High Prevalence Research Articles

Framing the Research and Engaging the Reader in Graduate Engineering Students’ Abstracts

Abstract Writing an abstract is a challenging assignment for graduate students as it requires condensing all the extensive research into a few sentences, providing sufficient background knowledge, and presenting findings compellingly to the academic community. This study observes how graduate engineering students cope with writing their abstracts for their first published papers, with a specific focus on metadiscourse. The study is based on the learner corpus of 1,746 abstracts (117,535 words) written by non-native English speakers in English and Serbian during their Master’s studies. The research follows Hyland’s taxonomy, focusing on interactive frame markers and interactional engagement markers, together with metadiscursive nouns in order to uncover cross-linguistic patterns and pedagogical implications. The comparison of the absolute and relative frequency with statistical significance and log likelihood between Serbian and English sub-corpora demonstrates that students tend to use frame markers with greater frequency in Serbian abstracts than in English ones. Additionally, engagement markers, and especially directives, are used twice as often as frame markers in both sub-corpora, with a higher prevalence in English abstracts. Following the qualitative and quantitative analyses, the findings offer pedagogical implications related to the range of frame markers and metadiscursive nouns used by students to introduce their research aims and the range of engagement markers used to engage readers in their research and thus claim their credibility in academic writing.

Correlation Between Serum and Tear Fluid Interleukin 6 Levels in Day and Night Shift Health Care Workers

Background: Night shift work is associated with several long-term health complications including metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease along with various adverse health effects. This study was planned and conducted to learn the impact of Interleukin-6 (IL-6), a chronic inflammatory cytokine among day and night shift health care workers, and to correlate the relationship between the serum and tear fluid IL 6. Aim and Objective: To correlate the relationship between serum and tear fluid Interleukin-6 (IL-6) in day and night shift healthcare workers at a tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: This is a Cross-Sectional study with 100 (fifty-day shift and fifty-night shift) participants including medical, paramedical students, and lab technicians. Blood and tear samples were collected from both groups. SPSS version 26.0 was used to analyze the data using Pearson’s correlation, chi-square test, and ROC. An Independent student’s t-test was used to examine the differences between the mean scores. p-value < 0.05 is considered significant. Results: Serum and tear IL-6 levels were significantly increased in night shift workers when compared to day shift workers with p-value < 0.0001. There was a positive correlation between tear and serum IL-6 levels (r value 0.732 and 0.624) among day and night shift workers respectively. A high prevalence of dry eye syndrome in night shift workers (40%) when compared to day shift workers (14%). In ROC analysis, tear IL-6 shows the highest area under the curve (0.935) compared to serum IL-6 (0.883) which reveals the superiority of tear fluid analysis and suggests that tear fluid can be used as a minimally invasive technique to analyze IL-6 alternative to serum IL-6 analysis. Conclusion: This study concludes that tear and serum Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is proportionately increased in night shift workers compared to day shift workers with a positive correlation. It also suggests that tear fluid can be used as a minimally invasive technique and a superior method to analyze IL-6.

Levels of Different Microbial Groups on Inert Surfaces of Poultry Slaughterhouses: Identification Using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-of-Flight and Detection of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase- and Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteria

Knowledge of the microbiota present in food processing environments is a significant advance that will allow for better evaluation of the risk of food contamination and a better design of the procedures for sanitization. The levels of microbial group indicators of hygienic quality were determined in different areas of the slaughter lines of two poultry slaughterhouses in the northwest of Spain (22 surfaces in each slaughterhouse were studied). The average microbial levels (ufc/cm2) were 2.15 × 102 ± 4.26 × 102 (total aerobic counts, TAC), 1.99 × 102 ± 5.00 × 102 (psychrotrophic microorganisms), 3.10 × 100 ± 1.37 × 101 (enterobacteria), 3.96 × 100 ± 2.55 × 101 (coliforms), 1.80 × 10−1 ± 7.79 × 10−1 (enterococci), and 1.12 × 10−1 ± 3.35 × 10−1 (vancomycin-resistant enterococci, VRE). TAC and psychrotrophic microorganisms were the most abundant groups in all samples (p < 0.05). The counts of both microbial groups were higher (p < 0.05) in samples of Slaughterhouse A than in those of Slaughterhouse B. Microbial loads for the rest of the bacteria were not influenced by the slaughterhouse sampled (p > 0.05). All 44 samples showed TAC and psychrotrophic microorganisms. Colonies of the rest of the microbial groups were only found in 26 samples (59.1% of the total). The isolates (one from each sample) were identified with MALDI-TOF and PCR. Gram-negative bacteria (all Enterobacteriaceae) were isolated in 23 samples, and Gram-positive bacteria were isolated in 16 (9 Enterococcus spp., 2 Enterococcus spp. and VRE, 3 VRE, 1 Enterococcus spp. and Listeria spp., and 1 Listeria spp.). The resistance of the strains to 11 (Enterococcus spp.) or 17 (Enterobacteriaceae) antibiotics was determined (disk diffusion, CLSI), finding an average of 2.05 ± 2.06 resistances per strain (3.46 ± 2.27 if reduced susceptibility reactions are included). A total of 37.3% of the Enterobacteriaceae isolates had a gene for resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics (blaTEM, blaCTX-M-15, blaKPC, blaCMY-2 or blaNDM). The high prevalence of resistant bacteria and resistance genes highlights the need to establish measures to control the spread of antibiotic resistance in poultry slaughterhouses. The findings of this work could contribute to the design of more effective sanitation procedures.

Advanced Heart Failure Therapies in Neuromuscular Diseases

Abstract Purpose of Review The main objective of this review article is to discuss the prevalence, utilization, and outcomes associated with advanced heart failure therapies among patients with neuromuscular disorders. Recent Findings Neuromuscular disorders often have multisystem involvement with a high prevalence of cardiovascular pathology. With the improvement in management of respiratory related complications, heart failure is now the leading cause of mortality in this patient population. Advanced heart failure therapies with durable left ventricular assist devices and heart transplantation have proven to be feasible and safe treatment options in selected patients. Summary Management of neuromuscular disease involves multidisciplinary team involvement given the systemic nature of the disease. Early recognition and close monitoring of these patients will allow for timely initiation of advanced heart failure therapies that can lead to successful outcomes.

Accessibility of and barriers to the use of eye health services in Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana.

There is a high prevalence of vision impairment and blindness in Africa. The poor access to eye health services, among other barriers, has been found to have a considerable effect on the burden of avoidable vision loss and blindness, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. To determine the accessibility of and barriers to the utilisation of eye health services in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted in the Kumasi Metropolis of the Ashanti Region in Ghana to identify barriers affecting the utilisation of eye health services. Convenience sampling was used to recruit participants visiting the eye clinics at five selected District Municipal Hospitals for the first time. Data were collected by means of questionnaires and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Barriers faced by participants when accessing eye health services included distance to the clinic, cost of services, time spent away from work and/or school, self-medication and long waiting periods. The study found that eye care services in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana are largely accessible, but underutilised. Improvement of public health education initiatives through engagement with community groups will also enhance uptake at health care facilities.Contribution:Underutilisation of health services in the Metropolis has been identified in the study and must be addressed by health managers in various sectors. Accessibility is relatively good but can further be improved especially for the elderly to be able to utilise health care services with ease.

Exploring the clinical utility of exome sequencing/Mono, Duo, Trio in prenatal testing: a retrospective study in a tertiary care centre in South India.

With the availability of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) diagnosis of genetic disorders has improved significantly. Its use is also applicable to ascertain diagnosis and management in a perinatal setting. The study aims to detect the genetic aetiology of various congenital structural and functional defects using NGS technology in the reproductive cohort at a tertiary centre. The secondary objective is to address challenges in the interpretation of variants. This was a retrospective study of couples who underwent exome sequencing (Mono-testing proband only or Duo-testing parents only or Trio-testing proband and parents) for suspected single gene disorders between years 2020-2022 at a tertiary care perinatal center in the South India. American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) guidelines were followed to classify the pathogenicity of the variants identified by exome sequencing. The overall diagnostic yield as defined by pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants obtained was (23/43) 53.4 %. The individual subsets have the following diagnostic yield viz., Mono 5/6 (83 %); Carrier 16/32 (50 %); Trio 2/5 (40 %). Diagnostic yield was significantly higher in consanguineous couples. However, miscarriage history, and organ system involvement did not have a significant effect on the diagnostic yield. Prenatal diagnosis was offered for seven patients based on the exome result. One fetus was confirmed with a compound heterozygous pathogenic variant. Diagnostic yield of exome sequencing in our cohort was 53 %. The detection of pathogenic variants was maximum in those cases undergoing Mono exome sequencing. In places where there is a high prevalence of consanguinity and endogamy, NGS may be offered as first line test in the context of prenatal diagnosis.

