Self-Reported Cognitive Functions Predict the Trajectory of Paranoid Ideation Over a 15-Year Prospective Follow-Up

Background This study investigated whether self-reported cognitive functions (i.e. task orientation, distractibility, persistence, flexibility, and perseverance) predict the trajectory of paranoid ideation over a 15-year prospective follow-up in adulthood. Methods The participants came from the population-based Young Finns study (N = 1210-1213). Paranoid ideation was assessed with the Paranoid Ideation Scale of the Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90R) in 1997, 2001, 2007, and 2012. Self-reported cognitive functions were evaluated in 1997 with the Task orientation, Distractibility, Persistence, and Flexibility scales of the DOTS-R (the Revised Dimensions of Temperament Survey) and the Perseverance scale of the FCB-TI (the Formal Characteristics of Behaviour - Temperament Inventory). The data was analyzed using growth curve models that were adjusted for age, sex, and socioeconomic factors in childhood and adulthood. Results Low self-reported task orientation, low persistence, high distractibility, low flexibility, and high perseverance predicted higher level of paranoid ideation over the 15-year follow-up. Conclusions Self-reported cognitive functions seem to predict paranoid ideation over a long-term follow-up. Promoting cognitive functions in early interventions may have long-term protective influences against the development of paranoid ideation in non-clinical populations.Peer reviewe

Somatic complaints in early adulthood predict the developmental course of compassion into middle age

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate (i) whether somatic complaints predict the developmental course of compassion in adulthood, and (ii) whether this association depends on alexithymic features. Methods: The participants came from the population-based Young Finns study (N = 471-1037). Somatic complaints (headache, stomachache, chest pain, backache, fatigue, exhaustion, dizziness, heartburn, heartbeat, and tension) were evaluated with a self-rating questionnaire in 1986 when participants were aged between 18 and 24 years. Compassion was assessed with the Compassion Scale of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) in 1997, 2001, and 2012. The data were analyzed using growth curve models. Results: We obtained a significant compassion-age interaction (B = -0.137, p =.02) and a compassion -age squared interaction (B = 0.007, p =.006), when predicting the course of somatic complaints. Specifically, in participants without frequent somatic complaints, compassion steadily increased with age in adulthood. In participants with frequent somatic complaints, however, compassion remained at a lower level until the age of 40 years, then started to increase, and achieved the normal level of compassion approximately at the age of 50 years. The association between somatic complaints and compassion over age was found to be independent of alexithymic features. The analyses were adjusted for a variety of covariates (age, gender, use of health care in childhood, depression in childhood, parental socioeconomic factors, parental care-giving practices, stressful life events, parental alcohol intoxication, and participants' socioeconomic factors in adulthood). Conclusion: Frequent somatic complaints may predict delayed development of compassion in adulthood. This association was found to be independent of alexithymic features.Peer reviewe

Does Compassion Predict Blood Pressure and Hypertension? The Modifying Role of Familial Risk for Hypertension

Background This study investigated (i) whether compassion is associated with blood pressure or hypertension in adulthood and (ii) whether familial risk for hypertension modifies these associations. Method The participants (N = 1112-1293) came from the prospective Young Finns Study. Parental hypertension was assessed in 1983-2007; participants' blood pressure in 2001, 2007, and 2011; hypertension in 2007 and 2011 (participants were aged 30-49 years in 2007-2011); and compassion in 2001. Results High compassion predicted lower levels of diastolic and systolic blood pressure in adulthood. Additionally, high compassion was related to lower risk for hypertension in adulthood among individuals with no familial risk for hypertension (independently of age, sex, participants' and their parents' socioeconomic factors, and participants' health behaviors). Compassion was not related to hypertension in adulthood among individuals with familial risk for hypertension. Conclusion High compassion predicts lower diastolic and systolic blood pressure in adulthood. Moreover, high compassion may protect against hypertension among individuals without familial risk for hypertension. As our sample consisted of comparatively young participants, our findings provide novel implications for especially early-onset hypertension.Peer reviewe

The relationship of dispositional compassion with well-being : a study with a 15-year prospective follow-up

