Tag: statistics

Vet World. 2022 Jun;15(6):1506-1514. doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2022.1506-1514. Epub 2022 Jun 18.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Salmonellosis is an infectious disease that often occurs in chickens and is caused by Salmonella enteritidis. The use of antibiotics to prevent this disease can result in the development of resistance in pathogenic bacteria, in addition to the presence of antibiotic residues in consumed carcasses. Red ginger (Zingiber officinale var. rubrum) has active compounds that potentially act as immunomodulators which increase specific and non-specific immune responses through the induction of cytokine production. This study was conducted to determine the effects of red ginger powder mixed in feed for starter and finisher broiler chickens, based on the evaluation of the expression of immunoglobulin A (IgA), histopathologic description of the ileum and cecum, IgA, and immunoglobulin Y (IgY) expression in the spleen, and the isolation count of S. enteritidis in fresh fecal samples.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 100 starter and 100 finisher Cobb broiler chickens were divided into four groups, designated as T0, T1, T2, and T3, respectively: Group T0 was fed commercial feed with no added 2% red ginger powder or S. enteritidis induction, and served as a negative control; Group T1 was inoculated with a 0.25 mL S. enteritidis oral induction (1 × 10⁷ colony-forming unit [CFU] [0.5 McFarland standard]), and served as a positive control; Group T2 was fed with feed containing 2% red ginger powder; while Group T3 was fed with feed containing 2% red ginger powder and was orally inoculated with S. enteritidis with a dose similar to T1. The normal feed was given on the 1^st-7^th days. The mixture of 2% red ginger powder was given on the 7^th-15^th days. The S. enteritidis was induced on the 15^th day (1 × 10⁷ CFU). Necropsy was performed on the 16^th day and tissues were fixed in 10% formalin and routinely processed for histopathologic and immunohistochemical analyses. The data were analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance test, Tukey’s analysis, and the Mann-Whitney U non-parametric statistical analysis test.

RESULTS: The 2% red ginger powder was found to significantly (p < 0.05) increase IgA expression and additionally decrease tissue damage in the cecum and ileum. It also increased IgA and IgY expression in the spleen. In addition, a decrease was observed in the S. enteritidis number isolated from finisher fresh feces, but none was found in the isolated starter fresh feces.

CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that the addition of red ginger powder to chicken feed is a potential natural immunomodulator against S. enteritidis infection.

PMID:35993070 | PMC:PMC9375218 | DOI:10.14202/vetworld.2022.1506-1514

Vet World. 2022 Jun;15(6):1438-1448. doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2022.1438-1448. Epub 2022 Jun 12.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Fasciolosis is a significant problem in veterinary and public health, causing huge economic losses. Epidemiological studies of fasciolosis in dairy cattle in Indonesia are few and existing reports primarily focus on prevalence. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, risk factors, and infection intensity of fasciolosis in dairy cattle in Boyolali, Indonesia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 400 dairy cattle from 72 household farms in eight subdistricts. Fecal samples (n=400) were examined using the Flukefinder^® kit and the simple sedimentation technique was the gold standard for fasciolosis. In-person interviews using questionnaires collected data on farmers, farms, and animal characteristics. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the associated risk factors for fasciolosis, and p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: The overall prevalence of fasciolosis in dairy cattle in Boyolali, Indonesia, was 16.50% (95% confidence interval [CI] 12.85-20.15) at the animal level (n = 400), whereas 40.28% at household farms (n = 72) level (95% CI 18.67-51.88). The relative sensitivity and specificity of the Flukefinder^® kit compared with those of the gold standard were 79.49% and 92.52%, respectively, with a moderate agreement (kappa=0.59; p < 0.001). Fasciolosis was more likely in cattle originating from the Mojosongo subdistrict than from other subdistricts (odds ratio (OR)=5.28, 95% CI 1.22-22.94); from farms that did not process manure versus from those that did (OR = 3.03, 95% CI 1.43-4.71); and with farmers that had never attended extension programs compared with those who had (OR = 4.72, 95% CI 1.99-11.19). Studied cattle were mostly affected by light Fasciola spp. infections (92.4%, 95% CI 77.8-100%) followed by moderate (6.1%, 95% CI 0-22.2%) and heavy (1.5%, 95% CI 0-5.6%) infections.

