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Indian Journal of Public Health Apr 2024
Topics: Humans; COVID-19 Vaccines; India; COVID-19; Female; Male; SARS-CoV-2; Adult; Vaccination Hesitancy; Middle Aged; Patient Acceptance of Health Care
PubMed: 38953834
DOI: 10.4103/ijph.ijph_1509_22 -
Indian Journal of Public Health Apr 2024Digital health interventions can overcome geographical barriers and prepare health-care providers for better health outcomes in rural and remote tribal areas, however,...
Digital health interventions can overcome geographical barriers and prepare health-care providers for better health outcomes in rural and remote tribal areas, however, it has not been explored among traditional birth attendants (TBAs). A mobile application, "maternal and infant care" (MAI) for capacity building of tribal birth attendants was developed and its quality was evaluated using the Mobile Application Rating Scale for user's interest in and satisfaction with the esthetics, information, and functionality. Thirteen Android user TBAs with the MAI application were piloted with the MARS checklist. Engagement, functionality, esthetics, and information quality; and one subjective quality scale having 29 items were used. The application was found to be entertaining excellent rating (mean score ± standard deviation) (4.00 ± 0.58), and scored high on performance (3.77 ± 0.93); layout design (3.85 ± 0.90); subjective quality (4.23 ± 0.93), however, scored minimum on interest; gestural design; visual appeal, etc. MAI is a user-friendly, culturally acceptable Android app that can be used for the capacity building of frontline workers.
Topics: Humans; Mobile Applications; Midwifery; Female; India; Pregnancy; Infant, Newborn; Infant Care; Adult; Infant; Maternal Health Services
PubMed: 38953824
DOI: 10.4103/ijph.ijph_740_23 -
Journal of Clinical Research in... Jul 2024Secondary osteoporosis is a condition when the underlying disease or its treatment causes the bone mass to decrease and the bone structure to deteriorate, increasing the...
OBJECTIVE
Secondary osteoporosis is a condition when the underlying disease or its treatment causes the bone mass to decrease and the bone structure to deteriorate, increasing the risk of fracture. The importance of diagnosis and treatment during childhood and adolescence is due to its long-term negative effects. In this study, our objectives were to determine the diagnostic findings, treatment efficacy, and follow-up characteristics of childhood with secondary osteoporosis.
METHODS
61 patients diagnosed with secondary osteoporosis between January 2000 and January 2021 were included in the study. The research is a cross-sectional and descriptive study. Study participants had to be under 18 years of age when the primary underlying disease was diagnosed and received treatment for secondary osteoporosis. Patient data were collected from patient files. Patient data were obtained from patient files in hospitals and were interpreted through the IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows version 20.0 (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY, USA).
RESULTS
61 patients (28 women/33 men) were evaluated. The most common underlying primary diseases in patients with secondary osteoporosis were inflammatory diseases (57.7%), neuromuscular diseases (26.2%), immunodeficiency (13.1%), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (8.2%), metabolic diseases (8.2%), and solid organ transplantation. (8.2%), bone marrow transplantation (6.6%) and epilepsy (6.6%). The average chronological age when secondary osteoporosis was diagnosed was 11.89±4.88 years. They were evaluated for osteoporosis 6.39±5.13 years after the onset of the underlying primary chronic diseases. 78.7% of the patients had one or more chronic drug use. Systemic steroid use was 59%, chemotherapeutics 23%, immunomodulatory drugs 19.7%, antiepileptic drugs 8.2%, inhaled steroids 4.9%, IVIG 1.6%, and antituberculosis drugs 1.6%. Additionally, 1.6% of the patients were using testosterone as replacement, 3.3% L-Thyroxine, 1.6% estrogen, and 1.6% growth hormone. Bone pain was detected in 49.2% of the patients. All patients had vertebral fractures before treatment. Bisphosphonate treatment was given to 45 patients with secondary osteoporosis. There was a statistically significant increase in mean bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content values six months after treatment, (p<0.001). There was a significant increase in BMD Z-score values for chronological and height age (p<0.001). The patients' BMD values increased on average by 31.15% with treatment. Following bisphosphonate treatment, there was a significant reduction in both fracture number and bone pain in patients (p<0.01). When patients who received and did not receive steroid treatment were compared, both groups received similar benefits from bisphosphonate treatment.
