A Co-Twin Control Study of the Association Between Bullying Victimization and Self-Harm and Suicide Attempt in Adolescence

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to investigate the magnitude of an independent association between bullying victimization and self-harm and suicide attempt in adolescence after adjusting for unmeasured and measured confounding factors. METHODS: Using the Child and Adolescent Twin Study in Sweden, we examined twins born between 1994 and 1999 (n = 13,852). Twins self-reported bullying victimization at age 15 years and self-harm and suicide attempt at age 18 years. We created a factor score of 13 bullying items, on which self-harm and suicide attempt items were regressed in three models: (1) among unrelated individuals; (2) among co-twins, in which a twin exposed to more bullying was compared with his/her co-twin who was exposed to less; and (3) among co-twins while adjusting for indicators of childhood psychopathology. RESULTS: Among unrelated individuals, a one standard deviation increase in bullying victimization was associated with increased odds for self-harm (odds ratio [OR], 1.29 [95% confidence interval, 1.23-1.36]) and suicide attempt (OR, 1.68 [1.53-1.85]). Among co-twins, the odds attenuated for self-harm (OR, 1.19 [1.09-1.30]) and suicide attempt (OR, 1.39 [1.17-1.66]). Finally, when accounting for childhood psychopathology, there was a 14% (1.04-1.25) and 25% (1.03-1.52) relative increase in odds of self-harm and suicide attempt, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that bullying victimization was uniquely associated with self-harm and suicide attempt over and above the confounding because of unmeasured and measured factors (i.e., familial vulnerability and pre-existing psychopathy). However, magnitudes were small, suggesting that additional interventions and screenings are needed to address suicidality apart from bullying interventions

Lung ultrasound: a new tool for the cardiologist

For many years the lung has been considered off-limits for ultrasound. However, it has been recently shown that lung ultrasound (LUS) may represent a useful tool for the evaluation of many pulmonary conditions in cardiovascular disease. The main application of LUS for the cardiologist is the assessment of B-lines. B-lines are reverberation artifacts, originating from water-thickened pulmonary interlobular septa. Multiple B-lines are present in pulmonary congestion, and may help in the detection, semiquantification and monitoring of extravascular lung water, in the differential diagnosis of dyspnea, and in the prognostic stratification of chronic heart failure and acute coronary syndromes

Recurrent tibial intra-cortical osteosarcoma: a case report and review of the literature

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Intra-cortical osteosarcoma is the rarest subtype of osseous-producing tumor. Most reported cases present a low-grade histology with slow progression and good oncological control after adequate treatment. In this report, we describe a case and review the literature to propose adequate treatment.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We present the case of a 21-year-old Thai woman who was thought to have an intra-cortical osteosarcoma of the right tibia. We performed a wide resection and reconstruction with bone transportation using an Ilizarov external fixator. The tumor recurred five years later at the same site with a similar histology. We performed a new resection and reconstruction by ankle arthrodesis with adjuvant chemotherapy. At the last follow-up, she had remained active and free from disease for seven years.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This case report of recurrent intra-cortical osteosarcoma describes an atypical presentation. The low-grade histology, adequate surgical margin and adjuvant chemotherapy of the recurrent lesion were favorable factors, and our patient has remained free of any tumor recurrence.</p

Do preferences and beliefs in dilemma games exhibit complementarity?

Blanco et. al. (2014) show in a novel experiment the presence of intrinsic interactions between the preferences and the beliefs of participants in social dilemma games. They discuss the identification of three effects, and we claim that two of them are inherently of non-classical nature. Here, we discuss qualitatively how a model based on complementarity between preferences and beliefs in a Hilbert space can give an structural explanation to two of the three effects the authors observe, and the third one can be incorporated into the model as a classical correlation between the observations in two subspaces. Quantitative formalization of the model and proper fit to the experimental observation will be done in the near future, as we have been given recent access to the original dataset

Endogenous cholinergic inputs and local circuit mechanisms govern the phasic mesolimbic dopamine response to nicotine

Nicotine exerts its reinforcing action by stimulating nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and boosting dopamine (DA) output from the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Recent data have led to a debate about the principal pathway of nicotine action: direct stimulation of the DAergic cells through nAChR activation, or disinhibition mediated through desensitization of nAChRs on GABAergic interneurons. We use a computational model of the VTA circuitry and nAChR function to shed light on this issue. Our model illustrates that the α4β2-containing nAChRs either on DA or GABA cells can mediate the acute effects of nicotine. We account for in vitro as well as in vivo data, and predict the conditions necessary for either direct stimulation or disinhibition to be at the origin of DA activity increases. We propose key experiments to disentangle the contribution of both mechanisms. We show that the rate of endogenous acetylcholine input crucially determines the evoked DA response for both mechanisms. Together our results delineate the mechanisms by which the VTA mediates the acute rewarding properties of nicotine and suggest an acetylcholine dependence hypothesis for nicotine reinforcement.Peer reviewe

