Nevin Manimala

Arch Oral Biol. 2021 Jan 23;125:105054. doi: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2021.105054. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aimed to address whether the alveolar socket repair after a tooth extraction is impacted by an osteoporotic phenotype and propose methodological observations.

DESIGN: A search strategy in MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Scopus databases was performed. Quality assessment was carried out through the SYRCLE Risk of Bias tool.

RESULTS: Out of the 1147 potentially relevant records, 25 met the inclusion criteria. Most of the studies were performed in rats, and ovariectomy (OVX) was the most frequent osteoporosis induction method. Histomorphometry, micro-computed tomography (microCT), and immunohistochemistry were the main bone repair evaluation methods. Most of the included studies (88 %) presented negative impacts of osteoporosis on the alveolar socket repair. Only three studies (12 %) showed no statistical differences among groups. Overall, most of the quality assessment categories presented a high percentage of unclear risk of bias due to insufficient information in the studies.

CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that an osteoporotic phenotype seems to impair alveolar socket repair after tooth extraction. However, there is still a lack of information and standardization. Therefore, further studies should consider the proposed methodological aspects regarding animal characteristics, OVX associated with a low calcium diet, waiting 8 weeks to osteoporosis induction, maxillary molars as the best option for tooth extraction, confirming and reporting OVX and osteoporosis success, and an appropriate method of repair analysis.

PMID:33667958 | DOI:10.1016/j.archoralbio.2021.105054

Psychiatry Res. 2021 Feb 26;299:113840. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2021.113840. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Four subtypes of the alexithymia construct have been proposed based on different response patterns to the Cognitive and Affective dimensions of the Bermond-Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire (BVAQ). Previous studies investigating whether alexithymia subtypes can be statistically estimated have not found complete support for these specific subtypes. These previous studies, however, contained several methodological limitations such as relatively small sample sizes, and considerations of only a limited number of proposed subtypes. In the current investigation, we examined whether the four proposed subtypes could be statistically detected in a large sample of undergraduate students (N = 612) who completed the BVAQ, using latent profile analysis (LPA). Based on observed responses to the five BVAQ subscales, consistent with previous studies, our results did not find support for the four proposed alexithymia subtypes. Rather, our results suggested LPA solutions that correspond to individuals with various degrees of alexithymia ‘severity’. Although further studies are needed, especially with clinical samples, these results question the idea of four alexithymia subtypes and suggest that the implementation of these subtypes into various research studies may be a premature endeavour.

PMID:33667948 | DOI:10.1016/j.psychres.2021.113840

Vet Immunol Immunopathol. 2021 Feb 25;234:110218. doi: 10.1016/j.vetimm.2021.110218. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The immune response and phenotypic characteristics of Pelibuey lambs were analysed after the induction of a Haemonchus contortus trickle infection. Male lambs (n = 29; 20 kg live weight) were infected with 100 H. contortus infective larvae per kg of live weight on day 3, 5 and 7 of the experiment. The number of eggs per gram (epg), seven haematological parameters and the immunoglobulin A (IgA) level were analysed for 56 experimental days. In addition, histopathological samples from the fundic abomasal region and the relative expression of 10 immune-related genes from 15 infected and three non-infected lambs were analysed at day 0 and 49 of the experiment. The epg count and some haematological parameters (leucocytes, red blood cells, haemoglobin and total protein) with statistically significant differences (P < 0.01) were used to identify nine resistant and 20 susceptible lambs (1166 ± 1071 and 3171 ± 1463 epg, respectively). Moreover, acute infiltration of immune cells and parasitic granuloma formation were observed in susceptible lambs; the resistant group had moderate inflammatory cell infiltration. With respect to relative gene expression, resistant lambs showed upregulation (P < 0.001) of 10 genes, from 2.2 to 15.99 fold. Moreover, there was a strong indirect correlation (P < 0.05) between the epg count and interleukin 5 (IL5) gene expression. By contrast, there was an average 0.34 fold downregulation in nine of the immune-related genes (P ≤ 0.05) in susceptible lambs (the only exception was Fc fragment of IgE receptor Ia [FCER1A] upregulation). In addition, there was a direct correlation (P ≤ 0.05) between the epg count and the expression of IL8, which encodes an inflammatory chemokine. In conclusion, this study showed differential IL5 and IL8 gene expression during haemonchosis in resistant and susceptible Pelibuey lambs, respectively, together with a variable immune response based on histopathological and haematological parameters.

