The Angiopoietin-like protein 4: a promising biomarker to distinguish brucella spondylitis from tuberculous spondylitis

Abstract Objective The Angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL-4) has been proved to be a protein associated with multiple inflammatory responses. Nevertheless, whether it contributes to distinguishing brucella spondylitis (BS) from tuberculous spondylitis (TS) remains an open question. Our study aim is to explore the capability of the ANGPTL-4 to differentiating BS from TS. Materials and method In our study, 53 patients were screened out according to the criteria precisely in Xinjiang Medical University Affiliated of the First Hospital from 1 January, 2016, to 31 December, 2018. Their clinical data were retrospectively reviewed. All of them underwent pathological biopsy and magnetic resonance imaging examination. All the frozen tissue sections were stained for testing ANGPTL-4. Result Among the 53 patients, BS had 26 patients, and TS had 27 patients. There was no significant difference between the baseline (P = 0.682) between the two groups. The positive rate of ANGPTL-4 in TS patients (24/27, 88.89%) was higher than that in BS patients (17/26, 65.83%) (P < 0.05). The incidence of microangiopathy and fibrous connective tissue hyperplasia in patients with BS was distinctly higher than those in the TS (P = 0.001, P = 0.008, respectively). Patients of TS frequently presented more granuloma, caseous necrosis, epithelial-like reaction, interleukin 6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP) than those of BS. Conclusion Our study provided novel insights into distinguishing BS from TS using the ANGPTL-4 combining with histopathology, which may become new supporting evidence. Key Points• Brucella spondylitis and tuberculous spondylitis are a significant public health concern and even have prolonged damage, contributing to severe health and economic outcomes in Xinjiang of China.• The granuloma, caseous necrosis, epithelioid reaction, microangiosis, and fibrous connective tissue of pathological tissue might play a critical significance for distinguishing brucella spondylitis from tuberculous spondylitis patients.• ANGPLT-4 may become new supporting evidence identify brucella spondylitis and tuberculous spondylitis which is implicated in inflammation angiogenesis-related disorders.

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Seroprevalence of Cysticercosis in Children and Young Adults Living in a Helminth Endemic Community in Leyte, the Philippines

Journal of Tropical Medicine ◽

10.1155/2010/603174 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 2010 ◽

pp. 1-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Jin-Mei Xu ◽

Luz P. Acosta ◽

Min Hou ◽

Daria L. Manalo ◽

Mario Jiz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Taenia Solium ◽

Public Health Problem ◽

The Philippines ◽

Health Concern ◽

Public Health Concern ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Significant Public Health Problem ◽

Significant Public Health ◽

Children And Young Adults

Cysticercosis is a significant public health problem in countries where pigs are raised for consumption and remains an important cause of neurological disease worldwide. The Philippines is considered an endemic area for cysticercosis because cases in both humans and pigs have been reported; however, epidemiologic information stays limited. We conducted a pilot survey of the seroprevalence of human cysticercosis in a village in Leyte, the Philippines, by measuring antibody specific forTaenia soliumcyst-fluid antigen. There were 497 subjects aged 7–30 years in our study and most subjects were infected with one or more helminths. The overall cysticercosis seroprevalence in this population was 24.6% (95% CI: 20.82% ~ 28.58%) with no significant difference based on age, sex, or other helminth coinfection status. Although the sample may not be representative of the whole community, the findings suggest that cysticercosis is a significant, but underrecognized public health concern in the Philippines.

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Histopathological Studies on Dermal Fibrous Connective Tissue of Erythema ab Igne.

