Category: Nevin Manimala

Haematologica. 2024 Jun 20. doi: 10.3324/haematol.2024.285392. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is the only potentially curative treatment option for many patients with hematologic malignancies. While HCT outcomes have improved drastically over the years, patients and clinicians continue to face numerous survivorship challenges, such as relapse, graft-versushost disease, and secondary malignancies. Recent literature suggests that clonal hematopoiesis (CH), the presence of a recurrent somatic mutation in hematopoietic cells, in HCT patients or donors may be associated with outcomes in autologous and allogeneic HCT. Herein, we perform a review of the literature and summarize reported associations between CH and clinical outcomes in HCT. For commonly reported outcomes, we used meta-analysis methods to provide estimates of effect sizes when combining results. A total of 32 articles with relevant and independent contributions were included, covering both autologous (n = 19) and allogeneic (n = 13) HCT. The articles report variable risk for developing outcomes according to CH characteristics, patient disease status, and method of HCT. Using meta-analysis of available results, HCT outcomes with statistically significant effects by CH status include therapy-related myeloid neoplasms (OR 3.65, 95%CI 2.18-6.10) and overall survival (HR 1.38, 95%CI 1.20-1.58) in autologous HCT and relapse (HR 0.80, 95%CI 0.68-0.94) in allogeneic HCT. However, heterogeneity, biases, and limitations in the literature provide challenges for informing the translation of CH to clinical decision-making. We conclude with a call to action and discussion of next steps to build upon the current literature and provide granularity to the true clinical impact of CH in the setting of HCT.

PMID:38899345 | DOI:10.3324/haematol.2024.285392

Glob Health Action. 2024 Dec 31;17(1):2367415. doi: 10.1080/16549716.2024.2367415. Epub 2024 Jun 20.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Mauritius has implemented a range of stringent policies to control smoking and promote public health. Regular monitoring focuses on the prevalence of tobacco use, yet there is a gap in understanding its socio-economic patterns.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of tobacco smoking and to identify the social determinants associated with smoking among men in Mauritius in 2021.

METHODS: This is a cross-sectional population-based study conducted by the Ministry of Health and Wellness during 2021. In total, 3622 individuals participated (response rate of 84.1%), of which 1663 were men (45.9%). The study mainly focused on men given the low prevalence of smoking among women. Daily smoking was the outcome and a series of sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors were included as independent variables. Prevalence ratios (PR) and their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated to fulfill the study objective.

RESULTS: The prevalence of smoking among men was 30.4%. People in the 25-34 age group (PR = 1.65; 95% CI: 1.12-2.41), those separated, divorced or widowed (PR = 1.57; 95% CI: 1.16-2.11), the ethnic groups Muslim-Mauritians (PR = 1.70; 95% CI: 1.00-2.89) and Creoles (PR = 1.97; 95% CI: 1.16-3.35), and those with secondary (PR = 1.29; 95% CI: 1.00-1.67) and primary education (PR = 1.47; 95% CI: 1.10-1.98) were statistically significantly associated with daily smoking.

CONCLUSIONS: Although a gradual decline in smoking prevalence was observed compared with the previous 2015 survey, the Ministry of Health and Wellness should persist in fortifying its anti-smoking measures and concentrate on crafting tailored interventions aimed at the vulnerable groups identified in this study.

PMID:38899339 | DOI:10.1080/16549716.2024.2367415

Front Nutr. 2024 Jun 4;11:1231070. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1231070. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

Although diets influence health and the environment, measuring and changing nutrition is challenging. Traditional measurement methods face challenges, and designing and conducting behavior-changing interventions is conceptually and logistically complicated. Situated local communities such as university campuses offer unique opportunities to shape the nutritional environment and promote health and sustainability. The present study investigates how passively sensed food purchase logs typically collected as part of regular business operations can be used to monitor and measure on-campus food consumption and understand food choice determinants. First, based on 38 million sales logs collected on a large university campus over eight years, we perform statistical analyses to quantify spatio-temporal determinants of food choice and characterize harmful patterns in dietary behaviors, in a case study of food purchasing at EPFL campus. We identify spatial proximity, food item pairing, and academic schedules (yearly and daily) as important determinants driving the on-campus food choice. The case studies demonstrate the potential of food sales logs for measuring nutrition and highlight the breadth and depth of future possibilities to study individual food-choice determinants. We describe how these insights provide an opportunity for stakeholders, such as campus offices responsible for managing food services, to shape the nutritional environment and improve health and sustainability by designing policies and behavioral interventions. Finally, based on the insights derived through the case study of food purchases at EPFL campus, we identify five future opportunities and offer a call to action for the nutrition research community to contribute to ensuring the health and sustainability of on-campus populations-the very communities to which many researchers belong.

