Validating self-reported Toxic Release Inventory data using Benford's Law: investigating toxic chemical release hazards in floodplains.

Introduction: Acute and long-term health impacts from flooding related toxic chemical releases are a significant local health concern and can disproportionately impact communities with vulnerable populations; reliable release data are needed to quantify this hazard. Methods: In this paper, we analyze US Federal Emergency Management Agency designated floodplain data and US Environmental Protection Agency Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) data to determine if geographically manipulated databases adhere to Benford's Law. Results: We investigated multiple variants and discovered pollution releases adhere to Benford's Law and tests which thereby validates the self-reported toxic release dataset. Discussion: We find that Benford's Law applies to self-reported toxic chemical release and disposal data, indicating a lack of widespread data errors or manipulation.

Different type of pay later facility for green product with selling price dependent demand using grey wolf optimizer.

The use of trade credit finance is becoming more widely acknowledged as a crucial approach to improving inventory system profitability. We review an inventory model with depending on permitted payment delays for which, if the retailer place an orders higher than or equal to a predefined quantity S 1 , then the supplier will provide a fully pay in later facility of ξ periods (i.e., there will be no charge of interest until ξ ). On the other hand the retailer need to pay a partial amount of payment to the supplier if the order quantity is less than S 1 , and the remaining amount may be deferred for up to ξ periods. Main objective of this study is to investigate the inventory model with different situations under delayed payment facility. In addition, determining the product's demand also involves taking into account the item's greenness and selling price. We have also considered the fact that the cost of buying is influenced by the product's degree of greenness. We employ the meta heuristic algorithm Grey Wolf Optimizar (GWO) to assist us in solving the problem, and we compare the outcomes with the aid of a few other algorithms (Whale optimisation algorithm (WOA) and Artificial electric field algorithm (AEFA)). In the end, we resolve several numerical cases to support the model. The concavity of the desired function is graphically displayed using MATLAB software.

Predictors of Stress and Burnout Among Pharmacy Faculty in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: Stress and burnout may impact pharmacy faculty's well-being, quality of life, and productivity. This research study aimed to assess pharmacy faculty's overall burnout and stress levels in the United States and identify the characteristics associated with these two constructs while controlling for faculty characteristics. METHODS: Five thousand two hundred forty-five faculty members were invited to participate in a survey between November 2021 and February 2022. Burnout was assessed using the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory. Stress was assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale. Bivariate analyses were used to identify potential predictors of pharmacy faulty perceived burnout and stress. The relationships between time allocation across different academic responsibilities and faculty's perceived burnout and stress were assessed using linear regression analyses. RESULTS: Out of 5,139 delivered invitations, responses were collected from 774 pharmacy faculty (response rate = 15.1%). Faculty exhibited moderate levels of burnout with an average score of 40.1 on a scale from 16 to 64. Additionally, they displayed moderate perceived stress levels with an average score of 18.2 on a scale from 0 to 40. Faculty displayed significantly more burnout and stress if they were unmarried, non-tenured, younger, female, had lower academic rank, or worked in pharmacy practice departments. Higher stress and burnout were associated with spending more time on teaching, whereas lower burnout and stress were associated with spending more time on administration. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that U.S. pharmacy faculty experience moderate levels of stress and burnout. Some demographic factors and time allocation for teaching and administrative tasks influence these levels.

[Correlation between parameters of suppression head impulse paradigm and changesin DHI score in acute vestibular neuritis].

Objective:To explore the correlation between the parameters of suppression head impulse paradigm（SHIMP） and changes in dizziness handicap inventory（DHI） scores. Additionally, to evaluate the degree of vertigo and prognosis of patients with acute vestibular neuritis through SHIMP parameters. Methods:Thirty-three patients with acute vestibular neuritis were enrolled for DHI evaluation, vHIT and SHIMP. A secondary DHI score were evaluated after after two weeks, once patients no longer exhibited spontaneous nystagmus. The decrease in the second DHI score was used as the efficacy index（EI）. All patients were divided into significantly effective group, effective group and ineffective group based on EI. Differences of the VOR gain values of SHIMP and the anti-compensatory saccade were compared among the three groups. Results:There were 13 cases in the significant effective group, 11 cases in the effective group, and 9 cases in the ineffective group. ①The mean gain of the horizontal semicircular canal in the significant effective group, the effective group, and the ineffective group was（0.50±0.11）, （0.44±0.12）, and（0.34±0.08）, respectively. The difference between the significant effective group and the ineffective group was statistically significant（P<0.01）. The gain of horizontal semicircular canal was positively correlated with EI（r=0.538 5, P<0.01） 。②The occurrence rate of the anti-compensatory saccade in the significant effective group, the effective group, and the ineffective group was（51.23±19.59）, （33.64±17.68）, and（13.78±11.81）, respectively. Pairwise comparisons between each group showed statistical significance（P<0.05）. The occurrence rate of anti-compensatory saccade was positively correlated with EI（r=0.658 2, P<0.01）. Conclusion:The horizontal semicircular canal gain and the occurrence rate of the anti-compensatory saccade in SHIMP for patients with acute vestibular neuritis were closely correlated with decrease in DHI score.

