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1.
Ann R Coll Surg Engl ; 106(6): 492-497, 2024 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38362809

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Healthcare contributes more than 1% of all domestic waste in the United Kingdom (UK), with operating theatre waste alone accounting for approximately 50% of all hospital waste. In November 2022, the UK Surgical Royal Colleges issued an Intercollegiate Climate Emergency Declaration and called for urgent action. We review waste production and the recyclability of surgical instrument packaging used in a common ear, nose and throat procedure (thyroidectomy) and suggest strategies to make this surgery more sustainable,. These strategies can be generalised to other surgeries. METHODS: We prospectively audited packaging waste from 20 thyroidectomies performed at the Royal Marsden Hospital in the UK between July and December 2022. All packaging was weighed, categorised and analysed after the operation. RESULTS: On average, each thyroidectomy produced packaging waste comprising 183g (34%) of plain paper/cardboard, 167g (31%) of soft plastic film, 142g (26%) of laminated paper, 37g (7%) of hard plastic and 11g (2%) of metal foil. Of all the packaging collected, only one item had a recycling label. When extrapolated to the 7,851 thyroidectomies performed in the National Health Service during the fiscal year 2021/2022, the estimated total weight of packaging waste would be 4.2 tonnes, of which only 31.4kg would be indicated as recyclable. When converted to an estimated carbon footprint, total carbon emissions would be 1,048kg CO2e, equivalent to three round trips from London to Edinburgh in a petrol car. CONCLUSION: This audit demonstrates the different categories and vast amount of packaging waste from a common operation. Manufacturers should place clear recyclability labels on packaging, and switch to recyclable materials and a digital information booklet where possible. Local waste audit and analysis can be simple first steps towards making surgery more sustainable.


Subject(s)
Product Packaging , Recycling , Surgical Instruments , Thyroidectomy , Humans , Thyroidectomy/adverse effects , United Kingdom , Prospective Studies , Operating Rooms , Medical Waste , Medical Waste Disposal/standards
2.
J Laryngol Otol ; 137(6): 704-708, 2023 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36815299

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: UK guidelines advocate 'one-stop' neck lump assessment for cancer referrals. This paper reports the pilot of a novel pre-clinic ultrasound pathway, presents outcomes, and discusses strengths and limitations in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. METHODS: Two-week-wait cancer referral patients with a neck lump were allocated a pre-clinic ultrasound scan followed by a clinic appointment. Demographic, patient journey and outcome data were collected and analysed. RESULTS: Ninety-nine patients underwent ultrasound assessment with or without biopsy on average 8 days following referral. Patients were followed up on average 14.1 days (range, 2-26 days) after initial referral. At the first clinic appointment, 45 patients were discharged, 10 were scheduled for surgery, 12 were diagnosed with cancer, 6 were referred to another specialty and cancer was excluded in 19 patients. Retrospectively, four ultrasounds were performed unnecessarily. CONCLUSION: Pre-clinic ultrasound scanning is an alternative to the one-stop neck lump pathway. This study demonstrates fewer clinic visits, faster diagnosis and a low proportion of unnecessary scans, whilst minimising face-to-face consultations and aerosol-generating procedures.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Head and Neck Neoplasms , Humans , Retrospective Studies , Respiratory Aerosols and Droplets , Ambulatory Care Facilities , Head and Neck Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Referral and Consultation
3.
Ann R Coll Surg Engl ; 105(S2): S28-S34, 2023 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35446702

