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BioMed Research International 2016In vitro sperm storage is a necessary part of many artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization regimes for many species, including the human and the horse. In many... (Review)
Review
In vitro sperm storage is a necessary part of many artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization regimes for many species, including the human and the horse. In many situations spermatozoa are chilled to temperatures between 4 and 10°C for the purpose of restricting the metabolic rate during storage, in turn, reducing the depletion of ATP and the production of detrimental by-products such as reactive oxygen species (ROS). Another result of lowering the temperature is that spermatozoa may be "cold shocked" due to lipid membrane phase separation, resulting in reduced fertility. To overcome this, a method of sperm storage must be developed that will preclude the need to chill spermatozoa. If a thermally induced restriction-of-metabolic-rate strategy is not employed, ATP production must be supported while ameliorating the deleterious effects of ROS. To achieve this end, an understanding of the nature of energy production by the spermatozoa of the species of interest is essential. Human spermatozoa depend predominantly on glycolytic ATP production, producing significantly less ROS than oxidative phosphorylation, with the more efficient pathway predominantly employed by stallion spermatozoa. This review provides an overview of the implications of sperm metabolism for in vitro sperm storage, with a focus on ambient temperature storage in the stallion.
Topics: Animals; Cold Temperature; Fertilization in Vitro; Horses; Humans; Male; Reactive Oxygen Species; Semen Preservation; Sperm Motility; Spermatozoa
PubMed: 26881234
DOI: 10.1155/2016/9380609 -
BMC Medicine Jun 2024Accurate prediction of bacteremia is essential for guiding blood culture collection and optimal antibiotic treatment. Shaking chills, defined as a subjective chill... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Accurate prediction of bacteremia is essential for guiding blood culture collection and optimal antibiotic treatment. Shaking chills, defined as a subjective chill sensation with objective body shivering, have been suggested as a potential predictor of bacteremia; however, conflicting findings exist. To address the evidence gap, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies to assess the diagnostic accuracy of shaking chills for predicting bacteremia among adult patients.
METHODS
We included studies reporting the diagnostic accuracy of shaking chills or chills for bacteremia. Adult patients with suspected bacteremia who underwent at least one set of blood cultures were included. Our main analysis focused on studies that assessed shaking chills. We searched these studies through CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, the World Health Organization ICTRP Search Portal, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Study selection, data extraction, evaluation for risk of bias, and applicability using the QUADAS-2 tool were conducted by two independent investigators. We estimated a summary receiver operating characteristic curve and a summary point of sensitivity and specificity of the index tests, using a hierarchical model and the bivariate model, respectively.
RESULTS
We identified 19 studies with a total of 14,641 patients in which the accuracy of shaking chills was evaluated. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of shaking chills were 0.37 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.29 to 0.45) and 0.87 (95% CI, 0.83 to 0.90), respectively. Most studies had a low risk of bias in the index test domain and a high risk of bias and a high applicability concern in the patient-selection domain.
CONCLUSIONS
Shaking chills are a highly specific but less sensitive predictor of bacteremia. Blood cultures and early initiation of antibiotics should be considered for patients with an episode of shaking chills; however, the absence of shaking chills must not lead to exclusion of bacteremia and early antibiotic treatment.
Topics: Humans; Bacteremia; Adult; Chills; Sensitivity and Specificity
PubMed: 38863066
DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03467-z -
American Journal of Hematology May 2016Quinine is a common cause of drug-induced thrombocytopenia and the most common cause of drug-induced thrombotic microangiopathy. Other quinine-induced systemic disorders... (Review)
Review
Quinine is a common cause of drug-induced thrombocytopenia and the most common cause of drug-induced thrombotic microangiopathy. Other quinine-induced systemic disorders have been described. To understand the complete clinical spectrum of adverse reactions to quinine we searched 11 databases for articles that provided sufficient data to allow evaluation of levels of evidence supporting a causal association with quinine. Three reviewers independently determined the levels of evidence, including both immune-mediated and toxic adverse reactions. The principal focus of this review was on acute, immune-mediated reactions. The source of quinine exposure, the involved organ systems, the severity of the adverse reactions, and patient outcomes were documented. One hundred-fourteen articles described 142 patients with definite or probable evidence for a causal association of quinine with acute, immune-mediated reactions. These reactions included chills, fever, hypotension, painful acral cyanosis, disseminated intravascular coagulation, hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, acute kidney injury, rhabdomyolysis, liver toxicity, cardiac ischemia, respiratory failure, hypoglycemia, blindness, and toxic epidermal necrolysis. One hundred-two (72%) reactions were caused by quinine pills; 28 (20%) by quinine-containing beverages; 12 (8%) by five other types of exposures. Excluding 41 patients who had only dermatologic reactions, 92 (91%) of 101 patients had required hospitalization for severe illness; 30 required renal replacement therapy; three died. Quinine, even with only minute exposure from common beverages, can cause severe adverse reactions involving multiple organ systems. In patients with acute, multi-system disorders of unknown origin, an adverse reaction to quinine should be considered.
