Male Sex Ratio Research Articles

The Effectiveness of Using Honey in Feed for Fish Sex Change Sword Plate (Xiphophorus helleri)


 This study aims to determine the effect of forest bee honey on changes in male sex of sword platy fish (Xiphophorus helleri). The benefits of this study were to determine the appropriate dose of honey for changes in male sex and how the survival rate of sword platy fish larvae was. This study was conducted using a completely randomized design (CRD) with five treatments and three replications, namely Treatment A: Control (Ordinary Feed), Treatment B: Dosage of 3 ml of honey mixed into 100 g of feed, Treatment C: Dosage of 4 ml of honey which is mixed into 100 g of feed, Treatment D : Dosage of 5 ml of honey mixed into 100 g of feed, Treatment E : Dose of 6 ml of honey mixed into 100 g of feed. The results showed that mixing honey into feed gave a significantly different effect on the percentage of male sex ratio where Fcount > Ftable (5.15 > 3.48). Where the best dose is found in treatment E: 6 ml of honey mixed into 100 g of feed with a percentage of 66.05%. While the lowest percentage value is in treatment A (Control) with a total percentage of 40.79%. For the survival rate, mixing honey into the feed had no effect between all treatments. The percentage of survival rates is still in the range above 50%. The range of water quality values ​​is the temperature ranges from 26.55-27.52 0C, pH ranges from 7.02-7.06 and dissolved oxygen ranges from 5.13-5.31 ppm.

Management And Assessment Of Indeterminate (U3) Thyroid Nodules: A 5-Year Multisite Retrospective Study.

The U grading of Ultrasound scan (USS) is used to assess the likelihood of malignancy in a thyroid nodule and help determine those that warrant an FNAC confirmation. All those of a U3-5 warrant an FNAC for confirmation and typing. This study aims to review the follow-up practice and the likelihood of picking up a malignancy on subsequent USS and FNAC, for those determined as an indeterminate U3 nodule. We retrospective reviewed the trust database (Portal) for patients who had a U3 nodule reported on USS identified, and clinical, operative and outcomes data were analysed. 258 scans were identified over a 5-year period. The average age was 59 (range 15- 95) years old at first USS with a female to the male sex ratio of 4:1. The average number of USS that each patient prior to final diagnosis had averaged at 2.8 (range 1-12). Of those with an initial Thy status, 64 (33%) were benign (Thy2) and a further 49 (25%) were non diagnostics (Thy1). Over time, only 7 nodules were upgraded to a potential malignancy. Of those who underwent surgery, a final histological diagnosis was obtained in 41 cases. Only Thy1, 2 and 3f produced benign final histology results. For those indeterminate (U3) nodules of Th1-3f, electing for a watch and wait management strategy is reasonable for up to 2.5 years and 4 follow-up scans at an interval of 6-12 months should be implemented. A Thy2 result on a U3 nodule should not be taken as completely reassuring, a high index of suspicion of malignancy must be maintained.

Long-term monitoring reveals a consistent female-biased sex ratio in Pimelodus maculatus from the Upper Uruguay River Basin

Sex ratio is a crucial demographic parameter for the viability of natural populations, and it is commonly balanced in Neotropical freshwater fish species. This study investigated the sexual proportion of yellow-mandi Pimelodus maculatus in the Upper Uruguay River basin, southern Brazil, between 2000 and 2019. Fish were captured at different sites in a proportion of 2,018 females and 995 males. The total length ranged from 14 to 60 cm for females (31.8 ± 6.8 cm) and 13 to 45 cm for males (26.7 ± 13.6 cm). The frequency of females was higher from class 27 to 51 cm (P < 0.05), with a mean female:male sex ratio of 2.05:1, whereas a 1:1 sex ratio was found in fish shorter than 27 cm. The most important predictor explaining the dominance of females was the length, followed by year, site, and environment. Females are larger and live five years longer than males and they can become more abundant. This disparity in lifespan between females and males, the life history, and social and environmental factors may be associated with the female-biased sex ratio in P. maculatus population of the Uruguay River Basin.

