Nevin Manimala

BMC Infect Dis. 2022 Sep 14;22(1):737. doi: 10.1186/s12879-022-07572-3.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Outbreaks of new HIV transmission among people who inject drugs (PWID) are a major public health concern. Oral daily PrEP, has been identified as a critical addition to the biomedical toolkit for this population. However, limited research on the acceptability of long-acting injectable PrEP has been conducted with this population.

METHODS: We conducted a cross sectional multi-site survey with 1127 participants from May 2019-February 2020 to assess the acceptability of novel PrEP regimens. We computed bivariate and multivariable logistic regressions to evaluate correlates of the outcome variable: acceptability of 3-month injectable-PrEP. SAS v.9.4 was used to conduct statistical analysis.

RESULTS: Limited knowledge of or use of PrEP, past or present, was evident within the sample. Injection drug use in the past six months was significantly associated with LA injectable PrEP acceptability, with the odds of acceptability being 1.885 (CI: 1.376, 2.582) times greater than those who did not inject drugs. After adjusting for confounders, injection drug use was significantly associated with the outcome, such that the odds of acceptability of LA injectable PrEP were 1.705 (CI: 1.198, 2.427) times greater among PWID compared to those who did not inject drugs (p < 0.03). The results demonstrate acceptability (38.2%) in a durable (3-month) injectable PrEP modality among participants who also identified as PWID.

CONCLUSIONS: PrEP promotion efforts among PWID to increase access to long-acting injectable PrEP are necessary. Through efforts to increase acceptance and regular use of long-acting injectable PrEP, public health strategies may be able to effectively lessen chances of future HIV outbreaks among PWID.

PMID:36104676 | DOI:10.1186/s12879-022-07572-3

BMC Infect Dis. 2022 Sep 14;22(1):735. doi: 10.1186/s12879-022-07701-y.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The clinical course of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is diverse, and the usefulness of phenotyping in predicting the severity or prognosis of the disease has been demonstrated overseas. This study aimed to investigate clinically meaningful phenotypes in Japanese COVID-19 patients using cluster analysis.

METHODS: From April 2020 to May 2021, data from inpatients aged ≥ 18 years diagnosed with COVID-19 and who agreed to participate in the study were collected. A total of 1322 Japanese patients were included. Hierarchical cluster analysis was performed using variables reported to be associated with COVID-19 severity or prognosis, namely, age, sex, obesity, smoking history, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, malignancy, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hyperuricemia, cardiovascular disease, chronic liver disease, and chronic kidney disease.

RESULTS: Participants were divided into four clusters: Cluster 1, young healthy (n = 266, 20.1%); Cluster 2, middle-aged (n = 245, 18.5%); Cluster 3, middle-aged obese (n = 435, 32.9%); and Cluster 4, elderly (n = 376, 28.4%). In Clusters 3 and 4, sore throat, dysosmia, and dysgeusia tended to be less frequent, while shortness of breath was more frequent. Serum lactate dehydrogenase, ferritin, KL-6, D-dimer, and C-reactive protein levels tended to be higher in Clusters 3 and 4. Although Cluster 3 had a similar age as Cluster 2, it tended to have poorer outcomes. Both Clusters 3 and 4 tended to exhibit higher rates of oxygen supplementation, intensive care unit admission, and mechanical ventilation, but the mortality rate tended to be lower in Cluster 3.

CONCLUSIONS: We have successfully performed the first phenotyping of COVID-19 patients in Japan, which is clinically useful in predicting important outcomes, despite the simplicity of the cluster analysis method that does not use complex variables.

PMID:36104674 | DOI:10.1186/s12879-022-07701-y

BMC Pediatr. 2022 Sep 14;22(1):547. doi: 10.1186/s12887-022-03591-w.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Preterm birth is serious public health worldwide, and early prediction of preterm birth in pregnant women may provide assistance for timely intervention and reduction of preterm birth. This study aimed to develop a preterm birth prediction model that is readily available and convenient for clinical application.

METHODS: Data used in this case-control study were extracted from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) database between 2018 and 2019. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were utilized to find factors associated with preterm birth. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used as effect measures. The area under the curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were utilized as model performance evaluation metrics.

RESULTS: Data from 3,006,989 pregnant women in 2019 and 3,039,922 pregnant women in 2018 were used for the model establishment and external validation, respectively. Of these 3,006,989 pregnant women, 324,700 (10.8%) had a preterm birth. Higher education level of pregnant women [bachelor (OR = 0.82; 95%CI, 0.81-0.84); master or above (OR = 0.82; 95%CI, 0.81-0.83)], pre-pregnancy overweight (OR = 0.96; 95%CI, 0.95-0.98) and obesity (OR = 0.94; 95%CI, 0.93-0.96), and prenatal care (OR = 0.48; 95%CI, 0.47-0.50) were associated with a reduced risk of preterm birth, while age ≥ 35 years (OR = 1.27; 95%CI, 1.26-1.29), black race (OR = 1.26; 95%CI, 1.23-1.29), pre-pregnancy underweight (OR = 1.26; 95%CI, 1.22-1.30), pregnancy smoking (OR = 1.27; 95%CI, 1.24-1.30), pre-pregnancy diabetes (OR = 2.08; 95%CI, 1.99-2.16), pre-pregnancy hypertension (OR = 2.22; 95%CI, 2.16-2.29), previous preterm birth (OR = 2.95; 95%CI, 2.88-3.01), and plurality (OR = 12.99; 95%CI, 12.73-13.24) were related to an increased risk of preterm birth. The AUC and accuracy of the prediction model in the testing set were 0.688 (95%CI, 0.686-0.689) and 0.762 (95%CI, 0.762-0.763), respectively. In addition, a nomogram based on information on pregnant women and their spouses was established to predict the risk of preterm birth in pregnant women.

