On the kinematics of the cross body abduction and hand behind the back tests to assess osteoarthritis of the acromioclavicular joint

Background: Osteoarthritis of the acromioclavicular joint is one of the most common sources of shoulder pain. One of the current standard clinical physical examination tests is the cross body adduction test which has been shown to signal the presence of osteoarthritis. Another test referred to as the hand behind the back test has been described to provide a more accurate diagnosis than the CBA test for some patients. Through this work, both the CBA and the HBB tests were modeled in order to determine if there is merit for the HBB test to be used as a diagnostic tool for clinicians. Methods: Both tests were modeled using the zygote solid 3D 50th percentile male human anatomy model and MSC-ADAMS Software to compile and run the simulations. Within MSC-ADAMS the bones were outfitted with joints. During simulation, the bones were moved from the anatomical position to the final position for each test and the corresponding minimum distances between the bones at the acromioclavicular joint were then determined. Results: It was found that the distance between the acromioclavicular joint articulating surfaces decreased by 0.3 mm from the anatomical position during the CBA test and by 1.65 mm from the anatomical position during the HBB. This shows that the minimum space decreased from the anatomical position by more than 5 folds during the HBB test than during the CBA test. Conclusions: These results indicate that the HBB test may be a better diagnostic test due to the greater stress and irritation it places upon the acromioclavicular joint

Development and characterization of bamboo fiber reinforced biopolymer films

A paradigm shift from petrochemical based packaging films for food packaging due to its non-renewable and waste disposal challenges has motivated research interest in development and characterization of biopolymer films. In this study, biocomposite films was prepared using bamboo fiber to reinforce modified and unmodified red seaweed SW Kappaphycus alvarezii, resulting in improved mechanical characteristics of 109.1 MPa tensile strength, 55.4 MPa Young's Modulus and 22.3% stretchability prior to breakage at the optimum value of 15% bamboo fibers loadings for unmodified biocomposite. There was general improvement in the fiber/matrix interface of the modified SW based composite films over the biopolymer films from unmodified SW bamboo reinforced films resulting in improved water vapour barrier as the fiber load increases up to Water vapour permeability value of 5.2 (g/s/m2/Pa)., while the contact angle as high as 91° was obtained. FTIR analysis validates the effective interaction of both the bamboo fibers and the seaweed matrix without any significant biochemical alteration of the seaweed within the frameworks of composite films. SEM characterization and contact angle measurement indicate that heterogeneous surface modification of the biopolymer film increases with the fiber loading. Results demonstrated the potential use of the renewable and biodegradable biopolymer composite films as packaging films useful in the food industry

The effects of dietary supplementation of methanolic extracts of herbal medicine on haematological variable of red hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis sp.)

The most common strategy to treat in aquaculture disease is the use of antibiotics, however, such utilization has been accounted to have antagonistic impacts like accumulation of drugs in tissues, development of drug resistance and immunosuppression. One of the most promising methods of controlling diseases in aquaculture is strengthening the defence mechanisms through therapeutic administration. Vitex trifolia, Strobilanthes crispus, and Aloe vera have been reported to have better antimicrobial activity in vitro against Streptococcus agalactiae. However, there is no report on the application of the extracts on the treatment of Oreochromis sp. The objective of the study was to assess the effectiveness of diet supplementation of selected plant extract for 14 days as disease treatment. In red blood cell (RBC), haemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), white blood cell (WBC), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) showed significant differences between treatment and control. RBC, Hb and WBC levels of the infected group were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of the control group indicating improve defence system in the fish fed with V. trifolia, S. crispus, and A. vera. These results suggested that of methanolic mixed herbal to applying S. agalactiae infected Oreochromis sp had a synergistic restorative effect on the haematological variables

Polymorphism Thr241Met of the XRCC3 Gene and Lack of Association with Colorectal Cancer Susceptibility Risk among Malaysian Population: A Preliminary Report

