Högskolan i Skövde

Background: Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) are the first and second most common thyroid cancers comprising about 85% and 10% of all thyroid cancers. Simultaneous occurrence of medullary and papillary thyroid cancer has been reported with various presentations, but simultaneous occurrence of FTC in addition to PTC as differentiated cancers, is an unusual event that is rarely reported. Presentation of cases: We report our experience of six rare cases of synchronous coexistence of FTC and PTC with unique features. Case 1 is 31 old Egyptian female. Case 2 is a 61 year old Sudanese male. Case 3 is a 59 year old Sudanese male. Case 4 is a 56 years old Indian female. Case 5 is a 35 years old Filipina female. Case 6 is a 52 years old Qatari female. The six cases are special in their co-occurrence of two thyroid carcinoma, consisting of histologic features of follicular thyroid carcinomas, and classical papillary thyroid carcinoma, possibly the first case series of simultaneous occurrence of these two types of thyroid cancer in the Middle East and North Africa Region. Conclusions: We present rare cases of concurrent FTC and PTC. These six cases add more data highlighting the coincidental simultaneous coexistence of FTC and PTC. Endocrinologists and pathologists should be aware of and vigilant to this variety. © 2020 The Author(s)

Background: Revisional gastric bypass (R-RYGB) surgery is utilized for the management of inadequate weight loss or weight regain observed after some cases of bariatric surgeries. Data on the mid-term effectiveness of primary gastric bypass (P-RYGB) compared to R-RYGB (e.g., post sleeve gastrectomy or gastric banding) are controversial. Methods: Retrospective chart review of all patients who received P-RYGB and R-RYGB (January 2011 - June 2015) at our center. One hundred and twenty patients who underwent P-RYGB and 34 R-RYGB who completed 18 months follow-up were included. We compared the effectiveness of P-RYGB with R-RYGB by assessing four anthropometric, two glycemic, and four lipid parameters, as well as the control of type 2 diabetes (T2DM), hypertension and dyslipidemia in terms of remission, improvement, persistence, relapse and de novo. The current study also assessed mortality and complications rates. Results: There were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics of patients who received P-RYGB with those who received R-RYGB in terms of age, gender and preoperative BMI. However, at 18 months: a) Patients who received P-RYGB had lower mean weight (P = 0.001) and BMI (P <0.001), reflected by a higher mean delta BMI (P = 0.02), TWL%(P <0.0001) and EWL%(P < 0.0001); b) No differences were observed between the two patients groups in terms of glycemic parameters, lipid profiles, and control of T2DM, hypertension, and dyslipidemia; and, c) No deaths were reported among both patients groups, and complication rates were comparable. Conclusion: Although R-RYGB effectively addressed inadequate weight loss, weight regain and recurrence of comorbidities after restrictive bariatric surgery, R-RYGB resulted in inferior weight loss compared to P-RYGB. There were no significant differences between the two procedures in terms of their clinical control of T2DM, hypertension and dyslipidemia. Both procedures exhibited comparable complication rates. 

Introduction: Ectopic parathyroid adenoma is rare during pregnancy but poses multiple challenges in treatment. It presents as primary hyperparathyroidism which leads to symptoms and complications of hypercalcemia in both the mother and fetus. Presentation of case: A 38-year-old Sudanese female presented with diffuse bone pain and polyuria. Laboratory investigations revealed elevated serum calcium and parathyroid hormone. Ultrasound of the neck did not show any abnormal lesion, however 99mTc-sestamibi scan showed a right sided parathyroid adenoma, and an earlier CT scan showed the adenoma to be in an ectopic paraesophageal position. Focused surgical neck exploration was done, and the ectopic parathyroid adenoma was excised. Discussion: Preoperative localization of the ectopic parathyroid adenoma allows for a focused surgical procedure. Ultrasound is the safest during pregnancy, but 99mTc-sestamibi and CT scan may be necessary if ultrasound or initial bilateral neck exploration do not detect any adenoma. Mild elevations in maternal serum calcium can have detrimental effects on the fetus which suggests that a surgical approach may be necessary in the majority of cases. Conclusions: Ectopic parathyroid adenoma is rare during pregnancy and is detrimental to both the mother and fetus. Preoperative localization allows for a focused surgery which is a definitive treatment and can safely be performed during the 2nd trimester of pregnancy. 

Introduction: Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is the commonest form of well-differentiated endocrine carcinoma. It is categorized into indolent and aggressive, where the indolent subtypes (classic, follicular) rarely demonstrate aggressive behavior. We present a classic PTC presenting with a rapidly growing huge anterior neck mass that subsequently spontaneously ruptured subcutaneously resulting in ischemia, necrosis, and perforation of overlying skin leading to inflammation. Presentation of case: A 37-year-old female with no comorbidities presented to our emergency department with a neck swelling of 2 years duration that rapidly enlarged one week prior to presentation. Though the mass initially appeared of inflammatory nature, the tumor was a PTC, and she underwent total thyroidectomy with selective right side neck dissection and debridement of necrotic skin. The gross specimen revealed a fragmented non-intact right thyroid lobe mass causing pressure ischemia, necrosis and perforation of the skin. Histopathology showed a 9 × 9 × 5 cm classic PTC staged as pT3b N1b. Postoperative course was uneventful, she was discharged by the eighth postoperative day, and then she received a high dose of radioactive iodine ablation (RAI). Discussion: Classic PTC is usually of a smaller size and a relatively benign course compared to other PTC subtypes and thyroid cancers. It is indolent with favorable prognosis. Although it is associated with increased risk of lymph node metastases at the time of diagnosis, it is slow growing with high survival rates approaching 95%. Conclusion: Despite that classic PTC progresses slowly, it should still be suspected in neck swellings presenting with rapid and aggressive behavior. Prompt and systematic assessment is required with surgical intervention and radioactive iodine ablation therapy. 

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasingly being linked to obesity. Although laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is effective for weight loss that can ultimately resolve NAFLD, an initial transient deterioration of liver functions could be observed during the first few months post-operatively, after which a subsequent improvement of the liver functions might occur. Rapid weight loss, nutritional deficiencies, and protein malnutrition can all contribute to hepatic dysfunction and can affect the metabolism of medications such as acetaminophen leading to more insult to a compromised liver. We report acute liver failure after LSG associated with protein calorie malnutrition, multiple nutritional deficiencies in addition to concomitant use of therapeutic doses of acetaminophen. Treatment with N-acetylcysteine, and replacement of deficient multivitamins and trace elements resulted in significant improvement in liver functions. 