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to wide-ranging disruption of head-neck cancer (HNC) service provision in the UK. Early reports suggest delays in referral, diagnosis and initiation of treatment for new cancer cases compared with before the pandemic. METHODS: The HNC service was studied retrospectively for the time-periods between 1 January 2020 to 31 October 2020 (hereafter 'post-COVID') and 1 January 2019 to 31 October 2019 (hereafter 'pre-COVID'). We analysed: (1) the number of cases treated at our centre, (2) stage of disease at presentation and (3) treatment delivery times. RESULTS: In the post-COVID period, the total number of HNC cases treated decreased (48 vs 56 pre-COVID). There was increase in advanced stage at presentation (58% vs 42% pre-COVID) and a significant increase in the need for airway stabilisation (13 vs 5 pre-COVID; p=0.03). Average time from referral to treatment was significantly prolonged (72.5 days vs 49.23 days pre-COVID; p=0.03). Two-week wait referrals were seen in HNC clinics at median time of 11.9 days, compared with 7.1 days during the pre-COVID period (p=0.07). However, there was no delay in the initiation of first treatment after the decision to treat (29.2 days vs 24.7 days pre-COVID; p=0.58). CONCLUSION: The results of this study call for early referral at the primary care level and rapid radiopathological confirmation at the tertiary level to prevent delays in diagnosis of new HNC cases.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Head and Neck Neoplasms , Humans , COVID-19/epidemiology , Pandemics , London/epidemiology , Retrospective Studies , Head and Neck Neoplasms/diagnosis , Head and Neck Neoplasms/epidemiology , Head and Neck Neoplasms/therapy , Referral and Consultation
4.
Obes Surg ; 31(5): 1986-1993, 2021 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33423181

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an increasingly common disorder associated with increased cardiovascular disease, mortality, reduced productivity, and an increased risk of road traffic accidents. A significant proportion of patients with OSA in the UK are undiagnosed. This study aims to identify risk factors for OSA in an obese cohort. METHOD: A population-based study was conducted of obese patients (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD). A logistic regression model was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for developing OSA according to other clinicopathological characteristics. Multivariate analysis was conducted of individual factors that affect the propensity to develop OSA. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.050. RESULTS: From 276,600 obese patients identified during a data extraction of the CPRD in July 2017, the prevalence of OSA was 5.4%. The following risk factors were found to be independently associated with increased likelihood of OSA: male sex (OR = 3.273; p < 0.001), BMI class II (OR = 1.640; p < 0.001), BMI class III (OR = 3.768; p < 0.001), smoking (OR = 1.179; p < 0.001), COPD (OR = 1.722; p < 0.001), GERD (OR = 1.557; p < 0.001), hypothyroidism (OR = 1.311; p < 0.001), acromegaly (OR = 3.543; p < 0.001), and benzodiazepine use (OR = 1.492; p < 0.001). Bariatric surgery was associated with reduced risk of OSA amongst this obese population (OR = 0.260; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In obese patients, there are numerous comorbidities that are associated with increased likelihood of OSA. These factors can help prompt clinicians to identify undiagnosed OSA. Bariatric surgery appears to be protective against developing OSA.


Subject(s)
Obesity, Morbid , Sleep Apnea, Obstructive , Body Mass Index , Humans , Male , Obesity/complications , Obesity/epidemiology , Obesity, Morbid/surgery , Polysomnography , Sleep Apnea, Obstructive/complications , Sleep Apnea, Obstructive/epidemiology , United Kingdom/epidemiology
5.
Ann R Coll Surg Engl ; 102(7): e158-e160, 2020 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32320263

ABSTRACT

Paediatric stridor can indicate serious pathology and requires prompt evaluation and management. Causes range from laryngomalacia to aerodigestive tract foreign bodies. We report on a chronic presentation of paediatric stridor, discuss the workup, management and lessons learned. A seven-month-old boy presented with chronic intermittent biphasic stridor for the previous five months. Diagnostic microlaryngoscopy and bronchoscopy revealed significant localised tracheomalacia. Urgent chest computed tomography was performed to investigate further. Radiological findings revealed an oesophageal foreign body prompting immediate rigid oesophagoscopy and removal of an embedded pistachio shell. The patient had an uneventful recovery. Foreign bodies in the airway and oesophagus are quite common in children, causing symptoms from the aerodigestive tract. It is uncommon for oesophageal foreign bodies to present with stridor in the absence of digestive tract symptoms. The otolaryngologist should consider this as a diagnosis, particularly in young children with an atypical presentation and symptoms.


