Creative leisure activities, mental health and well-being during 5 months of the COVID-19 pandemic: a fixed effects analysis of data from 3725 US adults.

Introduction: We investigated whether changes in engagement in home-based creative activities were associated with changes in depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms and life satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to replicate findings from the UK in a USA sample.

Methods: 3725 adults were included from the COVID-19 Social Study in the USA, a panel study collecting data weekly during the COVID-19 pandemic. We measured engagement in eight types of creative leisure activities on the previous weekday between April and September 2020.

Who Engaged in Home-Based Arts Activities During the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Data From 4,731 Adults in the United States.

Arts engagement is a health-related behavior that may be influenced by social inequalities. While the COVID-19 pandemic provided new opportunities for some people to engage in the arts, it might have created barriers for others. We aimed to examine whether there was social patterning in home-based arts engagement during the pandemic in the United States, and whether predictors of engagement differed according to the type of arts activity.

Transplanted Human Neural Progenitor Cells Attenuate Motor Dysfunction and Lengthen Longevity in a Rat Model of Ataxia.

The Han Wistar (sHW) rat serves as a model for human ataxia presenting symptoms of motor deterioration, weight loss, shortened lifespan, and Purkinje neuron loss. Past studies revealed that human neural progenitor cells (NPCs) improved ataxic symptoms at 20 d posttransplantation in sHW rats. In this study, we investigated the fate and longer-term effectiveness of these transplanted NPCs.

Individualized clinical management of patients at risk for Alzheimer's dementia.

Introduction: Multidomain intervention for Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk reduction is an emerging therapeutic paradigm.

Methods: Patients were prescribed individually tailored interventions (education/pharmacologic/nonpharmacologic) and rated on compliance. Normal cognition/subjective cognitive decline/preclinical AD was classified as Prevention.

Association of Optimism With Cardiovascular Events and All-Cause Mortality: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: Optimism and pessimism can be easily measured and are potentially modifiable mindsets that may be associated with cardiovascular risk and all-cause mortality.

Objective: To conduct a meta-analysis and systematic review of the association between optimism and risk for future cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality.

Data Sources And Study Selection: PubMed, Scopus, and PsycINFO electronic databases were systematically searched from inception through July 2, 2019, to identify all cohort studies investigating the association between optimism and pessimism and cardiovascular events and/or all-cause mortality by using the following Medical Subject Heading terms: optimism, optimistic explanatory style, pessimism, outcomes, endpoint, mortality, death, cardiovascular events, stroke, coronary artery disease, coronary heart disease, ischemic heart disease, and cardiovascular disease.

Appropriate Medical Care Standards for Organizations Sponsoring Athletic Activity for the Secondary School-Aged Athlete: A Summary Statement.

Objective: To present the appropriate medical care standards for organizations that sponsor athletic activities for secondary school-aged athletes.

Data Sources: To develop the current standards and identify current best-practices evidence, the task force used a multistep process that included reviewing the existing 2004 Appropriate Medical Care for Secondary School-Aged Athletes consensus points and cross-referencing of National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) statements and official documents from the strategic alliance (the NATA, NATA Foundation, Board of Certification, and Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education). Gaps in the recommendations from the 2004 Appropriate Medical Care for Secondary School-Aged Athletes document were identified by the task force, and the new appropriate medical care standards were developed and refined.

The clinical practice of risk reduction for Alzheimer's disease: A precision medicine approach.

Like virtually all age-related chronic diseases, late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) develops over an extended preclinical period and is associated with modifiable lifestyle and environmental factors. We hypothesize that multimodal interventions that address many risk factors simultaneously and are individually tailored to patients may help reduce AD risk. We describe a novel clinical methodology used to evaluate and treat patients at two Alzheimer's Prevention Clinics.

Induced expression of a vestigial sexual signal.

Vestigial morphological traits are common and well known in a variety of taxa. Identification of vestigial genes has illustrated the potential for evolutionary reversals and the re-expression of atavistic traits. Here we induce expression of a behavioural sexual signal, male calling song, in a cricket species, which lacks a functional calling song.

