Tag: pubmed

Clin Oral Investig. 2025 Feb 10;29(2):126. doi: 10.1007/s00784-025-06203-w.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: People with intellectual disabilities often have poor oral hygiene and depend on carers’ support. We aimed to investigate, whether automatic toothbrushes could benefit people with Down syndrome (DS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a randomized, single-blinded cross-over study we compared the cleansing efficacy of a horse-shoe shaped automatic toothbrush with that of rotating-oscillating toothbrushing in unassisted domestic use over four weeks by persons with DS. Rustogi Modified Navy Plaque Index (RMNPI) and Gingival Bleeding Index (GBI) were assessed before and after each intervention period. Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test was used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS: Fifteen participants (mean age 31 ± 8.33 years) finished the study. There were no statistically significant differences in RMNPI between the two brushing modalities after four weeks of unassisted home use, neither in full mouth (Y-brush®: median 59.2%; range 24.8 – 76.7; rotating-oscillating toothbrush: 54.6%; 6.4 – 71.3) (p = 0.484) nor in subgroup analyses. RMNPI was statistically significantly higher after four weeks of automated brushing than baseline. There was no statistically significant difference for full-mouth GBI between the two brushing modalities.

CONCLUSIONS: Both, oscillating-rotating and automated toothbrushing resulted in unsatisfactory plaque control after unassisted use by people with DS.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Further studies should investigate the impact of caregivers’ assistance with auto-cleaning devices to persons with disabilities on plaque removal efficacy. Customization of mouthpieces and simplification of handling modalities might effect a higher cleansing capacity and should be future goals for automatic brushing device manufacturers.

PMID:39928199 | DOI:10.1007/s00784-025-06203-w

Genet Med. 2025 Feb 7:101373. doi: 10.1016/j.gim.2025.101373. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Although alglucosidase alfa (AGL) has been the standard treatment for Pompe disease, its efficacy is limited, partially because of its low mannose-6-phosphate content. Avalglucosidase alfa (AVA), a glycoengineered recombinant human acid α-glucosidase, has shown improved receptor-mediated uptake compared with AGL. Herein, we report the long-term efficacy and safety of AVA in patients with infantile-onset Pompe disease (IOPD) previously treated with AGL.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included nine patients with IOPD who transitioned from AGL to AVA; these patients were diagnosed and treated after being detected with IOPD via newborn screening. We analyzed the clinical status, biomarker levels (serum creatine kinase [CK] and urine glucose tetrasaccharide ([Glc4]), and functional assessments before and after AVA treatment of these patients. Statistical analyses were performed using the Wilcoxon matched-pair signed-rank test.

RESULTS: All nine patients received AGL at dosages exceeding the label recommendations owing to inadequate responses. After transitioning to AVA at a dosage of 40 mg/kg every other week for a median duration of 4.9 years, the patients experienced significant reductions in biomarker levels (CK levels decreased by 63% and Glc4 levels decreased by 69%). Functional assessments, including pulmonary function and 6-min walk tests, showed improvement in young patients but remained stable in older patients. Safety analyses revealed manageable infusion-associated reactions (IARs). Immune modulation therapy for antidrug antibodies (ADA) was administered to one IOPD patient.

CONCLUSION: The transition from a high dose of AGL to AVA demonstrated sustained improvements in biomarker levels and motor function in patients with IOPD. Early initiation of AVA is crucial for patients with IOPD.

PMID:39927452 | DOI:10.1016/j.gim.2025.101373

Neurourol Urodyn. 2025 Feb 10. doi: 10.1002/nau.70009. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Urinary incontinence (UI) is a very common hygiene and health problem in adults which has an enormous impact on quality of life (QoL). Noninvasive treatment options are the first line of treatment. It would be beneficial to know when the bladder reaches its maximum capacity, to enable to prompt going to the bathroom on time and thereby potentially prevent an UI event. Recently, a wearable bladder sensor was developed, the TENA SmartCare Bladder Sensor (Bladder Sensor), which is intended to support children ( ≥ 6 years) and adults (BMI ≤ 25 kg/m²). The Bladder Sensor tracks the bladder filling status and notifies the user when it is time to go to the bathroom by a vibration of the device and/or a notification in an app on a mobile device (e.g., smartphone and/or Apple Watch®). The primary objective of this first pivotal study was to demonstrate that the Bladder Sensor can detect the bladder before urination among adult intended users. The secondary objectives were to collect real-life data to evaluate performance, safety, usability, and subject satisfaction with the device as well as impact on QoL. The primary hypothesis was to evaluate if the median bladder detection rate in the evaluated population is greater than the threshold of 85% (H0: ≤ 0.85, H1: > 0.85, p-value < 0.05).

