Tag: nevin manimala

Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2023 Nov 28;15(1):102283. doi: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102283. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Babesia vesperuginis is an intraerythrocytic protozoan parasite that circulates among bats and ticks in many countries worldwide. However, the distribution of B. vesperuginis in the Baltic region has not been studied. A total of 86 dead bats from eight different species were collected and screened for Babesia spp. using real-time PCR. Overall, 52.3% (45/86) of the bats were found positive for Babesia spp. The prevalence of Babesia spp. in different organs varied, with the highest prevalence observed in heart tissues (37.0%) and the lowest in liver tissues (22.2%). However, the observed differences in prevalence among organs were not statistically significant. Blood samples from 125 bats of nine different species were also analyzed for Babesia spp. prevalence using real-time PCR and nested PCR. The results showed a prevalence of 35.2% and 22.4%, respectively. Moreover, 28.3% (17/60) of the examined blood samples were confirmed positive for Babesia spp. through blood smear analysis. The total of 32 partial sequences of the 18S rRNA gene derived in this study were 100% identical to B. vesperuginis sequences from GenBank. In eight species of bats, Pipistrellus nathusii, Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Pipistrellus pygmaeus, Vespertilio murinus, Eptesicus nilssonii, Eptesicus serotinus, Myotis daubentonii and Nyctalus noctula, Babesia parasites were identified. In E. nilssonii, Babesia spp. was identified for the first time.

PMID:38029454 | DOI:10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102283

Pregnancy Hypertens. 2023 Nov 28;35:1-5. doi: 10.1016/j.preghy.2023.11.006. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Preeclampsia with severe features (SPE) is a multisystem syndrome associated with long-term cardiovascular morbidity. Serum concentrations of N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and high sensitivity cardiac troponin-T (hs-cTnT) are sensitive markers of cardiac stretch and ischemia, respectively.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to examine NT-proBNP and hs-cTnT in patients with SPE during labor. We hypothesized that patients with severe preeclampsia would have increased serum concentrations of these analytes as compared with normotensive laboring patients.

STUDY DESIGN: This was a prospective cohort study of intrapartum patients with SPE and normotensive controls. Patients were recruited at the time of SPE diagnosis or admission to the labor unit, and those with medical conditions that could predispose to baseline cardiac dysfunction were excluded. Serum from venous blood was collected for NT-proBNP and hs-cTnT measurement at three time points: 0-2 h, 4 h, and 12 h after admission. A mixed random effects regression model was used to compare analyte levels at each time point and to compare trends over time. The primary outcome was NT-proBNP concentration at each collection time point in patients with severe preeclampsia as compared to normotensive controls. Power analysis yielded a goal sample of 25 patients with a 12 h and at least 1 other sample in each arm. Two-tailed P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. P value adjustment for multiple comparisons was performed.

RESULTS: Of 78 patients analyzed, 36 had severe preeclampsia and 42 were normotensive controls with 25 in each cohort having a 12 h and at least 1 other sample. The NT-proBNP trend was significantly different in the two cohorts (P < 0.001). After adjustment for multiple comparisons, the mean serum concentration of NT-proBNP was elevated in the severe preeclampsia group at 0-2 and 4 h, but not at 12 h. After similar adjustment, detectable serum concentrations of hs-cTnT were more frequent in patients with severe preeclampsia at all three timepoints.

CONCLUSION: Intrapartum serum concentrations of NT-proBNP were elevated nearly twofold in patients with SPE when compared with normotensive controls, with the most pronounced differences found during early labor. Detectable but low serum concentrations of hs-cTnT were more common in women with severe preeclampsia as compared with normotensive controls. These findings suggest cardiac dysfunction with SPE may be present at the time of admission and contribute to features of maternal cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

PMID:38029452 | DOI:10.1016/j.preghy.2023.11.006

Occup Med (Lond). 2023 Nov 29:kqad116. doi: 10.1093/occmed/kqad116. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In 2017, 69 108 work-related traffic injuries with medical leave were documented, constituting 12% of all occupational injuries (OI) in Spain.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to describe OI within a Spanish bank company during 2017.

METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using the company’s mandatory OI records, presenting data in both absolute (n) and relative (%) frequencies. The chi-square test was employed for comparisons.

RESULTS: Among the company’s 10 399 employees, 176 OI cases were recorded. Most were minor musculoskeletal incidents, with one severe myocardial infarction and one mild anxiety episode. Lower limb injuries were the most prevalent. Injuries of the trunk (P < 0.001), neck (P < 0.05), and upper limbs (P < 0.001) were linked to workplace factors. Approximately 62% of OI occurred outside the workplace and resulted in more extended medical leave (P < 0.01). Traffic-related injuries accounted for 39% of OI cases and caused 49% of days lost due to OI (P < 0.001).Female gender (P < 0.001) and age over 40 years (P < 0.05) were significantly associated with OI.

CONCLUSIONS: In our study, musculoskeletal injuries were the most common, with a single cardiovascular event being the most severe. OI occurring outside the workplace was more frequent and led to longer medical leaves. Notably, traffic-related injuries were especially significant, exceeding official statistics 4-fold.

PMID:38029440 | DOI:10.1093/occmed/kqad116

J Infect Dis. 2023 Nov 29:jiad539. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiad539. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Randomized trials conducted in low- and middle-income settings demonstrated efficacy of influenza vaccination during pregnancy against influenza infection among infants <6 months of age. However, vaccine effectiveness (VE) estimates from settings with different population characteristics and influenza seasonality remain limited.

METHODS: We conducted a test-negative study in Ontario, Canada. All influenza virus tests among infants <6 months from 2010-2019 were identified and linked with health databases to ascertain information on maternal-infant dyads. VE was estimated from the odds ratio for influenza vaccination during pregnancy among cases versus controls, computed using logistic regression with adjustment for potential confounders.

RESULTS: Among 23,806 infants tested for influenza, 1,783 (7.5%) were positive and 1,708 (7.2%) were born to mothers vaccinated against influenza during pregnancy. VE against laboratory-confirmed infant influenza infection was 64% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 50%-74%). VE was similar by trimester of vaccination (1st/2nd: 66%, 40%-80%; 3rd: 63%, 46%-74%), infant age at testing (0-<2 months: 63%, 46%-75%; 2-<6 months: 64%, 36%-79%), and gestational age at birth (≥37 weeks: 64%, 50%-75%; < 37 weeks: 61%, 4%-86%). VE against influenza hospitalization was 67% (95%CI: 50%-78%).

CONCLUSIONS: Influenza vaccination during pregnancy offers effective protection to infants <6 months, for whom vaccines are not currently available.

PMID:38029414 | DOI:10.1093/infdis/jiad539

J Fish Biol. 2023 Nov 29. doi: 10.1111/jfb.15633. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

To improve the accuracy and efficiency of fish behaviour assessment, this paper focuses on quantitatively exploring the variations and relationships between different monitoring dimensions. A systematic comparison was conducted between 3D and 2D behavioural factors using an infrared tracing system, during both day and night. Significant differences in swimming distance were observed among the different monitoring methods, as determined by two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey’s test. A correction was applied to account for the disparities observed in 2D swimming distance, ensuring accurate measurements. These findings present a cost-effective and efficient approach to acquiring precise 3D distance data. Additionally, a kinematic factor called the “number of U-turns” was proposed to provide a more intuitive characterization of directional changes in fish swimming. significant differences were observed between 2D and 3D data, with higher percentages of false U-turn counts and missing U-turn counts compared to the percentages of correct counts in the 2D view. These findings suggest that reducing the monitoring dimension may impact the accurate estimation of swimming motion, potentially resulting in inaccurate outcomes. Finally, the statistical analyses of the nonlinear properties of fractal dimension revealed significant differences among the various monitoring methods. This conclusion has practical implications for biologists and physicists, enabling them to improve the accuracy of behavioural phenotyping for organisms exhibiting 3D motion. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

PMID:38029381 | DOI:10.1111/jfb.15633

Alzheimers Dement. 2023 Nov 29. doi: 10.1002/alz.13558. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: How do reactions to a brain scan result differ between Black and White adults? The answer may inform efforts to reduce disparities in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) diagnosis and treatment.