Subject(s)
Esophagus , Foreign Bodies/complications , Respiratory Sounds/etiology , Bronchoscopy/methods , Diagnosis, Differential , Esophagoscopy/methods , Foreign Bodies/diagnosis , Foreign Bodies/surgery , Humans , Infant , Laryngoscopy/methods , Male , Respiratory Sounds/diagnosis
6.
J Dent Res ; 97(1): 23-30, 2018 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28880116

ABSTRACT

The periodontal probe is the gold standard tool for periodontal examinations, including probing depth measurements, but is limited by systematic and random errors. Here, we used photoacoustic ultrasound for high-spatial resolution imaging of probing depths. Specific contrast from dental pockets was achieved with food-grade cuttlefish ink as a contrast medium. Here, 39 porcine teeth (12 teeth with artificially deeper pockets) were treated with the contrast agent, and the probing depths were measured with novel photoacoustic imaging and a Williams periodontal probe. There were statistically significant differences between the 2 measurement approaches for distal, lingual, and buccal sites but not mesial. Bland-Altman analysis revealed that all bias values were < ±0.25 mm, and the coefficients of variation for 5 replicates were <11%. The photoacoustic imaging approach also offered 0.01-mm precision and could cover the entire pocket, as opposed to the probe-based approach, which is limited to only a few sites. This report is the first to use photoacoustic imaging for probing depth measurements with potential implications to the dental field, including tools for automated dental examinations or noninvasive examinations.


Subject(s)
Periodontal Pocket/diagnosis , Photoacoustic Techniques/methods , Animals , Contrast Media/therapeutic use , Gingiva/diagnostic imaging , Microscopy, Electron, Transmission , Periodontal Pocket/diagnostic imaging , Periodontium/diagnostic imaging , Swine , Ultrasonography/methods
7.
Mol Psychiatry ; 23(5): 1293-1302, 2018 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29112194

ABSTRACT

Despite moderate heritability, only one study has identified genome-wide significant loci for cannabis-related phenotypes. We conducted meta-analyses of genome-wide association study data on 2080 cannabis-dependent cases and 6435 cannabis-exposed controls of European descent. A cluster of correlated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a novel region on chromosome 10 was genome-wide significant (lowest P=1.3E-8). Among the SNPs, rs1409568 showed enrichment for H3K4me1 and H3K427ac marks, suggesting its role as an enhancer in addiction-relevant brain regions, such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the angular and cingulate gyri. This SNP is also predicted to modify binding scores for several transcription factors. We found modest evidence for replication for rs1409568 in an independent cohort of African American (896 cases and 1591 controls; P=0.03) but not European American (EA; 781 cases and 1905 controls) participants. The combined meta-analysis (3757 cases and 9931 controls) indicated trend-level significance for rs1409568 (P=2.85E-7). No genome-wide significant loci emerged for cannabis dependence criterion count (n=8050). There was also evidence that the minor allele of rs1409568 was associated with a 2.1% increase in right hippocampal volume in an independent sample of 430 EA college students (fwe-P=0.008). The identification and characterization of genome-wide significant loci for cannabis dependence is among the first steps toward understanding the biological contributions to the etiology of this psychiatric disorder, which appears to be rising in some developed nations.


Subject(s)
Chromosomes, Human, Pair 10/genetics , Marijuana Abuse/genetics , Adult , Black or African American/genetics , Alleles , Cannabis , Case-Control Studies , Cohort Studies , Female , Gene Frequency/genetics , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Genome-Wide Association Study/methods , Genotype , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Phenotype , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide/genetics , White People/genetics , Young Adult
9.
Mol Psychiatry ; 23(4): 1084-1090, 2018 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28397842

