Significant Difference In Prevalence Research Articles

Abstract P2-03-05: HOXB13/IL17RB-low breast cancers are predicted to respond to PIK3CA inhibitors independent of PIK3CA mutational status

Abstract Background: The Breast Cancer Index is a gene expression-based signature comprising two functional biomarker panels, the Molecular Grade Index (MGI) and the two-gene ratio, HOXB13/IL17BR (H/I). MGI measures tumor proliferation, while H/I measures estrogen signaling. Integration of MGI and H/I provides a single score that quantifies the risk distant recurrence, while H/I alone predicts benefit from extended endocrine therapy (EET). In multiple EET trials, we have shown that hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer (BC) patients with H/I-high biomarker expression benefit from EET, while those with H/I-low expression do not benefit from such therapy. Previous protein-protein interaction (PPI) dysregulation (dysreg) analysis of H/I-low BC tumors with drug-response-associated dysreg in BC cell lines revealed a significant correlation with response to two PIK3CA inhibitors, suggesting that PIK3CA pathway may represent an exploitable therapeutic vulnerability for H/I-low BC patients. However, given that PIK3CA is frequently mutated in ER+ tumors, the PPI dysreg analysis may merely reflect enrichment of PIK3CA genomic alterations within the H/I-Low BCs. Thus, to determine if a genetic abnormality within the H/I-low BCs accounts for the correlation with PIK3CA inhibitor drug response in BC cell lines, we performed targeted DNA sequencing of H/I-high and H/I-low BC tumors. Methods: DNA was extracted from 44 H/I-high and 30-H/I-low BC samples using a Qiaqen DNeasy Blood & Tissue Kit. Samples were then prepared using the Archer VariantPlex kits according to a modified protocol and sequenced in batches on the Illumina NextSeq platform. To determine if a genetic abnormality within H/I-low BCs accounts for the PPI dysreg correlation with PIK3CA drug response, the magnitude of the sample’s drug associated PPI dysregs was compared to its mutational status. Geneset enrichment (GSEA) functional profiles between BC tissue PPI dysregs and BC cell line drug response-associated PPI dysregs, identified two PIK3CA inhibitors as potential therapeutic drugs for H/I-low tumors. For each PIK3CA drug, the set of leading-edge genes associated with the genesets important to the observed correlation were isolated. Z-score transformed PPI dysreg count data across the BC samples was used to calculate the average dysreg scores for each sample based on the drug-associated leading-edge genes. The samples were sorted based on scores associated with each drug and GSEA was run on each ranked list looking for an association between the dysreg magnitude and PIK3CA mutation status. Results: Targeted DNA sequencing identified copy number variants for in H/I-high and low tumors, the most common of which are: ERBB2 (3/44 H/I-high; 1/30 H/I-low; p: 0.642), FGF19 (3/44 H/I-high; 1/30; p: 0.642), CCND1 (3/44 H/I-high; 1/30 H/I-low; p: 0.642). Sequencing identified a similar distribution of single nucleotide variants (SNVs) between the H/I-high and H/I-low groups. The most common SNVs identified in order of prevalence are PIK3CA (18/44, H/I-high; 6/30, H/I-low; p: 0.078), TP53 (12/44 H/I-high; 6/30 H/I-low; p: 0.585), CDH1 (4/44 H/I-high; 5/30 H/I-low; p: 0.471), BRCA2 (4/44 H/I-high; 2/30 H/I-low; p: 1). No significant difference in mutational prevalence was identified between the H/I-high and H/I-low BCs. No-significant associations between the PPI dysreg magnitude of the drug-associated leading-edge genes and PIK3CA mutational status was observed (AZD6482 FDR=0.736 and A66 FDR=0.95). Conclusion: No significant genetic alteration, including PIK3CA mutational status, was identified between H/I-high and H/I-low groups. Thus, protein-protein interaction (PPI) dysregulation analysis identifies H/I-low BC tumors as those that are predicted to response to PIK3CA inhibitors independent of PIK3CA mutational status. Citation Format: Baris Boyraz, Grace Kirkpatrick, Stefan T. Kaluziak, Robert Morris, Johannes Kreuzer, Wilhelm Haas, Anthony John Iafrate, Dennis Sgroi. HOXB13/IL17RB-low breast cancers are predicted to respond to PIK3CA inhibitors independent of PIK3CA mutational status [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-03-05.

