Local Side Research Articles

Use of Self-Collected Dried Blood Spots and a Multiplex Microsphere Immunoassay to Measure IgG Antibody Response to COVID-19 Vaccines.

Serosurveys can determine the extent and spread of a pathogen in populations. However, collection of venous blood requires trained medical staff. Dried blood spots (DBS) are a suitable alternative because they can be self-collected and stored/shipped at room temperature. As COVID-19 vaccine deployment began in early 2021, we rapidly enrolled laboratory employees in a study to evaluate IgG antibody levels following vaccination. Participants received a DBS collection kit, self-collection instructions, and a brief questionnaire. Three DBS were collected by each of 168 participants pre- and/or postvaccination and tested with a multiplex microsphere immunoassay (MIA) that separately measures IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 spike-S1 and nucleocapsid antigens. Most DBS (99.6%, 507/509) were suitable for testing. Participants with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection (n = 7) generated high S antibody levels after the first vaccine dose. Naïve individuals (n = 161) attained high S antibody levels after the second dose. Similar antibody levels were seen among those vaccinated with Moderna (n = 29) and Pfizer-BioNTech (n = 137). For those receiving either mRNA vaccine, local side effects were more common after the first vaccine dose, whereas systemic side effects were more common after the second dose. Individuals with the highest antibody levels in the week prior to the second vaccine dose experienced more side effects from the second dose. Our study demonstrated that combining self-collected DBS and a multiplex MIA is a convenient and effective way to assess antibody levels to vaccination and could easily be used for population serosurveys of SARS-CoV-2 or other emerging pathogens. IMPORTANCE Serosurveys are an essential tool for assessing immunity in a population (1, 2). However, common barriers to effective serosurveys, particularly during a pandemic, include high-costs, resources required to collect venous blood samples, lack of trained laboratory technicians, and time required to perform the assay. By utilizing self-collected dried blood spots (DBS) and our previously developed high-throughput microsphere immunoassay, we were able to significantly reduce many of these common challenges. Participants were asked to self-collect three DBS before and/or after they received their COVID-19 vaccines to measure antibody levels following vaccination. Participants successfully collected 507 DBS that were tested for IgG antibodies to the spike and nucleocapsid proteins of SARS-CoV-2. When used with self-collected DBS, our relatively low-cost assay significantly reduced common barriers to collecting serological data from a population and was able to effectively assess antibody response to vaccination.

Exploring the Transmission Path, Influencing Factors and Risk of Aerosol Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 at Xi'an Xianyang International Airport.

SARS-CoV-2 genetic sequence results collected from native COVID-19 cases who waited or saw relatives off at Xi'an Xianyang International Airport were highly consistent with the imported cases. In order to explore the routes of transmission and influencing factors that may cause the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 at the airport, a field simulation experiment of aerosol diffusion was adopted based on epidemiological survey data and a detailed field investigation of airport structure and ventilation. The results showed that the inbound passengers waited for approximately 3 h in the rest area on the first level of the international arrival area (Zone E). During the period, masks were removed for eating and drinking, resulting in the viral aerosols rising from the first level to the second level with hot air. After deplaning, the inbound passengers handled the relevant procedures and passed through the corridor on the second floor. The local side wall of the corridor adopted fan coil air conditioning, combined with fresh air supply and personnel walking, resulting in airflow flowing to Zone E. After merging with diffused air containing virus aerosol from the first floor, it continued to spread upward to the connected third-layer area. There was a local suspended ceiling on the top of the third floor, but it was approximately 4 m high and connected to the corridor from Terminal 2 to Terminal 3. When the virus aerosol diffused above the Terminal 2-Terminal 3 corridor, where the temperature was low and the air diffused downward, it could cause an infection risk for people passing through the corridor. In addition, the investigation found that the exhaust pipes of the nucleic acid sampling rooms at the international arrival corridor were directly discharged outdoors without treatment. Only one exhaust pipe and poor ventilation in the bathroom in Zone E had a risk of viral aerosol diffusion. Therefore, the international arrival area should be set up alone or separated from the other areas by hard isolation to avoid the existence of communication between different areas that could cause viral aerosols to diffuse with airflow. The toilet ventilation should be increased to avoid the accumulation of viral aerosols at high concentrations. The exhaust pipes of the toilet and the nucleic acid sampling rooms should be equipped with disinfection and efficient filtration devices, and high-altitude emission should be adopted to reduce the risk of virus aerosol diffusion.