The genesis of colorectal cancer (CRC) involves a series of steps in which environmental and/or endogenous carcinogens interact with genetic factors and induce or promote cancer development. Genetic polymorphisms in DNA repair genes may influence individual variation in DNA repair capacity and may be associated with a high risk of developing cancer. Studies on the association between DNA repair gene polymorphisms and CRC appear to be limited and nil from Malaysia. Objective: To examine the polymorphism at codon 241 of the X-Ray Cross Complementing group 3 (XRCC3) in 118 CRC cases and 118 normal controls and to investigate the associated risk of this polymorphism for CRC susceptibility. Material and Method: Peripheral blood from the study subjects were collected in EDTA tubes, genomic DNA extracted and XRCC3 Thr241Met genotyped by using PCR-RFLP technique using Nla III restriction enzyme. The resulting genotypes were categorized into wildtype homozygous (Thr/Thr), heterozygous (Thr/Met) and homozygous variant (Met/Met). Results and conclusion: The distribution of genotypes (Thr/Thr, Thr/Met and Met/Met) among CRC cases (83%, 16%, 1% respectively) was not significantly different from those among controls (79%, 21%, 0% respectively). On examining the association between the variant genotypes and CRC risk, the variant genotype either single or in combination did not show significant association with CRC susceptibility risk suggesting that the XRCC3 codon 241 polymorphism does not convey moderate increase in susceptibility to CRC in Malaysian population. Lack of association could be attributed to the small sample size, interaction of other polymorphic DNA repair genes and also low frequency of variant allele for the polymorphism studied in this population

Polymorphism in the Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha promoter region and its Influence on Colorectal Cancer Predispositiom risk in Malaysian Population

Objective: A case control study was designed to investigate the TNF-,1 -308 G>A polymorphism allele frequencies and to determine the influence of the polymorphic gcnot.ype on sporadic CRC susceptibility risk in Malaysian population. Material. and Method!: Peripheral blood samples of 164 normal controls and 161 clinically and histopathologically con­firmed CRC patients were genotyped for TNF-u -308 G>A polymorphism employing allele specific PCR. The relative associa­tions of various genotypes with CRC susceptibility risk was determined by calculating Odds Ratios. Corresponding chi-square tests on the CRC patients and controls were carried out and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were determined using Fisher e,acts tests. Results: On comparing the frequencies of genotypes of patients and controls, the homozygous ,·ariant AA was significantly higher in CRC patients (p = 0.030) compared to controls. On investigating the association of the polymorphic genotypes with CRC susceptibility risk, the homozygous variant TNF-a -308 AA showed significantly increased risk with OR 2.5842. Conclusion: Our results suggest that, pol) morphic genotJpe of inflammation response gene TNF-a is significantly associat­ed with CRC susceptibility risk and could be considered as a high risk variant for CRC predisposition

Ebola virus epidemiology, transmission, and evolution during seven months in Sierra Leone

The 2013-2015 Ebola virus disease (EVD) epidemic is caused by the Makona variant of Ebola virus (EBOV). Early in the epidemic, genome sequencing provided insights into virus evolution and transmission and offered important information for outbreak response. Here, we analyze sequences from 232 patients sampled over 7 months in Sierra Leone, along with 86 previously released genomes from earlier in the epidemic. We confirm sustained human-to-human transmission within Sierra Leone and find no evidence for import or export of EBOV across national borders after its initial introduction. Using high-depth replicate sequencing, we observe both host-to-host transmission and recurrent emergence of intrahost genetic variants. We trace the increasing impact of purifying selection in suppressing the accumulation of nonsynonymous mutations over time. Finally, we note changes in the mucin-like domain of EBOV glycoprotein that merit further investigation. These findings clarify the movement of EBOV within the region and describe viral evolution during prolonged human-to-human transmission

The global burden of cancer attributable to risk factors, 2010-19 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background Understanding the magnitude of cancer burden attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors is crucial for development of effective prevention and mitigation strategies. We analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 to inform cancer control planning efforts globally. Methods The GBD 2019 comparative risk assessment framework was used to estimate cancer burden attributable to behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risk factors. A total of 82 risk-outcome pairs were included on the basis of the World Cancer Research Fund criteria. Estimated cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in 2019 and change in these measures between 2010 and 2019 are presented. Findings Globally, in 2019, the risk factors included in this analysis accounted for 4.45 million (95% uncertainty interval 4.01-4.94) deaths and 105 million (95.0-116) DALYs for both sexes combined, representing 44.4% (41.3-48.4) of all cancer deaths and 42.0% (39.1-45.6) of all DALYs. There were 2.88 million (2.60-3.18) risk-attributable cancer deaths in males (50.6% [47.8-54.1] of all male cancer deaths) and 1.58 million (1.36-1.84) risk-attributable cancer deaths in females (36.3% [32.5-41.3] of all female cancer deaths). The leading risk factors at the most detailed level globally for risk-attributable cancer deaths and DALYs in 2019 for both sexes combined were smoking, followed by alcohol use and high BMI. Risk-attributable cancer burden varied by world region and Socio-demographic Index (SDI), with smoking, unsafe sex, and alcohol use being the three leading risk factors for risk-attributable cancer DALYs in low SDI locations in 2019, whereas DALYs in high SDI locations mirrored the top three global risk factor rankings. From 2010 to 2019, global risk-attributable cancer deaths increased by 20.4% (12.6-28.4) and DALYs by 16.8% (8.8-25.0), with the greatest percentage increase in metabolic risks (34.7% [27.9-42.8] and 33.3% [25.8-42.0]). Interpretation The leading risk factors contributing to global cancer burden in 2019 were behavioural, whereas metabolic risk factors saw the largest increases between 2010 and 2019. Reducing exposure to these modifiable risk factors would decrease cancer mortality and DALY rates worldwide, and policies should be tailored appropriately to local cancer risk factor burden. Copyright (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.Peer reviewe