Phenotyping in clinical laterality research: a comparison of commonly used methods to determine mixed-handedness and ambidexterity.

An increased prevalence of mixed-handedness has been reported in several neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Unfortunately, there is high between-study variability in the definition of mixed-handedness, leading to a major methodological problem in clinical laterality research and endangering replicability and comparability of research findings. Adding to this challenge is the fact that sometimes researchers use the concepts of mixed-handedness and ambidexterity interchangeably. Therefore, having a consensus on how to determine mixed-handedness and how to distinguish it from ambidexterity is crucial for clinical laterality research. To this end, hand preference and hand performance data from more than 600 participants from the Dortmund Vital Study (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05155397), a population-based study in Germany, was analyzed to ascertain an optimal classification to determine mixed-handedness and ambidexterity. Using a combination of latent class analyses, effect size determination, and comparisons with the existing literature, we establish that an LQ cut-off criterion of +/-60 for mixed-handedness is optimal for future clinical laterality studies. Moreover, we show that mixed-handedness and ambidexterity are not identical and that the terms should not be used interchangeably. We further highlight the need for a consensus on how to mathematically determine ambidexterity as results of existing categorization schemes largely differ.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05155397; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05155397.

A lean approach for improving medicines management in Australia's first cardiac hospital inventory system.

BACKGROUND: Medicines are the cornerstone of healthcare. Lean methodology approach such as Value Stream Mapping (VSM) is being used in healthcare to manage resources wisely to ensure sustainability of medicines and resources. The aim of this quality improvement study was to evaluate and improve the medication management and hospital imprest supply processes in Australia's first dedicated cardiology hospital using VSM. METHOD: We conducted a review of our medicine supply processes at a 180-bed cardiology hospital in Australia. We followed a lean methodology approach over a 4-month period from February to May 2023 and evaluated the outcome of our improvements for another 4 months from July to October 2023. We used VSM to identify non-value adding activities. Cost of medicines holding was calculated, as well as time taken to complete supply processes, pre and post. RESULTS: Pharmacy department stockholdings reduced by 51%; p = 0.000121 (from $539,662 to $275,406). Time taken to manage the inventory system also reduced by 42%; p = 0.025762 (from 148 h/month to 62 h/month). Lean methodology such as VSM can facilitate cost-effective and sustainable system improvements for pharmacy procurement systems.

Quantitative identification on spatial mismatch characteristics between supply and demand of carbon sequestration services.

Exploring the mismatch between supply and demand (SD) for carbon sequestration services (CSS) is essential for achieving the "double carbon" goal. However, more studies are needed on the traits of the spatial mismatch between SD in mountainous cities. We used the CASA model and the IPCC emission factor approach to address this issue and quantify the SD of CSS in Chongqing. Second, we established a matching relationship model for the SD of CSS in Chongqing. Finally, we applied the Structural Equation Model with the Partial Dependence Plots model to reveal the influencing factors and internal mechanisms of spatial mismatch between the SD of CSS in Chongqing. The outcomes confirmed a decrease in fashion in the total supply of CSS in Chongqing and growth in fashion in general demand from 2000 to 2020. The SD mismatch was mainly concentrated inside the central city and other built-up areas. The SD mismatch area had increased by 390%, indicating a continuous upward trend. In exploring the factors influencing the mismatch between the SD of CSS in Chongqing, supply is mainly positively influenced by NDVI, and demand and supply-demand relationships are influenced by population density and LUCC. We proposed policy suggestions to alleviate the spatial mismatch and practical significance for achieving the "double carbon" goal and promoting sustainable development.

