Category: Nevin Manimala

J Physiol Pharmacol. 2021 Apr;72(2). doi: 10.26402/jpp.2021.2.15. Epub 2021 Jul 10.

ABSTRACT

As in other human tissues, determination of the content of elements in dentition may be of significance in disease diagnostics. Zinc and magnesium are bioelements that play an important role in humans. The tissue and serum concentrations of these elements may be linked to numerous diseases; thus, they may be useful biomarkers in the early detection of diseases. The objective of this study was to compare the content of zinc and magnesium in teeth extracted for clinical reasons from patients of both genders in different age groups, who were diagnosed with the following medical conditions: cardiovascular diseases, digestive diseases, infectious disorders, other chronic diseases, and hereditary diseases. Furthermore, the study attempted to determine the effect of the drugs used by the patients on the content of zinc and magnesium in their teeth. After cleaning and fragmenting, the extracted teeth were mineralized, and subsequently the content of the investigated elements was determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. In patients with chronic diseases, who continuously received drugs, a statistically significantly higher level of zinc (p < 0.001) and magnesium (p < 0.001) was observed as compared with the patients who did not take those medicines. People without chronic diseases but having cardiovascular diseases also exhibited a higher level of zinc. The highest zinc level in teeth was determined in people aged above 50 (p = 0.11). Furthermore, the levels of zinc and magnesium in the teeth of the study group were related and an increase in zinc concentration was observed with an increase in the concentration of magnesium (p < 0.001). Moreover, a statistically significant correlation was observed between the age of the examined people and the level of zinc (p > 0.04). The older patient had the higher the level of zinc in teeth. The level of magnesium was statistically significantly higher in the teeth of persons with other chronic diseases (p = 0.01) and those who were on medication (p < 0.001). The accumulation of zinc and magnesium in the teeth of patients is partially a result of the physiological and pathological processes occurring in aged humans. For this reason, determination of the content of these elements in teeth, which are intended for disposal according to standards, could offer diagnostic information and enable restricting the effect of pathological environmental factors on the patient’s health status.

PMID:34642261 | DOI:10.26402/jpp.2021.2.15

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021 Oct 19;118(42):e2103420118. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2103420118.

ABSTRACT

This paper empirically examines how the opening of K-12 schools is associated with the spread of COVID-19 using county-level panel data in the United States. As preliminary evidence, our event-study analysis indicates that cases and deaths in counties with in-person or hybrid opening relative to those with remote opening substantially increased after the school opening date, especially for counties without any mask mandate for staff. Our main analysis uses a dynamic panel data model for case and death growth rates, where we control for dynamically evolving mitigation policies, past infection levels, and additive county-level and state-week “fixed” effects. This analysis shows that an increase in visits to both K-12 schools and colleges is associated with a subsequent increase in case and death growth rates. The estimates indicate that fully opening K-12 schools with in-person learning is associated with a 5 (SE = 2) percentage points increase in the growth rate of cases. We also find that the association of K-12 school visits or in-person school openings with case growth is stronger for counties that do not require staff to wear masks at schools. These findings support policies that promote masking and other precautionary measures at schools and giving vaccine priority to education workers.

PMID:34642247 | DOI:10.1073/pnas.2103420118

Eur J Dermatol. 2021 Aug 1;31(4):538-548. doi: 10.1684/ejd.2021.4100.

ABSTRACT

Preventing sunburn in childhood is imperative in the light of skin cancer prevention. To provide directions for targeted interventions, a better understanding of children’s sunburn and associated parental behaviours is necessary. To explore sun exposure and parent-for-child sun protection patterns and their relationship with sunburn experienced in children. An online survey was conducted among parents (n = 1,299) of children (4 to 12 years). Latent class analysis (LCA) was performed to identify parental subgroups for children’s sunburn, sun exposure and several sun protection behaviours (i.e. applying sunscreen, clothing, seeking shade) in two sun exposure settings (i.e. planned versus incidental). LCA results were validated by assessing predictions of class membership through several socio-demographic characteristics. Reported sunburn in the previous year was frequent (>40%). Four latent classes of sunburn-exposure-protection were identified. Overall, the majority of parents reported fair sun protection behaviours. While a low level of protection behaviour was not strongly reflected in lower sunburn rates among the classes, a high level of planned exposure (e.g. going to the beach) seemed to correspond with higher sunburn risk. Parents of younger children and those with more sensitive skin reported sun protection measures more frequently. Older children and those with more sensitive skin experienced more sunburn. This study contributes to current insight into children’s sunburn, based on parent-proxy reports. Although a clear differentiation in sunburn risk was not found, several variables, relevant for future interventions, were indicated. By further understanding the complexity of children’s sunburn, further research may be directed accordingly.

PMID:34642140 | DOI:10.1684/ejd.2021.4100

BMJ Open. 2021 Oct 12;11(10):e052668. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-052668.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Vietnam is an endemic area for hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infection (HBV-HCV), yet its largest city, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), has no comprehensive policy to educate, screen, treat and protect healthcare workers (HCWs) from viral hepatitis. We conducted a mixed-methods study to document HBV-HCV infection rates, risk factors, local barriers and opportunities for providing education, screening and medical care for HCWs.

