Category: Nevin Manimala

BJU Int. 2023 Jan 20. doi: 10.1111/bju.15970. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: We report NHS England data for patients with bladder cancer (BC), upper tract urothelial (UTUC: renal pelvic and ureteric) and urethral cancers from 2013 to 2019.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hospital episode statistics, waiting times and cancer registrations were extracted from NHS Digital.

RESULTS: Registrations included 128,823 individuals with BC, 16,018 with UTUC and 2,533 with urethral cancer. In 2019, 150,816 persons were living with a diagnosis of BC, of whom 113,067 (75.0%) were men, 85,117 (56.5%) aged over 75 yrs, and 95,553 (91.7%) Caucasian. Incidence rates were stable (32.7-34.3 for BC, 3.9-4.2 for UTUC and 0.6-0.7 for urethral cancer per 100,000 population). Most patients (52,097 (41.3% (40.7-42.0%)) were referred outside the two week wait pathway and 15,340 (12.2% (11.7-12.6%)) presented as emergencies. Surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy or multimodal treatment use varied with disease stage, patient factors and Cancer Alliance. Between 27-29% (6,616) of muscle-invasive BCs did not receive radical treatment. Survival rates reflected stage, grade, location and tumour histology. Overall survival rates did not improve over time (relative change: 0.97 (95%CI: 0.97-0.97) at 2 years) in contrast to other cancers.

CONCLUSION: The diagnostic pathway for BC needs improvement. Increases in survival might be delivered through greater use in radical treatment. NHS Digital data offers a population-wide picture of this disease but does not allow individual outcomes to be matched with disease or patient features and key parameters can be missing or incomplete.

PMID:36680312 | DOI:10.1111/bju.15970

Viruses. 2023 Jan 10;15(1):201. doi: 10.3390/v15010201.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Chile has achieved the highest coverage for vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the progression of immunity (natural and acquired by vaccine) in a cohort from two Chilean cities.

METHODS: Individuals (n = 386) who participated in three phases of population-based serial prevalence studies were included (2020-2021 and 2022). Presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was measured in serum. Data including time of vaccination and type of vaccine received were analysed with descriptive statistics.

RESULTS: Seroprevalence was 3.6% in the first round and increased to 96.9% in the second and 98.7% in the third. In the third round, 75% of individuals who had received the basal full scheme were seropositive at 180 days or more since their last dose; 98% of individuals who received one booster dose were seropositive at 180 days or more, and 100% participants who received two boosters were seropositive, regardless of time since their last dose. Participants receiving mRNA vaccines had higher seroprevalence rates over time.

CONCLUSIONS: The high vaccination coverage in Chile enabled the population to maintain high levels of antibodies. Vaccination boosters are essential to maintain immunity over time, which also depends on the type of vaccine administered.

PMID:36680241 | DOI:10.3390/v15010201

Viruses. 2023 Jan 5;15(1):166. doi: 10.3390/v15010166.

ABSTRACT

Norovirus is the leading viral agent of gastroenteritis in humans. RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is essential in the replication of norovirus RNA. Here, we present a comprehensive evolutionary analysis of the norovirus GI RdRp gene. Our results show that the norovirus GI RdRp gene can be divided into three groups, and that the most recent common ancestor was 1484. The overall evolutionary rate of GI RdRp is 1.821 × 10^-3 substitutions/site/year. Most of the amino acids of the GI RdRp gene were under negative selection, and only a few positively selected sites were recognized. Amino acid substitutions in the GI RdRp gene accumulated slowly over time. GI.P1, GI.P3 and GI.P6 owned the higher evolutionary rates. GI.P11 and GI.P13 had the faster accumulation rate of amino acid substitutions. GI.P2, GI.P3, GI.P4, GI.P6 and GI.P13 presented a strong linear evolution. These results reveal that the norovirus GI RdRp gene evolves conservatively, and that the molecular evolutionary characteristics of each P-genotype are diverse. Sequencing in RdRp and VP1 of norovirus should be advocated in the surveillance system to explore the effect of RdRp on norovirus activity.

PMID:36680206 | DOI:10.3390/v15010166

Viruses. 2023 Jan 5;15(1):162. doi: 10.3390/v15010162.

ABSTRACT

Wastewater surveillance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has shown to be an important approach to determine early outbreaks of infections. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is regarded as a complementary tool for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 trends in communities. In this study, the changes in the SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels in wastewater during Easter holidays in 2021 and 2022 in the City of Cape Town were monitored over nine weeks. Our findings showed a statistically significant difference in the SARS-CoV-2 RNA viral load between the study weeks over the Easter period in 2021 and 2022, except for study week 1 and 4. During the Easter week, 52% of the wastewater treatment plants moved from the lower (low viral RNA) category in 2021 to the higher (medium to very high viral RNA) categories in 2022. As a result, the median SARS-CoV-2 viral loads where higher during the Easter week in 2022 than Easter week in 2021 (p = 0.0052). Mixed-effects model showed an association between the SARS-CoV-2 RNA viral loads and Easter week over the Easter period in 2021 only (p < 0.01). The study highlights the potential of WBE to track outbreaks during the holiday period.

