in transmission were associated with NPIs implemented shortly after the first reported case including Isolate and Test with School Closure (region-level mean estimates of the reduction in R0 ranged from 25–41%), Curfew (20–70% reduction), and Lockdown (50–60% reduction), although uncertainty in the estimates was high, particularly for the Isolate and Test with School Closure NPI (95% Credible Intervals from 1% to 73% across regions). Transmission was found to increase progressively in most regions during the last part of NPI relaxation phases. These results can help informing the policy makers in the planning of NPI scenarios as the pandemic evolves with the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants and the availability of vaccination
Kinematic and Radiographic Evaluation of Acromioclavicular Reconstruction with a Synthetic Ligament
Get PDFPurpose. The optimal surgical technique for unstable acromioclavicular (AC) and coracoclavicular (CC) joint injuries has not yet been established. The biomechanical and radiographic effect of the LockDown device, a synthetic ligament for AC joint reconstruction, was evaluated to assess the optimal surgical technique for unstable AC and CC joint injuries. It was hypothesized that the LockDown device would restore AC joint kinematics and radiographic stability to near native values. Methods. Three fresh frozen cadaveric torsos (6 shoulders) modelled CC joint motion in their “native,” “severed,” and “reconstructed” states. The effects of stressed and unstressed native, severed, and reconstructed conditions on AC separation and CC distances in anteroposterior, mediolateral, and inferosuperior directions during shoulder abduction, flexion, and scaption were assessed. The analysis of variance (, 0.05) was used to compare CC distance and peak AC distance in anteroposterior, mediolateral, and inferosuperior directions during shoulder flexion, abduction, and scaption measurements among native, severed, and reconstructed states with unstressed and stressed Zanca radiographic views. Results. From radiographic analyses, the CC distance was significantly greater () across the surgical state in stressed versus unstressed views. Mean difference between stressed and unstressed views was 1.8 mm in native state, 4.1 mm in severed state, and 0.9 mm in reconstructed state. The CC distance was significantly greater in the “severed” state (10.4 mm unstressed; 14.5 mm stressed) compared to the “native” state () (6.5 mm unstressed; 8.3 mm stressed) and compared to the “reconstructed” state () (3.1 mm unstressed; 4.0 mm stressed) and significantly less () in the “reconstructed” state compared to the “native” state. CC distances decreased from native to reconstructed, an average of 3.3 mm for unstressed and 4.3 mm for stressed. On average, peak AC joint separation distance in anteroposterior, mediolateral, and inferosuperior directions during shoulder-abduction, flexion, and scaption was shown to be restored to 11.5 mm of native values after reconstruction with LockDown device. Conclusion. Reconstruction of AC joint with LockDown synthetic ligament restores motion of clavicle and acromion to near native values, thereby decreasing scapular dyskinesis and enhancing AC joint stability