Side effects following first dose of COVID-19 vaccination in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

ABSTRACT Vaccines are strongly recommended globally as an effective measure to prevent serious illness from and spread of COVID-19. Concerns about safety following vaccination continue to be the most common reason that people do not accept the vaccine. This retrospective study was carried out on 4341 people who received the first dose of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, BBIBP-CorV, or mRNA-1273 vaccine at Jio Health Clinic in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Post-injection side effects were either reported by participants or actively collected by health care staff by means of telemedicine. Local side effects were reported by 35.5% of all individuals, with pain being the most common symptom (33.3%). Systemic side effects were reported by 44.2% of individuals, with fever (25.3%) and fatigue (21.4%) being the most common. Age ≤60 years, female gender, and ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 were significant independent risk factors for both local and systemic side effects, while a history of allergy was significant as a risk factor for local side effects. A total of 43 individuals (1.0%) reported concerning symptoms of rare severe complications, which were addressed and treated by physicians via Jio Health app.

Resection of an oropharyngeal venous malformation

BackgroundVenous malformations (VMs) are congenital vascular lesions caused by enlarged and ectatic venous channels. Current methods of treatment for VMs involve a combination of sclerotherapy, laser therapy, and surgical resection. While sclerotherapy remains the most commonly used treatment for small VMs, surgery remains an important tool for isolated VMs or larger VMs with higher flow due to potential local and systemic side effects associated with the use of certain sclerosing agents. Methods/resultsHere we present a case of a patient with a naso- and oropharyngeal venous malformation which was successfully resected with endoscopic-assisted transoral surgery. ConclusionsThis is a low-fingerprint technique to tumors of the oropharynx with excellent visualization and maneuverability in cases where TORS is not an option. This technique does not require palate splitting or excessive retraction, allows multiple surgeons to work simultaneously, and is associated with significantly lower morbidity than transcervical techniques. Level of evidenceN/A.

Mechanism and clinical use of botulinum neurotoxin in head and facial region.

Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) is a biological toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum. BoNT is a potent toxin extensively used in therapeutic interventions. This review provides an updated overview of the mechanisms of action and clinical applications of BoNT in head and facial region. MEDLINE/PubMed searches were conducted using the terms "botulinum neurotoxin" and "dentistry" along with a combination of other related terms. In addition, studies were manually selected from reference lists of the selected articles. The Food and Drug Administration in the United States initially approved BoNT to treat strabismus, blepharospasm, and hemifacial spasms. The use of BoNT in dermatology and cosmetics has been widely established and has created a revolution in these fields. Over the years, its applications in various medical specialties have expanded widely. Owing to its safety, efficacy, and long duration of action, it is well-accepted by patients. BoNT/A and BoNT/B are widely used in clinical practice. Several off-label uses of BoNT in the dental fraternity have yielded promising results. We have elaborated on the speculated mechanism of action, dosage, effective sites of injection, and adverse effects of each therapeutic application. The various clinical indications for BoNT include bruxism, myofascial pain, temporomandibular joint dislocation, hemifacial pain, orofacial dystonia, facial paralysis, chronic migraine, and trigeminal neuralgia. BoNT is a safe treatment that can be used effectively, provided that the clinician has adequate knowledge regarding the mechanism, injection techniques, and local and systemic side effects and that it is administered cautiously and purposefully.

