We describe the epidemiology of hospitalized RSV infections for all age groups from population-based surveillance in two rural provinces in Thailand.
From September 1, 2003 through December 31, 2007, ...we enrolled hospitalized patients with acute lower respiratory tract illness, who had a chest radiograph ordered by the physician, from all hospitals in SaKaeo and Nakhom Phanom Provinces. We tested nasopharyngeal specimens for RSV with reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays and paired-sera from a subset of patients with IgG enzyme immunoassay. Rates were adjusted for enrollment.
Among 11,097 enrolled patients, 987 (8.9%) had RSV infection. Rates of hospitalized RSV infection overall (and radiographically-confirmed pneumonia) were highest among children aged<1 year: 1,067/100,000 (534/100,000 radiographically-confirmed pneumonia) and 1-4 year: 403/100,000 (222/100,000), but low among enrolled adults aged≥65 years: 42/100,000. Age<1 year (adjusted odds ratio aOR=13.2, 95% confidence interval CI 7.7, 22.5) and 1-4 year (aOR=8.3, 95% CI 5.0, 13.9) were independent predictors of hospitalized RSV infection.
The incidence of hospitalized RSV lower respiratory tract illness among children<5 years was high in rural Thailand. Efforts to prevent RSV infection could substantially reduce the pneumonia burden in children aged<5 years.
Resonant inelastic x-ray scattering is used to investigate the electronic origin of orbital polarization in nickelate heterostructures taking LaTiO_{3}-LaNiO_{3}-3×(LaAlO_{3}), a system with ...exceptionally large polarization, as a model system. We find that heterostructuring generates only minor changes in the Ni 3d orbital energy levels, contradicting the often-invoked picture in which changes in orbital energy levels generate orbital polarization. Instead, O K-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy demonstrates that orbital polarization is caused by an anisotropic reconstruction of the oxygen ligand hole states. This provides an explanation for the limited success of theoretical predictions based on tuning orbital energy levels and implies that future theories should focus on anisotropic hybridization as the most effective means to drive large changes in electronic structure and realize novel emergent phenomena.
Summary Background Relapses of multiple sclerosis decrease during pregnancy, when the hormone estriol is increased. Estriol treatment is anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective in preclinical studies. ...In a small single-arm study of people with multiple sclerosis estriol reduced gadolinium-enhancing lesions and was favourably immunomodulatory. We assessed whether estriol treatment reduces multiple sclerosis relapses in women. Methods We did a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial at 16 academic neurology centres in the USA, between June 28, 2007, and Jan 9, 2014. Women aged 18–50 years with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis were randomly assigned (1:1) with a random permuted block design to either daily oral estriol (8 mg) or placebo, each in combination with injectable glatiramer acetate 20 mg daily. Patients and all study personnel, except for pharmacists and statisticians, were masked to treatment assignment. The primary endpoint was annualised relapse rate after 24 months, with a significance level of p=0·10. Relapses were confirmed by an increase in Expanded Disability Status Scale score assessed by an independent physician. Analysis was by intention to treat. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , number NCT00451204. Findings We enrolled 164 patients: 83 were allocated to the estriol group and 81 were allocated to the placebo group. The annualised confirmed relapse rate was 0·25 relapses per year (95% CI 0·17–0·37) in the estriol group versus 0·37 relapses per year (0·25–0·53) in the placebo group (adjusted rate ratio 0·63, 95% CI 0·37–1·05; p=0·077). The proportion of patients with serious adverse events did not differ substantially between the estriol group and the placebo group (eight 10% of 82 patients vs ten 13% of 76 patients). Irregular menses were more common in the estriol group than in the placebo group (19 23% vs three 4%, p=0·0005), but vaginal infections were less common (one 1% vs eight 11%, p=0·0117). There were no differences in breast fibrocystic disease, uterine fibroids, or endometrial lining thickness as assessed by clinical examination, mammogram, uterine ultrasound, or endometrial lining biopsy. Interpretation Estriol plus glatiramer acetate met our criteria for reducing relapse rates, and treatment was well tolerated over 24 months. These results warrant further investigation in a phase 3 trial. Funding National Institutes of Health, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Conrad N Hilton Foundation, Jack H Skirball Foundation, Sherak Family Foundation, and the California Community Foundation.
