People living in disadvantaged areas faced greater challenges in staying active and using recreational facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic

This study aimed to understand the perceived effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity, recreation walking, and use of recreational facilities; and if the COVID-19 pandemic amplified disparities in physical activity, recreational walking, and use of recreational facilities related to the levels of neighborhood disadvantage. Recreational walking and the use of neighborhood streets and green spaces significantly decreased in high deprivation areas but not in low deprivation areas during the pandemic. While COVID-19 has negatively affected overall recreational activities, the inequitable impact on recreational walking and use of outdoor recreational facilities has been more evident in disadvantaged neighborhoods with greater deprivation.     

Maternal influenza vaccination and child mortality: Longitudinal,population-based linked cohort study

Influenza vaccination is recommended to protect mothers and their infants from influenza. Few studies have evaluated the association between maternal influenza vaccination and child mortality. We aimed to evaluate the association between in utero exposure to seasonal inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) and mortality among young children. This longitudinal, population-based cohort study included 191,247 maternal-child pairs in Western Australia between April 2012 and December 2017. Maternal vaccine information was obtained from a state-wide antenatal vaccination database. Mortality was defined as a record of a death registration. We used Cox proportional hazard models, weighted by the inverse-probability of treatment (vaccination), to estimate the hazard ratio of child mortality associated with in utero exposure to seasonal IIV. This study found no association between in utero exposure to seasonal IIV and mortality through age five years.     

菊花脑芳樟醇合酶基因CnTPS1的克隆与原核表达分析＊

目的 克隆菊花脑芳樟醇合酶基因CnTPS1的全长编码序列，利用原核系统表达融合蛋白，为进一步研究该基因在菊花脑萜类合成中的功能提供理论依据。方法 以菊花脑基因组数据为基础，设计特异性引物，PCR扩增CnTPS1的全长编码序列，利用生物信息学分析软件分析序列特征。利用qRT-PCR技术分析CnTPS1基因在不同组织中的基因表达量。构建原核表达载体，体外诱导目的蛋白表达。结果 CnTPS1编码序列全长1749bp，编码582个氨基酸；基因表达模式分析表明该基因在茎和管状花中表达量较高；原核表达系统能诱导出67.58kDa大小的蛋白。结论 首次从菊花脑中克隆得到一个芳樟醇合酶基因CnTPS1，运用生物信息学方法对其编码蛋白的理化性质、结构特征等进行了分析预测，分析了该基因的组织表达模式，并在原核表达系统中成功诱导表达出目标蛋白，这些结果将为菊花脑萜类合酶基因的功能以及萜类物质生物合成途径的解析提供理论依据。     

Quantitative assessment of bony orbital volume symmetry: CT analysis in the uninjured caucasian population

There is a surprising lack of evidence documenting the volumetric symmetry of the bony orbit. This paper establishes reference values for orbital volume (OV) and symmetry in the 25 - 40 year old caucasian population. Secondarily, this paper sets a landmark for the tolerances in OV that can be expected when reconstructing the bony defects which may occur from trauma. A standardised method of quantitative OV measurement was developed using CT sinus examinations acquired for indications unrelated to orbital trauma. Sex, ethnicity, age, right and left OV were recorded. Data for 100 patients was obtained (50 male, 50 female). Mean left OV was 23.1cm³ and mean right OV was 23.3cm³. Left and right OV were strongly positively correlated (correlation coefficient: 0.96). Mean female OV was 21.6cm³ and mean male OV was 24.8cm³. On average, male OV is 3.2cm³ larger than female OV. The mean difference between left and right OV was 0.5cm³ in females and 0.6cm³ in males. The intra-class coefficient score between the two assessors was 0.973 (excellent). There is strong positive correlation between left and right OV in this study population. Previous work suggests that orbital volume loss less than 1cm³ would not lead to significant clinical symptoms of orbital fracture. When orbital reconstruction is undertaken, this study suggests that a volume symmetry difference of <0.5cm³ in females and <0.6cm³ in males would be consistent with the variation seen in the study population of uninjured caucasian 25-40 year olds and is therefore a reasonable goal of surgical management.     