Prevalence and risk of burnout among HIV service providers in South Africa and Zambia: findings from the HPTN 071 (PopART) trial.

BACKGROUND: In the high disease burden and resource-constrained contexts of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), health workers experience a range of psychosocial stressors that leave them vulnerable to developing burnout, which can reduce service quality and negatively impact their own health and wellbeing. As universal testing and treatment (UTT) for HIV scales up across SSA, we sought to understand the implications of this human resource-intensive approach to HIV prevention to inform decision-making about health workforce staffing and support needs. METHODS: Using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS), we assessed the prevalence of three domains of burnout-emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment-among three cadres of health workers delivering health services in areas receiving a UTT intervention in Zambia and South Africa. These cadres included health facility workers (n = 478), community health workers (n = 159), and a study-specific cadre of community HIV care providers (n = 529). We used linear regression to assess risk factors associated with emotional exhaustion, the only domain with sufficient variation in our sample. RESULTS: The MBI-HSS was completed by 1499/2153 eligible participants (69.6% response rate). Less than 1% of health workers met Maslach's definition for burnout. All groups of health workers reported lower levels of emotional exhaustion than found in previous studies of this type (mean score scores ranged from 10.7 to 15.4 out of 54 across health cadres). Higher emotional exhaustion was associated with higher educational attainment (ßadj = 2.24, 95% CI 0.76 to 3.72), greater years providing HIV services (ßadj = 0.20, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.36), and testing negative for HIV at last HIV test (ßadj = - 3.88 - 95% CI 5.69 to - 2.07). Working as a CHW was significantly associated with lower emotional exhaustion (ßadj = - 2.52, 95% CI - 4.69 to - 0.35). Among all health workers, irrespective of HIV status, witnessing stigmatizing behaviors towards people living with HIV among their co-workers was associated with significantly increased emotional exhaustion (ßadj = 3.38, 95% CI 1.99 to 4.76). CONCLUSIONS: The low level of burnout detected among health workers is reassuring. However, it remains important to assess how UTT may affect levels of emotional exhaustion among health workers over time, particularly in the context of emerging global pandemics, as burnout may impact the quality of HIV services they provide and their own mental health and wellbeing. Interventions to reduce HIV stigma in health facilities may protect against emotional exhaustion among health workers, as well as interventions to increase mindfulness and resilience among health workers at risk of burnout. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT01900977.

Exploring the applicability of a multifactor mindfulness scale in the Chinese college context.

The development of a precise and comprehensive mindfulness measurement tool is a compelling area of research due to its lack at present. This study examines the utility of a multifactor mindfulness scale, particularly the Chinese version of the Comprehensive Inventory of Mindfulness Experiences (CHIME), among Chinese college students. Prior to formal testing, 410 subjects completed the CHIME-37, providing feedback for refinement. During formal assessment, 1,785 subjects participated, with 490 students retested after 2 months. The validity of the CHIME-37 was evaluated using various scales, including subjective well-being, psychological well-being, peace of mind, self-reflection, insight, emotion regulation, depression-anxiety-stress, and sickness questionnaire. In exploratory factor analysis of Sample 1 (n = 838), CHIME revealed 8 factors, explaining 70.696% of the variance. Confirmatory factor analysis in Sample 2 (n = 947) confirmed the 8-factor model's validity. Internal consistency coefficients ranged from 0.848 to 0.914, with test-retest reliabilities ranging from 0.746 to 0.885, and split-half reliabilities ranging from 0.795 to 0.898. Total and dimension scores correlated positively with subjective well-being, psychological well-being, emotion stability, and cognitive reappraisal (p < 0.01) but negatively with physical and mental illnesses, depression-anxiety-stress, and expressive inhibition (p < 0.01). The revised CHIME demonstrates robust reliability and validity, establishing it as a suitable tool for measuring the mindfulness levels of Chinese college students.

An Evaluation of the Vestibular System in Individuals Aged 40-65 Years with Sensorineural Hearing Loss.