Effective concentration of entomopathogens Beauveria bassiana (Bals) Vuil as biological control agents for Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda JE Smith) is an invasive pest that attacks corn plants. This pest control can be done using several techniques. Biological control for S. frugiperda is using the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. The study to obtain an effective concentration of the entomopathogenic fungus B. bassiana for controlling S. frugiperda. The study was conducted at the Insect Bioecology Lab and Biological Control Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Andalas. The study was designed in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five treatments and was repeated five times. The treatments consist of a suspension of the fungi B. bassiana with different densities, namely 106, 107, 108, 109 conidia/ml and control (aquadest + tween 80). Parameters observed were larval mortality, percentage of Pupae formed, percentage of adults offsprings, and the number of normal and defective adults as well as male and female adults. Data were analyzed by Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), further tested with LSD at a 5% level, and analysis probit to known LC100. The results showed that the higher the concentration, the higher the mortality of the larvae. The effective suspension of B. bassiana as control of S. frugiperda was a concentration of 109, caused larvae mortality percentage of 84%, Pupae formation of 4%, adults offspring 2%, and sex ratio male: female (1:0), normal and abnormal adults 0:1. To get larvae mortality up to 100%, the LC100 is 1018 conidia/ml.

Application of Biostatistical Models in Public Health under Mpox Virus

Since January 1, 2022 last year, many countries outside Africa have begun to have outbreaks of Monkeypox (Mpox) virus. The first case of Mpox transfusion was confirmed on 16 September 2022 Chinese mainland. In order to prevent major public health events, the aim of this study is to predict which populations in China are more susceptible to Mpox virus infection. There are two main research methods used in this paper: literature research method and statistical analysis method. The proportion of male cases in different groups was mainly analyzed separately, and the proportion of the data was determined by a 95% confidence interval. Second, analyze the true proportions of these factors through demographic information. Semen samples and rectal swabs of the type from the confirmed case are then transmitted to determine how Mpox virus is transmitted. Finally, sex-age (proportion hospitalized) was counted. The results of the experiment are: the proportion of male cases is the highest, and the true proportion of male sex and sexual transmission ratio of the influencing factors is the highest. The main types of transmission are: sexual contact, other, and between people. Men in the 18-49 age group and women in the 18-59 age range had the greatest hospitalization rates, respectively. The conclusion is that men who have sex with men, sex actors, HIV-positive patients, women aged 18-59 and men aged 18-49 are the main target groups in China and are susceptible to Mpox virus.

Association between coronary artery lesion severity in coronary computed tomography angiography and hemoglobin A1c in nondiabetic patients with chronic coronary syndrome

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to investigate whether there is a relationship between coronary artery lesion severity detected on coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) and the hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) value in nondiabetic patients with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS). Patients and methods: The retrospective observational study included 125 patients (64 males, 61 females; median age: 55 years; IQR, 46.5-63.0) who underwent coronary CTA with the diagnosis of CCS and applied between March 2020 and July 2022. Two groups were formed according to the severity of coronary artery lesion by coronary CTA: Group 1 (n=71), with <70% coronary lesion severity, and Group 2 (n=54), with >70% coronary lesion severity. Results: The two groups were similar in terms of median age, (p=0.09) and male sex ratios (47% vs. 55%, p=0.47). The HbA1c value in Group 2 was statistically significantly higher than in Group 1 [5.89 (5.43-6.15) vs. 5.42 (5.1-5.8), p=0.001]. The HbA1c cut-off value was determined as 5.66. The ideal HbA1c cut-off value, calculated by the Youden index, had a sensitivity of 64% and a specificity of 63% in predicting the severity of coronary artery lesions in nondiabetic patients with CCS. Conclusion: In nondiabetic patients with CCS, HbA1c is associated with the presence of severe CAD lesions detected in coronary CTA.

Sex-specific paternal age effects on offspring quality in Drosophila melanogaster.

Advanced paternal age has been repeatedly shown to modulate offspring quality via male- and/or female-driven processes, and there are theoretical reasons to expect that some of these effects can be sex-specific. For example, sex allocation theory predicts that, when mated with low-condition males, mothers should invest more in their daughters compared to their sons. This is because male fitness is generally more condition-dependent and more variable than female fitness, which makes it less risky to invest in female offspring. Here, we explore whether paternal age can affect the quality and quantity of offspring in a sex-specific way using Drosophila melanogaster as amodel organism. In order to understand the contribution of male-driven processes on paternal age effects, we also measured the seminal vesicle size of young and older males and explored its relationship with reproductive success and offspring quality. Older males had lower competitive reproductive success, as expected, but there was no difference between the offspring sex ratio of young and older males. However, we found that paternal age caused an increase in offspring quality (i.e., offspring weight), and that this increase was more marked in daughters than sons. We discuss different male- and female-driven processes that may explain such sex-specific paternal age effects.