PMID:33667946 | DOI:10.1016/j.vetimm.2021.110218

Int J Med Inform. 2021 Jan 28;149:104400. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2021.104400. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for robust data linkage systems and methods for identifying outbreaks of disease in near real-time. Objectives The primary objective of this study was to develop a real-time geospatial surveillance system to monitor the spread of COVID-19 across the UK. Methods Using self-reported app data and the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank, we demonstrate the use of sophisticated spatial modelling for near-real-time prediction of COVID-19 prevalence at small-area resolution to inform strategic government policy areas. Results We demonstrate that using a combination of crowd-sourced app data and sophisticated geo-statistical techniques it is possible to predict hot spots of COVID-19 at fine geographic scales, nationally. We are also able to produce estimates of their precision, which is an important pre-requisite to an effective control strategy to guard against over-reaction to potentially spurious features of ‘best guess’ predictions. Conclusion In the UK, important emerging risk-factors such as social deprivation or ethnicity vary over small distances, hence risk needs to be modelled at fine spatial resolution to avoid aggregation bias. We demonstrate that existing geospatial statistical methods originally developed for global health applications are well-suited to this task and can be used in an anonymised databank environment, thus preserving the privacy of the individuals who contribute their data.

PMID:33667930 | DOI:10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2021.104400

Food Chem. 2021 Feb 23;352:129380. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.129380. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry is a common approach to analyze the volatile profile of cooked meat. The present study aims to investigate the combined effect of sample preparation, including meat presentation (minced and steak) and cooking method (stewed and grilled), and extraction temperature (30, 60 and 80 °C) and time (30 and 50 min) on the volatile composition of cooked deer meat. The statistical results indicated that extraction temperature was the most relevant factor affecting the meat volatile profile of cooked meat followed by the extraction time. Higher extraction temperatures improved the detection of heavy volatile compounds, while sample preparation had little influence on the meat volatile profile, probably due to the accurate control of the parameters used for meat presentation and cooking methods. The results of this work can assist in the standardization of analytical procedures for the characterization of volatile compounds in cooked meat.

PMID:33667923 | DOI:10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.129380

Appl Ergon. 2021 Mar 2;94:103396. doi: 10.1016/j.apergo.2021.103396. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To analyze progression of changes in kinematics and work physiology during progressive lifting in healthy adults.

METHODS: Healthy participants were recruited. A standardized lifting test from the WorkWell Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) was administered, with five progressive lifting low series of five repetitions. The criteria of the WorkWell observation protocol were studied: changes in muscle use (EMG), heart rate (heart rate monitor), base of support, posture and movement pattern (motion capture system). Repeated measures ANOVA’s were used to analyze changes during progressive workloads.

RESULTS: 18 healthy young adults participated (8 men, 10 women; mean age 22 years). Mean maximum weight lifted was 66 (±3.2) and 44 (±7.4) kg for men and women, respectively. With progressive loads, statistically significant (p < 0.01) differences were observed: increase in secondary muscle use at moderate lifting, increase of heart rate, increase of base of support and movement pattern changes were observed; differences in posture were not significant.

CONCLUSIONS: Changes in 4 out of 5 kinematic and work physiology parameters were objectively quantified using lab technology during progressive lifting in healthy adults. These changes appear in line with existing observation criteria.

PMID:33667899 | DOI:10.1016/j.apergo.2021.103396

Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc. 2021 Feb 22;253:119613. doi: 10.1016/j.saa.2021.119613. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

A sensitive and accurate spectrofluorimetric method was proposed for the determination of Sacubitril calcium and Valsartan simultaneously in binary mixture. The method was established on measuring the native fluorescence of Sacubitril calcium and Valsartan upon excitation at 240 nm in acetonitrile. The emission of Sacubitril calcium was measured at 615 nm. For the determination Valsartan a first derivative ratio method was employed to eliminate any spectral interference. The ratio emission spectra were achieved by dividing the emission spectra of various concentrations of Valsartan by the emission spectrum of Sacubitril calcium (100 ng/ml) then the first derivative of the obtained ratio emission spectra was recorded using the proper smoothing factor. The amplitude at 354.9 nm on the first derivative ratio emission spectrum was used to calculate the concentrations of Valsartan in presence of Sacubitril calcium. The method was linear over the concentration range 100-1000 ng/ml for both Sacubitril calcium and Valsartan. The mean accuracy values were found to be 99.32 ± 0.62 and 99.30 ± 0.70 for Sacubitril calcium and Valsartan, respectively. Statistical comparison between results obtained by the proposed method and a reported method for this drugs showed no significant difference. This developed method was used for the quantitative determination of Sacubitril calcium and Valsartan in both pure and pharmaceutical dosage form.