A Study of Congenitally Missing Permanent Teeth in Wonju Severance Christian Hospital

Congenitally missing teeth are one of the most prevalent dental anomalies in the oral cavity. In this study, the prevalence, distribution, and symmetry of congenitally missing permanent teeth among 1,865 patients aged 7 to 15 years who visited the Pediatric Dentistry Department of Wonju Severance Christian Hospital from March 2011 to May 2021 and took panoramic radiographs were investigated and analyzed. Most of the patients had one or two congenitally missing teeth, mainly in the second premolars and lateral incisors. Congenitally missing teeth occurred more in the mandible than in the maxilla, and there was no significant difference in prevalence between the left and right sides. Congenitally missing teeth tend to occur symmetrically on the left and right sides and in the maxilla and mandible, depending on the tooth. Early oral examination and radiological examination are required to prevent complications due to congenitally missing teeth, and appropriate interdisciplinary treatment is required.

Abstract P396: A Culturally Tailored Mobile Health Lifestyle Intervention Improves Cardiovascular Health Among African Americans With Preexisting Risk Factors

Background: African-American (AA) adults have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, leading to higher CV disease mortality than White adults. Prior findings of our mobile health (mHealth) lifestyle intervention (FAITH! App) demonstrated efficacy in promoting ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) in AAs. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that the intervention group with preexisting CV risk factors would have a greater increase in LS7 scores than the control group with the same risk factors following use of the FAITH! App. Methods: A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted among AAs from 16 churches in Minnesota. The intervention included culturally relevant, LS7-focused education modules, diet/physical activity self-monitoring and a group sharing board. A subgroup of participants with ≥1 diagnosis of overweight/obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypertension (HTN) or diabetes was examined. The primary outcome was change in LS7 score—a measure of CVH ranging from poor to ideal (range 0-14 points)—at 6 months post-intervention. Results: Forty-nine participants (75.5% female) were included in the intervention (n=20; mean age [SD]: 58.8 [9.5]) or control (n=29, mean age [SD]: 52.5 [10.7]) groups (Table 1). There was no significant difference in the CV risk factor prevalence between the two groups. There was a greater increase in LS7 score in the intervention vs. control group across all CV risk factors, with significant differences among those with overweight/obesity (1.77, p<.0001) and with 2+ or 3+ CV risk factors (1.00, p=.03; 1.09, p=.04). Compared to the control group, the increase in the percentage of participants with ideal LS7 scores in the intervention group was higher among those with overweight/obesity, HTN, diabetes and 3+ CV risk factors. Conclusions: Our culturally tailored mHealth lifestyle intervention was associated with notable increases in LS7 scores among AAs with preexisting CV risk factors, suggesting its efficacy in improving CVH among this population.

Criminal records versus rehabilitation and expungement: a randomised controlled trial

PurposeWhat is the effect of having a criminal record compared to having the criminal record expunged in exchange for participating in a rehabilitative programme? The available evidence focuses on programmes comprised of the criminal record for the offence (i.e. labelling) and a punitive sanction or rehabilitative scheme. The interaction between the labelling and the sanction has made distinguishing the effect of each penological approach a challenge.MethodsWe use a pretest–posttest control group design with a cohort of 341 low-harm offenders randomly assigned to either a simple, unconditional, caution or a 16-week rehabilitation treatment programme (after which the criminal record was automatically expunged). New crimes and a measure of harm were used as outcome variables.ResultsIntention-to-treat analysis shows no significant difference in prevalence, crime count or crime harm. Factoring in those individuals who actually completed the programme changes this story. An instrumental variables analysis used to adjust for treatment compliance suggests that the offer to expunge the criminal record following participation in rehabilitation programmes reduces both crime count and crime harm.ConclusionsWe conclude that as evidence on the adverse effects of criminal records on recidivism mounts, out of court disposals that lead to an expungement of the label ‘offender’ may provide promising intervention for low-harm offences. The experiment also highlighted the importance of secondary analytic strategies in experiments alongside the standard intention-to-treat model.

