The feasibility of a multidimensional intervention in lymphoma survivors with chronic fatigue.

PURPOSE: Chronic fatigue (CF) affects 25-30% of lymphoma survivors, but interventions designed to reduce fatigue are lacking. The main aim of this study was to test the feasibility of a multidimensional intervention study in lymphoma survivors with CF. Secondary aims were to describe individual changes in fatigue, quality of life (QoL) and physical performance from pre (T0) to post (T1) intervention. METHODS: This feasibility study was as a one-armed intervention study performed in 2021. Hodgkin or aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivors received mailed study information and Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire and were asked to respond if they suffered from fatigue. The 12-week intervention included patient education, physical exercise, a cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)-based group program and nutritional counselling. Feasibility data included patient recruitment, completion of assessments, adherence to the intervention and patient-reported experience measures. Participants responded to questionnaires and underwent physical tests at T0 and T1. RESULTS: Seven lymphoma survivors with CF were included. Of all assessments, 91% and 83% were completed at T0 and T1, respectively. Adherence to the interventional components varied from 69% to 91%. At T1, all participants rated exercise as useful, of whom five rated the CBT-based program and five rated individual nutritional counselling as useful. Five participants reported improved fatigue, QoL and physical performance. CONCLUSION: Lymphoma survivors with CF participating in a multidimensional intervention designed to reduce the level of fatigue showed high assessment completion rate and intervention adherence rate. Most of the participants evaluated the program as useful and improved their level of fatigue, QoL and physical performance after the intervention. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT04931407. Registered 16. April 2021-Retrospectively registered. https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov/ct2/show/NCT04931407.

An explorative metabolomic analysis of the endothelium in pulmonary hypertension.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is classified into five clinical diagnostic groups, including group 1 [idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) and connective tissue disease-associated PAH (CTD-aPAH)] and group 4 (chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH)). PH is a progressive, life-threatening, incurable disease. The pathological mechanisms underlying PH remain elusive; recent evidence has revealed that abnormal metabolic activities in the endothelium may play a crucial role. This research introduces a novel approach for studying PH endothelial function, building on the genome-scale metabolic reconstruction of the endothelial cell (EC) to investigate intracellular metabolism. We demonstrate that the intracellular metabolic activities of ECs in PH patients cluster into four phenotypes independent of the PH diagnosis. Notably, the disease severity differs significantly between the metabolic phenotypes, suggesting their clinical relevance. The significant metabolic differences between the PH phenotypes indicate that they may require different therapeutic interventions. In addition, diagnostic capabilities enabling their identification is warranted to investigate whether this opens a novel avenue of precision medicine.

Viscoelastic haemostatic assay augmented protocols for major trauma haemorrhage (ITACTIC): a randomized, controlled trial.

PURPOSE: Contemporary trauma resuscitation prioritizes control of bleeding and uses major haemorrhage protocols (MHPs) to prevent and treat coagulopathy. We aimed to determine whether augmenting MHPs with Viscoelastic Haemostatic Assays (VHA) would improve outcomes compared to Conventional Coagulation Tests (CCTs). METHODS: This was a multi-centre, randomized controlled trial comparing outcomes in trauma patients who received empiric MHPs, augmented by either VHA or CCT-guided interventions. Primary outcome was the proportion of subjects who, at 24 h after injury, were alive and free of massive transfusion (10 or more red cell transfusions). Secondary outcomes included 28-day mortality. Pre-specified subgroups included patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). RESULTS: Of 396 patients in the intention to treat analysis, 201 were allocated to VHA and 195 to CCT-guided therapy. At 24 h, there was no difference in the proportion of patients who were alive and free of massive transfusion (VHA: 67%, CCT: 64%, OR 1.15, 95% CI 0.76-1.73). 28-day mortality was not different overall (VHA: 25%, CCT: 28%, OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.54-1.31), nor were there differences in other secondary outcomes or serious adverse events. In pre-specified subgroups, there were no differences in primary outcomes. In the pre-specified subgroup of 74 patients with TBI, 64% were alive and free of massive transfusion at 24 h compared to 46% in the CCT arm (OR 2.12, 95% CI 0.84-5.34). CONCLUSION: There was no difference in overall outcomes between VHA- and CCT-augmented-major haemorrhage protocols.