Topics: Acute Kidney Injury; Beverages; Blindness; Causality; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Chills; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Hypersensitivity; Fever; Heart Diseases; Hematologic Diseases; Humans; Hypoglycemia; Nonprescription Drugs; Quinine; Respiratory Insufficiency; Rhabdomyolysis
PubMed: 26822544
DOI: 10.1002/ajh.24314 -
Globalization and Health Nov 2021Public health concerns relating to international investment liberalization have centred on the potential for investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS)-related regulatory... (Review)
Review
International investment liberalization, transnational corporations and NCD prevention policy non-decisions: a realist review on the political economy of tobacco, alcohol and ultra-processed food.
BACKGROUND
Public health concerns relating to international investment liberalization have centred on the potential for investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS)-related regulatory chill. However, the broader political and economic dimensions that shape the relationship between the international investment regime and non-communicable disease (NCD) policy development have been less well explored. This review aimed to synthesise the available evidence using a political economy approach, to understand why, how and under what conditions transnational corporations may use the international investment regime to promote NCD prevention policy non-decisions.
MAIN BODY
Methods: Mechanisms explaining why/how the international investment regime may be used by transnational health-harmful commodity corporations (THCCs) to encourage NCD prevention policy non-decisions, including regulatory chill, were iteratively developed. Six databases and relevant grey literature was searched, and evidence was extracted, synthesized and mapped against the various proposed explanatory mechanisms.
FINDINGS
Eighty-nine sources were included. THCCs may be incentivised to use the ISDS mechanism since the costs may be outweighed by the benefits of even just delaying regulatory adoption, particularly since the chilling effect tends to ripple out across jurisdictions. Drivers of regulatory chill may include ambiguity in treaty terms, inconsistency in arbitral rulings, potential arbitrator bias and the high cost of arbitration. Evidence indicates ISDS can delay policy adoption both within the country directly involved but also in other jurisdictions. Additionally, governments are adopting standard assessments of public health regulatory proposals for trade and ISDS risk. Various economic, political and industry-related factors likely interact to increase (or decrease) the ultimate risk of regulatory chill. Some evidence indicates that THCCs take advantage of governments' prioritization of foreign investment over NCD prevention objectives to influence the NCD prevention regulatory environment.
CONCLUSIONS
While ISDS-related regulatory chill is a real risk under certain conditions, international investment-related NCD prevention policy non-decisions driven by broader political economy dynamics may well be more widespread and impactful on NCD regulatory environments. There is therefore a clear need to expand the research agenda on investment liberalization and NCD policy beyond regulatory chill and engage with theories and approaches from international relations and political science, including political economy and power analyses.
Topics: Health Policy; Humans; Investments; Noncommunicable Diseases; Nicotiana; Tobacco Products
PubMed: 34819083
DOI: 10.1186/s12992-021-00784-3 -
JAMA Network Open Feb 2021Low-dose intradermal influenza vaccines could be a suitable alternative to full intramuscular dose during vaccine shortages. (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Meta-Analysis
IMPORTANCE
Low-dose intradermal influenza vaccines could be a suitable alternative to full intramuscular dose during vaccine shortages.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the immunogenicity and safety of the influenza vaccine at reduced or full intradermal doses with full intramuscular doses to inform policy design in the event of vaccine shortages.