Growth Patterns and Mortality of Lobster Panulirus ornatus from the Catch of Bottom Gill Net Fishers in the Western Waters of Tarakan Island

Large-bodied Panulirus ornatus lobsters are economically important because they are an aquatic biota. It is one of the most important commodities in the city of Tarakan. The aim is to analyze the growth patterns and mortality of P. ornatus from the West Waters of Tarakan City. Method using a quantitative descriptive. The purposive sampling method was used by dragging the gill net fishing gear to the P. ornatus lobster ground area, and the collection was carried out 16 times in 7 months (December 2021-July 2022). The results of P. ornatus showed that the male sex ratio was higher than the female. The growth model was allometrically negative, and the criteria for the condition index were fat and thin. The growth pattern of Model Von Bertalanffy males is slower than females. However, the growth rate to achieve asymptotic growth for males is faster than for females. The total mortality, catch mortality, and exploitation rate of males was higher than females. However, the mortality of the female nature was higher than that of males. P. ornatus should be managed in the waters of West Tarakan using the domestication and restocking technique to increase sustainability.

Demography and reproductive seasonality of small terrestrial mammals in two forest ecosystems in Ghana

AbstractWe examined the effects of habitat types (farmlands, open forests and closed forests) and seasons on the population demography and reproduction of small terrestrial mammals in two tropical evergreen forests [Atewa Range Forest Reserve (ARFR) and Bimpong Forest Reserve (BFR)] environments in 2018 and 2019. Small mammals were trapped with Sherman's collapsible traps on transects across land use types and seasons to measure change in the relative density, sex ratio, age structure, juvenile recruitment and breeding probability. Twenty‐two (22) species of 506 small mammals (16 rodents and six shrews) were recorded in this study. Relative density of small mammals (captures/100 trap nights) was highest (p < 0.05) in the farmland [ARFR (3.48); BFR (2.36)] than the open forest [ARFR (1.96); BFR (0.65)] and closed forest [ARFR (1.13); BFR (0.98)] habitats in both forest ecosystems. Overall sex ratio was male‐skewed (1.03:1) in the study. ARFR recorded higher female ratios in all habitat types [farmland (1:1.2); open forest (1:1.04); closed forest (1:1.3)] and seasons than males. Male sex ratio was high in all habitat types and seasons in the BFR. Majority of individuals captured in the habitat types [farmland (1.5:1); open forest (1.1:1); closed forest (1.5:1)] and seasons were adults. Over 90% of all captured adults in the study areas were actively breeding. The closed forest habitat type had the highest proportion (0.93) of actively breeding small mammals in the study forests. Seasonally, there were more species actively breeding in the wet season in ARFR and dry season in BFR. Majority of the small mammal captured (n = 268 recorded for ARFR and n = 168 for BFR) were adults. Juvenile recruitment (proportion of juveniles/total capture) was low for all the study forests (with mean proportions of 0.11, 0.04 and 0.03 for closed forest, farmland and open forest, respectively, in ARFR and 0.05, 0.03 and 0.07 for closed forest, farmland and open forest, respectively, in BFR) and seasons. Anthropogenic activities degrade ecosystems, change population demography and favour habitat generalists and pest species.

