Male Ratio Research Articles

Enterovirus D68 circulation between 2014 and 2022 in Slovenian children

IntroductionEnterovirus D68 (EV-D68) belongs to the Picornaviridae family, genus Enterovirus. It is mostly known as a respiratory virus causing upper and lower respiratory tract infections, but it is also rarely associated with a variety of central nervous system complications, with acute flaccid myelitis being reported most frequently. This study assesses the incidence, seasonality, clinical presentation, and molecular epidemiology of the EV-D68 strain in EV-positive children hospitalized between 2014 and 2022 at the largest pediatric medical center in Slovenia.MethodsEV-D68 was detected using specific qRT-PCR, whereas partial VP1 sequences were obtained with Sanger sequencing, and further analyzed using the software CLC Main Workbench version 7 and MEGA version X.ResultsEV-D68 was detected in 154 out of 1,145 (13.4%) EV-positive children. In the two epidemic years, 2014 and 2016, EV-D68 was most frequently detected in the summer and early autumn, peaking in September. The median age of EV-D68–infected children was 3 years (IQR 1–3 years), with a female: male ratio of 1:1.17. Rhinorrhea was present in 74.0% of children, respiratory distress in 82.5%, and hypoxemia requiring supplemental oxygen in 44.1%. Out of 154 patients, 80.0% were hospitalized, with a median stay of 2 days (IQR 1–3 days). Lower respiratory tract infection was observed in 89.0% of EV-D68–positive patients, with bronchitis and bronchiolitis being most frequently diagnosed. No central nervous system manifestations of EV-D68 infection were observed in the study cohort. Phylogenetic analysis of partial VP1 sequences of EV-D68 revealed close similarity to the EV-D68 variants that were circulating in other European countries in these years.DiscussionSlovenia faced two EV-D68 epidemics in 2014 and 2016; however, after 2016 only nine more cases were detected until the end of the study period. Based on the results of this study, EV-D68 was a frequent cause of lower respiratory tract infection among EV-positive patients. However, none of the patients we studied needed ICU treatment, and none developed acute flaccid paralysis. Our results indicate that EV-D68 is not present constantly, so additional monitoring studies should be conducted in the future to better understand the implications of this EV type in human disease.

Incidence of Dry Socket in Relation to Psychological Stress: A Retrospective Study

This study concerns with the incidence of dry sockets among a sample of patients attending different dental clinics after tooth extraction for three consecutive years in relation to their age, sex, tooth location and to patients perceived stress.Dry socket patients records were investigated for age, sex and tooth location. And a control group was chosen of exactly the same age and sex distribution as that of the patients but free from any symptoms . A questionnaire sheet with a list of possible life events for the last twelve months before the extractions were distributed among both, then the results was subjected to statistical analysis.Out of 956 patients, 58 (6%) developed dry sockets, (36%) of them were located on wisdom teeth with the lower ones comprising (25.86%). There were significant difference in mean perceived psychological stress between the patients (477.07 ± 7.38 L.C.U) and those in control group (240.44 ± 7.12 L.C.U.) regarding different ages and sexes.There were higher incidence of dry sockets in this study than most other studies around the world and female /male ratio was nearly equal. They occurred mostly on lower and posterior more than upper and anterior teeth wisdom teeth were most, highly affected, and there were a relationship between psychological stress and dry socket.

Management of Giant Cell Tumor by Curettage and Bone graft in Weight Bearing Bone - A Study Done in CENTRAL MEDICAL COLLEGE.

