Frontal Recess Cells in International Frontal Sinus Anatomy Classification (IFAC); Prevalence, Infection Incidence, and Relation to Frontal Sinus Infection in Chronic Sinusitis Patients

Frontal recess cells have many types with different sizes, arrangement, and extend. It plays an important role in successful functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) as most causes of failure are related to it. Outline the prevalence of the frontal recess cells, pathological incidence of each cell regarding to frontal sinus pathology. Prospective study on 100 consecutive patients (200 sides) complaining from nasal and sinus symptoms which did not respond to medical management and indicated for FESS. Anterior group was infected in 30.8%; agger nasi cell (ANC) present in 97% (25.8% infected, 74.2% not infected), supra agger cell (SAC) present in 48% (39.6% infected, 60.4% not infected), supra agger frontal cell (SAFC) present in 11% (36.4% infected, 63.6% not infected). Posterior group was infected in 24.8%; supra bulla cell (SBC) present in 72% (30.6% infected, 69.4% not infected), supra bulla frontal cell (SBFC) present in 23% (17.4% infected, 82.6% not infected), supra orbital ethmoid cell (SOEC) present in 42% of cases (19% infected, 81% not infected). Medial group [frontal septal cell (FSC)] was present in 21% (33.3% infected, 66.7% not infected). FSC, SAC, SAFC, and SBC showed high infection rate in association with infected frontal sinus, while, the SOEC, ANC, and SBFC did not have such high infection rate. Frontal recess cells show no difference in their prevalence either if the frontal sinus infected or not, however their infection rate show significant difference.

Nanomedicine for the Diagnosis and Therapy of COVID-19

The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemics caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been spreading around the world due to its high infection rate, long incubation period, as well as lack of effective diagnosis and therapy or vaccines, which is tearing global health systems apart. It is an urgent demand for point-of-care diagnosis and effective treatment to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Currently, based on the rapid development of functional materials with unique physicochemical features through advanced fabrication and chemical modification, nanomaterials provide an emerging tool to detect SARS-CoV-2, inhibit the interplay in the virus and host cell interface, and enhance host immune response. In our manuscript, we summarized recent advances of nanomaterials for the diagnosis and therapy of COVID-19. The limitation, current challenges, and perspectives for the nano-diagnosis and nano-therapy of COVID-19 are proposed. The review is expected to enable researchers to understand the effect of nanomaterials for the diagnosis and therapy of COVID-19 and may catalyze breakthroughs in this area.

Difference of MreBCD Complex Interactome in Salmonella Typhimurium ST19 and ST213 Genotypes on Pathogenesis and Stress Response Pathways

: Salmonella enterica is the etiological agent of salmonellosis, with a high infection rate worldwide. In Mexico, ST213 genotype of S. enterica ser. Typhimurium is displacing the ancestral ST19 genotype. Bacterial cytoskeleton protein complex MreBCD play an important role in S. enterica pathogenesis, but underlying mechanisms are unknown. In this study, 106 interactions among MreBCD and 15 proteins from S. Typhimurium Pathogenicity Islands 1 (SP-I) and 2 (SP-2) involved in both bacterial virulence and stress response were predicted in ST213 and ST19 genotypes, of which 12 interactions were confirmed in vitro. In addition, gene cluster analysis in 100 S. Typhimurium genomes was performed for these genes. The in silico and in vitro results showed a novel MreBCD interactome involved in the regulation of pathogenesis and stress response through interactions with virulence factors located at SPI-1 and SPI-2. Furthermore, both pseudogene presence and sequence variations in four tested proteins between genotypes resulted in differential interaction patterns that are involved in Salmonella motility and survival in eukaryotic cells, which could explain replacement of ST19 by ST213 in Mexico.

KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND COVID-19-RELATED BEHAVIOR AMONG INDIVIDUALS AGED 50 AND OLDER IN LATVIA

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic by the WHO on March 11, 2020, due to its high infection rate, which caused thousands of deaths worldwide and expanding. The evolving outbreak of COVID-19 requires health-protective behavior that can alleviate the severity of an epidemic. Therefore, recognizing the underlying drivers of health-protective behavior against COVID-19 is urgently needed to form policy responses. The purpose of this study was to investigate the individual-level underlying drivers affecting the formation of knowledge, attitudes, and COVID-19-related health-protective behavior among individuals aged 50 and older who are more vulnerable to complications of infection because of their age. The factors making individuals more vulnerable are also associated with the ability to access and understand information, make well-informed decisions, and take health-protective and promoting actions, especially when information itself is not timely, trusted, consistent, or actionable. The researchers used data from a representative population sample consisting of 50-80-year-old individuals, obtained from in-depth, semi-structured telephone interviews during July – August 2020, between the first and second waves of COVID-19. For conducting qualitative data analyses, the Grounded Theory (GT) approach for developing code structure was used.

Quasi-Simpson paradox in estimating the expected mortality rate from the SARS-CoV-2

On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared SARS-CoV-2 a global pandemic, based on a high infection rate and a high case fatality rate (CFR). The combination of these two points led WHO to forecast a high expected mortality rate of approximately 2% of the population. The phenomenon of Simpson’s paradox teaches us that we should be careful when we combine two variables together. Indeed, despite the high mortality rate in several places, this forecast seems to have collapsed. We believe one of the reasons for the erroneous forecasts is that combining the above points ignored a confounding variable – many of the virus carriers are asymptomatic and therefore not diagnosed.