Understanding common key indicators of successful and unsuccessful cancer drug trials using a contrast mining framework on ClinicalTrials.gov

Clinical trials are essential to the process of new drug development. As clinical trials involve significant investments of time and money, it is crucial for trial designers to carefully investigate trial settings prior to designing a trial. Utilizing trial documents from ClinicalTrials.gov, we aim to understand the common characteristics of successful and unsuccessful cancer drug trials to provide insights about what to learn and what to avoid. In this research, we first computationally classified cancer drug trials into successful and unsuccessful cases and then utilized natural language processing to extract eligibility criteria information from the trial documents. To provide explainable and potentially modifiable recommendations for new trial design, contrast mining was applied to discoverhighly contrasted patterns with a significant difference in prevalence between successful (completion with advancement to the next phase) and unsuccessful (suspended, withdrawn, or terminated) groups. Our method identified contrast patterns consisting of combinations of drug categories, eligibility criteria, study organization, and study design for nine major cancers. In addition to a literature review for the qualitative validation of mined contrast patterns, we found that contrast-pattern-based classifiers using the top 200 contrast patterns as feature representations can achieve approximately 80% F1 score for eight out of ten cancer types in our experiments. In summary, aligning with the modernization efforts of ClinicalTrials.gov, our study demonstrates that understanding the contrast characteristics of successful and unsuccessful cancer trials may provide insights into the decision-making process for trial investigators and therefore facilitate improved cancer drug trial design.

Haemosporidian infection prevalence varies temporally and spatially and Leucocytozoon infections are male biased in Song Sparrows

Abstract Haemosporidian parasites are significant global drivers of avian disease and infections are affected by complex ecological and biological interactions. We quantified variation in haemosporidian infection prevalence of Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, and Leucocytozoon in 311 Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia) from 2 breeding populations across years, seasons, age classes, and sexes, finding significant differences in infection prevalence across years, seasons, and sites, as well as sex differences in Leucocytozoon infection prevalence. We also found that birds were more likely to be infected with Plasmodium than Leucocytozoon and coinfections were more likely than expected. Many avian haemosporidian studies use data collected over a short period of time at one location, and few studies investigate multi-year infection dynamics across populations. However, such long-term studies are important because ecological factors can affect the distribution and prevalence of vector-borne pathogens like malaria. Because biological factors can also affect the likelihood of exposure to vector-borne pathogens, it is also important to determine how host traits influence infection dynamics. Our results demonstrate that the prevalence and composition of avian haemosporidian infections can be highly variable, making sampling regimes a key consideration when drawing conclusions from study results. To better understand the fitness consequences of haemosporidian infection in avian hosts, future work should take ecological and biological variation into account when evaluating the effects of infection on aspects of condition and quality, reproductive success, and survival.

Dynapenia, Muscle Quality, and Hepatic Steatosis in Patients with Obesity and Sarcopenic Obesity

Accumulating evidence supports a connection between sarcopenic obesity (SO) and NAFLD. The extent to which fatty liver contributes to impaired muscle contractility is not yet well established. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of NAFLD on dynapenia in patients with SO. In this study, 71 non-diabetic subjects (age 55 (7.8) years, BMI 35.2 kg/m2 (32.6-38.8)) were classified as having SO and non-sarcopenic obesity (NSO). SO patients displayed worse serum lipid profiles, higher body fat, and lower skeletal muscle mass (both total and appendicular) than NSO patients, despite the absence of any significant differences in body weight, glycometabolic parameters, and hepatic steatosis prevalence. A positive correlation between disposition index and muscle quality index (MQI) (r = 0.393, p = 0.013) emerged after controlling for menopause and body fat percentage. Based on multiple linear regression analysis, MQI was significantly positively associated with the disposition index (β: 0.059, SE: 0.002, p = 0.006) after adjustment for menopause, body fat percentage, and the presence of hepatic steatosis according to the hepatorenal index (HRI). Similar findings emerged when including liver enzyme levels in place of hepatic steatosis. Muscle quality was positively associated with β-cell function corrected for insulin resistance among patients with obesity and sarcopenic obesity, irrespective of the presence of fatty liver disease.