Background

Educational environments are considered important in strengthening students’ health status and knowledge, which are associated with good educational outcomes. It has been suggested to establish healthy universities based on a salutogenic approach – namely, health promotion. The aim of this study was to describe health-promoting resources and factors among first-semester students in higher education in healthcare and social work.

Methods

This cross-sectional study is based on a survey distributed among all students in seven healthcare and social work programmes at six universities in southern Sweden. The survey was carried out in 2018 using a self-reported, web-based questionnaire focussing on general health and well-being, lifestyle factors together with three validated instruments measuring health-promoting factors and processes: the Sense of Coherence (SOC) scale, Salutogenic Health Indicator Scale (SHIS) and Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ).

Results

Of 2283 students, 851 (37.3%) completed the survey, of whom 742 (87.1%) were women; 722 (84.8%) were enrolled on healthcare programmes, and 129 (15.2%) were enrolled on social work programmes. Most reported good general health and well-being (88.1% and 83.7%, respectively). The total mean scores for the SOC scale, SHIS and OBQ were, respectively, 59.09 (SD = 11.78), 44.04 (SD = 9.38) and 26.40 (SD = 7.07). Well-being and several healthy lifestyles were related to better general health and higher SOC, SHIS and OBQ scores. Multiple linear and logistic regressions showed that perceived well-being and no sleeping problems significantly predicted higher general health and higher SOC, SHIS and OBQ scores. Being less sedentary and non-smoking habits were significant predictors of higher SOC.

Conclusions

Swedish students in higher education within the healthcare and social work sector report good general health and well-being in the first semester, as well as health-promoting resources (i.e. SOC, SHIS and OBQ), and in some aspects, a healthy lifestyle. High-intensity exercise, no sleeping problems and non-smoking seem to be of importance to both general health and health-promotive resources. This study contributes to knowledge about the health promotive characteristics of students in the healthcare and social work fields, which is of importance for planning universities with a salutogenic approach.

Background: Midline laparotomy is the definitive treatment for sigmoid volvulus after initial colonoscopic detorsion. We successfully adopted another technique at our center on 6 patients, treating sigmoid volvulus by left iliac fossa mini-incision. Presentation of cases: We report our experience of six non-consecutive cases of sigmoid volvulus treated by left iliac fossa mini-incision. The cases were a 33 year old Egyptian female, a 21 year old Bangladeshi male, a 58 year old Qatari male, a 30 year old Ethiopian male, a 36 year old Ugandan male, and a 58 year old Indian male. The six cases are unique in the surgical technique employed in their management. This is possibly the second case series of left iliac fossa mini-incision for sigmoid volvulus in the Middle East and North Africa Region. Discussion: All patients underwent initial colonoscopic detorsion followed by sigmoidectomy and anastomosis. The procedure was successful in treating the volvulus in five patients with no complication or recurrence over a mean follow up of 8 months (range: 1–36 months). One patient required further laparotomy and resection with anastomosis due to incompletely removed sigmoid colon. Conclusions: Left iliac fossa mini-incision for sigmoid volvulus is safe, feasible, cosmetically appealing and with low morbidity.

Introduction: Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a neuroendocrine tumor that originates from the parafollicular C cells of the thyroid gland. MTC can be due to sporadic or hereditary causes due to gain of function germ line mutations in the RET proto-oncogene. MTC presenting as ocular symptoms due to choroidal mass is rare with bad prognosis. Presentation of case: A 38-year-old Sudanese male presented to Hamad General Hospital, complaining of sudden painless decrease of vision of the right eye of 3 weeks duration. After investigations using imaging methods, the patient was discovered to have metastatic MTC that presented as choroidal mass and metastasized to his lung, bone, brain, pituitary, liver and mediastinum. Discussion: In terms of investigations, serum levels of calcitonin have superior diagnostic accuracy. Our patient undertook diagnostic imaging including ultrasonography, fine needle aspiration and computerized tomography (CT) scan and/or MRI imaging. He undertook total thyroidectomy and left neck dissection followed by stereotactic radiosurgery for the right orbit and pituitary. He then received systemic anti-RET therapy (Selpercatinib). At 5 months follow up there was dramatic drop in CEA from 888 μg/L to 164 μg/L, and calcitonin from >585.2 pmol/L to 354 pmol/L. Conclusion: Choroidal metastasis as initial presentation of MTC is extremely rare and challenging to diagnose. Surgeons need a high index of suspicion when ocular symptoms accompany a neck mass or thyroid-related symptoms. MTC has a progressive course with involvement of blood vessels and neck lymph nodes. Choroidal metastasis of MTC is challenging to manage.

Introduction: Noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear (NIFTP) is a new entity. No previous study reported prospective cases, outlining using many quantitative and qualitative variables. Methods: Retrospective analysis of all (15) prospective NIFTP cases diagnosed between 2017 and 2021 at our institution. Statistical quantitative analysis outlined demographic, history, ultrasound, histopathology and treatment characteristics. Qualitative analysis examined the cases, with details provided on three cases to highlight the different possible presentations and configurations. Results: Mean age was 41.5 ± 9.91 years, 73.3% were females, and mean BMI was 29.49 ± 5.74 kg/m2. About 87% patients were symptomatic; 86.6% had neck swelling. Ultrasound (US) showed multiple nodules in 71.4% of cases. Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) showed that follicular lesion of undetermined significance (42.8%) was most common, followed by benign nodule (21.3%). Using the Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology, 7 cases were category III, 3 category IV, 3 category II, and 1 category I. 60% of patients underwent total thyroidectomy. All cases were diagnosed postoperatively, 2 patients had additional papillary microcarcinoma. In 3 cases, the NIFTP site in the histopathology of resected specimen was different than the US-recommended site of the FNAC. Conclusion: We found discrepancies in the site and diagnosis of the preoperative US recommendation for the FNAC vs the postoperative histopathology of the specimen. These suggest that NIFTP might be incidentally and postoperatively diagnosed, irrespective of US or FNAC findings, hence its ‘true’ incidence might remain underestimated. As NIFTP cases higher BMI, Future research could predict preoperative diagnosis of NIFTP and explore associations with BMI. 