PMID:38899323 | PMC:PMC11186467 | DOI:10.3389/fnut.2024.1231070

Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2024 Jun 25;49(6):618-624. doi: 10.13702/j.1000-0607.20230299.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture intervention at different time for patients with sudden hearing loss.

METHODS: According to the timing of acupuncture intervention, 86 patients were divided into early exposure group (n=43) and late exposure group (n=43) . The early exposure group was given acupuncture treatment within 14 days of onset, and the late exposure group was given acupuncture treatment after 14 days of onset. After propensity score matching (PSM, a statistical matching technique for observational data) processing by using SPSS26.0 software, outcomes of 30 cases in the early exposure group and 30 cases in the late exposure group were analyzed. In addition to receiving basic treatment with drugs for vascular dilatation, thrombolysis, nourishing nerve, etc., all patients of the two groups were treated with neck acupuncture (“Neck Seven Meridian Lines” acupuncture), once every other day except Sundays, for a total of 12 time. Before, after the treatment and 3 months after the treatment, the total score of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI, 0, 2 and 4 points for each of the 25 items, total scores = 100 points) scale was used to evaluate the improvement of tinnitus symptoms caused by hearing loss. The clinical therapeutic effect was evaluated according to the efficacy grading criteria in the Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Sudden Deafness (2015) and the changes of pure tone audiometry curve. Multivariate Logistic regression was used to analyze the effect of factors that might influence efficacy before propensity score matching.

RESULTS: The THI scores of patients in both groups decreased strikingly after the treatment and 3 months’ follow-up (P<0.05). Compared with the same time-points of the late exposure group, the total THI scores of post-treatment and 3 months’ follow-up were evidently lower in the early exposure group (P<0.05). The effective rate of the early exposure group (22/30, 80.00%) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than that of the late exposure group (16/30, 53.33%). The classification of sudden deafness and the application of traditional Chinese medicine in this study were not independent factors affecting the total effective rate.

CONCLUSIONS: The time point of acupuncture intervention is an important factor affecting the effect on hearing and tinnitus disability of patients with sudden deafness. The earlier acupuncture treatment is accepted, the better the therapeutic effect is.

PMID:38897806 | DOI:10.13702/j.1000-0607.20230299

Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2024 Jun 25;49(6):566-576. doi: 10.13702/j.1000-0607.20240101.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins in rats with intrauterine adhesions (IUA), so as to explore the possible mechanisms of EA in repairing endometrial damage in IUA.

METHODS: Female SD rats were randomly divided into blank, model, EA, and ICG-001 groups, with 10 rats in each group. The IUA model was established by using mechanical scraping combined with lipopolysaccharide infection for double injury. In the EA group, “Guanyuan” (CV4) was needled and EA (2 Hz/15 Hz, 1-2 mA) was applied to “Zusanli” (ST36) and “Sanyinjiao”(SP6) on both sides. In the ICG-001 group, ICG-001 (5 mg/kg), the inhibitor of β-catenin was intraperitoneally injected. After intervention, samples were taken from 5 rats in each group, and uterine endometrium morphology, endometrial thickness, and gland counts were observed using HE staining. Masson staining was used to assess the degree of fibrosis in the endometrial tissue. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the positive expression of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), fibronectin (FN), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), type I collagen (Col- Ⅰ), glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), β-catenin, E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and Vimentin in the endometrial tissue. Western blot was used to detect the relative expression of GSK-3β, β-catenin, E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and Vimentin proteins in the endometrial tissue. Another 5 rats from each group were placed in cages with male rats after intervention to record the number of embryo implantations.