ABSTRACT

Accumulating mental-health research encourages a shift in focus toward transdiagnostic dimensional features that are shared across categorical disorders. In support of this shift, recent studies have identified a general liability factor for psychopathology-sometimes called the 'p factor'- that underlies shared risk for a wide range of mental disorders. Identifying neural correlates of this general liability would substantiate its importance in characterizing the shared origins of mental disorders and help us begin to understand the mechanisms through which the 'p factor' contributes to risk. Here we believe we first replicate the 'p factor' using cross-sectional data from a volunteer sample of 1246 university students, and then using high-resolution multimodal structural neuroimaging, we demonstrate that individuals with higher 'p factor' scores show reduced structural integrity of white matter pathways, as indexed by lower fractional anisotropy values, uniquely within the pons. Whole-brain analyses further revealed that higher 'p factor' scores are associated with reduced gray matter volume in the occipital lobe and left cerebellar lobule VIIb, which is functionally connected with prefrontal regions supporting cognitive control. Consistent with the preponderance of cerebellar afferents within the pons, we observed a significant positive correlation between the white matter integrity of the pons and cerebellar gray matter volume associated with higher 'p factor' scores. The results of our analyses provide initial evidence that structural alterations in corticocerebellar circuitry supporting core functions related to the basic integration, coordination and monitoring of information may contribute to a general liability for common mental disorders.


Subject(s)
Cerebellum/diagnostic imaging , Mental Disorders/diagnostic imaging , Neuroimaging/methods , Adult , Anisotropy , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Brain/pathology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Female , Gray Matter/diagnostic imaging , Humans , Male , Neural Pathways , Risk Factors , White Matter/diagnostic imaging , Young Adult
10.
Psychol Med ; 47(1): 1-17, 2017 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27624847

ABSTRACT

Despite a growing interest in understanding the cognitive deficits associated with major depressive disorder (MDD), it is largely unknown whether such deficits exist before disorder onset or how they might influence the severity of subsequent illness. The purpose of the present study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal datasets to determine whether cognitive function acts as a predictor of later MDD diagnosis or change in depression symptoms. Eligible studies included longitudinal designs with baseline measures of cognitive functioning, and later unipolar MDD diagnosis or symptom assessment. The systematic review identified 29 publications, representing 34 unique samples, and 121 749 participants, that met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Quantitative meta-analysis demonstrated that higher cognitive function was associated with decreased levels of subsequent depression (r = -0.088, 95% confidence interval. -0.121 to -0.054, p < 0.001). However, sensitivity analyses revealed that this association is likely driven by concurrent depression symptoms at the time of cognitive assessment. Our review and meta-analysis indicate that the association between lower cognitive function and later depression is confounded by the presence of contemporaneous depression symptoms at the time of cognitive assessment. Thus, cognitive deficits predicting MDD likely represent deleterious effects of subclinical depression symptoms on performance rather than premorbid risk factors for disorder.


Subject(s)
Cognitive Dysfunction , Depressive Disorder, Major , Prodromal Symptoms , Humans
11.
J Laryngol Otol ; 130(9): 827-32, 2016 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27424998

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The endoscopic modified Lothrop procedure is mainly used for refractory frontal sinusitis. However, we have used it as an access procedure to facilitate treatment for an extended range of additional frontal sinus pathologies. METHODS: A retrospective review of patients who underwent the endoscopic modified Lothrop procedure for 'alternative' frontal sinus pathologies was conducted. Patient data were reviewed. The main outcome parameter measured was signs of recurrence. RESULTS: Twelve patients (6 males, 6 females) from a 7-year study period, with a mean age of 45.2 years (range, 16-78 years), were analysed. The surgical indications included frontoethmoidal mucoceles, cerebrospinal fluid leaks within the frontal sinus, cystic fibrosis, frontal sinus osteoma, frontal sinus ossifying fibroma and frontal silent sinus syndrome. The mean follow-up period was 33.3 months. There were no known recurrences. CONCLUSION: We have used the endoscopic modified Lothrop procedure for a range of frontal sinus pathologies, safely and effectively, with no peri-operative complications.