CONCLUSIONS: The nomogram for predicting the risk of preterm birth in pregnant women had a good performance and the relevant predictors are readily available clinically, which may provide a simple tool for the prediction of preterm birth.

PMID:36104673 | DOI:10.1186/s12887-022-03591-w

Can J Microbiol. 2022 Sep 14. doi: 10.1139/cjm-2022-0125. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

In this study, Illumina MiSeq/NovaSeq high-throughput sequencing technology was used to sequence the terminal DNA fragments of microbial communities in Wuliangye pit mud. The results showed that there were 5 dominant bacterial phyla and 13 dominant bacterial genera in the pit mud, which belonged to 4 phyla, mainly Firmicutes. There were 3 dominant fungal phyla and 5 dominant fungal genera in cellar mud, which belonged to 2 phyla and concentrated in Ascomycota. According to the statistical data, the low pH value cellar pool is more conducive to the enrichment of acid-resistant or acid-biased bacteria, which is the key to flavor formation. In addition, the components of ammonium nitrogen, available phosphorus and available potassium in pit mud need to be replenished in time. In addition, sampling time, fermentation time, temperature and other external environments also have certain effects on microbial diversity and abundance in the pit. With the use of cellars, various types of microorganisms are constantly evolving to adapt to the environment inside the pits. The succession rule of microbe in pit mud was preliminarily revealed, which provided the basis for improving the quality and technical development of Wuliangye.

PMID:36103727 | DOI:10.1139/cjm-2022-0125

J AOAC Int. 2022 Sep 14:qsac104. doi: 10.1093/jaoacint/qsac104. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Oxytetracycline, chlortetracycline, and tetracycline are approved antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections in cattle. To ensure human food safety, a tolerance has been established for the sum of these three tetracycline residues as 12 ppm in bovine kidney in the U.S. The current official regulatory method for quantifying these antibiotics in the target organ is a labor-intensive microbiological assay.

OBJECTIVE: Our laboratory developed and validated a fast, selective and less laborious method utilizing liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the determination and confirmation of the three tetracyclines in bovine kidney.

METHODS: Briefly, homogenized kidney tissue was spiked with an internal standard, and then was extracted with 1% phosphate buffer. The crude extract was cleaned up using solid-phase extraction cartridges before instrumental analysis.

RESULTS: Accuracies for quantifying these three drugs in fortified kidney homogenate were between 99.9% and 110% at multiple concentrations, with respective coefficients of variation all below 9.5%. Quantitative correlation between the two methods (bridging) was evaluated with incurred bovine kidney samples for each of the three tetracyclines separately. The results were statistically evaluated using a measurement model called Functional Relationship Estimation by Maximum Likelihood.

CONCLUSIONS: A linear quantitative relationship was demonstrated between the two methods within the concentration range of regulatory relevance.

HIGHLIGHTS: This instrumental method is in addition to the established microbial assay for the detection of tetracyclines residue in beef kidney to ensure the food safety of cattle products.

PMID:36103709 | DOI:10.1093/jaoacint/qsac104

Am J Public Health. 2022 Oct;112(10):1416-1420. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2022.307043.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:36103697 | DOI:10.2105/AJPH.2022.307043

Sci Med Footb. 2022 Sep 14. doi: 10.1080/24733938.2022.2125170. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Relative Age Effects (RAEs) appear largely throughout youth soccer. However, little is known about how RAEs at youth levels can impact selection and performance at senior levels. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to provide further test of RAEs by exploring the birth quarter (BQ) distribution of 2,030 Italian players born from 1975 to 2001 (both years included) who have played in any of the Youth National Italian Soccer Teams (U15-U21); and (b) to investigate how RAEs influence future career outcomes, by exploring the BQ distribution of players who completed the transition from youth levels to the Senior National Team (n=182) and those who eventually achieved the Super International Achievers (SIA) status (i.e., plating at a senior level in a UEFA European Championship and/or FIFA World Championship; n=58). Chi-square statistics revealed a significantly skewed (all P value <0.0001) BQ distributions for all Youth squads (BQ1=41.4% vs. BQ4=10.8%), and for the cohort of players who completed the transition (P=0.003). In contrast, results from the Odds Ratios (ORs) highlighted how BQ4s are more likely to transition from youth-to-senior compared to BQ1s (ORs from 2.81 to 4.31). Results showed relatively older players remain overrepresented at senior level likely due to a residual bias effect. Whereas relatively younger players who were able to overcome selection process at youth levels had the highest likelihood of competing at senior levels. Therefore, involving players career trajectories in RAEs studies is needed to understand how relative age impacts career outcomes of early selected players.

