Tag: statistics

J Anat. 2021 Feb 27. doi: 10.1111/joa.13420. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Muscle stem cells (MSCs) are a promising tool for cell-based therapy and tissue regeneration in veterinary medicine. Evaluation of MSCs from muscles of different origins improves our understanding of their regenerative potential. The present study compared the stemness, cell proliferation, migration potential, myogenic differentiation (MD), and multipotency of MSCs for four developmentally different muscles of ovine origin. MSCs were isolated from the hind limb (HL), diaphragm (DI), extraocular (EO), and masseter (MS) muscles. Cell proliferation, migration, and stemness were examined using sulforhodamine B, and colony formation assays. Evaluation of multipotency was examined using histological and morphometric analyses, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and the expression of myogenic, adipogenic, and osteogenic markers using RT-qPCR. Data were statistically analysed using analysis of variance. The results revealed that all experimental groups expressed stem cell markers paired box transcription factor Pax7, α7-integrin, CD90, and platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha. DI and HL muscle cells displayed higher proliferation, migration, and colony formation capacities compared to the EO and MS muscle cells. HL and DI muscle cells showed increased MD, as indicated by myotube formation and relative expression of MyoD at day 7 and Myogenin at day 14. Although MS and EO muscle cells displayed impaired MD, these cells were more prone to adipogenic differentiation, as indicated by Oil Red O staining and upregulated fatty acid-binding protein 4 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma expression. DI muscle cells demonstrated a higher osteogenic differentiation capability, as shown by the upregulation of osteopontin expression and an elevated ALP activity. Our data indicate that ovine HL and DI MSCs have a higher regenerative and multipotent potential than the EO and MS muscle cells. These results could be valuable for regional muscle biopsies and cell-based therapies.

PMID:33641201 | DOI:10.1111/joa.13420

Am J Reprod Immunol. 2021 Feb 28:e13411. doi: 10.1111/aji.13411. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PROBLEM: Injectable hormonal contraceptives (IHC) have been associated with altered mucosal and systemic milieu which might increase HIV risk, but most studies have focused on DMPA and not NET-EN, despite growing popularity and lower HIV risk associated with the latter in observational studies.

METHOD OF STUDY: We used high-performance liquid chromatography in combination with tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (HPLC-LC-MS/MS) to measure steroid hormones in plasma samples of CAPRISA004 study participants. Concentrations of 48 cytokines were measured in the cervicovaginal lavage (CVL) and plasma, and their expression was compared between participants with detectable NET-EN (n = 201) versus non-detectable IHC (n = 90). Each log10 cytokine concentration was tested as an outcome in linear mixed models, with NET-EN detection as the main explanatory variable. Multivariable models were adjusted for potential confounders.

RESULTS: In bivariate analysis, detectable NET-EN was associated with reduced cervicovaginal M-CSF (p=0.008), GM-CSF (p=0.025) and G-CSF (p=0.039), and elevated levels MIF (p=0.008), IL-18 (p=0.011), RANTES (p=0.005) and IL-1Rα (p<0.001). Lower G-CSF (p=0.011) and elevated IL-1Rα (p=0.008) remained significant in adjusted models. Multivariable analyses of plasma samples obtained from NET-EN-detectable women showed a significant increase in IP-10 (p=0.026) and reductions in TNF-β (p=0.037), RANTES (p=0.009) and M-CSF (p<0.001). While similar growth factor reduction in CVL was noted for both DMPA and NET-EN, similar trends were not observed for endogenous progesterone.

CONCLUSIONS: Detectable NET-EN was associated with reduced growth factors in the plasma and genital tract; particularly G-CSF and M-CSF. Our results suggest that while NET-EN is not inflammatory, it may have important immunological effects.

PMID:33641222 | DOI:10.1111/aji.13411

Nurs Crit Care. 2021 Feb 28. doi: 10.1111/nicc.12614. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Despite increased attention, acute and persistent post-operative pain are not treated efficiently and interventions against acute pain are therefore of clinical importance and should be welcomed.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of wound infiltration with 0.5% bupivacaine for pain management in the immediate post-operative period in patients that underwent cardiac surgery with sternotomy.

