Tuberculosis inequalities and socio-economic deprivation in Portugal.

Objective: To analyse the geographical distribution of tuberculosis (TB) in Portugal and estimate the association between TB and socio-economic deprivation.

Methods: An ecological study at the municipality level using TB notifications for 2010-2014 was conducted. Spatial Bayesian models were used to calculate smoothed standardised notification rates, identify high- and low-risk areas and estimate the association between TB notification and the European Deprivation Index (EDI) for Portugal and its component variables.

Q-SEA - a tool for quality assessment of ethics analyses conducted as part of health technology assessments.

Assessment of ethics issues is an important part of health technology assessments (HTA). However, in terms of existence of quality assessment tools, ethics for HTA is methodologically underdeveloped in comparison to other areas of HTA, such as clinical or cost effectiveness. To methodologically advance ethics for HTA by: (1) proposing and elaborating Q-SEA, the first instrument for quality assessment of ethics analyses, and (2) applying Q-SEA to a sample systematic review of ethics for HTA, in order to illustrate and facilitate its use.

MicroRNAs contribute to postnatal development of laminar differences and neuronal subtypes in the rat medial entorhinal cortex.

The medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) is important in spatial navigation and memory formation and its layers have distinct neuronal subtypes, connectivity, spatial properties, and disease susceptibility. As little is known about the molecular basis for the development of these laminar differences, we analyzed microRNA (miRNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression differences between rat MEC layer II and layers III-VI during postnatal development. We identified layer and age-specific regulation of gene expression by miRNAs, which included processes related to neuron specialization and locomotor behavior.

Ethical issues with colorectal cancer screening-a systematic review.

Rationale, Aims, And Objectives: Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is widely recommended and implemented. However, sometimes CRC screening is not implemented despite good evidence, and some types of CRC screening are implemented despite lack of evidence. The objective of this article is to expose and elucidate relevant ethical issues in the literature on CRC screening that are important for open and transparent deliberation on CRC screening.

Factors Associated with Maternal Serum Levels of Perfluoroalkyl Substances and Organochlorines: A Descriptive Study of Parous Women in Norway and Sweden.

Introduction: Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and organochlorines (OCs) are ubiquitous and persistent in the environment and proposed endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). They can be transferred across the placenta during pregnancy, and studies suggest that the prenatal period may be particularly sensitive for influences on fetal growth and development. Several studies have investigated socio-demographic and pregnancy related factors associated with maternal serum PFAS and OC levels, but few studies have been conducted in time periods with increasing emissions of PFASs and recent emissions of OCs.

Maternal serum levels of perfluoroalkyl substances and organochlorines and indices of fetal growth: a Scandinavian case-cohort study.

Background: The associations between prenatal exposure to endocrine disruptive chemicals (EDCs) and fetal growth are inconsistent, and few studies have considered small-for-gestational-age (SGA) birth as an outcome. Our current study of Scandinavian parous women aimed to address these inconsistencies and gaps in the literature.

Methods: This case-cohort study included 424 mother-child pairs who participated in a prospective, multi-center study of parous women in Norway (Trondheim and Bergen) and Sweden (Uppsala).

The influence of socioeconomic, biogeophysical and built environment on old-age survival in a Southern European city.

Old-age survival is a good indicator of population health and regional development. We evaluated the spatial distribution of old-age survival across Porto neighbourhoods and its relation with physical (biogeophysical and built) and socioeconomic factors (deprivation). Smoothed survival rates and odds ratio (OR) were estimated using Bayesian spatial models.

Lack of sex-specific movement patterns in an alien species at its invasion front - consequences for invasion speed.

Efficient targeting of actions to reduce the spread of invasive alien species relies on understanding the spatial, temporal, and individual variation of movement, in particular related to dispersal. Such patterns may differ between individuals at the invasion front compared to individuals in established and dense populations due to differences in environmental and ecological conditions such as abundance of conspecifics or sex-specific dispersal affecting the encounter rate of potential mates. We assessed seasonal and diurnal variation in movement pattern (step length and turning angle) of adult male and female raccoon dog at their invasion front in northern Sweden using data from Global Positioning System (GPS)-marked adult individuals and assessed whether male and female raccoon dog differed in their movement behavior.

International field testing of the psychometric properties of an EORTC quality of life module for oral health: the EORTC QLQ-OH15.

Purpose: This international EORTC validation study (phase IV) is aimed at testing the psychometric properties of a quality of life (QoL) module related to oral health problems in cancer patients.

Methods: The phase III module comprised 17 items with four hypothesized multi-item scales and three single items. In phase IV, patients with mixed cancers, in different treatment phases from 10 countries completed the EORTC QLQ-C30, the QLQ-OH module, and a debriefing interview.

Moving the mandible in orthognathic surgery - A multicenter analysis.

Orthognathic surgery has always been a classical focus of maxillofacial surgery. Since more than 100 years, various surgical techniques for mandibular repositioning have been developed and clinically tested. Since the establishment of plate and screw osteosynthesis, orthognathic surgery became more stable and safe.

Postnatal development of retrosplenial projections to the parahippocampal region of the rat.

The rat parahippocampal region (PHR) and retrosplenial cortex (RSC) are cortical areas important for spatial cognition. In PHR, head-direction cells are present before eye-opening, earliest detected in postnatal day (P)11 animals. Border cells have been recorded around eye-opening (P16), while grid cells do not obtain adult-like features until the fourth postnatal week.

Ethical analysis in HTA of complex health interventions.