RESULTS: Necrosis and loss of endometrial tissue in the model group observed after HE staining were alleviated in the EA group, better than those in the ICG-001 group. Compared with the blank group, the numbers of glands and endometrial thickness in the uterine endometrial tissue, relative expression and positive expression of E-cadherin and GSK-3β proteins in the uterine endometrial tissue, and embryo implantation numbers were reduced(P<0.000 1, P<0.001, P<0.01) in the model group, while fibrosis area ratio in the uterine endometrial tissue, TGF- β 1, α -SMA, FN, CTGF, Col- Ⅰ positive expressions, N-cadherin, Vimentin, and β-catenin proteins expression and positive expression were increased(P<0.000 1, P<0.001, P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the number of glands and endometrial thickness, E-cadherin and GSK-3β proteins expression and positive expression, and embryo implantation numbers were increased (P<0.001, P<0.05, P<0.01) in the EA and ICG-001 groups, while the fibrosis area ratio in the uterine endometrial tissue, TGF-β1, α-SMA, FN, CTGF, Col- Ⅰ positive expression, and N-cadherin, Vimentin, and β-catenin proteins expression and positive expression were decreased(P<0.001, P<0.01, P<0.05). Compared with the EA group, the differences of the above-mentioned indicators in the ICG-001 group were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS: EA may reverse the EMT process and reduce the degree of fibrosis in endometrial tissue by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, thereby promoting the repair of endometrial damage in IUA.

PMID:38897800 | DOI:10.13702/j.1000-0607.20240101

Stat Med. 2024 Jun 19. doi: 10.1002/sim.10146. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The analysis of streaming time-to-event cohorts has garnered significant research attention. Most existing methods require observed cohorts from a study sequence to be independent and identically sampled from a common model. This assumption may be easily violated in practice. Our methodology operates within the framework of online data updating, where risk estimates for each cohort of interest are continuously refreshed using the latest observations and historical summary statistics. At each streaming stage, we introduce parameters to quantify the potential discrepancy between batch-specific effects from adjacent cohorts. We then employ penalized estimation techniques to identify nonzero discrepancy parameters, allowing us to adaptively adjust risk estimates based on current data and historical trends. We illustrate our proposed method through extensive empirical simulations and a lung cancer data analysis.

PMID:38897797 | DOI:10.1002/sim.10146

Huan Jing Ke Xue. 2024 Jun 8;45(6):3614-3626. doi: 10.13227/j.hjkx.202307161.

ABSTRACT

The altitude distribution patterns of soil microorganisms and their driving mechanisms are crucial for understanding the consequences of climate change on terrestrial ecosystems. There is an obvious altitude difference in Datong River Basin in the Qilian Mountains. Two spatial scale transections were set up along the mountain slope (with altitude spanning 1 000 m) and the mainstream direction (with altitude spanning 300-500 m), respectively. The distribution characteristics of the soil bacterial community structure and diversity along the altitude gradients were examined using high-throughput sequencing technology. Based on the FAPROTAX database, the altitude distribution patterns of nitrogen cycling functional groups were analyzed to investigate the major environmental factors influencing the altitude distribution patterns of soil bacterial communities. The findings revealed that:① Soil physicochemical characteristics varied significantly with altitude. The content of total nitrogen (TN) and nitrate nitrogen (NO₃^–) were positively correlated with the altitude (P &lt; 0.01), whereas the soil bulk density and pH were negatively connected (P &lt; 0.001). ② The abundance of OTU increased significantly along the altitude (P &lt; 0.01), and the richness and diversity indices increased along the altitude, although the trend was not statistically significant (P &gt; 0.05). ③ The predominant bacterial communities were Acidobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes, and as altitude climbed, their relative abundances varied between increasing, decreasing, and slightly decreasing, respectively. ④ The nitrogen cycling processes involved 13 functional groups, primarily nitrification, aerobic ammonia oxidation, aerobic nitrite oxidation, etc. As the altitude increased, the response law changed, with an increase in the abundance of nitrobacteria (P &lt; 0.01), a slight increase in the abundance of aerobic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria, and a hump-back tendency in bacteria abundance for nitrogen respiration. ⑤ Redundancy analysis revealed that the key determinants influencing soil bacterial populations at the phylum level were altitude, pH, and the content of NH₄⁺. Mantel analysis showed that the dominant groups of soil bacterial nitrogen cycling were all statistically and significantly driven by altitude (P &lt; 0.01). ⑥ The α-diversity of the bacterial community with increasing altitude were both increased along the mountain slope and the mainstream direction, but the soil properties, the abundance of N-cycling functional groups, and the main environmental factors differed. Therefore, it is of great significance to explore the altitude distribution pattern of soil microorganisms at different spatial scales.

