Bacterial Vaginosis and Prospective Ultrasound Measures of Uterine Fibroid Incidence and Growth

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Bacterial Vaginosis and Prospective Ultrasound Measures of Uterine Fibroid Incidence and Growth Via Epidemiology - Current Issue Background: Uterine fibroids often cause intolerable symptoms leading to invasive treatments, most commonly hysterectomy. Reproductive tract infections are hypothesized to influence uterine fibroid development, but few studies exist, especially for the highly prevalent condition bacterial vaginosis (BV). Both fibroids and BV have documented racial–ethnic disparities, with higher burden in Blacks. Methods: With prospective data from a community-based study (four standardized ultrasound examinations over 5 years) in young Black women, we examined baseline BV associations with fibroid incidence and growth. We computed adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for incidence comparing BV and no BV (Nugent score ≥7 vs. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Estimation of Relative Vaccine Effectiveness in Influenza: A Systematic Review of Methodology

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Estimation of Relative Vaccine Effectiveness in Influenza: A Systematic Review of Methodology Via Epidemiology - Current Issue Background: When new vaccine components or platforms are developed, they will typically need to demonstrate noninferiority or superiority over existing products, resulting in the assessment of relative vaccine effectiveness (rVE). This review aims to identify how rVE evaluation is being performed in studies of influenza to inform a more standardized approach. Methods: We conducted a systematic search on PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science for studies reporting rVE comparing vaccine components, dose, or vaccination schedules. We screened titles, abstracts, full texts, and references to identify relevant articles. We extracted information on the study design, relative comparison made, and the definition and statistical approach used to estimate rVE in each study. Results: We identified 63 articles assessing rVE in influenza virus. Studies compared multiple vaccine components (n = 38), two or more doses of the same vaccine (n = 17), or vaccination timing or history (n = 9). One study compared a range of vaccine components and doses. Nearly two-thirds of all studies controlled for age, and nearly half for comorbidities, region, and sex. Assessment of 12 studies presenting both absolute and relative effect estimates suggested proportionality in the effects, resulting in implications for the interpretation of rVE effects. Conclusions: Approaches to rVE evaluation in practice is highly varied, with improvements in reporting required in many cases. Extensive consideration of methodologic issues relating to rVE is needed, including the stability of estimates and the impact of confounding structure on the validity of rVE estimates. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Detection of human herpes virus 6 DNA and chromosomal integration after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a retrospective single center analysis

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Detection of human herpes virus 6 DNA and chromosomal integration after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a retrospective single center analysis Via Transplant Infectious Disease Abstract Introduction Human herpes virus 6 (HHV-6) can reactivate after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) and may be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Methods The epidemiology of HHV-6 infections and their impact on outcome after allo-HSCT were retrospectively analyzed in 689 adult allo-HSCT recipients (January 2015-December 2018). Chromosomal integration of HHV-6 (ciHHV-6) in the donor was retrospectively investigated to critically evaluate antiviral treatment strategies. Results HHV-6 DNA in any specimen was found in 89 patients. HHV-6 infections (encephalitis (1), gastroenteritis (44), dermatitis (2), hepatitis (1) or pneumonitis (5)) were diagnosed in 53/689 patients (7.7%). Elevated levels of HHV-6 DNA were found in 38 patients (5.5%). CiHHV-6, analyzed in patients with HHV-6 viral loads ≥104 copies/mL, was identified in 4 patients (10/38 patients; 10.5%). Two of those displayed copy numbers of HHV-6 ranging from ≥ 2 × 105 to 2.5 × 106 copies/mL (HHV-6A). Here, ciHHV-6 was integrated into donor and not into the patients' cells. In this series of allo-HSCT recipients, 10.5% of patients with blood viral loads of HHV-6 showed ciHHV-6. Conclusion Screening of the donor for chromosomal integration of HHV-6 (ciHHV-6) before initiation of antiviral therapy is recommended. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

The detrimental impact of temporomandibular disorders (mis)beliefs and possible strategies to overcome