We investigated the associations of individual's compassion for others with his/her affective and cognitive well-being over a long-term follow-up. We used data from the prospective Young Finns Study (N = 1312-1699) between 1997-2012. High compassion was related to higher indicators of affective well-being: higher positive affect (B = 0.221, p <.001), lower negative affect (B = -0.358, p <.001), and total score of affective well-being (the relationship of positive versus negative affect) (B = 0.345, p <.001). Moreover, high compassion was associated with higher indicators of cognitive well-being: higher social support (B = 0.194, p <.001), life satisfaction (B = 0.149, p <.001), subjective health (B = 0.094, p <.001), optimism (B = 0.307, p <.001), and total score of cognitive well-being (B = 0.265, p <.001). Longitudinal analyses showed that high compassion predicted higher affective well-being over a 15-year follow-up (B = 0.361, p <.001) and higher social support over a 10-year follow-up (B = 0.230, p <.001). Finally, compassion was more likely to predict well-being (B = [-0.076; 0.090]) than vice versa, even though the predictive relationships were rather modest by magnitude.Peer reviewe

Arthroscopic Coracoclavicular Reconstruction Combined with Open Acromioclavicular Reconstruction Using Knot Hiding Clavicular Implants Is a Stable Solution

Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Arthroscopy Association of North AmericaPurpose: The purpose of this noninterventional, register-based study was to report the outcomes and wound healing of surgically treated chronic acromioclavicular (AC) dislocations using a tendon graft and knot-hiding titanium implants. Methods: Thirty-two cases with chronic AC separation underwent an arthroscopic coracoclavicular (CC) ligament reconstruction and an open AC ligament reconstruction using knot-hiding titanium implants. The wound healing was assessed 2 months after the operation. The Nottingham Clavicle score, Constant score, and Simple Shoulder Test were obtained postoperatively and at a minimum of one-year postsurgery. The radiographic change in distance between the clavicular and coracoid cortices and clavicular tunnel diameter was measured. General patient satisfaction with the outcome (poor, fair, good, or excellent) was also assessed 1 year postoperatively. Results: The mean Nottingham Clavicle score increased from a preoperative mean of 41.66 ± 9.86 to 96.831 ± 5.86 (P ≤.05). The Constant score increased from a preoperative mean of 44.66 ± 12.54 to 93.59 ± 7.01 (P ≤.05). The Simple Shoulder Test score increased from a preoperative mean of 7.00 ± 2.14 to 11.84 ±.63 (P ≤.05). The coracoclavicular distance increased from 11.32 ± 3.71 to 13.48 ± 3.79 mm (P ≤.05). The clavicular drill hole diameter increased from 6 mm to a mean of 6 to a mean of 8.13 ± 1.12 mm. Twenty-three (71.9%) patients reported an excellent outcome, and nine (28.1%) reported a good outcome. One clavicular fracture occurred but no coracoid fractures. There was one reconstruction failure leading to a reoperation. Conclusions: In this series, combining the arthroscopic CC ligament reconstruction to an open reconstruction of the AC joint with a tendon graft proved to be a stable solution. The knot-hiding titanium implant effectively eliminated the problems related to the clavicular wound healing. Level of Evidence: Level IV, therapeutic case series.Peer reviewe

A randomized trial of early detection of clinically significant prostate cancer (ProScreen) : study design and rationale

The current evidence of PSA-based prostate cancer screening shows a reduction in cause-specific mortality, but with substantial overdiagnosis. Recently, new developments in detection of clinically relevant prostate cancer include multiple kallikreins as biomarkers besides PSA, and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) for biopsy decision. They offer opportunities for improving the outcomes in screening, particularly reduction in overdiagnosis and higher specificity for potentially lethal cancer. A population-based randomized screening trial will be started, with 67,000 men aged 55-67 years at entry. A quarter of the men will be allocated to the intervention arm, and invited to screening. The control arm will receive no intervention. All men in the screening arm will be offered a serum PSA determination. Those with PSA of 3 ng/ml or higher will have an additional multi-kallikrein panel and those with indications of increased risk of clinically relevant prostate cancer will undergo mpMRI. Men with a malignancy-suspect finding in MRI are referred to targeted biopsies. Screening interval is 6 years for men with baseline PSA 3. The main outcome of the trial is prostate cancer mortality, with analysis at 10 and 15 years. The statistical power is sufficient for detecting a 28% reduction at 10 years and 22% at 15 years. The proposed study has the potential to provide the evidence to justify screening as a public health policy if mortality benefit can be sustained with substantially reduced overdiagnosis.Peer reviewe

Electrocardiogram as a predictor of sudden cardiac death in middle-aged subjects without a known cardiac disease