PMID:33667887 | DOI:10.1016/j.saa.2021.119613

Sleep Med Rev. 2021 Jan 23;59:101452. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101452. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Insomnia predicts the onset, course, and reoccurrence of unipolar depression. However, systematic reviews of treatment options for insomnia in unipolar depression are lacking. After screening 7725 records, 17 trials comprising 1645 patients randomized to 13 treatments were included for quantitative synthesis. Network meta-analysis showed that compared to a passive control condition, all exercise interventions except moderate aerobic exercise alone resulted in significantly better sleep outcomes. Compared with treatment as usual, mind-body exercise plus treatment as usual (SMD: -0.46; 95% CI: -0.80, -0.12) and vigorous strength exercise (SMD: -0.61; 95% CI: -1.12, -0.10) were significantly more effective. Pairwise meta-analyses showed that mind-body exercise (SMD: -0.54; 95% CI: -0.85, -0.23) had beneficial effects compared to passive control. The network meta-analysis is statistically very robust with low heterogeneity, incoherence, and indirectness. However, confidence in the findings was moderate to very low, primarily due to within-study bias. This is the first network meta-analysis to assess exercise’s efficacy to improve sleep quality in patients with depression. The findings confirm the benefits of exercise as an add-on treatment for depression. This consolidation of the current state of evidence can help clinicians make evidence-based decisions.

PMID:33667885 | DOI:10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101452

Int J Med Robot. 2021 Mar 5. doi: 10.1002/rcs.2250. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To determine web-based public interest in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) specifically for urological oncological surgical procedures and how interest in robotics and laparoscopy compares over time.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Worldwide search-engine trend analysis included electronic Google queries of MIS urologic options from January 2004 to August 2019, worldwide. Join-point regression was performed. Comparison of annual relative search volume (ARSV) and average annual percentage change (AAPC) were analysed to assess loss or gain of interest. Evaluations were made regarding 1) penetrance of interest for MIS in Urology; 2) how MIS urologic procedures compared over time; and 3) which were the top related queries to searches for urologic oncology procedures.

RESULTS: Increased interest was found for all of the MIS procedures evaluated. Mean ARSV for robotic approach was higher for the search term ‘prostatectomy” (44.8 vs. 13.5; p < 0.001) and ‘partial nephrectomy” (27.1 vs.11.5; p = 0.02). No statistical difference was found for the search terms ‘cystectomy” or ‘nephrectomy”. The analysis of mean (∆-ARSV) of MIS procedures measured between the first and last 12 months of the study period showed an increased interest with a more pronounced ∆-ARSV for robotic procedures. The top related searches for all surgical procedures were examined showing an increasing inquisitiveness with regards of type of urological cancers, treatment options, type of surgery and prognostic outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS: People are increasingly searching the web for MIS urological procedures. A growing appeal for robotics is demonstrated, especially for prostatectomy and partial nephrectomy where the robotic approach is gaining traction, suggesting a shift in mind-set amongst people seeking urological healthcare information.

PMID:33667326 | DOI:10.1002/rcs.2250

Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2021 Mar 5. doi: 10.1111/ajo.13322. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis-specific (advanced gynaecological) ultrasound is recommended as part of preoperative work-up of women with suspected endometriosis.

AIM: To evaluate the awareness and utilisation of advanced gynaecological ultrasound in the preoperative work-up of women with suspected endometriosis among active RANZCOG (Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists) fellows and trainees.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Anonymous online survey invitations were emailed to all active RANZCOG fellows in Australia and New Zealand. Descriptive analysis of responses and multivariate analysis where appropriate were performed. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: A 17% (437/2567) survey response rate and 93% (409/437) completion rate were recorded; 59% (248/421) of respondents identified as generalists, whereas 15% (63/421) identified as advanced laparoscopic surgeons. Routine pelvic ultrasound (88.9%, 361/406) was the most common imaging modality requested by respondents; 32% (128/405) of respondents would also always request advanced gynaecology ultrasound. Respondents’ self-reported practice type was significantly associated with utilisation of advanced gynaecological ultrasound (P = 0.03); 79.6% (348/437) agreed with our proposed definition of advanced gynaecological ultrasound for endometriosis. A major limitation to the utilisation of advanced gynaecological ultrasound for endometriosis was the lack of local expertise (63.8%, 233/356).

CONCLUSION: The utilisation of advanced gynaecological ultrasound for endometriosis is significantly influenced by respondents’ self-reported practice type and limited by the lack of local expertise.

PMID:33667321 | DOI:10.1111/ajo.13322