Category: Nevin Manimala

Otol Neurotol. 2024 Jun 26. doi: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000004244. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To describe the new semisynthetic total ossicular replacement prosthesis (New-SSTORP) and to evaluate the New-SSTORP ossiculoplasty results both with the presence and absence of the stapes superstructure.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study.

SETTING: Tertiary referral center.

METHODS: From April 2023 to May 2023, 18 New-SSTORP ossiculoplasties were performed by the first author. In all patients, the New-SSTORP was interposed between the footplate and the eardrum. The study group was divided into two groups (group A and group B). Group A included 13 patients with the absence of stapes superstructure. Group B included five patients with the presence of stapes superstructure. A successful reconstruction was defined as a postoperative air-bone gap ABG ≤20 dB. For all patients of groups A and B, the last audiometric control considered was performed in January 2024. The mean follow-up was 8½ months. The χ2 test was used to compare results. p < 0.05 was considered significant.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Mean postoperative ABG ≤20 dB.

RESULTS: At the end of follow-up, the overall success rate (ABG ≤20 dB) of New-SSTORP ossiculoplasty was obtained in 88.8% (n = 16 of 18) of cases. In group A, the success rate of New-SSTORP ossiculoplasty occurred in 84.6% (n = 11 of 13) of cases, and in group B, the success rate of New-SSTORP ossiculoplasty occurred in 100% (n = 5 of 5) of cases. There was no audiological statistically significant difference between groups A and B (Fisher value is 1; p < 0.05). In all cases, the time for positioning of New-SSTORP was about 5 minutes.

CONCLUSION: The New-SSTORP has a minimal technical challenge for building and placement. The New-SSTORP ossiculoplasty results are very good both with the presence and absence of SS.

PMID:38935354 | DOI:10.1097/MAO.0000000000004244

AIDS Patient Care STDS. 2024 Jun;38(6):252-258. doi: 10.1089/apc.2024.0060.

ABSTRACT

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) living with HIV have high rates of co-sexually transmitted infections (STIs). During the coronavirus disease (COVID) pandemic, STI prevention strategies, including access to testing/treatment facilities, availability of health care workers, and condom availability, may have decreased. This study aimed to determine if differences in STI incidence for first infection and reinfection existed between the pre-COVID and COVID eras in a cohort of AYAs living with HIV in Atlanta, GA. Retrospective chart review was conducted for all patients between ages 13 and 24 at the Grady Ponce Clinic. Two eras were identified: a pre-COVID era (January 1, 2009-December31, 2019) and a COVID era (January 1, 2020-June 30, 2021). STIs recorded included gonorrhea, chlamydia, human papillomavirus, syphilis, trichomonas, herpes simplex virus, lymphogranuloma venereum, hepatitis C, bacterial vaginosis, and chancroid. First and recurrent incidence rates for any STIs were reported. Our sample included 766 sexually active AYAs with HIV. A total of 721 patients were included in the pre-COVID era and 583 (80.9%) had at least one STI. A total of 337 patients were included in the COVID era, and 158 had at least one STI (46.9%). The overall first STI incidence rate increased from 42.47 to 58.67 per 100 person-years (PY) and the recurrent STI incidence rate increased from 121.50 to 169.85 per 100 PY from the pre-COVID to the COVID era (p < 0.001). Our study demonstrated significantly higher incidence rates of first and recurrent STIs in AYAs living with HIV in the COVID era. We urge continuation of existing STI prevention programs to avoid secondary clinical and economic adverse effects of increased infections.

PMID:38935346 | DOI:10.1089/apc.2024.0060

Int Urol Nephrol. 2024 Jun 27. doi: 10.1007/s11255-024-04128-z. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Following transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), there is no clear recommendation for the catheter duration, and objective criteria are needed to determine appropriate time for trial off catheter. Current study is aimed to identify the high-risk patients for failed trial off catheter and the association with preoperative voiding efficiency with postoperative failed trial without catheter.