Objectives: Vestibular dysfunction occasionally accompanies sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) due to anatomical proximity of cochlea and vestibule. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the vestibular system objectively and subjectively in 40-to 65-year-old individuals with and without SNHL. Methods: This study included participants of both sexes, between the ages of 40 and 65 years old. There were 31 participants with SNHL and 31 control participants. First of all, participants were grouped in the control and SNHL groups based on the results of their hearing test, which included audiometry and immitance evaluation. Subsequently, for vestibular evaluation, each participant was evaluated subjective with "Dizziness Handicap Inventory" (DHI) as well as with objective tests battery that included positional tests with videonystagmogrophy (VNG) and vestibuloocular reflex (VOR) assessment using the vestibular head impulse test (vHIT). Results: Peripheral nystagmus was found to be significantly higher in patients with SNHL based on the head shake and positional tests (p<0.05). There was a positive correlation between DHI scores and positional test findings of the participants with SNHL (p<0.05). When the VHIT VOR gain values were compared between groups, there was no significant difference (p<0.05). Conclusion: In our study, vestibular involvement was frequently observed in 40- to 65-year-old individuals with SNHL. Therefore, vestibular evaluation should be considered along with the assessment of hearing in individuals with SNHL who are over 40 years old.

[Eating patterns and risk of eating disorders in adolescents].

Adolescence is a critical period for the onset of eating disorders, which affect an adolescent's diet and can have adverse and long-term health consequences. The relationship between the risk of eating disorders and the diet of Russian adolescents has been little studied. The objective of the research was to characterize the relationship between the risk of eating disorders and dietary patterns in a sample of Russian schoolchildren. Material and methods. The continuous cross-sectional study included tenth-graders of secondary schools (n=379, 63.1% girls) aged 16.0±0.5 years. The Russian version of the Eating Disorder Inventory was used to assess the risk of eating disorders. Dietary information was obtained from questionnaires completed by adolescents, characterizing the frequency of meals (at home and at school) during the week, the variety of dishes, and the frequency of consumption of foods and dishes. Anthropometric measurements were carried out to calculate body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC)/height index. Results. The eating patterns of schoolchildren were significantly disrupted, more so in girls. They were statistically significantly less likely than boys to consume meat, milk, nuts, and butter, and were more likely to skip breakfast. Significant correlations were shown between BMI Z-score and WC/height index in girls with body dissatisfaction (R=0.19 and 0.18, respectively, p<0.01), desire to lose weight (R=0.26 and 0.25, respectively, p<0.01) and bulimic tendencies (R=0.13, p<0.05 for WC/height). In boys, the drive for thinness was significantly associated only with abdominal fat deposition (R=0.26, p<0.01). Body dissatisfaction and desire for thinness in boys were associated with statistically significantly lower consumption of candies, chocolate, ice cream, cookies and potatoes; in girls - with rare consumption of candies, ice cream, sweet carbonated drinks, juices, fast food, as well as bread, meat and sausages, butter, skipping breakfast and dinner. Conclusion. The tendency to develop eating disorder in adolescence is more common in girls and is associated with dietary restrictions affecting important components of the diet necessary for normal growth and development.

New insights into recalled parental behavior in social anxiety disorder: A cluster analytic approach.

BACKGROUND: Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is a highly heterogeneous disorder. To enlighten its heterogeneity, this study focused on recalled parental behavior and aimed to empirically identify if there are subgroups of SAD based on recalled parental behavior by means of cluster analysis. Further, the study investigated whether those subgroups differed on clinical, trauma, and personality variables. METHODS: This study included 505 individuals diagnosed with SAD and 98 adult controls who were asked to fill out the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACE), and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Cluster analysis determined whether there are meaningful SAD subgroups based on PBI. The clusters obtained were compared with each other and with the control group with regard to clinical, ACE, and TCI variables. RESULTS: The cluster analysis revealed two SAD clusters based on recalled parental behavior. SAD individuals in the first cluster (49.3 %) perceived their parents as intermediately caring, but not as overcontrolling. SAD individuals in the second cluster (50.7 %) perceived their parents as less caring and overcontrolling, reported more severe clinical symptoms and trauma, and had lower values in Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness. LIMITATIONS: The present study is cross-sectional, therefore unable to confirm causal interpretations. CONCLUSION: Parenting is meaningful to enlighten the heterogeneity of SAD symptomatology and to specify treatment approaches as there are two meaningful subgroups in individuals with SAD corresponding to differences in clinical presentation, trauma, and personality.

Assessing the Stability of Clusters of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment.