Quality of life in employees exposed to organic solvents: A study of 196 cases

IntroductionOccupational exposure to organic solvents remains a real risk for exposed employees, particularly in mental health and quality of life.Objectives- To evaluate the quality of life of employees exposed to organic solvents- To research the professional and extra-professional determinants of this quality of life.MethodsThis is a descriptive cross-sectional study that compared 196 employees exposed to organic solvents with 64 non-exposed employees from the same socio-professional environment. The investigation took place in four different companies in the governorate of Tunis. An environmental study combining an evaluation of working conditions and atmospheric monitoring was carried out to identify and quantify exposure to solvents. Quality of life was assessed using the SF36 questionnaire in its Arabic version.ResultsThe solvent mixtures to which the employees were exposed mainly contained hexane, toluene, ethyl acetate, methyl ethyl ketone, cyclohexane, and perchloroethylene. Exposure to these solvents is primarily from glues and paint products. The study population was relatively young (34.1 years +/-9.8), predominantly male (sex ratio=2.2), with an education level of no more than secondary school in 90% of cases, with an average work experience of 10.3 years (+/-8.2) and represented mainly by manual workers (75.4%). The pathological history of the exposed patients was dominated by chronic neuropsychological disorders (48.1%). The global score of SF36 (SFG) was significantly poorer in the solvent-exposed group (SFG= 64.1+/- 21.1 versus 70.1+/-23.3) (p=0.05). Among the eight dimensions of the SF36, a very significant alteration of the dimensions: “perceived health ”, “psychological health” and “repercussion of psychological health on daily activities ” was noted in the solvent-exposed group.The main determinants of the quality of life of workers exposed to solvents were: level of education, frequency of exposure, length of exposure, and company.According to the job-exposure matrix, only “perceived health” appeared to be impaired by high levels of cumulative solvent exposure (p= 0.0006).ConclusionsAccording to this study, organic solvents can affect the quality of life of exposed employees by acting essentially on perceived health, psychological health, and the “impact of psychological health on daily activities”.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Impact of Household Chemicals on the Ornamental Fish Poecilia sphenops (Valenciennes)

This study examined the impact of various household chemicals, such as Surf excel, hair dye, popular soap, fabric softener, shampoo, and coconut oil, on the ornamental fish Poecilia sphenops (Valenciennes in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1846). Length-weight relationships, gonadosomatic and hepatosomatic indexes, oxygen consumption, and opercular beat rate were measured to assess the effects of the chemicals (10, 20, and 30 ppm) on the fish. Results showed that at higher concentrations of the chemicals, the fish exhibited increased breathing and signs of distress. The temperature of 28°C was found to be optimum for the growth of P. sphenops, while the lowest growth performance was shown at temperature 30°C. Fish ranged from 37 to 67 mm in total length and 1.10 to 3.10 g in body weight. The female to male sex ratio (4.9:1) deviated significantly from the unity (?²= 214.2, p<0.05). These findings indicate that the presence of such noxious chemicals are deleterious to natural populations of fish, and that the irresponsible discharge of sewage water into water bodies should be avoided.

Hidden impacts of conservation management on fertility of the critically endangered kākāpō.

Animal conservation often requires intensive management actions to improve reproductive output, yet any adverse effects of these may not be immediately apparent, particularly in threatened species with small populations and long lifespans. Hand-rearing is an example of a conservation management strategy which, while boosting populations, can cause long-term demographic and behavioural problems. It is used in the recovery of the critically endangered kākāpō (Strigops habroptilus), a flightless parrot endemic to New Zealand, to improve the slow population growth that is due to infrequent breeding, low fertility and low hatching success. We applied Bayesian mixed models to examine whether hand-rearing and other factors were associated with clutch fertility in kākāpō. We used projection predictive variable selection to compare the relative contributions to fertility from the parents' rearing environment, their age and previous copulation experience, the parental kinship, and the number of mates and copulations for each clutch. We also explored how the incidence of repeated copulations and multiple mates varied with kākāpō density. The rearing status of the clutch father and the number of mates and copulations of the clutch mother were the dominant factors in predicting fertility. Clutches were less likely to be fertile if the father was hand-reared compared to wild-reared, but there was no similar effect for mothers. Clutches produced by females copulating with different males were more likely to be fertile than those from repeated copulations with one male, which in turn had a higher probability of fertility than those from a single copulation. The likelihood of multiple copulations and mates increased with female:male adult sex ratio, perhaps as a result of mate guarding by females. Parental kinship, copulation experience and age all had negligible associations with clutch fertility. These results provide a rare assessment of factors affecting fertility in a wild threatened bird species, with implications for conservation management. The increased fertility due to multiple mates and copulations, combined with the evidence for mate guarding and previous results of kākāpō sperm morphology, suggests that an evolutionary mechanism exists to optimise fertility through sperm competition in kākāpō. The high frequency of clutches produced from single copulations in the contemporary population may therefore represent an unnatural state, perhaps due to too few females. This suggests that opportunity for sperm competition should be maximised by increasing population densities, optimising sex ratios, and using artificial insemination. The lower fertility of hand-reared males may result from behavioural defects due to lack of exposure to conspecifics at critical development stages, as seen in other taxa. This potential negative impact of hand-rearing must be balanced against the short-term benefits it provides.