Understanding the impacts of groundwater abstraction through long-term trends in water quality.

It is vital to understand long-term trends in water quality parameters when assessing the sustainability of groundwater abstraction. Withdrawal-to-availability analysis is still used widely in groundwater management considering quantities and utilization rates based on in- and outflows. In this study, we took a step further than the water balance approach and carried out a detailed investigation of trends in long-term time series of groundwater quality, in order to analyze the sustainability of groundwater abstraction. We assessed trends, links, and patterns in abstraction, potentiometric surface, and water quality parameters for 28 well fields around Copenhagen, Denmark. Groundwater monitoring data from 1900 until 2014 were investigated for each well field. During this period, the well fields experienced a 2-14 m decrease in the nearby potentiometric surface compared to the first-or pre-pumping-potentiometric surface recordings. Sulfate concentrations increased in 25 out of 27 well fields after the maximum abstraction period, compared to the earliest water quality measurements. The results indicate that in the 1980s, when water consumption (abstraction) and drawdown were at their highest, water abstraction caused a steady increase in sulfate and calcium, which we consider unsustainable. In contradiction, the abstraction in 24 well fields show almost steady sulfate levels in the aquifer after decreased water consumption since 1995. Only four well fields showed more than a 20 mg/L increase in sulfate concentration, which indicates that the recent abstraction does not interfere with sulfate levels in the aquifer. Our method and results show how long-term water quality trends can support the management of aquifer exploitation and evaluate sustainability on the well field scale.

Integrating groundwater stress in life-cycle assessments - An evaluation of water abstraction.

Understanding groundwater abstraction effects is vital for holistic impact assessments in areas depending on groundwater resources. The objective of our study was to modify the state-of-the-art AWaRe (available water remaining), freshwater impact assessment specifically for use in LCAs in areas dependent on groundwater resources. The new method, called "AGWaRe" (available groundwater remaining), reflects groundwater availability, based on a fraction of available groundwater remaining locally relative to a reference. Furthermore, our method increases spatial resolution beyond 1770 km2 grid cells and adjusts demarcations in order to improve the representation of the heterogeneity of groundwater catchments. The applicability of AGWaRe was demonstrated on three groundwater systems producing 5 million m3 water for the city of Copenhagen, namely Advanced Treatment of Groundwater, Simple Treatment of Groundwater and Infiltration of Reclaimed water. Results were normalised to compare with other effects of supplying water to an average Danish person. The normalised impacts for drinking water for one person ranged between 0.1 and 39 PE (person equivalent) for the three systems, which indicates that effects on groundwater resources differ substantially between systems. A comparative LCA of these groundwater systems shows that other impact categories range between 0 and 1 PE/person. Advanced Treatment of Groundwater generally has the lowest effect, for example <50% of the other groundwater systems in Global Warming Potential. The AGWaRe results indicate that freshwater impacts from Simple Treatment of Groundwater are up to 100 times greater than for Infiltration of Reclaimed water. Furthermore, AGWaRe exposes differences between the groundwater systems that AWaRe cannot evaluate, because one AWaRe cell covers two of the systems in question. These improvements are crucial for groundwater managers looking to include sustainability considerations in their analysis and decision-making.

More is not always better: coping with ambiguity in natural resources management.