DESIGN: This mixed-methods study involved an HBV and HCV serological evaluation, knowledge, attitude and practice survey about viral hepatitis and many in-depth interviews. Descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis using inductive and deductive approaches were used.

SETTING: HCMC, Vietnam.

PARTICIPANTS: HCWs at risk of viral hepatitis exposure at three hospitals in HCMC.

RESULTS: Of the 210 invited HCWs, 203 were enrolled. Of the 203 HCWs enrolled, 20 were hepatitis B surface antigen-positive, 1 was anti-hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV Ab)-positive, 57 were anti-hepatitis B core Ab-positive and 152 had adequate anti-hepatitis B surface Ab (anti-HBs Ab) titre (≥10IU/mL). Only 50% of the infected HCWs reported always using gloves during a clinical activity involving handling of blood or bodily fluid. Approximately 50% of HCWs were still not vaccinated against HBV following 1 year of employment. In-depth interviews revealed two major concerns for most interviewees: the need for financial support for HBV-HCV screening and treatment in HCWs and the need for specific HBV-HCV guidelines to be independently developed.

CONCLUSIONS: The high HBV infection rate in HCWs coupled with inadequate preventive occupational practices among the population in HCMC highlight the urgent needs to establish formal policy and rigorous education, screening, vaccination and treatment programmes to protect HCWs from HBV acquisition or to manage those living with chronic HBV in Vietnam.

PMID:34642198 | DOI:10.1136/bmjopen-2021-052668

Waste Manag. 2021 Oct 9:S0956-053X(21)00504-3. doi: 10.1016/j.wasman.2021.09.015. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

For the design of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) landfills, especially in the initial stages of the project, shear strength parameters are often selected from published results or literature recommendations and results of published tests. However, when adopting MSW shear strength parameters of MSW in the literature, a great variability is present, associated with testing procedures and intrinsic regional differences in the samples. Despite the lack of standardization of observations in the literature, statistical techniques results can help identify the main factors that affect this variability and categorize the observations for better inference of the results. This research gathered 313 observations of laboratory direct shear tests results presented in 30 international published researches, addressing results from different countries and testing configurations, in order to assess data statistical behavior and propose a classification. Results showed the factors that most contribute to the observational divergences, being the main factor associated with the mechanical-morphological behavior of waste components. A reorganization of data into classes (A, B and C) according to waste compressible, incompressible and reinforcement compositions was carried out in order to group shear strength parameters in a ternary diagram. The classification of shear strength envelopes for each proposed class and different strain levels enabled the verification of a hardening behavior of MSW and a prediction of mechanical parameters.

PMID:34642074 | DOI:10.1016/j.wasman.2021.09.015

Eur J Dermatol. 2021 Aug 1;31(4):493-498. doi: 10.1684/ejd.2021.4121.

ABSTRACT

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated inflammatory disease and its relationship with infection has been extensively investigated. Concern for the increased prevalence of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection in patients undergoing systemic immunomodulatory or immunosuppressive therapies for psoriasis has been gradually growing among clinicians. To evaluate the prevalence of HPV in a cohort of patients with psoriasis treated with currently available systemic, conventional and biotechnological drugs. A multi-centric prospective study was conducted in the main dermatological clinical centres of central and southern Italy. Data from 588 patients (366 males and 222 females) with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, aged ≥18 years and treated with conventional and biological drugs, were collected based on a documented history of HPV infection, a positive Papanicolaou test (Pap-test) when available, and clinical evidence of genital warts reported during consultation. Overall, 18 of 588 patients (3.6% [95% CI: 1.8-4.5]) were positive for HPV or had a history of cervical cancer. Considering anamnestic and demographic data, such as gender, age, smoking, weight and body mass index, no statistically significant differences between HPV+ and HPV- patients were found. Moreover, the eradication of HPV infection was successfully achieved using conventional treatments. The prevalence of HPV infection in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, undergoing systemic treatment with immunosuppressive agents or biologics, appears to be the same as that in the general Italian population, indicating that the level of infection among such patients is acceptable.

PMID:34642139 | DOI:10.1684/ejd.2021.4121

J Voice. 2021 Oct 9:S0892-1997(21)00293-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.08.014. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Singing is defined as a sensory-motor phenomenon that requires particular balanced physical skills such as respiration, phonation, resonance, and articulation. The long-term average spectrum (LTAS) is widely accepted as a robust and effective tool for the assessment of voice characteristics.

METHOD: Eighty female singers within the age range of 18-30 years were considered for the study. Among 80 participants, 40 were asked to perform one traditional song from Bangla Folk representing the Baul style and another 40 were asked to perform a traditional song from Rabindra Sangeet. Recordings were done and then acoustic (LTAS) analyses were done through PRAAT software. Statistical analyses were done for the analyzed data. software package of social sciences (Version 20.0) was used.

RESULTS: The averaged LTAS curve of Baul style showed a broad peak in the frequency range between 2000 and 3600Hz and its amplitude about 16 dB, Rabindra Sangeet showed a broader peak in the frequency range between 2200 and 3800 Hz and its amplitude about 15 dB. This evidence showed the presence of singer’s formants in both singing styles.