Effect of Rear Contact Coverage and Improvement of Efficiency of Crystalline p-Si Solar Cell Compared to State of Art PERC Cell

A device simulation model for localized contact rear side oxide-passivated solar cell was developed to study the effects of rear contact coverage and fixed charge density dependent field-effect passivation on the performance of a p-Si solar cell. Models describing hetero-interface physics related to metal-semiconductor, metal-oxide-semiconductor junctions and interface recombination are considered in the simulation, results of which are verified with the reported experimental data. A detailed analysis of the effect of surface passivation is presented and an analytical design with optimized set of parameters is outlined for fabricating the cell. The results show that the efficiency of the solar cell can be substantially enhanced by controlling parameters such as the ratio between localized back contact to the non-contact area and the fixed charge density at the oxide-interface. A maximum efficiency of ~ 24.5% for a crystalline p-Si solar cell with a comparatively lower lifetime can be obtained by a suitable choice of the design parameters with an added suitable choice of doping concentration in the emitter and absorber and the oxide layer thickness.

Post COVID-19 Vaccination Side Effects and Associated Factors Among Vaccinated Clients in Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia.

The lack of local side effect profiles for vaccines could hinder vaccination uptake. Since all COVID-19 vaccines are brand-new medications, it is crucial to keep track of any safety related concern. This study is aimed to investigate post-vaccination side effects of COVID-19 vaccines and associated factors in Bahir Dar city. An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among vaccinated clients. A simple random and a systematic random sampling method were used to select the health facilities and the participants, respectively. Bi-variable and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were executed with odds ratio at 95% confidence intervals at p < .05. A total of 72(17.4%) participants reported at least one side effect following vaccination. The proportion prevalence was higher after the first dose than that of the second dose and the difference was also found to be statistically significant. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis female participants (AOR = 3.39, 95% CI = 1.53, 7.52), participants with a history of regular medication use (AOR = 3.34, 95% CI = 1.52, 7.33), participants aged 55 and above (AOR = 2.93, 95% CI = 1.23, 7.01), and participants who had taken only the first dose (AOR = 14.81, 95% CI = 6.40, 34.31) were more likely to develop side effects for COVID 19 vaccination compared to their counterparts. A significant number (17.4%) of participants reported at least one side effect following vaccination. Sex, medication, occupation, age, and type of vaccination dose were factors statistically associated with the reported side effects.

Potential side effects after first and second doses of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in the United Arabia Emirates

ABSTRACT Background: mRNA technology has been used to manufacture the Pfizer vaccine; however, the side effects of Pfizer–BioNTech coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine among the general population remain unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential side effects of vaccination and the associated risk factors. Methods: A cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted from April 2021 to September 2021 using an online questionnaire to collect data on the side effects after the first and second doses of the vaccine. Participants were classified into the two following groups: Those aged ≤39 and &gt;39 years. Results: The most common side effects following the first dose (≤39 years vs. &gt;39 years) were pain at the vaccination site, fatigue, severe pain at the vaccination site, and fever. Meanwhile, pain at the vaccination site, fever, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, and lethargy were the most common side effects following the second dose of vaccination in both groups. Side effects were more common in women at both doses. The most common reactions at first dose were fatigue, fever, tenderness, lethargy, and muscle pain, whereas fever, fatigue, headache, severe injection site pain, muscle pain, and lethargy were common after the second dose. None of the participants required intensive hospitalization; 4.2% of the participants in both age groups visited the clinics for minor management. Conclusion: Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was associated with a higher prevalence of local side effects in both sexes and age groups. The sex- and age-based differences warrant further rigorous investigation and standardized methodologies.

Frequency And Factors Associated With Adverse Reactions After Administration of Inactivated COVID-19 Vaccine Among Health Workers.

The 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) has precipitated a significant public health crisis. Our study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors associated with adverse reactions to the inactivated CoronaVac vaccine. The study involved voluntary health workers who received CoronaVac vaccine. We documented the sociodemographic information of 2,019 participants who volunteered for our study. Of these, 1,964 and 1,702 participants were interviewed by phone 1 month after the first and second dose, respectively, during which they were queried about any adverse reactions. Within the first week after the first dose, adverse reactions were observed in 856 (43.3%) participants, with 133 (6.7%) experiencing them during the second week, and 96 (4.9%) people at the end of the first month. For the second dose, 276 individuals (16.2%) reported adverse reactions. The prevalence of both local and systemic adverse events ranged from 9.5-11.2% overall. Fatigue was the most common adverse reaction overall, while pain at the injection site was the most frequent local adverse reaction. The evaluation of both systemic and local side effects revealed no significant adverse reactions to the inactivated CoronaVac vaccine (Sinovac Life Sciences, Beijing, China). Our study found that the incidence of systemic and local adverse responses to the CoronaVac vaccination was lower than the rates reported in studies involving the recombinant adenovirus type-5, BNT162b1, and ChAdOx1nCoV-19 COVID-19 vaccines, all of which underwent the World Health Organization LULUC/PQ evaluation process.

