Tag: nevin manimala

J Clin Ultrasound. 2025 Jan 29. doi: 10.1002/jcu.23922. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: To investigate the performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS) parameters of metastatic axillary lymph nodes (ALNs) before and after two courses of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer patients in predicting the efficacy of NAC.

METHODS: A total of 41 postoperative breast cancer patients were selected. All patients underwent NAC, and ALN biopsy was positive before chemotherapy. Metastatic ALN was examined by CEUS before and after two courses of NAC. The CEUS parameters of metastatic ALNs before and after two courses of NAC were analyzed to determine the performance of CEUS parameters in predicting the efficacy of NAC in early stage.

RESULTS: The NAC was effective for 28 cases and ineffective for 13 cases. There were no statistically significant differences in the CEUS parameters between effective NAC and ineffective NAC individuals before and after two courses of NAC. But, there were statistically significant differences in long diameter (LD), short diameter (SD), Peak intensity (Peak%) and area under the curve (AUC) between the effective and ineffective NAC patients after two courses of NAC. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis suggested the drop-out value of LD, SD, Peak% and AUC after two courses of NAC can be used as important indicators to evaluate the efficacy of NAC (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: CEUS parameters of metastatic axillary lymph nodes (ALNs) before and after two courses of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer patients can predict the efficacy of NAC in early stage.

PMID:39878049 | DOI:10.1002/jcu.23922

Clin Infect Dis. 2025 Jan 29:ciae620. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciae620. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Cabotegravir + rilpivirine (CAB + RPV) administered via intramuscular gluteal injections is the first complete long-acting regimen for maintaining human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) virologic suppression. We present substudy results on short-term repeat intramuscular CAB + RPV long-acting thigh injections in participants with ≥3 years of experience with gluteal administration during the ATLAS-2M study.

METHODS: Substudy phases included screening, thigh injection (day 1-week 16), and return to gluteal injection (week 16-week 24). The injection schedule was unchanged from the main study. Outcomes included pharmacokinetics, safety, tolerability, efficacy, and patient-reported outcomes. Pharmacokinetic parameters were determined using noncompartmental analysis and mixed-effects modeling. Population pharmacokinetic simulations were performed.

RESULTS: There were 118 participants. In the arm that received injections every 2 months (Q2M), first CAB thigh injection including area under the concentration-time curve and maximum observed concentration (Cmax) and first RPV thigh injection Cmax and all last RPV thigh injection parameters were statistically higher vs gluteal injections (paired comparison). No significant differences occurred with once-monthly (QM) dosing. No participants had HIV-1 RNA ≥50 copies/mL after thigh injections. Overall, 4%-7% of injection site reactions (ISRs) were grade 3. Five participants withdrew due to an ISR or injection intolerability. Overall, 30% preferred thigh vs gluteal injections. Simulations demonstrated the potential for chronic/continuous QM or ≤2 consecutive Q2M thigh injections.

CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate the potential use of chronic/continuous QM and rotational/short-term QM or Q2M (≤4 months of continuous dosing), CAB + RPV long-acting intramuscular thigh administration for HIV-1 treatment.

PMID:39878031 | DOI:10.1093/cid/ciae620

Swiss Med Wkly. 2025 Jan 2;155:3669. doi: 10.57187/s.3669.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: We aimed to explore atrial fibrillation (AF)-induced productivity losses in working-age atrial fibrillation patients and to estimate atrial fibrillation-related indirect costs.

METHODS: Between 2014 and 2017, the Swiss Atrial Fibrillation prospective cohort study (Swiss-AF) enrolled 217 working-age patients with documented atrial fibrillation. Self-reported changes in professional activity and the reasons thereof were descriptively analysed over 8 years of follow-up or until patients reached the retirement age. Results were put into perspective, and indirect costs were planned to be estimated, through comparison with a general population-based, age-, sex- and year-matched comparison sample from the Swiss labour force survey (SLFS).