CONCLUSION
Secondary osteoporosis is a condition that is influenced by many factors, such as the primary disease causing osteoporosis, chronic medication use, especially steroids. If left untreated, osteoporosis leads to important diseases such as bone pain, bone fractures, immobilization, and reduced linear growth of bone. When used to treat childhood secondary osteoporosis, Bisphosphonates significantly improve BMD and reduce fracture risk.
PubMed: 38953735
DOI: 10.4274/jcrpe.galenos.2024.2024-4-4 -
Journal of Clinical Research in... Jul 2024To determine inequalities in access to diabetes technologies and the effect of socioeconomic factors on families with children with type 1 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
To determine inequalities in access to diabetes technologies and the effect of socioeconomic factors on families with children with type 1 diabetes.
METHODS
In this multicenter cross-sectional study, parents of children with type 1 diabetes completed a questionnaire about household sociodemographic characteristics, latest HbA1c values, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and insulin pump use of children, the education and working status of parents. These characteristics were compared between technology use (only-CGM, only-pump, CGM+pump, no technology use).
RESULTS
Among 882 families, only-CGM users, only-pump users, and CGM+pump users compared with no technology users, adjusting for age, sex, region, education levels, number of working parents, and household income. Children living in the least developed region had lower odds of having only-CGM (OR=0.20, 95%CI 0.12-0.34) and having CGM+pump (OR=0.07, 95%CI 0.03-0.22) compared with those living in the most developed region. Children with parents who had not finished high school had lower odds of having only-CGM (Mothers: OR=0.36, 95%CI 0.19-0.66; fathers: OR=0.32, 95%CI 0.18-0.60) or both CGM+pump (OR=0.27, 95%CI 0.11-0.64; fathers: OR=0.34, 95%CI 0.15-0.79) rather than no-technology compared to children whose parents has a university degree. Every $840 increase in the household income increased the odds by 5% for having only-CGM (OR=1.05, 95%CI 1.02-1.09) and CGM+pump (OR=1.05, 95%CI 1.01-1.08).
CONCLUSION
Socioeconomic factors such as education, regions, and income were associated with inequality in access to technologies. The inequalities are more prominent in access to CGM while CGM had a bigger contribution to glycemic control.
PubMed: 38953734
DOI: 10.4274/jcrpe.galenos.2024.2024-4-6 -
MBio Jul 2024Human intestinal enteroids (HIEs) are gaining recognition as physiologically relevant models of the intestinal epithelium. While HIEs from adults are used extensively in...
UNLABELLED
Human intestinal enteroids (HIEs) are gaining recognition as physiologically relevant models of the intestinal epithelium. While HIEs from adults are used extensively in biomedical research, few studies have used HIEs from infants. Considering the dramatic developmental changes that occur during infancy, it is important to establish models that represent infant intestinal characteristics and physiological responses. We established jejunal HIEs from infant surgical samples and performed comparisons to jejunal HIEs from adults using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) and morphologic analyses. We then validated differences in key pathways through functional studies and determined whether these cultures recapitulate known features of the infant intestinal epithelium. RNA-Seq analysis showed significant differences in the transcriptome of infant and adult HIEs, including differences in genes and pathways associated with cell differentiation and proliferation, tissue development, lipid metabolism, innate immunity, and biological adhesion. Validating these results, we observed a higher abundance of cells expressing specific enterocyte, goblet cell, and enteroendocrine cell markers in differentiated infant HIE monolayers, and greater numbers of proliferative cells in undifferentiated 3D cultures. Compared to adult HIEs, infant HIEs portray characteristics of an immature gastrointestinal epithelium including significantly shorter cell height, lower epithelial barrier integrity, and lower innate immune responses to infection with an oral poliovirus vaccine. HIEs established from infant intestinal tissues reflect characteristics of the infant gut and are distinct from adult cultures. Our data support the use of infant HIEs as an model to advance studies of infant-specific diseases and drug discovery for this population.