Does Mask Usage Worsen Symptoms in Patients With Rhinosinusitis Balloon Sinuplasty Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic?

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing guidelines have reshaped the way that we live our lives. Perhaps the most common and strictly adopted measure has been mask wearing. Mask wearing, whether it be cloth, surgical, or N95, has quickly become the new norm in the ongoing struggle against this pandemic and has been proven to be effective in curbing its high infection rate. There has, however, been growing opposition to these policies by a substantial part of the general population who claims that masks are ineffective and can worsen breathing. To some, the choice to use or not use a mask has morphed into a point of political contention, rather than a choice rooted in concerns for public health. This commentary attempts to investigate the validity of these claims and explore how clinicians can encourage the usage of masks despite the fears and confusion against them.

Acute Schistosomiasis in Paediatric Travellers and Comparison with Their Companion Adults

Background Schistosomiasis in non-immune travellers can cause acute schistosomiasis, a multi-systemic hypersensitivity reaction. Little is known regarding acute schistosomiasis in children. We describe acute schistosomiasis in paediatric travellers and compare them with adult travellers. Methods A retrospective study of paediatric travellers (0–18 years old) diagnosed with schistosomiasis at Sheba Medical Center. Patients’ findings are compared with those of adult travellers from the same travel groups. Results 18 children and 24 adults from five different trips to Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria and Laos were infected (90% of the exposed travellers). The median bathing time of the infected children was 30 minutes (interquartile range 15–30 minutes). The most common presentations were respiratory symptoms in 13 (72%), eosinophilia in 13 (72%) and fever in 11 (61%). Acute illness included a median of 2.5 symptoms. Three children required hospitalization and three were asymptomatic. Fatigue was significantly less common in children compared with similarly exposed adults (33% vs 71%, p = 0.03). Rates of hospitalization and steroid treatment were similar. The median eosinophil count in children was 1045 cells/μL (interquartile range 625–2575), lower than adults [2900 cells/μL (interquartile range 1170-4584)], p = 0.02. Conclusions Children may develop acute schistosomiasis following a short exposure to contaminated freshwater, demonstrating a high infection rate. Severity seems to be similar to adults, although children report fatigue less commonly and show lower eosinophil counts. Disease should be suspected in children with multi-systemic illness and in asymptomatic children with a relevant travel history.

ՀԱՅԱՍՏԱՆԻ ՈՐՈՇ ՄԱՐԶԵՐՈՒՄ ՄԵՂՈՒՆԵՐԻ ՎԻՐՈՒՍԱՅԻՆ ՀԻՎԱՆԴՈՒԹՅՈՒՆՆԵՐԻ ՀԱՄԱՃԱՐԱԿԱԲԱՆԱԿԱՆ ԱՌԱՆՁՆԱՀԱՏԿՈՒԹՅՈՒՆՆԵՐԸ

Based on the epizootological research conducted in eight communities of four Armenian regions the prevalence rate of viral diseases of larva sacbrood and chronic bee paralyses has been determined. High infection rate has been recorded in the Syunik region. The clinical signs of the larvae and bee detected in the infected beehives coincided with the symptoms of the mentioned diseases. Bee deaths can lead to the yield reduction and cause damage to agriculture. Thus, it is necessary to detect the common viral diseases and develop efficient struggling measures.

To which extent a convalescent plasma therapy could be a benefit for COVID-19 patients?

The emergence of an unprecedented pandemic SARS-COV-2 caused perplexed in the medical community because of a high infection rate and rising mortality among COVID-19 patients. Till now, there is no particular treatment for the disease; nevertheless, there is an extensive effort from scientists to find out an immediate therapeutic plan to show how to deal with the current situation. One of the solutions currently presented is Convalescence plasma (CP). Through this narrative review, we will shed light on CP's efficiency as a therapeutic agent for COVID-19, especially there is no proven vaccine or antiviral available up to date. CP could be considered one of the therapeutic approaches, but some limitations are still considered before it is established as a therapeutic agent. Along with evaluating CP from blood donors, the plasma companies could take future steps by manufacturing a target dose of globulins that contain standardized antibody, to reach the terms of health setting administering therapy.

Practical, rapid, and cost-efficient interior architectural precautions for prevention of COVID-19 in the workplace

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been essential for some workplaces to stay open. Considering the rapid spread of the virus, interior architectural re-designing of these essential workplaces such as markets, banks, and drugstores is crucial for prevention. The employees, as well as the customers in these workplaces, have a high infection rate. Some precautions need to be taken urgently to prevent the spread of the disease. Some workplaces may have already performed their action plan whereas others have not. OBJECTIVE: Some practical, rapid, and cost-efficient preventive precautions are presented in this paper for employers to take action in their workplaces. METHODS: Two new proposals are advised to be carried out. The contents of these newly designed barriers will be introduced. RESULTS: Some practical and cost-efficient ideas are given within this report. CONCLUSION: All the preventions proposed in this paper are claimed to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and may save lives around the country as well as the world.