Normative perceptual estimates for 91 healthy subjects age 60–75: impact of age, education, employment, physical exercise, alcohol, and video gaming

Visual perception serves as the basis for much of the higher level cognitive processing as well as human activity in general. Here we present normative estimates for the following components of visual perception: the visual perceptual threshold, the visual short-term memory capacity and the visual perceptual encoding/decoding speed (processing speed) of Visual Short-Term Memory (VSTM) based on an assessment of 91 healthy subjects aged 60-75. The estimates were modelled from input from a whole-report assessment based on A Theory of Visual Attention (TVA). In addition to the estimates themselves, we present correlational data, and multiple regression analyses between the estimates and self-reported demographic data and lifestyle variables. The regression statistics suggest that education level, video gaming activity and employment status may significantly impact the encoding/decoding speed of VTSM but not the capacity of VSTM nor the visual perceptual threshold. The estimates will be useful for future studies into the effects of various types of intervention and training on cognition in general and visual attention in particular

Synergies between the expansion of biogas production and organic farming

Synergies between the expansion of biogas production and organic farming

PREVALENCE AND PREDICTORS OF ADEQUATE TREATMENT OF OVERT HYPOTHYROIDISM - A POPULATION-BASED STUDY

The aim of this study is to evaluate the adequacy of treatment, and to identify factors influencing treatment of hypothyroidism. Patients newly diagnosed with overt hypothyroidism (n=345) were identified via a register linked to a laboratory database. In selected periods with staff available, 165 patients were invited, and 113 (68.5 %) accepted participating in a comprehensive program including blood tests and completion of questionnaires. We performed a longitudinal follow-up on thyroid function tests 10 years after the diagnosis. Time to reach a serum TSH level of 0.2-10 mU/L (termed as clinically acceptable) and biochemical normalization (TSH: 0.2-5.0 mU/L), respectively, were analyzed using Kaplan Meier survival analysis. Predictors for longer duration to reach the normal TSH range were identified using cox proportional hazards regression. Only 67.7 % of the patients were in the euthyroid range on the long term after diagnosis of overt hypothyroidism (2 years: 59.4 %; 10 years: 67.7 %). Median time to the first normal TSH was 8.9 months (95 % CI: 7.6-10.2 months). The factors associated with longer duration until normalization of TSH after multivariate analysis were age (HR 0.79 per 10 years; 95 % CI: 0.66-0.94; P = <0.01), smoking (HR 0.47; 95 % CI: 0.26-0.83; P = <0.01), serum TSH at diagnosis (HR 0.96 per 10 mU/L; 95 % CI: 0.93-0.99; P = 0.02) and BMI (HR 0.96 per kg/m(2); 95 % CI: 0.91-0.99; P = 0.03). A considerable number of hypothyroid patients remained inadequately treated. When treating hypothyroid patients, special attention should be addressed to those patients who never or lately obtain euthyroid status

LC-REHAB: randomised trial assessing the effect of a new patient education method - learning and coping strategies - in cardiac rehabilitation

Due to improved treatments and ageing population, many countries now report increasing prevalence in rates of ischemic heart disease and heart failure. Cardiac rehabilitation has potential to reduce morbidity and mortality, but not all patients complete. In light of favourable effects of cardiac rehabilitation it is important to develop patient education methods which can enhance adherence to this effective program. The LC-REHAB study aims to compare the effect of a new patient education strategy in cardiac rehabilitation called \u27learning and coping\u27 to that of standard care. Further, this paper aims to describe the theoretical basis and details of this intervention

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Critical review of health effects of soyabean phyto-oestrogens in post-menopausal women

A consensus view of soyabean phyto-oestrogens in clinical interventions in post-menopausal women is presented that is based on data from the EU-funded project Phytohealth. The phyto-oestrogens, primarily genistein and daidzein, were given as soyabean-protein isolates, whole-soyabean foods or extracts, supplements or pure compounds. A comprehensive literature search was conducted with well-defined inclusion or exclusion criteria. For areas for which substantial research exists only placebo-controlled double-blind randomised controlled trials (RCT) conducted on healthy post-menopausal women were included. For emerging areas all available human studies in post-menopausal women were reviewed. In order to make cross comparisons between studies the doses of isoflavones were calculated as aglycone equivalents. There is a suggestion, but no conclusive evidence, that isoflavones from the sources studied so far have a beneficial effect on bone health. The consumption of whole-soyabean foods and soyabean-protein isolates has some beneficial effects on lipid markers of cardiovascular risk. The consumption of isolated isoflavones does not affect blood lipid levels or blood pressure, although it may improve endothelial function. For menopausal symptoms there is currently limited evidence that soyabean-protein isolates, soyabean foods or red-clover (Trifolium pratense L.) extract are effective but soyabean isoflavone extracts may be effective in reducing hot flushes. There are too few RCT studies to reach conclusions on the effects of isoflavones on breast cancer, colon cancer, diabetes or cognitive function. The health benefits of soyabean phyto-oestrogens in healthy post-menopausal women are subtle and even some well-designed studies do not show protective effects. Future studies should focus on high-risk post-menopausal women, especially in the areas of diabetes, CVD, breast cancer and bone healt

Music Therapy vs. Music Listening for Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia:Randomized, Controlled, Assessor- and Patient-Blinded Trial

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of music therapy for negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: Randomized, participant- and assessor-blinded, multicenter, controlled trial including patients diagnosed with schizophrenia according to ICD-10 with predominantly negative symptoms, between 18 and 65 years. Participants were randomized to 25 successive weekly individual sessions (excluding holidays, including cancellation by the participant) of either music therapy conducted by trained music therapists, or music listening together with a social care worker. The primary outcome was reduction in negative symptoms as measured by The Positive and negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) negative subscale total score, assessed by a blinded rater, utilizing mixed-effects model analysis. Results: In total, 57 participants were randomized; 39 completed the study's initial 15 weeks, and 30 completed follow-up at 25 weeks. On the primary outcome of PANSS negative subscale, no significant difference was observed between groups with a coefficient of −0.24 (95% CI −1.76 to 1.27, P = 0.754) in the intention to treat analysis, and −0.98 (95% CI −5.06 to 3.09, P = 0.625) when only analyzing completers. Both interventions showed significant reduction from baseline to 25 weeks on PANSS negative subscale. On secondary outcomes, no between group differences were observed in The Brief Negative Symptom Scale, WHOQOL-Bref (Quality of Life), The Helping Alliance Questionnaire and The Global Assessment of Functioning in the intention to treat or completers populations utilizing Mixed Effects Models. Conclusion: No difference between groups randomized to music therapy vs. musical listening was observed resulting in no clear recommendation for which intervention to use as the first choice for treatment of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and predominantly having negative symptoms. Clinical Trial Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT02942459