Frequency of COVID-19 vaccine side effects and its associated factors amongthe vaccinated population of Pakistan: A cross-sectional study.

Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) vaccine side effects have an important role in the hesitancy of the general population towardvaccine administration. Therefore, this study was conducted to document the COVID-19 vaccine side effects in our population. An online survey-based, cross-sectional study was carried out from September 1, 2021, to October 1, 2021, to document the side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine among the general public. The questionnaire included participants' sociodemographic data, type of vaccine, comorbidities, previous COVID-19 infection, and assessment of side effects reported by them. The majority of the participants were <20 years of age (62.2%), females (74.9%), belonged to the educational sector (58.1%), residents of Sindh (65.7%), and were previously unaffected by COVID-19 infection (73.3%). Sinovac (38.7%) followed by Sinopharm (30.4%) and Moderna (18.4%) were administered more frequently. Commonly reported side effects were injection site pain (82%), myalgia (55%), headache (46%), fatigue/malaise (45%), and fever (41%).Vaccine side effects were more likely to be reported with the first dose as compared to the second dose. On regression analysis, factors associated with occurrence of side effects included younger age (odds ratio [OR]: 6.000 [2.065-17.431], p < 0.001), female gender (OR: 2.373 [1.146-4.914], p = 0.020), marital status (OR: 0.217 [0.085-0.556], p < 0.001), graduate level of education (OR: 0.353 [0.153-0.816], p = 0.015), and occupation being either retired, freelancers, or social workers (OR: 0.310 [0.106-0.909]), p = 0.033). Previous infection with COVID-19 (p = 0.458) and comorbidities were found unrelated (p = 0.707) to the occurrence of side effects. The overall prevalence of local side effects was quite higher than the systemic ones. Further large-scale studies on vaccine safety are required to strengthen public confidence in the vaccination drive.

ANTHROPOGENIC INFLUENCE UPON THE SUKIL RIVER BED FUNCTIONING

A river bed is a main indicator of the changes, including manmade ones that take place in their catchment basins. These changes are reflected in the river beds functioning, especially within the catchment basins located in the Ukrainian Carpathians. These basins have been noticeably affected by human impact during last century. The Sukil River (left tributary of the Svicha River) is one of them. By the relief morphology features and geologic-geomorphologic structure the Sukil River basin is divided into three parts: mountain, premountain and plain. The river bed within these three parts is characterized by noticeable difference in morphological and morphodynamical parameters. And the reaction of the riverbed on the manmade changes also is different in all three parts. First of all, it is a deforestation, agriculture, unauthorized gravel intake within the river bed and floodplain, river bed straightening, river bank consolidation and flood protection dikes constructing, melioration and ponds constructing etc. Research results ascertained noticeable difference between manmade influences in different parts of the catchment basin, especially the effects on the river beds and their functioning. In the mountain part the moderate impact dominates and is mainly presented by timber falling which has caused significant sediments runoff increasing during the floods of 2008 and 2010. In the premountain part the strongest impact is done by the unauthorized alluvium mining in the river bed. It caused increasing in the river bed morphodynamics and reinforcing of the linear and local side erosion. The erosion processes threat the roads and buildings within the river valley. The plain part of the river basin is most transformed. The river bed strengthening is carried out since the middle of ХХ-th century which was accompanied by the dikes and drainage network constructing. As the result many boggy areas were drained, the morphology of the Sukil river bed was changed, the meander process was stopped. But the tendencies to renaturalization of the river valley are observed during the last years. Conducted research are important for the rivers renaturalization and providing the strategy of sustainable development in Ukraine in the matter of natural resources protection and management. Key words: channel morphodynamics; Sukil River; anthropogenic influence; mountain, premountain and plain parts of the basin.