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader The detrimental impact of temporomandibular disorders (mis)beliefs and possible strategies to overcome Via Journal of Oral Rehabilitation Summary Aim This topical review presents common patients' misbeliefs about temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and discusses their possible impact on the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. We also discussed the possible influence of the beliefs and behaviors of health care providers on the beliefs of patients with TMD and present possible strategies to overcome the negative impacts of such misbeliefs. Methods This topical review was based on a non-systematic search for studies about the beliefs of patients and professionals about TMD in PubMed and Embase. Results Patients' beliefs can negatively impact the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of TMD. These beliefs can be modulated by several factors such as culture, psychosocial aspects, gender, level of knowledge, and previous experiences. Moreover, primary health care professionals, including dentists, may lack sufficient experience and skills regarding TMD diagnosis and treatment. Misbeliefs of the health care professionals can be based on outdated evidence that is not supported by rigorous methodological investigations. Education and dissemination of knowledge to patients and the general population are effective for prevention, promotion of health and disruption of the cycle of misinformation and dissemination of misbeliefs. Conclusion The lack of basic information about TMD and the dissemination of mistaken and outdated concepts may delay the diagnosis, hinder the treatment, and consequently increase the risk of worsening the condition. Education is key to overcome TMD misbeliefs. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Spirulina supplementation prevents exercise‐induced lipid peroxidation, inflammation and skeletal muscle damage in elite rugby players

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Spirulina supplementation prevents exercise‐induced lipid peroxidation, inflammation and skeletal muscle damage in elite rugby players Via Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics Abstract Objective This study aimed to examine the effects of spirulina supplementation on pro/antioxidant status, inflammation, and skeletal muscle damage markers immediately and 24h after exhaustive exercise in elite rugby players. Methods Seventeen elite male Rugby Union players were randomly assigned to a Spirulina (SPI: n=9), or a placebo group (PLA: n=8) in a double-blind design. Subjects were supplemented with Spirulina platensis (5.7 g/d) or placebo (isoproteic and caloric) for 7 weeks. At baseline (W0) and after seven weeks of supplementation (W7), blood samples were obtained before (T0), immediately after (T1), and 24h after (T2) exhaustive exercise. The Yoyo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 2 was used as an exhaustive exercise to induce oxidative stress (OS), inflammation, and skeletal muscle damage. The studied parameters included Pro/antioxidant status markers (SOD, GPX, GSH/GSSG ratio, ox-LDL, and F2-Isop), inflammation markers (MPO and CRP), and skeletal muscle damage markers (LDH and CK). Results Our results showed that F2-Isop, CRP, and CK levels significantly increased at T1 only in PLA group (p<0.05, p<0.05, and p<0.001 respectively) with no change in SPI group which reflects the effect of spirulina to prevent lipid peroxidation, inflammation, and skeletal muscle damage induced by exhaustive exercise. Moreover, spirulina supplementation accelerated the return to baseline values given that F2-Isop, CRP, and CK levels at T2 were significantly lower than at T0 in SPI group (p<0.05, p<0.01, and p<0.001 respectively). Conclusion Based on the markers used in this study, our results report that spirulina supplementation potentially prevents exercise-induced lipid peroxidation, inflammation, skeletal muscle damage and may accelerate the recovery of some of these markers. Based on our findings, we recommend spirulina supplementation especially for athletes who do not achieve the recommended antioxidant dietary intake and who perform a high training load in order to reduce the magnitude of OS, inflammation, and skeletal muscle damage which could help to reduce performance losses and accelerate recovery after training/competitions throughout the season. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Inhibition of PDK1 enhances radiosensitivity and reverses epithelial–mesenchymal transition in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Inhibition of PDK1 enhances radiosensitivity and reverses epithelial–mesenchymal transition in nasopharyngeal carcinoma Via Head & Neck Abstract Background Radioresistance challenges the clinical outcomes of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 (PDK1) is a crucial kinase of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway which has been implicated in the process of radioresistance. However, the role of PDK1 in NPC remains largely unclear. Methods The expression of PDK1 was determined by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. The effects of RNA interference and pharmacologic inhibitor of PDK1 in combination with irradiation were investigated. Results Overexpression of PDK1 was correlated with poor prognosis in patients with NPC. PDK1 depletion enhanced radiosensitivity of NPC cells both in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, a specific PDK1 inhibitor also had the potential to enhance radiosensitivity in radioresistant NPC cells. Mechanistically, PDK1 depletion inhibited various targets of AKT including mTOR and GSK-3β and reversed the epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Conclusions These findings indicated that PDK1 might be a potential target for NPC. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Accurate fish-freshness prediction label based on red cabbage anthocyanins