Subject(s)
Endoscopy/methods , Frontal Sinusitis/surgery , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Female , Frontal Sinus/pathology , Frontal Sinus/surgery , Frontal Sinusitis/pathology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Recurrence , Retrospective Studies , Young Adult
12.
Genes Brain Behav ; 15(5): 503-13, 2016 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27138112

ABSTRACT

Identifying mechanisms through which individual differences in reward learning emerge offers an opportunity to understand both a fundamental form of adaptive responding as well as etiological pathways through which aberrant reward learning may contribute to maladaptive behaviors and psychopathology. One candidate mechanism through which individual differences in reward learning may emerge is variability in dopaminergic reinforcement signaling. A common functional polymorphism within the catechol-O-methyl transferase gene (COMT; rs4680, Val(158) Met) has been linked to reward learning, where homozygosity for the Met allele (linked to heightened prefrontal dopamine function and decreased dopamine synthesis in the midbrain) has been associated with relatively increased reward learning. Here, we used a probabilistic reward learning task to asses response bias, a behavioral form of reward learning, across three separate samples that were combined for analyses (age: 21.80 ± 3.95; n = 392; 268 female; European-American: n = 208). We replicate prior reports that COMT rs4680 Met allele homozygosity is associated with increased reward learning in European-American participants (ß = 0.20, t = 2.75, P < 0.01; ΔR(2) = 0.04). Moreover, a meta-analysis of 4 studies, including the current one, confirmed the association between COMT rs4680 genotype and reward learning (95% CI -0.11 to -0.03; z = 3.2; P < 0.01). These results suggest that variability in dopamine signaling associated with COMT rs4680 influences individual differences in reward which may potentially contribute to psychopathology characterized by reward dysfunction.


Subject(s)
Catechol O-Methyltransferase/genetics , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide , Reward , Alleles , Female , Genotype , Homozygote , Humans , Male , Mutation, Missense , Young Adult
13.
Mol Psychiatry ; 21(5): 608-14, 2016 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26239289

ABSTRACT

Opioid dependence, a severe addictive disorder and major societal problem, has been demonstrated to be moderately heritable. We conducted a genome-wide association study in Comorbidity and Trauma Study data comparing opioid-dependent daily injectors (N=1167) with opioid misusers who never progressed to daily injection (N=161). The strongest associations, observed for CNIH3 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), were confirmed in two independent samples, the Yale-Penn genetic studies of opioid, cocaine and alcohol dependence and the Study of Addiction: Genetics and Environment, which both contain non-dependent opioid misusers and opioid-dependent individuals. Meta-analyses found five genome-wide significant CNIH3 SNPs. The A allele of rs10799590, the most highly associated SNP, was robustly protective (P=4.30E-9; odds ratio 0.64 (95% confidence interval 0.55-0.74)). Epigenetic annotation predicts that this SNP is functional in fetal brain. Neuroimaging data from the Duke Neurogenetics Study (N=312) provide evidence of this SNP's in vivo functionality; rs10799590 A allele carriers displayed significantly greater right amygdala habituation to threat-related facial expressions, a phenotype associated with resilience to psychopathology. Computational genetic analyses of physical dependence on morphine across 23 mouse strains yielded significant correlations for haplotypes in CNIH3 and functionally related genes. These convergent findings support CNIH3 involvement in the pathophysiology of opioid dependence, complementing prior studies implicating the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) glutamate system.