PMID:38897781 | DOI:10.13227/j.hjkx.202307161

Huan Jing Ke Xue. 2024 Jun 8;45(6):3129-3141. doi: 10.13227/j.hjkx.202307245.

ABSTRACT

Groundwater nitrate (NO₃^–) contamination in China has become a serious environmental problem, especially in agricultural production areas, which greatly affects the safety of drinking groundwater and requires urgent attention. In this study, the main sources of groundwater nitrate in China were reviewed, including atmospheric deposition, soil nitrogen, agricultural fertilization, and fecal sewage, among which fecal sewage and agricultural fertilization were the main reasons for the excessive groundwater nitrate. The application of hydrochemical analysis, multivariate statistical analysis, stable isotope tracer method, and microbial source tracking in the source apportionment of groundwater nitrate was summarized. All types of source apportionment methods had certain limitations. It is suggested that a variety of methods should be used to identify the source of groundwater nitrate, and the contribution rate of different pollution sources should be calculated using multivariate statistical analysis and isotope quantitative analysis models. The source apportionment of nitrate pollution has undergone a process from qualitative to quantitative research. At present, the SIAR and MixSIAR models based on δ¹⁵N-NO₃^–and δ¹⁸O-NO₃^– have been used widely to analyze the source of nitrate. However, due to the overlap of isotope characteristic values of different input end-members, the difference in δ¹⁵N-NO₃^–and δ¹⁸O-NO₃^– values under different spatial and temporal changes, and the influence of isotope fractionation in the process of nitrogen migration and transformation, the results calculated by the model remain uncertain. It is necessary to further optimize the analytical method of the model to obtain the source of nitrate pollution and its contribution rate more accurately to further aid in the scientific management of groundwater resources.

PMID:38897737 | DOI:10.13227/j.hjkx.202307245

Tob Control. 2024 Jun 19:tc-2024-058593. doi: 10.1136/tc-2024-058593. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Terms such as ‘natural’, ‘organic’ and ‘tobacco and water’ on cigarette packs may communicate misleading reduced harm messages to consumers. This study describes sales volume and price for brands that used these misleading descriptors in the USA by year, brand and state.

METHODS: The data come from Information Resources Incorporated sales data collected in 44 US states from January 2018 to January 2023. Trained coders used Universal Product Codes, purchased packs and internet searches to identify cigarettes sold with ‘natural’, ‘organic’ and ‘tobacco and water’ on packs. We report cigarette pack unit sales counts (sales volume) and average price per pack by year, as well as per cent year-over-year change in sales volume and price and annual market share by descriptor terms.

RESULTS: Overall, pack sales volume decreased year-over-year from 2019 to 2022. Sales volume for packs with ‘natural’, ‘tobacco and water’ and ‘organic’ decreased less than overall; in some cases, they increased. In 2022, packs with ‘natural’ accounted for the greatest share of cigarette unit sales (5.42% or 33 605 036 packs), followed by ‘tobacco and water’ (2.25% or 12 959 905 packs) and ‘organic’ (0.53% or 4 614 592 packs). Natural American Spirit (NAS) and Winston accounted for most sales with ‘natural’ and ‘tobacco and water’; NAS accounted for nearly all sales with ‘organic’. Packs with ‘natural’, ‘tobacco and water’ or ‘organic’ made up the largest portion of sales in western (Oregon, Idaho, California, Colorado and Washington) and northeastern (Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire) US states.

CONCLUSION: Brands using ‘natural’, ‘tobacco and water’ and ‘organic’ on packs increased their market share between 2019 and 2022; in some states, market share was over 10% in 2022. Our findings emphasise the importance of regulating these terms and continually monitoring their population impact.

