Nevin Manimala

J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2022 Sep 23. doi: 10.1007/s40615-022-01415-2. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to estimate COVID-19 vaccination rate among Medicare beneficiaries with cancer history and determine whether COVID-19 vaccine uptake is higher among non-Hispanic White beneficiaries compared with racially and ethnically minoritized beneficiaries.

METHODS: We used US representative, cross-sectional data from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey COVID-19 Winter 2021 Rapid Response Community Supplement Survey. A total of 1,863 respondents with self-reported cancer history (other than skin cancer) were included. The outcome was self-reported receipt of at least one coronavirus vaccine dose since vaccines became available. The key independent variable of interest was self-reported race and ethnicity. We applied sample weights to account for the survey design and provide population estimates to 9.6 million beneficiaries with cancer history. Weighted descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted.

RESULTS: During the first 4 months of vaccine availability, 69.6% of beneficiaries received at least one vaccine dose of which 65.4% had two vaccine doses. A larger proportion of non-Hispanic White beneficiaries (71.9%) had at least one vaccine dose compared with non-Hispanic Black (60.4%) and Hispanic (57.4%) beneficiaries. An estimated 30.4% of beneficiaries were still unvaccinated, that represents approximately 2.9 million unvaccinated beneficiaries with cancer history. Hispanic beneficiaries were 42% (OR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.33-0.99; p = .048) less likely to be vaccinated compared with non-Hispanic White beneficiaries.

CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate racial and ethnic differences in vaccine uptake among Medicare beneficiaries with cancer history. Effective strategies are needed to help increase vaccine confidence and uptake among adults with cancer history.

PMID:36149576 | DOI:10.1007/s40615-022-01415-2

Matern Child Health J. 2022 Sep 23. doi: 10.1007/s10995-022-03531-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Women with pre-pregnancy diabetes or pre-pregnancy hypertension have increased risks of complications during pregnancy. Women who obtain prenatal care in the first trimester receive necessary routine testing and disease management tools that aid in controlling such conditions. However, research on the association between pre-pregnancy hypertension and pre-pregnancy diabetes and prenatal care timing among US women is limited.

METHODS: This study used data from the 2018 National Vital Statistic System (n = 3,618,853). Trained personnel collected information on prenatal care timing, maternal conditions, and demographics. Multivariate logistic regression models evaluated the association between pre-pregnancy hypertension, pre-pregnancy diabetes and prenatal care timing. A stratified analysis was conducted to determine if race/ethnicity modified the associations.

RESULTS: After adjustment, women with pre-pregnancy hypertension or pre-pregnancy diabetes had statistically significant increased odds of receiving early prenatal care compared to women without these conditions (OR 1.23; 95% CI: 1.21-1.26 and OR 1.27; 95% CI: 1.24-1.31, respectively). Among non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic women, those with pre-pregnancy hypertension or pre-pregnancy diabetes had statistically significantly increased odds of receiving early prenatal care compared to women without those pre-existing conditions (P < .001).

DISCUSSION: Further research is needed on the transition from preconception care to obstetric care for women with pre-existing diabetes or hypertension. However, these findings suggest that women who have conditions that could cause pregnancy complications are pursuing early prenatal care services to mitigate the development of adverse maternal and infant health conditions.

PMID:36149535 | DOI:10.1007/s10995-022-03531-1

Endocrine. 2022 Sep 23. doi: 10.1007/s12020-022-03192-8. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: In this study, we investigated whether metabolic dysfunction in women with Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) induces granulosa cell (GC) stress and activates in the endoplamatic reticulum and the mitochondria (UPR^er and UPR^mt, respectively).

METHODS: Women who were diagnosed with PCOS (based on the Rotterdam criteria), were divided into two groups, PCOS with insulin resistance (PCOS-IR; n = 20) and PCOS with no insulin resistance (PCOS-nIR; n = 20), and compared to healthy oocyte donors (CONT; n = 20). Insulin resistance (IR) was assessed on the results of homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) that determines IR using the concentration of fasting plasma glucose and fasting insuline. Expression of UPR^er genes (i.e., IRE1, ATF4, ATF6, XBP1, BIP, and CHOP), and UPR^mt genes (i.e., HSP60, HSP10, CLPP, and HSP40) was assessed in cumulus GCs by qRT-PCR.

RESULTS: We found that several genes involved in UPR^er and UPR^mt were overexpressed in the GCs of PCOS-IR and PCOS-nIR compared to CONT. IRE1, ATF4 and XBP1, that are activated by ER stress, were significantly overexpressed in PCOS-IR compared to CONT. BIP and CHOP were overexpressed in PCOS groups compared to CONT. HSP10 and HSP40 were upregulated in PCOS-IR and PCOS-nIR groups compared to the CONT. HSP60 and CLPP showed no statistical different expression in PCOS-IR and PCOS-nIR compared to CONT group.

CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the GCs of women with PCOS (with or without IR) are metabolically distressed and upregulate UPR^er and UPR^mt genes. Our study contributes to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathological changes that occur in the follicular microenvironment of women with PCOS.

PMID:36149529 | DOI:10.1007/s12020-022-03192-8

Trop Anim Health Prod. 2022 Sep 23;54(5):315. doi: 10.1007/s11250-022-03250-3.

ABSTRACT

The co-administration of commercial live fowlpox (FP) and Newcastle disease (ND) vaccines when given by non-invasive (needle-free) routes was demonstrated to be safe and to elicit immunity in two field studies, one in Tanzania the other in Nepal. Both studies were of a cluster-randomised controlled design in which birds were randomly assigned to one of five treatment groups: (i) administration with FP vaccine alone (feather follicle), (ii) administration with ND vaccine alone (eye-drop), (iii) concurrent administration of FP (feather follicle) and ND (eye-drop) vaccines, (iv) concurrent administration of FP (wing-web) and ND (eye-drop) vaccines, and (v) unvaccinated, acting as environmental sentinels. Data from a total of 1167 birds from seven villages in Hanang District of Tanzania together with 1037 birds from eleven villages in Dhading District of Nepal were collected over a period of 21 and 28 days, respectively. Immune responses to FP vaccination were evaluated by local take reactions, while those to ND vaccination were evaluated serologically by haemagglutination inhibition test. The two studies demonstrated that the concurrent vaccination of free-range, indigenous breeds of chicken with live FP and ND vaccines, both administered by non-invasive routes, was safe and induced immunity against FP and ND that were non-inferior to the administration of FP and ND vaccines alone. These findings are important to appropriately trained small-scale backyard poultry farmers as well as to paraprofessionals and community health workers helping to increase vaccine uptake and the control of both FP and ND in low- to middle-income countries.

PMID:36149524 | DOI:10.1007/s11250-022-03250-3

Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol. 2022 Sep 23. doi: 10.1007/s10802-022-00962-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Altered sensory processing has been linked to symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety disorders (ADs) in youth, but few studies have examined sensory processing in clinical samples and no study has analyzed self-report data from youth meeting diagnostic criteria for OCD or ADs. This study included 86 youth with OCD, 82 youth with ADs, and 46 youth without psychiatric disorders. Participants completed the adolescent version of the Sensory Profile and scales measuring three symptom dimensions of OCD, four symptom dimensions of anxiety, and symptoms of major depression. Results showed that different forms of sensory processing difficulties (sensitivity, avoidance, low registration) were adequately captured by one broad sensory processing factor. Youth with OCD and ADs reported statistically significantly more sensory difficulties than youth without psychiatric disorders, but the two clinical groups did not differ from each other. Altered sensory processing in the clinical groups was not explained by the presence of neurodevelopmental disorders. Sensory difficulties were moderately to strongly related to all self-reported symptom dimensions, and uniquely related to the OCD dimension of symmetry/ordering and the anxiety dimensions of panic and social anxiety. Most youth in the clinical groups were classified as having difficulties with sensory processing. The present study shows that sensory processing difficulties are common in youth with OCD and ADs, not explained by co-occurring neurodevelopmental disorders, and linked to a host of internalizing symptoms. More research is needed to identify whether sensory processing difficulties precede, follow, or mutually reinforce the development of OCD and ADs in youth.

PMID:36149521 | DOI:10.1007/s10802-022-00962-w

Parasitol Res. 2022 Sep 23. doi: 10.1007/s00436-022-07646-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence was determined in meat juice samples of 820 free-living raccoons from Germany. The animals were collected between December 2017 and April 2021. Using a commercial enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the overall seroprevalence was found to be 48.5%. Statistical analysis revealed significant seroprevalence differences between seasons, sex, and weight of analysed raccoons. The prevalence in late winter/spring (57.7%) was significantly higher than in autumn (38.4%) (p < 0.0003). Male raccoons (50.5%) were more often seropositive than females (41.0%) (p = 0.028). Increasing animal weight had a significant impact on the relative probability of a positive serostatus (odds ratio: 1.783, p < 0.0001). Furthermore, we found regional differences in seroprevalence, but there was no statistically significant difference resulting from animal age, degree of habitat urbanization and hunting year. Meat juice is a suitable medium for serological surveys for T. gondii in meat producing animals, as sampling is even possible after slaughter or during meat inspection when blood is no longer available. The observed high seroprevalence indicates that T. gondii infection is widespread among the German raccoon population providing a potentially relevant source of T. gondii transmission to humans upon consumption or handling of animal products.

PMID:36149498 | DOI:10.1007/s00436-022-07646-w

Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2022 Sep 23. doi: 10.1007/s00405-022-07657-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the readmission rate after adenotonsillectomy with the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and analyze the factors associated with readmission.

METHODS: It was planned as a retrospective study conducted in a single institution that included pediatric patients who underwent adenotonsillectomy with OSA diagnosis between December 2018 and March 2021. Patients who were readmitted for bleeding or pain/dehydration were compared with those who did not require readmission.