Background: Abnormal 12 lead electrocardiogram (ECG) findings and proposing its ability for enhanced risk prediction, majority of the studies have been carried out with elderly populations with prior cardiovascular diseases. This study aims to denote the association of sudden cardiac death (SCD) and various abnormal ECG morphologies using middle-aged population without a known cardiac disease. Methods: In total, 9511 middle-aged subjects (mean age 42 +/- 8.2 years, 52% males) without a known cardiac disease were included in this study. Risk for SCD was assessed after 10 and 30-years of follow-up. Results: Abnormal ECG was present in 16.3% (N = 1548) of subjects. The incidence of SCD was distinctly higher among those with any ECG abnormality in 10 and 30-year follow-ups (1.7/1000 years vs. 0.6/1000 years, P 100', left ventricular hypertrophy, and T-wave inversions were the most significant independent ECG risk markers for 10-year SCD prediction with up to 3-fold risk for SCD. Those with ECG abnormalities had a 1.3-fold risk (95% CI 1.07-1.57, P - 0.007) for SCD in 30-year follow-up, whereas QRST-angle > 100 degrees, LVH, ER 0.1 mV and 0.2 mV were the strongest individual predictors. Subjects with multiple ECG abnormalities had up to 6.6-fold risk for SCD (P <0.001). Conclusion: Several ECG abnormalities are associated with the occurrence of early and late SCD events in the middle-age subjects without known history of cardiac disease. (C) 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.Peer reviewe

Validity of fatty liver disease indices in the presence of alcohol consumption

Background & aims Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and alcohol-related liver disease frequently coexist. While several blood-based indices exist for the detection of NAFLD, few studies have examined how alcohol use possibly impacts their diagnostic performance. We analysed the effects of alcohol use on the performance of indices for detecting fatty liver disease (FLD). Methods We included participants from the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (Finnish sample) and KORA study (German sample) who underwent abdominal ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging, respectively, for detection of FLD and had serum analyses available for calculation of Fatty Liver Index (FLI), Hepatic Steatosis Index (HSI), Lipid Accumulation Product (LAP), and Dallas Steatosis Index (DSI). Alcohol use was estimated by questionnaires as mean daily consumption and binge drinking (Finnish sample only). Predictive performance for FLD was assessed according to alcohol consumption. Results The study included 1426 (Finnish sample) and 385 (German sample) individuals, of which 234 (16%) and 168 (44%) had FLD by imaging. When alcohol consumption was 50 g/day). AUROCs decreased to 0.74-0.80 in the highest binge-drinking category (>2 times/week). Alcohol use correlated with FLI and LAP (r-range 0.09-0.16, p-rangePeer reviewe

Arthroscopic Coracoclavicular Ligament Reconstruction Using Graft Augmentation and Titanium Implants

Several techniques have been introduced to treat acromioclavicular separation with coracoclavicular ligament reconstruction using graft augmentation. A modified arthroscopic technique for coracoclavicular ligament reconstruction was used based on a previous technique where the supportive device and tendon graft share the clavicular and coracoid drill holes. A notable problem with the previous technique was large protruding suture knots on the washer and clavicle, which could predispose to wound infection. In this modified technique, titanium implants were introduced. The implants hid the suture knot on the clavicle, and less foreign material was needed between the clavicular and coracoid implants.</p

Multi-Omics Integration in a Twin Cohort and Predictive Modeling of Blood Pressure Values

Abnormal blood pressure is strongly associated with risk of high-prevalence diseases, making the study of blood pressure a major public health challenge. Although biological mechanisms underlying hypertension at the single omic level have been discovered, multi-omics integrative analyses using continuous variations in blood pressure values remain limited. We used a multi-omics regression-based method, called sparse multi-block partial least square, for integrative, explanatory, and predictive interests in study of systolic and diastolic blood pressure values. Various datasets were obtained from the Finnish Twin Cohort for up to 444 twins. Blocks of omics-including transcriptomic, methylation, metabolomic-data as well as polygenic risk scores and clinical data were integrated into the modeling and supported by cross-validation. The predictive contribution of each omics block when predicting blood pressure values was investigated using external participants from the Young Finns Study. In addition to revealing interesting inter-omics associations, we found that each block of omics heterogeneously improved the predictions of blood pressure values once the multi-omics data were integrated. The modeling revealed a plurality of clinical, transcriptomic, and metabolomic factors consistent with the literature and that play a leading role in explaining unit variations in blood pressure. These findings demonstrate (1) the robustness of our integrative method to harness results obtained by single omics discriminant analyses, and (2) the added value of predictive and exploratory gains of a multi-omics approach in studies of complex phenotypes such as blood pressure