Category: Statistics

Open Vet J. 2024 Mar;14(3):779-786. doi: 10.5455/OVJ.2024.v14.i3.4. Epub 2024 Mar 31.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Milk-borne bacteria cause degradation of milk products and constitute a significant risk to public health.

AIM: The objectives of the present study are to determine the microbiological quality of dairy products and to investigate pathogenic microorganisms.

METHODS: A total of 60 samples of raw milk, homemade cheese, and yogurt were randomly selected from different retail marketplaces in Basrah. The bacteriological and biochemical tests were utilized to identify the pathogens in dairy samples, as well as the molecular technique was used as an accurate diagnostic test.

RESULTS: The prevalence of contamination of milk products with various isolates was estimated as 50% (95% Cl: 36.8-63.2). The mean of total bacteria count for cheese was 7.29 ± 2.70, raw milk 4.62 ± 2.86, and yogurt 2.87 ± 1.05, with a significant p-value (p = 0.001). The mean count of aerobic spore-forming (ASF) contaminated raw milk was analyzed as 3.77 ± 1.18 and less contamination detected in the yogurt samples with mean of ASF was estimated as 2.52 ± 1.47 SD log 10 CFU/ml. A range of important microorganisms to human health were identified by employing the VITEK_2 system and sequencing 16S rDNA gene, including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aerogenosa, and Bacillus cereus.

CONCLUSION: The study indicates that there is a high level of bacterial contamination in dairy products with different bacteria species, which is medically important. Therefore, food safety management must be implemented to reduce biological risks carried by dairy products and ensure healthy food for consumers.

PMID:38682148 | PMC:PMC11052614 | DOI:10.5455/OVJ.2024.v14.i3.4

Open Vet J. 2024 Mar;14(3):846-851. doi: 10.5455/OVJ.2024.v14.i3.12. Epub 2024 Mar 31.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Healthy vision in humans and animals requires a stable tear film. The environmental factor could affect the status of the tear film. Therefore, assessing the tear film in animals is essential to avoid visual system disturbance.

AIM: The current research used a noninvasive device to evaluate the tear meniscus height (TMH) and lipid layer pattern (LLP) in domestic cats. In addition, the scores were compared with those of humans with healthy eyes.

METHODS: Fifty-four domestic cats (28 males and 26 females; mean ± SD = 13.9 ± 18.2 months) were randomly selected and included in the study. The cats were healthy, without any ocular disorders or diseases. Fifty-four healthy eye subjects (27 males and 27 females; mean ± SD = 25.6 ± 5.1 years) were randomly recruited and took part in the study for comparison. EASYTEAR View+ was used, for the first time, to assess the tear film parameters on the right eye of each subject. The examiner allowed a 5-minute gap between the tests. Each test was performed by the same examiner three times, followed by calculating the mean scores.

RESULTS: Significant differences (Mann-Whitney U test) were found in the median scores of LLP (p = 0.009) between cats and subjects with healthy eyes. The median TMH score was higher in cats (0.18 mm) than in humans (0.14). However, no significant difference (Mann-Whitney U Test, p = 0.210) exists in the TMH scores between cats and humans. The LLP analysis indicated that a dense white-blue lipid layer (grade 4 or D; lipid layer thickness, LLT, = approximately 80 nm) was predominant in both cats (N = 24, 44.4%) and humans (N = 29, 53.7%). In comparison, variable colors lipid layer (grade 5 or E; LLT = 90-140 nm) was a minority in cats (N = 5, 9.3%) and common in humans (N = 16, 29.6%). The statistical analysis indicated medium correlations between cats’ TMH and LLP scores (r = 0.431, p < 0.01) and between age and TMH scores in humans (r = 0.440, p < 0.01). In addition, it indicated a weak correlation (r = 0.291, p < 0.05) between the LLP scores in cats and humans.

CONCLUSION: Assessing animals’ tear film is essential to avoid any ocular disorders. EASYTEAR View+ is efficiently used to evaluate domestic cats’ TMH and LLP. Cats have thicker lipid layers and longer TMH comparable to those reported for humans with healthy eyes.

