Role of special stains in identification of fungi in eumycetoma among Sudanese patients in Soba University Hospital

Background: Mycetoma is a unique neglected tropical disease caused by a substantial number of microorganisms of fungal or bacterial origins. Identification of the causative organism and the disease extension are the first steps in the management of the affected patients and predicting disease treatment outcome and prognosis. Objectives: To determine the role of special stain in identification of fungi in eumycetoma among Sudanese patients at Soba University Hospital. Method: This descriptive cross- sectional study was conducted of Fifty-nine archival formalin fixed paraffin- embedded tissue blocks, four identical sections from each archival paraffin-embedded tissue block were obtained and stained with routine H&E and special stains {Periodic-Acid-Schiff (PAS) and Grocott-Gomori silver (GMS) and Gridley stain}, then the collected data was analyzed using SPSS version 23.0. Results: The use of special stains especially periodic acid Schiff’s and Grocott methenamine-silver (GMS) stain are of value (specific and sensitive) in identifying the fungal hyphae and yeast of eumycetoma. Mycetoma is more commonly reported in males than females; also mycetoma is most common in young adults (16–40 years old) and is uncommon in children. No significant relationship was demonstrated between diagnosis and variables (gender, age). Type I and II was the commonest type of the host tissue reaction encountered in this study. Conclusion: Results showed that GMS and PAS had the ability to stain both fungal hyphae and yeast in compare to Gridley’s stain which had some limitations to stain fungal structures

How to determine Sample Size: the Design of Sample Size in Health Studies

Sample-size determination is often an important step in planning a health study—and it is usually a difficult one. Among the important hurdles to be surpassed, one must obtain an estimate of one or more error variances, and specify an effect size of importance. This paper offers some suggestions for successful and meaningful sample-size determination. Also discussed is the possibility that a sample size may not be the main issue and that the real goal is to design a high-quality study. Finally, criticism is made of some ill-advised shortcuts relating to testing power and sample size

Immunogenicity, safety and reactogenicity of heterologous (third dose) booster vaccination with a full or fractional dose of two different COVID-19 vaccines: A phase 4, single-blind, randomized controlled trial in adults

This research was funded by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), grant number FraCT-CoV-005.University of Oxford. Department of Pediatrics. Oxford Vaccine Group. Oxford, UK / University of Siena. Institute for Global Health. Siena, Italy.University of Oxford. Department of Pediatrics. Oxford Vaccine Group. Oxford, UK / NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. Oxford, UK.University of Oxford. Department of Pediatrics. Oxford Vaccine Group. Oxford, UK / NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. Oxford, UK.University of Oxford. Department of Pediatrics. Oxford Vaccine Group. Oxford, UK / NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. Oxford, UK.University of Oxford. Department of Pediatrics. Oxford Vaccine Group. Oxford, UK / NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. Oxford, UK.University of Oxford. Department of Pediatrics. Oxford Vaccine Group. Oxford, UK / NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. Oxford, UK.University of Oxford. Department of Pediatrics. Oxford Vaccine Group. Oxford, UK / NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. Oxford, UK.University of Oxford. Department of Pediatrics. Oxford Vaccine Group. Oxford, UK / University of Oxford. Chinese Academy of Medical Science Oxford Institute. Oxford, UK.University of Oxford. Department of Pediatrics. Oxford Vaccine Group. Oxford, UK / NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. Oxford, UK.University of Siena. Institute for Global Health. Siena, Italy.Centro de Estudos e Pesquisa em Moléstias Infecciosas Ltda. Natal, RN, Brazil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde e Ambiente. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.University of Oxford. Department of Pediatrics. Oxford Vaccine Group. Oxford, UK / NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. Oxford, UK.University of Oxford. Department of Pediatrics. Oxford Vaccine Group. Oxford, UK / NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. Oxford, UK.GRID RIO. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.University of Oxford. Department of Pediatrics. Oxford Vaccine Group. Oxford, UK / NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. Oxford, UK.In this phase 4 study we assessed boosting with fractional doses of heterologous COVID-19 vaccines in Brazilian adults primed with two doses of CoronaVac (Sinovac/Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil) at least 4 months previously. Participants received either full-dose of ChAdOx1-S (Group 1, n = 232), a half dose of ChAdOx1-S (Group 2, n = 236), or a half dose of BNT162b2 (Group 3, n = 234). The primary objective was to show 80% seroresponse rates (SRR) 28 d after vaccination measured as IgG antibodies against a prototype SARS-CoV-2 spike-protein. Safety was assessed as solicited and unsolicited adverse events. At baseline all participants were seropositive, with high IgG titers overall. SRR at Day 28 were 34.3%, 27.1% and 71.2%, respectively, not meeting the primary objective of 80%, despite robust immune responses in all three groups with geometric mean-fold rise (GMFR) in IgG titers of 3.39, 2.99 and 7.42, respectively. IgG immune responses with similar GMFR were also observed against SARS-CoV-2 variants, Alpha, Beta, Delta, Gamma and D614G. In subsets (n = 35) of participants GMFR of neutralizing immune responses against live prototype SARS-CoV-2 virus and Omicron BA.2 were similar to the IgG responses as were pseudo-neutralizing responses against SARS-CoV-2 prototype and Omicron BA.4/5 variants. All vaccinations were well tolerated with no vaccine-related serious adverse events and mainly transient mild-to-moderate local and systemic reactogenicity. Heterologous boosting with full or half doses of ChAdOx1-S or a half dose of BNT162b2 was safe and immunogenic in CoronaVac-primed adults, but seroresponse rates were limited by high baseline immunity

Immunogenicity, safety and reactogenicity of heterologous (third dose) booster vaccination with a full or fractional dose of two different COVID-19 vaccines: A phase 4, single-blind, randomized controlled trial in adults

In this phase 4 study we assessed boosting with fractional doses of heterologous COVID-19 vaccines in Brazilian adults primed with two doses of CoronaVac (Sinovac/Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil) at least 4 months previously. Participants received either full-dose of ChAdOx1-S (Group 1, n = 232), a half dose of ChAdOx1-S (Group 2, n = 236), or a half dose of BNT162b2 (Group 3, n = 234). The primary objective was to show 80% seroresponse rates (SRR) 28 d after vaccination measured as IgG antibodies against a prototype SARS-CoV-2 spike-protein. Safety was assessed as solicited and unsolicited adverse events. At baseline all participants were seropositive, with high IgG titers overall. SRR at Day 28 were 34.3%, 27.1% and 71.2%, respectively, not meeting the primary objective of 80%, despite robust immune responses in all three groups with geometric mean-fold rise (GMFR) in IgG titers of 3.39, 2.99 and 7.42, respectively. IgG immune responses with similar GMFR were also observed against SARS-CoV-2 variants, Alpha, Beta, Delta, Gamma and D614G. In subsets (n = 35) of participants GMFR of neutralizing immune responses against live prototype SARS-CoV-2 virus and Omicron BA.2 were similar to the IgG responses as were pseudo-neutralizing responses against SARS-CoV-2 prototype and Omicron BA.4/5 variants. All vaccinations were well tolerated with no vaccine-related serious adverse events and mainly transient mild-to-moderate local and systemic reactogenicity. Heterologous boosting with full or half doses of ChAdOx1-S or a half dose of BNT162b2 was safe and immunogenic in CoronaVac-primed adults, but seroresponse rates were limited by high baseline immunity