Epidemiology and Survival of Systemic Sclerosis-Sarcoidosis Overlap Syndrome.

We evaluated the epidemiology, manifestations, serology, comorbidities, and survival among patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) with and without sarcoidosis. We conducted a retrospective cohort study comparing patients with SSc with and without sarcoidosis. All patients fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology/European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology classification criteria for SSc. Sarcoidosis was based on physician diagnosis and/or confirmatory biopsy. The primary outcome was time from diagnosis to all-cause mortality. Survival was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier curves. We included 1977 patients (1971 with SSc, 6 with SSc-sarcoidosis) with a SSc-sarcoidosis prevalence of 0.30%. Sarcoidosis frequently preceded SSc (66.66%). The most frequent sarcoidosis manifestations were pulmonary (66.66%), lymphadenopathy (66.66%), arthritis (50%), cutaneous (33.33%), and hepatic (16.66%). Patients with SSc and SSc-sarcoidosis had female to male sex ratios of 4.5:1 vs 5:1 and median ages of SSc onset of 48.3 vs 43.8 years, respectively. Interstitial lung disease (35% vs 66.66%) and pulmonary hypertension (24.91% vs 50%) tended to occur more frequently whereas abnormal nailfold capillaries (34.7% vs 16.66%) and digital ulcers (33.33% vs 16.66%) tended to occur less frequently among patients with SSc-sarcoidosis, but the differences were not significant. There was an increased frequency of stroke among the patients with SSc-sarcoidosis (relative risk 8.59, 95% CI 1.02-72.00). The median survival times were 23.4 years for SSc-sarcoidosis and 18.6 years for SSc, with no differences in survival curves (log-rank test, P = 0.55). Sarcoidosis in SSc is rare but appears to occur more frequently than in the general population. It is associated with pulmonary, lymph node, cutaneous, joint, and hepatic involvement. Stroke occurs more frequently in patients with SSc-sarcoidosis but with no differences in survival.

Fishing Enclosure as a Simple Approach to Stimulate Spawning Success of Tenualosa ilisha (Hamilton, 1822) in Bangladesh

The study was intended to assess the impact of fishing enclosure during the peak breeding time of hilsa, Tenualosa ilisha on its breeding success. During the last peak breeding season of hilsa (October 4-25, 2021) a comprehensive investigation was attempt to evaluate the impact of fishing enclosure by “MV Rupali Ilish” research vessel, speedboat and experimental fishing net were deployed to demeanor a rigorous investigation in and around the spawning grounds areas (about 7,000 sq km, including Moulvirchar, Monpura, Dhalchar and Kalirchar). Additionally, data were also assumed from landing stations (via terrestrial cruises) near the spawning ground areas and other hilsa prone region of Bangladesh. The percentage of spent hilsa (locally called pite) and oozing hilsa were monitored following a standard protocol. Among all the hilsa captured in and around the spawning grounds, the proportion of male and female were 16-41% and 85-97%, respectively of the total catch, suggesting a male and female sex ratio (1:2.3). The rate of breeding success in 2021 was 51.76% i.e., 51.7% hilsa successfully participated in the breeding process which was 103.52% higher than the base year (2001-02). The approximate number of fertilized eggs in 2021 was 7,86,314 kg. Increased production of hilsa eggs and jatka indicated a positive impact of twenty-two days fishing enclosure. Percentages of gravid and oozing hilsa were also found higher compared to previous years. Due to the prohibition of all types of fishing, the percentage of female hilsa in the breeding areas increased up to 83.96%. Overall, twenty-two days fishing enclosure was found very effective for successful spawning of hilsa.

Glymphatic system dysfunction in patients with occipital lobe epilepsy.