CONCLUSION: It can be concluded from the present study that, there is an acoustical difference between the Bangla Folk and Rabindra Sangeet singing style which can be evidenced using LTAS through PRAAT.

PMID:34642073 | DOI:10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.08.014

J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2021 Sep 20:S1748-6815(21)00429-0. doi: 10.1016/j.bjps.2021.08.043. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Soft tissue reconstruction in elderly patients must be rapid and reliable. The keystone island flap (KF) offers an effective solution, with low complication rates and quick recovery. This multi-centric study aims to show authors’ experience with KFs in treating soft tissue defects of trunk and limbs. Patients with soft tissue defects suitable for KF reconstruction were recruited from March 2019 to December 2019. Active inflammation and previous surgeries in the same region were considered exclusion criteria. Complications that occurred during follow-up were recorded, and their incidence pattern was assessed with the Fisher test. Seventy-two patients with mean age of 76.2 years old were selected. They presented lesions in torso (46; 63.9%) or in upper (4; 5.6%) or lower (22; 30.6%) limb regions. Fifteen (20.8%) wounds were non-oncologic lesions, and the others were oncologic lesions, mostly non-melanoma skin cancers. KF type I was carried out in 42 (58.3%) cases, KF type II-A in 13 (18%) cases, double opposed type III KF in 16 (22.2%) patients, and 1 (1.4%) case required partial flap’s undermining (IV KF). Mean post-operative recovery period was 4.3 days (range, 1-9 days). Post-surgical complications occurred in 15 (20.8%) cases, 7 (9.7%) of them were considered major complications. No statistically significant difference in complications’ incidence, nor among different surgical sites nor among KF types, was registered. Reconstructive surgeons have to adapt their work to elderly patients. The KF allows rapid operative times, low morbidity rates, and short post-operative recovery time, thus appearing as a feasible solution.

PMID:34642063 | DOI:10.1016/j.bjps.2021.08.043

Arch Med Res. 2021 Oct 9:S0188-4409(21)00192-2. doi: 10.1016/j.arcmed.2021.09.003. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In the last decades, obesity in general, including severe obesity (BMI ≥40 kg/m²), has increased disproportionately around the world, especially in low-income and lower-middle income regions.

AIMS: To analyze sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of people with severe obesity in Mexico, as well as their associated factors.

METHODS: A secondary analysis was carried out from the 2018-19 National Health and Nutrition Survey. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses by sex were used. Logistic models were estimated to identify the main factors associated with severe obesity.

RESULTS: Of the total number of people with obesity in the country (2.2 million people), 3.6% had severe obesity, with an average age of 48.2. There were statistically significant differences by sex in the variables of age group, education, socioeconomic status, health insurance, hypertension, myocardial infarction, and heart failure. Being a woman, having hypertension, and hypertension/diabetes increased the odds of severe obesity. These associations were maintained when comparing people with a BMI <40 kg/m², with those with a BMI ≥30 kg/m² and a BMI <40 kg/m².

CONCLUSIONS: Severe obesity must appear on the Mexican political agenda. Data must be produced that can direct decision-making around the promotion of healthy lifestyles, and obesity prevention, treatment, and follow-up, based in people-centered care and through intersectoral strategies, multidisciplinary management, and holistic approaches.

PMID:34642068 | DOI:10.1016/j.arcmed.2021.09.003

Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2021 Oct 1;92(10):780-785. doi: 10.3357/AMHP.5859.2021.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: A growing number of symptom reports suggestive of acceleration atelectasis in fast jet aircrew have raised the question as to whether traditional guidelines on inspired gas composition remain valid. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of inspired O₂ concentration on the development of acceleration atelectasis when wearing modern anti-G garments. METHODS: There were 14 nonaircrew subjects who completed 5 centrifuge exposures to +5 G_z lasting 90 s. During exposures subjects breathed a gas mixture containing 21, 35, 45, 60, or 75% O₂. To assess the extent of atelectasis post-G_z, forced inspiratory vital capacity (FIVC), regional FIVC (EIT_FIVC), shunt, respiratory resistance, reactance, and compliance and peripheral O₂ saturation during a hypoxic exposure were measured. RESULTS: Compared with baseline, FIVC was not statistically significantly altered. EIT_FIVC was 14.4% lower after the 75% O₂ exposure only with a greater symptom reporting with higher F_IO₂ in some individuals. A significantly greater shunt (3>6%) followed the 60 and 75% O₂ exposures. O₂ concentration during G_z had no effect on respiratory resistance, reactance, compliance, or hypoxemia. DISCUSSION: There is evidence of mild acceleration atelectasis present when breathing 60% O₂, particularly in susceptible individuals, with 75% O₂ causing more obvious physiological compromise. An inspired oxygen concentration of <60% will prevent the majority of individuals from developing acceleration atelectasis. Pollock RD, Gates SD, Radcliffe JJ, Stevenson AT. Indirect measurements of acceleration atelectasis and the role of inspired oxygen concentrations. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2021; 92(10):780785.

PMID:34641998 | DOI:10.3357/AMHP.5859.2021