RESULTS: The mean postoperative admission time was 7.27 ± 3.49 days in patients with bleeding and 3.5 ± 2.27 days in patients with pain or dehydration. The mean length of stay in the hospital was 2.6 ± 1.6 days in patients with bleeding and 3.13 ± 2.03 days in patients with pain or dehydration. The postoperative admission time was 5.96 ± 3.57 days, and the hospital stay after readmission was 2.78 ± 1.73 days. No statistically significant correlation was found in terms of age, gender, surgeon’s experience, use of electrocautery and seasonality factors, and readmission rates.

CONCLUSIONS: In children who underwent adenotonsillectomy for OSA, the hospitalization period of patients hospitalized due to pain/dehydration is much longer than patients admitted with bleeding. Therefore, measures to reduce pain or dehydration have the most significant potential to reduce the readmission rate and length of stay.

PMID:36149489 | DOI:10.1007/s00405-022-07657-4

Eur J Neurol. 2022 Sep 23. doi: 10.1111/ene.15575. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Advanced analysis of EEG data becomes an essential tool in brain research. Based solely on resting state EEG signals, we present a data-driven, predictive and explanatory approach to discriminating painful from non-painful diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) patients.

METHODS: Three minutes long, 64 electrode resting-state recordings were obtained from 180 DPN patients. The analysis consisted of a mixture of traditional, explanatory, and machine learning analyses. First, we identified the 10 functional bivariate connections best differentiating between painful and non-painful patients in each EEG band and calculated the relevant ROC. Later, those connections were correlated with selected clinical parameters.

RESULTS: Predictive analysis indicated that theta and beta bands contain most of the information required for discrimination between painful and non-painful polyneuropathy patients, with ROC curve AUC values of 0.93 for theta and 0.89 for beta bands. Assessing statistical differences between the average magnitude of functional connectivity values and clinical pain parameters revealed that painful DPN patients had significantly higher cortical functional connectivity than non-painful ones (p=0.008 for theta and p=0.001 alpha bands). Moreover, intra- band analysis of individual significant functional connections revealed a positive correlation with average reported pain in the previous 3 months in all frequency bands.

CONCLUSIONS: Resting-state EEG functional connectivity can serve as a highly accurate biomarker for the presence or absence of pain in DPN patients. This highlights the importance of the brain, in addition to the peripheral lesions, in generating the clinical pain picture. This tool can likely be extended to other pain syndromes.

PMID:36148823 | DOI:10.1111/ene.15575

Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2022 Sep 23. doi: 10.1039/d2cp02523j. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The present work discusses a non-synthetic strategy to achieve a favorable thermoelectric response in pentacene via strain. It is found that a uni-axial strain is capable of inducing spatial anisotropy in the molecule. As a result, the transmission spectrum becomes highly asymmetric under a particular strained scenario, which is the primary requirement to get a favorable thermoelectric response. Different thermoelectric quantities are computed for the strain-induced pentacene using Green’s function formalism following the Landauer-Büttiker prescription. Various scenarios are considered to make the present work more realistic, such as the effects of substrate, coupling strength between the molecule and electrodes, dangling bonds, etc. Such a scheme to enhance the thermoelectric performance in pentacene is technologically intriguing and completely new to the best of our knowledge.

PMID:36148772 | DOI:10.1039/d2cp02523j

Cytopathology. 2022 Sep 23. doi: 10.1111/cyt.13182. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Cytology histology correlation (CHC) is gold standard quality assurance in cytology laboratories to ensure appropriate patient treatment and as an educational tool for cytology laboratory personnel. If cervical pap smears (CP) and cervical biopsies (CB) are performed at different institutions, these benefits may be lost.

METHODS: All CB performed at our institution from 1/1/2019 to 12/31/2019 with adequate CP performed in six months prior to CB were included in this retrospective review. We compared CHC for CP and CB performed at a single institution compared to CHC for CP and CB performed at different institutions, with a focus on proportion of overcalls on CP, as those are most challenging discrepant CHC to manage clinically. We used the American Society of Cytology guidelines for our discrepancy assessment grid. Chi-squared test was used to compare proportions of populations. P-value was set at <0.05.

RESULTS: Of 305 CB in our study population, 69 had CP performed at our institution and 236 had CP performed at an outside institution. CHC for CB and CP performed at a single institution had statistically significantly less disagreement than for those performed at different institutions (p<0.05). Further, CB and CP performed at as single institution had statistically significantly fewer overcalls than CB and CP performed at different institutions (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION: This study further supports the use of CHC and encourages performance of CP and CB as the same institution. If performing CP and CB at the same institution is not feasible, prospective consultation review of CP by institution performing CB should be strongly considered. Further study, including evaluation of reason for discrepancy in discordant cases may be considered to better elucidate reasons for better CHC agreement when CP and CB are performed at the same institution.

PMID:36148769 | DOI:10.1111/cyt.13182