Prevalence and factors associated with anemia among children under five years of age in Rombo district, Kilimanjaro region, Northern Tanzania.

Background: Anemia is a severe public health problem affecting more than half of children under five years of age in low-, middle- and high-income countries. The study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with anemia among children under five years of age in northern Tanzania. Methods: This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Rombo district, Kilimanjaro region, northern Tanzania, in April 2016. Multistage sampling technique was used to select a total of 602 consenting mothers and their children aged 6-59 months and interviewed using a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Stata version 15.1. We used generalized linear models (binomial family and logit link function) with a robust variance estimator to determine factors associated with anemia. Results: Prevalence of anemia was 37.9%, and it was significantly higher among children aged 6-23 months (48.3%) compared to those aged 24-59 months (28.5%). There were no significant differences in anemia prevalence by sex of the child. Adjusted for other factors, children aged 6-23 months had over two times higher odds of being anemic (OR=2.47, 95% CI 1.73, 3.53, p<0.001) compared to those aged 24-59 months. No significant association was found between maternal and nutritional characteristics with anemia among children in this study. Conclusion: Prevalence of anemia was lower than the national and regional estimates, and it still constitutes a significant public health problem, especially among children aged 6-23 months. The study recommends iron supplementation, food fortification, dietary diversification, and management of childhood illnesses interventions for mothers and children under two years.

The diurnal and seasonal relationships of pedestrian injuries secondary to motor vehicles in young people

Introduction There remains a significant morbidity and mortality in young pedestrians hit by motor vehicles, even in the era of pedestrian crossings and speed limits. The aim of this study was to compare the incidence and injury severity of motor vehicle-related pedestrian trauma according to time of day and season in a young population, based on the supposition that injuries would be more prevalent during dusk and dawn and during autumn and winter. Methods Data were retrieved from the National Trauma Audit and Research Network (TARN) database for patients between 10 and 25 years old who had been involved as pedestrians in road traffic collisions between 2013 and 2020. The incidence of injuries, their severity (using the injury severity score (ISS)) and mortality were analysed according to the hours of daylight, darkness and season. Results The study identified a seasonal pattern, highlighting that injuries were most prevalent during autumn (34.9% of injuries). Prevalence decreased throughout the year from winter (25.4%) to spring (21.4%), to summer (18.3%). The greatest incident rate (number of incidents/hour) occurred between 1500–1630 h, correlating to school pick up times, but overall there was no significant difference in injury prevalence between hours of darkness (47.3%) and daylight (52.7%). However, a significant relationship between ISS and daylight hours was demonstrated ( p-value = 0.0124), whereby moderate injuries (ISS score: 9–15) were more likely during the day (72.7%), while severe injuries (ISS score &gt; 15) were more likely at night (55.8%). Conclusion We identified a relationship between the time of day and the frequency and severity of pedestrian trauma in young people. In addition, particular time groupings correspond to the greatest incidents rate, suggesting that reduced visibility coupled with school pick up times play a significant role. We recommend targeted public health measures to improve road safety that focus on these high-risk times of the day.

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Role of Felids as Intermediate Hosts in the Life Cycle of Neospora caninum Based on Serological Data.