Subject(s)
Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Opioid-Related Disorders/genetics , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide , Receptors, AMPA/genetics , Amygdala/diagnostic imaging , Amygdala/physiopathology , Animals , Female , Genome-Wide Association Study , Habituation, Psychophysiologic/genetics , Habituation, Psychophysiologic/physiology , Humans , Male , Mice, Inbred Strains , Opioid-Related Disorders/diagnostic imaging , Opioid-Related Disorders/physiopathology , Receptors, AMPA/metabolism , Species Specificity , Young Adult
14.
Mol Psychiatry ; 21(3): 348-56, 2016 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26122584

ABSTRACT

Prior work suggests that there may be two distinct pathways of alcohol use disorder (AUD) risk: one associated with positive emotion enhancement and behavioral impulsivity, and another associated with negative emotion relief and coping. We sought to map these two pathways onto individual differences in neural reward and threat processing assessed using blood-oxygen-level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging in a sample of 759 undergraduate students (426 women, mean age 19.65±1.24 years) participating in the Duke Neurogenetics Study. We demonstrate that problem drinking is highest in the context of stress and in those with one of two distinct neural phenotypes: (1) a combination of relatively low reward-related activity of the ventral striatum (VS) and high threat-related reactivity of the amygdala; or (2) a combination of relatively high VS activity and low amygdala reactivity. In addition, we demonstrate that the relationship between stress and problem alcohol use is mediated by impulsivity, as reflected in monetary delay discounting rates, for those with high VS-low amygdala reactivity, and by anxious/depressive symptomatology for those with the opposite neural risk phenotype. Across both neural phenotypes, we found that greater divergence between VS and amygdala reactivity predicted greater risk for problem drinking. Finally, for those individuals with the low VS-high amygdala risk phenotype we found that stress not only predicted the presence of AUD diagnosis at the time of neuroimaging but also subsequent problem drinking reported 3 months following study completion. These results offer new insight into the neural basis of AUD risk and suggest novel biological targets for early individualized treatment or prevention.


Subject(s)
Alcoholism/complications , Alcoholism/diagnosis , Amygdala/pathology , Stress, Psychological/etiology , Stress, Psychological/pathology , Ventral Striatum/pathology , Adolescent , Alcohol Drinking/physiopathology , Amygdala/blood supply , Female , Humans , Image Processing, Computer-Assisted , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , Oxygen/blood , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Self Report , Ventral Striatum/blood supply , Young Adult
15.
Psychol Med ; 45(12): 2605-17, 2015.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25853627

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Early life stress (ELS) is consistently associated with increased risk for subsequent psychopathology. Individual differences in neural response to reward may confer vulnerability to stress-related psychopathology. Using data from the ongoing Duke Neurogenetics Study, the present study examined whether reward-related ventral striatum (VS) reactivity moderates the relationship between retrospectively reported ELS and anhedonic symptomatology. We further assessed whether individual differences in reward-related VS reactivity were associated with other depressive symptoms and problematic alcohol use via stress-related anhedonic symptoms and substance use-associated coping. METHOD: Blood oxygen level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was collected while participants (n = 906) completed a card-guessing task, which robustly elicits VS reactivity. ELS, anhedonic symptoms, other depressive symptoms, coping behavior, and alcohol use behavior were assessed with self-report questionnaires. Linear regressions were run to examine whether VS reactivity moderated the relationship between ELS and anhedonic symptoms. Structural equation models examined whether this moderation was indirectly associated with other depression symptoms and problematic alcohol use through its association with anhedonia. RESULTS: Analyses of data from 820 participants passing quality control procedures revealed that the VS × ELS interaction was associated with anhedonic symptoms (p = 0.011). Moreover, structural equation models indirectly linked this interaction to non-anhedonic depression symptoms and problematic alcohol use through anhedonic symptoms and substance-related coping. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that reduced VS reactivity to reward is associated with increased risk for anhedonia in individuals exposed to ELS. Such stress-related anhedonia is further associated with other depressive symptoms and problematic alcohol use through substance-related coping.