Background: Giant cell tumor of bone (GCT) has been characterized as benign but often locally aggressive neoplasm that commonly occurs in proximity to weight bearing bone. Management of giant cell tumor of bone by curettage and bone graft in weight bearing bone is an effective method. This prospective experimental study was conducted among the patients with histologically proved giant-cell tumor who were admitted in the Department of orthopedic surgery, Central Medical College Hospital over a period of 18 months from January 2018 to June 2020. A total of 12 consecutive patients with histologically proved giant-cell tumour were included in the study. Majority (55.6%) of patient was in 3rd decade and male female ratio was 1:1.3. More than one fourth (25%) of the patients had GCT in the lower end of right femur, 33.3% in lower end of left femur, 25% in upper end of tibia, 16.7% in lower end of tibia and all patients had painful gait and swelling. According to campanacci grading, Grade-2 was found in all patients, and giant cell tumor was found in all patients, as evaluated by pre-operative biopsy. Cosmetically near normal appearance was found in 88.9% and 88.9% were able to do normal daily work. According to Schatzker and Lamber (1979) criteria excellent outcome was found in 41.7%, good in 50%, fair in 8.3%. Surgery in the form of intralesional curettage and filling the cavity with bone graft resulted in excellent relief of pain, cosmetically near normal appearance and patients were able to do normal daily work.
 Central Medical College Journal Vol 7 No 1 January 2023 Page: 7-12

Hyperuricemia And Its Relation With Obesity Among Children In Anbar Province

Background; The prevalence of pediatric hyperuricemia is increasing worldwide. No other similar study was done in Anbar province previously. Objective: This study was designed to show the prevalence of hyperuricemia among children from 6 to 16 years old in Ramadi teaching hospital for maternity and childhood, Anbar province, Iraq. Studying the relation of hyperuricemia with childhood obesity, in addition to its relation with gender, residency, and economic status of their families. Material and Methods: Across sectional study was done for 6 months from the first of January 2021 to the end of June 2021, to determine the expected prevalence of hyperuricemia among a randomized sample of children of ages from 6-16 years with either gender. Weight and height were measured for all cases, a body mass index was calculated for each child for estimation of obesity. For all studied cases, other data was collected for socioeconomic status and residency. All cases were sent for serological calculation of uric acid levels. Results: The total number of studied children was 520, the overall prevalence of hyperuricemia among these cases was (11.3%). The overweight's and obese children had a higher prevalence of hyperuricemia (29.3 %) compared with only (3.3%) among those who were not. Girls had more prevalence than boys with female to male ratio (2.2:1). Most of the cases were from middle-economic status families with a non-significant relation when compared with control, while it was more and significant among urban area residence. Conclusions: A higher prevalence of hyperuricemia was found among obese children in Anbar province, and this requires a specific educational program given to the families in explaining the risk and how to deal with obesity.

Long-term clinical course and treatment outcomes of individuals with Nodding Syndrome

Nodding Syndrome is a poorly understood epilepsy disorder in sub-Saharan Africa. The cause(s) of the disease, risk factors and long-term outcomes are unknown or controversial. The objectives of this study were to describe the long-term clinical course and treatment outcomes of individuals suffering from Nodding Syndrome. In addition, we aimed to provide a comprehensive characterization of the epileptological and social features of patients with Nodding Syndrome.From 11/2014 to 4/2015, we conducted a hospital-based, cross-sectional and observational study in Mahenge, Tanzania. Seventy-eight individuals (female:male ratio: 40:38, age at examination: 21.1 ± 6.39 (SD) years) have been enrolled, of whom 38 (49%) had also been examined in 2005 and in 2009. The 10-year clinical course analysis of this revisited subgroup revealed a calculated case fatality of 0.8–2.3%. Progressive physical or cognitive deterioration has not been observed in any of the 78 individuals and more than half of the people studied (38/69; 55%) managed to live and work independently. 14/78 individuals (18%) were seizure-free, (no head nodding, no other seizure types), 13 of whom were taking antiseizure medication. Phenytoin was more effective against head nodding seizures (14/19 (74%)) than monotherapy with other available antiseizure medication (phenobarbitone 12/25 (48%) and carbamazepine 7/22 (32%), p = 0.02, chi-square test).Our ten-year clinical outcome data show that Nodding Syndrome is not a fatal disease, however, the response to treatment is worse than in epilepsy patients in general. Phenytoin may be more effective than carbamazepine and phenobarbitone, but further studies are needed to confirm this observation.

