Incidence of dementia after age 90 in a multiracial cohort

Introduction

Little is known about dementia incidence in diverse populations of oldest-old, the age group with highest dementia incidence.

Effects of floor textures on open-field behavior in selected lines of mice

Mice representing the twenty-second generation of selection for high and low open-field activity were tested on four different floor textures: soil, bedding, metal, and astroturf. Members of both groups were most active on soil and least active on the metal floor surface. Although floor texture significantly affected activity level, rank order of the high and low selected groups was maintained. In general, defecation scores were negatively correlated with activity.     

Quantitative trait loci (QTL) for circadian rhythms of locomotor activity in mice

The loomotor activity of male mice (Mus musculus) was monitored by infrared photoelectric beams under three lighting regimens: LD (12 h of light and 12 h of dark), DD (constant dark), and LL (constant broad-spectrum light, 10 lux). Circadian period of locomotor activioty (τ) was compared among 3 inbred strains of mice, C57BL/6J (B6), BALB/c (C), and DBA/2J (D2), and 26 recombinant inbred strains B×D (B6×D2). the τ under both continuous low-intensity light and continuous darkenss varied significantly among strains. Under DD the mean τ was 23.8 h for B6, 23.7 h for D2, and 23.6 h for C. Under LL the mean τ was 25.1 for B6, 23.9 h for D2, and 25.5 h for C. Frequency histograms of the mean τ of 26B×D RI mouse strains (three to seven animals per strain) in either DD or LL and the difference between them, Δτ, had distributions which appeared unimodal, suggesting polygenic inheritances. The narrow-sense heritability determined using 26 strains of B×D RI mice was about 55% for τ and about 38% for both τ in LL and Δτ. An estimated four loci contribute to the variance of τ in constant darkness and five to the variance of τ in constant low-intensity light among the strains studied. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis identified several potential genetic loci associated with τ in constant darkness, τ in constant low-intensity light, and Δτ. The associations of highest probability for each of these traits were theD1Nds4 locus (p<0.001) on mouse chromosome 1, theD5Ncvs52 locus (p<.05) on mouse chromosome 5, and thePmv12 locus (p<.01) at 70 cM on mouse chromosome 5, respectively. A QTL identified for τ was associated (p<.05) with theD2NDS1 marker at 45 cM on chromsome 2 near the Ea 6 marker at 46 cM associated (p<.05) with that reported for the period of wheel running activity in seven C×B RI strains (Schwartz, W. J., and Zimmerman, P.,J. Neurosci. 10:3685 1990).     

Prevalence of peripheral neuropathy among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in a rural health centre in South India

International Journal of Diabetes in Developing Countries - There is a huge burden of diabetes-related complications, both microvascular and macrovascular, in India. With the rising prevalence of...     

Therapeutic hypothermia for acute myocardial infarction and cardiac arrest

This report focuses on cardioprotection and describes the advantages and disadvantages of various methods of inducing therapeutic hypothermia (TH) with regard to neuroprotection and cardioprotection for patients with cardiac arrest and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). TH is recommended in cardiac arrest guidelines. For patients resuscitated after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, improvements in survival and neurologic outcomes were observed with relatively slow induction of TH. More rapid induction of TH in patients with cardiac arrest might have a mild to modest incremental impact on neurologic outcomes. TH drastically reduces infarct size in animal models, but achievement of target temperature before reperfusion is essential. Rapid initiation of TH in patients with STEMI is challenging but attainable, and marked infarct size reductions are possible. To induce TH, a variety of devices have recently been developed that require additional study. Of particular interest is transcoronary induction of TH using a catheter or wire lumen, which enables hypothermic reperfusion in the absence of total-body hypothermia. At present, the main methods of inducing and maintaining TH are surface cooling, endovascular heat-exchange catheters, and intravenous infusion of cold fluids. Surface cooling or endovascular catheters may be sufficient for induction of TH in patients resuscitated after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. For patients with STEMI, intravenous infusion of cold fluids achieves target temperature very rapidly but might worsen left ventricular function. More widespread use of TH would improve survival and quality of life for patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest; larger studies with more rapid induction of TH are needed in the STEMI population.     

Understanding the underutilization of cervical brachytherapy for locally advanced cervical cancer

PurposeTo understand the reasons behind current low utilization of brachytherapy for locally advanced cervical cancer in the United States.Methods and MaterialsA 17-item survey was e-mailed to the American Brachytherapy Society (ABS) listserv of active members in 2018. Responses of attending physicians in the United States were included in the analysis.ResultsAmong a total of 135 respondents, 81 completed the survey. Eighty-four percent agree/strongly agree that cervical brachytherapy is underutilized, and 46.9% disagree/strongly disagree that residents are receiving adequate training for brachytherapy; 75.3% agree/strongly agree that inadequate maintenance of brachytherapy skills is a major obstacle to brachytherapy use; and 71.6% agree/strongly agree that increased time requirement constitutes a major obstacle. Over 97% will recommend brachytherapy for most patients with cervical cancer if given access/time; 72.8% always perform their own brachytherapy, whereas 29.6% reported some type of barrier exists in performing brachytherapy themselves, with time required to perform brachytherapy (9.9%) being a leading factor. A quarter (24.7%) routinely refer to other radiation oncologists for brachytherapy. Even among ABS members, 37.0% reported that they would perform an intensity-modulated radiation therapy or stereotactic body radiation therapy boost in specific scenarios in potentially curable patients. The most common scenario is inability to place a uterine tandem (56.7%).ConclusionsThe underutilization of brachytherapy in cervical cancer is widely recognized by ABS members with inadequate training during residency and inadequate maintenance of skills being possible major contributing factors. Even among ABS members, there are identifiable barriers. Continued advocacy and future initiatives in enhancing access to brachytherapy training and efficiency are needed.