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Background Psoriasis is a prevalent, chronic skin disease with a potential impact on work productivity, medical consumption costs, and quality of life. The influence of the extent of skin lesions on these outcomes is not well known.Objective We determined associations of self-reported skin lesions with self-reported work productivity, medical consumption costs, and health-related quality of life in respondents with psoriasis.Methods In this cross-sectional study, we included respondents with self-reported psoriasis in the Netherlands in an online questionnaire. We assessed the self-reported percentage body surface area (BSA) of psoriasis lesions. We used validated instruments to assess work productivity (WPAI-PsO), medical consumption costs (iMCQ), and health-related quality of life (EQ-5D-5L and the DLQI). We used ordinal logistic regression to associate BSA categories >1% versus 0-1% with outcomes adjusted for multiple confounders.Results We included 501 respondents with a mean age of 43 ± 12 years; 64% were men. Median BSA was 2% (interquartile range 1–5%). A higher BSA was associated with higher overall work impairment due to psoriasis (common odds ratio [cOR] 2.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.40–4.29; n = 205), higher medical consumption costs (cOR 2.06, 95% CI 1.45–2.94) and lower health-related quality of life. Associations were strongest with a BSA cutoff of 0% or 1% compared to 2% or higher categories.Discussion In our study, having few to no lesions in psoriasis was associated with lower overall work impairment due to psoriasis, lower medical consumption costs, and higher health-related quality of life.

We present a Buildings-to-Grid (BtG) integration framework with intermittent wind-power generation and demand flexibility management provided by buildings. First, we extend the existing BtG models by introducing uncertain wind-power generation and reformulating the interactions between the Transmission System Operator (TSO), Distribution System Operators (DSO), and buildings. We then develop a unified BtG control framework to deal with forecast errors in the wind power, by considering ancillary services from both reserves and demand-side flexibility. The resulting framework is formulated as a finite-horizon stochastic model predictive control (MPC) problem, which is generally hard to solve due to the unknown distribution of the wind-power generation. To overcome this limitation, we present a tractable robust reformulation, together with probabilistic feasibility guarantees. We demonstrate that the proposed demand flexibility management can substitute the traditional reserve scheduling services in power systems with high levels of uncertain generation. Moreover, we show that this change does not jeopardize the stability of the grid or violate thermal comfort constraints of buildings. We finally provide a large-scale Monte Carlo simulation study to confirm the impact of achievements.

BackgroundPoor social health is likely associated with cognitive decline and risk of dementia; however, studies show inconsistent results. Additionally, few studies separate social health components or control for mental health.ObjectiveTo investigate whether loneliness and social support are independently associated with cognitive decline and risk of dementia, and whether depressive symptoms confound the association.MethodsWe included 4,514 participants from the population-based Rotterdam Study (RS; aged 71±7SD years) followed up to 14 years (median 10.8, interquartile range 7.4-11.6), and 2,112 participants from the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen (SNAC-K; aged 72±10SD years) followed up to 10 years (mean 5.9±1.6SD). At baseline, participants were free of major depression and scored on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) ≥26 for RS and ≥25 for SNAC-K. We investigated loneliness, perceived social support, and structural social support (specifically marital status and number of children). In both cohorts, dementia was diagnosed and cognitive function was repeatedly assessed with MMSE and a global cognitive factor (g-factor).ResultsLoneliness was prospectively associated with a decline in the MMSE in both cohorts. Consistently, persons who were lonely had an increased risk of developing dementia (RS: HR 1.34, 95%CI 1.08-1.67; SNAC-K: HR 2.16, 95%CI 1.12-4.17). Adjustment for depressive symptoms and exclusion of the first 5 years of follow-up did not alter results. Neither perceived or structural social support was associated with cognitive decline or dementia risk.ConclusionLoneliness, not social support, predicted cognitive decline and incident dementia independently of depressive symptoms.