Ethnic/racial and sex disparities in obstructive sleep apnea among adolescents in southern California.

Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common, however, inclusion of adolescents and especially those of ethnic/racial minorities in research is scarce. We hypothesized that ethnic/racial minority adolescents undergoing polysomnography (PSG) have higher prevalence and more severe OSA compared to those who are non-Hispanic (NH) White. Retrospective review of 1,745 adolescents undergoing diagnostic PSG. Demographic characteristics, age, body mass index percentile (BMIp), and PSG parameters were obtained. Descriptive statistics comparing race/ethnicity were analyzed. Linear regression of log-transformed obstructive apnea-hypopnea index (OAHI), and logistic regression of moderate-severe OSA (OAHI ≥ 5 events/h) adjusting for covariates were analyzed. 58.2% adolescents were Hispanic, 24.1% NH-White, 4.3% NH-Asian/Pacific Islander (PI), 4.2% NH-Black/African American (AA), and 6.6% NH-other. Compared to the NH-White group, the Hispanic group had higher OAHI and any level of OSA severity; the Black/AA group had higher moderate-severe and severe OSA, and the NH-Asian group had higher moderate-severe OSA. Multiple linear regression of log-OAHI identified an association with Hispanic ethnicity (β: 0.25, P-value < .05). Compared to the NH-White group, the Hispanic and the Asian/PI groups were 1.45 (95% CI: 1.10, 1.93) and 1.81 (95% CI: 1.05, 3.10) times more likely to have moderate-severe OSA, respectively, after adjusting for relevant covariates. Stratified analysis by sex identified an association only among males between Hispanic ethnicity (OR: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.27, 2.70) and Asian/PI ethnicity (OR: 2.62, 95% CI: 1.35, 5.11) and moderate-severe OSA, compared to the NH-White group. Among adolescents undergoing PSG evaluation, we identified OSA racial/ethnic and sex disparities in Hispanic and NH-Asian adolescents. Community level studies with adequate representation of these minority groups are needed to identify factors associated with the reported increased susceptibility.

The association between smoking and smokeless tobacco use with dental caries among Pakistani patients

BackgroundTobacco use is widely recognised as a significant risk factor for oral cancer and periodontal diseases. However, the relationship between various types of tobacco use and dental caries has been inconsistent. This study aimed to determine the association between smoking and smokeless tobacco and dental caries among patients in a tertiary care hospital in Quetta, Pakistan.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2020 to March 2021 among patients in a tertiary care hospital in Quetta, Pakistan. Oral examinations and interviews were performed according to the WHO Oral Health Survey basic methods (5th edition) to determine dental caries status, tobacco use, and oral health behaviours. The odds ratio and binary logistic regression were analysed to assess the association between the types (smoking tobacco, smokeless tobacco, and use of both types), duration, and frequency of tobacco use and high caries level (DMFT ≥ 5).ResultsFour hundred participants aged 18–65 were included, and 67.8% were tobacco users. Use of both smoking and smokeless tobacco (aOR = 14.7, 95%CI = 1.87–115.96, p = 0.011), smokeless tobacco only (aOR = 5.90, 95%CI = 1.89–18.37, p = 0.002), and smoking only (aOR = 2.18, 95%CI = 1.23–3.88, p = 0.008) were associated with significantly increased risk of high caries. Using tobacco for longer periods and more frequently daily also significantly increases the risk of high caries.ConclusionSmoking and smokeless tobacco are significantly associated with high dental caries after adjusting for other factors. Due to the high severity of dental caries and the high prevalence of tobacco use among Pakistani patients in this study, it is highly recommended to strengthen policies aimed at reducing tobacco usage, including smokeless forms.

Reducing neuroendocrine psychosocial stress response through socio-emotional dyadic but not mindfulness online training.

