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At least 1,423 records · Page 79Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

Attentional functioning in fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and musculoskeletal pain patients.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether chronic pain patients have deficits in attentional functioning compared with pain-free controls, and whether fibromyalgia patients have larger deficits in attentional functioning compared with rheumatoid arthritis and musculoskeletal pain patients. METHODS: Sixty patients (20 in each of 3 patient groups) and 20 pain-free controls completed measures assessing pain intensity, mood, pain-related disability, somatic awareness, and catastrophic thinking about pain. Attentional functioning was assessed using an age-standardized, ecologically valid test battery. Analyses were made of between-group differences. RESULTS: Sixty percent of patients had at least one score in the clinical range of neuropsychological impairment, independent of demography and mood. Fibromyalgia patients were more anxious and somatically aware than rheumatoid arthritis or musculoskeletal pain patients, but did not show larger attentional deficits than other patient groups. CONCLUSION: All 3 groups of chronic pain patients, regardless of diagnosis, had impaired cognitive functioning on an ecologically sensitive neuropsychological test of everyday attention.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Darwinian fitness, evolutionary entropy and directionality theory.

Two recent articles provide computational and empirical validation of the following analytical fact: the outcome of competition between an invading genotype and that of a resident population is determined by the rate at which the population returns to its original size after a random perturbation. This phenomenon can be quantitatively described in terms of the demographic parameter termed "evolutionary entropy", a measure of the variability in the age at which individuals produce offspring and die. The two articles also validate certain predictions of directionality theory, an evolutionary model that integrates demography and ecology with population genetics. In particular, directionality theory predicts that in populations that spend the greater part of their life cycle in the stationary growth phase, evolution will result in an increase in entropy. These species will be described by a late age of sexual maturity, small progeny sets and a broad reproductive time-span. In populations that undergo large fluctuations in size, however, the evolutionary outcome will be different. When the average size is large, evolution will result in a decrease in entropy-these populations will be described by early age of sexual maturity, large numbers of offspring and narrow reproductive span but when the average size is small, the evolutionary outcome will be random and non-directional.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2007

Cumulative cost pattern comparison of prostate cancer treatments.

BACKGROUND: Studies that compare prostate cancer treatment costs show wide variation. None compare all contemporary treatment costs, and most focus on initial treatment costs. The authors compared healthcare utilization and cost patterns of prostate cancer treatments over a span of 5.5 years in 4553 newly diagnosed patients stratified by age and risk group. METHODS: Contemporary treatment and evaluation patterns for prostate cancer were identified by using CaPSURE, a national disease registry of men with prostate cancer that included ongoing clinical data collection from 31 academic and community urology practices and biennial patient-reported outcome questionnaires that included demography, medical condition, comorbidity, risk measures, and healthcare utilization. Costs of outpatient visits, medications, and hospitalizations were applied from various national sources. Recurrent events analysis (MCF) accounted for left and right censorship. A mixed effects regression model with bootstrapping for skewed cost data quantified the relation between MCF cost, age, and risk. RESULTS: Prostate-related costs in the first 6 months after treatment were 11,495 dollars, (from 2586 dollars for watchful waiting (WW) to 24,204 dollars for external beam radiation. After 6 months, average cost was only 3044 dollars. Annual cost is 7740 dollars, highest for androgen deprivation therapy (12,590 dollars) and lowest for watch waiting (5843 dollars). Risk and age were significantly related to initial treatment choice. Cumulative cost (42,570 dollars) allowed a better estimate of treatment pattern costs. CONCLUSIONS: The cost burden of prostate cancer is high, but it varies by treatment type even when controlling for disease, age, and stage. Cumulative cost analysis allowed inclusion of adverse events and disease recurrence costs, making new cost comparisons evident among treatments.

Aged↗
PubMed2026

Fine-Scale Population Genomics Reveals Genetic Differentiation in the Brooding Amphipod Cheirimedon femoratus Across the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica.