PMID:36103671 | DOI:10.1080/24733938.2022.2125170

Horm Mol Biol Clin Investig. 2022 Sep 15. doi: 10.1515/hmbci-2022-0020. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Leptin polymorphism (LEP) has been associated with coronary heart disease (CAD), obesity, and high body mass index (BMI). However, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to discover the association because previous studies reached different conclusions.

METHODS: Review Manager, version 5.3.5, and Stata, version 15.0, were used for statistical analysis. We calculated the effect size of the studies using the OR with the corresponding 95% CI, and two-sided (bilateral) p-values of 0.05 were considered significant. To determine heterogeneity among the selected studies, the Q test and I2 statistics were used. Meta-regression was used to examine the disease (heart disease, obesity, and high BMI) and heterogeneity between these subgroups.

RESULTS: Eleven studies with 18,984 subjects were included in this study. The G-2548A (rs12112075), rs7799039, and A19G (rs2167270) polymorphisms of the leptin gene (but not the Lys656Asn (rs1805094) polymorphism) are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Our pooled analysis revealed an association between the G-2548A (rs12112075) polymorphism and heart disease, high BMI, and obesity. This indicates that individuals carrying the AA allele are at an increased risk for heart disease, high BMI, and obesity. People with heart failure and coronary artery disease did not have the rs7799039 polymorphism or its alleles linked to them.

CONCLUSIONS: Combined analysis of data from current and published research suggests that the leptin gene polymorphisms G-2548A (rs12112075), rs7799039, and A19G (rs2167270) (but not the Lys656Asn (rs1805094) polymorphism) are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Further research is needed to understand this association.

PMID:36103664 | DOI:10.1515/hmbci-2022-0020

Clin Chem Lab Med. 2022 Sep 15. doi: 10.1515/cclm-2022-0656. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate whether combining scoring systems with monocyte distribution width (MDW) improves early sepsis detection in older adults in the emergency department (ED).

METHODS: In this prospective observational study, we enrolled older adults aged ≥60 years who presented with confirmed infectious diseases to the ED. Three scoring systems-namely quick sepsis-related organ failure assessment (qSOFA), Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS), and National Early Warning Score (NEWS), and biomarkers including MDW, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and C-reactive protein (CRP), were assessed in the ED. Logistic regression models were used to construct sepsis prediction models.

RESULTS: After propensity score matching, we included 522 and 2088 patients with and without sepsis in our analysis from January 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021. NEWS ≥5 and MEWS ≥3 exhibited a moderate-to-high sensitivity and a low specificity for sepsis, whereas qSOFA score ≥2 demonstrated a low sensitivity and a high specificity. When combined with biomarkers, the NEWS-based, the MEWS-based, and the qSOFA-based models exhibited improved diagnostic accuracy for sepsis detection without CRP inclusion (c-statistics=0.842, 0.842, and 0.826, respectively). Of the three models, MEWS ≥3 with white blood cell (WBC) count ≥11 × 10⁹/L, NLR ≥8, and MDW ≥20 demonstrated the highest diagnostic accuracy in all age subgroups (c-statistics=0.886, 0.825, and 0.822 in patients aged 60-74, 75-89, and 90-109 years, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS: Our novel scoring system combining MEWS with WBC, NLR, and MDW effectively detected sepsis in older adults.

PMID:36103663 | DOI:10.1515/cclm-2022-0656

Plast Reconstr Surg. 2022 Sep 15. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000009729. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Breast ptosis as a result of pregnancy and/or breastfeeding, age, genetics and weight loss is a common complaint amongst women visiting a plastic surgeon. This study sought to evaluate the utility, efficacy and safety of radiofrequency assisted lipolysis on the breast and nipple-areola complex position in women with breast ptosis.

METHODS: This was a single center (Maxwell Aesthetics) study of female desiring tightening of the breast envelope and elevation of the nipple areolar complex (NAC). Each patient underwent 1 treatment with RFAL in the operating room. RFAL was applied to each breast with a BodyTite Pro handpiece. Patients were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively at: 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months via manual and 3D computer generated measurements (Vectra).

RESULTS: 10 female patients were enrolled. Ages ranged from 23-54. Follow up was 12 months. Data was captured for seven measurements from the nipple longitudinally at five time points. The sternal notch to the nipples (SN-N) distance, nipple to inframammary fold (N-IMF) and nipple to nipple (N-N), improved statistically at 6- week follow-up ,which persisted through the 12-month follow-up (p<0.05). Patient questionnaires revealed moderate to excellent satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS: Radiofrequency assisted Lipolysis with a bipolar device to deliver RF energy to the breast is an effective modality to moderately improve breast ptosis. This study demonstrates that this treatment improves breast measurements across time, regardless of measurement type (manual versus Vectra). This modality affords a minimally-invasive, effective method to improve mild to moderate breast ptosis with minimal scarring and high patient satisfaction.

PMID:36103661 | DOI:10.1097/PRS.0000000000009729