PMID:36680203 | DOI:10.3390/v15010162

Viruses. 2023 Jan 3;15(1):150. doi: 10.3390/v15010150.

ABSTRACT

Domestic cat hepadnavirus (DCH) is an emerging virus related to the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The pathogenic potential of DCH in cats remains to be established. The molecular prevalence of DCH varies widely in the regions investigated so far. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, load, and risk factors for DCH detection among cats in Hong Kong, and to generate molecular and epidemiological data on the DCH strains circulating in cats in Hong Kong. DCH DNA was detected using DCH-specific qPCR in 57/513 (11.1%) residual diagnostic blood samples from owned cats. The median viral load was 8.85 × 10³ copies/mL of whole blood (range for the 5th to the 95th percentile, 3.33 × 10³ to 2.2 × 10⁵ copies per mL). Two outliers had higher viral loads of 1.88 × 10⁷ copies/mL and 4.90 × 10⁹ copies/mL. DCH was detected in cats from 3 months to 19 years of age. Sex, age, neuter status, breed, or elevated serum alanine aminotransferase were not statistically associated with DCH DNA detection. On phylogenetic analysis based on 12 complete genome sequences, the Hong Kong DCH viruses clustered in Genotype A with viruses from Australia and Asia (clade A1), distinct from viruses from Europe (clade A2). Sequence analysis found that DCH has similar epsilon and direct repeat regions to human HBV, suggesting a conserved method of replication. Based on our findings, the DCH strains circulating in Hong Kong are a continuum of the Asiatic strains.

PMID:36680190 | DOI:10.3390/v15010150

Viruses. 2022 Dec 31;15(1):134. doi: 10.3390/v15010134.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Studies have documented the role of the “neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio” (NLR) in influenza virus infection. In addition, morphometric parameters derived from automated analyzers on the volume, scatter and conductivity of monocytes, neutrophils and lymphocytes in many viral etiologies have helped with their early differentiation. With this background, we aimed to characterize the hematological changes of coronavirus-positive cases and also compare them with the healthy controls and patients affected by non-COVID Influenza-like illnesses so that early isolation could be considered.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional analytical study carried out in the years 2020-2022. All cases with COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 Influenza-like illnesses and healthy controls above 18 years were included. Cases were diagnosed according to the WHO guidelines. All samples were processed on a Unicel DxH 800 (Beckman Coulter, California, USA) automated hematology analyzer. The demographic, clinical and regular hematological parameters along with additional parameters such as volume, conductivity and scatter (VCS) of the three groups were compared.

RESULTS: The 169 COVID-19 cases were in the moderate to severe category. Compared with 140 healthy controls, the majority of the routine hematological values including the NLR (neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio) and PLR (platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio) showed statistically significant differences. A cutoff of an absolute neutrophil count of 4350 cell/cumm was found to have a sensitivity of 76% and specificity of 70% in differentiating moderate and severe COVID-19 cases from healthy controls. COVID-19 and the non-COVID-19 Influenza-like illnesses were similar statistically in all parameters except the PLR, mean neutrophilic and monocytic volume, scatter parameters in neutrophils, axial light loss in monocytes and NLR. Interestingly, there was a trend of higher mean volumes and scatter in neutrophils and monocytes in COVID-19 cases as compared to non-COVID-19 Influenza-like illnesses.

CONCLUSION: We demonstrated morphological changes in neutrophils, monocytes and lymphocytes in COVID-19 infection and also non-COVID-19 Influenza-like illnesses with the help of VCS parameters. A cutoff for the absolute neutrophils count was able to differentiate COVID-19 infection requiring hospitalization from healthy controls and eosinopenia was a characteristic finding in cases with COVID-19 infection.

PMID:36680172 | DOI:10.3390/v15010134

Viruses. 2022 Dec 31;15(1):133. doi: 10.3390/v15010133.

ABSTRACT

The circulation of SARS-CoV-2 omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants with enhanced transmissibility and capacity for immune evasion resulted in a recent pandemic wave that began in April-May of 2022. We performed a statistical phylogeographic study that aimed to define the cross-border transmission patterns of BA.4 and BA.5 at the earliest stages of virus dispersal. Our sample included all BA.4 and BA.5 sequences that were publicly available in the GISAID database through mid-May 2022. Viral dispersal patterns were inferred using maximum likelihood phylogenetic trees with bootstrap support. We identified South Africa as the major source of both BA.4 and BA.5 that migrated to other continents. By contrast, we detected no significant export of these subvariants from Europe. Belgium was identified as a major hub for BA.4 transmission within Europe, while Portugal and Israel were identified as major sources of BA.5. Western and Northern European countries exhibited the highest rates of cross-border transmission, as did several popular tourist destinations in Southern and Central/Western Europe. Our study provides a detailed map of the early dispersal patterns of two highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 omicron subvariants at a time when there was an overall relaxation of public health measures in Europe.

PMID:36680171 | DOI:10.3390/v15010133

Viruses. 2022 Dec 30;15(1):116. doi: 10.3390/v15010116.