Incidental thyroid carcinoma in an endemic goiter area in Italy: histopathological features and predictors of a common finding.

The occurrence and histopathological features of incidental thyroid carcinoma (ITC) vary considerably among populations from different geographical regions. The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence and histopathological characteristics of ITC in patients who underwent thyroid surgery for apparently benign thyroid diseases in an endemic goiter area in Italy. A total of 649 consecutive patients (531 females and 118 males; mean age, 52.9 ± 11.0 years), who underwent thyroid surgery at the Endocrine Surgery Unit of the tertiary care "Renato Dulbecco" University Hospital (Catanzaro, Italy) in the period between years 2017 and 2022, were included in this retrospective study. A comprehensive histopathological examination was performed on surgically excised thyroid tissue. Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify potential predictors of ITC. The histopathological examination revealed the presence of ITC in 81 patients, accounting for 12.5% of the total study population. The female to male ratio was found to be 6.4 to 1. Among the patients with ITC, 72 had papillary carcinoma (PTC), with 53 of these tumors being microcarcinomas (microPTC). Additionally, 5 patients had follicular thyroid carcinoma, 2 patients had low-risk follicular cell-derived thyroid neoplasms, 1 patient had an oncocytic carcinoma, and 1 patient had a medullary thyroid carcinoma. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated a significant association between female sex and incidental microPTC. These findings provide further evidence of the common occurrence of ITC, typically in the form of microPTC, among individuals who undergo thyroid surgery for apparently benign thyroid diseases.

Comorbid psychiatric conditions with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) in a tertiary referral clinic

Patients with chronic pain have a higher prevalence of mood disorders with depression and anxiety contributing to higher pain intensity, emotional allodynia, and neuro-anatomical changes. We sought to quantify the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities (PCs) in a tertiary referral clinic for temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). Medical records of all patients attending clinics run by three tertiary temporomandibular joint (TMJ) surgeons for the period January to April 2022 inclusive were audited for the prevalence of concomitant psychiatric conditions. A total of 166 patients were identified with a female to male ratio of 5:1 and mean (SD) age of 45.1 (15.2) years. A total of 124 (89.9%) patients were tertiary referrals and 72 (43.4%) patients had concomitant psychiatric diagnoses, with 58 (34.9%) being on some form of psychotropic medication (PM) (patients on anticonvulsants for neuropathic pain were not included). A majority of 136 (81.9%) patients had some form of intervention (including Dysport® and minimally invasive surgery) which appeared more common in patients with co-existing psychiatric issues (p < 0.05). A higher proportion of mental health issues exist among TMD patients in a tertiary referral clinic than would be expected in the general population. We suggest a holistic approach to patients with multidisciplinary care taking into account this prevalence to ensure decision-making that contextualises the patient and not simply the pathology.

Risk factors for hospitalization and pneumonia development of pediatric patients with seasonal influenza during February-April 2023.