Subject(s)
Alcohol Drinking/psychology , Anhedonia , Depression/psychology , Reward , Stress, Psychological/psychology , Adaptation, Psychological , Adolescent , Adult , Alcohol Drinking/epidemiology , Anhedonia/physiology , Depression/epidemiology , Female , Humans , Linear Models , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , North Carolina/epidemiology , Psychological Tests , Sex Distribution , Students , Universities , Ventral Striatum , Young Adult
16.
Appl Opt ; 54(33): 9681-7, 2015 Nov 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26836523

ABSTRACT

Based on the modeling of the geometrically dependent gain coefficient (GDGC) and rate equations, this theoretical study explains the spectral linewidth behavior in an Se x-ray laser operating at 206.4 Å. The study used the reported experimental measurements for an Se target of 6.3 cm in length for the analysis. To obtain a finite value for the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) intrinsic linewidth that initiates at the threshold length, we subtracted the ASE intensity background from the calculated ASE intensity to derive the corresponding FWHM. For homogeneously and Doppler broadened linewidths of 14 mÅ and 36 mÅ, we calculated the ASE Voigt profile linewidth to be 44 mÅ, initiated at the threshold length of 0.13 cm. The interaction is rather insensitive to the collision broadening; for the homogeneously broadened linewidth up to 21 mÅ, we could still explain the linewidth measurements. In this case, we calculated the related Voigt profile linewidth to be 48.5 mÅ. The current GDGC modeling approach greatly simplified the ASE analyses of these lasers.

17.
J Laryngol Otol ; 128(11): 1018-21, 2014 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25273969

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Scytalidium dimidiatum is a soil and plant pathogen that frequently affects fruit trees, but can also cause human infection. There are only two reported cases of invasive fungal sinusitis involving this rare micro-organism. OBJECTIVE: This paper reports the first case of invasive fungal sinusitis caused by Scytalidium dimidiatum occurring in a young immunocompetent patient from a non-endemic region, and discusses potential sources of exposure and relevance of local factors. METHOD: Case report. RESULTS: The patient was treated successfully with a combination of functional endoscopic sinus surgery, and antifungal and corticosteroid treatment. CONCLUSION: This paper describes the first reported case of invasive fungal sinusitis secondary to Scytalidium dimidiatum in a young immunocompetent patient from a non-endemic region. Importance is placed on following a systematic process of investigation and management, and adhering to well-defined basic surgical principles.


Subject(s)
Mycoses/microbiology , Saccharomycetales/isolation & purification , Sinusitis/microbiology , Adult , Antifungal Agents/therapeutic use , Combined Modality Therapy/methods , Diagnosis, Differential , Endemic Diseases , Endoscopy/methods , Humans , Kuwait/epidemiology , Male , Mycoses/drug therapy , Mycoses/epidemiology , Sinusitis/drug therapy , Sinusitis/epidemiology , Sinusitis/surgery
18.
Transl Psychiatry ; 4: e420, 2014 Aug 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25093598

ABSTRACT

Essential for detection of relevant external stimuli and for fear processing, the amygdala is under modulatory influence of dopamine (DA). The DA transporter (DAT) is of fundamental importance for the regulation of DA transmission by mediating reuptake inactivation of extracellular DA. This study examined if a common functional variable number tandem repeat polymorphism in the 3' untranslated region of the DAT gene (SLC6A3) influences amygdala function during the processing of aversive emotional stimuli. Amygdala reactivity was examined by comparing regional cerebral blood flow, measured with positron emission tomography and [(15)O]water, during exposure to angry and neutral faces, respectively, in a Swedish sample comprising 32 patients with social anxiety disorder and 17 healthy volunteers. In a separate US sample, comprising 85 healthy volunteers studied with blood oxygen level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging, amygdala reactivity was assessed by comparing the activity during exposure to threatening faces and neutral geometric shapes, respectively. In both the Swedish and the US sample, 9-repeat carriers displayed higher amygdala reactivity than 10-repeat homozygotes. The results suggest that this polymorphism contributes to individual variability in amygdala reactivity.