PMID:38897726 | DOI:10.1136/tc-2024-058593

Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2024 Jul;8(7):510-521. doi: 10.1016/S2352-4642(24)00098-1.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The degree of physiological responses to individual antipsychotic drugs is unclear in children and adolescents. With network meta-analysis, we aimed to investigate the effects of various antipsychotic medications on physiological variables in children and adolescents with neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental conditions.

METHODS: For this network meta-analysis, we searched Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Scopus from database inception until Dec 22, 2023, and included randomised controlled trials comparing antipsychotics with placebo in children or adolescents younger than 18 years with any neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental condition. Primary outcomes were mean change from baseline to end of acute treatment in bodyweight, BMI, fasting glucose, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, prolactin, heart rate, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and QT interval corrected for heart rate (QTc) for patients receiving either active treatment or placebo. For multigroup trials reporting several doses, we calculated a summary value for each physiological variable for all doses. After transitivity assessment, we fitted frequentist random-effects network meta-analyses for all comparisons in the network. A Kilim plot was used to summarise the results for all treatments and outcomes, providing information regarding the strength of the statistical evidence of treatment effects, using p values. Network heterogeneity was assessed with τ, risk of bias of individual trials was assessed with the Cochrane Collaboration’s Tool for Assessing Risk of Bias, and the credibility of findings from each network meta-analysis was assessed with the Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis (CINEMA) app. This study is registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021274393).

FINDINGS: Of 6676 studies screened, 47 randomised controlled trials were included, which included 6500 children (mean age 13·29 years, SD 2·14) who received treatment for a median of 7 weeks (IQR 6-8) with either placebo (n=2134) or one of aripiprazole, asenapine, blonanserin, clozapine, haloperidol, lurasidone, molindone, olanzapine, paliperidone, pimozide, quetiapine, risperidone, or ziprasidone (n=4366). Mean differences for bodyweight change gain compared with placebo ranged from -2·00 kg (95% CI -3·61 to -0·39) with molindone to 5·60 kg (0·27 to 10·94) with haloperidol; BMI -0·70 kg/m² (-1·21 to -0·19) with molindone to 2·03 kg/m² (0·51 to 3·55) with quetiapine; total cholesterol -0·04 mmol/L (-0·39 to 0·31) with blonanserin to 0·35 mmol/L (0·17 to 0·53) with quetiapine; LDL cholesterol -0·12 mmol/L (-0·31 to 0·07) with risperidone or paliperidone to 0·17 mmol/L (-0·06 to 0·40) with olanzapine; HDL cholesterol 0·05 mmol/L (-0·19 to 0·30) with quetiapine to 0·48 mmol/L (0·18 to 0·78) with risperidone or paliperidone; triglycerides -0·03 mmol/L (-0·12 to 0·06) with lurasidone to 0·29 mmol/L (0·14 to 0·44) with olanzapine; fasting glucose from -0·09 mmol/L (-1·45 to 1·28) with blonanserin to 0·74 mmol/L (0·04 to 1·43) with quetiapine; prolactin from -2·83 ng/mL (-8·42 to 2·75) with aripiprazole to 26·40 ng/mL (21·13 to 31·67) with risperidone or paliperidone; heart rate from -0·20 bpm (-8·11 to 7·71) with ziprasidone to 12·42 bpm (3·83 to 21·01) with quetiapine; SBP from -3·40 mm Hg (-6·25 to -0·55) with ziprasidone to 10·04 mm Hg (5·56 to 14·51) with quetiapine; QTc from -0·61 ms (-1·47 to 0·26) with pimozide to 0·30 ms (-0·05 to 0·65) with ziprasidone.

INTERPRETATION: Children and adolescents show varied but clinically significant physiological responses to individual antipsychotic drugs. Treatment guidelines for children and adolescents with a range of neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental conditions should be updated to reflect each antipsychotic drug’s distinct profile for associated metabolic changes, alterations in prolactin, and haemodynamic alterations.

FUNDING: UK Academy of Medical Sciences, Brain and Behaviour Research Foundation, UK National Institute of Health Research, Maudsley Charity, the Wellcome Trust, Medical Research Council, National Institute of Health and Care Research Biomedical Centre at King’s College London and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, the Italian Ministry of University and Research, the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan, and Swiss National Science Foundation.

PMID:38897716 | DOI:10.1016/S2352-4642(24)00098-1