In China influenza remains a low activity for continuous 3 years due to COVID-19 controls. We here sought to study the clinical characteristics and risk factors of the influenza infection among children after the mandatory COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. We included 1,006 pediatric patients with influenza A virus (IAV) infection, enrolled in one tertiary hospital in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China, during February to April 2023. Patients were divided into the outpatient (n = 798) and inpatient (n = 208) groups, and their baseline characteristics were compared between two groups to conclude the risk factors for pediatric hospitalization. Separately, pediatric inpatients (n = 208) were further divided into the pneumonia and non-pneumonia groups with comparison of their clinical characteristics, including their laboratory test results and representative radiological features, to derive the key determinants for pneumonia development after hospitalization. Compared to outpatients, IAV-infected pediatric inpatients exhibited younger age, higher female: male ratio, more co-infection of influenza B virus (IBV) and hematological abnormality. Multivariate regression analysis determined the independent risk factors of hospitalization to be the clinical symptom of abdominal pain (OR = 2.63, [95% CI, 1.05-6.57], p = 0.039), co-infection of IBV (OR = 44.33, [95% CI, 25.10-78.30], p = 0.001), elevated levels of lymphocytes (OR = 2.24, [95% CI,1.65-3.05], p = 0.001) and c-reactive proteins (CRPs) (OR = 1.06, [95% CI, 1.03-1.08], p = 0.001) upon hospital admission. Furthermore, the cough symptom (OR = 17.39, [95% CI, 3.51-86.13], p = 0.001) and hospitalization length (OR = 1.36, [95% CI, 1.12-1.67], p = 0.002) were determined to be risk factors of pneumonia acquirement for pediatric inpatients. While the abdominal pain, viral co-infection and some hematological abnormality mainly contribute to hospitalization of pediatric patients with IAV infection, the length of hospital stay and clinical sign of coughing upon hospital admission constitute the key determinants for nosocomial pneumonia development.

Clinical and radiological characteristics and outcomes of patients with recurrent or relapsing tumefactive demyelination

BackgroundRelapsing or recurrent tumefactive demyelination is rare and has not been studied beyond individual case reports. ObjectiveWe examined the clinical course, neuroimaging, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), treatment and outcomes of patients with recurrent tumefactive demyelinating lesions (TDLs). MethodsWe used PubMed to identify reports of recurrent TDLs and included the details of an additional, unpublished patient. ResultsWe identified 18 cases (11F, 7 M). The median age at onset of the index TDL was 37 years (range 12–72) and most were solitary lesions 72 % (13/18). CSF-restricted oligoclonal bands (OCBs) were detected in 25 % (4/16). Only one of those tested (n = 13) was positive for AQP4-IgG. A moderate-to-marked treatment response (high dose corticosteroid with or without additional plasmapheresis, IVIg or disease modifying therapies) was evident in 89 % of treated patients. Median EDSS at the median follow-up of 36 months (range 6–144) was 2 (range 1–10). Most remained ambulatory (EDSS < 4 in 13/18), but 1 patient died. ConclusionThe median age of patients with relapsing TDLs is similar to that of typical MS, but differences include a lower female:male sex ratio, larger lesions, and a comparative lack of CSF-restricted OCBs. Outcomes vary among this group of patients ranging from minimal disability through to death.

Management of Amavata Through Vaitarana Basti w.s.r to Rheumatoid Arthritis

Amavata is one of the crippling disease- causing serious agonizing painful conditions. Some of the symptoms of Amavata can correlated with Rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a common form of inflammatory arthritis, occurring throughout the world and in all ethnic groups. The prevalence of RA is approximately 0.8-1.0% in Europe and South Asia, with a female to male ratio 3:1. Acharya Chakradatta mentioned treatment modalities for Amavata are Langhana, Swedana, Tikta, Deepana, Katu Dravya, purgatives, intake of Sneha and Application of enemas. Teekshna basthi such as Vaitarana basti is indicated in the treatment of Amavata since it possesses qualities like Amapachana, Srotoshodhana and Vatakaphahara. It has Vata kapha pacifying properties and helps in removing Avarana of Vata by Kapha. By using this Chikitsa Siddanta a case of Amavata was successfully treated and marked improvement was observed in signs and symptoms after treatment. Here a case report on Amavata has been discussed along with its effective management with Vaitarana Basti.

Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the Minor Salivary Glands: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Characteristics and Management Strategies.