Subject(s)
Amygdala/physiopathology , Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins/genetics , Fear/physiology , Phobic Disorders/physiopathology , Polymorphism, Genetic/genetics , Adult , Anger/physiology , Arousal/genetics , Arousal/physiology , Facial Expression , Female , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , Middle Aged , Oxygen/blood , Pattern Recognition, Visual/physiology , Positron-Emission Tomography , Reference Values , Regional Blood Flow/physiology , Tandem Repeat Sequences/genetics , Tandem Repeat Sequences/physiology
19.
Mol Psychiatry ; 19(1): 129-39, 2014 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23337945

ABSTRACT

Emotional behavior is in part heritable and often disrupted in psychopathology. Identification of specific genetic variants that drive this heritability may provide important new insight into molecular and neurobiological mechanisms involved in emotionality. Our results demonstrate that the presynaptic vesicular monoamine transporter 1 (VMAT1) Thr136Ile (rs1390938) polymorphism is functional in vitro, with the Ile allele leading to increased monoamine transport into presynaptic vesicles. Moreover, we show that the Thr136Ile variant predicts differential responses in emotional brain circuits consistent with its effects in vitro. Lastly, deep sequencing of bipolar disorder (BPD) patients and controls identified several rare novel VMAT1 variants. The variant Phe84Ser was only present in individuals with BPD and leads to marked increase monoamine transport in vitro. Taken together, our data show that VMAT1 polymorphisms influence monoamine signaling, the functional response of emotional brain circuits and risk for psychopathology.


Subject(s)
Affective Symptoms/genetics , Emotions/physiology , Polymorphism, Genetic/genetics , Vesicular Monoamine Transport Proteins/genetics , Adolescent , Affective Symptoms/pathology , Animals , Biogenic Monoamines/metabolism , Brain/blood supply , Brain/metabolism , Brain/pathology , Case-Control Studies , Cell Line, Transformed , Chlorocebus aethiops , Female , Genetic Association Studies , Genotype , Humans , Image Processing, Computer-Assisted , Male , Transfection , Vesicular Monoamine Transport Proteins/metabolism , Young Adult
20.
Chir Main ; 32(4): 240-4, 2013 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23856550

ABSTRACT

Septic arthritis of the wrist is a diagnostic and therapeutic emergency. Synovectomy and lavage by arthrotomy is often followed by stiffness. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic and therapeutic contribution of emergency arthroscopic synovectomy with intraarticular lavage. Nine patients were operated on for wrist pathology with septic appearance. All had signs of local inflammation, three showed locoregional inflammation, three were febrile. In one patient several joints were involved. Seven patients presented with inflammatory or degenerative arthritis. All patients underwent emergency surgery using radiocarpal joint puncture, arthroscopic exploration, intraarticular lavage and synovectomy at both the radiocarpal and midcarpal joints. The results were evaluated by pain, Quick DASH, grip strength, and wrist range of motion. In three cases, joint fluid appeared clear, in three it was turbid, and in three purulent. Gram stain and culture revealed bacteria in four cases. Synovitis was radiocarpal four times, radiocarpal and midcarpal once. In one case, there was radiocarpal and midcarpal chondritis. Average pain was 5.3/10 preoperatively and 2/10 at the last clinical follow-up visit. Mean grip strength was 23.3 kg on the involved side vs. 33.5 kg on the opposite one. Mean flexion was 55° for the involved wrist vs. 68°; mean extension was 52° for the affected wrist vs. 59°. No patient was reoperated on. In all cases, there was no sign of local inflammation, regional lymphadenopathy or systemic infection at the last follow-up. One patient died of colon metastatic cancer. Another patient developed a severe Complex Regional Pain Syndrome type I (CRPS1). Our results suggest three principles of management of wrist arthritis with septic appearance: extended surgical indication, emergency operation and arthroscopic procedure.


Subject(s)
Arthritis, Infectious/surgery , Arthroscopy/methods , Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections/surgery , Wrist Joint/surgery , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Arthritis, Infectious/diagnosis , Arthritis, Infectious/microbiology , Arthroscopy/adverse effects , Emergency Treatment , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections/complications , Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections/diagnosis , Hand Strength , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Range of Motion, Articular , Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy/etiology , Therapeutic Irrigation , Treatment Outcome
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