AIM: The aim of the study was to investigate the factors that underpin neuropsychiatric symptoms and how they might evolve over time in people with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia. BACKGROUND: Neuropsychiatric symptoms are psychiatric and behavioural manifestations that occur in people with AD. These are highly prevalent along the continuum of the disease, including at the stage of MCI, as well as before cognitive decline. Various small- and large-scale projects have investigated the underlying factors that underpin these symptoms; however, the identification of clear clusters is still a matter of debate; furthermore, no study has investigated how the clusters might change across the development of AD pathology by comparing different time points. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to investigate the factors that underpin neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and to assess how the loadings might differ based on considerations such as the disease stage of the samples. METHODS: Data was obtained from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative database (adni. loni.usc.edu), using scores from the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, followed up yearly from baseline until month 72. Participant groups included those with MCI or AD dementia, or a mixture of both, with all participants presenting with at least one neuropsychiatric symptom. A series of exploratory Principal Component and Factor (Principal Axis) Analyses were performed using Direct Oblimin rotation. RESULTS: The best-fitting structure was interpreted for each time point. A consistent, unique structure could not be identified, as the factors were unstable over time, both within the MCI and AD groups. However, some symptoms showed a tendency to load on the same factors across most measurements (i.e., agitation with irritability, depression with anxiety, elation with disinhibition, delusions with hallucinations). CONCLUSION: Although the analyses revealed some degree of co-occurrence of neuropsychiatric symptoms across time points/samples, there was also considerable variation. In the AD group, more discrete syndromes were evident at the early time points, whereas a more complex picture of co-occurring symptoms, with differences likely reflecting disease staging, was seen at later time points. As a clear and distinctive factor structure was not consistently identified across time points/ samples, this highlights the potential importance of sample selection (e.g., disease stage and/or heterogeneity) when studying, for example, the neurobiological underpinnings of neuropsychiatric symptoms.

Managing synthetic N-fertilizer emissions in India: Insights from field surveys across 102 districts.

The use of fixed emission factors (EFs), combined with insufficient temporal distribution, leads to substantial uncertainties in current emission inventories for India, the world's second-largest producer and consumer of synthetic N-fertilizers. Our study aimed to improve the NH3 and N2O emission estimates by utilizing crop-specific district-level activity data and refined EFs tailored to Indian conditions. In this study, a comprehensive NH3 and N2O emission inventory (EI) is methodically developed at 0.1° * 0.1° spatial and monthly temporal resolution for the year 2018-19 considering 52 crops. The data for developing this inventory is aggregated through detailed field surveys, conducted across 102 districts of 14 states, and relevant government databases. EFs have been adjusted for the Indian context by refining them to reflect local conditions through consideration of ambient temperature, application rate, and other factors. Further, upon preparing an EI for FA, a spectrum of mitigation strategies are evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing emissions. Yearly total NH3 and N2O emissions amount to 3.15 Tg and 138.53 Gg, with urea fertilizer as the dominant contributor accounting for 93.85% and 96.44% of emissions, respectively. Key crops such as rice, wheat, maize, sugarcane, and cotton collectively represent approximately 82% of the total N consumption. The state of Uttar Pradesh emerges as the largest emitter, contributing 706.5 Gg and 25.31 Gg of NH3 and N2O emissions, respectively. Conversely, PB and HR exhibit the highest NH3 emissions per capita. Temporally, NH3 emissions peak in August, while N2O emissions peak in July, with both pollutants reaching their nadir in February. Among the array of mitigation strategies assessed in this study, 'adhering to recommended fertilizer doses' and 'incorporating urease inhibitors' demonstrated substantial potential for reducing emissions. The current study aids policymaking to mitigate the environmental and health impacts of atmospheric emissions from synthetic N-fertilizers. Future researchers can adopt this study as a benchmark to improve Indian FA emission estimates, which helps in promoting sustainable agricultural practices and contributes to climate change mitigation efforts.

Depression as a Prognostic Factor in Lower Extremity Amputation for Diabetic Foot: Insights from a Prospective Study on Wound Healing, Infections, and Early Mortality.