Intraoral adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) arising from minor salivary glands (MSG) is a rare malignancy associated with delayed diagnosis and unfavorable outcomes. This study aimed to comprehensively review ACC of MSGs, focusing on clinical characteristics, imaging modalities, treatment approaches, and long-term outcomes. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and MEDLINE databases to identify relevant articles reporting cases of ACC of MSGs between January 1997 and March 2023. The study was registered in PROSPERO (ID: CRD42023449478). A total of 10 studies that met the inclusion criteria were selected for critical review. In total, 902 patients were diagnosed with ACC of MSGs with an age range of 44.3 to 63 years, and an average age of 56.6 years. The female to male ratio ranges from 1:1 to 2.4:1. Regarding the primary site of ACC, the palate was the most common location, accounting for 30.5% to 83.3%, followed by the buccal mucosa, floor of the mouth, and lip and the retromolar area. For histology, the solid mass pattern was the most prevalent, seen in 95.2% of patients, followed by the cribriform pattern. Regarding treatment modalities, surgery was the most common approach, applied in 76.3% of cases, with a combination of surgery and radiotherapy used in 29.0% of cases. A smaller fraction, 3.2%, received a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, and 8.3% underwent radiotherapy alone. Local recurrence rates varied between 1% and 28.5%, and distant metastasis occurred in 18.2% to 33.3% of cases, predominantly to lymph nodes (14.5%). An analysis of overall survival across various stages and patient numbers indicated a 5-year survival rate of 68.0%. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for physicians in making treatment decisions and emphasize the need for ongoing research and collaborative clinical efforts to improve the management and outcomes of this challenging disease. ACC of MSGs is a multifaceted condition typically manifesting as asymptomatic enlargement and ulceration. This disease is marked by distinct histopathological patterns and perineural invasion (PNI). Recognizing these distinctive aspects is key in shaping the treatment plan, which can range from surgical procedures to radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and evolving targeted treatments. Continuous research and collaborative clinical efforts remain critical for ongoing progress in the treatment and management of this challenging condition.

A Study on Subjective Aerodynamic Measurement among the Gujarati-speaking Healthy Adults in West Cost India

Abstract Introduction: The adequate respiratory functions are important for lifesaving like breathing, and communications such as vocalization in speech productions, and additionally, it supports for airway protective mechanisms by strengthening the protective cough. The maximum phonation duration (MPD) and maximum utterance of /s/, /Z/ and its ratio are the important aerodynamic parameters that indicate the respiratory functions and its impact on breathing, vocalization as well as protective mechanism. Aim: The aim of this study was to review and contrast the results of subjective aerodynamic assessments of maximum phonation time/duration and S/Z ratio in seconds among Gujarati-speaking healthy adult populations. Objective: The current study attempted to construct the normalization of MPD and S/Z Ratio for both males and females. Results: Mean MPD for males was greater than females, whereas s/z ratio for males and females was around 0.97 s. Conclusion: By developing normative statistics among Gujarati-speaking adult populations for both genders, it will be possible to utilize them as a reference for clinical diagnosis and for an intervention program for people with respiratory issues and other voice diseases.

Assessment of heart rate variability among healthy 1st year medical students in a Government Medical College of Kolkata: A cross-sectional observational study

Background: Heart rate variability (HRV) means the beat-to-beat variations of cardiac rhythm which is influenced by the interplay of sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves. At present, cardiovascular morbidity and mortality have become a matter of great concern in the young population. Such complications may arise from cardiac dysautonomia. HRV analysis may be considered an efficient tool to detect this derangement as early as possible. Moreover, normative data on HRV should be established among the young population of India considering other demographic parameters such as gender, height, weight, and BMI. Aim and Objective: Our study intends to establish normative data for short-term HRV parameters among medical students of a tertiary care hospital in West Bengal. Materials and Methods: After obtaining approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee, 250 apparently healthy medical students were assessed and HRV parameters such as mean RR, mean HR, SDNN, NN50, pNN50, root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), high frequency (HF), low frequency (LF), and LF/HF ratio were recorded. Results: In time domain parameters, values were significantly higher in males for mean HR and significantly higher in females for mean RR, NN50, and pNN50. In frequency domain parameters, significantly higher values were found for LF and LF/HF ratio in males and HF in females. Conclusion: We have established gender-based normative values of HRV parameters in the young population.

