Excess of mortality in patients with chest pain peaks in the first 3 days period after the incident and normalizes after 1 month

Background. Patients presenting with chest pain have a 5% chance of experiencing a coronary event. These patients are at risk of mortality and should be recognized and referred to secondary care

Risk factors affecting maternal health outcomes in Rivers State of Nigeria: towards the PRISMA model

Existing research suggests that Nigeria accounts for about 23% of the world’s maternal mortality ratio, with negative impact on women’s wellbeing and the country’s socio-economic development. The underlying risk factors of the problem can be categorized into political influences, poor access to healthcare, inadequate utilization of health facilities, poor family planning support and complex pregnancy-related illness. Yet, the complex interrelations amongst the factors makes it difficult to ascertain the riskiest ones that affect women’s reproduction and child death, with the existing intervening strategies failing to address the problem. This study identifies maternal health risk factors and prioritizes their management in Rivers State of Nigeria, using the Prevention and Recovery Information System for Monitoring and Analysis (PRISMA) model. Taking a quantitative turn, we applied exploratory factor analysis to analyze 174 returned questionnaires from healthcare professionals working in Rivers State and used the results to establish the relationships between maternal health risk factors and prioritized the riskiest factors. The outcomes indicate that the PRISMA model provides an effective framework for identifying and managing maternal mortality risks that can enable healthcare experts and managers to address the avoidable risk factors and mitigate the unavoidable patient-related risk factors in Nigeria. The implications for theory, practice and policy are discussed

Adjustment of the Arabidopsis circadian oscillator by sugar signalling dictates the regulation of starch metabolism.

Arabidopsis plants store part of the carbon fixed by photosynthesis as starch to sustain growth at night. Two competing hypotheses have been proposed to explain this diel starch turnover based on either the measurement of starch abundance with respect to circadian time, or the sensing of sugars to feedback to the circadian oscillator to dynamically adjust the timing of starch turnover. We report a phase oscillator model that permitted derivation of the ideal responses of the circadian regulation of starch breakdown to maintain sucrose homeostasis. Testing the model predictions using a sugar-unresponsive mutant of Arabidopsis demonstrated that the dynamics of starch turnover arise from the circadian clock measuring and responding to the rate of change of cellular sucrose. Our theory and experiments suggest that starch turnover is controlled by the circadian clock acting as a dynamic homeostat responding to sucrose signals to maintain carbon homeostasis

Weight gain among treatment-naïve persons with HIV starting integrase inhibitors compared to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors or protease inhibitors in a large observational cohort in the United States and Canada.

IntroductionWeight gain following antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation is common, potentially predisposing some persons with HIV (PWH) to cardio-metabolic disease. We assessed relationships between ART drug class and weight change among treatment-naïve PWH initiating ART in the North American AIDS Cohort Collaboration on Research and Design (NA-ACCORD).MethodsAdult, treatment-naïve PWH in NA-ACCORD initiating integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI), protease inhibitor (PI) or non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-based ART on/after 1 January 2007 were followed through 31 December 2016. Multivariate linear mixed effects models estimated weight up to five years after ART initiation, adjusting for age, sex, race, cohort site, HIV acquisition mode, treatment year, and baseline weight, plasma HIV-1 RNA level and CD4+ cell count. Due to shorter follow-up for PWH receiving newer INSTI drugs, weights for specific INSTIs were estimated at two years. Secondary analyses using logistic regression and all covariates from primary analyses assessed factors associated with >10% weight gain at two and five years.ResultsAmong 22,972 participants, 87% were male, and 41% were white. 49% started NNRTI-, 31% started PI- and 20% started INSTI-based regimens (1624 raltegravir (RAL), 2085 elvitegravir (EVG) and 929 dolutegravir (DTG)). PWH starting INSTI-based regimens had mean estimated five-year weight change of +5.9kg, compared to +3.7kg for NNRTI and +5.5kg for PI. Among PWH starting INSTI drugs, mean estimated two-year weight change was +7.2kg for DTG, +5.8kg for RAL and +4.1kg for EVG. Women, persons with lower baseline CD4+ cell counts, and those initiating INSTI-based regimens had higher odds of >10% body weight increase at two years (adjusted odds ratio = 1.37, 95% confidence interval: 1.20 to 1.56 vs. NNRTI).ConclusionsPWH initiating INSTI-based regimens gained, on average, more weight compared to NNRTI-based regimens. This phenomenon may reflect heterogeneous effects of ART agents on body weight regulation that require further exploration