DATA SOURCES
MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for studies published from 2010 until June 5, 2020.
STUDY SELECTION
All comparative studies across all ages assessing the immunogenicity or safety of intradermal and intramuscular influenza vaccinations were included.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS
Data were extracted by a single reviewer and verified by a second reviewer. Discrepancies between reviewers were resolved through consensus. Random-effects meta-analysis was conducted.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
Primary outcomes included geometric mean titer, seroconversion, seroprotection, and adverse events.
RESULTS
A total of 30 relevant studies were included; 29 studies were randomized clinical trials with 13 759 total participants, and 1 study was a cohort study of 164 021 participants. There was no statistically significant difference in seroconversion rates between the 3-µg, 6-µg, 7.5-µg, and 9-µg intradermal vaccine doses and the 15-µg intramuscular vaccine dose for each of the H1N1, H3N2, and B strains, but rates were significantly higher with the 15-µg intradermal dose compared with the 15-µg intramuscular dose for the H1N1 strain (rate ratio [RR], 1.10; 95% CI, 1.01-1.20) and B strain (RR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.13-1.73). Seroprotection rates for the 9-µg and 15-µg intradermal doses did not vary significantly compared with the 15-µg intramuscular dose for all the 3 strains, except for the 15-µg intradermal dose for the H1N1 strain, for which rates were significantly higher (RR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01-1.09). Local adverse events were significantly higher with intradermal doses than with the 15-µg intramuscular dose, particularly erythema (3-µg dose: RR, 9.62; 95% CI, 1.07-86.56; 6-µg dose: RR, 23.79; 95% CI, 14.42-39.23; 9-µg dose: RR, 4.56; 95% CI, 3.05-6.82; 15-µg dose: RR, 3.68; 95% CI, 3.19-4.25) and swelling (3-µg dose: RR, 20.16; 95% CI, 4.68-86.82; 9-µg dose: RR, 5.23; 95% CI, 3.58-7.62; 15-µg dose: RR, 3.47 ; 95% CI, 2.21-5.45). Fever and chills were significantly more common with the 9-µg intradermal dose than the 15-µg intramuscular dose (fever: RR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.03-1.80; chills: RR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.03-1.50) while all other systemic adverse events were not statistically significant for all other doses.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
These findings suggest that reduced-dose intradermal influenza vaccination could be a reasonable alternative to standard dose intramuscular vaccination.
Topics: Antibodies, Viral; Chills; Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; Fever; Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; Humans; Immunogenicity, Vaccine; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype; Influenza B virus; Influenza Vaccines; Influenza, Human; Injection Site Reaction; Injections, Intradermal; Injections, Intramuscular; Seroconversion
PubMed: 33560425
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.35693 -
Scientific Reports Dec 2020Previous studies on aesthetic chills (i.e., psychogenic shivers) demonstrate their positive effects on stress, pleasure, and social cognition. We tested whether we could...
Previous studies on aesthetic chills (i.e., psychogenic shivers) demonstrate their positive effects on stress, pleasure, and social cognition. We tested whether we could artificially enhance this emotion and its downstream effects by intervening on its somatic markers using wearable technology. We built a device generating cold and vibrotactile sensations down the spine of subjects in temporal conjunction with a chill-eliciting audiovisual stimulus, enhancing the somatosensation of cold underlying aesthetic chills. Results suggest that participants wearing the device experienced significantly more chills, and chills of greater intensity. Further, these subjects reported sharing the feelings expressed in the stimulus to a greater degree, and felt more pleasure during the experience. These preliminary results demonstrate that emotion prosthetics and somatosensory interfaces offer new possibilities of modulating human emotions from the bottom-up (body to mind). Future challenges will include testing the device on a larger sample and diversifying the type of stimuli to account for negatively valenced chills and intercultural differences. Interoceptive technologies offer a new paradigm for affective neuroscience, allowing controlled intervention on conscious feelings and their downstream effects on higher-order cognition.
