Autochthonous case of dengue in France, October 2013 Marchand, E; Prat, C; Jeannin, C ...
Euro surveillance : bulletin européen sur les maladies transmissibles,
12/2013, Letnik:
18, Številka:
50
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
In October 2013, autochthonous dengue fever was diagnosed in a laboratory technician in Bouches-du-Rhone, southern France, a department colonised by Aedes albopictus since 2010. After ruling out ...occupational contamination, we identified the likely chain of local vector-borne transmission from which the autochthonous case arose. Though limited, this second occurrence of autochthonous dengue transmission in France highlights that efforts should be continued to rapidly detect dengue virus introduction and prevent its further dissemination in France.
Accurate diagnostic testing to identify severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is critical. Although highly specific, SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain ...reaction (RT-PCR) has been shown in clinical practice to be affected by a noninsignificant proportion of false-negative results. This study seeks to explore whether the integration of lung ultrasonography with clinical evaluation is associated with increased sensitivity for the diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 pneumonia, and therefore may facilitate the identification of false-negative SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR results.
This prospective cohort study enrolled consecutive adult patients with symptoms potentially related to SARS-CoV-2 infection who were admitted to the emergency department (ED) of an Italian academic hospital. Immediately after the initial assessment, a lung ultrasonographic evaluation was performed and the likelihood of SARS-CoV-2 infection, based on both clinical and lung ultrasonographic findings (“integrated” assessment), was recorded. RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2 detection was subsequently performed.
We enrolled 228 patients; 107 (46.9%) had SARS-CoV-2 infection. Sensitivity and negative predictive value of the clinical–lung ultrasonographic integrated assessment were higher than first RT-PCR result (94.4% 95% confidence interval {CI} 88.2% to 97.9% versus 80.4% 95% CI 71.6% to 87.4% and 95% 95% CI 89.5% to 98.2% versus 85.2% 95% CI 78.3% to 90.6%, respectively). Among the 142 patients who initially had negative RT-PCR results, 21 tested positive at a subsequent molecular test performed within 72 hours. All these false-negative cases were correctly identified by the integrated assessment.
This study suggests that, in patients presenting to the ED with symptoms commonly associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, the integration of lung ultrasonography with clinical evaluation has high sensitivity and specificity for coronavirus disease 2019 pneumonia and it may help to identify false-negative results occurring with RT-PCR.
To evaluate effects of 2 commercially available colostrum replacement products on serum IgG and total protein concentrations in dairy calves.
Prospective clinical trial.
84 Holstein bull calves from ...a single dairy.
Calves were randomly assigned to be given 4 quarts of colostrum (group 1; n = 21), 2 packages of a colostrum replacement product (product A; group 2; 21), 1 package of a different colostrum replacement product (product B; group 3; 21), or 2 packages of product B (group 4; 21). Treatments were given within 3 hours after birth, and blood samples were collected 24 hours later and submitted for determination of serum total protein and IgG concentrations.
Group 1 calves had significantly higher serum total protein and IgG concentrations than did calves in the other 3 groups. However, the percentage of calves with adequate passive transfer (ie, serum IgG concentration > 1,000 mg/dL) was not significantly different among groups 1 (90%), 3 (81%), and 4 (95%). In contrast, only 10% of calves in group 2 had adequate passive transfer. It was predicted that calves fed product B that had serum total protein concentrations > 5.2 g/dL would have serum IgG concentrations > 1,000 mg/dL at least 90% of the time.
Results indicated that product B could be considered as an alternative to colostrum in dairy calves, but product A failed to routinely provide adequate serum IgG concentrations when fed according to label directions.
Programmed cell death, also known as apoptosis, is a normal physiologic process which occurs during embryonic development as well as in maintenance of tissue homeostasis. Increasing evidence suggests ...that alterations in cell death contribute to the pathogenesis of a number of human diseases, including cancer, viral infections, autoimmune diseases and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The extraordinary research activity of the past few years has resulted in the characterization of the principal proteins involved in the apoptosis machinery. An area of particular interest has been the induction of apoptosis by two death receptor/ligand pairs, Fas/Fas Ligand and DR4-DR5/TRAIL. The identification of these molecules with the recruited signaling pathways could clarify their physiopathological implications, having a significant impact upon potential therapeutic interventions in diseases associated with cell survival alterations.
Favorable relationships with health care providers predict greater patient satisfaction and adherence to provider recommendations. However, the specific components of patient-provider relationships ...that account for these benefits have not been identified. The potential benefits of strong patient-provider relationships in pregnancy may be especially important, as care providers have frequent, intimate interactions with pregnant women that can affect their emotions and behaviors. In turn, prenatal emotions and health behaviors have potent effects on birth outcomes.
This study investigated whether pregnant women's relationships with their midwives predicted better self-care. Specific components of the patient-provider relationship (communication, integration, collaboration, and empowerment) were examined. We also investigated a mechanism through which these relationship components may be associated with salutary health behaviors: by alleviating women's anxiety.
In total, 139 low-risk patients of a university-affiliated midwifery practice in the northeastern United States completed well-validated measures assessing their relationship with midwives, state anxiety, and prenatal health behaviors in late pregnancy; state anxiety was also assessed in mid-pregnancy.