IMPORTANCE
Tissue or biopsy stem cell-derived human intestinal enteroids are increasingly recognized as physiologically relevant models of the human gastrointestinal epithelium. While enteroids from adults and fetal tissues have been extensively used for studying many infectious and non-infectious diseases, there are few reports on enteroids from infants. We show that infant enteroids exhibit both transcriptomic and morphological differences compared to adult cultures. They also differ in functional responses to barrier disruption and innate immune responses to infection, suggesting that infant and adult enteroids are distinct model systems. Considering the dramatic changes in body composition and physiology that begin during infancy, tools that appropriately reflect intestinal development and diseases are critical. Infant enteroids exhibit key features of the infant gastrointestinal epithelium. This study is significant in establishing infant enteroids as age-appropriate models for infant intestinal physiology, infant-specific diseases, and responses to pathogens.
PubMed: 38953637
DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01316-24 -
MBio Jul 2024While genome-wide transposon mutagenesis screens have identified numerous essential genes in the significant human pathogen (group A or GAS), many of their functions...
UNLABELLED
While genome-wide transposon mutagenesis screens have identified numerous essential genes in the significant human pathogen (group A or GAS), many of their functions remain elusive. This knowledge gap is attributed in part to the limited molecular toolbox for controlling GAS gene expression and the bacterium's poor genetic transformability. CRISPR interference (CRISPRi), using catalytically inactive GAS Cas9 (dCas9), is a powerful approach to specifically repress gene expression in both bacteria and eukaryotes, but ironically, it has never been harnessed for controlled gene expression in GAS. In this study, we present a highly transformable and fully virulent serotype M1T1 GAS strain and introduce a doxycycline-inducible CRISPRi system for efficient repression of bacterial gene expression. We demonstrate highly efficient, oligo-based single guide RNA cloning directly to GAS, enabling the construction of a gene knockdown strain in just 2 days, in contrast to the several weeks typically required. The system is shown to be titratable and functional both and using a murine model of GAS infection. Furthermore, we provide direct evidence that the expression of the conserved cell division gene is essential for GAS virulence, highlighting its promise as a target for emerging FtsZ inhibitors. Finally, we introduce SpyBrowse (https://veeninglab.com/SpyBrowse), a comprehensive and user-friendly online resource for visually inspecting and exploring GAS genetic features. The tools and methodologies described in this work are poised to facilitate fundamental research in GAS, contribute to vaccine development, and aid in the discovery of antibiotic targets.
IMPORTANCE
While group A (GAS) remains a predominant cause of bacterial infections worldwide, there are limited genetic tools available to study its basic cell biology. Here, we bridge this gap by creating a highly transformable, fully virulent M1T1 GAS strain. In addition, we established a tight and titratable doxycycline-inducible system and developed CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) for controlled gene expression in GAS. We show that CRISPRi is functional in a mouse infection model. Additionally, we present SpyBrowse, an intuitive and accessible genome browser (https://veeninglab.com/SpyBrowse). Overall, this work overcomes significant technical challenges of working with GAS and, together with SpyBrowse, represents a valuable resource for researchers in the GAS field.
PubMed: 38953375
DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00840-24 -
MBio Jul 2024pneumonia (PjP) poses a serious risk to individuals with compromised immune systems, such as individuals with HIV/AIDS or undergoing immunosuppressive therapies for...