PATIENTS & METHODS: Adults ( ≥ 18 years) suffering from UI during day and/or night tested the Bladder Sensor independently at home for 1 week. Device performance, safety, usability, user satisfaction and self-reported disease specific information, and QoL were assessed at pre-defined times. Intra-individual results were compared. Any episodes of urination and/or urine loss were documented by subjects in a paper diary. Raw data of the Bladder Sensor was analyzed to evaluate the bladder detection rate and full bladder notification rate(s).

RESULTS: 30 adults (female/male: 67%/33%; median age: 53 years (Interquartile range (IQR) 32-61 years); median BMI of 22.6 kg/m² (IQR 20.7-23.8 kg/m²)) completed the study testing the Bladder Sensor at home for 6.9 days on average. The median bladder detection rate was 89.8% (IQR 82.6-95.3%) in a sample without statistically and clinically identified outliers (n = 28). The null hypothesis was rejected among those (z = 69, p < 0.05). The median actual full bladder notification rate was 63.1% (IQR 50.0-71.4%), and the median perceived full bladder notification rate was 94.4% (IQR 87.0-105.6%). The device showed to have a positive effect on subjects’ UI problems (e.g., 67% reduced number of unwanted leakages) and QoL.

CONCLUSION: It was demonstrated that the Bladder Sensor can detect the bladder under real-life conditions among its intended users and can support in the prevention of UI. This seemed dependent on anatomical limitations (e.g., BMI and body shape), bladder volume (low bladder detection rate < 100 mL), and/or proper fixation. The device had a positive effect on the subject’s urinary incontinence, their Qo,L and overall well-being while testing it for 1 week. It is assumed that this effect will be strengthened when users incorporate the use of the device into their daily life. Long-term benefits of the Bladder Sensor as an adjunct tool in continence care management needs to be investigated.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registration number is NL81246.000.22.

PMID:39927426 | DOI:10.1002/nau.70009

Am J Clin Oncol. 2025 Feb 10. doi: 10.1097/COC.0000000000001173. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer (NAPRC) was established in 2017 to decrease rectal cancer treatment variation and improve oncologic outcomes. Initiating curative intent treatment <60 days of first evaluation is one NAPRC standard. We evaluated whether oncologic outcomes improved with timely treatment and factors associated with its receipt.

METHODS: Using the NCDB, we identified stage I to III rectal cancer patients treated from 2004 to 2020 treated with curative-intent surgery. Patients were stratified into 2 cohorts (timely [<60 d], delayed [≥60 d]) for survival analysis and exploration of variables associated with timely treatment.

RESULTS: We included 117,459 patients with a median age of 61 years (interquartile range: 52 to 70 y). Most patients were male (61.1%), White (86.2%), Charlson 0 (77.1%) with stage II (33.5%) or III (44.3%) cancer treated with chemoradiation (58.1%), or surgery (27.0%) first. Timely treatment was associated with improved overall survival (OS; median OS: 153.26 vs. 128.59 m). Patients in the highest income bracket (odds ratio [OR] 1.30) with stage II (OR: 1.27) or III (OR: 1.50) cancer receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (OR: 2.24) or chemoradiation (OR: 1.73) as the first treatment received more timely treatment. Patients with Charlson ≥2 (OR: 0.83) of Black (OR: 0.56) or Hispanic (OR: 0.73) race received more delayed treatment (all P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: Timely rectal cancer treatment is associated with improved survival. Socioeconomic disparities limit timely treatment with attendant worse survival, supporting national homogenization of care. As multimodal care for rectal cancer becomes increasingly complex, timely treatment remains paramount.

PMID:39927425 | DOI:10.1097/COC.0000000000001173

Anal Methods. 2025 Feb 10. doi: 10.1039/d4ay01654h. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Cupressus torulosa, an evergreen tree commonly known as the Himalayan or Bhutan cypress, is a significant coniferous species native to the Himalayan regions of Bhutan, northern India, Nepal, and Tibet. In this study, we employed ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS) integrated with chemometrics to analyze the metabolite profiles of C. torulosa needles collected from 14 distinct geographical regions. Advanced statistical tools, including Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), were utilized to identify significant variations in the chemical composition across these locations. Our analysis identified 24 marker compounds consistently present in all samples, screened using stringent filtering criteria including One-way ANOVA, moderated T-test, and multiple testing correction with the Benjamini-Hochberg FDR method. Additionally, for the first time, we established the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway in C. torulosa, enhancing the understanding of its metabolic fingerprint. These findings provide critical insights into the phytochemical diversity of C. torulosa and offer valuable tools for quality control, authentication and advancing the application of UPLC-QTOF-MS in natural product research.