PMID:38682139 | PMC:PMC11052627 | DOI:10.5455/OVJ.2024.v14.i3.12

Open Vet J. 2024 Mar;14(3):794-804. doi: 10.5455/OVJ.2024.v14.i3.6. Epub 2024 Mar 31.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The increased number of cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) as a zoonosis has raised concerns in terms of poultry and human health. Farmers’ preventive practices are an effective way of reducing zoonosis. However, this practice may have been affected by many factors, including production behaviors, awareness, and farmers’ perceptions of farmers toward zoonosis.

AIM: This study was conducted on 166 poultry farms in Tra Vinh Province with 14,894 poultry heads to determine the socioeconomic profiles and production characteristics of poultry farms and analyze the effect of these factors on HPAI vaccination practices.

METHODS: Respondents were selected from lists provided by government officers. Descriptive statistics were used to describe all variables, and factors affecting HPAI vaccination practices were analyzed using binary regression analysis.

RESULTS: The results showed that most farmers raised poultry with other livestock using the free-range method, which is a semi-intensive system. The primary objectives of poultry farming are meat sales and augmenting household consumption, with farmers primarily raising chicks produced on their farms. The implementation of the vaccine was less than 50% on the surveyed farms, with a small number of farmers administering an HPAI booster dose. However, only 6% of the farmers confirmed that their livestock had been exposed to HPAI. In addition, HPAI vaccination and booster dose practices significantly increased when farmers had 4-6 family members and received HPAI prevention training. Moreover, increased poultry numbers have led to increased vaccination rates and the implementation of booster doses for poultry. The study also reported that the vaccination rate decreased when poultry was used for household consumption.

CONCLUSION: Sociodemographic characteristics and production behaviors can affect the implementation of HPAI vaccination on small poultry farms.

PMID:38682136 | PMC:PMC11052621 | DOI:10.5455/OVJ.2024.v14.i3.6

Open Vet J. 2024 Mar;14(3):902-912. doi: 10.5455/OVJ.2024.v14.i3.18. Epub 2024 Mar 31.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Aeromonas hydrophila (A. hydrophila) is a bacterium with zoonotic potential and is multidrug-resistant. It utilizes hemolysin and aerolysin to spread infection. Black soldier flies (BSFs) can be antibacterial because of the fatty acids it contains.

AIMS: This study aimed to investigate and compare the fatty acid profiles of BSF prepupae grown in fermented and nonfermented media using bioinformatics tools and assess their potential as antibacterial agents against A. hydrophila.

METHODS: The study used BSF prepupae reared on various organic substrates. BSF prepupae grown in fermented or nonfermented substrate were observed against fatty acid. The fatty acid analysis was performed using GC-MS. Fatty acids were analyzed statistically using the one-way ANOVA test with a 95% confidence level. Fatty acid bioactivity was predicted using the online PASS-two-way drug program. Molecular docking on BSF fatty acid compounds was analyzed with PyMol 2.2 and discovery Studio version 21.1.1.

RESULTS: The molecular docking test showed the strongest bond was oleic acid with aerolysin and linoleic acid with hemolysin. BSF prepupae grown on fermented media showed higher crude fat and saturated fatty acids (SFAs) but lower unsaturated fatty acids than nonfermented media.

CONCLUSION: Black soldier fly prepupae, particularly those grown on fermented media, possess antibacterial activity against A. hydrophila through potential fatty acid-mediated inhibition of crucial virulence factors.

PMID:38682129 | PMC:PMC11052624 | DOI:10.5455/OVJ.2024.v14.i3.18

Digit Biomark. 2024 Apr 26;8(1):83-92. doi: 10.1159/000538561. eCollection 2024 Jan-Dec.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Given the traffic safety and occupational injury prevention implications associated with cannabis impairment, there is a need for objective and validated measures of recent cannabis use. Pupillary light response may offer an approach for detection.

METHOD: Eighty-four participants (mean age: 32, 42% female) with daily, occasional, and no-use cannabis use histories participated in pupillary light response tests before and after smoking cannabis ad libitum or relaxing for 15 min (no use). The impact of recent cannabis consumption on trajectories of the pupillary light response was modeled using functional data analysis tools. Logistic regression models for detecting recent cannabis use were compared, and average pupil trajectories across cannabis use groups and times since light test administration were estimated.