Unknowable bodies, unthinkable sexualities: lesbian and transgender legal invisibility in the Toronto women's bathhouse raid

Although litigation involving sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination claims has generated considerable public attention in recent years, lesbian and transgender bodies and sexualities still remain largely invisible in Anglo-American courts. While such invisibility is generally attributed to social norms that fail to recognize lesbian and transgender experiences, the capacity to 'not see' or 'not know' queer bodies and sexualities also involves wilful acts of ignorance. Drawing from R. v Hornick (2002) a Canadian case involving the police raid of a women's bathhouse, this article explores how lesbian and transgender bodies and sexualities are actively rendered invisible via legal knowledge practices, norms and rationalities. It argues that limited knowledge and limited thinking not only regulate the borders of visibility and belonging, but play an active part in shaping identities, governing conduct and producing subjectivity

Action of disinfectant solutions on adaptive capacity and virulence factors of the Candida spp. biofilms formed on acrylic resin

Understanding the behavior of Candida spp. when exposed to denture disinfectants is essential to optimize their effectiveness. Changes in the virulence factors may cause increased resistance of Candida spp. to disinfectant agents. Objective: To evaluate the microbial load, cellular metabolism, hydrolytic enzyme production, hyphae formation, live cell and biofilm quantification of Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis and Candida glabrata after exposure to disinfectant solutions. Methodology: Simple biofilms were grown on heat-polymerized acrylic resin specimens, and divided into groups according to solutions/strains: distilled water (control); 0.25% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl 0.25% ); 10% Ricinus communis (RC 10%); and 0.5% Chloramine T (CT 0.5%). The virulence factors were evaluated using the CFU count (microbial load), XTT method (cell metabolism), epifluorescence microscopy (biofilm removal and live or dead cells adhered), protease and phospholipase production and hyphae formation. Data were analyzed (α=0.05) by one-way ANOVA/ Tukey post hoc test, Kruskal-Wallis test and Wilcoxon test. Results: NaOCl 0.25% was the most effective solution. CT 0.5% reduced the number of CFUs more than RC 10% and the control. RC 10% was effective only against C. glabrata. RC 10% and CT 0.5% decreased the cellular metabolism of C. albicans and C. glabrata. Enzyme production was not affected. Hyphal growth in the RC 10% and CT 0.5% groups was similar to that of the control. CT 0.5% was better than RC 10% against C. albicans and C. tropicalis when measuring the total amount of biofilm and number of living cells. For C. glabrata, CT 0.5% was equal to RC 10% in the maintenance of living cells; RC 10% was superior for biofilm removal. Conclusions: The CT 0.5% achieved better results than those of Ricinus communis at 10%, favoring the creation of specific products for dentures. Adjustments in the formulations of RC 10% are necessary due to efficacy against C. glabrata. The NaOCl 0.25% is the most effective and could be suitable for use as a positive control

Hiperplasia epitelial focal: relato de caso clínico

Introduction: Focal epithelial hyperplasia (FEH) or Heck's disease is characterized as a rare benign lesion of the oral mucosa. It is usually associated with proliferation of the squamous epithelium, mainly attributed to human papillomavirus (HPV) subtypes 13 and 32. Objective: To report the case of a patient with a diagnostic suspicion of HEF, to describe its oral clinical and histopathological manifestations. Methodology: Male, 38 years old, black, attended the University Service with a complaint of burning in the oral mucosa. On clinical examination, she presented multiple papular lesions, firm to palpation, pink in color, with agglomerated or isolated papules, located in the alveolar ridge, inserted gingiva free from the upper and lower arch, jugal and labial mucosa, compatible with lesions caused by HPV. An incisional biopsy of the oral lesions was performed, the histopathological report described the fragment of oral mucosa that was lined with parakeratinized stratified squamous epithelium with prominent acanthosis, focal projections confluent to the connective tissue, confirming the clinical diagnostic suspicion. Conclusion: FEH is a rare, benign mucosal pathology, painless and can resolve spontaneously. Therefore, proper diagnosis through biopsy and histopathological report is necessary.Introdução: a hiperplasia epitelial focal (HEF) ou doença de Heck, caracteriza-se por ser uma lesão benigna rara da mucosa bucal. Geralmente, está associada a proliferação do epitélio pavimentoso atribuída principalmente ao papiloma vírus humano (HPV) dos subtipos 13 e 32. Objetivo: relatar o caso de um paciente, com suspeita diagnóstica de HEF, descrever suas manifestações clínicas bucais e histopatológicas. Metodologia: homem, 38 anos, melanoderma, compareceu no Serviço Universitário com queixa de ardência em mucosa bucal. Ao exame clínico, apresentava múltiplas lesões papulares, firmes à palpação, de coloração rósea, com pápulas aglomeradas ou isoladas, localizadas em rebordo alveolares, gengiva inserida e livre da arcada superior e inferior, mucosas jugais e labiais, compatíveis com lesões causadas por HPV. Realizou-se biópsia incisional das lesões bucais, o laudo histopatológico descreveu o fragmento de mucosa bucal que estava revestida por epitélio pavimentoso estratificado paraceratinizado com acantose proeminente, projeções focais confluentes para o tecido conjuntivo, confirmando a suspeita diagnóstica clínica. Conclusão: a HEF é uma patologia rara, benigna da mucosa, indolor e que pode se resolver espontaneamente. Portanto, é necessário o diagnóstico adequado através da biopsia e laudo histopatológico