Frequency of Inactivated COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effects in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Karachi

Objective: to determine the frequency of the possible side effects of the COVID -19 inactivated vaccine.&#x0D; Study Design: Cross-sectional survey.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Pakistan Naval Ship Shifa Hospital, Karachi Pakistan from Jan to Apr 2021.&#x0D; Methodology: A total of 305 recipients of inactivated COVID-19 vaccine were asked to fill out a questionnaire themselves or by the health care worker via telephonic conversation. The questionnaire comprised queries regarding general and local side effects that the participants experienced after getting vaccinated for COVID-19.&#x0D; Results: Out of 305 recipients, 270(88.5%) were men, and 35(11.5%) were women. Participants' age ranged from 18-60 years.After the first dose, 83(27.2%) cases [male 63(23.3%) vs. female 20(57.1%)], were reported with side effects, while 75(24.5%)recipients, [male: 54(19.9%) vs. female: 21(58.8%)], had side effects after the second dose. Generalized symptoms were fever,headache, dizziness, and body aches, while local side effects were pain, itching, swelling and rash at the injection site.259(84.9%) recipients reported spontaneous recovery after the first dose. After the second dose, 286(93.8%) recipients recovered spontaneously. The remaining 44(13%) of the recipients' required symptomatic treatment. After the second dose,only 19(6%) recipients needed symptomatic treatment.&#x0D; Conclusion: It is important to document the possible side effects of COVID vaccine so that public awareness and education can be made to minimize public fear of vaccine side effects. Inactivated vaccine for COVID-19 has minimal reported side effects and hence has a good safety profile.

Vaccine Side Effects in Health Care Workers after Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2: Data from TüSeRe:exact Study.

As the Corona Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 persists, vaccination is one of the key measures to contain the spread. Side effects (SE) from vaccination are one of the reasons for reluctance to vaccinate. We systematically investigated self-reported SE after the first, second, and booster vaccinations. The data were collected during the TüSeRe: exact study (Tübinger Monitoring Studie zur exakten Analyse der Immunantwort nach Vakzinierung). Employees of health and research institutions were invited to participate. Study participants were asked to fill out an online questionnaire and report their SE after each dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. A total of 1046 participants (mean age: 44 ± 12.9 years; female, n = 815 (78%); male, n = 231 (22%)) were included in the analysis. Local and systemic SE were more frequent after receiving the vector-based vaccine ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 in the first vaccination. However, local and systemic SE were more common after receiving mRNA vaccines (BNT162b2, mRNA-1273) in the second vaccination. Compared to the BNT162b2 vaccine, more SE have been observed after receiving the mRNA-1273 vaccine in the booster vaccination. In multivariate analysis, local and systemic side effects were associated with vaccine type, age and gender. Local and systemic SE are common after SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. The frequency of self-reported local and systemic SE differ significantly between mRNA and vector-based vaccines.

COVID Vaccination for Children: A Literature Review

The coronaviruswdiseasew2019w(COVID-19) pandemic has devastated the world since 2020. The transmission ofwCOVID-19 occurs through droplets from the respiratory system, not through airborne transmission. Caused by SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 causes a variety of symptoms in patients, including mild, moderate, severe, and even asymptomatic symptoms. COVID-19 can occur in children and adolescents as well as adults undergoing treatment. Children tend to be asymptomatic or have milder clinical symptoms than adults. One way to stop the spreadwofwCOVID-19 is through vaccination. COVID-19wvaccineswapprovedwfor use in children and adolescents include Pfizer, Moderna and CoronaVac. Vaccines cause mild to moderate local and systemic side effects, includes injection site pain (80%), weakness and headache (60%), and fever (20%). Based on the recommendation of the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI) for the provision of COVID-19 vaccine to children and adolescents, it is recommended to administer0the CoronaVac vaccine made by SinoVac at a dose of 3 µg (0.5 ml) by intramuscular injection in the deltoid muscle.