We aimed to investigate the glymphatic system function in patients with occipital lobe epilepsy (OLE) and healthy controls using diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) index. We retrospectively included 23 patients with OLE and 30 healthy controls. The participants underwent brain MRI, which was normal, and diffusion tensor imaging. We used the DSI Studio for data preprocessing, obtained the fiber orientation and diffusivities, and calculated the DTI-ALPS index from the diffusivity values associated with the projection and association fibers in the left hemisphere. There were no differences in mean age (31.6 years [range: 13-58] vs. 31.3 years [range: 20-57], p=.912) and male sex ratio (10/23 [43.5%] vs. 15/30 [50.0%]) between the groups. Compared to healthy controls, the diffusivities in patients with OLE were higher along the Y-axis in the projection fiber and along the Z-axis in the association fiber and lower along the Y-axis in the association fiber. The DTI-ALPS index in patients with OLE was lower than that in the healthy controls (1.421±0.171vs. 1.667±0.271, p<.001, 95% confidence interval of difference=0.117-0.376, Test statistic t=3.823). We found no association between the DTI-ALPS index and clinical characteristics in OLE. The DTI-ALPS index in patients with OLE was significantly lower than that in healthy controls, suggesting glymphatic system dysfunction in OLE. The DTI-ALPS index could help assess the glymphatic system function in patients with epilepsy.

Analysis of the epidemiological status, microbiology, treatment methods and financial burden of hematogenous osteomyelitis based on 259 patients in Northwest China.

The incidence of hematogenous osteomyelitis is on the rise, and the prognosis is poor. There has been no large-scale epidemiological analysis of hematogenous osteomyelitis in the world, and the treatment method is still controversial. A retrospective case study method was used to collect and analyze clinical data obtained from patients with hematogenous osteomyelitis in a tertiary hospital in Northwest China from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2020. The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiological status, microbiological characteristics, treatment and financial burden of hematogenous osteomyelitis in Northwest China to explore the therapeutic effects of different treatment methods, elucidate the epidemiological characteristics of hematogenous osteomyelitis and to provide a basis for the choice of treatment. We included 259 patients with hematogenous osteomyelitis, including 96 patients with acute hematogenous osteomyelitis and 163 patients with chronic hematogenous osteomyelitis. The cause of the disease was not obvious in most patients, the sex ratio of males to females was 1.98, and the three most common infected sites were the tibia, femur and phalanx. Regarding preoperative serum inflammatory markers, the rate of positivity for ESR was the highest at 67.58%. Among pathogenic microorganisms, Staphylococcus aureus was the most common. Regarding the financial burden, the median total cost per patient was 25,754 RMB, and medications accounted for the largest proportion of the main costs. The most common pathogen associated with HO infection was MSSA. Oxacillin has good PK and PD and is recommended as the first-line drug. Some blood-borne bone infections may lead to complications, such as pulmonary infection through bacteremia, which requires early detection to avoid a missed diagnosis. Regarding surgical intervention, debridement plus absorbable calcium sulfate bone cement and calcium sulfate calcium phosphate bone cement exclusion have achieved good therapeutic effects, but they are worthy of further in-depth research. Regarding the financial burden, the median total cost per patient was 25,754 RMB. The financial burden of blood-borne osteomyelitis was lower than that of traumatic osteomyelitis. Among the main costs, drugs accounted for the largest proportion.

Association of Pre- and Perinatal Risk Factors With Tourette Syndrome or Chronic Tic Disorders in a Korean School-Age Population.

Tic disorders are highly heritable; however, growing evidence suggests that environmental factors play a significant role in their pathogenesis. Studies on these factors have been inconsistent, with conflicting results. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the associations of pre- and perinatal exposure to Tourette syndrome (TS) or chronic tic disorders (CTD) in Korean school-aged children. This case-control study used data from a large prospective cohort study. The primary outcome was TS/CTD diagnosis according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5) criteria and Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime Version-Korean Version. Demographic, pre-, and perinatal information was obtained from the maternal questionnaires. Data between the TS/CTD and control groups were compared using the chi-squared or Student's t-test, as appropriate. Two-step logistic regression analyses were used to test the association between TS/CTD and pre- and perinatal risk factors. We included of 223 children (78 with TS/CTD and 145 controls). Significant differences in the demographic data between the two groups were observed. The male sex ratio, mean parental age, parental final education level, and family history of tics were included as confounders. In the final adjusted multivariable model, TS/CTD was significantly associated with antiemetic exposure during pregnancy (odds ratio [OR]=16.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.49-185.22, p=0.02) and medically assisted reproduction (OR=7.89, 95% CI 2.28-27.28, p=0.01). Antiemetic exposure and medically assisted reproduction are significantly associated with the risk of TS/CTD. These results should be replicated in future prospective and gene-by-environment studies.