METHODS: Self-identified Black (n = 1055) and White (n = 1451) adults were randomized to a vignette of a fictional patient at a memory center who was told a brain scan result. Measures of stigma and diagnosis confidence were compared between-groups.

RESULTS: Black participants reported more stigma than White participants on four of seven domains in reaction to the patient at a memory center visit. Black participants’ confidence in an AD diagnosis informed by a brain scan and other assessments was 72.2 points (95% confidence interval [CI] 70.4 to 73.5), which was lower than the respective rating for White participants [78.1 points (95%CI 77.0 to 79.3)].

DISCUSSION: Equitable access to early AD diagnosis will require public outreach and education that address AD stigma associated with a memory center visit.

PMID:38029367 | DOI:10.1002/alz.13558

J Laparoendosc Adv Surg Tech A. 2023 Nov 29. doi: 10.1089/lap.2023.0445. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Background: Distal pancreatectomy (DP) represents the best therapeutic option for patients with body-tail pancreatic neoplasms (PNs). The enhanced recovery after surgery protocol is widely used for treating patients with PN to speed up postoperative recovery. This study aims to describe our institute’s experience in the application of fast recovery protocol in a cohort of patients treated with DP, identifying predictors facilitating a decrease in the length of hospital stay. Patient and Methods: Were retrospectively enrolled 60 consecutive cases of DP performed from January 2016 to June 2022 in patients treated with enhanced recovery protocol, 25% of them were treated with spleen preserving procedure. Single-variable logistic regression models were used to evaluate the potential association between patient characteristics and the probability of postoperative complications. Standard linear regression models were used for length of stay, number of postoperative days (PODs) from surgery to full bowel function recovery, and PODs to the interruption of intravenous analgesia administration. Results: Thirty-four (57%) patients underwent open surgery and 26 (43%) laparoscopic surgery. Patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery and spleen-preserving procedures experienced a lower complication rate (P = .037), shorter length of stay, and time of analgesic requirements. With single-variable logistic regression models patients treated with laparoscopic surgery had statistically significant higher recovery times in terms of nasogastric tube removal (P = .004) and early enteral nutrition (P = .001). Conclusion: Continual refinement with enhanced recovery protocol for treating PN patients based on perioperative counseling and surgical decision-making is crucial to reduce patient morbidity and time for recovery.

PMID:38029364 | DOI:10.1089/lap.2023.0445

Viral Immunol. 2023 Nov 29. doi: 10.1089/vim.2023.0091. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the illness caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerged in late 2019 and spread very quickly across the world. Different responses to infections have been related to fragment crystallizable gamma-receptor II alpha (FcγRIIA) polymorphisms. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if FCγRIIA rs1801274 polymorphism was related to COVID-19 mortality among different variants of SARS-CoV-2. The FCγRIIA rs1801274 polymorphism was genotyped using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique in 1,734 recovered and 1,450 deceased patients. Deceased patients had significantly higher minor allele frequency of the FCγRIIA rs1801274 G allele than in the recovered cases. The COVID-19 mortality was associated with FCγRIIA rs1801274 GG and AG genotypes in the Delta variant and with FCγRIIA rs1801274 GG genotypes in the Alpha and Omicron BA.5 variants. The reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction Ct values revealed statistically significant differences between individuals with a G allele and those with an A allele. In conclusion, among the several SARS-CoV-2 variants, there may be a correlation between the mortality rate of COVID-19 and the G allele of FCγRIIA rs1801274. To confirm our findings, thorough research is still required.