Carbohydrate quality and quantity and risk of coronary heart disease among US women and men.

Background: The carbohydrate-to-fiber ratio is a recommended measure of carbohydrate quality; however, its relation to incident coronary heart disease (CHD) is not currently known.

Objective: We aimed to assess the relation between various measures of carbohydrate quality and incident CHD.

Design: Data on diet and lifestyle behaviors were prospectively collected on 75,020 women and 42,865 men participating in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS) starting in 1984 and 1986, respectively, and every 2-4 y thereafter until 2012.

Transplantation of Human Neural Progenitor Cells Reveals Structural and Functional Improvements in the Spastic Han-Wistar Rat Model of Ataxia.

The use of regenerative medicine to treat nervous system disorders like ataxia has been proposed to either replace or support degenerating neurons. In this study, we assessed the ability of human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs) to repair and restore the function of dying neurons within the spastic Han-Wistar rat (sHW), a model of ataxia. The sHW rat suffers from neurodegeneration of specific neurons, including cerebellar Purkinje cells and hippocampal CA3 pyramidal cells leading to the observed symptoms of forelimb tremor, hind-leg rigidity, gait abnormality, motor incoordination, and a shortened life span.

Structural Stability of the Coiled-Coil Domain of Tumor Susceptibility Gene (TSG)-101.

The tumor susceptibility gene-101 coiled coil domain (TSG101cc) is an integral component of the endosomal maturation machinery and cytokinesis, and also interacts with several transcription factors. The TSG101cc has been crystallized as a homotetramer but is known to interact with two of its binding partners as a heterotrimer. To investigate this apparent discrepancy, we examined the solution thermodynamics of the TSG101cc.

Validation of Acoustic Wave Induced Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats.

Background: This study looked to validate the acoustic wave technology of the Storz-D-Actor that inflicted a consistent closed-head, traumatic brain injury (TBI) in rats. We studied a range of single pulse pressures administered to the rats and observed the resulting decline in motor skills and memory. Histology was observed to measure and confirm the injury insult.

Meta-Analysis of Relation of Vital Exhaustion to Cardiovascular Disease Events.

To assess the net impact of vital exhaustion on cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality, we conducted a systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, and PsychINFO (through April 2016) to identify all studies which investigated the relation between vital exhaustion (VE) and health outcomes. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) a cohort study (prospective cohort or historical cohort) consisting of adults (>18 years); (2) at least 1 self-reported or interview-based assessment of VE or exhaustion; (3) evaluated the association between vital exhaustion or exhaustion and relevant outcomes; and (4) reported adjusted risk estimates of vital exhaustion/exhaustion for outcomes. Maximally adjusted effect estimates with 95% CIs along with variables used for adjustment in multivariate analysis were also abstracted.

From Vitality to Vital Exhaustion and Other States of "Tense Tiredness": A New Biopsychosocial Risk Domain.

Fatigue is a common prodromal symptom for various medical conditions, including acute myocardial infarction. Fatigue is also the core component of vital exhaustion, which consists of a specific triad: excessive fatigue, increased irritability, and feelings of demoralization. In this issue of Psychosomatic Medicine, Frestad and Prescott present a meta-analysis of 16 studies, involving 53,337 participants, which found vital exhaustion to be associated with an increased risk of incident coronary heart disease (CHD) and recurrent cardiac events among individuals with established CHD.

Efficacy of Two Delivery Routes for Transplanting Human Neural Progenitor Cells (NPCs) Into the Spastic Han-Wistar Rat, a Model of Ataxia.

An emerging avenue for recalcitrant neurodegenerative disease treatment is neural progenitor cell (NPC) transplantation. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of two different delivery routes of human-derived NPC inoculation: injection into the common carotid artery or unilateral stereotactic implantation into the degenerating cerebellum and hippocampus of spastic Han-Wistar (sHW) rats, a model of ataxia. At 30 days of age, sHW mutants were implanted with osmotic pumps preloaded with cyclosporine.