Topics: Adult; Chills; Esthetics; Female; Humans; Male; Prostheses and Implants; Reward; Social Cognition; Wearable Electronic Devices; Young Adult
PubMed: 33303796
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77951-w -
Journal of Travel Medicine 2008A 43-year-old diplomat was diagnosed with probable hepatitis C while vacationing in Europe. However, on return to her post in Nepal, she was actually found to have...
A 43-year-old diplomat was diagnosed with probable hepatitis C while vacationing in Europe. However, on return to her post in Nepal, she was actually found to have hepatitis E. The differential diagnosis, importance, and prevention of hepatitis E are highlighted.
Topics: Adult; Anorexia; Chills; Diagnosis, Differential; Europe; Female; Fever; Hepatitis Antibodies; Hepatitis C; Hepatitis E; Humans; Nepal; Sweat; Travel
PubMed: 18494698
DOI: 10.1111/j.1708-8305.2008.00208.x -
Contrast Media & Molecular Imaging 2022Based on a retrospective case-control study, this study aims to explore the effect of holistic nursing in operating room based on PDCA (plan, do, check, and action)...
Analysis of the Effect of Holistic Nursing in the Operating Room Based on PDCA and Evidence-Based Nursing in the Otorhinolaryngology Operating Room: Based on a Retrospective Case-Control Study.
OBJECTIVE
Based on a retrospective case-control study, this study aims to explore the effect of holistic nursing in operating room based on PDCA (plan, do, check, and action) process and evidence-based nursing (EBN) in a ear, nose, and throat operating room.
METHODS
About 200 patients who underwent otorhinolaryngology surgery in our hospital from January 2019 to September 2021 were enrolled. According to the difference of nursing mode, patients were assigned into a control group and study group; holistic nursing in operating room was included in control group, and holistic nursing in the operating room based on PDCA and EBN was included in study group. Nursing satisfaction, hypothermia, chills, restlessness, related indexes of operating room, nursing quality scores of operating room, and individual quality control scores were compared.
RESULTS
First of all, we compared the nursing satisfaction, the study group was very satisfied in 69 cases, satisfactory in 30 cases, general in 1 case, the satisfaction rate was 100.00%, while in the control group, 46 cases were very satisfied, 34 cases were satisfied, 13 cases were general, and 7 cases were dissatisfied, the satisfaction rate was 93.00%. The nursing satisfaction of the study group was higher compared to the control group ( < 0.05). Second, we compared the incidence of hypothermia, chills and restlessness. The incidence of hypothermia, chills, and restlessness in the study group was lower compared to the control group ( < 0.05). The time of tracheal tube extubation, PACU stay time, postoperative hospitalization time, hospitalization cost, and operation time in the study group was significantly lower compared to the control group ( < 0.05). In terms of the scores of nursing quality in the operating room, the instruments and equipment management, equipment preparation, nurses' cooperation skills, disinfection and isolation quality, and total score in the study group were higher compared to the control group ( < 0.05). Finally, we compared the scores of individual quality control examination. The scores of ward management, rescue, therapeutic articles, drug management, first-level nursing, nursing documents, and head nurse management in the study group were higher compared to the control group ( < 0.05).
CONCLUSION
Incorporating the concepts of PDCA and EBN into the overall care of the operating theatre is effective for patients in the ENT operating theatre. Our results show that this care can be effective in improving patients' surgical indicators, reducing the incidence of postoperative infections, shortening postoperative resuscitation and length of stay, reducing hospital costs, and promoting surgical patient satisfaction. While further multicenter studies are necessary, this series of nursing interventions remains worthy of replication in the clinical setting.
Topics: Case-Control Studies; Chills; Evidence-Based Nursing; Holistic Nursing; Humans; Hypothermia; Operating Rooms; Otolaryngology; Psychomotor Agitation; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 35655719
DOI: 10.1155/2022/4514669 -
BMC Plant Biology Mar 2022Red algae Porphyra sensu lato grow naturally in the unfavorable intertidal environment, in which they are exposed to substantial temperature fluctuations. The strategies...
BACKGROUND
Red algae Porphyra sensu lato grow naturally in the unfavorable intertidal environment, in which they are exposed to substantial temperature fluctuations. The strategies of Porphyra to tolerate cold stress are poorly understood.
