Background
There is currently very limited information on the nature and prevalence of post‐COVID‐19 symptoms after hospital discharge.
Methods
A purposive sample of 100 survivors discharged from a ...large University hospital were assessed 4 to 8 weeks after discharge by a multidisciplinary team of rehabilitation professionals using a specialist telephone screening tool designed to capture symptoms and impact on daily life. EQ‐5D‐5L telephone version was also completed.
Results
Participants were between 29 and 71 days (mean 48 days) postdischarge from hospital. Thirty‐two participants required treatment in intensive care unit (ICU group) and 68 were managed in hospital wards without needing ICU care (ward group). New illness‐related fatigue was the most common reported symptom by 72% participants in ICU group and 60.3% in ward group. The next most common symptoms were breathlessness (65.6% in ICU group and 42.6% in ward group) and psychological distress (46.9% in ICU group and 23.5% in ward group). There was a clinically significant drop in EQ5D in 68.8% in ICU group and in 45.6% in ward group.
Conclusions
This is the first study from the United Kingdom reporting on postdischarge symptoms. We recommend planning rehabilitation services to manage these symptoms appropriately and maximize the functional return of COVID‐19 survivors.
Highlights
This is the first UK study reporting on longer term symptoms in individuals recovering from COVID‐19.
New illness‐related fatigue, breathlessness and psychological distress were commonly reported at 7 weeks after discharge from hospital with a clinically significant drop in the quality of life of many individuals.
Symptoms were present in both ward and ICU managed individuals, the prevalence being higher in those who required ICU care.
Rehabilitation care for COVID‐19 survivors must therefore be need‐focused, delivered by specialist multidisciplinary team and planned for the longer term to meet the needs of these individuals.
The research investigates the sensing characteristics of the ultrathin metamaterial absorber for refractive index detection of biomedical samples. The absorber is made up of a novel spanner resonator ...and has an abortion peak of 99.7% at 105.7 GHz with FWHM (Full Width Half Maxima) and Q factor of 5.4 GHz and 19.57 respectively. The designed absorber is evaluated for biomedical sensing applications to enhance the output variation, linearity and sensitivity. The majority of the biological samples had refractive indices in the extremely close range and detecting such samples with close refractive indices is a substantial challenge. The proposed resonator is capable of sensing such kind of near refractive index samples with an average sensitivity and FoM (Figure of Merit) of 14.81 GHz/RIU (Refractive Index Unit) and 3.48 respectively. Moreover, the absorber sensor is capable of handling thick and thin biological materials. The suggested design paves the path for the development of a millimeter-wave metamaterial absorber to be used in biosensor applications. The results findings are validated using full-wave electromagnetic simulations, curve fitting and measurements. Furthermore, the design is constructed in a flat and ultrathin manner and because of its compact size, has a high potential for integration with any sensor equipment.
The colonic epithelium facilitates host-microorganism interactions to control mucosal immunity, coordinate nutrient recycling and form a mucus barrier. Breakdown of the epithelial barrier underpins ...inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, the specific contributions of each epithelial-cell subtype to this process are unknown. Here we profile single colonic epithelial cells from patients with IBD and unaffected controls. We identify previously unknown cellular subtypes, including gradients of progenitor cells, colonocytes and goblet cells within intestinal crypts. At the top of the crypts, we find a previously unknown absorptive cell, expressing the proton channel OTOP2 and the satiety peptide uroguanylin, that senses pH and is dysregulated in inflammation and cancer. In IBD, we observe a positional remodelling of goblet cells that coincides with downregulation of WFDC2-an antiprotease molecule that we find to be expressed by goblet cells and that inhibits bacterial growth. In vivo, WFDC2 preserves the integrity of tight junctions between epithelial cells and prevents invasion by commensal bacteria and mucosal inflammation. We delineate markers and transcriptional states, identify a colonic epithelial cell and uncover fundamental determinants of barrier breakdown in IBD.
The antibacterial activity of peppermint oil and different extracts of Mentha piperita against some Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains was evaluated in the present research work by ...agar well diffusion method. It was found that the distilled concentrations of essential oil inhibited the growth of microorganisms and the results were comparable with those of antibiotic gentamycin. Essential oils showed a wider spectrum of activity but less strong inhibition as compared to the investigated commercial antibiotic. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for the bacterial species ranged from 0.4% to 0.7% v/v. The oil and extracts also exhibited significant antioxidant activity and the oil showed about half potency when compared to the standard BHT. These results indicated the strong antibacterial and antioxidant activities of peppermint oil but additional investigations need to be performed in order to confirm the safety of these concentrations (MIC) for human consumption. Peppermint oil could be used as a good conservation agent by inhibiting some food borne pathogens.