Stress-related diseases pose significant health risks and show wide prevalence. Empirical evidence suggests that contemplative practices, such as socio-emotional dyadic mental exercises, hold promise in mitigating the adverse effects of stress and promoting psychosocial well-being. This study aimed to investigate the differential effects of two online contemplative mental training programs on the psychosocial stress response: the first involved classic mindfulness practices, while the second incorporated a socio-emotional dyadic approach known as Affect Dyad. The study was conducted as part of the longitudinal CovSocial project's phase 2 in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. 140 individuals participated in the Trier Social Stress Task (TSST), where the psychosocial stress response was assessed with cortisol saliva samples and subjective stress questionnaires in a cross-sectional design after the active training groups finished their intervention period. Participants were randomly assigned to the socio-emotional training group, mindfulness-based training group, or a control group that did not receive any training. Both training programs consisted of a ten-week intervention period with a daily 12-minute app-based mental training practice and weekly 2-hour online coaching sessions led by mental training teachers. Results showed that the socio-emotional Dyad group but not the mindfulness-based group exhibited significantly lower cortisol levels at 10, 20, 30, and 40 minutes after the stressor as well as lower total cortisol output compared to the control group during the TSST, indicating a reduced hormonal stress response to a social stressor. Subjective markers did not show differences between the three groups. These findings indicate that the daily socio-emotional dyadic practice, which emphasizes non-judgmental and empathic listening as well as the acceptance of challenging emotions in the presence of others within one's daily life context, may serve as a protective factor against the adverse effects of psychosocial stress triggered by the fear of negative social judgments. Given the high prevalence of stress-related diseases, such online mental training programs based on dyadic practices may thus represent an efficient and scalable approach for stress reduction.

Alcohol Use Disorder and HIV Risk in a National Survey of Men Who Have Sex with Men in Ukraine.

Problematic alcohol consumption is associated with risk behaviors associated with HIV transmission. Despite the high prevalence of problematic alcohol consumption in Ukraine, however,there are little empirical data examining its association with risk behaviors also associated with HIV transmission in men who have sex with men (MSM), a key population where HIV incidence is increasing, METHOD: Correlates of prevalent HIV infection and their association between drinking severity levelsand behaviors also associated with increased likelihood of HIV acquisition were analyzed from a 2017 nationally representative survey (IBBS) of 4938 MSM in Ukraine using bivariate analyses and multivariate regression. Overall, 42.6% of MSM participants met screening criteria for alcohol use disorder (AUD), with 24.2%, 12.0%, and 6.3% meeting criteria for moderate, high, and severe risk of harm from alcohol consumption, respectively. Multivariate regression revealed that these risk categories were correlated with behaviors associated with increasedHIV transmissionrisk, including reports of (1) > 5 sexual partners; (2) sex with a partner of unknown HIV status; (3) sex work; (4) any drug use; and (5) not testing for HIV (past year). HIV testing was infrequent, with only 44.1% having been tested in the previous year. The high prevalence of problematic alcohol use in Ukrainian MSM and its association with behaviors also associated with HIV transmission supports the importance of routine screening of MSM for AUD. Moreover, among those screening positive for a potential AUD, targeted HIV prevention strategies to scale-up pre-exposure prophylaxis, consistent condom use, and treatment for AUD are needed.

Prevalence of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Its Impact on the Quality of Life Among Obese Individuals in Al-Baha Region, Saudi Arabia.

Background Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a global gastrointestinal disorder, and obesity is a particular risk factor. Symptoms of GERD, such as heartburn and acid reflux, are caused by abnormal relaxation in the lower esophagus, causing gastric acid reflux. Persistent symptoms can affect the patient's quality of life (QOL) and can cause complications, such as esophageal adenocarcinoma. Management of GERD includes lifestyle changes, antacids, and anti-reflux surgery. Even though GERD is a common disease, few research has been carried out on it in Saudi Arabia. Aim This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of GERD and its associated risk factors among obese individuals in the Al-Baha region population and the effect of GERD on their QOL. Methods A cross-sectional study included 314 obese participants from the Al-Baha region. A questionnaire was filled out to measure the prevalence of GERD, risk factors, and effects on the QOL of the participants. Data were analyzed by the IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 26.0 (released 2019, IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Descriptive statistics and the chi-squared test were applied. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with the incidence of GERD. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results A total of 314 patients who met our inclusion criteria completed the survey; 42% of them were women, the mean age of all patients was 35.3 ± 12.9 years, and 38.2% of the patients were diagnosed with GERD. Epigastric pain and burning sensation were the most common symptoms (44.9%). Five out of six domains in the QOL questionnaire showed more effects among GERD participants than non-GERD participants, and the results were statistically significant (p = 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that men are 1.8 times more likely than women to be diagnosed with GERD, and smokers have 2.6 times the risk of being diagnosed with GERD than non-smokers. Conclusion The present study showed a high prevalence of GERD among obese patients in the Al-Baha region, negatively affecting their QOL. Major risk factors included gender, smoking, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Public health programs to raise awareness of these risk factors and lifestyle habits are necessary to improve QOL and prevent complications.