Introduction: Non-invasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like features (NIFTP) is a recently characterized lesion with very low malignant potential. This has allowed for less aggressive management of this tumor subtype. Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has malignant potential and requires different considerations in management. Presentation of case: A 33-year-old woman presented to our Thyroid Surgery Clinic with a left neck swelling slowly enlarging over 4 years, and recent right-sided neck pain. Neck ultrasound and fine needle aspiration for cytology found bilateral thyroid nodules, labelled as ‘follicular lesion of undetermined significance’ (FLUS). Final pathology report after total thyroidectomy identified four distinct tumors: bilateral NIFTP lesions and bilateral papillary microcarcinomas. Discussion: Management of NIFTP comprises partial or total thyroidectomy without further intervention. Management of PTC is the same but with the possible addition of radioactive ablation due to the increased malignant potential. This is the first report of bilateral NIFTP lesions and bilateral papillary microcarcinomas co-occurring together in the same patient, so management was challenging. The decision was made to give the patient low dose radioactive iodine ablation and continue monitoring. Ultrasound of the neck follow up 6 months later showed no residual thyroid tissue or local recurrence. Conclusion: Although rare, NIFTP can co-occur with PTC. Bilateral NIFTP with bilateral PTC is extremely rare. Surgeons and pathologists need to be aware of this rare entity that can co-occur in both thyroid lobes. Total thyroidectomy is the definitive treatment. Post-surgery surveillance is important and follow up needs to be watchful for any recurrence or metastasis. © 2020 The Author(s)

Introduction: Giant/large gallstones have high risk of complications, and technical difficulties during surgery. This case series is the largest ever reported. Presentation of cases: Case 1: Female (44 years), with one year intermittent right upper quadrant colicky pain. Ultrasound: large gallstone (normal gallbladder). Elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC): 6 × 4 × 3.3 cm gallstone. Case 2: Female (41 years), presented to emergency room with 3 days right upper quadrant pain/tenderness, vomiting, and positive murphy's sign. Ultrasound: large gallstone, calculus cholecystitis. Emergency LC: 4.5 × 3.1 × 3.5 cm gallstone. Case 3: Male (38 years), with history of gallstones and acute cholecystitis presented with intermittent right upper quadrant pain (2 months) and vomiting. Normal abdominal examination. Ultrasound: large gallstone. Elective LC: 4.1 × 4 × 3.6 cm gallstone. Conclusions: Gallstones >5 cm are very rare, with higher risk of complications. Gallbladder should be removed even if asymptomatic. Gallstones >3 cm have increased risk for gallbladder cancer, biliary enteric fistula and ileus. LC has challenges that include grasping the gallbladder wall, exposure of Calot's triangle, and retrieval of gallbladder out of the abdomen. LC appears to be procedure of choice and should be performed by an experienced surgeon, considering the possibility of conversion to open cholecystectomy in case of inability to expose the anatomy or intraoperative difficulties. © 2020 The Author(s)

Aims and Objectives: To explore the lived experience of young adults diagnosed with cancer and to increase our understanding of how to help them with their caring needs. Background: Being diagnosed with cancer is normally related with an existential crisis. This indicates that the individual cannot avoid thoughts of death, loneliness, guilt, and meaninglessness. In person-centered care, the caretaker should have a holistic view of the person. Professionals must meet the patient´s different needs to strengthen health and well-being for the diagnosed. This approach encourages the traditionally passive patient to become an active consumer who works in partnership with the healthcare provider. Design: For this study, a content analysis of narratives was conducted, targeting age groups of 20–29 to take part of young adults' experiences. Methods: Qualitative analysis of narratives and followed checklist (e.g., COREQ). Results: During the analyzing phase, two main themes emerged: Interactions with Professionals and Cancer Voyager. In the results, both positive and negative feelings regarding encounters and support received from the professionals were described, this affected the young adults' well-being and their ability to participate during treatments. The young adults felt as being on a journey with no control over which direction the road may take. Conclusion: Outcome of the result shows the importance of making the young adult, one in a team. When working in a person-centered way, patients gain control by owning their own responsibility during treatments. Implications for Nursing Practice: There is a need in nursing education to address existential matters, to make nursing students ready to be approach but such questions in their professional work. Also, we believe that the experienced nurse must be given means to feel confident to handle questions about existential matters. By developing skills in the area of e-Health, collaboration through support groups, and last but not least switching to patient-centered care, we can offer effective and evidence-based care tailored for this population. 

Introduction: Appendiceal mucinous neoplasm is a rare type of appendiceal tumors which can present in a variety of symptoms and is difficult to diagnose. Preoperative diagnosis depends mainly on diagnostic imaging such as ultrasonography and computerized tomography (CT) scan. This uncommon case report discusses an appendiceal mucinous neoplasm mimicking a left adnexal mass on presentation, physical examination and diagnostic imaging findings. Presentation of case: This is a 61-year-old female found to have a large left adnexal mass during follow up ultrasonography. The patient refused further imaging, and during laparotomy, she was found to have an appendicular mucocele with normal left and right ovaries. Discussion: Appendectomy was done and the final pathology came as appendiceal mucinous neoplasm. Her post-operative course and 3 years follow up were uneventful. Conclusions: The equivocal signs and symptoms along with the anatomical position of appendiceal mucocele makes it difficult to diagnose and can mimic other types of tumors. Therefore, it should be considered in the deferential diagnosis of lower abdominal and pelvic masses. 

Background: Appendicular neoplasms are rare, most commonly as carcinoids followed by appendicular mucinous neoplasms (AMN). To date, there remains controversy regarding the best treatment of AMN and factors affecting its prognosis. Method: Retrospective chart review of patients operated for appendicular pathology (January 2011–December 2018, follow up to December 2020) at our institution. For all AMN patients, data included pre-operative clinical presentation, and operative/post-operative findings. Results: 12454 patients underwent appendectomy, of whom 50 (0.4%) had AMN histopathologically (mean age = 47.2). Most patients had laparoscopic appendectomy as primary surgery. Low grade AMN was the most common subtype (n = 41, 82%), and pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) was found in 8 (16%) patients. Based on histopathology and margin involvement, the 50 patients were categorized into 3 prognostic categories of recurrence risk (no risk, 24 patients; low risk, 8; high recurrence risk, 18 patients). Disease-free survival (DFS) was lowest for high recurrence risk group (P < 0.001). Eleven (22%) patients had AMN involving resection margin, of whom 3 had no completion surgery and had no recurrence. Higher tumor markers were associated with lower DFS, however it was not statistically significant. Conclusion: AMNs are rare but serious due to the risk of PMP. Laparoscopic approach for AMN may be feasible. Prognostic categories were significantly inversely correlated with recurrence risk; hence useful in predicting prognosis. Contrary to previous proposals, AMNs with acellular mucin at margin or local acellular mucin spillage may not require secondary surgery, especially if the patient is in low recurrence risk group. Tumor markers may predict risk of recurrence. 