Coping with ambiguities in natural resources management has become unavoidable. Ambiguity is a distinct type of uncertainty that results from the simultaneous presence of multiple valid, and sometimes conflicting, ways of framing a problem. As such, it reflects discrepancies in meanings and interpretations. Under the presence of ambiguity it is not clear what problem is to be solved, who should be involved in the decision processes or what is an appropriate course of action. Despite the extensive literature about methodologies and tools to deal with uncertainty, not much has been said about how to handle ambiguities. In this paper, we discuss the notions of framing and ambiguity, and we identify five broad strategies to handle it: rational problem solving, persuasion, dialogical learning, negotiation and opposition. We compare these approaches in terms of their assumptions, mechanisms and outcomes and illustrate each approach with a number of concrete methods.

Design of a 20-month comprehensive, multicomponent school-based randomised trial to promote healthy weight development among 11-13 year olds: The HEalth In Adolescents study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The lack of effective school-based interventions for preventing obesity in children has caused a call for longer duration of interventions and better reporting on design and evaluation methodology. The purpose of this paper is to present the development of the intervention, the design of the effectiveness study, and the test-retest reliability of the main outcome measures in the HEalth In Adolescents (HEIA) study. METHODS/DESIGN: The HEIA intervention programme was developed based on literature reviews, a social ecological framework, and focus groups. The intervention aimed to increase total physical activity (PA) and consumption of fruit and vegetables and to decrease screen time and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. The intervention programme consisted of a classroom component, including dietary behaviour lessons, computer tailoring, fruit/vegetable and PA breaks, and posters, and an environmental component including active transport campaigns, equipment, suggestions for easy improvements of schoolyards, inspirational courses for teachers (all with regards to PA), and fact sheets to parents. The effect of the intervention programme is evaluated in a cluster randomised controlled trial design (intervention = 12 schools, control = 25 schools) including process evaluation. Main outcomes include anthropometry, PA, screen time, and consumption of fruit, vegetables, and sugar-sweetened beverages. A 2-week test- retest study was conducted among 114 pupils. Determinants of the behaviours were assessed. Similar data were collected from parents. Children's PA was measured objectively by accelerometers. CONCLUSIONS: The HEIA study represents a theoretically informed randomised trial comprising a comprehensive set of multilevel intervention components with a thorough evaluation using reliable outcome measures. The study will contribute to a better understanding of determinants of healthy weight development among young people and how such determinants can be modified.

A systematic review of the evidence regarding efficacy of obesity prevention interventions among adults.

In the past, interventions aimed at reducing obesity have mainly targeted at weight loss treatment in obese adults, with limited long-term effects. With the increasing number of people being obese and being at risk for obesity, there has been a shift in focus towards prevention of obesity. We conducted a systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature on the efficacy of obesity prevention interventions in adults in order to identify effective interventions and intervention elements. Pubmed, OVID, and Web of Science databases were searched from January 1996 to June 2006. Interventions aimed at primary prevention of weight gain among adults achieved by focusing on dietary intake, physical activity or the combination of both were included. The outcome measure had to be difference in change in body mass index or body weight between the intervention and the control groups. Nine studies were included, five long-term studies (at least 1 year) and four short-term (3 months to 1 year). Seven studies evaluated an intervention that focused on a combination of diet and physical activity to prevent weight gain, one on diet only and one on physical activity only. One dietary intervention (long-term), and three combined dietary and physical activity interventions (one long-term and two short-term) produced significantly positive results at end of follow-up. The two long-term, effective interventions consisted of intensive and long-term intervention implementation, including groups sessions designed to promote behavioural changes. The current evidence of efficacy of obesity prevention interventions is based on a very small number of studies. Some studies showed a positive impact on body mass index or weight status, but there was too much heterogeneity in terms of study design, theoretical underpinning and target population to draw firm conclusions about which intervention approaches are more effective than others. More research is urgently needed to extend the body of evidence.

Evaluation of methods for trace-element determination with emphasis on their usability in the clinical routine laboratory.