CONCLUSION: Fasciolosis is prevalent in dairy cattle in Boyolali, Indonesia. Control efforts should target the high-risk Mojosongo subdistrict, emphasize the importance of processing manure, and encourage farmers to attend extension programs. Flukefinder^® is a practical on-site diagnostic kit for fasciolosis in Indonesian dairy farms. Parasite species identification and a malacological survey of intermediate hosts of Fasciola spp. in the farming environment are required for further research.

PMID:35993064 | PMC:PMC9375217 | DOI:10.14202/vetworld.2022.1438-1448

Biomed Res Int. 2022 Aug 12;2022:2719016. doi: 10.1155/2022/2719016. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To explore the application of pulmonary ultrasound in visual nursing of artificial airway in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

METHODS: Seventy-eight ARDS patients with mechanical ventilation admitted from February 2021 to January 2022 were included and divided into the intervention group and the control group. The control group was given routine airway nursing, and the intervention group was given visual airway nursing management through lung ultrasound. The arterial blood gas analysis indexes, mechanical ventilation time, ICU treatment time, total hospitalization time, aspiration, and the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS: After treatment, PaO₂, PaCO₂, SPO₂, and oxygenation indexes were significantly improved compared with those before treatment, and the indexes in the intervention group were better than those in the control group after treatment, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The mechanical ventilation time (5.39 ± 0.68 vs. 7.92 ± 0.59 days), ICU treatment time (8.05 ± 1.14 vs. 10.71 ± 1.16 days), and total hospitalization time (12.05 ± 2.20 vs. 15.68 ± 2.18 days) in the intervention group were significantly shorter than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The incidences of aspiration (2.56% vs. 15.38%) and VAP (5.13% vs. 20.51%) in the intervention group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: The application of visual artificial airway management assisted by lung ultrasound in ARDS patients can shorten the treatment time and hospitalization time of mechanical ventilation, reduce the incidence of aspiration and VAP, and improve the prognosis of patients.

PMID:35993058 | PMC:PMC9391190 | DOI:10.1155/2022/2719016

Biomed Res Int. 2022 Aug 12;2022:6161410. doi: 10.1155/2022/6161410. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Malaria is endemic in tropical and subtropical regions and causes up to one million deaths each year. It mostly affects sub-Saharan African countries including Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, it was estimated that about 75% of the land and 68% of the population are exposed to malaria. The aim of the current study was to determine malaria cases, its impact on the level of hemoglobin, and parasitemia and predisposing factors among febrile patients who visited Sibu Sire Health Care centers.

METHODS: Institution-based cross-sectional study was undertaken from May to October, 2020. Febrile patients who visited Sibu Sire Health Care centers were purposefully selected as the target population for the present study. Blood samples were collected and thick and thin smears stained with Giemsa. Hemoglobin level was determined using HemoCue Hb 301. Structured questionnaire and SPSS statistical software were used to collect and analyze data. P value < 0.05 was stated as statistically significant.

RESULTS: The overall prevalence of malaria was 168/979 (17.2%) out of which Plasmodium falciparum was 132/168 (78.5%), Plasmodium vivax was 27/168 (16.1%), and mixed infection was 9/168 (5.4%). To assess factors associated with dependent variable and determine the strength of association, binary logistic regression was used at adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. The associations between malaria cases, hemoglobin levels, and parasitemia were estimated to evaluate the impacts of malaria on hemoglobin levels and parasitemia level. Out of 979 febrile patients (male 453 and female 526), 168 (male 99 and female 69) individuals were infected with Plasmodium species and Plasmodium falciparum were the predominant parasites. The majority of the study participants 144/168 (85.7%) were from rural residences. Highest malaria-infected patients 74/168 (44%) were aged between 15 and 30 years old. The level of hemoglobin and parasitemia was highly associated with malaria cases; hence, in this study area, intensities of hemoglobin and parasitemia are significantly associated with Plasmodium species.