Prevalence of tuberculosis/COVID-19 co-infection and factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in pulmonary tuberculosis patients at a respiratory diseases center: a cross-sectional study.

currently, tuberculosis (TB) is the second cause of infectious disease-related deaths before COVID-19. These two infections have several similarities but little data is available on TB/COVID-19 co-infection, hence, we sought to investigate the prevalence of this co-infection and the factors associated with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in tuberculosis patients in a tuberculosis-endemic area. we conducted a prospective cross-sectional study from January to June 2022 at Respiratory Diseases Center in Douala, Cameroon by enrolling all consenting pulmonary tuberculosis patients. The presence of SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleic acid (RNA) and gamma-interferon levels were laboratory analyzed using the Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique, respectively. The factors associated with COVID-19 carriage in pulmonary tuberculosis patients were analyzed by logistic regressions. overall, we enrolled 185 patients; 57.8% were males (sex ratio of 1.36) and their mean age was 43.70 ± 17.89 years. The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in pulmonary TB patients was 24.3%. Asthma and sore throat were the factors favoring carriage (OR=3.74; 95% CI=1.271-11.017; p=0.017 and OR=4.05; 95%CI=1.204-13.600; p=0.024) and cough was a protective factor (OR=0.15; 95% CI = 0.034-0.690; p=0.015). the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 carriage in tuberculosis patients is high and greater than the national prevalence. Asthma and sore throat would be associated factors.

Optimum Threshold Estimation of Thorax CT Scan for COVID-19 Diagnosis in a Single Center in Cameroon

Objective: To evaluate the lung CT scan as a possible predictive diagnostic method for COVID-19 in the Cameroonian context. Methods: We designed a cross sectional study. Suspected cases of COVID-19 during the first wave at the national social insurance fund (NSIF) hospital were screened with both COVID-19 with lung CT scan and a PCR test. Univariate analysis was performed for sample description and multivariate analysis to assess the correlation between positive results for the PCR and other parameters. We estimated the optimum threshold of sensitivity/specificity, and area under curve using the empirical method and package. Results: A total of 62 suspected COVID-19 cases were recorded, predominantly males (Sex Ratio = 2.2) with a median age of 58.5 (IQR = 19.7). Among our 62 patients, 29 (46.8%) were confirmed COVID-19 cases with positive PCR results. All the patients had a thorax CT scan with a median impairment of 40% (IQR = 20%). The optimum threshold estimate for CT scan for COVID-19 infection diagnosis was 60% (95% CI = 25% - 80%). Overall, the sensitivity and specificity estimates were 0.30 (95% CI = 0.15 - 0.49) and 0.87 (95% CI = 0.70 - 0.96), respectively, leading to an Area Under Curve (AUC) estimate of 0.59 (95% CI = 0.46, 0.71). Conclusion: In this setting, lung CT scan was neither sensitive nor specific to predict COVID-19 disease.

Student and faculty member perspectives on public health education at the Marrakech Medical School

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the pivotal role of public health. The aim of this study was to explore the perception of public health among medical students and faculty members (teachers). A cross-sectional study was conducted at the medical school of Marrakech (FMPM) in May 2020. Data collection regarding the place of public health (during the training and in the practice) was done by electronic questionnaire. The analysis was descriptive and bivariate. 259 responses were received (78.4% were students). The female / male sex ratio = 1.27. Almost 98.5% believed that public health knowledge and experiences were relevant for clinical practice. The main activities that reflect public health were prevention and health promotion (81%), epidemiological surveillance and epidemic management (89.6%) (98.2% among teachers versus 87.2% among students, p = 0.009). During the pandemic, 85.7% of teachers and 77% of students developed an interest in public health (p = 0.196). Only 6.6% were interested in a career in public health. Compared to teachers, students had a positive perception during the pandemic (p = 0.001). The results highlight the lack of knowledge about the fields of application despite heightened sensitivity at the onset of the pandemic. Lessons can be learned in terms of improving public health training, raising awareness of the choice of this specialty and actions in favor of better visibility.