Background: Foot drop is defined as a weakness in the ankle and foot dorsiflexors. A disruption of the neural pathway starting from the motor prefrontal cortex and ending in the peroneal nerve can lead to foot drop. Foot drop due to lower motor neuron injury is well documented. However, foot drop due to a central cause of cervical disc prolapse is very rare. Case presentation: A 55-year-old male presenting with neck pain, right and left arms radicular pain and numbness, and unilateral right foot drop following cervical disc prolapse. The patient presented with upper motor neuron lesion signs. MRI showed cervical disc prolapse at two levels, confirming central cause of foot drop. The patient underwent anterior cervical decompression and fusion surgery. Discussion: Following decompression and fusion of involved cervical spine disc pathology, the patient had complete recovery of his right foot drop. Conclusions: Central causes, although rare, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of foot drop. Causes could be due to the compression effect of the cortico-spinal tract of the cervical spinal cord. Satisfactory results can be achieved upon correcting the causative lesion. 

Background: Giant parathyroid adenoma is a rare type of parathyroid adenoma defined as weighing > 3.5 g. They present as primary hyperparathyroidism but with more elevated laboratory findings and more severe clinical presentations due to the larger tissue mass. This is the first reported case of giant parathyroid adenoma from the Middle East.

Case presentation: A 52-year-old Indian woman presented with a palpable right-sided neck mass and generalized fatigue. Investigations revealed hypercalcemia with elevated parathyroid hormone and an asymptomatic kidney stone. Ultrasound showed a complex nodule with solid and cystic components, and Sestamibi nuclear scan confirmed a giant parathyroid adenoma. Focused surgical neck exploration was done and a giant parathyroid adenoma weighing 7.7 gm was excised.

Conclusions: Giant parathyroid adenoma is a rare cause of primary hyperparathyroidism and usually presents symptomatically with high calcium and parathyroid hormone levels. Giant parathyroid adenoma is diagnosed by imaging and laboratory studies. Management is typically surgical, aiming at complete resection. Patients usually recover with no long-term complications or recurrence.

Introduction: The lockdown imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic rendered teledentistry (TD) necessary to maintain the continuity of oral health services and avoid missing emergency dental conditions, while minimizing face-to-face visits. Our objective was to evaluate the ability of a newly introduced triage-based TD service to deliver its goals, by evaluating its processes and outcomes and assessing the demand for TD. Methods: This cross-sectional report assessed the triage processes and outcomes (triage category, referral to emergency/dental facility undertaken, remote medications prescribed, and procedures performed at the point of referral); and evaluated the demand for the newly introduced TD service during 5 months of the first wave of the pandemic. Results: Of 850 calls, about 70.6% of the samples were managed remotely; 29.4% were categorized as emergency/urgent and referred to the emergency/dental facility. Compared with other complaints, orofacial dental pain was the most common reason for the calls (41.6%, p < 0.0001). About 14.71% of callers received prescription for medications remotely. The most demanded disciplines were general dentistry, orthodontics, and oral surgery, respectively (p < 0.0001). Of those referred to a dental facility, 31.84% required no clinical intervention, 28.7% received orthodontic appliance repair, and 14.3% and 11.2% had urgent dental extractions or root canal treatments. Demand on the service fluctuated through various distinct stages of the lockdown. Conclusions: There has been continuous demand for the newly introduced TD service throughout the period of the current report despite the fluctuations, with most complaints managed remotely. TD was effective and suitable for triage, service delivery, and care during the pandemic.

Objectives: To assess the reliability of synchronous audioconferencing teledentistry (TD) in making tentative diagnosis compared to definitive clinical face-to-face (CFTF) diagnosis; and whether agreement was influenced by dentist's experience, caller-patient relationship, and time of call. Methods: All patients calling the TD hotline during COVID-19 pandemic, triaged as emergency/ urgent and referred for CFTF care were included (N=191). Hotline dentists triaged the calls, made tentative audio-dentistry (AD) diagnosis, while dentists at point of referral made the definitive CFTF diagnosis. Cohen's weighted kappa (κ) assessed the extent of agreement between AD vs CFTF diagnosis. Results: There was significantly very good pair-wise agreement (κ = 0.853, P < 0.0001) between AD and CFTF diagnosis. AD diagnosis of pulpitis and periodontitis exhibited the most frequent disagreements. Tele-dentists with ≥ 20 years’ experience exhibited the highest level of agreement (κ =0.872, P < 0.0001). There was perfect agreement when mothers mediated the call (κ = 1, P < 0.0001), and very good agreement for calls received between 7 am-2 pm (κ = 0.880, P < 0.0001) compared to calls received between 2-10 pm (κ = 0.793, P < 0.0001). Conclusions: Remote tentative diagnosis using AD is safe and reliable. Reliability was generally very good but varied by dentist's experience, caller-patient relationship, and time of call. Clinical significance: The findings suggest that using AD in the home environment is safe and reliable, deploying providers with variable years of experience. The findings have generalizability potential to a variety of similar circumstances, healthcare settings and epi/pandemic situations. 

Purpose:

The lack of available guidelines for the management of prostatic abscess (PA) results in inconsistencies in its management. The most commonly used management modalities were conservative treatment with parenteral antibiotics alone, transrectal ultrasound-guided (TRUS) needle aspiration, or transurethral deroofing (TUD).

The current study is a retrospective study and examines prostatic abscess cases treated by either one or more of the different modalities. We assess and compare presentation, diagnosis, management, and outcomes of prostatic abscess and we compare the outcomes of the three management modalities.

Methods:

We retrieved the records of all patients (n = 23) admitted to the Urology department at Al Wakra hospital with the computed tomography (CT) diagnosis of prostatic abscess from January 2013 to March 2018. Data collected included demographic, clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings, as well as management modality, duration of hospital stay, duration of follow up, outcome, and recurrence.

Results:

A total of nine (39.1%) patients had conservative treatment only; eight (34.8%) had TUD, and six (26.1%) had TRUS needle aspiration. The mean age was 52.7 years. Lower urinary tract symptoms and fever were the most common presentations (95.7% and 82.6%, respectively). CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis with contrast was undertaken for all patients and it showed that multiple abscesses were observed in 14 (60.9%) cases.

The overall mean hospital stay was 8.45 days (range 2–21 days). We observed no recurrences for patients treated conservatively or those who undertook TUD, but three patient (50%) recurrences were noted in TRUS aspiration patients. There was no mortality across the sample.

Conclusion:

Early diagnosis of prostatic abscess and prompt management may have decreased the morbidity and mortality. Conservative management can succeed in subcentimeter abscesses but TUD is the definite therapy for large and multiloculated abscess. TRUS aspiration does have a role in treatment, but it has higher recurrence and longer hospital stay.