Background: In the field of health technology assessment (HTA), there are several approaches that can be used for ethical analysis. However, there is a scarcity of literature that critically evaluates and compares the strength and weaknesses of these approaches when they are applied in practice. In this paper, we analyse the applicability of some selected approaches for addressing ethical issues in HTA in the field of complex health interventions.

Where do people live longer and shorter lives? An ecological study of old-age survival across 4404 small areas from 18 European countries.

Background: Further increases in life expectancy in high-income countries depend to a large extent on advances in old-age survival. We aimed to characterise the spatial distribution of old-age survival across small areas of Europe, and to identify areas with significantly high or low survivorship.

Methods: This study incorporated 4404 small areas from 18 European countries.

Neuromarkers of anxiety and depression in a patient after neuro-ophthalmic surgery of the meningioma - effect of individually-tailored tDCS and neurofeedback.

Unlabelled: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of individually tailored anodal tDCs/ neurofeedback protocol for the reduction of post-operative depression after a neuroophtalmological operation of the meningioma. The neuromarkers in Quantitative EEG (QEEG) and Event-related potentials (ERPs) were utilized in the construction of protocol and evaluation.

Case Description: A 45-year-old female after successful neuro-ophthalmic surgery of the meningioma, complained of severe pain and anxiety, difficulties with sleeping, attention and memory problems, as well as inability to continue working in her given profession.

Neuropsychological rehabilitation for traumatic brain injury patients.

The aim of this review is to discuss the basic forms of neuropsychological rehabilitation for patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). More broadly, we discussed cognitive rehabilitation therapy (CRT) which constitutes a fundamental component in therapeutic interaction at many centres worldwide. Equally presented is a comprehensive model of rehabilitation, the fundamental component of which is CRT.

The current state of facial prosthetics – A multicenter analysis.

Even though modern surgical techniques are dominating reconstructive facial procedures, the capability to use facial epitheses for reconstruction is still an important skill for the maxillofacial surgeon. We present an international multicenter analysis to clarify which techniques are used to fixate facial prostheses. We contacted all maxillofacial departments in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Norway which were registered with the German society for oral and maxillofacial surgery (DGMKG).

Early life exposure to bisphenol A investigated in mouse models of airway allergy, food allergy and oral tolerance.

The impact of early life exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) through drinking water was investigated in mouse models of respiratory allergy, food allergy and oral tolerance. Balb/c mice were exposed to BPA (0, 10 or 100 μg/ml), and the offspring were intranasally exposed to the allergen ovalbumin (OVA). C3H/HeJ offspring were sensitized with the food allergen lupin by intragastric gavage, after exposure to BPA (0, 1, 10 or 100 μg/ml).

Individual and temporal variation in habitat association of an alien carnivore at its invasion front.

Gathering information on how invasive species utilize the habitat is important, in order to better aim actions to reduce their negative impact. We studied habitat use and selection of 55 GPS-marked raccoon dogs (30 males, 25 females) at their invasion front in Northern Sweden, with particular focus on differences between males and females, between movement states, and between seasons and times of the day. Daily movement pattern was used to classify GPS-locations into dispersing and settled.

Exposure to bisphenol A, but not phthalates, increases spontaneous diabetes type 1 development in NOD mice.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is an autoimmune destruction of insulin producing pancreatic beta-cells due to a genetic predisposition and can be triggered by environmental factors. We have previously shown that bisphenol A (BPA) accelerates the spontaneous development of diabetes in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. Here, we hypothesized that oral exposure to a mixture of the endocrine disruptors BPA and phthalates, relevant for human exposure, would accelerate diabetes development compared to BPA alone.

The assisted reproductive technology laboratory: toward evidence-based practice?

In the past decades, the efficiency of human assisted reproductive technologies (ART) has improved. We have witnessed important new developments such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection, blastocyst culture, vitrification, and methods for genetic analysis of human embryos. Despite these improvements, current ART laboratories are to a large extent composed of general laboratory equipment that is not designed and manufactured especially for human ART.

Six-month preoperative octreotide treatment in unselected, de novo patients with acromegaly: effect on biochemistry, tumour volume, and postoperative cure.

Objective: Treatment with somatostatin analogues is the primary medical treatment of acromegaly. Controversies still exist whether acute octreotide effect predicts long-term biochemical effects, tumour regression or surgical cure. This prospective study investigates effect of 6-month treatment with octreotide long-acting repeatable (LAR) on insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and growth hormone (GH) levels, pituitary function, tumour regression and postoperative cure in de novo acromegalic patients.

Analgesic effects of intra-articular morphine in patients with temporomandibular joint disorders: a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Purpose: A number of reports have shown a direct analgesic effect of opioids by way of the peripheral receptors. Nevertheless, only a very few studies have reported using opioids in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), and nearly all of them were connected to surgical patient groups. The present study was designed to evaluate the analgesic efficacy and safety of repeated intra-articular morphine applications compared with a local anesthetic and saline solution in the management of TMJ pain.

Anti-Müllerian hormone concentrations in androgen-suppressed women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Background: Current data suggest that excessive androgen exposure can lead to the development of polycystic ovaries and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels reflect the number of small antral follicles in the ovaries and are elevated in PCOS. We hypothesized that protracted reduction of circulating androgens and/or insulin resistance would reduce circulating AMH concentrations in women with PCOS.

A general model for analyzing Taylor's spatial scaling laws.

Taylor's spatial scaling law concerns the relation between the variance and the mean population counts within areas of a given size. For a range of area sizes, the log of the variance often is an approximately linear function of the mean with a slope between 1 and 2, depending on the range of areas considered. In this paper, we investigate this relationship theoretically for random quadrat samples within a large area.