Social cognitive correlates of device-measured and self-reported physical activity in Black and White individuals with multiple sclerosis

BackgroundThere is increasing research interest regarding physical activity behavior among persons with multiple sclerosis (MS), yet there is little known about physical activity and its correlates in Black persons with MS.ObjectiveThis cross-sectional study assessed associations among social cognitive theory (SCT) variables and device-measured and self-reported physical activity in samples of Black and White persons with MS.MethodsParticipants included 67 Black and 141 White persons with MS who wore an ActiGraph accelerometer on a belt around the waist measuring moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) for seven days and completed a battery of questionnaires. Questionnaires included demographic and clinical characteristics, leisure-time exercise, exercise self-efficacy, overcoming barriers self-efficacy, function, social support, exercise outcome expectations, and goal setting and planning.ResultsBlack participants with MS engaged in significantly less MVPA, but not sedentary behavior or light physical activity, than the White participants with MS. Black participants further had significantly lower levels of exercise self-efficacy and outcome expectations than the White sample. All SCT correlates were significantly correlated with self-reported physical activity, but only exercise and barriers self-efficacy, perceived function, and exercise goal setting were associated with device-measured MVPA. The difference in physical activity between Black and White participants with MS was accounted for by differences in exercise self-efficacy and outcome expectations.ConclusionsResearchers should consider developing behavioral interventions that target exercise self-efficacy and outcome expectations as SCT variables for increasing physical activity in Black persons with MS.     

Pentobarbital overdose: A case of contract killing

Suicides by pentobarbital overdose have increased since about 2012, which appear to be influenced by technical information on active euthanasia that has spread over the Internet. We encountered a pentobarbital poisoning case of a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. A caregiver found the patient unconscious immediately after two visitors left the room. The patient was immediately transferred to the emergency hospital but eventually declared dead. A fatal concentration of pentobarbital was detected in peripheral blood samples collected in the emergency hospital and during autopsy (53.8 μg/mL and 29.4 μg/mL, respectively). Because the ratios of pentobarbital concentrations between the gastric contents and peripheral blood were 35 and 29 in the hospital and autopsy samples, respectively, it is likely that pentobarbital was administered via the gastrostomy tube. The patient had contacted the visitors through social media. Although the patient had requested the doctor perform active euthanasia and expressed a desire to end their life on social media, nobody had noticed the plan to commit suicide.     

银杏内酯B对肌萎缩侧索硬化细胞模型的保护作用及其机制

目的:探讨银杏内酯B(ginkgolide B,GB)对肌萎缩侧索硬化细胞模型c-Jun氨基末端激酶(JNK)信号通路及细胞凋亡的影响。方法:通过含过表达人突变超氧化物歧化酶1(SOD1)~(G93A)基因(hSOD1~(G93A))和过表达人野生SODWT基因(hSOD1WT)与空质粒的慢病毒感染NSC34细胞,经一定浓度的嘌呤霉素筛选,倒置荧光显微镜下观察慢病毒的转染效率和细胞形态的变化,蛋白免疫印迹法(Western blot)检验感染细胞是否过表达SOD1蛋白,建立hSOD1~(G93A)-NSC34细胞系后给予GB,细胞培养分组为正常组、模型组、不同浓度GB组(25,50,75,100 mg·L-1)组,48 h后噻唑蓝(MTT)比色法检测细胞存活率,筛选出最佳药物浓度,后续实验分组为以正常组,模型组,75 mg?L~(-1) GB组,SP600125组,75 mg?L-1GB+SP600125组,流式细胞术检测各组细胞的凋亡率,蛋白免疫印迹法(Western blot)检测磷酸化(p-)JNK,c-Jun,p-c-Jun,半胱氨酸天冬氨酸蛋白酶-3(Caspase-3)蛋白的表达。结果:与正常的NSC34细胞比较,hSOD1~(G93A)NSC34组细胞胞体变圆,突触减少、变短,而hSOD1WT NSC34组细胞和空质粒组细胞形态学未发生明显变化,与正常组比较,hSOD1~(G93A)NSC34组,hSOD1WTNSC3组细胞内SOD1蛋白水平显著升高(P0. 01),肌萎缩侧索硬化(ALS)细胞模型成功建立。与正常组比较,模型组细胞存活率显著降低(P0. 01);与模型组比较,给予不同浓度GB后,细胞存活率均显著升高(P0. 01),药物质量浓度为75 mg?L-1时细胞存活率显著升高(P0. 01)。后续实验,与正常组比较,模型组凋亡率,p-JNK,p-c-Jun,cleaved Caspase-3蛋白表达量显著升高(P0. 01);与模型组比较,75 mg?L-1GB组,SP600125组,75 mg?L-1GB+SP600125组凋亡率,p-JNK,p-c-Jun,cleaved Caspase-3蛋白表达明显降低(P0. 05,P0. 01)。结论:GB对肌萎缩侧索硬化细胞模型具有抑制细胞凋亡的保护作用,这种保护作用可能是通过JNK信号通路实现的。     

Polypharmacy among patients with multiple sclerosis: a qualitative systematic review

ABSTRACT

Objectives: The consequences of polypharmacy (intake of ≥ 5 drugs) are diverse, including drug interactions, rising costs and side effects. Risk groups for polypharmacy are multimorbid and chronically ill people, such as patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is the most common neuroimmunological disease in young adults worldwide. We aimed to provide a systematic overview of the current research status regarding frequency and predictors of polypharmacy in MS patients.

Methods: A systematic literature search in the databases PubMed, Cochrane Library and Scopus was carried out according to the PRISMA guidelines. English and German original research articles were included.

Results: Seven studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria of this review, while the research objectives and methods were very heterogenous. The polypharmacy rates in these studies ranged from 15% to 59%. Polypharmacy correlated with comorbidities, increased disability, cognitive deficits, increased hospitalization, higher relapse rate and lower quality of life.

Conclusions: In MS patients, polypharmacy is common and closely associated with health issues. There is a great need for research in this area, especially regarding longitudinal changes in drug utilization. Effective networks between physicians and pharmacists are needed to optimize medication management for patients and to achieve the best possible therapy results.     

MRI characteristics of MOG-Ab associated disease in adults: An update

Our knowledge of the radiological spectrum of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody associated disease (MOGAD) is growing rapidly. An update on the radiological features of the disease, and its evolution is thus necessary. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has an increasingly important role in the differential diagnosis of MOGAD particularly from aquaporin-4 antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (AQP4-NMOSD), and multiple sclerosis (MS). Differentiating these conditions is of prime importance because the management is different between the three inflammatory diseases, and thus could prevent further attack-related disability. Therefore, identifying the MRI features suggestive of MOGAD has diagnostic and prognostic implications. We herein review optic nerve, spinal cord and the brain MRI findings from MOGAD adult patients, and compare them to AQP4-NMOSD and MS.