ABSTRACT

Influenza viruses usually cause seasonal influenza epidemics and influenza pandemics, resulting in acute respiratory illness and, in severe cases, multiple organ complications and even death, posing a serious global and human health burden. Compared with other countries, China has a large population base and a large number of influenza cases and deaths. Currently, influenza vaccination remains the most cost-effective and efficient way to prevent and control influenza, which can significantly reduce the risk of influenza virus infection and serious complications. The antigenicity of the influenza vaccine exhibits good protective efficacy when matched to the seasonal epidemic strain. However, when influenza viruses undergo rapid and sustained antigenic drift resulting in a mismatch between the vaccine strain and the epidemic strain, the protective effect is greatly reduced. As a result, the flu vaccine must be reformulated and readministered annually, causing a significant drain on human and financial resources. Therefore, the development of a universal influenza vaccine is necessary for the complete fight against the influenza virus. By statistically analyzing cases related to influenza virus infection and death in China in recent years, this paper describes the existing marketed vaccines, vaccine distribution and vaccination in China and summarizes the candidate immunogens designed based on the structure of influenza virus, hoping to provide ideas for the design and development of new influenza vaccines in the future.

PMID:36680158 | DOI:10.3390/v15010116

Shock. 2023 Jan 23. doi: 10.1097/SHK.0000000000002085. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The assessment of cardiac output (CO) is a major challenge during shock. The gold standard for CO evaluation is transpulmonary thermodilution, which is an invasive technique. Speckle tracking is an automatized method of analyzing tissue motion using echography. This tool can be used to monitor pulsed arterial diameter variations with low interobserver variability. An experimental model of controlled hemorrhagic shock allows for multiple CO variations. The main aim of this study was to show the correlation between the femoral arterial diameter variations (fADV) and the stroke volume (SV) measured by thermodilution during hemorrhagic shock management and the resuscitation of anesthetized piglets. The secondary objective was to explore the respective correlations between SV and sub-aortic time-velocity index (aoVTI), abdominal aorta ADV (aoADV), carotid ADV (cADV), and subclavian ADV (sclADV).

METHODS: Piglets were bled until mean arterial pressure reached 40 mmHg. Controlled hemorrhage was maintained for thirty minutes before randomizing the piglets to three resuscitation groups-the fluid-filling group (reanimated with saline solution only), NEph group (norepinephrine + saline solution), and Eph group (epinephrin + saline solution). Speckle tracking, echocardiographic, and hemodynamic measures were performed at different stages of the protocol.

RESULTS: Thirteen piglets were recruited and included for statistical analysis. Of all the piglets, 164 fADV measures were attempted, and 160 were successful (98%). The correlation coefficient between fADV and SV was 0.71 (CI95% [0.62; 0.78]; p < 0.01). The correlation coefficient between SV and aoADV, sclADV, and cADV was 0.30 (CI95 % [0.13; 0.46]; p < 0.01), 0.56 (CI95 % [0.45; 0.66], p < 0.01), and 0.15 (CI95 % [-0.01; 0.30], p = 0.06), respectively.

CONCLUSION: In this hemorrhagic shock model using piglets, fADV was strongly correlated with SV.

PMID:36669228 | DOI:10.1097/SHK.0000000000002085

Bioinspir Biomim. 2023 Jan 20. doi: 10.1088/1748-3190/acb520. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Ecosystem biomimicry is a promising pathway for sustainable development. However, while typical form- and process-level biomimicry is prevalent, system-level ecosystem biomimicry remains a nascent practice in numerous engineering fields. This critical review takes an interdisciplinary approach to synthesize trends across case studies, evaluate design methodologies, and identify future opportunities when applying ecosystem biomimicry to engineering practices, including cyber systems (CS), physical systems (PS), and cyber-physical systems (CPS). After systematically sourcing publications from major databases, the papers were first analyzed at a meta level for their bibliographic context and for statistical correlations among categorical variables. Then, we investigated deeper into the engineering applications and design methodologies. Results indicate that CPS most frequently mimic organisms and ecosystems, while CS and PS frequently mimic populations-communities and molecules-tissues-organ systems, respectively (statistically highly significant). An indirect approach is most often used for mimicry at organizational levels from populations to ecosystems, while a direct approach frequently suits levels from molecules to organisms (highly significant). Dominant themes across engineering applications include symbiotic organism search algorithms for CS and ecological network analysis for CPS, while PS applications are highly diverse. For design methodologies, this work summarizes and details ten well-documented biomimetic process models among literature, which addresses an outdated concern for a lack of systematic methods for ecosystem biomimicry. In addition to the Biomimetics Standard ISO 18458, these methods include the Natural Step and Techno-Ecological Synergy framework, among others. Further, the analyses revealed future opportunities from less utilized design methods (e.g., interdisciplinary teams tackling indirect, ecosystem-level projects) to well-established engineering concepts ready for technological advancement (e.g., implementing membrane computing for physical applications). For future studies, this review provides a comprehensive reference for ecosystem biomimetic design practices and application opportunities across multiple engineering domains.

PMID:36669206 | DOI:10.1088/1748-3190/acb520