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Accurate fish-freshness prediction label based on red cabbage anthocyanins Via ScienceDirect Publication: Food Control Publication date: Available online 9 April 2022 Source: Food Control Author(s): Shuliang Fang, Zhihao Guan, Cheng Su, Wenshuo Zhang, Jian Zhu, Yuewei Zheng, Houbin Li, Pingping Zhao, Xinghai Liu View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

High‐Dose Clopidogrel versus Ticagrelor in CYP2C19 intermediate or poor metabolizers after percutaneous coronary intervention: A Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Trials

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader High‐Dose Clopidogrel versus Ticagrelor in CYP2C19 intermediate or poor metabolizers after percutaneous coronary intervention: A Meta‐Analysis of Randomized Trials Via Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics For patients after percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), clopidogrel combined with aspirin is a conventional dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) method. However, clopidogrel resistance exists in some populations, especially in East Asian populations, due to the CYP2C19 gene polymorphism. The current guidelines are very clear on DAPT method for CYP2C19 genotype of ultrarapid metabolizers (UM), extended metabolizers (EM) and poor metabolizer (PM) after PCI, but how to intermediate metabolizers (IM) choose drugs was not clear. This is the first systematic review to preferentially recommend ticagrelor for antiplatelet therapy over high-dose clopidogrel for patients carrying CYP2C19 LOF alleles after PCI with follow-up time of more than 3 months. Abstract What is known and objective For patients after percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), clopidogrel combined with aspirin is a conventional dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) method. Because the genetic polymorphism of CYP2C19 gene leads to clopidogrel resistance, guidelines for antiplatelet recommendations in CYP2C19 of ultrarapid metabolizers (UM), extended metabolizers (EM) and poor metabolizers (PM) are clear. However, there is no clear recommendation as to whether ticagrelor or double dose clopidogrel is the best antiplatelet regimen for CYP2C19 of intermediate metabolizers (IM). To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor (combined with aspirin) and high-dose clopidogrel (combined with aspirin) in patients after PCI with CYP2C19 loss-of-function (LOF) alleles. Methods We searched the following databases to select RCTs of comparing ticagrelor with high-dose clopidogrel in patients after PCI with CYP2C19 LOF alleles: CNKI, Wanfang Data, PubMed, Clinical trials, Cochrane, Web of Science and Embase. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), platelet function and TIMI bleeding event were defined as the outcomes. revman 5.3 software was used to perform meta-analysis. Results and discussion A total of 14 RCTs with 2351 patients were enrolled. Meta-analysis showed that compared with high-dose clopidogrel, ticagrelor had reduced incidence of MACEs (OR = 0.32, 95% Cl: 0.23–0.44, p < 0.00001), stent thrombosis (OR: 0.24, 95%CI: 0.13–0.44, p < 0.00001), myocardial infarction OR: 0.42, 95%CI: 0.22–0.80, p = 0.008), revascularization (OR: 0.29, 95%CI: 0.10–0.82, p = 0.02) and unstable angina (OR: 0.47, 95%CI: 0.29–0.77, p = 0.003) in patients after PCI with CYP2C19 LOF alleles. A subgroup analysis showed that ticagrelor reduced the risk of MACEs compared with high-dose clopidogrel regardless of the type of metabolizer. Compared with high-dose clopidogrel, ticagrelor significantly reduced the risk of MACE with longer follow-up period (more than 3 months) without increasing the risk of bleeding (OR: 0.89, 95%CI: 0.53–1.49, p = 0.30), while ele vated dyspnoea (OR: 5.62, 95%CI: 3.07–10.28, p < 0.00001). What is new and conclusions For patients carrying CYP2C19 LOF alleles after PCI, ticagrelor may be better than high-dose clopidogrel in reducing the risk of MACEs, while dyspnoea incidents should be alerted. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Fluorescent Carbon Dot-Supported Imaging-Based Biomedicine: A Comprehensive Review