DESIGN: The study was performed employing a single-centre nonrandomized experimental design to evaluate a prospective cohort of patients recruited from June to December of 2017.

METHODS: A single-centre study with a non-randomized experimental design compared the pain perceived by 137 patients undergoing to cardiac surgery within which 68 patients who received infiltration of bupivacaine and 69 patients received infiltration with saline solution. Pain measures were made with the numeric rating scale (NRS) at 2, 12, 24, and 48 hours. Socio-demographic and clinical variables were included too and descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed.

RESULTS: A statistically significant difference was found between the means of the NRS scores in favour of the intervention group. Cohen’s d showed a significant effect size. NRS scores were grouped into NRS ≥4 or NRS <4 and similar results were found. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed the absence of confounding factors that could call results into question.

CONCLUSION: Subcutaneous infiltration of 0.5% bupivacaine in the surgical site of patients who have undergone cardiac surgery showed clinically and statistically significant pain relief compared with patients who received saline infiltration throughout the first 12 hours after surgery. This intervention provides promising preliminary results that, alone or in conjunction with other nursing interventions, could constitute an important therapeutic tool for this area of nursing clinical practice.

PMID:33641253 | DOI:10.1111/nicc.12614

J Periodontal Res. 2021 Feb 28. doi: 10.1111/jre.12859. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine differences in GCF and serum levels of fractalkine/CX3CL1 and its receptor/ CX3CR1 between the patients with stage III/grade B periodontitis and periodontally healthy subjects.

BACKGROUND: Fractalkine (CX3CL1), the only member of CX3C chemokine family, is involved in the pathogenesis of several systemic inflammatory diseases’ disorders including rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, tonsillitis, and diabetes mellitus. It has critical functions in inflammatory cell migration, adhesion, and proliferation.

METHODS: 20 stage III/grade B periodontitis (P) and 20 healthy individuals (control; C) were included in this clinical study (all never smokers and systemically healthy). Clinical periodontal parameters were measured. Serum and GCF levels of CX3CL1, CX3CR1, and IL-1β were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and reported as total amounts and concentration.

RESULTS: The GCF concentrations and also total amount of CX3CL1, CX3CR1, and IL-1β were statistically significantly higher in the patients with periodontitis compared with control group (P < 0.05). CX3CL1, CX3CR1, and IL-1β levels in the GCF were significantly and positively correlated with all the clinical periodontal parameters (PI, PPD, BOP, and CAL; P < 0.01, P < 0.05). There was a significant correlation between IL-1β, CX3CL1, and CX3CR1 concentrations in the GCF (respectively; r = 0.838 and r = 0.874, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION: Fractalkine and its receptor may play role in mechanisms through the regulation of inflammation or on the pathogenesis of periodontal disease.

PMID:33641164 | DOI:10.1111/jre.12859

West Afr J Med. 2021 Feb;38(2):125-130.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The effect of hypertension on the vascular system leads to Target Organ Damage (TOD). The cochlea is one of the target organs affected by hypertension, giving rise to Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SNHL).

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and pattern of Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SNHL) among hypertensives.

DESIGN: Case-Control Study.

SETTING: Tertiary hospital.

SUBJECTS: Two hundred and twenty six hypertensives, aged 21 to 60 years and a corresponding number of age and sex matched control.

METHODOLOGY: Eligible participants were prospectively evaluated. Their blood pressures were verified, hearing thresholds assessed through Pure Tone Audiometry, Pure Tone Average were calculated and the types and degree of hearing loss were confirmed. Data was analyzed using SPSS 21 and statistical significance was set at p-value 0.05.

RESULTS: Each group had 127 (56.19% ) females and 99 ( 43.81 % ) males. The difference in the mean age between the cases (40.02 ± 0.70years) and the controls (37.42 ± 0.47years) was not statistically significant (p = 0.542).The difference in the mean Pure Tone Average in dBHL between the cases (15.53± 6.95) and the controls (13.98 ± 4.35) was significant (p = 0.005) with a 12.83% prevalence of SNHL among the hypertensives against 1.77% in the controls. Majority (96.6 %) of them demonstrated bilateral, symmetrical, mild SNHL with 51.7% of them being above 50 years. The odds ratio in this study was 8.17 (p = 0.0001).

CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated a SNHL prevalence of 12.83% with a mild, bilateral, symmetrical pattern among hypertensives; increasing with advanced age and an eight-fold risk of occurrence.

PMID:33641146

West Afr J Med. 2021 Feb;38(2):152-157.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Blood transfusion is a lifesaving procedure with varying indications. Neonates, especially the extremely preterm are among the most frequent recipients of blood products. The indications could be from anaemia of prematurity or pathological causes such as haemolysis from ABO or rhesus incompatibility, neonatal sepsis and acute haemorrhage, among others.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the rate, indications and outcome of blood transfusion in neonates at Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe, Nigeria.

METHODOLOGY: The study was retrospective and included 96 neonates who received blood transfusion at the SCBU of Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe from January, 2015 to December, 2019. Data was extracted from patients’ medical records and analysed using IBM SPSS statistics version 24.

RESULTS: The prevalence of blood transfusion was 3.5% with top up blood transfusion being the most frequent, 63 (65.6%), form. Half of the patients, 48(50%), received fresh whole blood while 45 (46.9%) received packed red cells, other types of blood products accounted for 3.1%. The most common indication for exchange blood transfusion was severe hyperbilirubinaemia followed by severe anaemia. Similarly, severe anaemia and acute haemorrhage were the main indications for top-up transfusion. Seventy-four (77.1%) patients who received transfusion were discharged while 22 (22.9%) died. Blood transfusion was significantly related to the place of delivery and admitting unit.

CONCLUSION: The rate of blood transfusion was low, severe hyperbilirubinaemia and severe anaemia were the main indications for blood transfusion in this study. Mortality among transfused neonates was high.

PMID:33641150

J Periodontal Res. 2021 Feb 28. doi: 10.1111/jre.12860. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Different evidence has shown that Galectins have a key role as modulators of cell surface functions and signaling in a wide range of inflammatory diseases during their preclinical stages. The aim of this study was to analyze the association and impact of periodontitis and coronary heart disease (CHD) on salivary and serum Galectin-3 in patients with periodontitis and CHD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: For the present study, healthy controls (n = 38), periodontitis (n = 40), CHD (n = 39), and a combination of periodontitis +CHD (n = 38) patients were enrolled and analyzed. In each patient, demographic characteristics and a full-mouth clinical periodontal examination were achieved. Moreover, serum and salivary samples were collected to assess Galectin-3 and Endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels. The Jonckheere-Terpstra p-trend and Spearman’s correlation tests as well as uni- and linear regression analyses were used to analyze the study data.

RESULTS: Patients with periodontitis (serum, p = .003; saliva, p < .001) and periodontitis + CHD groups (serum p = .004; saliva, p < .001) had higher median serum and salivary concentrations of Galectin-3 in comparison with CHD and healthy controls. Serum (p = .006) and salivary (p = .009) Galectin-3 levels were significantly correlated with serum ET-1. The multivariate regression analysis highlighted that periodontitis (p = .047) was the significant predictor of serum Galectin-3 levels while ET-1 (p = .028) was the significant predictor of salivary Galectin-3 levels.

CONCLUSION: The results showed that patients with periodontitis and periodontitis + CHD presented significant higher serum and salivary Galectin-3 levels in comparison with CHD patients and healthy subjects. Periodontitis and ET-1 were the significant predictors of serum and salivary Galectin-3 levels, respectively.