PMID:38029355 | DOI:10.1089/vim.2023.0091

J Periodontol. 2023 Nov 29. doi: 10.1002/JPER.23-0538. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: There have been limited studies with statistically sufficient sample sizes for assessment of suitable bone defect morphology for combination therapy with enamel matrix derivative (EMD) and bone grafting. The aim of this study was to investigate the appropriate feature of intrabony defects, such as bone defect angle (DA) and the containment by bony wall, for yielding the additional benefit of bone grafting in combination with periodontal regenerative therapy using EMD.

METHODS: Following periodontal regenerative therapy using EMD with or without autologous bone grafting, 282 intrabony defects of 177 participants were maintained for 3 years. Multilevel linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the radiographic bony defect depth (RBD) reduction after adjusting for confounders.

RESULTS: The baseline parameters, except for the proportion of contained bony defects and tooth mobility, did not differ significantly between the groups with and without bone grafts. There was no significant difference in the improvement of clinical parameters between the groups. The 1- and 3-year reduction of RBD showed significant inverse correlations with preoperative DA only in the group without bone graft. Furthermore, multivariate analysis showed a significant interaction between DA at baseline ≥40° and adjunctive bone grafting in the reduction of RBD, regardless of the number of bony walls.

CONCLUSION: Adjunctive autologous bone grafting with enamel matrix derivative might be significantly beneficial for defect depth improvement in the case of DA at baseline ≥40°.

PMID:38029354 | DOI:10.1002/JPER.23-0538

JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2023 Nov 28. doi: 10.2196/47321. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Low-Intensity Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) self-help has been implemented into mental health service delivery to manage excessive worry associated with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and support emotional wellbeing. However, being predominantly available within a written format presents barriers to access limiting scalability. A solution could be to incorporate low-intensity CBT techniques derived from an evidence-based protocol within a mental health wellbeing app for worry management supported through an algorithmically driven conversational agent.

OBJECTIVE: Examine engagement with the Iona Mind Wellbeing smartphone app for Worry (IMWW) to help people manage their worries by teaching them evidence-based skills and techniques from low-intensity CBT. Specific attention was directed towards interaction with specific techniques and potential to reduce symptoms of anxiety.

METHODS: Log data was examined with respect to a sample of 153 ‘engaged’ users that had completed at least one lesson related to the Worry Time and Problem Solving in-app modules that represented the ‘minimum dose’. Paired samples t-tests were undertaken to examine the potential for IMWW to reduce worry and anxiety, with multivariate linear regressions examining the extent to which completion of each of the techniques led to reductions in worry and anxiety.

RESULTS: Users engaged with 1108 low-intensity CBT sessions (x̄=7.2; SD=7.7), with an average session length of 6.2 minutes (SD=6.2). With 114 (75%) of users engaging with Problem Solving, the conversational agent was successfully employed where lower levels of engagement were experienced. Of the 147 users (96%) engaging with Worry Time, 50 (34%) did so using in-app tools, with 97 (66%) engaging with the technique out-of-app. Of the 153 engaged users, lower levels of engagement were associated 54 users (35%) completing the PHQ-8 and GAD-7 routine outcome measures and 58 (38%) users undertaking the weekly reflections. Despite difficulties in collection of endpoint data, there was a significant reduction in severity for both anxiety [t(53)=5.5; P<.001; 95%CI=2.4-5.2] and low mood [t(53)=2.3; P=.025; 95%CI=2-3.3]. A statistically significant linear model was also fitted to GAD-7 [F(2,51)=6.73; P< .001], whilst the model predicting changes in the PHQ-8 did not reach significance [F(2,51)=2.33; P=.11]. This indicates that reduction in these measures was affected by engagement with in-app Worry Time and Problem Solving techniques.

CONCLUSIONS: Engaged users were able to successfully interact with the low-intensity CBT specific techniques informed by an evidence-based protocol, although there was poor completion of routine outcome measures and weekly reflections. Successful interaction with the specific techniques potentially contributes to promising data indicating that IMWW may be effective in the management of excessive worry. A relationship between dose and improvement justifies the use of adopting log data to inform future developments. However, attention needs to be directed towards enhancing interaction with wider features of the app given that larger improvements were associated with greater engagement.

PMID:38029300 | DOI:10.2196/47321