RESULTS
Herein, investigations revealed that chilling and freezing induced alterations in the physiological properties, gene transcriptional profiles and metabolite levels in the economically important red algae species, Neoporphyra haitanensis. Control samples (kept at 20 °C) were compared to chilled thalli (10 and 4 °C) and to thalli under - 4 °C conditions. Chilling stress did not affect the health or photosynthetic efficiency of gametophytes, but freezing conditions resulted in the arrest of growth, death of some cells and a decrease in photosynthetic activity as calculated by Fv/Fm. Transcriptome sequencing analysis revealed that the photosynthetic system was down-regulated along with genes associated with carbon fixation and primary metabolic biosynthesis. Adaptive mechanisms included an increase in unsaturated fatty acids levels to improve membrane fluidity, an increase in floridoside and isofloridoside content to enhance osmotic resistance, and an elevation in levels of some resistance-associated phytohormones (abscisic acid, salicylic acid, and methyl jasmonic acid). These physiochemical alterations occurred together with the upregulation of ribosome biogenesis.
CONCLUSIONS
N. haitanensis adopts multiple protective mechanisms to maintain homeostasis of cellular physiology in tolerance to cold stress.
Topics: Cold Temperature; Cold-Shock Response; Gene Expression Profiling; Photosynthesis; Rhodophyta
PubMed: 35287582
DOI: 10.1186/s12870-022-03507-x -
PLoS Medicine Sep 2021Rapid detection, isolation, and contact tracing of community COVID-19 cases are essential measures to limit the community spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
BACKGROUND
Rapid detection, isolation, and contact tracing of community COVID-19 cases are essential measures to limit the community spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We aimed to identify a parsimonious set of symptoms that jointly predict COVID-19 and investigated whether predictive symptoms differ between the B.1.1.7 (Alpha) lineage (predominating as of April 2021 in the US, UK, and elsewhere) and wild type.
METHODS AND FINDINGS
We obtained throat and nose swabs with valid SARS-CoV-2 PCR test results from 1,147,370 volunteers aged 5 years and above (6,450 positive cases) in the REal-time Assessment of Community Transmission-1 (REACT-1) study. This study involved repeated community-based random surveys of prevalence in England (study rounds 2 to 8, June 2020 to January 2021, response rates 22%-27%). Participants were asked about symptoms occurring in the week prior to testing. Viral genome sequencing was carried out for PCR-positive samples with N-gene cycle threshold value < 34 (N = 1,079) in round 8 (January 2021). In univariate analysis, all 26 surveyed symptoms were associated with PCR positivity compared with non-symptomatic people. Stability selection (1,000 penalized logistic regression models with 50% subsampling) among people reporting at least 1 symptom identified 7 symptoms as jointly and positively predictive of PCR positivity in rounds 2-7 (June to December 2020): loss or change of sense of smell, loss or change of sense of taste, fever, new persistent cough, chills, appetite loss, and muscle aches. The resulting model (rounds 2-7) predicted PCR positivity in round 8 with area under the curve (AUC) of 0.77. The same 7 symptoms were selected as jointly predictive of B.1.1.7 infection in round 8, although when comparing B.1.1.7 with wild type, new persistent cough and sore throat were more predictive of B.1.1.7 infection while loss or change of sense of smell was more predictive of the wild type. The main limitations of our study are (i) potential participation bias despite random sampling of named individuals from the National Health Service register and weighting designed to achieve a representative sample of the population of England and (ii) the necessary reliance on self-reported symptoms, which may be prone to recall bias and may therefore lead to biased estimates of symptom prevalence in England.
CONCLUSIONS
Where testing capacity is limited, it is important to use tests in the most efficient way possible. We identified a set of 7 symptoms that, when considered together, maximize detection of COVID-19 in the community, including infection with the B.1.1.7 lineage.
Topics: Ageusia; Anosmia; Appetite; Area Under Curve; COVID-19; Chills; Communicable Disease Control; Cough; England; False Positive Reactions; Female; Fever; Humans; Male; Mass Screening; Models, Biological; Myalgia; Pharyngitis; Polymerase Chain Reaction; SARS-CoV-2; State Medicine
PubMed: 34582457
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003777