High prevalence of albuminuria among adult males living with HIV in Botswana

Chronic HIV disease is associated with a fivefold increase in albuminuria outside of sub-Saharan Africa. However, very little is known about albuminuria risk among people living with HIV (PLWH) in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, we conducted a cross-sectional observational HIV clinic-based study of albuminuria among 1533 adults aged 21 years or older between January 2020 and January 2021 in Gaborone, Botswana. Clinical albuminuria was defined using a sex-based albumin‒creatinine ratio (ACR) of 25–355 mg/g for females and 17–250 mg/g for males. The study population mean age was 48.5 (SD 10.3) years, and 764/1533 (49.7%) were female. The overall prevalence of albuminuria was 20.7% (95% CI 18.7%, 22.8%). A higher proportion of males were more likely to be categorized as having albuminuria than females, 25% (95% CI 22.0, 28.2) versus 16.4% (95% CI 13.8,19.2), P value < 0.001. In the final multivariate models, predictors of albuminuria differed by sex group. Larger longitudinal studies are required to evaluate the impact of albuminuria among PLWH with particular emphasis on the effect of sex on the risk of albuminuria.

Strategies for Teaching Written Language to Students with Attention Deficits

The issue of including students with attention deficits in the educational process is a highly relevant pedagogical challenge due to the high prevalence of these disorders. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most common condition, but attention deficits can also arise from social causes, such as experiencing psychologically traumatic situations like war. This article presents key strategies for improving written language skills in students with attention deficits of various etiologies and comorbid disorders to facilitate their inclusion in the educational process. Additionally, presented are the results of a two-stage study confirming the practical effectiveness of these strategies.

Barriers for pregnancy and perceptions of gender discrimination of urologists in training in France: Results of a national survey

IntroductionGender discrimination seems more prevalent in surgery than other medical specialties. In addition, female urologists are more likely to have obstetric complications and to be discouraged from starting a family during training. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of perceived gender discrimination and barriers for pregnancy during fellowship, among French urology residents and fellows. Material and methodsThe French Association of Urologists in Training performed a national online survey between August and September 2022. Participants were assured that their participation was anonymous. Respondents were questioned on demographics, gender discrimination and on pregnancy barriers during fellowship. ResultsIn total, 153 members answered the questionnaire out of the 427 members of the association (36%), among which 75 women (49%). Thirty nine percent of the female respondents found that their gender was a barrier in their career advancement, versus 1% of the male (P<0.0001). Forty female respondents (53%) perceived that female urologists earned less respect than their male counterparts versus 22% of the male (P<0.0001). Among the female respondents, 19 (25%) have felt that it would not be possible to become pregnant at the time they would have wanted it and 7 (9%) reported having already been threatened to lose a fellowship position in case of a pregnancy. ConclusionThis survey found a high prevalence of gender discrimination among French urologists in training, perceived in majority by women. Female urologists perceived obstacles and received threats when wanting to become pregnant during their training.

Prevalence of Diabetic Nephropathy among Patients of Type 2 Diabetes at Tertiary Care Hospital Lahore