PMID:39927411 | DOI:10.1039/d4ay01654h

Open Vet J. 2024 Dec;14(12):3248-3256. doi: 10.5455/OVJ.2024.v14.i12.10. Epub 2024 Dec 31.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pleomorphic adenoma gene 1 (PLAG1) is a zinc finger transcription factor and is widely known to play an important role in regulating growth traits in bovine.

AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the association of PLAG1 polymorphisms with body weight and measurement traits of Brahman cattle.

METHODS: A total of 57 blood samples of Brahman cattle and their body weight and measurement traits have been collected. Moreover, the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method was used to determine the genotypes of the three polymorphisms in PLAG1, namely g.48308C>T, g.32212 (19 bp indel), and g.45233 T>C. A mix model effect was performed to evaluate the association of PLAG1 with body weight and measurement traits, while the Tukey HSD test was used to compare the means among genotypes.

RESULTS: Genotype variations were observed for the g.48308C>T single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and 19 bp indel. In detail, the CC and CT genotypes of g.48308C>T SNP were identified and all possible genotypes of 19 bp indel were also identified. On the other hand, g.45233T>C SNP showed no variation. The statistical analysis revealed that SNP g.48308C>T and 19 bp indel had a significant effect on body weight and chest girth (p < 0.05). Both CC genotypes of g.48308C>T SNP and DD genotype of 19 bp indel of the PLAG1 were favorable for those two traits.

CONCLUSION: Based on these results, the SNP g.48308C>T and 19 bp indel in the PLAG1 could be a candidate marker for body weight and chest girth in the Brahman cattle population at the Center for Superior Animal Breeding and Forage (BPTU-HPT) Sembawa.

PMID:39927368 | PMC:PMC11799629 | DOI:10.5455/OVJ.2024.v14.i12.10

Open Vet J. 2024 Dec;14(12):3474-3486. doi: 10.5455/OVJ.2024.v14.i12.31. Epub 2024 Dec 31.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) hormone administration can improve semen quality through increased contractility of smooth muscle cells in testicular tissue and increased testosterone hormone. Immunohistochemically, the increase in contractility of smooth muscle cells and testosterone hormone can be measured by an increase in the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and androgen receptor (AR).

AIM: This study aims to determine the distribution and increased α-SMA expression and AR in the testis of Wistar rats after administration of PGF2α which was detected using the immunohistochemistry (IHC) method.

METHODS: A total of 15 male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) with body weight 200-250 g and 8-10 weeks old were used in this study. All rats were acclimated for 2 weeks. The rats were divided into five treatment groups (n = 3). The rat in the control group (P0), testicular collection was carried out 30 minutes after injection of 0.5 ml NaCl. In groups P1, P2, P3, and P4, the rats were intraperitoneal injected with 2.5 mg/kg BW of PGF2α (Lutalyze, Zoetis, USA), and the testis collection was performed 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes after PGF2α injection, respectively, were processed into histology preparations and stained with IHC staining using avidin-biotin complex peroxidase method. The distribution of α-SMA and AR was analyzed descriptively, while the score difference of α-SMA and AR expression was analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test and the Mann-Whitney U Test.

RESULTS: The results showed that α-SMA was positively detected in peritubular myoid (PTM) cells on the basal membrane of seminiferous tubules, blood vessel (BV) walls, and connective tissue. Statistical analysis showed that α-SMA expression in PTM cells and testicular connective tissue in P2 (60-minute interval) was significantly different than other treatment groups (P0, P1, P3, and P4) (p < 0.05), while no significant difference was found in the BV walls in all treatment groups (p > 0.05). AR was positively detected in connective tissue, PTM cells, Leydig cells, Sertoli cells, and BVs. Statistical analysis showed significant differences in AR expression in PTM cells and Sertoli cells (p < 0.05) between P0 and P2, P1 and P2, and P2 and P3 or P4.

CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that the administration of PGF2α increases the expression of α-SMA and AR, with the optimal administration interval is 60 minutes for PTM cells and Sertoli cells in Wistar rats testis.