CONCLUSION: There was a moderate prevalence of malaria parasitemia and hemoglobin level among patients visiting Sibu Sire Health Care center; however, it needs further intervention to prevent and control malaria transmission in this malaria hotspot area.

PMID:35993053 | PMC:PMC9391188 | DOI:10.1155/2022/6161410

Biomed Res Int. 2022 Aug 8;2022:7948898. doi: 10.1155/2022/7948898. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

As a family of transcription factors, the correlations between expression pattern of nine interferon regulatory factor (IRF) family members, the immune invasion pattern, and the associated patient survival rate in endometrial carcinoma (EC) remain to be elucidated. Based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), the expression profiles of the high and low IRF mRNA expression groups were analyzed using R (3.6.3) statistical software. Gene annotation and pathway analyses were performed using Metascape. GSEA was performed using the R package clusterProfiler (3.6.3). The single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) was used to quantify the relative tumor infiltration levels of immune cell types. Immunohistochemistry data provided by HPA database was used to study the expression of the IRF proteins. Using the GEPIA dataset, the correlation between the expression of IRFs and the tumor stage of EC was analyzed. The correlations between the different IRFs were analyzed using cBioPortal. The expression of IRF2, IRF3, IRF5, IRF6, IRF7, IRF8, and IRF9 was different when comparing EC and normal endometrial samples. IRF2, IRF6, IRF7, and IRF8 were indicated to be potential diagnostic markers for EC. In combination with receiver operating characteristic analysis results, IRF2, IRF6, IRF7, and IRF8 were indicated to be potential diagnostic markers for EC. Levels of individual IRFs were associated with alternate outcomes, with the expression of IRF3 being correlated with the stage of EC and high expression of IRF4 being positively correlated with overall survival (OS); conversely, high expression of IRF5 was negatively correlated with OS. Additionally, high expression levels of both IRF2 and IRF4 were positively correlated with the disease-specific survival rate, and high expression of IRF4 was positively correlated with the progression-free interval. These data suggest a role for IRF2, IRF4, and IRF5 in the prognosis of EC. The expression of IRFs is associated with immune infiltration.

PMID:35993041 | PMC:PMC9381850 | DOI:10.1155/2022/7948898

Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2022 Aug 10;2022:8691830. doi: 10.1155/2022/8691830. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

Osteoporotic fracture, a major complication which is known as the outcome postmenopausal osteoporosis, seriously threatens the health of postmenopausal women. At present, the traditional osteoporotic fracture prediction methods are characterized by inconvenient application and time-consuming statistical results, while predictive serum biomarkers can make up for this shortcoming. Accurate and advanced risk prediction of osteoporotic fracture is meaningful to early prevention and intervention, effectively avoiding the risk of this disease and the secondary fracture in the surgical treatment. In this study, based on the BEYOND cohort, a 2-year follow-up study was conducted after subjects participated to survey if OF occurred. Independent sample t-test and Mann-Whitney U-test were used to analyze the differences of bone metabolism biomarkers between the OF and non-OF group. Cox proportional hazard model was used to screen the potential biomarkers might be used to predict OF risk. ROC curves and AUCs were used to analyze the predictive accuracy, and the Delong’s test was used to compare the differences between the AUCs. 15 postmenopausal women with low bone mass and OF were found, and other 60 subjects without OF were matched with 1 : 4, age, and BMI classification as control group. The serum IL-6 (OR = 1.139, 95%CI = 1.058 – 1.226) and leptin (OR = 0.921, 95%CI = 0.848 – 1.000) were found as OF risk predictive biomarkers for postmenopausal women with low bone mass with high accuracy (IL – 6 = 0.871) (leptin = 0.813) and accuracy enhanced when they were combined (AUC = 0.898). The results of Delong’s test showed that the difference of AUC between leptin and IL-6&Leptin was meaningful (P = 0.024) but meaningless between IL-6 and leptin (P = 0.436), IL-6 and IL-6&Leptin (P = 0.606). To sum up, IL-6 and leptin are the predictive biomarkers of OF for postmenopausal women with low bone mass. The IL-6 can improve the prediction accuracy of leptin (P = 0.024), but not vice versa (P = 0.606). Trial Information. Registered on the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry already. (Registration Number: ChiCTR-SOC-17013090).