Epidemiology of Football Injuries in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, 2004-2005 to 2008-2009.

Background: Research has found that injury rates in football are higher in competition than during practice. However, there is little research on the association between injury rates and type of football practices and how these specific rates compare with those in competitions.

Purpose: This study utilized data from the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance System (NCAA ISS) to describe men's collegiate football practice injuries (academic years 2004-2005 to 2008-2009) in 4 event types: competitions, scrimmages, regular practices, and walkthroughs.

Interventional magnetic resonance imaging-guided subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease: Patient selection.

Background: Interventional magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) guided deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson's disease (PD) has been shown to be effective. The costs of a dedicated intraoperative MRI may be prohibitive. The procedure can also be performed in a diagnostic scanner, however this presents challenges for utilization of time when the scanner is used both as a diagnostic and an interventional unit.

Comparative effectiveness of coronary CT angiography vs stress cardiac imaging in patients following hospital admission for chest pain work-up: The Prospective First Evaluation in Chest Pain (PERFECT) Trial.

Background: Because the frequency of cardiac event rates is low among chest pain patients following either performance of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) or stress testing, there is a need to better assess how these tests influence the central management decisions that follow from cardiac testing. The present study was performed to assess the relative impact of CCTA vs stress testing on medical therapies and downstream resource utilization among patients admitted for the work-up of chest pain.

Methods: The admitted patients were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either cardiac imaging stress test or CCTA.

Effect of Physical Activity on the Relation Between Psychosocial Factors and Cardiovascular Events (from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis).

Depression, chronic stress, and low levels of social support have known associations with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Physical activity has been shown to promote psychological health, reduce the frequency of depressive symptoms, and is associated with fewer cardiovascular events in depressed subjects with known CVD. The purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that physical activity attenuates the association between psychosocial factors and incident CVD.

Comparison of the current reasons for undergoing pharmacologic stress during echocardiographic and radionuclide stress testing.

Background: Symptom-limited exercise is the preferred method of cardiac stress testing, but pharmacologic testing has been increasing over time. The exact reasons for pharmacologic stress testing have not been rigorously categorized. Thus, we systematically explored the reasons for pharmacologic stress testing in patients referred for cardiac stress imaging.

Purpose in Life and Its Relationship to All-Cause Mortality and Cardiovascular Events: A Meta-Analysis.

Objective: To assess the net impact of purpose in life on all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events.

Methods: The electronic databases PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO were systematically searched through June 2015 to identify all studies investigating the relationship between purpose in life, mortality, and cardiovascular events. Articles were selected for inclusion if, a) they were prospective, b) evaluated the association between some measure of purpose in life and all-cause mortality and/or cardiovascular events, and c) unadjusted and/or adjusted risk estimates and confidence intervals (CIs) were reported.

Staffing Levels at National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Bowl Subdivision-Level Institutions.

Context: The "Appropriate Medical Coverage for Intercollegiate Athletics" (AMCIA) document was created to support assessment and calculation of athletic training personnel requirements. However, little is known regarding disparities between current and recommended staffing practices.

Objective: To identify the staffing and employment characteristics of athletic health care services at Football Bowl Subdivision-level institutions.

Association of equipment worn and concussion injury rates in National Collegiate Athletic Association football practices: 2004-2005 to 2008-2009 academic years.

Background: The epidemiology of football-related concussions has been extensively examined. However, although football players experience more at-risk exposure time during practices than competitions, there is a dearth of literature examining the nature of the activities or equipment worn during practice. In particular, varying levels of equipment worn during practices may place players at varying levels of risk for concussion.

Discordance between echocardiography and MRI in the assessment of mitral regurgitation severity: a prospective multicenter trial.

Background: The decision to undergo mitral valve surgery is often made on the basis of echocardiographic criteria and clinical assessment. Recent changes in treatment guidelines recommending surgery in asymptomatic patients make the accurate assessment of mitral regurgitation (MR) severity even more important.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the assessment of MR severity using the degree of left ventricular (LV) remodeling after surgery as the reference standard.