Background: Psoriasis is a prevalent, chronic skin disease with a potential impact on work productivity, medical consumption costs, and quality of life. The influence of the extent of skin lesions on these outcomes is not well known. Objective: We determined associations of self-reported skin lesions with self-reported work productivity, medical consumption costs, and health-related quality of life in respondents with psoriasis. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we included respondents with self-reported psoriasis in the Netherlands in an online questionnaire. We assessed the self-reported percentage body surface area (BSA) of psoriasis lesions. We used validated instruments to assess work productivity (WPAI-PsO), medical consumption costs (iMCQ), and health-related quality of life (EQ-5D-5L and the DLQI). We used ordinal logistic regression to associate BSA categories >1% versus 0-1% with outcomes adjusted for multiple confounders. Results: We included 501 respondents with a mean age of 43 ± 12 years; 64% were men. Median BSA was 2% (interquartile range 1–5%). A higher BSA was associated with higher overall work impairment due to psoriasis (common odds ratio [cOR] 2.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.40–4.29; n = 205), higher medical consumption costs (cOR 2.06, 95% CI 1.45–2.94) and lower health-related quality of life. Associations were strongest with a BSA cutoff of 0% or 1% compared to 2% or higher categories. Discussion: In our study, having few to no lesions in psoriasis was associated with lower overall work impairment due to psoriasis, lower medical consumption costs, and higher health-related quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hemotoxicity is common following rattlesnake envenomation. Published experiences with equine-derived crotalidae immune F(ab')2 antivenom have characterized hemotoxicity as delayed, recurrent, or persistent. This study investigated recovery of hypofibrinogenemia following rattlesnake envenomation treated with equine-derived crotalidae immune F(ab')2 antivenom. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of human rattlesnake envenomations reported to the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center over four years. We included rattlesnake-envenomated patients who developed hypofibrinogenemia (<1,500 mg/L) and were treated with equine-derived crotalidae immune F(ab')2 antivenom. The primary outcomes were recovery period (h) and recovery rate (mg/L/h) of hypofibrinogenemia following equine-derived crotalidae immune F(ab')2 antivenom administration. Collected data included demographics, laboratory values, and antivenom administered. Statistics used were percentages, medians, and Kruskall-Wallis test. Results: There were 527 rattlesnake envenomations treated with antivenom, of which 80 met the inclusion criteria. Patients receiving treatment with F(ab')2 antivenom and had a median fibrinogen concentration recovery rate of 62.3 mg/L/h (IQR: 42.0–74.3 mg/L/h) and median recovery period of 19.2 h (IQR: 13.8–26.2 h). There were statistically significant differences between categories for time to antivenom for the median recovery period (P = 0.0154). Discussion: Hypofibrinogenemia is a common laboratory finding following rattlesnake envenomation in Arizona. This study investigated rattlesnake envenomated patients treated with F(ab')2 antivenom and monitored fibrinogen concentrations as a surrogate marker of venom toxicity. Additionally, time to administration of F(ab')2 antivenom was a statistical significant marker of the recovery period from hypofibrinogenemia. Limitations of this study included the geographic coverage of the poison center and exclusion of patients with insufficient laboratory monitoring or those who received another antivenom. Conclusions: Following rattlesnake envenomation in Arizona, recovery from hypofibrinogenemia was able characterized in a rate (mg/L/h) and period (h) with the quantity and time to administration of antivenom. More studies are needed to assess this finding with other antivenoms and its clinical significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In forensic settings, lay (nonexpert) listeners may be required to compare voice samples for identity. In two experiments we investigated the effect of background noise and variations in speaking style on performance. In each trial, participants heard two recordings, responded whether the voices belonged to the same person, and provided a confidence rating. In Experiment 1, the first recording featured read speech and the second featured read or spontaneous speech. Both recordings were presented in quiet, or with background noise. Accuracy was highest when recordings featured the same speaking style. In Experiment 2, background noise either occurred in the first or second recording. Accuracy was higher when it occurred in the second. The overall results reveal that both speaking style and background noise can disrupt accuracy. Although there is a relationship between confidence and accuracy in all conditions, it is variable. The forensic implications of these findings are discussed.