Objective: No study compared the grooved stent to the widely used standard smooth (nongrooved) stent in humans. We compared stone clearance, complications, and patient tolerance of the grooved stent vs standard JJ stent. Patients and Methods: Single-blinded randomised trial among patients planned for pre-extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) stenting. Adult patients with unilateral ureteric/ renal stones planned for ESWL were randomly assigned to receive (Percuflex) smooth ureteric stent or (Visiostar) grooved lithotripsy stent and blinded to the stent type. We collected and compared the baseline data and outcomes (stone-free rate, complications, and stent-related symptoms) of both patient groups. Results: A total of 96 adults were included (48 per arm). There were no significant differences between the groups at baseline in terms of demographics, body mass index, comorbidities, renal function, number of ESWL sessions, and stone characteristics, including pre-ESWL stone volume (mean [SD] smooth 310.2 [301.6] vs grooved 270.7 [278.6] mm3, P = 0.5). Stone clearance was statistically insignificant between the groups, although clinically relevant (smooth stent 70.8% vs grooved stent 81.2%, P = 0.2). Grooved-stent patients reported comparable urinary symptoms score (P = 0.05) and operative complications (P = 0.6), but significantly more urinary tract infections (UTIs) not requiring hospitalisation (P = 0.003). Conclusions: Although statistically insignificant, the grooved stent exhibited higher stone clearance compared to the smooth stent, with similar complication rates excpet that patients with grooved stents reported more UTIs. A re-visit to the size of the outer diameter of the grooved stent could enhance its stone clearance properties, and further development of its coating material could lead to better patient satisfaction.

Introduction: The hobnail variant of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is rare. Intrathyroid parathyroid adenoma (ITPA) is also rare. Co-ocurrence of PTC and ITPA in the same thyroid lobe is extremely rare. Likewise, primary hyperparathyroidism with such non-medullary thyroid carcinoma is rare. The specific molecular profile of hobnail PTC (HPTC) is different from the classic, poorly differentiated and anaplastic variants and may contribute to its aggressive behavior. HPTC's genetic profile remains unclear. Presentation of case: A 61-year-old woman presented to our endocrine clinic with generalized aches, bone pain, polyuria, and right neck swelling of a few months’ duration. Laboratory findings revealed hypercalcemia and hyperparathyroidism. Ultrasound of the neck showed 4.6 cm complex nodule within the right thyroid lobe. Sestamibi scan suggested parathyroid adenoma in the right thyroid lobe. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) revealed atypical follicular lesion of undetermined significance. She underwent right lobectomy, which normalized the intraoperative intact parathyroid hormone levels. Final pathology with immunohistochemical stains demonstrated HPTC and IPTA (2 cm each). Next-generation sequencing investigated the mutation spectrum of HPTC and detected BRAFV600E mutation. Conclusions: A parathyroid adenoma should not exclude the diagnosis of thyroid carcinoma. Thyroid evaluation is needed for patients with primary hyperparathyroidism to prevent missing concurrent thyroid cancers. Cytomorphologic features to distinguish thyroid from parathyroid cells on FNA cytology must be considered. Immunohistochemical stains are important. BRAFV600E is the most common mutation in HPTC. This is possibly the first reported case of HPTC and ITPA co-occurring within the same thyroid lobe. Studies that define other molecular abnormalities may be useful as therapeutic targets. © 2020 The Author(s)

BACKGROUND: Older people's use of the internet is increasingly coming into focus with the demographic changes of a growing older population. Research reports several benefits of older people's internet use and highlights problems such as various forms of inequality in use within the group. There is a need for consistent measurements to follow the development and use of the internet in this group and to be able to compare groups both within and between countries, as well as follow the changes over time.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to create an instrument to measure an older person's perception of the benefits of their online social participation, unconnected to specific applications and services. The instrument to measure internet social participation proposed in this paper builds on social participation factors and is a multidimensional construct incorporating both social relations and societal connectedness.

METHODS: A short instrument for measuring social participation over the internet was created. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted in a random selection of persons aged 65 years or older (n=193) on 10 initial items. Further validation was made by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in the remaining group (n=193).

RESULTS: A 1-factor solution for the social internet score was decided upon after exploratory factor analysis (EFA; based on a random sample of half the data set). None of the questionnaire items were excluded based on the EFA, as they all had high loadings, the lowest being 0.61. The Cronbach α coefficient was .92. The 1-factor solution explained 55% of the variance. CFA was performed and included all 10 questionnaire items in a 1-factor solution. Indices of goodness of fit of the model showed room for improvement. Removal of 4 questions in a stepwise procedure resulted in a 6-item model (χ²₆=13.985; χ²/degrees of freedom=1.554; comparative fit index=0.992; root mean square error of approximation=0.054; standardized root mean square residual=0.025).

CONCLUSIONS: The proposed instrument can be used to measure digital social participation and coherence with society. The factor analysis is based on a sufficient sample of the general population of older adults in Sweden, and overall the instrument performed as expected.

The use of the internet has considerably increased over recent years, and the importance of internet use has also grown as services have gone online. Sweden is largely an information society like other countries with high reported use amongst European countries. In line with digitalization development, society is also changing, and many activities and services today take place on the internet. This development could potentially lead to those older persons who do not use the internet or do not follow the development of services on the internet finding it difficult to take part in information and activities that no longer occur in the physical world. This has led to a digital divide between groups, where the older generations (60+), in particular, have been affected. In a large study of Sweden’s adult population in 2019, 95 percent of the overall population was said to be internet users, and the corresponding number for users over 66 years of age was 84%. This study shows that the numbers reported about older peoples’ internet use, most likely, are vastly overestimated and that real use is significantly lower, especially among the oldest age groups. We report that 62.4% of the study subjects are internet users and that this number most likely also is an overestimation. When looking at nonresponders to the questionnaire, we find that they display characteristics generally attributed to non-use, such as lower education, lower household economy, and lower cognitive functioning.

This study aimed to provide an understanding of nursing students’ self-reported eHealth literacy in Sweden and Poland. This cross-sectional multicentre study collected data via a questionnaire in three universities in Sweden and Poland. Descriptive statistics, the Spearman’s Rank Correlation Coefficient, Mann–Whitney U, and Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to analyse different data types. Age (in the Polish sample), semester, perceived computer or laptop skills, and frequency of health-related Internet searches were associated with eHealth literacy. No gender differences were evidenced in regard to the eHealth literacy. Regarding attitudes about eHealth, students generally agreed on the importance of eHealth and technical aspects of their education. The importance of integrating eHealth literacy skills in the curricula and the need to encourage the improvement of these skills for both students and personnel are highlighted, as is the importance of identifying students with lacking computer skills. 