There is increasing need for accurate assessment of liver fibrosis/cirrhosis. We aimed to develop qFibrosis, a fully-automated assessment method combining quantification of histopathological ...architectural features, to address unmet needs in core biopsy evaluation of fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients.
qFibrosis was established as a combined index based on 87 parameters of architectural features. Images acquired from 25 Thioacetamide-treated rat samples and 162 CHB core biopsies were used to train and test qFibrosis and to demonstrate its reproducibility. qFibrosis scoring was analyzed employing Metavir and Ishak fibrosis staging as standard references, and collagen proportionate area (CPA) measurement for comparison.
qFibrosis faithfully and reliably recapitulates Metavir fibrosis scores, as it can identify differences between all stages in both animal samples (p<0.001) and human biopsies (p<0.05). It is robust to sampling size, allowing for discrimination of different stages in samples of different sizes (area under the curve (AUC): 0.93–0.99 for animal samples: 1–16mm2; AUC: 0.84–0.97 for biopsies: 10–44mm in length). qFibrosis can significantly predict staging underestimation in suboptimal biopsies (<15mm) and under- and over-scoring by different pathologists (p<0.001). qFibrosis can also differentiate between Ishak stages 5 and 6 (AUC: 0.73, p=0.008), suggesting the possibility of monitoring intra-stage cirrhosis changes. Best of all, qFibrosis demonstrates superior performance to CPA on all counts.
qFibrosis can improve fibrosis scoring accuracy and throughput, thus allowing for reproducible and reliable analysis of efficacies of anti-fibrotic therapies in clinical research and practice.
Home exercise can prevent falls in the general older community but its impact in people recently discharged from hospital is not known. The study aimed to investigate the effects of a home-based ...exercise program on falls and mobility among people recently discharged from hospital.
This randomised controlled trial (ACTRN12607000563460) was conducted among 340 older people. Intervention group participants (n = 171) were asked to exercise at home for 15-20 minutes up to 6 times weekly for 12 months. The control group (n = 169) received usual care. Primary outcomes were rate of falls (assessed over 12 months using monthly calendars), performance-based mobility (Lower Extremity Summary Performance Score, range 0-3, at baseline and 12 months, assessor unaware of group allocation) and self-reported ease of mobility task performance (range 0-40, assessed with 12 monthly questionaries). Participants had an average age of 81.2 years (SD 8.0) and 70% had fallen in the past year. Complete primary outcome data were obtained for at least 92% of randomised participants. Participants in the intervention group reported more falls than the control group (177 falls versus 123 falls) during the 12-month study period and this difference was statistically significant (incidence rate ratio 1.43, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.93, p = 0.017). At 12-months, performance-based mobility had improved significantly more in the intervention group than in the control group (between-group difference adjusted for baseline performance 0.13, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.21, p = 0.004). Self-reported ease in undertaking mobility tasks over the 12-month period was not significantly different between the groups (0.49, 95% CI -0.91 to 1.90, p = 0.488).
An individualised home exercise prescription significantly improved performance-based mobility but significantly increased the rate of falls in older people recently discharged from hospital.
Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12607000563460.
We develop a standardized, fully automated, quantification system for liver fibrosis assessment using second harmonic generation microscopy and a morphology-based quantification algorithm. Liver ...fibrosis is associated with an abnormal increase in collagen as a result of chronic liver diseases. Histopathological scoring is the most commonly used method for liver fibrosis assessment, where a liver biopsy is stained and scored by experienced pathologists. Due to the intrinsic limited sensitivity and operator-dependent variations, there exist high inter- and intraobserver discrepancies. We validate our quantification system, Fibro-C-Index, with a comprehensive animal study and demonstrate its potential application in clinical diagnosis to reduce inter- and intraobserver discrepancies.