METHODOLOGY: This is cross-sectional single institutional study. All eligible patients who underwent TURP were followed preoperatively for symptoms and workup, including voiding efficiency based on ultrasound findings, intraoperatively for resection parameters, and postoperatively for a trial off a catheter. All the findings were documented, and the data were analyzed on SPSS(TM) 22. Demographic variables were calculated in the form of frequency and percentages. The association of voiding efficiency with failed trials off catheters was checked through Chi-square and binary logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS: 132 patients were included in the study. The mean voiding efficiency was 57.5%. Based on voiding efficiency cut off, of 50%, patients were divided into two groups. The association between voiding efficiency and failed trials off catheters was not found to be statistically significant, with a p value of 0.79. Only prevoid volume, postvoid volume, duration of symptoms, and upper tract damage were found to be statistically significant predictors of failed trial off catheter, with a p value of < 0.05.

PMID:38935322 | DOI:10.1007/s11255-024-04128-z

Int Ophthalmol. 2024 Jun 27;44(1):285. doi: 10.1007/s10792-024-03210-w.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the agreement between the Goldman applanation tonometer (GAT), Tono-Pen, and noncontact tonometer (NCT) in the measurement of intraocular pressure (IOP) in pseudophakic children.

METHODS: The medical records of nonglaucomatous pseudophakic children between 2009 and 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 46 eyes of 23 patients operated for bilateral pediatric cataract were included in the study. The patients’ mean age was 13.4 ± 4.1 years. Central corneal thickness (CCT) and IOP values measured with the GAT, Tono-Pen, and NCT were recorded. Agreement between the tonometers was evaluated by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and the Bland-Altman method.

RESULTS: The mean IOP of the 46 eyes included in the study was measured as 13.7 ± 2.3 mm Hg with the GAT, 16.0 ± 2.3 mm Hg with NCT, and 16.5 ± 2.3 mm Hg with the Tono-Pen (p < 0.001). There is no statistical difference between NCT and Tono-Pen measurements, while GAT measurements were significantly lower than those of the NCT and Tono-pen. ICC values showed fair agreement between NCT and Tono-Pen (ICC = 0.720), whereas there was poor agreement between GAT and NCT (ICC = 0.501) and Tono-pen (ICC = 0.314).

CONCLUSIONS: With all devices included in the study, thicker corneas were associated with higher IOP measurements. Although there was moderate agreement between the NCT and Tono-Pen, there was a statistically significant difference in the IOP values provided by the three devices. Our results suggest these devices should not be used interchangeably.

PMID:38935310 | DOI:10.1007/s10792-024-03210-w

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2024 Jun 27. doi: 10.1007/s11356-024-34034-x. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

In light of China’s objectives for carbon peak and carbon neutrality, there is an opportunity for fintech to leverage its technological advantages and enhance its integration with green finance (GF). This can bring about enhanced coverage and precision of financial services for green industries, facilitating the transformation towards a sustainable, greener, and low-carbon real economy. We investigate how fintech development influences the carbon emission reduction effects of GF utilizing a two-way fixed effects model with a panel dataset covering 30 provinces in China from 2011 to 2020. Our findings indicate that the negative impact of GF on carbon emissions (CE) is heightened in areas with high levels of fintech development. Furthermore, we notice regional disparities in how fintech development impacts the effectiveness of GF in reducing CE. Specifically, fintech has a statistically significant impact in the central and western regions, whereas its significance is absent in the eastern region. Lastly, our mechanism analysis reveals that fintech plays a vital role in enhancing GF’s capacity to mitigate CE, which is achieved through channels of promoting green technology innovation (GTI), alleviating corporate financing constraints (FC), and optimizing energy structure (ES). These findings provide compelling evidence for the positive effect of fintech on the environment and offer justification for promoting the development of fintech and GF.

PMID:38935283 | DOI:10.1007/s11356-024-34034-x

HNO. 2024 Jun 27. doi: 10.1007/s00106-024-01470-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: A large number of patients with olfactory impairment are affected by parosmia or phantosmia. This study aimed to examine the demographic and clinical characteristics of parosmia.

METHODS: We performed a retrospective data analysis of patients consulting at our Smell and Taste Outpatient Clinic. A total of 297 patients were included (203 women, mean age 44.4 ± 13.7 years). Olfactory function was quantified using the “Sniffin’ Sticks” composite TDI (odor threshold, determination, and identification) score. The presence of qualitative olfactory impairment was assessed trough medical history and a parosmia questionnaire.

