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EBioMedicine Jun 2024This study aimed to characterise the infant penile (coronal sulcus) microbiome and the effects of early infant male circumcision (EIMC), following a standard surgical...
BACKGROUND
This study aimed to characterise the infant penile (coronal sulcus) microbiome and the effects of early infant male circumcision (EIMC), following a standard surgical method (Mogen Clamp) and a non-surgical alternative (ShangRing).
METHODS
We collected coronal sulcus swabs at baseline and on days 7 and 14 post-circumcision from infants assigned to receive EIMC by Mogen Clamp (n = 15) or ShangRing (n = 15), in a randomised trial in Rakai and Kakuuto, Uganda. We used 16S rRNA gene-based sequencing and broad-coverage qPCR to characterise the infant penile microbiome and assess the effects of EIMC in both study arms.
FINDINGS
Prior to EIMC, the infant penile microbiome had a mixture of facultative and strict anaerobes. In both study arms, EIMC caused penile microbiome proportional abundance changes characterised by decreases in penile anaerobes [ShangRing Prevotella: -15.0%, (SD = 19.1); Mogen clamp Prevotella: -3.6% (11.2); ShangRing Veillonella: -11.3% (17.2); Mogen clamp Veillonella: -2.6% (11.8)] and increases in skin-associated facultative anaerobes [ShangRing Corynebacterium: 24.9%, (22.4); Mogen clamp Corynebacterium: 4.7% (21.3); ShangRing Staphylococcus: 21.1% (20.5); Mogen clamp Staphylococcus: 18.1% (20.1)]. Clostridium tetani was not detected during the study.
INTERPRETATION
Mogen Clamp and ShangRing EIMC both changed the composition of the infant penile microbiome by reducing the proportional abundances of anaerobes and uropathogens, which is consistent with medical male circumcision findings in adults. C. tetani was not increased by either EIMC method.
FUNDING
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
PubMed: 38924841
DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2024.105216 -
PloS One 2024Older women living with HIV often go unnoticed due to societal biases and stigmas. Despite a rise in cases among older women, there is limited research on the... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Older women living with HIV often go unnoticed due to societal biases and stigmas. Despite a rise in cases among older women, there is limited research on the psychosocial factors impacting their experiences. Aging complexities compounded by HIV and menopause affect these women's health, while factors like mental health impact, changing support networks, and ageism with HIV stigma influence their well-being. Existing studies mostly compare older HIV-positive individuals without considering gender and intersectional identities, limiting understanding of their unique experiences. The scarcity of research addressing age-related differences from diverse perspectives delays the development of tailored treatments and interventions.
OBJECTIVES
The study aims to comprehensively explore the age-related experiences of older women with HIV through three sub-questions that address (1) Key experiences, medical and social challenges, and strengths; (2) Impact of intersectional identities on their experiences; and (3) Gaps and limitations in current research.
METHODS
Utilizing a scoping review approach, the study seeks to map existing literature, employing a theoretical framework rooted in Sex- and Gender-Based Analysis Plus (SGBA+). Articles focusing on the age-related experiences of older women living with HIV aged 50 and above will be included. The study selection process will involve two independent reviewers screening articles based on pre-established inclusion criteria. Data extraction and synthesis will follow, analyzing the influence of sex, gender, and other identities on experiences.
DISCUSSION
The study's comprehensive approach aims to bridge gaps in understanding older women's HIV experiences, emphasizing intersectionality. While limited to English-language peer-reviewed articles, this review seeks to offer valuable insights for healthcare, policy, and research, potentially fostering positive change in the lives of diverse older women living with HIV.
Topics: Humans; Female; HIV Infections; Aged; Middle Aged; Social Stigma; Aging; Age Factors; Women's Health
PubMed: 38924015
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306225 -
Physiological Reports Jun 2024Pro-inflammatory fungal β-d-glucan (BDG) polysaccharides cause respiratory pathology. However, specific immunological effects of unique BDG structures on pulmonary...