PURPOSE: This study addresses the challenges faced by diabetic patients undergoing lower extremity amputation due to diabetic foot, particularly focusing on the implications for wound healing and early mortality. The wounds at the amputation stump may necessitate multiple surgical interventions. The aim is to identify prognostic factors associated with these outcomes, shedding light on the complexities surrounding the post-amputation phase. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted on 39 diabetic patients who underwent lower extremity amputation due to diabetic foot between 2021 and 2022. Comprehensive preoperative data, encompassing parameters such as blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, hemoglobin A1c, albumin, protein, transferrin, ferritin levels, age, gender, body mass index, smoking habits, dialysis, revascularization, duration of surgery, and the use of tourniquet during the procedure were meticulously recorded. Additionally, cognitive performance and depression status were assessed preoperatively using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), respectively. A follow-up period of 3 months post-surgery allowed for the comparison of patients who developed infections at the amputation stump with those who did not, as well as the distinction between patients who survived and those who succumbed to mortality. RESULTS: The study revealed that the use of a tourniquet during surgery significantly increased the risk of infection (p=0.027), and higher BDI scores were associated with increased risks of both infection (AUC=0.814) and mortality (AUC=0.769), with cut-off scores of 24.0 and 23.5 predicting these outcomes with high sensitivity and specificity, respectively. Additionally, lower MMSE scores were associated with increased short-term postoperative mortality. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in parameters such as complete blood count, ESR, CRP, procalcitonin, HbA1c, albumin, total protein, transferrin, ferritin levels, age, gender, BMI, smoking, dialysis, revascularization, and surgery duration. CONCLUSIONS: This investigation highlights the significance of considering tourniquet usage during amputation, preoperative depression status, and cognitive function in patients who undergo amputation due to diabetic foot. The use of a tourniquet during surgery is a significant risk factor for infection, and elevated BDI scores are strong predictors of both infection and mortality in patients undergoing amputations. The findings underscore the importance of a multidisciplinary neuropsychiatric evaluation preoperatively to enhance patient care and outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 2 (a prospective cohort study).

Central sensitization-related symptoms and their relationship to disability in prevalent chronic musculoskeletal pain: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Central sensitization (CS) has an important role in chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) pain, which is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between CS-related symptoms and disability in chronic MSK pain. DESIGN: Multi-center cross-sectional survey. METHODS: Demographic and clinical variables including location, duration, and severity of pain were recorded. In the examination of disability, Istanbul Low Back Pain Disability Index for low back pain, Neck Pain and Disability Scale for neck pain, Quick Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand for shoulder/upper extremity pain, and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for knee pain were used. CS-related symptoms were investigated via the central sensitization inventory (CSI). Based on CSI scores, patient data were compared using the T test and an ANOVA. The association between CSI and selected variables was investigated using Pearson correlation and multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: The mean CSI score of five hundred participants was 40.46 (SD: 15.87). Patients with CSI≥40 were found to have higher levels of pain and disability and a poorer quality of life (p < 0.05). In ANOVA, significant differences between groups were observed in CS severity levels for VAS, symptom duration, and all clinical scores (p < 0.01). In the multivariate regression analysis, CSI and VAS scores were found to be related to disability in all pain groups, while pain duration was effective only in the change of knee disability. CONCLUSION: CS-related symptoms, which are related to increased pain and disability, should be closely monitored in patients with chronic MSK pain.

Discriminative capacity of the Spanish version of the Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms-II (IDAS-II) for detecting DMS-5 specific disorders and poor quality of life in a clinical sample.

BACKGROUND: Emotional problems can be evaluated using categorical approaches to guide treatment choices focused on targeting specific disorders, or dimensional approaches to reduce symptom severity. Moreover, recent evidence points out the need to intervene in patients' quality of life (QoL), which often remains low even after the remission of emotional problems. Thus, assessment instruments are needed to provide information on diagnosis, symptom severity, and QoL. The present study aimed to provide diagnostic and QoL cutoffs for the Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms-II (IDAS-II). METHODS: 273 patients recruited from mental health services in Huelva (Spain) completed the IDAS-II, Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, and Short Form-36 Health Survey. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were used to establish cutoff values. Diagnostic, balanced, and screening cutoffs were provided for each IDAS-II scale to detect corresponding diagnoses and poor QoL. RESULTS: The specific IDAS-II scales Suicidality, Panic, Social Anxiety, Claustrophobia, and Traumatic Intrusions showed adequate discrimination values for their corresponding diagnoses (suicidal behavior disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, and post-traumatic stress disorder, respectively). Both the General Depression and Dysphoria scales showed adequate ability to detect major depressive disorder. The IDAS-II scales showed a higher discrimination ability for Mental Health-related QoL, than for General Health-related QoL. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic and QoL cutoffs expand the clinical utility of the IDAS-II in clinical practice and research, making it a comprehensive, detailed, and versatile self-report tool. The IDAS-II allows for the assessment of emotional problems consistent with the dimensional, categorical, transdiagnostic, and QoL approaches.