Purpose Rectal cancer and its treatment have a negative impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). If risk factors for sustained low HRQoL could be identified early, ideally before the start of treatment, individualised interventions could be identified and implemented to maintain or improve HRQoL. The study aimed to develop a multivariable prediction model for global HRQoL 12 months after rectal cancer treatment.

Methods Within COLOR II, a randomised, multicentre, international trial of laparoscopic and open surgery for rectal cancer, a sub-study on HRQoL included 385 patients in 12 hospitals and five countries. The HRQoL study was optional for hospitals in the COLOR II trial. EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-CR38 were analysed preoperatively and at 1 and 12 months postoperatively. In exploratory analyses, correlations between age, sex, fatigue, pain, ASA classification, complications, and symptoms after surgery to HRQoL were studied. Bivariate initial analyses were followed by multivariate regression models.

Results Patient characteristics and clinical factors explained 4–10% of the variation in global HRQoL. The patient-reported outcomes from EORTC QLQ-C30 explained 55–65% of the variation in global HRQoL. The predominant predictors were fatigue and pain, which significantly impacted global HRQoL at all time points measured.

Conclusion We found that fatigue and pain were two significant factors associated with posttreatment global HRQoL in patients treated for rectal cancer T1-T3 Nx. Interventions to reduce fatigue and pain could enhance global HRQoL after rectal cancer treatment.

In 2002 University West received a specific mission from the Swedish government to develop Work-integrated learning (WIL), but already in 1990 the University Board of Directors branded the university “as the first and only WIL educational and research institution of higher education in Sweden” (Piperet al., 2023). Since 2020 University West also offers a PhD program in WIL with the aim to enhancelearning in the workplace (University West, 2023). However, WIL was a track within previous PhDprograms at University West. These actions are likely to impact the research outcomes of the university,but it is unknown to what extent this has happened especially in comparison to other universities inSweden. Governmental funding can have a powerful impact on institutional behavior (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 2020), which likely also influences individual researchers’actions. In addition, organizational strategies of universities can also influence academic researchcollaboration (Kienast, 2023). Therefore, it is likely that the specific national mission and University West’s strategy concerning WIL has had traceable effects in research publications, however thebibliometric level of impact is unexplored.

The aim of this article is to shed new light on the use and translation of English and Swedish questions in fiction by using a combination of parallel and comparable corpus data extracted from the bidirectional English-Swedish Parallel Corpus. In particular, the study examines questions containing a question mark (QMquestions) categorised into wh-interrogatives, polar interrogatives, alternative questions, tag questions (including those with invariant tags), declarative questions, wh-fragments and non-wh-fragments. The parallel analysis shows that most QMquestion types are more often translated congruently into English than into Swedish. The focus is on types with low mutual correspondence scores: fragments, tag questions and declarative questions. The comparable analyses concern both bilingual contrasts between the original texts and monolingual contrasts between the translation and original subcorpora in both languages. The bilingual analysis aligns with several preliminary findings in the parallel analysis, e.g. the favouring of tag questions and some types of wh-fragments in English. The monolingual analysis reveals both over- and underuse in translations and points to a strong effect of source-language influence. 

In Sweden, there has been only limited documentation for injuries requiring ambulance responses. The main objective of this study is, through the use of historic data, to assess the suitability of ambulance records to describe circumstances with fall injuries. Methods: The injury events data around patients were sourced from the ambulance data register. Descriptive statistics were used to describe injured patients based on age group, type of injury, place of injury, injury mechanism and consequence of an injury event. Two-group comparison was performed with Pearson’s chi-squared. Predictors of transport to hospital were identified using logistic regression analyses. Result: Ambulance provides unique data on all injury events, with direct implications for translational research, public policy and clinical practice (safety promotion). In 2002 ambulance attended 3964 injured people which represents 14% of ambulance attended workload in Värmland county, Sweden. The most common trauma location was the traffic area followed by residential area and nursing home. These three injury sites account for 2320 cases (61.6%). The most common cause of injury was falls (63.9%) followed by contact with another person (26.5%). Contact with another person is the most common site of injury in the traffic area (79.5%), and men aged 25-66 years are overrepresented. Conclusion: Logistic regression found that, age-group and place code were significant predictor for being attended by ambulance. Traffic, home and nursing homes were over-represented injury environments (61.6%) that require special attention. Most injury cases occur in the home and nursing homes among people over 67 years of age. Surprisingly, most of the injury events in the traffic environment are about hitting another person. Paramedics can provide rich and valuable data on injury events. Registration of such data is entirely possible and desirable, and can be used in preventive work.

[The article introduces a coming project:]

The idea is to carry out a cohort study, preferable for a year, where one group is allowed to eat and exercise as usual while the other group changes their diet towards a lower sugar diet.

Introduction: The use of foods containing high levels of sugar is increasing all the time. This is a risk factor for increased incidence of type 2 diabetes. There are few studies that have investigated the availability of low-sugar müsli products in grocery stores. Purpose: The study aims to identify which types of müsli contain high respectively low levels of sugar, and which brands are involved. Methods: The material consists of both qualitative interviews and observations from five grocery stores: City Gross, Hemköp, Ica Maxi, Stora Coop and Willy’s in Helsingborg, Sweden. The qualitative interviews had a semi-structured character and were recorded. The interviews took approx. 20 minutes and a textual analysis was conducted of the results. Data from observation was analyzed based on brand, nutritional composition and flavors, and also, where low sugar products were placed on store shelves. Results: The grocery stores provided together brands from AXA, Coop, Finax, Frebaco, Garant, ICA, Risenta, Saltå Kvarn och Urtekram, in total 24 müsli products. Of these products, 19 were high in sugar. The observation reveals that müsli products with high sugar content (17 - 29 g per 100 g müsli) are more prominently displayed than those with low sugar content. From the interviews with the store managers, it became clear that it would be valuable to highlight healthy müsli products on the shelves. However, central bureaucracy puts obstacles to such measures. Discussion: The study emphasizes the need for increased visibility of low-sugar products and proposes solutions such as negotiating with responsible person at the head office in Stockholm. Several reviews have shown that if the grocery store raises the prices of unhealthy food, the consumer is willing to purchase healthier müsli and other products. Conclusion: This study shows the need for grocery stores to upgrade healthy müsli products along with advertising to be able to influence customer’s shopping habits. Also, further research is needed how type 2 diabetes is affected by high intakes of food products with high sugar content.