RESULTS: Most of the patients showed olfactory impairment after an infection with SARS-CoV‑2 (84%) and were diagnosed with parosmia (49%). Patients with parosmia (PAR) (n = 201) were significantly younger compared to the group without parosmia (noPAR; n = 92) (PAR 43.2 ± 13 years vs. noPAR 47 ± 15.1 years, p = 0.03) and had a slightly shorter duration of disease, without reaching statistical significance (PAR 10.3 ± 4.9 months, noPAR 13.6 ± 37.6 months, p = 0.23). They also had higher TDI scores (PAR 24.3 ± 7 points, noPAR 21.4 ± 8.2 points, p = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS: Patients affected by parosmia were younger and had a better olfactory function compared to patients without parosmia.

PMID:38935276 | DOI:10.1007/s00106-024-01470-7

Sleep Breath. 2024 Jun 27. doi: 10.1007/s11325-024-03041-0. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder among patients undergoing hemodialysis for chronic kidney disease. This study aimed to translate the sleep condition indicator (SCI), an insomnia screening tool based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), into a traditional Chinese version (SCI-TC) and evaluate the reliability and validity of this version for patients undergoing hemodialysis.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study conducted from November 2022 to June 2023 involved 200 patients on hemodialysis (mean age, 65.56 years; 61.5% men). Participants completed a series of questionnaires, with insomnia diagnosed according to DSM-5 criteria as the gold standard. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted to examine the sensitivity and specificity of the SCI-TC.

RESULTS: According to the DSM-5 criteria, 38% of the participants had insomnia. Cronbach’s alpha for the SCI-TC was 0.92. The SCI-TC exhibited a good fit as a two-factor model, and its scores were significantly associated with those of the traditional Chinese versions of the Insomnia Severity Index, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, EuroQol 5-Dimensions scale, and EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale (r = – 0.94, – 0.53, – 0.38, 0.27, and 0.30, respectively; all p < 0.05). The ROC curve analysis revealed an optimal cutoff of 16 points, with the sensitivity, specificity, and area under curve of 88.2%, 84.7%, and 0.91(95% confidence interval, 0.87-0.95), respectively.

CONCLUSION: The SCI-TC demonstrates robust reliability and validity in detecting insomnia among patients undergoing hemodialysis. These findings suggest that health-care providers should considering using the SCI as an easy-to-use tool for the timely detection of insomnia in this population.

PMID:38935268 | DOI:10.1007/s11325-024-03041-0

Spine Deform. 2024 Jun 27. doi: 10.1007/s43390-024-00902-2. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, reduction of social activities and rapid adoption of telemedicine, decreasing face-to-face encounters seems to have negatively affected the timely Idiopathic Scoliosis (IS) referral with a spine specialist. We aim to document the progression of IS curves during COVID-19 pandemic reflected by the late presentation of patients at the initial visit with higher Cobb angles and to evaluate its influence on health-related quality of life scores.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: All IS patients scheduled for surgery between April 2019 and September 2021 were recruited in a prospective cohort study. The patients were divided into five cohorts of 6 month duration each according to their booking date: 2 periods before the 1st COVID-19 wave, one period during and two periods afterwards. In each cohort, patients were divided into 3: those who were scheduled for posterior spinal fusion (PSF) at 1st visit, those booked for vertebral body tethering (VBT) at 1st visit, and those scheduled for surgery but who have failed brace treatment. Variables included age, gender, Risser grade and preoperative SRS-22 scores. Chi² and ANOVA tests were used for comparison.

RESULTS: 173 patients were analyzed. 33 patients (13.1 ± 3 y.o.) were scheduled between Apr and Sept 2019; 38 (13.1 y.o. ± 2) between Oct 2019 and Mar 2020; 31 (13.4 ± 3 y.o.) between Apr and Sept 2020; 30 (14.3 ± 2 y.o.) between Sept 2020 and Mar 2021; and 41 patients (13.8 ± 2 y.o.) between Apr and Sept 2021. Non-statistically significant differences were found between periods before, during or after the COVID-19 first wave regarding patients’ age, gender, Risser grade and SRS-22 scores. Average Cobb angles of patients at their 1st visit after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic were significantly higher than those before COVID-19 (52.2° ± 7° and 56.6° ± 13° vs 47.8° ± 12° and 45.2° ± 13°; p = 0.0001). More patients were booked for PSF (p < 0.0000) through the five evaluated periods, while the indication of VBT or surgery in patients previously braced progressively decreased.