Hard life for sons in the nest? Sex-dependent offspring mortality in Great Tits in urban and forest areas

Sex-biased mortality can occur in birds during development, for example due to sexual differences in energy requirement and/or environmental sensitivity, or the effects of sex hormones or sex differences in the expression of mutations linked to sex chromosomes. The extent of sex-bias in mortality may also be related to environmental conditions that influence offspring development and survival. Urban areas often provide poorer conditions for nestling development resulting in higher offspring mortality compared to natural areas, which may accelerate sex differences in offspring mortality in cities. To test this hypothesis, we examined the sex ratio of dead offspring in Great Tits (Parus major), using 427 samples of unhatched eggs and dead nestlings collected in two urban and two forest sites between 2013 and 2019. The ratio of males in the whole sample of dead offspring (56.9%) was significantly higher than expected by an 1:1 ratio, and the strongest sex biases were detected in urban areas (57.6% males) and in young nestlings (<14 days old, 59.0% males). However, the sex ratios of dead offspring did not differ significantly among study sites and between offspring developmental stages. 29.3% of unhatched eggs contained a visible embryo, and the proportion of embryo-containing unhatched eggs did not differ significantly between urban and forest study sites. These results suggest male-biased offspring mortality in Great Tits, and highlight the need of large datasets to detect subtle differences between habitats and developmental stages.

ANALYSIS OF DISTRIBUTION AND CHANGES IN SEX-STRUCTURE OF RANCHI DISTRICT (JHARKHAND)

In population geography, Sex-Structrue is one of the most important factors of population composition and this is studied as Biological composition of any population. Sex is an easily identifiable characteristic. The numerical measurement of sex composition of a population is known as sex ratio. Sex ratio is considered as an important index of economy prevailing in an area and is useful tool for regional analysis. For the study of the Sex-Structure of any population the two important measures are generally adopted as the percentage of males in the population and second, the sex-ratio. The latter is more frequently used in the study of population. Fertility signifies the actual incidence of live births in a population. It is an important demoraphic determinant of Sex-Structure of a population. The age and sex specific incidence of death has a direct effect on the overall sex structure of a population. Migration is the third important process which may change the sex composition of a population. The meaning of sexcomposition or Sex-Structure is to know about the ratio of males and females in any population. It is very necessary for population geographers to know about the sex ratio of any population because balance of any society may be depends upon it's balanced sex ratio. But, there are different reason which are responsible for unbalanced sex ratio such as nature of males and females. Because this nature of males and females are acts sometimes as complementary with each other and sometimes acts opposite against each other. Economy of any region can be understand through the sex ratio of that region. Sex-ratio is one of the most important tool for analysis of regional differences. The sex ratio of the total population at a point of time is known as "The overall sex ratio." The sex-ratio is also shown the socio-economic conditions of any region. It also affects the demographic structure of any region. Sex-ratio is calculated differently in different countries. In India, the sexratio is calculated in terms of number of Females per thousand males. Sex-ratio can be measured from the time of conception to the time of death. This study gives us description and analysis about Sex-Structure and it's distribution and changes in Ranchi district. The distribution and changes of Sex-Structure of Ranchi district affects total population of the district particularly in Rural and Urban areas. The Sex-Structure also influenced the Socio-Economic conditions of the Ranchi district gradually. The purpose of this study is to analyze the distribution and changes in Sex-Structure. The present study is an empirical research conducted in Ranchi district (Jharkhand) which is based on secondary data. In this paper an attempt has been made to throw light on the very important issues of analysing distribution and changes in Sex-Structure.

Relationship between platelet-related parameters and new-onset atrial fibrillation after coronary bypass surgery.