pneumonia (PjP) poses a serious risk to individuals with compromised immune systems, such as individuals with HIV/AIDS or undergoing immunosuppressive therapies for cancer or solid organ transplants. Severe PjP triggers excessive lung inflammation, resulting in lung function decline and consequential alveolar damage, potentially culminating in acute respiratory distress syndrome. Non-HIV patients face a 30%-60% mortality rate, emphasizing the need for a deeper understanding of inflammatory responses in PjP. Prior research emphasized macrophages in infections, neglecting neutrophils' role in tissue damage. Consequently, the overemphasis on macrophages led to an incomplete understanding of the role of neutrophils and inflammatory responses. In the current investigation, our RNAseq studies on a murine surrogate model of PjP revealed heightened activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and NETosis cell death pathways in their lungs. Immunofluorescence staining confirmed neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) presence in the lungs of the -infected mice, validating our findings. Moreover, isolated neutrophils exhibited NETosis when directly stimulated with . Isolated NETs compromised viability , highlighting the potential role of neutrophils in controlling fungal growth and promoting inflammation during pneumonia through NLRP3 inflammasome assembly and NETosis. These pathways, essential for inflammation and pathogen elimination, bear the risk of uncontrolled activation leading to excessive tissue damage and persistent inflammation. This pioneering study is the first to identify the formation of NETs and inflammasomes during infection, paving the way for comprehensive investigations into treatments aimed at mitigating lung damage and augmenting survival rates for individuals with .IMPORTANCE pneumonia (PjP) affects individuals with weakened immunity, such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, and organ transplant patients. Severe PjP triggers lung inflammation, impairing function and potentially causing acute respiratory distress syndrome. Non-HIV individuals face a 30%-60% mortality rate, underscoring the need for deeper insight into PjP's inflammatory responses. Past research focused on macrophages in managing infection and its inflammation, while the role of neutrophils was generally overlooked. In contrast, our findings in -infected mouse lungs showed neutrophil involvement during inflammation and increased expression of NLRP3 inflammasome and NETosis pathways. Detection of neutrophil extracellular traps further indicated their involvement in the inflammatory process. Although beneficial in combating infection, unregulated neutrophil activation poses a potential threat to lung tissues. Understanding the behavior of neutrophils in infections is crucial for controlling detrimental reactions and formulating treatments to reduce lung damage, ultimately improving the survival rates of individuals with PjP.
PubMed: 38953359
DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01409-24 -
Zhongguo Yi Xue Ke Xue Yuan Xue Bao.... Jun 2024With the continuous development of identification technologies such as mass spectrometry,omics,and antibody technology,post-translational modification (PTM) has... (Review)
Review
With the continuous development of identification technologies such as mass spectrometry,omics,and antibody technology,post-translational modification (PTM) has demonstrated increasing potential in medical research.PTM as a novel chemical modification method provides new perspectives for the research on diseases.Succinylation as a novel modification has aroused the interest of more and more researchers.The available studies about succinylation mainly focus on a desuccinylase named sirtuin 5.This enzyme plays a key role in modification and has been preliminarily explored in cardiovascular studies.This paper summarizes the influencing factors and regulatory roles of succinylation and the links between succinylation and other PTMs and reviews the research progress of PTMs in the cardiovascular field,aiming to deepen the understanding about the role of this modification and give new insights to the research in this field.
Topics: Cardiovascular Diseases; Humans; Lysine; Protein Processing, Post-Translational; Succinic Acid
PubMed: 38953268
DOI: 10.3881/j.issn.1000-503X.15944 -
Lung India : Official Organ of Indian... Jul 2024
PubMed: 38953200
DOI: 10.4103/lungindia.lungindia_24_24 -
Lung India : Official Organ of Indian... Jul 2024Modalities to improve tissue acquisition during endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) have been investigated. Endobronchial...
BACKGROUND
Modalities to improve tissue acquisition during endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) have been investigated. Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial mediastinal cryobiopsy (EBUS-TMC) is a modality to obtain larger histological samples by inserting a cryoprobe into the mediastinal lesion. We aimed to study the diagnostic yield and safety of EBUS-TMC.
METHODS
We performed a systematic search of the PubMed and Embase databases to extract the relevant studies. We then performed a meta-analysis to calculate the diagnostic yield of EBUS-TMC and compare it with EBUS-TBNA.
RESULTS
Following a systematic search, we identified 14 relevant studies (869 patients undergoing EBUS-TMC and EBUS-TBNA). We then performed a meta-analysis of the diagnostic yield of EBUS-TMC and EBUS-TBNA from studies wherein both procedures were performed. The pooled diagnostic yield of EBUS-TMC was 92% (95% confidence interval [CI], 89%-95%). The pooled diagnostic yield of EBUS-TBNA was 81% (95% CI, 77%-85%). The risk difference in yield was 11% (95% CI, 6%-15%, I2 = 0%) when EBUS-TMC and EBUS-TBNA were compared. The only complication reported commonly with EBUS-TMC was minor bleeding. The complication rate was comparable with EBUS-TBNA.
CONCLUSION
EBUS-TMC provides a greater diagnostic yield with a similar risk of adverse events compared to EBUS-TBNA. Future studies are required to clearly establish which patients are most likely to benefit from this modality.
PubMed: 38953193
DOI: 10.4103/lungindia.lungindia_606_23