Polybenzimidazole membrane materials have attractive H2/CO2 separation characteristics and high thermo-chemical stability for elevated temperature synthesis (syn) gas separations. The development of ...PBI membranes with a thin defect-free selective layer and porous support morphology is vital to achieving industrially attractive separation performance. This work is focused on developing a fundamental understanding of the liquid-liquid demixing-based phase inversion process for asymmetric PBI hollow fiber membrane (HFM) formation. The development of industrially attractive HFMs is a challenging process due to the complex interplay between phase equilibria, phase inversion kinetics, and interfacial mass transfer that exist during the liquid-liquid demixing process. Numerous parameters including the dope, bore, and outer coagulant chemistries and compositions significantly influence the HFM morphologies produced. Here, a systematic study is conducted to investigate the phase inversion process parameters including the roles of the non-solvent solubility and diffusivity parameters with respect to the solvent and PBI on the phase inversion process. Furthermore, the influence of dope, bore and coagulant chemistries and compositions on PBI HFM morphology are investigated. The fabricated PBI HFMs are evaluated for their ideal H2 and CO2 permeance and H2/CO2 selectivity at 250 °C to benchmark their separation performance.
•Theoretical and experimental study to identify non-solvents for polybenzimidazole (PBI) phase inversion conducted.•Ability to control hollow fiber membrane (HFM) morphology by manipulating non-solvent chemistry demonstrated.•Asymmetric HFMs having a thin dense selective layer and porous support morphology achieved.•PBI HFMs having high H2/CO2 selectivity at elevated temperatures reported.
Role of Groin Flap in Acute Hand Injuries Thind, Rajinder Singh; Singh, Ajaipal
Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery/Indian journal of plastic surgery,
02/2024, Letnik:
9, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Summary
The clinical experience of resurfacing acute hand injuries requiring full thickness cover in a series of 25 cases with groin flap has been presented. The anatomical basis of this unique and ...versatile flap has been discussed and its special merits have been brought out. We recommend the use of this flap as an emergency procedure in cases of acute hand trauma in view of its suitability speed, safety, adaptability and dexetrity.
Summary
Ninety two cases of skinloss on the weigh-bearing areas of the foot where direct pedicle flap has been provided are presented. Advantages of direct pedicle flap over skin graft and other ...flaps in such situations are described.
Some requirements in planning and executioning of these direct flaps to foot are detailed with special emphasis on extension of the flap where it is needed.
The various donor sites used for covering these defects are mentioned with the factors necessitating their use.
The follow-up for a period varying from 6 months to 12 years has been done.
Melt and quench technique was used for the preparation of glassy samples of the composition x Bi sub(2) O sub(3)-(1-x) B sub(2) O sub(3) where x= .05 to .040. XCOM computer program is used for the ...evaluation of gamma-ray shielding parameters of the prepared glass samples. Further the values of mass attenuation coefficients, effective atomic number and half value layer for the glassy samples have been calculated in the energy range from 1KeV to 100GeV. Rigidity of the glass samples have been analyzed by molar volume of the prepared glass samples.
Immunotherapy directed at the PD-L1/PD-1 axis has produced treatment advances in various human cancers. Unfortunately, progress has not extended to glioblastoma (GBM), with phase III clinical trials ...assessing anti-PD-1 monotherapy failing to show efficacy in newly diagnosed and recurrent tumors. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), a subset of immunosuppressive myeloid derived cells, are known to infiltrate the tumor microenvironment of GBM. Growing evidence suggests the CCL2–CCR2 axis is important for this process. This study evaluated the combination of PD-1 blockade and CCR2 inhibition in anti-PD-1–resistant gliomas. CCR2 deficiency unmasked an anti-PD-1 survival benefit in KR158 glioma-bearing mice. CD11b⁺/Ly6Chi/PD-L1⁺ MDSCs within established gliomas decreased with a concomitant increase in overall CCR2⁺ cells and MDSCs within bone marrow of CCR2-deficient mice. The CCR2 antagonist CCX872 increased median survival as a monotherapy in KR158 glioma-bearing animals and further increased median and overall survival when combined with anti-PD-1. Additionally, combination of CCX872 and anti-PD-1 prolonged median survival time in 005 GSC GBM-bearing mice. In both models, CCX872 decreased tumor associated MDSCs and increased these cells within the bone marrow. Examination of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes revealed an elevated population, increased IFNγ expression, indicating enhanced cytolytic activity, as well as decreased expression of exhaustion markers in CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells following combination treatment. These data establish that combining CCR2 and PD-1 blockade extends survival in clinically relevant murine glioma models and provides the basis on which to advance this combinatorial treatment toward early-phase human trials.
The wave of kidney and heart outcome trials, showing multiple potential benefits for sodium-glucose co-transport 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, have excluded patients with an estimated glomerular filtration ...rate below 25 ml/min/1.73 m2. However, dialysis patients are at the highest risk of cardiovascular disease and would benefit most from effective cardioprotective therapies. There is emerging evidence from experimental studies and post hoc analyses of randomised clinical trials that SGLT2 inhibitors are well tolerated and may also be effective in preventing cardiovascular and mortality outcomes in patients with severe chronic kidney disease, including patients receiving dialysis. As such, extending the usage of SGLT2 inhibitors to dialysis patients could provide a major advancement in their care. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients have an additional unmet need for effective pharmacotherapy to preserve their residual kidney function (RKF), with its associated mortality benefits, and for treatment options that help reduce the risk of transfer to haemodialysis. Experimental data suggest that SGLT2 inhibitors, via various mechanisms, may preserve RKF and protect the peritoneal membrane. There is sound physiological rationale and an urgent clinical need to execute robust randomised control trials to study the use of SGLT2 inhibitors in PD patients to answer important questions of relevance to patients and healthcare systems.
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