Commonly used techniques for trace-element analysis in human biological material are flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS), graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS), inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Elements that form volatile hydrides, first of all mercury, are analysed by hydride generation techniques. In the absorption techniques the samples are vaporized into free, neutral atoms and illuminated by a light source that emits the atomic spectrum of the element under analysis. The absorbance gives a quantitative measure of the concentration of the element. ICP-AES and ICP-MS are multi-element techniques. In ICP-AES the atoms of the sample are excited by, for example, argon plasma at very high temperatures. The emitted light is directed to a detector, and the optical signals are processed to values for the concentrations of the elements. In ICP-MS a mass spectrometer separates and detects ions produced by the ICP, according to their mass-to-charge ratio. Dilution of biological fluids is commonly needed to reduce the effect of the matrix. Digestion using acids and microwave energy in closed vessels at elevated pressure is often used. Matrix and spectral interferences may cause problems. Precautions should be taken against trace-element contamination during collection, storage and processing of samples. For clinical problems requiring the analysis of only one or a few elements, the use of FAAS may be sufficient, unless the higher sensitivity of GFAAS is required. For screening of multiple elements, however, the ICP techniques are preferable.

Survival and mortality rates among Danes with MS.

Long-term survival and trends in overall and cause-specific excess mortality among people with MS have been studied using the Danish Multiple Sclerosis Registry, which contains information about all Danish MS patients since the mid-20th Century. A total of 4254 deaths among approximately 10,000 people with MS, representing more than 200,000 person-years of observation, have been analysed. Overall, mortality was almost three times higher and life expectancy 10 years less among people with MS than for the general population. However, excess mortality has declined significantly since 1950.

The influence of geological factors on indoor radon concentrations in Norway.

Indoor radon levels in 1618 Norwegian dwellings located in different geological settings are compared with geological information. The results show a significant correlation between indoor radon levels and geological factors. Radium content and permeability of the building ground have been found to be useful indicators of indoor radon concentrations. Based on easily accessible geological data, an assessment of the radon potential of an area can be given. Areas of high radon risk in Norway include: (a) exposed bedrock with elevated levels of radium; and (b) highly permeable unconsolidated sediments derived from all rock types and moderately permeable sediments derived from rock types rich in radium. A comparison of indoor radon with house construction characteristics and ventilation habits suggests that radon concentrations in Norwegian dwellings are also influenced by ventilation system, aeration habits and floor level of the room where the measurements were carried out. The significant correlation between indoor radon levels and geological factors observed in the present investigation indicates that it is possible to outline areas of high radon risk in Norway based on geological information.

Breakthrough pain characteristics and syndromes in patients with cancer pain. An international survey.

Breakthrough pain (BKP) is a transitory flare of pain that occurs on a background of relatively well controlled baseline pain. Previous surveys have found that BKP is highly prevalent among patients with cancer pain and predicts more severe pain, pain-related distress and functional impairment, and relatively poor quality of life. An international group of investigators assembled by a task force of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) evaluated the prevalence and characteristics of BKP as part of a prospective, cross-sectional survey of cancer pain. Fifty-eight clinicians in 24 countries evaluated a total of 1095 patients with cancer pain using patient-rated items from the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) and observer-rated measures. The observer-rated information included demographic and tumor-related data, the occurrence of BKP, and responses on checklists of pain syndromes and pathophysiologies. The clinicians reported BKP in 64.8% of patients. Physicians from English-speaking countries were significantly more likely to report BKP than other physicians. BKP was associated with higher pain scores and functional interference on the BPI. Multivariate analysis showed an independent association of BKP with the presence of more than one pain, a vertebral pain syndrome, pain due to plexopathy, and English-speaking country. These data confirm the high prevalence of BKP, its association with more severe pain and functional impairment, and its relationship to specific cancer pain syndromes. Further studies are needed to characterize subtypes of BKP. The uneven distribution of BKP reporting across pain specialists from different countries suggests that more standardized methods for diagnosing BKP are needed.

Placenta percreta--two cases and review of the literature.

Two cases of placenta pecreta confirmed histologically were treated conservatively with retention of the uterus. Both later went on to have successful pregnancies.

Validation of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry technique (ICP-AES) for multi-element analysis of trace elements in human serum.