alkiviadis.1961 shared this article with you from Inoreader Fluorescent Carbon Dot-Supported Imaging-Based Biomedicine: A Comprehensive Review Via Hindawi Publishing Corporation Carbon dots (CDs) provide distinctive advantages of strong fluorescence, good photostability, high water solubility, and outstanding biocompatibility, and thus are widely exploited as potential imaging agents for in vitro and in vivo bioimaging. Imaging is absolutely necessary when discovering the structure and function of cells, detecting biomarkers in diagnosis, tracking the progress of ongoing disease, treating various tumors, and monitoring therapeutic efficacy, making it an important approach in modern biomedicine. Numerous investigations of CDs have been intensively studied for utilization in bioimaging-supported medical sciences. However, there is still no article highlighting the potential importance of CD-based bioimaging to support various biomedical applications. Herein, we summarize t he development of CDs as fluorescence (FL) nanoprobes with different FL colors for potential bioimaging-based applications in living cells, tissue, and organisms, including the bioimaging of various cell types and targets, bioimaging-supported sensing of metal ions and biomolecules, and FL imaging-guided tumor therapy. Current CD-based microscopic techniques and their advantages are also highlighted. This review discusses the significance of advanced CD-supported imaging-based in vitro and in vivo investigations, suggests the potential of CD-based imaging for biomedicine, and encourages the effective selection and development of superior probes and platforms for further biomedical applications. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Mechanism of Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) Fruit in the Appetite Regulation Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Method

alkiviadis.1961 shared this article with you from Inoreader Mechanism of Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) Fruit in the Appetite Regulation Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Method Via Hindawi Publishing Corporation Objective. To investigate the mechanism of jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) in appetite regulation based on network pharmacology. Methods. The active components and action targets of jujube were retrieved through the TCMSP and TCMID databases. GeneCards, DisGeNet, Therapeutic Target Database, and OMIM were used to screen the related targets for appetite, appetite suppression, and appetite regulation, and the intersection target of the two was selected. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed. Important protein nodes and subnets were predicted based on the cytoHubba plug-in, and the hub gene was screened. Additionally, GO and KEGG pathway analyses were performed to obtain potential biological processes and signaling pathways of key targets. And the active ingredient-target-act ion pathway diagram was constructed. Results. A total of 16 active components were screened from jujube, including 131 action targets related to appetite and appetite regulation. Three key targets (MAOA, MMP2, and HSPB1) were screened out by MCODE analysis. KEGG enrichment analysis was mainly enriched in neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, serotonin-containing synapse, gap junction, cAMP signaling pathway, and dopaminergic synapse. Molecular docking results showed that the components coclaurine, (−)-catenin, (+)-stepholidine, berberine, cianidanol, coclaurine, and moupinamide in jujube had strong binding activity to the main targets (ESR1, ADRA2C, and MMP2). Conclusion. Based on network pharmacology, the appetite modulating effects of jujube on multiple components, targets, and channels were explored, and the main active components of jujube were predicted to act on multiple signaling pathways to regulate appetite. The molecular docking results showed that the components in j ujube had strong binding activity to the main targets, which provided new ideas and methods to further investigate the mechanisms of appetite regulation by jujube. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Actinomyces Acute Rhinosinusitis Complicated by Subperiosteal Abscess in an Immunocompromised 12-Year-Old: Case Report and Literature Review

alkiviadis.1961 shared this article with you from Inoreader Actinomyces Acute Rhinosinusitis Complicated by Subperiosteal Abscess in an Immunocompromised 12-Year-Old: Case Report and Literature Review Via Hindawi Publishing Corporation Objective. To describe a rare case of pediatric actinomycotic rhinosinusitis with orbital subperiosteal abscess and review the current literature to assess methods of diagnosis, treatment modalities, and outcomes with appropriate treatment. Methods. A case report and a review of the literature. Results. A 12-year-old patient with Crohn's disease on infliximab presented with rhinosinusitis with orbital subperiosteal abscess formation. Endoscopic sinus surgery was performed and cultures grew actinomyces. A prolonged course of antibiotics was started, resulting in the complete resolution of the infection. In a literature review, all cases of uncomplicated and complicated actinomyces rhinosinusitis managed with appropriate surgery and prolonged antibiotics resulted in a cure. Our case is the first reported in a pediatric patient and the first taking immunosuppressive medication. Overall, only 3 cases of actinomyces rhinosinusitis in immunosuppressed individuals have been reported, each with uncontrolled diabetes and each also responded well to surgery and appropriate antibiotics. Conclusion. Actinomycosis of the paranasal sinuses poses a diagnostic challenge, with infections varying widely in presentation and extent of disease. A high index of suspicion, appropriate testing, and early aggressive treatment are critical in managing patients with this infection. Our case and prior published studies show that actinomyces rhinosinusitis can be successfully managed with endoscopic sinus surgery, abscess drainage as necessary, and a prolonged course of antibiotics, even in immunocompromised and pediatric populations. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.