Background: Diabetic nephropathy is a significant complication of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, often leading to chronic kidney disease (CKD) and potentially progressing to End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). Approximately 90% of individuals with diabetes and hypertension may develop ESRD in the later stages of the disease. Objective: The study aimed to determine the prevalence of diabetic nephropathy among patients with type 2 diabetes at a tertiary care hospital in Lahore. Methods: This retrospective study included 100 reports from the chemical pathology and microbiology laboratory at Fatima Memorial Hospital, Lahore, covering renal function tests (RFT) such as Urea, Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN), Creatinine, and estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR), as well as HbA1c levels and Albuminuria. Data collection involved accessing electronic medical records (EMRs) to obtain comprehensive clinical data, including patients' medical history, duration of diabetes, glycemic control measurements, blood pressure, and prescribed medications. The study included patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, excluding those without renal disease. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of FMH College of Medicine and Dentistry, adhering to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 25, with categorical variables expressed as frequencies and percentages and continuous variables as mean ± standard deviation (SD). Correlation analysis was conducted, with a p-value of less than 0.05 indicating statistical significance. Results: The study included 100 participants, with 53% being male and 47% female. The mean age was 59.19 years (SD = 18.812), ranging from 18 to 91 years. Albuminuria was present in 88% of participants. Elevated serum creatinine was observed in 93%, HbA1c levels &gt;6.4% in 68%, high urea levels in 87%, and eGFR &lt;60 in 14%. Correlation analysis showed a significant positive correlation between HbA1c and eGFR (Spearman's rho = 0.432, p &lt; 0.001) and between urea and serum creatinine (Spearman's rho = 0.701, p &lt; 0.001). Conclusion: The high prevalence of albuminuria and elevated renal function markers among individuals with type 2 diabetes underscores the importance of early detection and comprehensive management. Regular screening for urinary albumin, stringent glycemic control, and optimal blood pressure management are crucial for preventing the progression of diabetic nephropathy.

Placental somatic mutation in human stillbirth and live birth: A pilot case-control study of paired placental, fetal, and maternal whole genomes

IntroductionA high frequency of single nucleotide somatic mutations in the placenta has been recently described, but its relationship to placental dysfunction is unknown. MethodsWe performed a pilot case-control study using paired fetal, maternal, and placental samples collected from healthy live birth controls (n = 10), live births with fetal growth restriction (FGR) due to placental insufficiency (n = 7), and stillbirths with FGR and placental insufficiency (n = 11). We quantified single nucleotide and structural somatic variants using bulk whole genome sequencing (30-60X coverage) in four biopsies from each placenta. We also assessed their association with clinical and histological evidence of placental dysfunction. ResultsSeventeen pregnancies had sufficiently high-quality placental, fetal, and maternal DNA for analysis. Each placenta had a median of 473 variants (range 111–870), with 95 % arising in just one biopsy within each placenta. In controls, live births with FGR, and stillbirths, the median variant counts per placenta were 514 (IQR 381–779), 582 (450–735), and 338 (245–441), respectively. After adjusting for depth of sequencing coverage and gestational age at birth, the somatic mutation burden was similar between groups (FGR live births vs. controls, adjusted diff. 59, 95 % CI -218 to +336; stillbirths vs controls, adjusted diff. −34, −351 to +419), and with no association with placental dysfunction (p = 0.7). DiscussionWe confirmed the high prevalence of somatic mutation in the human placenta and conclude that the placenta is highly clonal. We were not able to identify any relationship between somatic mutation burden and clinical or histologic placental insufficiency.

Syndecan-1 as a prognostic biomarker in COVID-19 patients: a retrospective study of a Japanese cohort

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has had a profound global impact, with millions of confirmed cases and deaths worldwide. While most cases are mild, a subset progresses to severe respiratory complications and death, with factors such as thromboembolism, age, and underlying health conditions increasing the risk. Vascular endothelial damage has been implicated in severe outcomes, but specific biomarkers remain elusive. This study investigated syndecan-1 (SDC-1), a marker of endothelial damage, as a potential prognostic factor for COVID-19, focusing on the Japanese population, which is known for its aging demographics and high prevalence of comorbidities.MethodsA multicenter retrospective study of COVID-19 patients in Fukushima Prefecture in Japan who were admitted between February 2020 and August 2021 was conducted. SDC-1 levels were measured along with other clinical and laboratory parameters. Outcomes including thrombosis, 28-day survival, and disease severity were assessed, and disease severity was categorized according to established guidelines.ResultsSDC-1 levels were correlated with disease severity. Patients who died from COVID-19 had greater SDC-1 levels than survivors, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) analysis suggested the potential of the SDC-1 level as a predictor of mortality (AUC 0.714). K‒M analysis also revealed a significant difference in survival based on an SDC-1 cutoff of 10.65 ng/mL.DiscussionThis study suggested that SDC-1 may serve as a valuable biomarker for assessing COVID-19 severity and predicting mortality within 28 days of hospitalization, particularly in the Japanese population. However, further investigations are required to assess longitudinal changes in SDC-1 levels, validate its predictive value for long-term survival, and consider its applicability to new viral variants.ConclusionsSDC-1 is emerging as a potential biomarker for assessing the severity and life expectancy of COVID-19 in the Japanese population, offering promise for improved risk stratification and patient management in the ongoing fight against the virus.