Inflammation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of postoperative atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. In this study, we aimed to investigate the changes in mean platelet volume and platelet values during the spring and autumn seasons in patients who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery and the possible effect of these occurrences on postoperative atrial fibrillation. Consecutive patients who underwent elective isolated coronary bypass surgery at our clinic in the spring and autumn months, between August 2020 and July 2022, were retrospectively included in this study. Variables were evaluated according to the spring and autumn seasons. Patients who did not develop in-hospital postoperative atrial fibrillation were identified as Group 1, and those who did constituted Group 2. A total of 622 patients were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups: those who were operated on in the spring (n=277, median age=62 years, male gender ratio=77.3%) and those who were operated on in the autumn (n=345, median age=61 years, male gender ratio=81.4%). There was no statistically significant difference between the patients operated on in both seasons in terms of age, gender, hypertension rates, and the frequency of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In multivariate analysis, being over 70 years old (OR: 1.934, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.489-2.995, p<0.001), having a left ventricular ejection fraction below 30% (OR: 1.550, 95%CI 1.190-2.236, p=0.012), and having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR: 1.663, 95%CI 1.339-2.191, p<0.001) were found to be independent predictors in predicting the development of postoperative atrial fibrillation. In this study, we first demonstrated that mean platelet volume and platelet mass index values were higher in patients in the autumn months. Additionally, for the first time in the literature, we showed that there is a significant relationship between platelet mass index value and the development of postoperative atrial fibrillation in patients who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass graft.

Visually assessing work performance using a smartwatch via day-to-day fluctuations in heart rate variability.

To optimize workplace health promotion, a simple method for quantifying allostatic load response is needed. This study examines the feasibility of optimizing objective anxiety and presenteeism monitoring using daily smartwatch-measured ultra-short heart rate variability (HRV). Office workers without diagnosed disease prospectively performed 30 s HRV self-measurement each morning for two months and responded to the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Work Limitation Questionnaire (WLQ). Logistic regression analysis examined daily HRV parameters in the high-trait anxiety group (HTA, STAI ≥ 40) using mean and variance HRV, age, self-reported gender, and body mass index (BMI). The ideal cutoff value enabled comparison of WLQ using the Mann-Whitney U test. Heart rate variability data were collected for 279 participants (male ratio, 83.9%; age, 42 ± 10 years) who completed questionnaires and monitored HRV for 30+ days. Compared to the low-trait anxiety group, HTA exhibited higher variance of the log-transformed coefficient of component variance of high-frequency component (LnccvHF) and low-frequency per HF (Lnccv L/H), in addition to differences in the means of these HRV parameters. In addition to BMI (odds ratio [OR] = 0.92, p = 0.02) and mean LnccvL/H (OR = 10.75, p < 0.01), the variance of Lnccv L/H was an independent predictor of HTA (OR = 2.39E + 8, p = 0.011). The daily Lnccv L/H dispersion group had a lower WLQ productivity loss score (p = 0.02, r = 0.17). By focusing on HRV dispersion status, this simple and instantly applicable daily HRV monitoring system enables optimized quantitative monitoring of anxiety and productivity.