Contraception use and knowledge related to pregnancy in diabetic women

BackgroundDiabetes mellitus prevalence is increasing among women of child-bearing age. Diabetic pregnancy is associated with major maternal and fetal risks, and these can be reduced by preconception care. Pregnancy can be planned using appropriate effective contraception. The objective of this study was to assess diabetic patients’ knowledge about pregnancy and to describe their contraceptive use.Study designAn observational study was conducted from February to July 2020 at Reims University Hospital, France. Inclusion criteria were: women aged 18 to 40 years, with type 1 (T1D) or type 2 diabetes (T2D). Patients filled out a survey about contraceptive use and knowledge regarding diabetic pregnancy and data were completed from medical records.ResultsEighty-nine T1D and 33 T2D patients were included, with mean ages of 27.9 ± 6.3 and 32.6 ± 4.6 years, respectively. Seventy-five percent reported that they had been informed about pregnancy-related risks and 67% about the need to plan pregnancy. The preconception HbA1c target was known by 33% of patients. Appropriate knowledge about pregnancy was greater in T1D patients (65.9%, versus 36.4% in T2D patients; P = 0.003). The rate of patients using an effective contraceptive method was 66.4%. Fifteen percent patients for whom contraception was recommended reported having no contraceptive method; 12.5% of contraception users were using a contraindicated method.ConclusionA large majority of diabetic women were aware of pregnancy-related risks and the importance of pregnancy planning, but there are still gaps, especially in T2D patients. We need to improve our practices by providing more information and better access to appropriate effective contraception.ClinicalTrials.gov numberNCT04350879.     

Diagnosis of pituitary abscess and treatment via transsphenoidal surgery: experience from 15 cases

ObjectivePituitary abscess is an often misdiagnosed, rare clinical disorder. To improve diagnostic accuracy and the efficacy of surgical and antibiotic therapy for patients with pituitary abscess, herein, we retrospectively reviewed 15 patients who presented with pituitary abscesses from 2005 to 2022.DesignRetrospective study.PatientsFifteen patients underwent transsphenoidal surgery and received antibiotic treatment.MeasurementsComplete details regarding medical history, clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations, imaging studies, and treatment strategies were obtained for all patients.ResultsMost patients presented with hypopituitarism and headaches, while some presented with fever, visual disturbances, and diabetes insipidus (DI). Abscesses showed significant annular enhancement post gadolinium injection. In most patients, pituitary abscess can be cured via microscopic or endoscopic drainage of the abscess followed by antibiotic treatment. Complete cure of pituitary abscess was observed in nine patients, with six cases of prolonged hypopituitarism and only one case of recurrence. Long-term hormone replacement therapy was effective in the postoperative management of hypopituitarism.ConclusionsThe typical manifestations of pituitary abscess include hypopituitarism and headaches; the presence of an enhanced ring at the edge of the mass on contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance images (MRI) is highly suggestive of pituitary abscess. We recommend antibiotic treatment for 4–6 weeks postoperatively, based on the results of bacterial cultures or metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS).     

尿液外泌体lncRNA PCAT-1评估非浸润性膀胱癌患者复发的价值

目的探究尿液外泌体长链非编码RNA前列腺癌相关转录本1（lncRNA PCAT-1）评估非浸润性膀胱癌患者复发的价值。方法随机选取2015年1月—2016年3月进行治疗的非浸润性膀胱癌患者50例作为非浸润性膀胱癌组，选取同期在进行健康体检的健康受检者50例作为对照组。测定两组尿液外泌体中lncRNA PCAT-1表达情况。分析尿液外泌体lncRNA PCAT-1表达与临床病理参数的相关性、尿液外泌体lncRNA PCAT-1与尿液脱落细胞学对非浸润性膀胱癌的诊断价值、影响非浸润性膀胱癌患者复发的相关因素，评估非浸润性膀胱癌复发的价值及尿液外泌体lncRNA PCAT-1表达与非浸润性膀胱癌患者预后的关系。结果与对照组比较，非浸润性膀胱癌组患者尿液外泌体lncRNA PCAT-1表达水平明显升高（P<0.01）。尿液外泌体lncRNA PCAT-1表达与病理分期具有明显相关性（P<0.01）。尿液外泌体lncRNA PCAT-1诊断非浸润性膀胱癌的曲线下面积明显高于尿液脱落细胞学。采用Cox比例风险因素回归模型分析，病理分期及lncRNA PCAT-1均为影响非浸润性膀胱癌患者复发的独立危险因素。以尿液外泌体lncRNA PCAT-1相对表达量5.14±1.04分为高表达组（23例）与低表达组（27例），Kaplan-Meier生存曲线分析结果显示，lncRNA PCAT-1低表达量组生存期明显高于lncRNA PCAT-1高表达组。结论外泌体lncRNA PCAT-1在非浸润性膀胱癌患者尿液中的表达水平较健康受检者明显升高，且其表达水平与患者病理分期明显相关。尿液外泌体lncRNA PCAT-1对评估非浸润性膀胱癌患者的复发具有重要作用。     

PHLPPs: Emerging players in metabolic disorders

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