Antarctic marine ecosystems are sensitive to environmental change, and impacts on processes such as population connectivity will play a fundamental role in future population dynamics and persistence, affecting short-term demography and long-term evolution. We investigated the population genomics of the common benthic brooding Antarctic amphipod Cheirimedon femoratus (Pfeffer, 1888), using 8837 high-quality single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 87 individuals collected at 4 sites in the South Shetland Islands, separated by up to 200 km: Deception Island, King George Island, Livingston Island, and Snow Island. While Admixture, F ST, principal component analysis (PCA), and demographic (Ne) analyses revealed a generally weak population genetic structure, Livingston Island emerged as a distinct population, especially compared to King George Island. All populations showed a heterozygote deficit with positive inbreeding coefficients (F IS), particularly high in the Snow Island population (~0.55). Tajima's D test suggested overall neutral evolution, although slight variation was observed among sites. Despite the limited dispersal potential of this brooding species, the observed connectivity may be maintained through passive dispersal, likely via floating macroalgae or ice-rafted debris, facilitated by prevailing regional ocean currents. This may enhance the population resilience of Antarctic benthic communities under environmental change, including regional warming and shifts in ocean circulation, compared to more isolated populations. Our findings underscore the complex interplay between passive connectivity and fine-scale differentiation in shaping Antarctic benthic invertebrate diversity.

Amphipoda↗
PubMed2004

Which genetic marker for which conservation genetics issue?

Conservation genetics focuses on the effects of contemporary genetic structuring on long-term survival of a species. It helps wildlife managers protect biodiversity by identifying a series of conservation units, which include species, evolutionarily significant units (ESUs), management units (MUs), action units (AUs), and family nets (FNs). Although mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) evolves 5-10 times faster than single-copy nuclear DNA (scnDNA), it records few traces of contemporary events. Thus, mtDNA can be used to resolve taxonomic uncertainties and ESUs. Variable number of tandem repeats (VNTRs) evolve 100-1000 times faster than scnDNA and provide a powerful tool for analyzing recent and contemporary events. VNTR analysis techniques include polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based microsatellite assays and oligonucleotide probing. Size homoplasy problems in PCR-based microsatellite assays can strongly affect the inference of recent population history. The high homozygosity in endangered species is reflected in a relatively low number and level of variability in microsatellite loci. This combined with "allelic dropout" and "misprinting" errors contributes to the generation of highly biased genetic data following analyses of natural populations. Thus, in conservation genetics, microsatellites are of limited use for identifying ESUs, MUs, and AUs. In contrast to PCR-based microsatellite analysis, oligonucleotide probing avoids errors resulting from PCR amplification. It is particularly suitable for inferring recent population history and contemporary gene flow between fragmented subpopulations. Oligonucleotide fingerprinting generates individual-specific DNA banding patterns and thus provides a highly precise tool for monitoring demography of natural populations. Hence, DNA fingerprinting is powerful for distinguishing ESUs, MUs, AUs, and FNs. The use of oligonucleotide fingerprinting and fecal DNA is opening new areas for conservation genetics.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Population genetics of induced mutations.

The contribution of induced mutations to the burden of genetic disease in the context of population genetics is considered. A clear distinction is made between the effects of genetic disease and mutational events. Much of the existing burden of genetic disease is a consequence of mutations that occurred in the past. The problem of distinguishing between spontaneous and induced mutations is discussed. Molecular genetics techniques are blurring the definitions of these terms. Classical population genetics shows that the frequency of affected individuals will reach an equilibrium depending on the mutation rate and the selective pressure against affected individuals. Increasing the mutation rate or reducing the selective pressures would result in a new equilibrium with an increase in the frequency in subsequent generations of affected individuals with dominant and X-linked mutant alleles. The increase in the number of recessive mutant alleles would be much slower and take many generations to reach the new equilibrium level. One assumption behind such equilibria is random mating. Changes in human demography with a rapid increase in population size, the breakup of small, relatively inbred subpopulations, and relaxed selective pressures will lead to a new equilibrium for recessive genes at probably higher frequencies. These factors will be the major contributors to increasing the burden of recessive genetic disease by increasing the total numbers of cases. The proportion of the population with a genetic disease will also continue to grow as a greater proportion of the population survives to late middle age and succumbs to diseases associated with old age, such as cancer, circulatory disease, dementias, and diabetes, each of which is likely to have a genetic component.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Genetic Diseases, Inborn↗
PubMed2001

Depressive symptoms among cognitively normal versus cognitively impaired elderly subjects.