Neosporosis is an important widespread parasitic infection caused by N. caninum. It infects a wide range of warm-blooded animals as intermediate hosts and dogs as the definitive host. Nevertheless, there are a number of questions regarding the life cycle and epidemiological aspects of N. caninum. Also, the role of felids (domestic and non-domestic) in the life cycle of N. caninum has been little described. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the global prevalence of N. caninum in domestic and wild felids. PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect databases were searched for articles published on the prevalence of N. caninum in felids until Aprill 2, 2022 and the reference lists of retrieved articles were screened. A random-effects meta-analysis model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence and 95% confidence interval. Heterogeneity among studies was evaluated using Cochran's Q and the I2 statistic. After exclusion of irrelevant articles and duplication removal, 30 studies were eligible for quantitative analysis including 20 studies on domestic cats and 10 studies on wild felids. The overall prevalence of neosporosis infection in cats was 15% (95% CI 10-21%) that was significantly higher in wild felids (26%, 95% CI 13-38%) than in domestic cats (11%, 95% CI 6-16%) (P = 0.03). There was no significant difference in pooled prevalence between male and female domestic cats (P = 0.75). Regarding continent, the lowest prevalence of neosporosis infection was in Asia (9%, 95% CI 1-20%) and the highest was in North America (43.6%, 95% CI 33.9-53.2%) and Africa (18%, 95% CI 9-46%). Higher prevalence was obtained when using the NAT with 22% (95% CI 7-37%), compared to the IFAT (17%, 95% CI 9-24%) and ELISA (6%, 95% CI 2-9%) (P = 0.01). The findings highlighted the importance of felids as potential intermediate hosts of neosporosis despite the fact that the source of the parasite for these animals was unknown. Further studies should be performed to investigate the role of this top predator (felids) in maintaining both domestic and sylvatic cycles of Neospora caninum.

Prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in the Arab Gulf countries: systematic review and meta-analysis

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is an important growing psychiatric health problem of children and adolescents all over the world. This review aimed to investigate the prevalence of ADHD in the Arab Gulf countries. A literature search was conducted on 14 January 2022. Any paper reporting the prevalence of ADHD in Arab Gulf countries was included. R software was used for the meta-analysis. We included 14 papers. The prevalence of ADHD was 5.90% (95% confidence interval (CI)=1.73-20.14). We found no significant difference in the prevalence of ADHD between males and females (odds ratio (OR)=1.48; 95% CI=0.53-4.14; p value=0.456). The leave-one-out sensitivity analysis did not change the statistical significance proving that a single study did not drive the pooled effect size. Regarding parents’ educational level, the prevalence was the highest among children born to fathers with at least a secondary education 51% (95% CI= 22.97-100.00), while the prevalence rate was comparable among those with primary school education 16.6% (95% CI=1.28-100.00) and illiterate fathers 17% (95% CI=12.84-22.59). The difference between different education subgroups was statistically significant (p=0.040). There were no statistically significant differences in ADHD prevalence when comparing different mothers’ educational levels (p=0.260). The estimated cumulative evidence is high but comparable with the reported worldwide rates. Unlike these studies, the prevalence of ADHD was not associated with gender or maternal education. On the other hand, the highest prevalence of ADHD was found among children of fathers with at least a secondary education.

Predictors of left ventricular mass and coronary artery calcium phenotypes

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public Institution(s). Main funding source(s): National Medical Research Council, Ministry of Health, Singapore and the Lee Foundation Background Left ventricular (LV) mass and coronary artery calcium score (CACS) are both independent predictors of cardiovascular risk. There is paucity of data on the interplay of risk factors on LV mass in the presence or absence of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis. Purpose The objective of this present study was to explore the relationship of risk factors to indexed LV mass and CACS in a healthy Southeast-Asian population. Methods This study recruited volunteers with no known cardiovascular disease. LV mass, measured by cardiovascular magnetic resonance, was indexed to body surface area (LVMI), and CACS determined by non-contrast CT scanning. Blood pressure (BP) was measured via both office and ambulatory monitoring, and physical activity assessed through wearable devices. Analysis of LVMI was stratified into high, normal and low defined as more than one standard deviation away from the mean for each sex, with inter-group differences evaluated using chi-squared or ANOVA statistical tests. Subjects in each LVMI group were further subdivided by the presence and absence of coronary calcification (total 6 subgroups; LVMI/CACS phenotypes). Results A total of 880 subjects were included, including 428 males and 452 females. There was no significant difference in prevalence of coronary calcification across the LVMI groups for males, while females with high LVMI had significantly greater proportion of positive CACS (p = 0.036). Higher LVMI was observed in younger male subjects, but not in females. In both sexes, body mass index was positively associated with LVMI (p = 0.004 for males, p = 0.037 for females), but not CACS. Waist circumference was associated with higher LVMI in males only. Greater amounts of weekly self-reported exercise (p = 0.006) and daily calories burned (p = 0.022) were associated with increased LVMI for males only. However, wearable-derived measures of daily physical activity and step counts did not significantly affect LVMI or LVMI/CACS phenotypes in both sexes. BP was a strong predictor of LVMI in both sexes regardless of office or ambulatory readings, in both day and night-time. The association was also observed with LVMI/CACS phenotypes: higher systolic or diastolic BP was significantly associated with positive CACS across all risk groups. Notably, subjects with low LVMI and positive CACS were normotensive (office BP 129/82 for males, 123/77 for females). Higher HDL cholesterol levels correlated to absence of coronary calcification in males only (p = 0.010). In females, lower levels of total (p = 0.001) and LDL (p = 0.005) cholesterol were associated with absence of coronary calcification across all LVMI categories. Conclusion Only BP was strongly associated with LVMI and LVMI/CACS phenotypes in both sexes. There appears to be no correlation between physical activity and LVMI/CACS phenotypes. There is a need for causative studies to better evaluate the varying influence of risk factors on LVMI and CACS.