Women's perceptions of better communication, collaboration, and empowerment from their midwives were associated with more frequent salutary health behavior practices in late pregnancy. Controlling for mid-pregnancy anxiety, lower anxiety in late pregnancy mediated associations of communication and collaboration with health behavior practices, indicating that these associations were attributable to reductions in anxiety from mid- to late pregnancy.
Results substantiate that benefits of patient-provider relationships in pregnancy may extend beyond providing medical expertise. Some aspects of patient-provider relationships may offer direct benefits to pregnant women in promoting better health practices; other aspects of these relationships may indirectly contribute to better health practices by alleviating negative emotions. The benefits of strong midwife relationships may derive from the reassurance, comfort, and warmth these relationships offer, as well as the information and education that midwives provide to their patients.
•Pregnant women’s relationships with midwives predict better self-care.•Self-care benefits are mediated by reduced anxiety from mid to late pregnancy.•Provider relationships can improve pregnant women’s emotions and behaviors.
•Complex interfacial morphologies are described using image analysis and Fourier series.•Effect of interface morphological parameters is studied in 2D and 3D.•Interface morphological parameters were ...found to influence near interfacial fields.•Modelling guidelines are proposed based on the numerical accuracy of the local fields.
A methodology is proposed to model the complex morphology of rough interfaces using Fourier techniques and image analysis. It allows an optimal representation of a rough interface so as to enable a realistic calculation of the local stress and strain fields in the interface vicinity using finite element techniques. The methodology is illustrated through a sensitivity analysis carried out on a thermal barrier coating system. Typical bi-material interfaces with different levels of morphological complexity are described in 2D and 3D using both periodic (sinusoidal) and Fourier functions. The results are discussed in terms of their relative accuracy.
Leptin is produced almost exclusively by adipocytes and regulates body weight at the hypothalamic level. In addition, recent studies showed that leptin plays an important role in T lymphocyte ...responses. To examine the role of leptin in Ag-induced arthritis, the development of joint inflammation was assessed in immunized leptin-deficient mice (ob/ob), +/?, and wild-type mice (+/+) following the administration of methylated BSA into the knees. The results showed that ob/ob mice developed less severe arthritis compared with control mice. The levels of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha mRNA in the synovium of arthritic knees were lower in ob/ob than in +/? mice. In vitro Ag-specific T cell proliferative responses were significantly decreased in ob/ob mice with lower IFN-gamma and higher IL-10 production, suggesting a shift toward a Th2-type response in ob/ob mice. The serum levels of anti-methylated BSA Abs of any isotype were significantly decreased in arthritic ob/ob mice compared with controls. Essentially identical results were obtained in db/db mice, which lack the expression of the long isoform of leptin receptor. By RT-PCR, we observed that B lymphocytes express leptin receptor mRNA, indicating that in addition to its effect on the cellular response, leptin may exert a direct effect on B cell function. In conclusion, leptin contributes to the mechanisms of joint inflammation in Ag-induced arthritis by regulating both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses.
Previous studies have suggested that exercise training improves cardiac autonomic drive in young and middle-aged adults. In this study, we discuss the benefits for the elderly.
We aimed to establish ...whether exercise still increases heart rate variability (HRV) beyond the age of 60 years, and to identify which training factors influence HRV gains in this population.
Interventional controlled and non-controlled studies were selected from the PubMed, Ovid, Cochrane and Google Scholar databases. Only interventional endurance training protocols involving healthy subjects aged 60 years and over, and measuring at least one heart rate global or parasympathetic index, such as the standard deviation of the normal-to-normal intervals (SDNN), total frequency power (Ptot), root mean square of successive differences between adjacent NN intervals (RMSSD), or high frequency power (HF) before and after the training intervention, were included. HRV parameters were pooled separately from short-term and 24 h recordings for analysis. Risks of bias were assessed using the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies and the Cochrane risk of bias tool. A random-effects model was used to determine effect sizes (Hedges' g) for changes, and heterogeneity was assessed using Q and I statistics.
Twelve studies, seven of which included a control group, including 218 and 111 subjects, respectively (mean age 69.0 ± 3.2 and 68.6 ± 2.5), were selected for meta-analysis. Including the 12 studies demonstrated homogeneous significant effect sizes for short-term (ST)-SDNN and 24 h-SDNN, with effect sizes of 0.366 (95% CI 0.185-547) and 0.442 (95% CI 0.144-0.740), respectively. Controlled study analysis demonstrated homogeneous significant effect sizes for 24 h-SDNN with g = 0.721 (95% CI 0.184-1.257), and 24 h-Ptot with g = 0.731 (95% CI 0.195-1.267). Meta-regression analyses revealed positive relationships between ST-SDNN effect sizes and training frequency (Formula: see text = 0.000; Formula: see text = 0.000; p = 0.0462).
This meta-analysis demonstrates a positive effect of endurance-type exercise on autonomic regulation in older adults. However, the selected studies expressed some risks of bias. We conclude that chronic endurance exercise leads to HRV improvements in a linear frequency-response relationship, encouraging the promotion of high-frequency training programmes in older adults.
PDF