OBJECTIVES: The present cross-sectional study analyzed the prevalence and severity of depressive symptoms among patients with Alzheimer's disease (DAT), vascular dementia (VAD), and among the cognitively normal elderly. Putative risk factors contributing to depression were likewise evaluated. METHODS: Seventy-six DAT patients, 51 VAD patients, and 121 cognitively normal subjects were admitted to the study. Questionnaires concerning demography and their vascular and familial risk factors together with results of neuropsychological testing by combined Mini-Mental Status Examinations (MMSE), Cognitive Capacity Screening Examinations (CCSE), and Hamilton Depression Rating Scales (HDRS) were obtained so that resulting data would be statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Prevalence of depressive symptoms among VAD, DAT, and cognitively normal elderly were 31.4%, 19.9%, and 13.2%, respectively. 25.5% of VAD and 13.2% of DAT patients had depression of mild to moderate degrees. Regression analysis revealed that diagnosis of VAD and DAT, heart disease, and past history of depression was significantly associated with high HDRS scores. There was no correlation between degree of depression and severity of cognitive impairments. CONCLUSION: Mild to moderate depression is a common comorbidity with organic dementia, especially VAD, but associated depression is independent of severity of cognitive impairments.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Employee experience of structural change in two Norwegian hospitals.

Advances in medical and technological procedures, together with changes in demography, demand structural changes in the Nordic health care systems. Few studies have focused on employee perceptions of these structural changes. This study aims to describe employee reactions following a merger between two Norwegian hospitals. A Grounded theory approach has been used in this study. The theoretical model is based on empirical data collected from employees directly affected by the structural change process. Employee resistance was found to be the core category. Three categories were found in relation to this core category; goal uncertainty, organizational culture and individual insecurity. Different perceptions and interpretations of vaguely formulated goals lead to employee resistance. The difference between the organizational cultures in the two hospitals impeded the merger according to the project plan, and very few positive results could be seen. Individual insecurity regarding the future was experienced in connection with the implementation of structural change. The authors propose a strategy to counteract resistance in similar mergers.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2001

Using linked markers to infer the age of a mutation.

Advances in sequencing and genotyping technologies over the last decade have enabled geneticists to easily characterize genetic variation at the nucleotide level. Hundreds of genes harboring mutations associated with genetic disease have now been identified by positional cloning. Using variation at closely linked genetic markers, it is possible to predict the times in the past at which particular mutations arose. Such studies suggest that many of the rare mutations underlying human genetic disorders are relatively young. Studies of variation at genetic markers linked to particular mutations can provide insights into human geographic history, and historical patterns of natural selection and disease, that are not available from other sources. We review two approaches for estimating allele age using variation at linked genetic markers. A phylogenetic approach aims to reconstruct the gene tree underlying a sample of chromosomes carrying a particular mutation, obtaining a "direct" estimate of allele age from the age of the root of this tree. A population genetic approach relies on models of demography, mutation, and/or recombination to estimate allele age without explicitly reconstructing the gene tree. Phylogenetic methods are best suited for studies of ancient mutations, while population genetic methods are better suited for studies of recent mutations. Methods that rely on recombination to infer the ages of alleles can be fine-tuned by choosing linked markers at optimal map distances to maximize the information available about allele age. A limitation of methods that rely on recombination is the frequent lack of a fine-scale linkage map. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods for estimating allele age that rely on intensive numerical computation are described, as well as "composite" likelihood and moment-based methods that lead to simple estimators. The former provide more accurate estimates (particularly for large samples of chromosomes) and should be employed if computationally practical.

Alleles↗
PubMed2004

Variants in TNFRSF5 locus and association analysis with Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

Human TNFRSF5, a key signaling molecule expressed by antigen-presenting cells of the immune system, might have associations with autoimmune diseases and various infectious diseases. In the present study, we screened single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TNFRSF5 and examined whether they are risk factors for persistent HBV infection or disease severity. We resequenced all 9 exons, the promoter and splicing regions of all introns for 186 Chinese individuals, and identified 11 SNPs. Haplotypes and their frequencies were estimated. The linkage disequilibrium (LD) pattern was also evaluated. Neutrality tests indicated that the variation pattern at TNFRSF5 locus departs from neutrality and may be maintained by positive selection or demography factors such as population growth. Three SNPs (g.53031T>C, g.54068T>C and g.64493A>G) were determined as haplotype-tag SNPs (htSNPs). Furthermore, computer analyses indicated that sequences surrounding g.53031T>C and g.53824T>C were potential binding sites for transcription factors Sp1 and H4TF-2, respectively. We then genotyped these four SNPs for 603 persistent HBV infection patients and 384 spontaneously recovered subjects by PCR direct sequencing. No statistically significant associations were observed between any of the SNPs or haplotypes and persistent HBV infection or disease severity. The information from this study of the TNFRSF5 would be useful for genetic studies of other common diseases.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Some demographic aspects of pregnancy histories of sterilized women in the Mission Hospitals of Karnataka.