Low Dose Atropine in Preventing the Progression of Childhood Myopia: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Purpose To study the efficacy of low dose atropine (0.01%) eye drops in preventing myopia progression in children by comparing the mean change in spherical equivalent (diopter) and axial length (mm) over a period of one year to a control group and study its effect on near vision, pupil size, keratometry and pachymetry. Methods 200 eyes of 100 myopic children were randomized into two groups based on a computer-generated random number table. The treatment group was administered 0.01% atropine eye drop once at bedtime and control group was administered a placebo. The follow up was done 3-monthly for 12 months by assessing the mean change in spherical equivalent and mean change in axial length. Other parameters like near vision, pupil size, keratometry and pachymetry were assessed at each follow up. Result The study was age and sex matched. The mean change in spherical equivalent refraction and axial length was significantly lower in the treatment group (0.31 ± 0.55 D; 0.11 ± 0.22 mm) than the placebo group (0.80 ± 1.65 D; 0.23 ± 0.44 D) (p-value: 0.003). Less steepening of the corneal curvature was observed in the treatment group (0.16 ± 0.28 D vs 0.29 ± 0.3 D; p < 0.001) and the mean change in pachymetry was comparable between the groups (0.00 ± 0.01) (p-value 0.489). No significant change was seen in near vision (96% of the eyes with atropine had no change in near vision; 2% of the eyes had a change of near vision by one line (p-value 0.500); 2% had a change by 3 lines (p-value: 0.07) or pupil size following treatment. Conclusion The use of 0.01% atropine eye drop reduced the progression of myopia over the study period of one year with no significant changes in near vision, pupil size. No patient reported any systemic and local side effects with administration of 0.01% atropine eye drop.

Robust complete synchronization control design for non‐collocated nonlinear master–slave system over delayed communication network

AbstractIn this article, a predictor‐based robust synchronization control scheme is proposed for a non‐collocated nonlinear master–slave system with any large networked communication time delays. In contrast to traditional collocated teleoperation systems, enhanced flexibility, and operation capacity will be obtained under the non‐collocated system structure in this article. Yet, due to the introduced input delays, existing control strategies for teleoperation systems are no longer applicable. Aiming at this problem, the terminal sliding mode (TSM) admittance control approach is proposed for the master robot to improve system transparency by receiving the contact force from the slave robot to the local side, first. Moreover, complete position synchronization performance is realized by developing a predictor‐based TSM control method for the slave robot while the closed‐loop system is subject to time‐variant large delays. It is mathematically proved that the synchronization errors between the master and the slave will converge to zero completely in finite time by compensating the effect of time delays. Finally, numerical simulations and comparisons are executed to illustrate the superior performance of the posed control algorithms.

Synthesis, characterization and evaluation of hyaluronic acid-based polymers for nasal delivery

Epidemiological research has found that between 5 and 12 percent of the population suffers from chronic rhinosinusitis. Patients are dealing with local side effects such as nasal dryness, sporadic sneezing, and nasal pain in addition to the inflammation. The aim of this study was to synthesize a polymer based on hyaluronic acid in order to provide lubrication combined with a ligand leading to a covalent binding on the nasal mucosa. Hyaluronic acid (HA) was modified with L-cysteine ethyl ester hydrochloride (CYS) via amid bond formation. Ellman's assay, together with spectroscopic techniques like IR and 1H NMR, confirmed that HACys had been successfully synthesized. It was demonstrated that HACys is safe for administration on the nasal mucosa. The mucoadhesive potential was determined by 3.26-fold with the rotating cylinder assay and 1.4-fold in terms of bioadhesive examination, respectively. Further, the stability of the modified polymer was improved by 7.6-fold compared to the unmodified polymer. Spraying the formulation on the nasal mucosa, the residence time of a model drug was 1.74-fold prolonged at the site of action compared to unmodified polymer. In light of these findings, modified hyaluronic acid (HACys) displayed compelling properties such as lubricity, targeted application, long-lasting effect, and safety and therefore could be an excellent candidate for nasal application.

Ultrasonography of the paralumbar muscles as a new aid during melarsomine treatment in canine heartworm disease. Description and illustration of the method - A preliminary study.