Pro-inflammatory fungal β-d-glucan (BDG) polysaccharides cause respiratory pathology. However, specific immunological effects of unique BDG structures on pulmonary inflammation are understudied. We characterized the effect of four unique fungal BDGs with unique branching patterns, solubility, and molecular weights in murine airways. Scleroglucan (1 → 3)(1 → 6)-highly branched BDG, laminarin (1 → 3)(1 → 6)-branched BDG, curdlan (1 → 3)-linear BDG, and pustulan (1 → 6)-linear BDG were assessed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Each BDG was tested by inhalation model with C3HeB/FeJ mice and compared to saline-exposed control mice and unexposed sentinels (n = 3-19). Studies were performed ±heat-inactivation (1 h autoclave) to increase BDG solubility. Outcomes included bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) differential cell counts (macrophages, neutrophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils), cytokines, serum IgE, and IgG2a (multiplex and ELISA). Ex vivo primary cells removed from lungs and plated at monolayer were stimulated (BDG, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), anti-CD3), and cytokines compared to unstimulated cells. Right lung histology was performed. Inhalation of BDGs with distinct branching patterns exhibited varying inflammatory potency and immunogenicity. Lichen-derived (1 → 6)-linear pustulan was the most pro-inflammatory BDG, increasing inflammatory infiltrate (BAL), serum IgE and IgG2a, and cytokine production. Primed lung cells responded to secondary LPS stimulation with a T-cell-specific response to pustulan. Glucan source and solubility should be considered in exposure and toxicological studies.
Topics: Animals; Male; Mice; beta-Glucans; Lung; Pneumonia; Cytokines; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; Mice, Inbred C3H; Glucans
PubMed: 38923221
DOI: 10.14814/phy2.16115 -
La Medicina Del Lavoro Jun 2024This study, conducted on a sample of Italian occupational physicians (OPs), aimed to gather data regarding professional activity and their needs in managing workers with...
BACKGROUND
This study, conducted on a sample of Italian occupational physicians (OPs), aimed to gather data regarding professional activity and their needs in managing workers with multiple sclerosis.
METHODS
A convenience sample of OPs recruited by e-mail invitation to the list of Italian Society of Occupational Medicine members was considered. A total of 220 OPs participated between July and October 2022. An ad hoc questionnaire was developed based on previous survey experiences. It investigated, among others, the characteristics of OP respondents, the evaluation of fitness for work issues, and the OP training and updating needs on multiple sclerosis and work.
RESULTS
Ninety-one percent of OPs had to assess the fitness for work of workers with multiple sclerosis during their activity. Sixty-four percent experienced particular difficulties in issuing a fitness for work judgment. Regarding the level of knowledge on multiple sclerosis, 54% judged it sufficient. The "Assessment of fitness for work for the specific task" and the "Role of the OPs in identifying reasonable accommodations" were the most interesting training topics regarding MS management in work contexts chosen by the respondents.
CONCLUSIONS
The interest in the work inclusion and job retention of people with disability, particularly the aspects linked to the Identification and implementation of reasonable accommodations, will require integration with the occupational safety and health protection system and will undoubtedly impact the OP's activities.
Topics: Humans; Italy; Multiple Sclerosis; Male; Female; Middle Aged; Adult; Occupational Medicine; Surveys and Questionnaires; Work Capacity Evaluation; Occupational Health Physicians
PubMed: 38922836
DOI: 10.23749/mdl.v115i3.16038 -
La Medicina Del Lavoro Jun 2024Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD) pose a significant occupational health challenge in Europe. The digitization of the economy substantially reshaped the... (Review)
Review
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD) pose a significant occupational health challenge in Europe. The digitization of the economy substantially reshaped the nature and organization of work. The proliferation of hybrid working, characterized by a combination of office-based and remote work, has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This review covers hybrid forms of work, their impact on WRMSDs, and the potential implications for WRMSD compensation. Approximately 30-40% of the European workforce could potentially transition to hybrid forms of work. Hybrid work arrangements can result in prolonged static postures of the trunk, neck, and upper limbs without adequate breaks, thereby increasing the risk of neck and lower back pain. As teleworking and hybrid working become more prevalent, an increase in non-specific WRMSDs is anticipated among the working population. In many countries, claims for WRMSDs necessitate a formal diagnosis by a healthcare professional. However, cases of non-specific WRMSDs, such as cervicalgia or chronic shoulder pain, - commonly observed in sedentary workers engaged in predominantly low-intensity, prolonged static work amid visually and cognitively demanding tasks - often do not meet the criteria for compensation as occupational diseases. The compensation system and/or the criteria for compensation must be adapted to accommodate the rise of telework, necessitating evolving criteria for compensation that address both medical and risk exposure considerations.
Topics: Humans; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Occupational Diseases; Workers' Compensation; COVID-19; Europe; Teleworking
PubMed: 38922835
DOI: 10.23749/mdl.v115i3.16072 -
Environmental Health Perspectives Jun 2024Evidence linking gaseous air pollution to late-life brain health is mixed.
Association of Gaseous Ambient Air Pollution and Dementia-Related Neuroimaging Markers in the ARIC Cohort, Comparing Exposure Estimation Methods and Confounding by Study Site.
BACKGROUND
Evidence linking gaseous air pollution to late-life brain health is mixed.