PMID:33641161 | DOI:10.1111/jre.12860

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2021 Feb 28. doi: 10.1007/s11356-021-13168-2. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Amphibians are the most important vulnerable non-target vertebrate group that are affected by pesticides. Most previous studies have confirmed the destructive effects of pesticides. But, so far, no comprehensive studies have been carried out in Iran. Therefore, to estimate the mortality rate of frogs during the growing season in different cultivating systems, we examined the presence of pesticides in water and substrate as indicators of habitat quality and in the liver tissue of Marsh frog Pelophylax ridibundus (Pallas, 1771), enclosed in the prepared cages at five rice paddy fields in Mazandaran province, Iran. The measurement of pollution was done using mass gas chromatography method and statistical analyses by Minitab software. Furthermore, the probable movement pattern of free frogs was analyzed using capture-mark-recapture method. Thirteen pesticides were detected both in the habitat and in frogs’ liver tissue. Among them ß-Mevinphos, Fenitrothion, Bromofos, and Trifluralin had the most frequent occurrence in liver tissue, and Diazinon with concentrations up to 517.8 μg/Kg had the highest concentration. Furthermore, there is a significant correlation (R² > 0.96) between water quality and frogs’ contamination, whereas, no correlation was observed between substrate pollution and frogs’ contamination. Pesticide concentrations were higher in two stations but lower than lethal doses to frogs, so that no mortality was observed at any of the stations. However, some specimens had a considerable muscle atrophy. Despite no significant movement pattern was detected, we can expect that if this trend continues, in a long term, they will face a reduction in the survival rate.

PMID:33641106 | DOI:10.1007/s11356-021-13168-2

Eur Cell Mater. 2021 Feb 23;41:204-215. doi: 10.22203/eCM.v041a15.

ABSTRACT

The demand for bone grafting procedures in various fields of medicine is increasing. Existing substitutes in clinical practice do not meet all the criteria required for an ideal bone scaffold, so new materials are being sought. This study evaluated bone regeneration using a critical-size Wistar rat’s calvarial defect model. 12 male and 12 female rats were evenly divided into 3 groups: 1. Negative and positive (Geistlich Bio-Oss®) controls; 2. polylactic acid (PLA) and PLA/hydroxyapatite (HA); 3. PLA/HA cellularised with dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) and PLA/HA extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffolds. PLA/HA filament was created using hot-melt extrusion equipment. All scaffolds were fabricated using a 3D printer. DPSC were isolated from the incisors of adult Wistar rats. The defects were evaluated by micro-computed tomography (µCT) and histology, 8 weeks after surgery. µCT revealed that the Bio-Oss group generated 1.49 mm3 and PLA/HA ECM 1.495 mm3 more bone volume than the negative control. Histology showed a statistically significant difference between negative control and both (Bio-Oss and PLA/HA ECM) groups in rats of both genders. Moreover, histology showed gender-specific differences in all experimental groups and a statistically significant difference between cellularised PLA/HA and PLA/HA ECM groups in female rats. Qualitative histology showed the pronounced inflammation reaction during biodegradation in the PLA group. In conclusion, the bone-forming ability was comparable between the Bio-Oss and PLA/HA ECM scaffolds. Further research is needed to analyse the effects of ECM and PLA/HA ratio on osteoregeneration.

PMID:33641140 | DOI:10.22203/eCM.v041a15

West Afr J Med. 2021 Feb;38(2):109-113.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: We assessed clinical parameters in patients confirmed to have COVID-19 in relation to arterial hypoxaemia and survival.

METHODOLOGY: This was a retrospective chart review of patients who were confirmed positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus by Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing. Data extracted from patients’ case files included patient demographics, presenting symptoms, provisional diagnoses, and outcomes of hospitalisation. Descriptive variables were summarized; proportions were compared using Chi-square tests, and independent predictors of mortality were assessed using multivariate regression analysis. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

RESULTS: There were a total of 61 patients with positive RT-PCR testing: mean age ± SD (minimum – maximum) was 53.0 ± 18.5 (5 months – 90) years. Persons aged 60 years and above were the largest group (n=24, 39.3%). More than half were male (n=35, 57.4%); about 43% had one morbidity; 41.0% had at least two co-morbidities. The mean (SD) arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) was 86.9% ± 16.7. Patients who were clinically dyspnoeic at presentation, and who had co-morbidities were significantly more hypoxaemic (p = 0.026 and 0.04, respectively). Significantly more patients who had normal oxygen saturation at presentation survived (p = 0.006). None of these variables was an independent predictor of mortality, however.

CONCLUSION: Arterial hypoxaemia was significantly associated with dyspnoea and underlying disease, and normal oxygen saturation at presentation was significantly associated with survival. Hospital managers and clinicians may thus prioritize routine pulse oximetry, supplemental oxygen therapy and management of co-morbidities in the COVID-19 fight.

PMID:33641143