Associação entre líquen plano bucal e infecção pelo vírus da hepatite C

Objective: To present a literature review of the evidence of involvement of the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) in the etiology of oral lichen planus (OLP), addressing some aspects of this controversial topic.    Material and methods: We performed a literature search through the Virtual Health Library (VHL), identifying articles published in journals indexed in the following databases: BBO, LILACS and MEDLINE. In combination were used as descriptors: hepatitis C, lichen planus and leukoplakia, considering the time span of 10 years (between 1998 and 2008) and languages: Portuguese, English and Spanish. Thus, 30 publications were included.    Results: It was found that the association between HCV infection and the LPB was investigated, but most results were inconsistent.    Conclusion: The results, additional studies are recommended to prove the current hypotheses about the association and the pathogenesis of lichen planus with HCV infection.  Objetivo: Apresentar uma revisão da literatura sobre as evidências de implicação do Vírus da Hepatite C (VHC) na etiologia do líquen plano bucal (LPB), abordando alguns aspectos deste controverso tema.  Material e métodos: Foi realizada uma pesquisa bibliográfica através da Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS), identificando-se artigos publicados nas revistas indexadas nas seguintes bases de dados: BBO, LILACS e MEDLINE. De forma combinada utilizaram-se como descritores: hepatite C, líquen plano bucal e leucoplasia, considerando o intervalo de tempo de 10 anos (entre 1998 e 2008) e os idiomas: Português, Inglês e Espanhol. Dessa forma, foram incluídas 30 publicações.  Resultados: Verificou-se que a associação entre a infecção do HCV e o LPB foi investigada, mas a maioria dos resultados foi inconsistente.  Conclusão: Considerando os resultados obtidos estudos adicionais são recomendados para provar as hipóteses atuais a respeito da associação e da patogênese do líquen plano bucal à infecção pelo HCV

半鹹水魚簇ヲ中間宿主トスル吸蟲ニ就テ

Missingness of required data elements used to build the threshold and clinical action measure. (DOCX 17 kb

Snakebite prevalence and risk factors in a nomadic population in Samburu County, Kenya: A community-based survey

Introduction: Snakebite is an important public health concern, especially in tropical areas, but the true burden remains unclear due to sub-optimal reporting and over-reliance on health facility-based data. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in Samburu County, Kenya from December 2019 to March 2020. Geospatial techniques were used to create a sampling frame of all households in Samburu County and a multistage cluster sampling strategy to select households and recruit study participants. Five year prevalence and mortality rates were estimated, the characteristics and circumstances of snakebite were described, and multilevel logistic regression models were built to identify independent risk factors for snakebite. Results: We recruited 3,610 individuals living in 875 households from 30 clusters. The 5-year prevalence of snakebite was 2.2% (95% CI 1.4%–3.4%), and the 5-year mortality rate was 138 (95% CI 44–322) deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, resulting in an estimated 1,406 snakebites and 88 deaths from snakebites per year in Samburu County. Snakebite incidents often occurred at night between 9pm and 6 am (44%, n = 36), and the participants were mostly walking/playing outdoors (51%, n = 41) or sleeping (32%, n = 27) when they were bitten. Lower household socioeconomic status and smaller numbers of people per house were significant independent risk factors. Conclusion: Samburu County has a high snakebite burden and the most victims are bitten while sleeping or walking outdoors at night. Snakebite prevention and health promotion programs in Samburu County, and other endemic regions, need to be contextualised and consider the geographic, seasonal, and temporal specificities found in our study. Our findings also have implications for health care delivery, especially identification of the need for night-time staffing with expertise in snakebite management and antivenom availability to better manage patients and thereby improve outcomes