OBJECTIVE
We explored associations between exposure to gaseous pollutants and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers among Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study participants, with attention to the influence of exposure estimation method and confounding by site.
METHODS
We considered data from 1,665 eligible ARIC participants recruited from four US sites in the period 1987-1989 with valid brain MRI data from Visit 5 (2011-2013). We estimated 10-y (2001-2010) mean carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (), nitrogen oxides (), and 8- and 24-h ozone () concentrations at participant addresses, using multiple exposure estimation methods. We estimated site-specific associations between pollutant exposures and brain MRI outcomes (total and regional volumes; presence of microhemorrhages, infarcts, lacunes, and severe white matter hyperintensities), using adjusted linear and logistic regression models. We compared meta-analytically combined site-specific associations to analyses that did not account for site.
RESULTS
Within-site exposure distributions varied across exposure estimation methods. Meta-analytic associations were generally not statistically significant regardless of exposure, outcome, or exposure estimation method; point estimates often suggested associations between higher and smaller temporal lobe, deep gray, hippocampal, frontal lobe, and Alzheimer disease signature region of interest volumes and between higher CO and smaller temporal and frontal lobe volumes. Analyses that did not account for study site more often yielded significant associations and sometimes different direction of associations.
DISCUSSION
Patterns of local variation in estimated air pollution concentrations differ by estimation method. Although we did not find strong evidence supporting impact of gaseous pollutants on brain changes detectable by MRI, point estimates suggested associations between higher exposure to CO, , and and smaller regional brain volumes. Analyses of air pollution and dementia-related outcomes that do not adjust for location likely underestimate uncertainty and may be susceptible to confounding bias. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13906.
Topics: Humans; Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Male; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Female; Environmental Exposure; Dementia; Neuroimaging; Aged; Middle Aged; Nitrogen Oxides; Cohort Studies; Brain; Nitrogen Dioxide; Ozone; United States
PubMed: 38922331
DOI: 10.1289/EHP13906 -
Toxics Jun 2024Long-term exposure to lead (Pb) can result in chronic damage to the body through accumulation in the central nervous system (CNS) leading to neurodegenerative diseases,...
Long-term exposure to lead (Pb) can result in chronic damage to the body through accumulation in the central nervous system (CNS) leading to neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study delves into the intricate role of miR-671/CDR1as regulation in the etiology of AD-like lesions triggered by chronic Pb exposure in adult mice. To emulate the chronic effects of Pb, we established a rodent model spanning 10 months of controlled Pb administration, dividing 52 C57BL/6J mice into groups receiving varying concentrations of Pb (1, 2, or 4 g/L) alongside an unexposed control. Blood Pb levels were monitored using serum samples to ensure accurate dosing and to correlate with observed toxicological outcomes. Utilizing the Morris water maze, a robust behavioral assay for assessing cognitive functions, we documented a dose-dependent decline in learning and memory capabilities among the Pb-exposed mice. Histopathological examination of the hippocampal tissue revealed tell-tale signs of AD-like neurodegeneration, characterized by the accumulation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. At the molecular level, a significant upregulation of AD-associated genes, namely amyloid precursor protein (APP), β-secretase 1 (BACE1), and tau, was observed in the hippocampal tissue of Pb-exposed mice. This was accompanied by a corresponding surge in the protein levels of APP, BACE1, amyloid-β (Aβ), and phosphorylated tau (p-tau), further implicating Pb in the dysregulation of these key AD markers. The expression of CDR1as, a long non-coding RNA implicated in AD pathogenesis, was found to be suppressed in Pb-exposed mice. This observation suggests a potential mechanistic link between Pb-induced neurotoxicity and the dysregulation of the CDR1as/miR-671 axis, which warrants further investigation. Moreover, our study identified a dose-dependent alteration in the intracellular and extracellular levels of the transcription factor nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). This finding implicates Pb in the modulation of NF-κB signaling, a pathway that plays a pivotal role in neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. In conclusion, our findings underscored the deleterious effects of Pb exposure on the CNS, leading to the development of AD-like pathology. The observed modulation of NF-κB signaling and miR-671/CDR1as regulation provides a plausible mechanistic framework for understanding the neurotoxic effects of Pb and its potential contribution to AD pathogenesis.
PubMed: 38922090
DOI: 10.3390/toxics12060410 -
Journal of Xenobiotics May 2024Waterproofing sprays can cause acute respiratory symptoms after inhalation, including coughing and dyspnoea shortly after use. Here, we describe two cases where persons...