Effects of antibiotic resistance, drug target attainment, bacterial pathogenicity and virulence, and antibiotic access and affordability on outcomes in neonatal sepsis: an international microbiology and drug evaluation prospective substudy (BARNARDS)

Background Sepsis is a major contributor to neonatal mortality, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). WHO advocates ampicillin–gentamicin as first-line therapy for the management of neonatal sepsis. In the BARNARDS observational cohort study of neonatal sepsis and antimicrobial resistance in LMICs, common sepsis pathogens were characterised via whole genome sequencing (WGS) and antimicrobial resistance profiles. In this substudy of BARNARDS, we aimed to assess the use and efficacy of empirical antibiotic therapies commonly used in LMICs for neonatal sepsis. Methods In BARNARDS, consenting mother–neonates aged 0–60 days dyads were enrolled on delivery or neonatal presentation with suspected sepsis at 12 BARNARDS clinical sites in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Africa. Stillborn babies were excluded from the study. Blood samples were collected from neonates presenting with clinical signs of sepsis, and WGS and minimum inhibitory concentrations for antibiotic treatment were determined for bacterial isolates from culture-confirmed sepsis. Neonatal outcome data were collected following enrolment until 60 days of life. Antibiotic usage and neonatal outcome data were assessed. Survival analyses were adjusted to take into account potential clinical confounding variables related to the birth and pathogen. Additionally, resistance profiles, pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic probability of target attainment, and frequency of resistance (ie, resistance defined by in-vitro growth of isolates when challenged by antibiotics) were assessed. Questionnaires on health structures and antibiotic costs evaluated accessibility and affordability. Findings Between Nov 12, 2015, and Feb 1, 2018, 36 285 neonates were enrolled into the main BARNARDS study, of whom 9874 had clinically diagnosed sepsis and 5749 had available antibiotic data. The four most commonly prescribed antibiotic combinations given to 4451 neonates (77·42%) of 5749 were ampicillin–gentamicin, ceftazidime–amikacin, piperacillin–tazobactam–amikacin, and amoxicillin clavulanate–amikacin. This dataset assessed 476 prescriptions for 442 neonates treated with one of these antibiotic combinations with WGS data (all BARNARDS countries were represented in this subset except India). Multiple pathogens were isolated, totalling 457 isolates. Reported mortality was lower for neonates treated with ceftazidime–amikacin than for neonates treated with ampicillin–gentamicin (hazard ratio [adjusted for clinical variables considered potential confounders to outcomes] 0·32, 95% CI 0·14–0·72; p=0·0060). Of 390 Gram-negative isolates, 379 (97·2%) were resistant to ampicillin and 274 (70·3%) were resistant to gentamicin. Susceptibility of Gram-negative isolates to at least one antibiotic in a treatment combination was noted in 111 (28·5%) to ampicillin–gentamicin; 286 (73·3%) to amoxicillin clavulanate–amikacin; 301 (77·2%) to ceftazidime–amikacin; and 312 (80·0%) to piperacillin–tazobactam–amikacin. A probability of target attainment of 80% or more was noted in 26 neonates (33·7% [SD 0·59]) of 78 with ampicillin–gentamicin; 15 (68·0% [3·84]) of 27 with amoxicillin clavulanate–amikacin; 93 (92·7% [0·24]) of 109 with ceftazidime–amikacin; and 70 (85·3% [0·47]) of 76 with piperacillin–tazobactam–amikacin. However, antibiotic and country effects could not be distinguished. Frequency of resistance was recorded most frequently with fosfomycin (in 78 isolates [68·4%] of 114), followed by colistin (55 isolates [57·3%] of 96), and gentamicin (62 isolates [53·0%] of 117). Sites in six of the seven countries (excluding South Africa) stated that the cost of antibiotics would influence treatment of neonatal sepsis