Are self-report of disability pension and long-term sickness absence accurate? Comparisons of self-reported interview data with national register data in a Swedish twin cohort

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Self-reported disability pension (DP) and sickness absence are commonly used in epidemiological and other studies as a measure of exposure or even as an outcome. The aims were (1) to compare such self-reports with national register information in order to evaluate the validity of self-reported DP and sickness absence, and (2) to estimate the concordance of reporting behaviour in different twin zygosity groups, also by sex.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>All Swedish twins born 1933-1958 who participated in the Screening Across the Lifespan Twin study (SALT) 1998-2003, were included (31,122 individuals). The self-reported DP and long-term sickness absence (LTSA) at the time of interview was compared to the corresponding register information retrieved from the National Social Insurance Agency by calculating the proportions of agreements, kappa, sensitivity, specificity, concordance rates, and chi-square test, to evaluate construct validity.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The proportions of overall agreement were 96% and specificity 99% for both DP and LTSA, while the sensitivity was 70% for DP and 45% for LTSA. Kappa estimates were 0.76 for DP, and 0.58 for LTSA. The proportions of positive agreement were 64% for DP and 42% for LTSA. No difference in response style was found between zygosity groups among complete twin pairs for DP and LTSA. Results were similar for women and men and across age. Kappa estimates for DP differed somewhat depending on years of education, 0.68 (college/university) vs. 0.77 (less than 13 years in school) but not for LTSA.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Self-reported DP data may be very useful in studies when register information is not available, however, register data is preferred especially for LTSA. The same degree of twin similarity was found for truthful self-report of DP and LTSA in both monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs. Thus, the response style was not influenced by genetic factors. One consequence of this would be that when estimating the relative importance of genetic and environmental effects from twin models, heritability estimates would not be biased.</p

Initial observations of fine plasma structures at the flank magnetopause with the complex plasma analyzer SCA-1 onboard the Interball Tail Probe

International audienceThe fast plasma analyzer EU-1 of the SCA-1 complex plasma spectrometer is installed onboard the Interball Tail Probe (Interball-1). It provides fast three-dimensional measurements of the ion distribution function on the low-spin-rate Prognoz satellite (about 2min). The EU-1 ion spectrometer with virtual aperture consists of two detectors with 16 E/Q narrow-angle analyzers and electrostatic scanners. This configuration allows one to measure the ion distribution function in three dimensions (over 15 energy steps in 50 eV/Q?5.0 keV/Q energy range in 64 directions) in 7.5 s, which makes it independent of the slow rotation speed of the satellite. A description of the instrument and its capabilities is given. We present here the preliminary results of measurements of ions for two cases of the dawn low- and mid-latitude magnetopause crossings. The properties of observed ion structures and their tentative explanation are presented. The 12 September 1995 pass at low latitude at about 90° solar-zenith angle on the dawn side of the magnetosphere is considered in more detail. Dispersive ions are seen at the edge of the magnetopause and at the edges of subsequently observed plasma structures. Changes in ion velocity distribution in plasma structures observed after the first magnetopause crossing suggest that what resembles multiple magnetopause crossings may be plasma blobs penetrating the magnetosphere. Observed variations of plasma parameters near magnetopause structures suggest nonstationary reconnection as the most probable mechanism for observed structures

Open tension free repair of inguinal hernias; the Lichtenstein technique

BACKGROUND: Recurrences have been a significant problem following hernia repair. Prosthetic materials have been increasingly used in hernia repair to prevent recurrences. Their use has been associated with several advantages, such as less postoperative pain, rapid recovery, low recurrence rates. METHODS: In this retrospective study, 540 tension-free inguinal hernia repairs were performed between August 1994 and December 1999 in 510 patients, using a polypropylene mesh (Lichtenstein technique). The main outcome measure was early and late morbidity and especially recurrence. RESULTS: Inguinal hernia was indirect in 55 % of cases (297 patients), direct in 30 % (162 patients) and of the pantaloon (mixed) type in 15 % (81 patients). Mean patient age was 53.7 years (range, 18 – 85). Follow-up was completed in 407 patients (80 %) by clinical examination or phone call. The median follow-up period was 3.8 years (range, 1 – 6 years). Seroma and hematoma formation requiring drainage was observed in 6 and 2 patients, respectively, while transient testicular swelling occurred in 5 patients. We have not observed acute infection or abscess formation related to the presence of the foreign body (mesh). In two patients, however, a delayed rejection of the mesh occurred 10 months and 4 years following surgery. There was one recurrence of the hernia (in one of these patients with late mesh rejection) (recurrence rate = 0.2 %). Postoperative neuralgia was observed in 5 patients (1 %). CONCLUSION: Lichtenstein tension-free mesh inguinal hernia repair is a simple, safe, comfortable, effective method, with extremely low early and late morbidity and remarkably low recurrence rate and therefore it is our preferred method for hernia repair since 1994