Prevalence of RNA viruses in certified, and informal potato seed tubers in the province of Antioquia (Colombia)

The productivity of potato in Colombia is far from its full potential mainly due to the high prevalence of viruses in seed-tubers. To gain a deeper insight into the health status of S. tuberosum and S. phureja seed-tubers used by farmers in the province of Antioquia (Colombia), we have investigated the prevalence of PVY, PVV, PVS, PVX, PRLV, PYVV, PMTV and PVB in certified and uncertified seed lots. The presence of viruses was determined by RT-qPCR, RT-PCR, Sanger and High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS). The eight viruses were detected in at least one lot sample of S. tuberosum or S. phureja and for most of the viruses, no significant differences in prevalence were observed between certified and uncertified seed-tuber lots; however, the number of co-infecting viruses and viral loads seem to be lower in the certified seeds. These results confirm the urgent need to improve current seed-tuber production standards in Colombia.

Assessment of Cryptosporidium Burden in Cattle in Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria

This study was undertaken to undertaken to assess the Cryptosporidium burden in cattle in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nigeria. A total of 400 cattle fecal samples were screened for Cryptosporidium oocysts using Safranin-Methylene Blue staining technique. A questionnaire was used to analyze the possible factors driving the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in cattle in the study area. The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection was 17.8% (71/400). The prevalence of Cryptosporidium in cattle was highest (32.4%, 22/68) in the Gwagwalada Area Council and lowest (12.1%, 8/66) in AMAC. There was a significant difference in prevalence of Cryptosporidium in cattle in the Area Councils (P= 0.010 < 0.005). There was a statistical difference in prevalence of Cryptosporidium and age, consistency of feces, breed, management practices and size of herd of cattle (P < 0.05) in the study area. There was no significant difference in sex and prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in cattle in the study area (P > 0.05). This study demonstrated a widespread prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in cattle in Federal Capital Territory. More worrisome is their prevalence in asymptomatic cattle as reservoirs that may sustain zoonotic cycle of transmission in the humans.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Gender Differences in Depression Based on National Representative Data.