Nishi Nihon Hifuka ◽

10.2336/nishinihonhifu.55.55 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 55 (1) ◽

pp. 55-60

Author(s):

Toshihide AKASAKA ◽

Yuko IMAMURA ◽

Yasuki MORI ◽

Satoshi MAYAMA ◽

Saiichi KON

Keyword(s):

Connective Tissue ◽

Fibrous Connective Tissue ◽

Erythema Ab Igne ◽

Histopathological Studies

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Secular Trends of Underweight, Overweight, and Obesity in Children and Adolescents from Ukraine

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18063302 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (6) ◽

pp. 3302

Author(s):

Katarzyna Dereń ◽

Justyna Wyszyńska ◽

Serhiy Nyankovskyy ◽

Olena Nyankovska ◽

Marta Yatsula ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Children And Adolescents ◽

Age Groups ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

The Body ◽

World Health ◽

Public Health Issue ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Significant Public Health ◽

Health Organization ◽

Obesity In Children

Overweight and obesity, as well as underweight in children and adolescents, pose a significant public health issue. This study aimed to investigate the secular trend of the incidence of underweight, overweight, and obesity in children from Ukraine in 2013/2014 and 2018/2019. The studies were conducted in randomly selected primary and secondary schools in Ukraine. In total, 13,447 children (6468 boys and 6979 girls) participated in the study in 2013/2014 and 18,144 children (8717 boys and 9427 girls) participated in 2018/2019. Measurements of body weight and height were performed in triplicate. Underweight, overweight, and obesity were diagnosed according to the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO). In the group of girls, a significant difference between 2013/2014 and 2018/2019 measurements was found only among 7-year-olds. The percentage of girls at this age exceeding the body mass index (BMI) norm was lower in the 2018/2019 study. In boys, a significant difference was also found in 7-year-olds, and, as in girls, a lower share of overweight and obesity was found in 2018/2019. But for the ages of 12, 13, and 15, the significant differences had a different character—more overweight or obese boys were found in the 2018/2019 study. The proportion of underweight children was similar for the majority of age groups in both genders and did not differ in a statistically significant way.

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An Experimental Evidence on Eco-Friendly Advertisement Appeals and Intention to Use Bio-Nanomaterial Plastics: Institutional Collectivism and Performance Orientation as Moderators

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18020791 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 791 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Syed Hassan Raza ◽

Umer Zaman ◽

Moneeba Iftikhar ◽

Owais Shafique

Keyword(s):

Structural Equation ◽

Two Dimensions ◽

Cultural Dimensions ◽

Health Concern ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Intention To Use ◽

Advertising Appeals ◽

Sustainable Solutions ◽

Performance Orientation ◽

Significant Difference

Plastic waste management has become a serious environmental and health concern owing to large amounts of plastic deposits globally. Recently, innovative and sustainable solutions have been introduced (e.g., bio-nanomaterial plastics) to overcome the growing environmental threats. Hence, green marketers need to develop effective advertising campaigns to enhance the usage of bio-nanomaterial plastics. Past literature has suggested that cultural value-laden advertising appeals can give sustainable behavioral cues to consumers. Hence, this research unfolds the underlying cultural dimensions between the value-laden eco-friendly advertising appeals and intention to use bio-nanomaterial plastics (henceforth IBP). The present study proposes a moderating model in which two dimensions presented in the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (henceforth GLOBE) framework interact with the individuals’ perception of eco-friendly advertising appeals (henceforth IPEA) to drive bio-nanomaterial plastics usage. The model was tested by conducting an experimental study on a sample of 364 Pakistani consumers. Findings of structural equation modeling show a significant difference in the relationship between IPEA and IBP, which is moderated by the performance orientation (henceforth PO) and institutional collectivism (henceforth IC) dimensions with diverse intensity. These findings validate the effectiveness of PO and IC (as cultural dimensions) and eco-friendly advertisements that can potentially promote the consumption of bio-nanomaterials plastic.

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Influenza With an Infiltrate: Investigating the New Community-Acquired Pneumonia Guidelines

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology ◽

10.1017/ice.2020.884 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (S1) ◽

pp. s302-s302

Author(s):

Amanda Barner ◽

Lou Ann Bruno-Murtha

Keyword(s):