RESULTS: Of 217 analysed Swiss-AF patients, 14.7% reported a professional activity change (9.2% stop, 5.5% reduction) due to atrial fibrillation before the end of observation. Of those working at enrolment (n = 157), 3.8% had a subsequent professional activity change due to atrial fibrillation, 11.6% due to other reasons. Patients were more likely to report an impact of atrial fibrillation on professional activity if they had had atrial fibrillation longer and were closer to the retirement age. Slightly fewer Swiss-AF patients were employed (75%) than in the comparison sample (77%). For those working however, the degree of employment was higher (88% vs 83%). Lack of differences between the Swiss-AF patients and the comparison sample indicated no relevant indirect costs of atrial fibrillation due to lost productivity.

CONCLUSION: Only a minority of atrial fibrillation patients reported a negative impact of atrial fibrillation on their professional activity. Professional activity changes due to other reasons were reported more frequently. Compared with the general population, atrial fibrillation did not cause distinct differences.

PMID:39878030 | DOI:10.57187/s.3669

Nanoscale. 2025 Jan 29. doi: 10.1039/d4nr04879b. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Mixing different metal ions at the B site of ABX₃ perovskites offers a promising approach for addressing challenges related to toxicity, stability and performance in optoelectronic applications. One such example is CsPb_1-xSn_xBr₃ which addresses the toxicity issue posed by lead while allowing us to tune optoelectronic properties such as the band gap. In this work, nearly monodisperse CsPb_1-xSn_xBr₃ quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized with variable Pb/Sn compositions, i.e. CsPbBr₃, CsPb_0.9Sn_0.1Br₃ and CsPb_0.7Sn_0.3Br₃. The photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of CsPb_1-xSn_xBr₃ first increases for x = 0.1 and then decreases for x = 0.3 with respect to x = 0. Such an effect of Sn incorporation on the PLQY was investigated using photoblinking studies which revealed three levels of blinking statistics namely ON, GRAY and OFF. These results along with the excited state lifetime measurements enabled us to understand charge carrier dynamics in the CsPb_1-xSn_xBr₃ QDs. Based on our findings, we propose that the photogenerated hot electrons of Sn enhance the PLQY by filling the trap states centered on Pb, which otherwise promote non-radiative relaxations in the Sn-free CsPbBr₃. However, at higher Sn concentrations, non-radiative recombination becomes more pronounced, reducing the PLQY.

PMID:39878025 | DOI:10.1039/d4nr04879b

Food Funct. 2025 Jan 29. doi: 10.1039/d4fo05847j. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a growing public health problem worldwide, and dietary interventions have important potential in the prevention and treatment of NAFLD. Moreover, previous animal studies have shown that flaxseed has a good improvement effect in animal NAFLD models. Objectives: Assess whether flaxseed powder could improve the liver lipid content in patients with NAFLD. Methods: In this 12-week randomized controlled clinical trial, 50 patients were randomly assigned to the flaxseed group (n = 25) and the control group (n = 25). The flaxseed group received 30 g d^-1 flaxseed powder orally before lunch or dinner along with health education, while the control group received only health education. The primary outcome was the intrahepatic lipid content assessed by the proton density fat fraction estimated by magnetic resonance imaging, and secondary outcomes were body composition measurements, liver function, and glucolipid metabolism. Results: Patients in the flaxseed group showed significantly lower liver fat content, body fat percentage, obesity index, visceral fat area, serum total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL), indirect bilirubin (IBIL), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total cholesterol (TC), and triglyceride (TG) levels after a 12-week intervention compared to pre-intervention levels, while serum apolipoprotein A1 (Apo A1) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were significantly increased, with all differences being statistically significant (P < 0.05). Analysis of the gut microbiota showed that, at the phylum level, flaxseed intervention significantly increased the abundance of Bacteroides and Actinobacteria, while decreasing the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes. At the genus level, the relative abundance of Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, Parasutterella, Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, Eubacterium_xylanophilum_group, and Bifidobacterium in the gut microbiota of the flaxseed group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05), whereas the relative abundance of Coriobacteriaceae_UCG-002 was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Flaxseed powder intervention for 12 weeks had the effect of improving liver lipid deposition, liver function, body composition indicators, and lipid metabolism in patients with NAFLD. It also regulated the gut microbiota in NAFLD patients, increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria while reducing harmful bacteria. This suggested that flaxseed is one of the natural and effective foods for improving NAFLD.