Restrictions on daily life and changes in economic structure due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) likely would have affected men and women differently. However, there is still a lack of research on the difference between men and women in the amount of change in depression during COVID-19 compared to before COVID-19. Therefore, the researchers investigated gender differences in the magnitude of increase in the prevalence of depression with its severity and individual symptoms during COVID-19 compared with pre-pandemic levels. The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2016 and 2018 were used to assess depression levels pre-pandemic and the KNHANES 2020 for pandemic depression levels. Depression was evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). To analyze the differences between men and women in the magnitude of the mental health impact of COVID-19, the researchers analyzed the weighted differences in depression prevalence, severity, and individual symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before COVID-19 stratified by gender. In men, there were significant increases in weighted prevalence for depression (1.2% percentage point; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.0-2.3) and severe symptoms of depression (2.6-fold; 95% CI, 1.2-5.7). Among the individual symptoms of depression, significant increases during the pandemic compared to before were: little interest or pleasure in doing things, 1.26-fold; feeling tired or having little energy, 2.2-fold; and suicidal thoughts, 1.7-fold. However, there was no significant difference in prevalence, symptoms severity, and any symptom before and during COVID-19 in women. Because the pandemic is likely to increase mental problems of the affected over time due to such problems as financial stress and joblessness or post-infection health issues, the researchers anticipate an increase in the prevalence of some mental illnesses. In particular, since the suicide rate of men is higher than that of women, from a public health perspective, active interventions are needed to prevent an increase in the suicide rate due to COVID-19. It is also necessary to establish national policies to overcome the psychological, social, and economic losses resulting from COVID-19.

Prevalence, Species Identification, and Associated Risk Factor Ixodid Tick Infestation of Cattle in Selamago District Southern Ethiopia.

Ticks are blood-sucking external parasites of livestock and humans; and can transmit pathogens beyond their direct effect during biting. Ticks are distributed in different agro-ecological zones. The study's objectives were to determine the species of ixodid ticks, estimate prevalence, and link the presumptive risk variables. A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2022 to June 2023 in Selamago district, Southern Ethiopia. A total of 384 cattle managed under extensive grazing systems were selected proportionally based on cattle population, from 3 kebeles, which is the lowest administrative structure of government, and individual animals were selected using systematic random sampling techniques at an interval of 5 animals; as the results, 153, 128, and 103 cattle were selected from Hana, Marsiyo, and Geyo kebeles, respectively. 262 animals (68.2%) were found to be infested with one or more tick species. In this study, there was a statistically significant difference in prevalence between sexes and age groups (P < .05). A higher prevalence was recorded in female and adult cattle than respective group. A total of 579 ticks were collected; 4 genera and 7 tick species were identified. As a result, Ambylomma variegatum, Amblyomma gemma, Amblyomma lepidum, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus, Rhipicephalus pulchellus, Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, and Hyalomma truncatum were observed. Among the species identified in the study area, Ambylomma variegatum was the most abundant tick (32.3%) and Hy. truncatum was the least prevalent (4.3%). Ticks on animals' body were recovered more dominantly around the perineum region, udder, scrotum, and dewlap, followed by the belly, head, and neck. Male ticks were more frequently encountered than females. The finding shows a high tick infestation, and adult age groups were more affected and had a serious problem. Hence, prompt control measures are required to rescue the livelihood of the community and economic loss.

Possible sarcopenia and its risk factors in a home for seniors in Shanghai.

The Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) recommended various measures for identifying patients with possible sarcopenia in its 2019 consensus. The present survey aimed to assess older adults in a senior home to determine the prevalence and associated factors for possible sarcope-nia and to compare the differences between various assessment pathways based on AWGS 2019 criteria. This cross-sectional study examined 583 participants of a senior home. Patients with possible sarcopenia were determined through the following four pathways: [I] calf circumference (CC) + handgrip strength (HGS); [II] SARC-F+HGS; (III) SARC-CalF+HGS; and (IV) CC, SARC-F, and/or SARC-CalF+HGS. The four assessment pathways revealed a high prevalence of possible sarcopenia in the older adults in the senior home ([I]=50.6%; [II]=46.8%; [III]=48.2%; [IV]=65.9%). There is significant difference in prevalence between pathway IV and the other pathways (p<0.001). A multivariate analysis revealed that advanced age, risk of malnutrition, malnutrition, high level of care, an exercise frequency of <3 times per week, and osteoporosis were correlated with a higher risk of possible sarcopenia. By contrast, oral nutritional supplements (ONS) reduced the risk of possible sarcopenia. This survey reported a high prevalence of possible sarcopenia in the older adults of the senior home and determined the associated influencing factors. Furthermore, our findings suggested that pathway IV is the most suitable pathway for the examined older adults which enabled the detection and early intervention of more possible sarcopenia.

Comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis on physical health conditions in lesbian- and bisexual-identified women compared with heterosexual-identified women.

Sexual minority individuals experience discrimination, leading to mental health disparities. Physical health disparities have not been examined to the same extent in systematic reviews so far. To provide a systematic review and, where possible, meta-analyses on the prevalence of physical health conditions in sexual minority women (i.e. lesbian- and bisexual-identified women) compared to heterosexual-identified women. The study design is a systematic review with meta-analyses. A systematic literature search in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases was conducted on epidemiologic studies on physical health conditions, classified in the Global Burden of Disease project, published between 2000 and 2021. Meta-analyses pooling odds ratios were calculated. In total, 23,649 abstracts were screened and 44 studies were included in the systematic review. Meta-analyses were run for arthritis, asthma, back pain, cancer, chronic kidney diseases, diabetes, headache disorders, heart attacks, hepatitis, hypertension, and stroke. Most significant differences in prevalence by sexual identity were found for chronic respiratory conditions, especially asthma. Overall, sexual minority women were significantly 1.5-2 times more likely to have asthma than heterosexual women. Furthermore, evidence of higher prevalence in sexual minority compared to heterosexual women was found for back pain, headaches/migraines, hepatitis B/C, periodontitis, urinary tract infections, and acne. In contrast, bisexual women had lower cancer rates. Overall, sexual minority women had lower odds of heart attacks, diabetes, and hypertension than heterosexual women (in terms of diabetes and hypertension possibly due to non-consideration of pregnancy-related conditions). We found evidence for physical health disparities by sexual identity. Since some of these findings rely on few comparisons only, this review emphasizes the need for routinely including sexual identity assessment in health research and clinical practice. Providing a more detailed picture of the prevalence of physical health conditions in sexual minority women may ultimately contribute to reducing health disparities.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its components in Brazilian adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective:To determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) and its components among Brazilian adolescents.Data source:Databases, such as LILACS, MEDLINE, and SciELO, were searched for original cross-sectional studies published between 2010 and 2021. The inclusion criteria were determined based on the mnemonic CoCoPop — Condition, Context, and Population: studies determining the prevalence of MS and its components (condition) in the general population of Brazilian adolescents, female and male (population), enrolled in public or private schools in rural or urban areas (context). Reviews, editorials, and articles that did not directly relate to the prevalence of MS or that included non-adolescent age groups or groups with specific health conditions (obesity/overweight and others) were excluded.Data synthesis:A total of 15 studies, including 43,227 adolescents, were identified. MS prevalence (95% confidence interval [95%CI]) was 2.9% (2.65–3.18) and 2.4% (1.90–2.90) (p<0.001) in males and females, respectively, by using the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. There was a significant difference in MS prevalence among Brazilian regions (Q=24.7; p<0.001). The lowest MS prevalence (95%CI) was determined for North Region of Brazil, 1.8% (1.52–2.13), and the highest for Northeast Region of Brazil, 2.9% (2.62–3.23). Regarding MS components, a higher prevalence (95%CI) was found for low high-density lipoprotein (HDL), 22.1% (12.49–36.17), followed by abdominal obesity, 11.0% (8.05–14.94), and arterial hypertension, 10.3% (7.84–13.48).Conclusions:This study allowed the determination of the prevalence of MS and the MS components in Brazilian adolescents, highlighting relevant aspects to be addressed on public health management.

COVID-19 return to sport: Collegiate baseball injury prevalence analysis

In the spring of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly brought college baseball to a halt. Most college baseball players saw disruption of their training and development due to interruptions of their seasons. With these interuptions, it is necessary to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on collegiate baseball injury epidemiology. Data from a small-school Midwest collegiate conference was tallied for the number of collegiate conference injuries per year, and for the injuries per anatomic region. An unpaired t-test was conducted upon the overall conference mean injuries per year and on each anatomic region for the mean injuries per region per year. Results demonstrated no statistically significant difference between the mean injuries per season, or the mean injuries per anatomic region per year. This study showed that small-school collegiate baseball had no significant difference in injury prevalence after the COVID-19 pandemic, differing from research at the professional level.