CONCLUSION: Patients presented at the scoliosis clinic for the 1st time after the 1st COVID-19 wave with significantly larger Cobb angles, and likely contributed to an increased proportion of PSF, as the potential window for bracing or VBT was missed due to a delayed consultation.

PMID:38935264 | DOI:10.1007/s43390-024-00902-2

Clin Transl Oncol. 2024 Jun 27. doi: 10.1007/s12094-024-03565-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Since the imported PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab was listed in China in 2018, China has opened up the era of immunotherapy for malignant tumors, with several domestically produced PD-1 inhibitors coming onto the market one after another. To find out whether there are differences in the efficacy and safety of domestic and imported PD-1 inhibitors in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, we conducted this retrospective study in two tertiary hospitals in China.

METHODS: Patients with advanced NSCLC treated with tislelizumab or camrelizumab or pembrolizumab who met the inclusion criteria were screened through the electronic medical record system. A total of 259 patients were screened, but due to the unbalanced baseline, we performed propensity score matching and finally included 149 patients in three groups: pembrolizumab (n = 38), tislelizumab (n = 38), and camrelizumab (n = 73), which had very balanced baseline characteristics in each group after propensity score matching treatment.

RESULTS: The results showed that the median progression-free period was 11.3 m vs 10.1 m vs 8.9 m; p = 0.754; and the objective response rate was 63.2% vs 50% vs 57.5%; P = 0.510 for pembrolizumab, tislelizumab, and carrelizumab, respectively. There was no significant difference in median PFS between PD-L1 expression subgroups. In terms of safety, only skin toxicity of any grade of carrelizumab was higher than that of the other two groups (p = 0.034), and the incidence of grade ≥ 3 adverse reactions was not statistically significant among the three groups.

CONCLUSION: In this real-world study, the efficacy and safety of the domestically produced tislelizumab, camrelizumab, and the imported pembrolizumab were comparable.

PMID:38935240 | DOI:10.1007/s12094-024-03565-7

Syst Biol. 2024 Jun 27:syae025. doi: 10.1093/sysbio/syae025. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Cyanobacteria are the only prokaryotes to have evolved oxygenic photosynthesis paving the way for complex life. Studying the evolution and ecological niche of cyanobacteria and their ancestors is crucial for understanding the intricate dynamics of biosphere evolution. These organisms frequently deal with environmental stressors such as salinity and drought, and they employ compatible solutes as a mechanism to cope with these challenges. Compatible solutes are small molecules that help maintain cellular osmotic balance in high salinity environments, such as marine waters. Their production plays a crucial role in salt tolerance, which, in turn, influences habitat preference. Among the five known compatible solutes produced by cyanobacteria (sucrose, trehalose, glucosylglycerol, glucosylglycerate, and glycine betaine), their synthesis varies between individual strains. In this study, we work in a Bayesian stochastic mapping framework, integrating multiple sources of information about compatible solute biosynthesis in order to predict the ancestral habitat preference of Cyanobacteria. Through extensive model selection analyses and statistical tests for correlation, we identify glucosylglycerol and glucosylglycerate as the most significantly correlated with habitat preference, while trehalose exhibits the weakest correlation. Additionally, glucosylglycerol, glucosylglycerate, and glycine betaine show high loss/gain rate ratios, indicating their potential role in adaptability, while sucrose and trehalose are less likely to be lost due to their additional cellular functions. Contrary to previous findings, our analyses predict that the last common ancestor of Cyanobacteria (living at around 3180 Ma) had a 97% probability of a high salinity habitat preference and was likely able to synthesise glucosylglycerol and glucosylglycerate. Nevertheless, cyanobacteria likely colonized low-salinity environments shortly after their origin, with an 89% probability of the first cyanobacterium with low-salinity habitat preference arising prior to the Great Oxygenation Event (2460 Ma). Stochastic mapping analyses provide evidence of cyanobacteria inhabiting early marine habitats, aiding in the interpretation of the geological record. Our age estimate of ~2590 Ma for the divergence of two major cyanobacterial clades (Macro- and Microcyanobacteria) suggests that these were likely significant contributors to primary productivity in marine habitats in the lead-up to the Great Oxygenation Event, and thus played a pivotal role in triggering the sudden increase in atmospheric oxygen.

PMID:38934241 | DOI:10.1093/sysbio/syae025