Demographic Data ◽

Retrospective Chart Review ◽

Vaccination Rate ◽

Community Acquired Pneumonia ◽

Teaching Hospitals ◽

Antibiotic Prescribing ◽

Supporting Evidence ◽

Radiographic Findings ◽

Significant Difference ◽

The Impact

Background: The Infectious Diseases Society of America released updated community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) guidelines in October 2019. One of the recommendations, with a low quality of supporting evidence, is the standard administration of antibiotics in adult patients with influenza and radiographic evidence of pneumonia. Procalcitonin (PCT) is not endorsed as a strategy to withhold antibiotic therapy, but it could be used to de-escalate appropriate patients after 48–72 hours. Radiographic findings are not indicative of the etiology of pneumonia. Prescribing antibiotics for all influenza-positive patients with an infiltrate has significant implications for stewardship. Therefore, we reviewed hospitalized, influenza-positive patients at our institution during the 2018–2019 season, and we sought to assess the impact of an abnormal chest x-ray (CXR) and PCT on antibiotic prescribing and outcomes. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of all influenza-positive admissions at 2 urban, community-based, teaching hospitals. Demographic data, vaccination status, PCT levels, CXR findings, and treatment regimens were reviewed. The primary outcome was the difference in receipt of antibiotics between patients with a negative (<0.25 ng/mL) and positive PCT. Secondary outcomes included the impact of CXR result on antibiotic prescribing, duration, 30-day readmission, and 90-day mortality. Results: We reviewed the medical records of 117 patients; 43 (36.7%) received antibiotics. The vaccination rate was 36.7%. Also, 11% of patients required intensive care unit (ICU) admission and 84% received antibiotics. Moreover, 109 patients had a CXR: 61 (55.9%) were negative, 29 (26.6%) indeterminate, and 19 (17.4%) positive per radiologist interpretation. Patients with a positive PCT (OR, 12.7; 95% CI, 3.43–60.98; P < .0007) and an abnormal CXR (OR, 7.4; 95% CI, 2.9–20.1; P = .000003) were more likely to receive antibiotics. There was no significant difference in 30-day readmission (11.6% vs 13.5%; OR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.21–3.08; P = 1) and 90-day mortality (11.6% vs 5.4%; OR, 2.37; 95% CI, 0.48–12.75; P = .28) between those that received antibiotics and those that did not, respectively. Furthermore, 30 patients (62.5%) with an abnormal CXR received antibiotics and 21 (43.7%) had negative PCT. There was no difference in 30-day readmission or 90-day mortality between those that did and did not receive antibiotics. Conclusions: Utilization of PCT allowed selective prescribing of antibiotics without impacting readmission or mortality. Antibiotics should be initiated for critically ill patients and based on clinical judgement, rather than for all influenza-positive patients with CXR abnormalities.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

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1338. Analysis of Prescription Guideline Adherence in Pediatric Outpatient Pneumonia Treatment

Open Forum Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/ofid/ofaa439.1520 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S680-S681

Author(s):

Carly Heck ◽

Judith Martin ◽

Marcia Kurs-Lasky

Keyword(s):

Drug Allergy ◽

Health Concern ◽

Second Line ◽

First Line ◽

Second Line Therapy ◽

First Line Therapy ◽

Line Therapy ◽

Comparison Results ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Recommended Therapy

Abstract Background Background: Antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern. A modifiable intervention is outpatient antibiotic stewardship. The goal of this study was to review the electronic health records (EHR) of children diagnosed with community acquired pneumonia (CAP) to compare patients who received non-guideline concordant therapy with those prescribed recommended therapy. Methods Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of 300 children (6 months to 6 years old) with an outpatient diagnosis of CAP between July 2017 and June 2019. 45 Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh (CHP) and UPMC Children’s Community Pediatrics (CCP) practices were included. CHP practices are academic-based with trainees involved in visits, while CCP practices do not include trainees. First-line recommended therapy was defined as amoxicillin, second-line therapy as azithromycin or amoxicillin-clavulanate, and all other prescriptions were defined as other. Patients prescribed first-line therapy were compared to patients with second-line therapy or other. If first-line therapy was not prescribed, the EHR was manually reviewed for justification. If drug allergy was listed, the medication allergy and type of reaction were recorded. Results Results: In this study the minority of children (43%) were prescribed first-line therapy. This group was younger (57 vs. 63 months of age), more likely to be Non-white (80%), and seen at the CHP locations than those prescribed non-guideline concordant therapy. The average symptom duration was shorter, heart rate and respiratory rate were higher and the presence of fever was more common in the first-line therapy group. Justification for non-guideline therapy was most often reported as to provide coverage for atypical organisms. The most common drug allergy recorded was amoxicillin, and urticaria with unknown timing was the most common type of reaction. Demographics Comparison Results Justification for Second-line / Other Therapy and Drug Allergy Results Conclusion This project observed a high proportion of children being prescribed non-guideline concordant therapy for a diagnosis of CAP. Age, race, practice location, and severity of illness measures showed a statistically significant difference between groups. This study highlights the importance of education which reviews the current guidelines and the most likely pathogens for children with CAP. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

