Loneliness and social isolation among young and late middle-age adults: Associations with personal networks and social participation

Objective: Associations between social networks and loneliness or social isolation are well established among older adults. Yet, limited research examines personal networks and participation on perceived loneliness and social isolation as distinct experiences among younger adults. Accordingly, we explore relationships among objective and subjective measures of personal networks with loneliness and isolation, comparing a younger and older cohort.

Methods: The UC Berkeley Social Networks Study offers unique cohort data on young (21–30 years old, n = 472) and late middle-age adults’ (50–70 years old, n = 637) personal network characteristics, social participation, network satisfaction, relationship status, and days lonely and isolated via online survey or in-person interview. Negative binomial regression models were used to examine associations between social network characteristics, loneliness, and isolation by age group.

Results: Young adults reported twice as many days lonely and isolated than late middle-age adults, despite, paradoxically, having larger networks. For young adults, informal social participation and weekly religious attendance were associated with fewer days isolated. Among late middle-age adults, number of close kin and relationship status were associated with loneliness. Network satisfaction was associated with fewer days lonely or isolated among both age groups.

Conclusion: Distinct network characteristics were associated with either loneliness or isolation for each cohort, suggesting network factors are independently associated with each outcome, and may fluctuate over time. Network satisfaction was associated with either loneliness or isolation among both cohorts, suggesting perceptions of social networks may be equally important as objective measures, and remain salient for loneliness and isolation throughout the life course.     

Evaluation of dental trials comparing baseline differences using p values

Introduction: Significance testing for comparison of the baseline differences between the intervention arms has received a strong condemnation. The goal of this study was to assess the prevalence of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the baseline characteristics between intervention groups using significance tests in top ten impact factor dental journals.

Materials and methods: RCTs published in 10 high impact factor dental journals were searched in PubMed database. Literature search was limited to time duration of 5 years from September 2012 to August 2017.

Results: We analysed 521 RCTs after excluding 47 non-RCT articles from the total of 568 articles. Baseline demographic characteristics table was not reported in 45.9% of the RCTs and 26.2% of the RCTs did not report table of baseline clinical characteristics. In 38.9% of the studies, significance testing was employed to compare baseline differences between the intervention arms.

Conclusions: Many trials published in the reputed dental journals failed to follow the recommendations of CONSORT statement regarding reporting of baseline tables and avoiding comparison of baseline differences with significance test.     

Associations of metabolically healthy obesity with prevalence and progression of coronary artery calcification: Results from the Heinz Nixdorf Recall Cohort Study

Background and aims

There is controversy on the potentially benign nature of metabolically healthy obesity (MHO), i.e., obese persons with few or no metabolic abnormalities. So far, associations between MHO and coronary artery calcification (CAC), a measure of subclinical atherosclerosis, have mainly been studied cross-sectionally in Asian populations. We assessed cross-sectional and longitudinal MHO CAC associations in a Caucasian population.

Pain after posterolateral versus nerve-sparing thoracotomy: A randomized trial

Objectives

Post-thoracotomy pain leads to patient discomfort, pulmonary complications, and increased analgesic use. Intercostal nerve injury during thoracotomy or its entrapment during closure can contribute to post-thoracotomy pain. We hypothesized that a modified technique of posterolateral thoracotomy and closure, preserving the intercostal neurovascular bundle, would reduce acute and chronic post-thoracotomy pain.

Circadian Rhythmicity as a Predictor of Quality of Life in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Patients

Context

Quality of life (QoL) is increasingly recognized as an important outcome of cancer treatment. Previous studies have examined clinical predictors of QoL, but with the increasing prevalence of wearable sensors that monitor sleep and activity patterns, further investigation into whether these behaviors are predictive of post-treatment QoL is now feasible. Among patients receiving aggressive cancer treatment such as hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), analysis of circadian rhythms (24-hour patterns of sleep and activity) via wearable sensors is limited.

Susceptibility weighted imaging in infants with staged embolization of vein of Galen aneurysmal malformations

Background and purpose

The vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation (VGAM) is a rare congenital vascular malformation with a higher morbidity and mortality, especially in neonates. Ultrasound, CT and MR are usually used in diagnosis and treatment monitoring of these disorders. In this current study, we aim to examine utility of SWI in evaluation of treatment response in infants with VGAM.

Development of a high-fidelity minimally invasive mitral valve surgery simulator

Objectives

The aim of this study was to develop a high-fidelity minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS) simulator.