RESULTS: Models revealed small, significant differences in pupil response to light after cannabis use comparing the occasional use group to the no-use control group, and similar statistically significant differences in pupil response patterns comparing the daily use group to the no-use comparison group. Trajectories of pupillary light response estimated using functional data analysis found that acute cannabis smoking was associated with less initial and sustained pupil constriction compared to no cannabis smoking.

CONCLUSION: These analyses show the promise of pairing pupillary light response and functional data analysis methods to assess recent cannabis use.

PMID:38682092 | PMC:PMC11052563 | DOI:10.1159/000538561

Hum Mol Genet. 2024 Apr 27:ddae067. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddae067. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Late-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease (LOAD) is a heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorder with complex etiology and high heritability. Its multifactorial risk profile and large portions of unexplained heritability suggest the involvement of yet unidentified genetic risk factors. Here we describe the “whole person” genetic risk landscape of polygenic risk scores for 2218 traits in 2044 elderly individuals and test if novel eigen-PRSs derived from clustered subnetworks of single-trait PRSs can improve the prediction of LOAD diagnosis, rates of cognitive decline, and canonical LOAD neuropathology. Network analyses revealed distinct clusters of PRSs with clinical and biological interpretability. Novel eigen-PRSs (ePRS) from these clusters significantly improved LOAD-related phenotypes prediction over current state-of-the-art LOAD PRS models. Notably, an ePRS representing clusters of traits related to cholesterol levels was able to improve variance explained in a model of the brain-wide beta-amyloid burden by 1.7% (likelihood ratio test P = 9.02 × 10-7). All associations of ePRS with LOAD phenotypes were eliminated by the removal of APOE-proximal loci. However, our association analysis identified modules characterized by PRSs of high cholesterol and LOAD. We believe this is due to the influence of the APOE region from both PRSs. We found significantly higher mean SNP effects for LOAD in the intersecting APOE region SNPs. Combining genetic risk factors for vascular traits and dementia could improve current single-trait PRS models of LOAD, enhancing the use of PRS in risk stratification. Our results are catalogued for the scientific community, to aid in generating new hypotheses based on our maps of clustered PRSs and associations with LOAD-related phenotypes.

PMID:38679805 | DOI:10.1093/hmg/ddae067

Niger J Clin Pract. 2024 Apr 1;27(4):528-533. doi: 10.4103/njcp.njcp_12_24. Epub 2024 Apr 29.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Dermal fillers augment soft tissues by replacing lost volume in the skin or subcutaneous fat. Dentists and other professionals utilize or recommend facial fillers for cosmetic and therapeutic purposes.

AIMS: This study aims to investigate public awareness regarding using nonsurgical facial dermal fillers in Saudi Arabia.

METHODS AND MATERIAL: A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online self-administered questionnaire distributed to a total of 400 males and females through social media platforms. The participants reside in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Descriptive statistics and the Chi-square test were employed for data analysis.

RESULTS: A total of 256 participants completed the survey, including 204 females and 51 males, with a mean age of 33.86 (SD = 10.5) years. Among the participants, 88 (34.4%) reported using facial fillers. Among them, only 46 (18%) were frequent consumers. Knowledge regarding correctly using facial fillers was generally high, especially for the lips (240, 94%), chin augmentation (203, 79.3%), and face lifting (226, 88.3%). However, participants’ knowledge needed improvement in other areas. Most participants were aware of the side effects, except for visual impairment (83, 32.4%) and blockage of the vessels (128, 50%).

CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlighted a remarkable level of knowledge among participants regarding the uses of fillers. However, participants demonstrated low awareness of all possible side effects associated with the treatment. Participants had valid reasons for undergoing facial treatments. However, constraints preventing them from pursuing fillers included fear of unexpected results and financial limitations.

PMID:38679777 | DOI:10.4103/njcp.njcp_12_24

Niger J Clin Pract. 2024 Apr 1;27(4):521-527. doi: 10.4103/njcp.njcp_3_24. Epub 2024 Apr 29.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Blood loss during and after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) can lead to substantial morbidity and the need for blood transfusions. There are several methods to minimize blood loss and decrease transfusion rates in patients undergoing TKA. Tranexamic acid, an antifibrinolytic agent with known efficacy for achieving these goals, is combined with tourniquets to reduce bleeding in arthroplasty surgeries. Our study investigated the effects of various combinations of tranexamic acid and tourniquet use on bleeding in knee arthroplasty in 558 patients.