Intracerebral Hemorrhage Prognosis Classification via Joint-Attention Cross-Modal Network.

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a critical condition characterized by a high prevalence, substantial mortality rates, and unpredictable clinical outcomes, which results in a serious threat to human health. Improving the timeliness and accuracy of prognosis assessment is crucial to minimizing mortality and long-term disability associated with ICH. Due to the complexity of ICH, the diagnosis of ICH in clinical practice heavily relies on the professional expertise and clinical experience of physicians. Traditional prognostic methods largely depend on the specialized knowledge and subjective judgment of healthcare professionals. Meanwhile, existing artificial intelligence (AI) methodologies, which predominantly utilize features derived from computed tomography (CT) scans, fall short of capturing the multifaceted nature of ICH. Although existing methods are capable of integrating clinical information and CT images for prognosis, the effectiveness of this fusion process still requires improvement. To surmount these limitations, the present study introduces a novel AI framework, termed the ICH Network (ICH-Net), which employs a joint-attention cross-modal network to synergize clinical textual data with CT imaging features. The architecture of ICH-Net consists of three integral components: the Feature Extraction Module, which processes and abstracts salient characteristics from the clinical and imaging data, the Feature Fusion Module, which amalgamates the diverse data streams, and the Classification Module, which interprets the fused features to deliver prognostic predictions. Our evaluation, conducted through a rigorous five-fold cross-validation process, demonstrates that ICH-Net achieves a commendable accuracy of up to 87.77%, outperforming other state-of-the-art methods detailed within our research. This evidence underscores the potential of ICH-Net as a formidable tool in prognosticating ICH, promising a significant advancement in clinical decision-making and patient care.

Overweight and obesity in children aged 5-11 years in Mexico - Why is necessary an interdisciplinary approach?

overweight and obesity in children are serious public health problems in Mexico. to analyze the behavior of the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children from 5 to 11 years of age and to present projections on the prevalence for the period 2022-2026. ecological and retrospective study whose units of analysis were groups of children of Mexico with overweight and obesity in the period 1999-2021, according to information collected from six National Health and Nutrition Surveys. For the projections the classical method of least squares was used, for a trend analysis of both conditions for the period 2022-2026. Overweight in girls and obesity in boys shows a high prevalence in the period 1999-2021, even though the trend analysis for the period 2022-2026 shows a slight decrease in overweight for the group of boys and a slight increase in overweight for girls, as well in obesity for both groups. due to the high prevalence of overweight and obesity in children from 5 to 11 years of age in Mexico, an interdisciplinary approach is required to identify which dimensions (biochemical, psychological, interpersonal and social) participate in the problem, considering three environments contributing for psychological and social development of children, the ecological-social, the family and the school.

International study on prevalence of itch: examining the role of itch as a major global public health problem.

Very few studies evaluated the global prevalence of pruritus. To assess its prevalence according to age, gender, ethnicity, and geographic regions. An international cross-sectional study was conducted in 20 countries from January to April 2023. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire on sociodemographics, confirm the presence or absence of a skin disease in the last 12 months and the presence or absence of pruritus in the last 7 days. The studied sample included 50552 individuals. The worldwide prevalence of pruritus was 39.8%. The age group ≥65 had the highest prevalence (43.3%). The prevalence was 40.7% among women and 38.9% among men (p<0.001). There was no significant difference between ethnicities (p=0.14). Compared to North America (41.6%), the prevalence of pruritus was significantly lower in Europe (35.9%, p<0.001), Australia (38.4%, p=0.017), East Asia (40.2%, p=0.04), and Latin America (36.5%, p<0.001), and higher in Africa (45,7%, p=0.007). No significant difference was found with the Middle East (40.2%, p=0.36). The prevalence was 40.3% in developed countries and 38.7% in BRICS countries 40.7% (p<10-3). No information about the severity or type (acute, chronic) of pruritus. Global prevalence of pruritus revealed age, gender, and geographic region differences, with no ethnic differences.