This study deals with the pregnancy histories of 534 women whow were sterilized in the Mission Hospitals in Karnataka State (India) during 1974 and 1975. Fertility differentials prevailing in various sociocultural groups are indicated. The study highlights the prevalence of adolescent sterility and also emphasizes the need for spacing pregnancies to avoid fetal wastage. The differentials in the sex ratio at each birth order are described. the need for further investigation in this field of demography is emphasized.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Clinical characteristics and outcome of non-squamous cell malignancies of the maxillary sinus.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A significant paucity of data exists on non-squamous cancers of the maxillary sinus. The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical characteristics and outcomes of these tumors. METHODS: Retrospective review of 42 patients with complete available data and a diagnosis of non-squamous cancer of the maxillary sinus treated with curative intent between 1994 and 1999 were performed. Information recorded included demography, clinical characteristics, histopathological findings, treatment methods, and outcome. Survival was also compared with that of squamous cancers of the maxillary sinus. RESULTS: The majority of patients presented with locally advanced disease (83%). Malignancies were 14 sarcomas, 8 adenoid cystic carcinoma, 8 mucoepidermoid carcinoma, 2 adenocarcinoma, and 10 miscellaneous tumors. Fifteen (35.7%) patients developed recurrent disease and six developed distant metastases. The most common site of recurrence was local (32.5%). The overall mean survival was 71.7 months and 5-year overall and disease-free survival was 51% and 48%, respectively. In contrast, the mean survival in the selected 62 patients with squamous cancers was 40 months and 5-year survival was 29% (P = 0.01). Tumor stage, histological, and treatment type was not associated with significant survival advantage. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with non-squamous cancers of the maxillary sinus present with locally advanced disease. Local tumor progression remains a significant pattern of failure; however, unlike squamous cancers they have a better prognosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Osteoporosis in Parkinson's disease.

There are few studies of osteoporosis in Parkinson's disease (PD). We assessed the prevalence of osteoporosis in a PD clinic cohort. All subjects with a confirmed diagnosis of PD attending a clinic were invited to participate. All consenting subjects had bone density measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scanning. Further data, including demography, disease duration, and disease severity, were collected. One hundred five subjects participated; median age was 75 (54-92) years. Fifty-one (49%) patients were men. Of the men: median T score, -1.3 (range, -4.7 to 3.8); median Z score, 0.0 (-3.2 to 4.7); diagnostic categories: osteoporosis, 20%; osteopenia, 41%; normal, 39%. Of the women: median T score -2.7 (-4.7 to 1.4); median Z score, -0.25 (-2.6 to 4.2); diagnostic categories: osteoporosis, 63%; osteopenia, 28%; and normal, 9%. Whole sample: osteoporosis, 42%; osteopenia, 34%; and normal, 24%. There were associations between age, depression, disease duration, and osteoporosis but not with disease severity. Female gender was an independent predictor of osteoporosis. The prevalence of osteoporosis/osteopenia is considerable in PD patients but does not exceed that of other people of similar age. Osteoporosis/osteopenia was present in almost all women of this age group with PD.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Self-medication in a Portuguese urban population: a prevalence study.

PURPOSE: To determine the prevalence of self-medication in a Portuguese urban population. To assess the feasibility of performing these studies in community pharmacies. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was chosen to collect information about demography, use of health services and drug utilization in a sample of pharmacy user-purchasers in a pre-determined period of time. RESULTS: The proportion of pharmacies which participated in the study was 18.3% (11 from 60 invited) in Lisbon and 37.5% (15 of 40 invited) in Porto. Among the 3312 selected patients, only 2.6% (n = 114) refused to participate. The prevalence of self-medication was found to be 26.2%. The distribution of self-medication by gender was 28.4% for males and 25.2% for females. Use of self-medication was statistically significantly higher (p < 0.001) among individuals aged between 10 and 49 years. The main therapeutic groups used for self-medication, according to the ATC classification, were throat preparations, cough and cold preparations, stomatological preparations (antiinfectives and corticosteroides for local oral treatment), laxatives, analgesics, dermatological preparations, vitamins, mineral supplements and other alimentary tract and metabolism products. CONCLUSIONS: In the urban areas under study the overall prevalence of self-medication was 26.2%. Predictive factors for self-medication seem to be, a high level of education, professional status and length of waiting times for a medical consultation in cases of a severe health problem. Further research on this subject is needed to confirm the reproducibility of these results, since potential selection bias could have been introduced due to the method used for patient selection. Pharmacoepidemiologic research is feasible in Portuguese community pharmacies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Parametric modelling of neonatal mortality in relation to size at birth.