Games for health is one of the most prominent areas for serious games, i.e. games with a purpose beyond only entertainment. The purpose of a health game may be to inform about health related issues; promote healthy lifestyles and even to drive behavioral change. This paper outlines the initial game design considerations and some future research directions for a game focusing on cardiovascular health. As the overall aim of the project is to promote a healthy lifestyle through diet and physical activity to prevent future cardiovascular disease, we focused on “taking care of your heart” as the basis for the game. Hence we call the game Happy Heart and use a heart symbol as a non-playable character (NPC) that the player needs to take care of. To some extent we are inspired by the electronic Tamagochi toys (Bandai) where players need to take care of a digital pet. The heart symbol is universal and is also an ideograph that expresses the concept of love and as such it transcends language barriers.

The burden of non-communicable diseases (NCD) is rapidly increasing across the world. Today they are the main drivers of morbidity, disability, and mortality in low- and middle income countries (LMICs), and are expected to increase due to unhealthy lifestyles in the wake of ongoing societal changes [1]. Among the major risk factors in many LMICs are poor diet, insufficient physical activity, tobacco and alcohol consumption, and exposure to hazardous substances, e.g. from air pollution. LMICs currently contribute three quarters of the deaths from NCD.

Among the NCD, cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of hospitalization in Nepal [1]. Digitalization and collaboration with the education sector (e.g. community schools) in health promotion interventions could further improve children’s behavior by targeting factors that affect their lifestyle outside the family environment [4]. Hence, the Digital Game Based Learning approach.

BACKGROUND: frailty shows an upward trajectory with age, and higher levels increase the risk of mortality. However, it is less known whether the shape of frailty trajectories differs by age at death or whether the rate of change in frailty is associated with mortality.

OBJECTIVES: to assess population frailty trajectories by age at death and to analyse whether the current level of the frailty index (FI) i.e. the most recent measurement or the person-specific rate of change is more predictive of mortality.

METHODS: 3,689 individuals from three population-based cohorts with up to 15 repeated measurements of the Rockwood frailty index were analysed. The FI trajectories were assessed by stratifying the sample into four age-at-death groups: <70, 70-80, 80-90 and >90 years. Generalised survival models were used in the survival analysis.

RESULTS: the FI trajectories by age at death showed that those who died at <70 years had a steadily increasing trajectory throughout the 40 years before death, whereas those who died at the oldest ages only accrued deficits from age ~75 onwards. Higher level of FI was independently associated with increased risk of mortality (hazard ratio 1.68, 95% confidence interval 1.47-1.91), whereas the rate of change was no longer significant after accounting for the current FI level. The effect of the FI level did not weaken with time elapsed since the last measurement.

CONCLUSIONS: Frailty trajectories differ as a function of age-at-death category. The current level of FI is a stronger marker for risk stratification than the rate of change.

White adipose tissue browning, defined by accelerated mitochondrial metabolism and biogenesis, is considered a promising mean to treat or prevent obesity-associated metabolic disturbances. We hypothesize that redox stress acutely leads to increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which activate electrophile sensor nuclear factor erythroid 2-Related Factor 2 (NRF2) that over time results in an adaptive adipose tissue browning process. To test this, we have exploited adipocyte-specific NRF2 knockout mice and cultured adipocytes and analyzed time- and dose-dependent effect of NAC and lactate treatment on antioxidant expression and browning-like processes. We found that short-term antioxidant treatment with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) induced reductive stress as evident from increased intracellular NADH levels, increased ROS-production, reduced oxygen consumption rate (OCR), and increased NRF2 levels in white adipocytes. In contrast, and in line with our hypothesis, longer-term NAC treatment led to a NRF2-dependent browning response. Lactate treatment elicited similar effects as NAC, and mechanistically, these NRF2-dependent adipocyte browning responses in vitro were mediated by increased heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX1) activity. Moreover, this NRF2-HMOX1 axis was also important for β3-adrenergic receptor activation-induced adipose tissue browning in vivo. In conclusion, our findings show that administration of exogenous antioxidants can affect biological function not solely through ROS neutralization, but also through reductive stress. We also demonstrate that NRF2 is essential for white adipose tissue browning processes. 

Background: The adipocyte hormone adiponectin improves insulin sensitivity and there is an inverse correlation between adiponectin levels and type-2 diabetes risk. Previous research shows that adiponectin remodels the adipose tissue into a more efficient metabolic sink. For instance, mice that overexpress adiponectin show increased capacity for hyperplastic adipose tissue expansion as evident from smaller and metabolically more active white adipocytes. In contrast, the brown adipose tissue (BAT) of these mice looks “whiter” possibly indicating reduced metabolic activity. Here, we aimed to further establish the effect of adiponectin on adipose tissue expansion and adipocyte mitochondrial function as well as to unravel mechanistic aspects in this area. Methods: Brown and white adipose tissues from adiponectin overexpressing (APN tg) mice and littermate wildtype controls, housed at room and cold temperature, were studied by histological, gene/protein expression and flow cytometry analyses. Metabolic and mitochondrial functions were studied by radiotracers and Seahorse-based technology. In addition, mitochondrial function was assessed in cultured adiponectin deficient adipocytes from APN knockout and heterozygote mice. Results: APN tg BAT displayed increased proliferation prenatally leading to enlarged BAT. Postnatally, APN tg BAT turned whiter than control BAT, confirming previous reports. Furthermore, elevated adiponectin augmented the sympathetic innervation/activation within adipose tissue. APN tg BAT displayed reduced metabolic activity and reduced mitochondrial oxygen consumption rate (OCR). In contrast, APN tg inguinal white adipose tissue (IWAT) displayed enhanced metabolic activity. These metabolic differences between genotypes were apparent also in cultured adipocytes differentiated from BAT and IWAT stroma vascular fraction, and the OCR was reduced in both brown and white APN heterozygote adipocytes. In both APN tg BAT and IWAT, the mesenchymal stem cell-related genes were upregulated along with an increased abundance of Lineage−Sca1+CD34− “beige-like” adipocyte precursor cells. In vitro, the adiponectin receptor agonist Adiporon increased the expression of the proliferation marker Pcna and decreased the expression of Cd34 in Sca1+ mesenchymal stem cells. Conclusions: We propose that the seemingly opposite effect of adiponectin on BAT and IWAT is mediated by a common mechanism; while reduced adiponectin levels are linked to lower adipocyte OCR, elevated adiponectin levels stimulate expansion of adipocyte precursor cells that produce adipocytes with intrinsically higher metabolic rate than classical white but lower metabolic rate than classical brown adipocytes. Moreover, adiponectin can modify the adipocytes' metabolic activity directly and by enhancing the sympathetic innervation within a fat depot. 