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CD36 deficiency ameliorates drug-induced acute liver injury in mice

Molecular Medicine ◽

10.1186/s10020-021-00325-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 27 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Chen Zhang ◽

Xiao Shi ◽

Zhongping Su ◽

Chao Hu ◽

Xianmin Mu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Liver Injury ◽

Western Blot ◽

Kinase Inhibitor ◽

Inflammatory Responses ◽

Acute Liver Injury ◽

Protein Adducts ◽

Sterile Inflammation ◽

Inflammatory Factor ◽

Cd36 Deficiency ◽

Significant Difference

Abstract Background Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose causes hepatotoxicity and even acute liver failure. Recent studies indicate that sterile inflammation and innate immune cells may play important roles in damage-induced hepatocytes regeneration and liver repair. The scavenger receptor CD36 has its crucial functions in sterile inflammation. However, the roles of CD36 in APAP induced acute liver injury remain unclear and warrant further investigation. Methods WT C57BL/6 J and CD36−/− mice were intraperitoneally injected with APAP (300 mg/kg) after fasting for 16 h. Liver injury was evaluated by serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level and liver tissue hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Liver inflammatory factor expression was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The protein adducts forming from the metabolite of APAP and the metabolism enzyme cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) levels were measured by Western blot. Liver infiltrating macrophages and neutrophils were characterized by flow cytometry. RNA sequencing and Western blot were used to evaluate the effect of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMP) molecule high mobility group B1 (HMGB1) on WT and CD36−/− macrophages. Moreover, PP2, a Src kinase inhibitor, blocking CD36 signaling, was applied in APAP model. Results The expression of CD36 was increased in the liver of mice after APAP treatment. Compared with WT mice, APAP treated CD36−/− mice show less liver injury. There was no significant difference in APAP protein adducts and CYP2E1 expression between these two strains. However, reduced pro-inflammatory factor mRNA expression and serum IL-1β level were observed in APAP treated CD36−/− mice as well as infiltrating macrophages and neutrophils. Moreover, CD36 deficiency impaired the activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) caused by APAP. Interestingly, the lack of CD36 reduced the activation of extracellular regulated protein kinases (Erk) and v-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog (Akt) induced by HMGB1. RNA transcription sequencing data indicated that HMGB1 has a different effect on WT and CD36−/− macrophages. Furthermore, treatment with PP2 attenuated APAP induced mouse liver injury. Conclusion Our data demonstrated that CD36 deficiency ameliorated APAP-induced acute liver injury and inflammatory responses by decreasing JNK activation. CD36 might serve as a new target to reduce acute liver injury.

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Retrospective Seroepidemiology study of dengue virus infection in Taiwan

BMC Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1186/s12879-021-05809-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ying-Hsuan Lee ◽

Yu-Chia Hsieh ◽

Chih-Jung Chen ◽

Tzou-Yien Lin ◽

Yhu-Chering Huang

Keyword(s):