CONVERSION OF LAPAROSCOPIC TO OPEN CHOLECYSTECTOMY

Background: Globally, gallstone disease (GS) is a significant health issue, especially for adults although cholecystitis is common, there is an evidence of variance in its diagnosis and course of therapy, including surgery. In place of open cholecystectomy, laparoscopic cholecystectomy is now the preferred course of treatment for symptomatic cholelithiasis. In situations where laparoscopic cholecystectomy is dangerous; a surgeon may be forced to change from laparoscopy to an open procedure. The aim of the study was to clarify the benefits and role of minimally invasive surgery in comparison to the open conventional method of cholecystectomy, with a focus on the postoperative phase and to compare the ratio of Laparoscopic and open cholecystectomy between male and female genders. Methods: 185 Patients of cholecystitis aged between 10 years to 80 years (86.5% males and 13.5% females) were presented to Zawia Medical Center during the period from March 2005 till April 2006 that randomly get an open or laparoscopic cholecystectomy. They were divided into open and laparoscopic Cholecystectomy group. Results: In this study, a total of 185 patients were included: 160 females (86.5% of the total) and 25 males (13.5% of the total). Whereas, 86 females (53.7%) were operated on by laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and 74 females (46%) were operated on by open cholecystectomy. In comparison, of a total of 25 males, 12 (48%) underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy and 13 (52%) underwent open cholecystectomy. The conversion rate was eight cases (8.2%) due to technical, bleeding, or massive adhesion. Conclusion: From this study, we concluded that the laparoscopic cholecystectomy versus open cholecystectomy ratio (female: male ratio) was 86.5% to 13.5% of the total 185 patients, and laparoscopic cholecystectomy appears to be a safe procedure with quick recovery, early discharge from the hospital, and less postoperative pain as compared to open cholecystectomy.

Promoting menstrual health and hygiene-insights from the 2023 World Menstrual Hygiene Day celebration events in the Hohoe municipality in Ghana.

The 2023 World Menstrual Hygiene Day (WMHD) celebration at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) sought to create awareness about menstruation. Toward normalizing menstruation, the 3-day event brought together key stakeholders and engaged community members on various topics relating to menstruation. Among the stakeholders were basic school teachers (13), school children (155), in a 2:1 female vs. male ratio within the ages of 10-17 years, School Health and Education Program Coordinators (2), Health Officers (4), Academicians (15), University students (35), Media representatives (3), and Civil society representatives (130). Particular among these discussions were the biology of menstruation, nutrition related facts during menstruation, sociocultural, and mental health issues surrounding menstruation. These discussions were intended to incite more conversations about menstruation, and contribute toward the agenda 2030 goal of making menstruation a normal fact of life. The paper describes activities conducted to improve menstrual health, reduce period poverty, and involve men in breaking the stigma around menstruation. This contributes to creating supportive environments for menstruating individuals. Meanwhile, the lessons from the activities to celebrate WMHD in Ghana are relevant for other communities to consider replicating with consideration for contextual differences.

Half of the adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients may have lumbar adjacent segment degeneration following spinal fusion: A systemic review and meta-analysis.

This study aims to assess the impact of surgical approaches and other factors on the incidence of Adjacent Segment Degeneration (ASD) following Spinal Fusion for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS). We conducted a comprehensive search of four electronic databases from their inception until March 30, 2023. Two independent reviewers screened titles, abstracts, and full texts and evaluated the methodological quality of the studies. A random-effects model was used to calculate the incidence of ASD. Our analysis included 14 studies involving 651 individuals. The overall incidence of ASD was 47% (95%CI: 0.37, 0.56). Subgroup analyses revealed that the prevalence of ASD increased with postoperative time (53% (95%CI: 0.31, 0.75) versus 48% (95%CI: 0.36, 0.60) versus 39% (95%CI: 0.22, 0.56)). For the number of fused segments, a group with more than 10 segments had a higher prevalence (49% (95%CI: 0.38, 0.60) versus 44% (95%CI: 0.21, 0.69)). In terms of regions, East Asia had the highest prevalence, followed by Occident and West Asia (52% (95%CI: 0.41, 0.62) versus 43% (95%CI: 0.20, 0.68) versus 37% (95%CI: 0.17, 0.59)). However, the surgical approach, male ratio, and the position of the lowest instrumented vertebra (LIV) did not show significant differences between groups. Funnel plots and Egger's test did not reveal any significant publication bias (Egger's test: t = 1.62, p-value = .1274). This meta-analysis found that nearly half of AIS patients following spinal fusion surgery experienced ASD. Long-term follow-up, regular screening, and timely interventions are essential to reduce the prevalence of ASD.