The use of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) for the simultaneous determination of Al, B, Ba, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, Sr and Zn in human serum in a clinical laboratory was validated. Samples were digested and then analysed using yttrium as an internal standard and a serum-matched calibration standard. The criteria used to assess the analytical performance of the ICP-AES were detection and quantification limits, linearity, sensitivity, recovery, interference from alkali and acid, trueness and precision. Detection limits were 0.002-0.003 micromol/L for Mn, Sr, Ba, and Cd; 0.014-0.07 micromol/L for Co, Zn, Fe, Be, Li, Pb, Cu, Ni, and Cr; and 0.2-0.9 micromol/L for B, Se, and Al. Trueness, as controlled by analysis of bovine serum certified reference material, was acceptable for Co, Cu, Se and Zn, while Fe was 5.1% and Mn 6.2% below the lowest limit of the certified material interval. We conclude that ICP-AES can be used for multi-element analysis of B, Ba, Cu, Fe, Li, Se, Sr and Zn in serum. Serum levels of Al, Be and Co were below the detection limits while serum levels of Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb were below the quantification limits of the ICP-AES. These trace metals cannot be analysed as routine by the ICP-AES. However, in cases of intoxication with elevated serum concentrations mean recovery of 100+/-10% was obtained at an addition of 2.22 micromol/L for Al, 0.11 micromol/L for Be, 0.03 micromol/L for Co, 0.39 micromol/L for Cr, 0.14 micromol/L for Ni, and 0.12 micromol/L for Pb.

Ground water resources in Denmark: modelling and monitoring

El agua potable en Dinamarca proviene exclusivamente del agua subterranea, y este recurso puede verse afectado por la contaminacion, variaciones climaticas y cambios en el uso de la tierra. El articulo describe un trabajo de monitoreo de los acuiferos con el objeto de determinar el tamaño y la distribucion de futuras fuentes de explotacion

Ground water resources in Denmark: modelling and monitoring

El agua potable en Dinamarca proviene exclusivamente del agua subterranea, y este recurso puede verse afectado por la contaminacion, variaciones climaticas y cambios en el uso de la tierra. El articulo describe un trabajo de monitoreo de los acuiferos con el objeto de determinar el tamanño y la distribucion de futuras fuentes de explotacion

[Geriatric psychiatry--a specialty gaining recognition]. / Alderspsykiatri--et fagfelt som finner sin plass.

Services for elderly, mentally ill people have developed in response to changing needs in society. In 1990 most of the 650 beds allocated to elderly patients in psychiatric hospitals were occupied by long-term care patients. Outpatient programmes hardly existed. In 1995 about 400 beds were allocated to geriatric psychiatry. They were served by 40 physicians and 20 psychologists. Out-patients' clinics were established. Most of the in-patients were short-term admissions. Nowadays, departments of geriatric psychiatry define themselves as diagnostic and short-term units. About a third of the in-patients suffer from dementia, a third from depression, and a third from various other psychiatric disorders. The authors recommend that a special unit for geriatric psychiatry should be established in every county in Norway. Funds should be allocated for professorships at all universities.

[Distress symptoms in hospice patients]. / Belastende symptomer hos patienter i hospice.

A number of symptoms cause physical or mental distress and suffering in the terminal and dying patient. In this prospective study of 117 patients (96% with a cancer diagnosis) in a Danish hospice all symptoms causing distress were assessed daily in three degrees of severity. The ten most frequently recorded symptoms were: fatigue, pain, weakness, dyspnoea, immobility/paresis, anorexia, general malaise, nausea/vomiting, oedema and amnesia. Fatigue was registered on 60.9% of the admission days, pain on 27.3%, dyspnoea on 19.2% and nausea/vomiting on 8.5%. The prevalence of pain, dyspnoea, nausea/vomiting, thirst and anxiety did not increase during the last seven days of life. Unconsciousness occurred in 23% of the patients during the last 24 hours and in 5% on the day before.