PMID:35993023 | PMC:PMC9385352 | DOI:10.1155/2022/8691830

Curr Microbiol. 2022 Aug 22;79(10):295. doi: 10.1007/s00284-022-02988-1.

ABSTRACT

Gut microbiomes, a consortium of microorganisms that live in the animal gut, are highly engineered microbial communities. It makes a major contribution to digestive health, metabolism management, and the development of a strong immune system in the host. The present study was taken up to answer the long-running question about the existence of truly indigenous microflora of the epigeic earthworm gut. This is due to the general difficulties of culturing many of the microorganisms found in soil or earthworms’ gut. Keeping this fact in a view, the metagenomics approach using 16S rRNA marker gene incorporated with amplicon-based sequencing was used to explore microbiota of commercially overriding, diversely fed epigeic earthworm Eudrilus eugeniae (Kinberg) in three varied habitats viz., artificial soil (AS), organic agricultural farm soil (OAFS) and conventional agriculture farm soil (CAFS). There are predominant bacteria that belong to different phyla such as Proteobacteria (29.72-76.81%), Actinobacteria (11.06-34.42%), Firmicutes (6.02-19.81%), and Bacteroidetes (2.40-9.22%) present in the gut of E. eugeniae. The alpha diversity (Observed species, Chao1, ACE, Shannon, Simpson, and Fisher alpha) indices showed that OAFS had significantly higher alpha diversity than AS and CAFS groups. The core microbiota analysis showed that OAFS and AS groups had a relatively similar bacterial panel in comparison to the CAFS group. Various statistical tools i.e. MetagenomeSeq, LEfSe, and Random Forest analysis were performed and the findings demonstrated prevalence of the most significant bacterial genera; Aeromonas, Gaiella, and Burkholderia in CAFS group. Nonetheless, in AS and OAFS groups, the common existence of Anaerosporobacter and Aquihabitans were found respectively. Metagenomic functional prediction revealed that earthworms’ gut microbial communities were actively involved in multiple organic and xenobiotics compound degradation-related pathways. This is the first research to use high-throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to show the gut microbiota of E. eugeniae in diverse agricultural systems. The findings suggest the configuration of the gut microbiota of earthworms and its potential role in the soil ecosystem depends on the microbial communities of the soil.

PMID:35989412 | DOI:10.1007/s00284-022-02988-1

Dig Dis Sci. 2022 Aug 22. doi: 10.1007/s10620-022-07654-x. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Response to ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) has been traditionally assessed 1 to 2 years after treatment initiation. With the development of new drugs, some patients may benefit from an earlier introduction of second-line therapies.

AIMS: This study aims to identify whether well-validated response criteria could correctly identify individuals likely to benefit from add-on second-line therapy at 6 months.

METHODS: Analysis of a multicenter retrospective cohort which included only patients with clear-cut PBC.

RESULTS: 206 patients with PBC (96.6% women; mean age 54 ± 12 years) were included. Kappa concordance was substantial for Toronto (0.67), Rotterdam (0.65), Paris 1 (0.63) and 2 (0.63) criteria at 6 and 12 months, whereas Barcelona (0.47) and POISE trial (0.59) criteria exhibited moderate agreement. Non-response rates to UDCA was not statistically different when assessed either at 6 or 12 months using Toronto, Rotterdam or Paris 2 criteria. Those differences were even smaller or absent in those subjects with advanced PBC. Mean baseline alkaline phosphatase was 2.73 ± 1.95 times the upper limit of normal (× ULN) among responders versus 5.05 ± 3.08 × ULN in non-responders (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: After 6 months of treatment with UDCA, the absence of response by different criteria could properly identify patients who could benefit from early addition of second-line therapies, especially in patients with advanced disease or high baseline liver enzymes levels.