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological research on dementia is hampered by differences across studies in how dementia is classified, especially where clinical diagnoses of dementia may not be available. OBJECTIVE: We apply structural equation modeling to estimate dementia likelihood across heterogeneous samples within a multi-study consortium and use the twin design of the sample to validate the results. METHODS: Using 10 twin studies, we implement a latent variable approach that aligns different tests available in each study to assess cognitive, memory, and functional ability. The model separates general cognitive ability from components indicative of dementia. We examine the validity of this continuous latent dementia index (LDI). We then identify cut-off points along the LDI distributions in each study and align them across studies to distinguish individuals with and without probable dementia. Finally, we validate the LDI by determining its heritability and estimating genetic and environmental correlations between the LDI and clinically diagnosed dementia where available. RESULTS: Results indicate that coordinated estimation of LDI across 10 studies has validity against clinically diagnosed dementia. The LDI can be fit to heterogeneous sets of memory, other cognitive, and functional ability variables to extract a score reflective of likelihood of dementia that can be interpreted similarly across studies despite diverse study designs and sampling characteristics. Finally, the same genetic sources of variance strongly contribute to both the LDI and clinical diagnosis. CONCLUSION: This latent dementia indicator approach may serve as a model for other research consortia confronted with similar data integration challenges.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), in which inflammatory activity has a crucial role. The manifestation of OSA varies significantly between individuals in clinical cohorts; not all adults with OSA demonstrate the same set of symptoms; i.e., excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and/or increased levels of inflammatory biomarkers. The further exploration of the molecular basis of these differences is therefore essential for a better understanding of the OSA phenotypes in cardiac patients. In this current secondary analysis of the Randomized Intervention with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure in CAD and OSA (RICCADSA) trial (Trial Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; No: NCT 00519597), we aimed to address the association of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)-308G/A gene polymorphism with circulating TNF-α levels and EDS among 326 participants. CAD patients with OSA (apnea–hypopnea-index (AHI) ≥ 15 events/h; n = 256) were categorized as having EDS (n = 100) or no-EDS (n = 156) based on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale score with a cut-off of 10. CAD patients with no-OSA (AHI < 5 events/h; n = 70) were included as a control group. The results demonstrated no significant differences regarding the distribution of the TNF-α alleles and genotypes between CAD patients with vs. without OSA. In a multivariate analysis, the oxygen desaturation index and TNF-α genotypes from GG to GA and GA to AA as well as the TNF-α-308A allele carriage were significantly associated with the circulating TNF-α levels. Moreover, the TNF-α-308A allele was associated with a decreased risk for EDS (odds ratio 0.64, 95% confidence interval 0.41–0.99; p = 0.043) independent of age, sex, obesity, OSA severity and the circulating TNF-α levels. We conclude that the TNF-α-308A allele appears to modulate circulatory TNF-α levels and mitigate EDS in adults with CAD and concomitant OSA.

Context

Autonomic nervous system activation mediates the increase in whole-body glucose uptake in response to electroacupuncture but the mechanisms are largely unknown.

Objective

To identify the molecular mechanisms underlying electroacupuncture-induced glucose uptake in skeletal muscle in insulin-resistant overweight/obese women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Design/Participants

In a case-control study, skeletal muscle biopsies were collected from 15 women with PCOS and 14 controls before and after electroacupuncture. Gene expression and methylation was analyzed using Illumina BeadChips arrays.

Results

A single bout of electroacupuncture restores metabolic and transcriptional alterations and induces epigenetic changes in skeletal muscle. Transcriptomic analysis revealed 180 unique genes (q < 0.05) whose expression was changed by electroacupuncture, with 95% of the changes towards a healthier phenotype. We identified DNA methylation changes at 304 unique sites (q < 0.20), and these changes correlated with altered expression of 101 genes (P < 0.05). Among the 50 most upregulated genes in response to electroacupuncture, 38% were also upregulated in response to exercise. We identified a subset of genes that were selectively altered by electroacupuncture in women with PCOS. For example, MSX1 and SRNX1 were decreased in muscle tissue of women with PCOS and were increased by electroacupuncture and exercise. siRNA-mediated silencing of these 2 genes in cultured myotubes decreased glycogen synthesis, supporting a role for these genes in glucose homeostasis.

Conclusion

Our findings provide evidence that electroacupuncture normalizes gene expression in skeletal muscle in a manner similar to acute exercise. Electroacupuncture might therefore be a useful way of assisting those who have difficulties performing exercise.

Genforskningen har koncentrerat sig på att urskilja vilka gener som påverkar eller skapar vilka beteenden och tendenser. Det finns till exempel en enda gen SRY, som möjliggör förekomsten av manligt biologiskt kön (Mukherjee, 2018). Det finns en gen FOX P2 som har med språkförmågan att göra. Men det finns tusen andra gener som också har med manligt kön och/eller språkförmåga att göra, som tillåter eller förhindrar manligt kön att uppstå i en viss individ, som hindrar eller tillåter en viss individ i en viss familj med FOX P2 att kunna utveckla normalt tal. Forskningen kring relationer mellan gener och beteenden och fysiologiska egenskaper pågår globalt. Ovan nämnda exempel är två av tusentals.

Relationerna mellan gener är komplexa; en viss genuppsättning kan inte förutsäga visst beteende med precision. Ändå har till exempel den intensiva adhd-debatten präglats mycket av just behovet att konstatera vissa beteenden och tendenser som bestämda och givna ”av naturen”. I fallet adhd gäller dessutom att man hittills inte har intensivstuderat eller spårat avvikelser på gennivå.

Neurofysiologin rymmer numera mycket kunskaper om relationen mellan specifika gener och specifika egenskaper. Exempelvis visar autism och Aspberger specifika drag i nervcellerna. Hos personer med autism är enligt vissa studier de trådar som förbinder nervcellerna kortare än hos den fysiologiska normalindividen, och genen FOXP2 är frånvarande hos individer med vissa svårigheter i språklärande. Men hos adhd finner man inte neurofysiologiska särdrag.

Boken redovisar en systematisk grund för filosofen och sociologen G. H. Meads identitetspsykologi som komplement till utvecklings­psykologin. Fokus ligger på 1) en övergripande analys av hur den personliga identiteten skapas och formas, 2) lekens centrala roll i den processen, och 3) dess följeslagare språket, som i början av livet har just karaktären av lek. Förskolan är ett drivhus för dessa processer, som alla tre i dag är mer aktuella än någonsin.

Boken lämpar sig för alla som med intresse ägnar sig åt förskole­barns utveckling, i första hand förskollärarutbildning.