General Population ◽

Virus Infection ◽

Dengue Virus ◽

Dengue Fever ◽

Health Concern ◽

Age Group ◽

Dengue Virus Infection ◽

Recent Infection ◽

Seropositive Rate ◽

Significant Difference

Abstract Background Dengue virus infection has been an important and serious public health concern in Taiwan, where local outbreaks of dengue fever occurred almost every year. To our knowledge, no nationwide investigation has been carried out to determine the actual extent of infection in the general population. Methods A total of 1308 random serum samples were collected from the general population in Taiwan in 2010. The antibody-captured enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to detect DENV-specific IgM and IgG. Demographics data were used for risk analysis. Results The weighted overall seroprevalence was 1.96% for anti-DENV IgM, and 3.4% for anti-DENV IgG, respectively. A significant rise of DENV IgG seropositive rate had been noted since late adulthood stage, from 1.1% at the age group of 50–59 years to 7.6% at the age group of 60–69 years. For people aged over 70 years, the seropositive rate reached 19%. Age, nationality, and regions of residency were associated with the IgG seropositivity. There was no statistically significant difference in seroprevalence of anti-Dengue IgM, indicating recent infection, among univariate predictors we proposed, including gender, age, residency, nationality, and household size. Conclusions Our results indicated that the majority of population in Taiwan born after 1940 is naive to dengue virus and the prevalence of IgG antibody against dengue virus rises with age. Nationality, and regions of residency are associated with the exposure of population to infection by dengue viruses. Further studies are needed to realize the current situation of seroprevalence of dengue fever in Taiwan.

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Biomarkers of Stress in Music Interventions: A Systematic Review

Journal of Music Therapy ◽

10.1093/jmt/thab003 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Melanie Mitsui Wong ◽

Talha Tahir ◽

Michael Mitsui Wong ◽

Annilee Baron ◽

Rachael Finnerty

Keyword(s):

Psychological Stress ◽

Acute Stress ◽

Well Being ◽

Health Concern ◽

Music Intervention ◽

P Values ◽

Stress Biomarkers ◽

Study Protocols ◽

Significant Public Health ◽

Meta Analyses

Abstract Psychological stress is a significant public health concern as it is associated with various comorbidities and long-term health implications. Music interventions are emerging therapies for alleviating psychological stress and improving one’s physical and mental well-being. We conducted a systematic literature review in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Statement guidelines for reporting to identify all neuroendocrine biomarkers used to evaluate psychological stress in randomized control trials involving music interventions. We identified 18 unique biomarkers of stress from 14 full-text randomized controlled trials studies. Only one of the 14 music studies included a music therapy intervention. The most frequently used biomarkers across the studies were plasma cortisol, salivary cortisol, and salivary α-amylase. Of the 14 studies, 12 included in this review assessed at least one of these three biomarkers. Of these 12 studies, five papers reported p-values for changes in both stress biomarkers and psychological stress outcome measures. Four of the five studies found significant p-values for the reduction of both stress biomarkers and psychological stress in music intervention groups. The variety of stress biomarkers used and the variance in study protocols makes it difficult to assess the magnitude of effect of music interventions on psychological stress. However, our findings suggest that music interventions have the potential for reducing both stress biomarker levels and psychological stress in acute stress situations.

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Soft tissue reaction to ceramic ossicular replacement prosthesis

The Journal of Laryngology & Otology ◽

10.1017/s0022215100102944 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 101 (9) ◽

pp. 897-904 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Etsuo Yamamoto ◽

Michitaka Iwanaga

Keyword(s):

Soft Tissue ◽

Connective Tissue ◽

Inflammatory Cell ◽

Clinical Results ◽

Tissue Reaction ◽

Fibrous Connective Tissue ◽

Soft Tissue Reaction ◽

Fascia Graft ◽

Ossicular Replacement ◽

Replacement Prosthesis

AbstractSoft-tissue reaction to ceramic ossicular replacement prostheses (CORP) has been evaluated histologically in rabbits and humans. One week after implantation, severe inflammatory and foreign body reaction was observed in the fibrous connective tissue surrounding the prosthesis. Though some inflammatory response was seen after one month, after three months the CORP was surrounded by a layer of fibrous connective tissue without any foreigh body giant cell, histiocyte or inflammatory cell infiltration. Our satisfactory clinical results in humans without placing a cartilage between the CORP and the fascia graft may be due to the excellent softtissue compatibility of CORP, as demonstrated in this study.

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