Engagement with nature is an important part of many people's lives, and the health and wellbeing benefits of nature-based activities are becoming increasingly recognised across disciplines from city ...planning to medicine. Despite this, urbanisation, challenges of modern life and environmental degradation are leading to a reduction in both the quantity and the quality of nature experiences. Nature-based health interventions (NBIs) can facilitate behavioural change through a somewhat structured promotion of nature-based experiences and, in doing so, promote improved physical, mental and social health and wellbeing. We conducted a Delphi expert elicitation process with 19 experts from seven countries (all named authors on this paper) to identify the different forms that such interventions take, the potential health outcomes and the target beneficiaries. In total, 27 NBIs were identified, aiming to prevent illness, promote wellbeing and treat specific physical, mental or social health and wellbeing conditions. These interventions were broadly categorized into those that change the environment in which people live, work, learn, recreate or heal (for example, the provision of gardens in hospitals or parks in cities) and those that change behaviour (for example, engaging people through organized programmes or other activities). We also noted the range of factors (such as socioeconomic variation) that will inevitably influence the extent to which these interventions succeed. We conclude with a call for research to identify the drivers influencing the effectiveness of NBIs in enhancing health and wellbeing.
Background: The literature provides little information detailing the incidence of traumatic shoulder instability in young, healthy athletes.
Hypothesis: Shoulder instability is common in young ...athletes.
Study Design: Descriptive epidemiologic study.
Methods: We prospectively captured all traumatic shoulder instability events at the United States Military Academy between September
1, 2004, and May 31, 2005. Throughout this period, all new traumatic shoulder instability events were evaluated with physical
examination, plain radiographs, and magnetic resonance imaging. Instability events were classified according to direction,
chronicity, and type (subluxation or dislocation). Subject demographics, mechanism of injury, and sport were evaluated.
Results: Among 4141 students, 117 experienced new traumatic shoulder instability events during the study period; 11 experienced multiple
events. The mean age of these 117 subjects was 20.0 years; 101 students were men (86.3%), and 16 were women (13.7%). The 1-year
incidence proportion was 2.8%. The male incidence proportion was 2.9% and the female incidence proportion was 2.5%. Eighteen
events were dislocations (15.4%), and 99 were subluxations (84.6%). Of the 99 subluxations, 45 (45.5%) were primary events,
while 54 (54.5%) were recurrent. Of the 18 dislocations, 12 (66.7%) were primary events, while 6 (33.3%) were recurrent. The
majority of the 117 events were anterior in nature (80.3%), while 12 (10.3%) were posterior, and 11 (9.4%) were multidirectional.
Forty-four percent (43.6%) of the instability events experienced were as a result of contact injuries, while 41.0% were a
result of noncontact injuries, including 9 subluxations caused by missed punches during boxing; information was unavailable
for the remaining 15%.
Conclusion: Glenohumeral instability is a common injury in this population, with subluxations comprising 85% of instability events.
Keywords:
shoulder
instability
dislocation
subluxation
epidemiology
incidence
mechanism
Background
Recent studies have questioned the ability of the transtibial technique to place the anterior cruciate ligament graft within the footprint of the anterior cruciate ligament on the femur. ...There are limited data directly comparing the abilities of transtibial and tibial tunnel—independent techniques to place the graft anatomically at the femoral attachment site of the anterior cruciate ligament in patients.
Hypothesis
Because placement with the tibial tunnel–independent technique is unconstrained by the tibial tunnel, it would allow for more anatomic tunnel placement compared with the transtibial technique.
Study Design
Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.
Methods
High-resolution, multiplanar magnetic resonance imaging and advanced 3-dimensional modeling techniques were used to measure in vivo femoral tunnel placement in 8 patients with the transtibial technique and 8 patients with a tibial tunnel–independent technique. Femoral tunnel placement in 3 dimensions was measured relative to the center of the native anterior cruciate ligament attachment on the intact contralateral knee.
Results
The tibial tunnel–independent technique placed the graft closer to the center of the native anterior cruciate ligament attachment compared with the transtibial technique. The transtibial technique placed the tunnel center an average of 9 mm from the center of the anterior cruciate ligament attachment, compared with 3 mm for the tibial tunnel–independent technique. The transtibial technique resulted in a more anterior and superior placement of the tunnel compared with the tibial tunnel– independent technique.
Conclusion
The tibial tunnel–independent technique allowed for more anatomic femoral tunnel placement compared with the transtibial technique.
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