Vortioxetine treatment for neuropathic pain in major depressive disorder: a three-month prospective study.

Introduction and objective: Several studies revealed the therapeutic potential of vortioxetine (Vo) for pain. In this context, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Vo as a safe and tolerable novel pharmacologic agent in treating neuropathic pain (NP) in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Materials and methods: The population of this cross-sectional prospective study consisted of all consecutive patients who were newly diagnosed with MDD by a neurology doctor at a psychiatric clinic and had NP for at least 6 months. All patients included in the sample were started on Vo treatment at 10 mg/day. They were assessed with Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Self-Reported Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (S-LANSS), Douleur Neuropathique 4 Questions (DN4), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and Neuropathic Pain Impact on Quality of Life (NePIQoL) at the beginning of treatment and during the follow visits conducted at the end of the first, second and third months of the treatment. During these follow-up visits, patients were also queried about any side effects of Vo. Results: The mean age of 50 patients included in the sample, 76% of whom were female, was 45.8 ± 11.2 years. There was a significant reduction in patients' NP complaints based on DN4 and S-LANNS, the subscales of NePIQoL, and significant improvement in MoCA. There was a significant reduction in patients' NP complaints based on DN4 and S-LANNS scores and a significant improvement in scores of the subscales of NePIQoL and MoCA. Conclusion: The study's findings indicate that Vo, with its multiple mechanisms of action, can effectively treat NP independently of its mood-stabilizing effect. Future indication studies for Vo are needed to establish Vo's efficacy in treating NP.

Association between central sensitivity syndrome and psychophysical factors in patients with masticatory myofascial pain.

PURPOSE: This study explored the relationship between central sensitization symptoms, assessed using the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI), and psychophysical factors in patients with chronic masticatory myofascial pain (MMP) transitioning from the acute to chronic stages. METHODS: In this study, 23 patients with MMP and 22 healthy volunteers were assessed using psychophysical tests, including measurements of pressure pain threshold (PPT) and temporal summation of pain (TSP). Additionally, CSI scores were recorded to evaluate central sensitization symptoms. RESULTS: Patients with chronic MMP showed significantly lower PPT in all masticatory muscles and extratrigeminal areas compared with controls. However, there was no significant correlation between CSI scores and psychophysical test results in patients with MMP. CONCLUSION: The significant enhancement of TSP in patients with subchronic MMP suggests a potential role in the onset of myofascial pain. The main finding suggests that sub-chronic symptom patients show higher CSI scores despite no sensory testing changes, indicating that central sensitization possibly precedes observable symptoms.

No Association between SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Quality of Life 6- and 12-Months After Infection.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and long-term quality of life (QoL). METHODS: Prospective cohort study with 6- and 12-month follow-up conducted in 14 Canadian institutions. Children tested for SARS-CoV-2 between August 2020 and February 2022 were eligible. QoL was measured using PedsQLTM-4.0, overall health status scores 6- and 12-months after testing. RESULTS: Among SARS-CoV-2 positive and negative participants eligible for long-term follow-up, 74.8% (505/675) and 71.8% (1106/1541) at 6- and 59.0% (727/1233) and 68.1% (2520/3699) at 12-months, completed follow-up, respectively. Mean ± SD PedsQL™ scores did not differ between positive and negative groups; difference: -0.86 (95%CI: -2.33, 0.61) at 6- and -0.48 (95%CI: -1.6, 0.64) at 12-months, respectively. SARS-CoV-2 test-positivity was associated with higher social subscale scores. Although in bivariate analysis, overall health status at 6-month was higher among SARS-CoV-2 cases [difference: 2.16 (95%CI: 0.80, 3.53)], after adjustment for co-variates, SARS-CoV-2 infection was not independently associated with total PedsQL™ or overall health status at either time point. Parental perception of recovery did not differ based on SARS-CoV-2 test-status at either time point. CONCLUSIONS: SARS-CoV-2 infection was not associated with QoL, overall health status, or parental perception of recovery 6- and 12-months following infection. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION (IF ANY): N/A.