PMID:39878023 | DOI:10.1039/d4fo05847j

Knee. 2024 Dec 31;53:147-153. doi: 10.1016/j.knee.2024.12.006. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In the knee joints of patients with recurrent patellar dislocation (RPD), an increased relative tibial external rotation (rTER) is often observed. However, the changes in this parameter pre- and postoperatively remain unclear.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to reveal preoperative and postoperative changes in rTER in patients with RPD.

METHODS: A total of 48 cases with RPD in the knee joint were included in the study group, while 50 cases with normal knee joints were included in the control group. The measured parameters included tibial tubercle-trochlear groove distance (TT-TG) and rTER. Measurements were recorded for RPD patients both pre-and postoperatively. Analysis of variance was used to assess the intergroup differences in TT-TG and rTER, and a t-test was employed to evaluate differences among various surgical procedures.

RESULTS: In the RPD group, rTER was significantly higher than in the control group (P＜0.001), with no statistically significant difference in postoperative rTER (P = 0.366). There was no significant difference in postoperative rTER between the RPD group and the control group (P = 0.057). The difference in TT-TG distance before and after operation in RPD patients was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Within the subgroups, there was a significant difference in rTER between pre – and post-operation in the tibial tuberosity osteotomy combined with medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction (MPFLR) group (P = 0.043). Multivariate analysis showed that age and body mass index had no correlation with rTER.

CONCLUSIONS: Compared with MPFLR alone, tibial tuberosity osteotomy combined with MPFLR can significantly reduce postoperative rTER and make rTER tend to be normal. For patients with elevated TT-TG and abnormal rTER, tibial tuberosity osteotomy combined with MPFLR may be a better choice.

PMID:39877986 | DOI:10.1016/j.knee.2024.12.006

Swiss Med Wkly. 2024 Dec 4;154:3841. doi: 10.57187/s.3841.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: A wide range of reproductive health issues, including fertility, pregnancy outcomes and contraceptive practices can be affected by morbid obesity and weight loss subsequent to bariatric surgery. This study aimed to explore the attitudes and practices of bariatric healthcare professionals in Switzerland regarding reproductive health counselling in the context of bariatric surgery.

METHODS: We conducted a national, cross-sectional, 36-question online survey among bariatric professionals in Switzerland. Survey topics included demographic factors, baseline characteristics of bariatric patients, perioperative reproductive health practices, attitudes and knowledge about contraception and recommendations regarding pregnancy. The survey was open from 1 October 2022 to 30 April 2023.

RESULTS: A total of 75 healthcare professionals participated in the survey. The majority of participants responded that female patients of reproductive age constitute more than half of the referred bariatric patients. Forty participants (57%) recommended contraception for a duration of 18-24 months following a bariatric operation. Only twenty-three respondents (31%) stated that they always refer their female bariatric patients of reproductive age to a gynaecologist prior to bariatric surgery. Fifty-six participants (75%) replied that they always discuss family planning prior to surgery. There was high variation regarding the recommended methods of contraception after surgery.Only thirty-nine participants (52%) reported that they always inform their patients about the occurrence of possible surgery-related complications during future pregnancies. More than half of the participants reported inadequate knowledge regarding absorption and safety of contraceptive pills after bariatric surgery. Although most professionals routinely follow up and provide counselling on maternal and foetal risks in pregnant women with previous bariatric surgery, forty-nine participants (65%) have no standardised protocol for such patients who present with acute abdominal pain in their practice.

CONCLUSION: Despite acknowledging the importance of reproductive health counselling, bariatric professionals address perioperative and contraception issues inconsistently and mostly reported a lack of adequate knowledge in the latter. Therefore, a stronger collaboration between bariatric professionals and women’s healthcare providers is needed to improve care of female bariatric patients of reproductive age.