Waterproofing sprays can cause acute respiratory symptoms after inhalation, including coughing and dyspnoea shortly after use. Here, we describe two cases where persons used the same brand of waterproofing spray product. In both cases the persons followed the instructions on the product and maximized the ventilation by opening windows and doors; however, they still became affected during the application of the product. Products with the same batch number as that used in one case were tested for their effect on respiration patterns of mice in whole-body plethysmographs and lung surfactant function inhibition in vitro. The product was used in spraying experiments to determine the particle size distribution of the aerosol, both using a can from one case and a can with an identical batch number. In addition, the aerosols in the mouse exposure chamber were measured. Aerosol data from a small-scale exposure chamber and data on the physical and temporal dimensions of the spraying during one case were used to estimate the deposited dose during the spraying events. All collected data point to the spraying of the waterproofing product being the reason that two people became ill, and that the inhibition of lung surfactant function was a key component of this illness.
PubMed: 38921648
DOI: 10.3390/jox14020039 -
Ten-Minute Physical Activity Breaks Improve Attention and Executive Functions in Healthcare Workers.Journal of Functional Morphology and... Jun 2024Occupational health is a major problem in modern work environments. Physical activity breaks (PABs), short exercise periods delivered during working hours, incorporating...
Occupational health is a major problem in modern work environments. Physical activity breaks (PABs), short exercise periods delivered during working hours, incorporating exergames or outdoor activities, have emerged as a novel approach that could be used to improve work efficiency and workplace wellbeing. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the impact of PABs on attention levels and executive functions in healthcare workers. A total of 27 healthcare workers (M = 14, W = 13; 49.55 ± 12.46 years), after 4 h of work, randomly performed one of three 10 min conditions weekly in a counterbalanced order: No Physical Activity Break (NPAB); Outdoor Physical Activity Break (OPAB); Physical Activity Break with Exergame (PABEx). After the conditions, executive functions and selective attention were assessed by the Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT), and the Trail Making A,B test (TMT A,B), respectively. Significant differences between OPAB and NPAB as well as between PABEx and NPAB in the TMT-A test χ2(2) = 44.66 ( < 0.001) and TMT-B test χ2(2) = 48.67 ( < 0.001) were found, respectively. TMT-A and SCWT interference/time scores of the PABEx and OPAB conditions were significantly lower than those of NPAB ( < 0.001). In the SCWT interference/error score, no significant difference was found between the PABEx and NPAB ( > 0.05), but the score was statistically lower in the OPAB condition than PABEx ( = 0.001) and PABEx condition compared to OPAB for TMT-A ( = 0.001). Findings showed that the OPAB and PABEx conditions are effective in improving selective attention and executive functions in healthcare workers. Employers can foster a healthier and more productive workforce by promoting a culture of movement and prioritizing employee health, which in turn can enhance patient care outcomes.
PubMed: 38921638
DOI: 10.3390/jfmk9020102 -
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024To determine whether allied health interventions delivered using telehealth provide similar or better outcomes for patients compared with traditional face-to-face... (Review)
Review
To determine whether allied health interventions delivered using telehealth provide similar or better outcomes for patients compared with traditional face-to-face delivery modes. A rapid systematic review using the Cochrane methodology to extract eligible randomized trials. Trials were eligible for inclusion if they compared a comparable dose of face-to-face to telehealth interventions delivered by a neuropsychologist, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, podiatrist, psychologist, and/or speech pathologist; reported patient-level outcomes; and included adult participants. MEDLINE, CENTRAL, CINAHL, and EMBASE databases were first searched from inception for systematic reviews and eligible trials were extracted from these systematic reviews. These databases were then searched for randomized clinical trials published after the date of the most recent systematic review search in each discipline (2017). The reference lists of included trials were also hand-searched to identify potentially missed trials. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool Version 1. Fifty-two trials (62 reports, = 4470) met the inclusion criteria. Populations included adults with musculoskeletal conditions, stroke, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and/or pain. Synchronous and asynchronous telehealth approaches were used with varied modalities that included telephone, videoconferencing, apps, web portals, and remote monitoring, Overall, telehealth delivered similar improvements to face-to-face interventions for knee range, Health-Related Quality of Life, pain, language function, depression, anxiety, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. This meta-analysis was limited for some outcomes and disciplines such as occupational therapy and speech pathology. Telehealth was safe and similar levels of satisfaction and adherence were found across modes of delivery and disciplines compared to face-to-face interventions. Many allied health interventions are equally as effective as face-to-face when delivered via telehealth. Incorporating telehealth into models of care may afford greater access to allied health professionals, however further comparative research is still required. In particular, significant gaps exist in our understanding of the efficacy of telehealth from podiatrists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, and neuropsychologists. PROSPERO (CRD42020203128).
PubMed: 38921331
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12121217