PMID:39927354 | PMC:PMC11799637 | DOI:10.5455/OVJ.2024.v14.i12.31

Open Vet J. 2024 Dec;14(12):3363-3374. doi: 10.5455/OVJ.2024.v14.i12.21. Epub 2024 Dec 31.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Climate change has a significant impact on livestock farming around the globe. Farmers have adopted different strategies to mitigate the adverse impact of climate change. Females in developing countries are more vulnerable to climate change impacts and have lower adaptive capacity and they bear additional roles and responsibilities in livestock rearing compared to their male counterparts.

AIM: The main aim of this study is to examine the gender perspective on climate change adoption strategies in livestock farming in Gandaki province, Nepal.

METHODS: A multistage random sampling technique was employed to select 1,158 households from five districts in Gandaki province, western Nepal. A household head or household member who was 45 years or older resided in that area for at least 15 years and owned at least one primary livestock at the time of the survey was selected as the ultimate respondent from each selected household. Both structured and unstructured questionnaires were prepared. A structured questionnaire was used for the household survey, while a checklist (guideline) was prepared for focus group discussions. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews, and both descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis.

RESULTS: The results revealed that buffalo was the primary livestock among farmers. More than half of farmers, both men and women were aware of the impact of climate change on livestock. While this study did not find significant gender-based differences in adaptation strategies, the odds of adoption are higher among males than females. Jobs other than agriculture and livestock, as well as access to credit, emerged as key determining factors associated with adaptation strategies among farmers in Gandaki province.

CONCLUSION: There is no significant gender-based difference in adaptation strategies; however, employment outside agriculture and livestock, along with access to credit, are the key determining factors associated with adaptation strategies.

PMID:39927352 | PMC:PMC11799652 | DOI:10.5455/OVJ.2024.v14.i12.21

Open Vet J. 2024 Dec;14(12):3649-3655. doi: 10.5455/OVJ.2024.v14.i12.46. Epub 2024 Dec 31.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a tumor disease primarily affecting juvenile sea turtles, often characterized by external growths that can regress spontaneously. This study reports the first documented case of total tumor regression in a free-living green turtle (Chelonia mydas) with FP in southern Brazil.

CASE DESCRIPTION: A juvenile green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) was captured and recaptured on Itapirubá Beach, Santa Catarina, Brazil, showing signs of tumor regression with a period of 302 days between captures. At the first capture, photographs of the head and other regions were taken for photoidentification, along with documentation of fibropapilloma sites and tumor scoring. Tumor samples from the initial capture were histopathologically confirmed as fibropapillomas. At the recapture, the turtle showed a slight increase in carapace length, remaining classified as a juvenile. Tumors observed during the first capture were absent at recapture, with only scars remaining in the affected areas. Photoidentification confirmed the recapture, facilitating case monitoring. Tumor regression in this turtle is likely linked to various environmental and ecological factors.

CONCLUSION: Spontaneous regression of FP tumors remains a crucial indicator in the health monitoring of sea turtle populations. This is the first documented case of FP regression in this region of Brazil, suggesting that the turtle’s increasing age and reduced exposure to anthropogenic pressure may have contributed to the tumor’s regression. Although clinical follow-up of free-living sea turtles is challenging, reports of FP tumor regression are vital for understanding the health dynamics of sea turtle populations.

PMID:39927341 | PMC:PMC11799617 | DOI:10.5455/OVJ.2024.v14.i12.46

Acta Ortop Bras. 2025 Feb 3;33(1):e276452. doi: 10.1590/1413-785220253301e276452. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on elective and emergency hand and wrist surgeries operated in a private orthopedic center.

METHODS: A retrospective study included hand and wrist surgeries in a private orthopedic center. The total surgeries were computed and separated into elective or emergency surgeries. The numbers were analyzed by month, quarter, and year before and after the pandemic (March 2020).

RESULTS: Eight hundred and forty-three surgeries from March 2018 to February 2022 were included. The mean monthly cases of the initial 12 months of the pandemic (15.3) were statistically equal to previous periods (17.3 and 17.2), but the period from March 2021 to February 2022 showed an increase (20.5; p = 0.037). The first four months of the pandemic had a mean (8.3) lower than the previous period (14.0; p = 0.002), but soon there was a significant increase in the following four months (19.3; p = 0.002). As a historical standard, elective surgeries were greater than an emergency in this institution. Still, in the first two quarters of the pandemic, there was a reduction in elective cases, equaling the emergency.

CONCLUSION: An important but relatively brief impact on surgical volume was observed in hand and wrist surgeries during COVID-19. A significant reduction in elective cases happened at the pandemic’s beginning followed by a fast recovery after four months. Nível de Evidência II; Estudo Retrospectivo.

PMID:39927323 | PMC:PMC11801214 | DOI:10.1590/1413-785220253301e276452