Melarsomine is used intramuscularly to destroy adult heartworms when treating canine heartworm disease (HWD). This drug is highly irritative and can elicit local complications. Therefore, melarsomine should be injected into the paralumbar muscles by strictly adhering to the manufacturers' prescriptions. However, it is not known how to determine the optimal location of the needle during the injection process. Ultrasonography (US) of the epaxial (paralumbar) musculature was used as a new method to measure the cross-sectional diameter of the paralumbar musculature, to determine the required location of the injection needle, and to study the local side effects in two dogs with HWD. The macroscopic appearance of the melarsomine solution during injection was demonstrated by video imaging. Melarsomine was not fully gravitating, but its majority was spreading along the thickest fascia of the musculature. Three minutes thereafter, no ultrasound signs of the melarsomine solution were seen, suggesting a full absorption at least ultrasonographically. This procedure was simulated in vitro with methylene blue solution having the same appearance. Removing the injection needle only after 5 min post-injection could prevent undesirable leakage of the drug through the injection channel into the subcutaneous tissue. Ultrasonography can be a useful aid during the treatment of HWD with melarsomine according to this preliminary study.

Side Effects of COVID-19 Vaccines Primer Doses: Experience of Saudi Healthcare Workers Participating in CoVaST-SA.

Side effects emerging after COVID-19 vaccines may adversely impact public confidence in vaccines. Therefore, this study was designed to explore the short-term side effects of COVID-19 vaccines as a part of the COVID-19 Vaccines Safety Tracking (CoVaST) study. A cross-sectional survey-based study was carried out to collect data from healthcare workers (HCWs) in Saudi Arabia. The study was initiated between June and December 2021. A validated questionnaire was used in this study consisting of four categories, including demographic characteristics and medical anamnesis of the participants, COVID-19-associated anamnesis, and side effects of vaccine uptake. The study included 1039 participants, of which 70.2% were females, and their median age was 34. About 82.9% and 52.3% of the participants reported a minimum of both one local and systemic side effect, respectively. Females, young participants (≤34 years old), and non-obese participants had more potential to disclose post-vaccination side effects than their counterparts. Heterologous schedules and viral vector-based vaccines were linked with a greater rate of systemic side effects, whereas homologous vaccination schedules and mRNA-based vaccines were linked with a greater rate of local side effects. Future studies on COVID-19 vaccines should focus on the role of BMI, previous infection, and vaccination schedule in terms of vaccine safety and reactogenicity.

X-Ray Visualization of Intraductal Ethanol-Based Ablative Treatment for Prevention of Breast Cancer in Rat Models

There are still a limited number of primary interventions for prevention of breast cancer. For women at a high risk of developing breast cancer, the most effective intervention is prophylactic mastectomy. This is a drastic surgical procedure in which the mammary epithelial cells that can give rise to breast cancer are completely removed along with the surrounding tissue. The goal of this protocol is to demonstrate the feasibility of a minimally invasive intraductal procedure that could become a new primary intervention for breast cancer prevention. This local procedure would preferentially ablate mammary epithelial cells before they can become malignant. Intraductal methods to deliver solutions directly to these epithelial cells in rodent models of breast cancer have been developed at Michigan State University and elsewhere. The rat mammary gland consists of a single ductal tree that has a simpler and more linear architecture compared to the human breast. However, chemically induced rat models of breast cancer offer valuable tools for proof-of-concept studies of new preventive interventions and scalability from mouse models to humans. Here, a procedure for intraductal delivery of an ethanol-based ablative solution containing tantalum oxide nanoparticles as X-ray contrast agent and ethyl cellulose as gelling agent into the rat mammary ductal tree is described. Delivery of aqueous reagents (e.g., cytotoxic compounds, siRNAs, AdCre) by intraductal injection has been described previously in mouse and rat models. This protocol description emphasizes methodological changes and steps that pertain uniquely to delivering an ablative solution, formulation consideration to minimize local and systemic side effects of the ablative solution, and X-ray imaging for in vivo assessment of ductal tree filling. Fluoroscopy and micro-CT techniques enable to determine the success of ablative solution delivery and the extent of ductal tree filling thanks to compatibility with the tantalum-containing contrast agent.