PMID:39877941 | DOI:10.57187/s.3841

Mol Ecol Resour. 2025 Jan 29:e14072. doi: 10.1111/1755-0998.14072. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Collagen is the most ubiquitous protein in the animal kingdom and one of the most abundant proteins on Earth. Despite having a relatively repetitive amino acid sequence motif that enables its triple helical structure, in type 1 collagen, that dominates skin and bone, there is enough variation for its increasing use for the biomolecular species identification of animal tissues processed or degraded beyond the amenability of DNA-based analyses. In recent years, this has been most commonly achieved through the technique of collagen peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF) known as ZooMS (Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry), applied to the analysis of tens of thousands of samples across over one hundred studies in the past decade alone. However, a robust means to quantify variation between these fingerprints remains elusive, despite being increasingly required due to the shift towards a wider range of wild fauna and those that are more distantly related from currently known sequences. This is particularly problematic in fish due to their greater sequence variation. Here we evaluate the quantification of the relative closeness of collagen fingerprints between families using ANOSIM and a modified SIMPER analysis, incorporating relative peak intensity. Our results show a clear correlation between sequence differentiation and statistical distance of PMFs, indicating that the additional complexity of type 1 collagen in fish could directly affect the efficacy of biomolecular techniques such as ZooMS. Furthermore, this multivariate statistical analysis demonstrates that PMFs in fish are substantively more distinct than those of mammalian or amphibian taxa.

PMID:39877940 | DOI:10.1111/1755-0998.14072

J Sustain Tour. 2024 Apr 22;33(2):333-356. doi: 10.1080/09669582.2024.2342982. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

Eating less meat when dining out can help mitigate climate change. Plant-based meats can facilitate the transition to a more environmentally sustainable tourism sector. However, uptake of these products remains low. Building on the capability-opportunity-motivation behaviour model, this study identifies the main reasons for the general population of restaurant patrons to reject plant-based meats: they prefer meat and traditional vegetable dishes; they are concerned about not enjoying plant-based meat dishes; they perceive plant-based meat dishes as too expensive. Accounting for heterogeneity among diners leads to the identification of six distinct consumer segments, which differ in their reasons for not ordering plant-based meat dishes in restaurants. From these empirical insights, we derive recommendations for tourism professionals on how to entice specific consumer segments to order plant-based meat dishes and identify future avenues for research.

PMID:39877925 | PMC:PMC11774254 | DOI:10.1080/09669582.2024.2342982

Front Public Health. 2025 Jan 14;12:1466083. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1466083. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The aging population presents a significant public health challenge, particularly concerning mental health and injury prevention. Anxiety and depression are common among the older adult, affecting their quality of life and increasing the risk of unintentional injuries (UI). This study aims to explore the association between anxiety and depression and UI risk among the older adult in Guangxi, China, using data from the 2023 National Health Service Survey.

METHODS: A cross-sectional design was employed, analyzing data from 2,894 participants aged 60 and above in Guangxi. The primary variables were anxiety and depression, assessed via validated scales, with UI as the dependent variable. Logistic regression was used to estimate crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusting for potential confounders such as age, gender, socioeconomic status, and lifestyle factors.

RESULTS: Significant findings indicate that individuals with anxiety and depression had nearly double the risk of UI compared to those without these conditions (adj. OR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.42-2.6, p < 0.001). Alcohol consumption was also associated with higher UI risk (adj. OR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.05-2.03, p = 0.023). Females had a significantly higher adjusted odds of UI compared to males (adj. OR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.03-1.84, p = 0.029), and rural residents were more likely to experience UI than urban dwellers (adj. OR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.05-1.82, p = 0.02). Exercise frequency was inversely related to UI risk, with those exercising 1-2 times per week having reduced odds (adj. OR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.22-0.98, p = 0.044). Other factors such as age, marital status, hypertension, diabetes, and main caregiver showed no significant associations with UI.

CONCLUSION: Addressing mental health issues and promoting moderate exercise may help reduce UI risk in the older adult. Policies should focus on enhancing mental health services and injury prevention programs, particularly in rural settings, to improve the overall health and safety of the aging population in Guangxi.

PMID:39877924 | PMC:PMC11772176 | DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1466083