PMID:35989386 | DOI:10.1007/s10620-022-07654-x

Qual Life Res. 2022 Aug 22. doi: 10.1007/s11136-022-03222-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Compare the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of the Australian general population during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020) with pre-pandemic data (2015-2016) and identify pandemic-related and demographic factors associated with poorer HRQL.

METHODS: Participants were quota sampled from an online panel by four regions (defined by active COVID-19 case numbers); then by age and sex. Participants completed an online survey about their HRQL [EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire and General Health Question (GHQ)], demographic characteristics, and the impact of the pandemic on daily life. HRQL scores were compared to a 2015-2016 reference sample using independent t-tests, adjusted for multiple testing. Associations between 22 pre-specified factors (pandemic-related and demographic) and 15 QLQ-C30 domains and GHQ, were assessed with multiple regressions.

RESULTS: Most domains were statistically significantly worse for the 2020 sample (n = 1898) compared to the reference sample (n = 1979), except fatigue and pain. Differences were largest for the youngest group (18-29 years) for cognitive functioning, nausea, diarrhoea, and financial difficulties. Emotional functioning was worse for 2020 participants aged 18-59, but not for those 60 +. All models were statistically significant at p < .001; the most variance was explained for emotional functioning, QLQ-C30 global health/QOL, nausea/vomiting, GHQ, and financial difficulties. Generally, increased workload, negative COVID-19 impacts, COVID-19-related worries, and negative attitudes towards public health order compliance were associated with poorer HRQL outcomes.

CONCLUSION: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Australians reported poorer HRQL relative to a pre-pandemic sample. Risk factors for poor HRQL outcomes included greater negative pandemic-related impacts, poorer compliance attitudes, and younger age.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ANZCTR number is: ACTRN12621001240831. Web address of your trial: https://www.anzctr.org.au/ACTRN12621001240831.aspx . Date submitted: 26/08/2021 2:56:53 PM. Date registered: 14/09/2021 9:40:31 AM. Registered by: Margaret-Ann Tait. Principal Investigator: Madeleine King.

PMID:35989367 | DOI:10.1007/s11136-022-03222-y

Arch Dermatol Res. 2022 Aug 21. doi: 10.1007/s00403-022-02380-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Dupilumab is the first human monoclonal antibody that treats atopic dermatitis (AD) by blocking interleukin 4 (IL-4) and interleukin 13 (IL-13), which can suppress the Th2 inflammatory reaction. Effective treatments for pediatric AD patients are limited; therefore, we aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of dupilumab in pediatric AD patients. Fifteen pediatric patients diagnosed with moderate to severe AD and treated with dupilumab were enrolled in this study. SPSS was used to analyze data and obtain the average values of Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI), SCORing AD (SCORAD), and Children’s Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI). GRAPHPAD was used to analyze and plot the statistics. The average EASI values were 19.23 ± 3.03 and 1.69 ± 0.54 at baseline and at following up for 6 months after standardized treatment protocol, respectively. The average SCORAD values were 43.27 ± 4.63 and 6.13 ± 1.41 at baseline and at following up for 6 months after standardized treatment protocol, respectively. The average CDLQI value at baseline was 13.53 ± 2.88 and following up for 6 months after standardized treatment protocol was 1.60 ± 0.63. The most frequent adverse event was conjunctivitis. No serious adverse events occurred during the treatment period. Dupilumab could reduce symptoms and improve pruritus in pediatric AD patients, and the frequent adverse events were reversible. It has a definite therapeutic effect on AD; nevertheless, further studies should be conducted to obtain information on its the long-term efficacy and safety.

PMID:35989340 | DOI:10.1007/s00403-022-02380-w