AIM: We aimed to determine the method that would provide the least blood loss and transfusion need in knee arthroplasty surgery.

METHODS: Between January 2018 and December 2022, 558 patients aged between 55 and 85 years underwent TKA surgery for grade 4 gonarthrosis in our clinic, and their decrease in hemoglobin value and whether they were transfused or not were analyzed. The patients were divided into four groups based on use of tranexamic acid and tourniquet. Demographic variables and patient data (body mass index, INR values, and preoperative hemoglobin values) were recorded.

RESULTS: There were 558 patients with a mean age of 68.19 (67 ± 6.949) years. In group 1, tranexamic acid was not used in 128 patients and tourniquet was used only during cementation; in group 2, in 132 patients, tranexamic acid was not used and tourniquet was used throughout the surgery; in group 3, in 158 patients, tranexamic acid was used and tourniquet was used throughout the surgery; in group 4, in 140 patients, tranexamic acid was used and tourniquet was used only during cementation. The decrease in hemoglobin value and transfusion rate was lowest in group 3 and highest in group 1. Besides, there was a greater decrease in hemoglobin value in group 2 than in group 4 and the transfusion rate was similar.

CONCLUSIONS: This clinical study showed that using tranexamic acid and a tourniquet throughout surgery significantly reduced the decrease in hemoglobin value and the need for transfusion.

PMID:38679776 | DOI:10.4103/njcp.njcp_3_24

Niger J Clin Pract. 2024 Apr 1;27(4):504-512. doi: 10.4103/njcp.njcp_806_23. Epub 2024 Apr 29.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Interventions during pregnancy might increase the risk of depression becausethey may cause anxiety and stress in the mother. In these cases, it is important to provide social support to pregnant women.

AIM: This study aimed to determine the relationship between the risk of depression and the perception of social support in pregnant women who had undergone intrauterine intervention (IUI).

METHODS: The population of this descriptive study consisted of all pregnant women (n = 267) who attended a state hospital in Izmir between March and September 2022 and who had undergone IUI. Data were obtained using a sociodemographic data form, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Descriptive statistics and the Chi-square test were used in the study.

RESULTS: In this study, of the women, 42.7% had ≥3 pregnancies; the gestational week of 93.6% of the pregnant women was between 13-24 weeks. The mean scores of the pregnant women were 11.12 ± 8.04 on the BDI and 61.06 ± 19.84 on the MSPSS. According to the results of the correlation analysis, there was a weak (<0.05) negative reverse correlation between the scales.

CONCLUSIONS: In the results of this study, it has been determined that as perceived social support increases in pregnant women, symptoms of depression are less likely to occur. This result is important in terms of indicating the need for providing social support to pregnant women. Women should be able to identify depression risk factors during this process to receive appropriate care and support.

PMID:38679774 | DOI:10.4103/njcp.njcp_806_23

Niger J Clin Pract. 2024 Apr 1;27(4):496-503. doi: 10.4103/njcp.njcp_794_23. Epub 2024 Apr 29.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Monolithic zirconia restorations can be produced from self-colored or uncolored blocks. The coloring procedure of uncolored blocks and surface treatments may affect the appearance of the restoration.

AIM: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of liquid coloring and surface treatments on optical properties of translucent monolithic zirconia.

METHODS: All specimens were cut from zirconia blocks with a thickness of 1 mm. Specimens were dipped in the coloring liquids for 3 min, 5 min, and 7 min and then divided into groups of 10 specimens for surface treatments. Glaze and mechanical polishing were applied, and the color of the specimens was measured under the D65 lighting condition with a spectrophotometer device. Color values obtained from the CIE Lab formula and the translucency parameter (TP), opalescence parameter (OP), and contrast ratio (CR) were calculated. The normality of the data was confirmed with the Shapiro-Wilk test. A three-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess the effect of dipping time, liquid shade, and surface treatments.

RESULTS: The effect of liquid shade and dipping time on the TP, OP, and CR parameters were statistically significant, and the TP values were reduced with the application of coloring liquid. Mechanical polishing groups had higher OP values and lower TP values than glazed groups.

CONCLUSION: In cases where high translucency is required, it may be advisable to use self-colored blocks and apply glaze as a surface treatment to achieve the desired optical properties.

PMID:38679773 | DOI:10.4103/njcp.njcp_794_23