We use a richly parameterized model to analyse the effects of shortness and thinness at birth on neonatal mortality in Swedish live-born singletons. The model captures the hazard of neonatal mortality according to the function alpha x exp(-gamma x t) + delta, where t represents age. Covariates are allowed to simultaneously influence the initial excess hazard, the rate of decay, and the long-term hazard. Among term newborns, birth length for gestational age had a stronger effect on the long-term hazard and a weaker effect on the initial excess hazard than the Ponderal index. The initial excess hazard associated with a low Ponderal index tended to decay quickly. Among preterm newborns, a higher birth length for gestational age was associated with lower initial and long-term hazards, and with a faster rate of decay of the initial excess hazard. In contrast, the Ponderal index was not associated with the long-term hazard. We discuss the interpretability of the model and its potential use in neonatology and medical demography. We also compare the model to a Cox model with time-dependent covariates.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2001

Influences on meat consumption in Australia.

In a study of influences on meat consumption, over 700 South Australians answered questions on frequency of meat consumption, beliefs about meat and nutrition, perceived difficulties with and benefits of vegetarian diets, personal values, number of vegetarian significant others, use in and trust of health/nutrition/food information sources, and demography. Perceived difficulties with vegetarian diets, the number of vegetarian significant others and beliefs about meat were important predictors of meat consumption. There were differences between men and women and members of different age groups, which should be taken into account when attempts are made to influence meat consumption. For example, health promotion campaigns that focus on whether or not meat is necessary in the diet may influence meat consumption, but would be most successful if directed predominantly at older people and men. In contrast, the meat consumption of women and younger people was strongly associated with more specific concerns about lack of iron and protein in the vegetarian diet. Some of the difficulties people find with vegetarian diets will also apply to plant-based diets generally, and such diets are becoming more widely acknowledged as providing health benefits. Therefore, the findings have important implications for public health.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Mortality analysis of Pleistocene bears and its paleoanthropological relevance.

Bear bones and Paleolithic stone artefacts often co-occur in Pleistocene cave deposits of Eurasia, raising the question of how these associations come about and the need for effective methods with which to obtain a clear answer. Building upon knowledge of modern bears, I present a method for testing two competing hypotheses about the causes of bear mortality in hibernation contexts. The first hypothesis proposes that age-dependent deaths resulted from non-violent causes (principally starvation), implying that bears' presence in a cave was not linked in time to human activities there. The second hypothesis proposes that random bear deaths in caves resulted from hunting by humans or other large predators, implying a temporal link between them; the expectation of a nonselective age pattern in this circumstance arises from the fact that the individual characters of hibernating bears are hidden from predators. Three elements of the method and its development are presented: (1) a brief review of the biological bases of hibernation-related mortality in modern Ursus, its paleontological consequences, and test expectations drawn therefrom; (2) a detailed, illustrated technique for age-scoring isolated bear cheek teeth based on tooth eruption-wear sequences, developed primarily for cave and brown bears; and, (3) a simple, accurate way to evaluate real cases in terms of contrasting mortality models. The final step is demonstrated by application to a Middle Pleistocene cave bear assemblage (Ursus deningeri) from Yarimburgaz Cave in Turkey, a large collection found in general stratigraphic association with Paleolithic artefacts. The advantages of the method include its ability to (a) handle small samples, (b) use isolated tooth specimens, and (c) evaluate cases simultaneously in terms of idealized age structure models and the variation that normally is associated with each under natural conditions. While the more obvious benefit of bear mortality analysis may be to research on ancient bear demography, the principles and procedures offered here are equally pertinent to archaeological studies of carnivore-mediated formation processes in cave sites. As is generally true in taphonomic research, however, bear mortality patterns are most effective when used in combination with independent lines of evidence to address questions about assemblage formation.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Are certain life histories particularly prone to local extinction?

Using stochastic simulations and elasticity analysis, we show that there are inherent differences in the risk of extinction between life histories with different demographies. Which life history is the most vulnerable depends on which vital rate varies. When juvenile survival varies semelparous organisms with delayed reproduction are the most vulnerable ones, while a varying developmental rate puts a greater threat to semelparous organisms with rapid development. Iteroparous organisms are the most vulnerable ones when adult survival varies. Generally, we do not expect to observe organisms in nature having variation in vital rates that produce a high risk of extinction. Given the results here we therefore predict that iteroparous organisms should show low variation in adult survival. Moreover, we predict that semelparous organisms should show low variation in juvenile survival and low variation in developmental rate. The effect of temporal correlation on extinction risk is most pronounced in organisms with semelparous life histories.

Animals↗