Isolation and characterization of a novel helicobacter species, "Helicobacter macacae," from rhesus monkeys with and without chronic idiopathic colitis

Chronic idiopathic colitis is a common clinical entity in young captive rhesus monkeys. Eight isolates, cultured from five monkeys in colony 1 with endemic diarrhea and three from colony 2 without diarrhea, were grown under microaerobic conditions on selective agar and were classified by full 16S rRNA sequence, biochemical, and phenotypic analysis as a novel helicobacter, "Helicobacter macacae" (proposed name). All eight strains of H. macacae had 99.5% identical 16S rRNA sequences.     

Evaluating the effectiveness of heat warning systems: systematic review of epidemiological evidence

Objectives

To review the existing research on the effectiveness of heat warning systems (HWSs) in saving lives and reducing harm.

Methods

A systematic search of major databases was conducted, using “heat, heatwave, high temperature, hot temperature, OR hot climate” AND “warning system”.

Results

Fifteen articles were retrieved. Six studies asserted that fewer people died of excessive heat after HWS implementation. HWS was associated with reduction in ambulance use. One study estimated the benefits of HWS to be $468 million for saving 117 lives compared to $210,000 costs of running the system. Eight studies showed that mere availability of HWS did not lead to behavioral changes. Perceived threat of heat dangers to self/others was the main factor related to heeding warnings and taking proper actions. However, costs and barriers associated with taking protective actions, such as costs of running air conditioners, were of significant concern particularly to the poor.

Conclusions

Research in this area is limited. Prospective designs applying health behavior theories should establish whether HWS can produce the health benefits they are purported to achieve by identifying the target vulnerable groups.     

Managing the Health Effects of Temperature in Response to Climate Change: Challenges Ahead

Background: Although many studies have shown that high temperatures are associated with an increased risk of mortality and morbidity, there has been little research on managing the process of planned adaptation to alleviate the health effects of heat events and climate change. In particular, economic evaluation of public health adaptation strategies has been largely absent from both the scientific literature and public policy discussion.Objectives: We examined how public health organizations should implement adaptation strategies and, second, how to improve the evidence base required to make an economic case for policies that will protect the public’s health from heat events and climate change.Discussion: Public health adaptation strategies to cope with heat events and climate change fall into two categories: reducing the heat exposure and managing the health risks. Strategies require a range of actions, including timely public health and medical advice, improvements to housing and urban planning, early warning systems, and assurance that health care and social systems are ready to act. Some of these actions are costly, and given scarce financial resources the implementation should be based on the cost-effectiveness analysis. Therefore, research is required not only on the temperature-related health costs, but also on the costs and benefits of adaptation options. The scientific community must ensure that the health co-benefits of climate change policies are recognized, understood, and quantified.Conclusions: The integration of climate change adaptation into current public health practice is needed to ensure the adaptation strategies increase future resilience. The economic evaluation of temperature-related health costs and public health adaptation strategies are particularly important for policy decisions.     

The influence of season and ambient temperature on birth outcomes: a review of the epidemiological literature

Seasonal patterns of birth outcomes, such as low birth weight, preterm birth and stillbirth, have been found around the world. As a result, there has been an increasing interest in evaluating short-term exposure to ambient temperature as a determinant of adverse birth outcomes. This paper reviews the epidemiological evidence on seasonality of birth outcomes and the impact of prenatal exposure to ambient temperature on birth outcomes. We identified 20 studies that investigated seasonality of birth outcomes, and reported statistically significant seasonal patterns. Most of the studies found peaks of preterm birth, stillbirth and low birth weight in winter, summer or both, which indicates the extremes of temperature may be an important determinant of poor birth outcomes. We identified 13 studies that investigated the influence of exposure to ambient temperature on birth weight and preterm birth (none examined stillbirth). The evidence for an adverse effect of high temperatures was stronger for birth weight than for preterm birth. More research is needed to clarify whether high temperatures have a causal effect on fetal health.     

Constraints and barriers to public health adaptation to climate change: a review of the literature

Public health adaptation to climate change is an important issue and inevitably is needed to address the adverse health impacts of climate change over the next few decades. This paper provides an overview of the constraints and barriers to public health adaptation and explores future research directions in this emerging field. An extensive literature review was conducted in 2010 and published literature from 2000 to 2010 was retrieved. This review shows that public health adaptation essentially can operate at two levels, namely, adaptive-capacity building and implementation of adaptation actions. However, there are constraints and barriers to public health adaptation arising from uncertainties of future climate and socioeconomic conditions, as well as financial, technologic, institutional, social capital, and individual cognitive limits. The opportunities for planning and implementing public health adaptation are reliant on effective strategies to overcome these constraints and barriers. It is proposed here that high research priority should be given to multidisciplinary research on the assessment of potential health impacts of climate change, projections of health impacts under different climate and socioeconomic scenarios, identification of health co-benefits of mitigation strategies, and evaluation of cost-effective public health adaptation options.     

Projecting future heat-related mortality under climate change scenarios: a systematic review

Background: Heat-related mortality is a matter of great public health concern, especially in the light of climate change. Although many studies have found associations between high temperatures and mortality, more research is needed to project the future impacts of climate change on heat-related mortality.Objectives: We conducted a systematic review of research and methods for projecting future heat-related mortality under climate change scenarios.Data sources and extraction: A literature search was conducted in August 2010, using the electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, and Web of Science. The search was limited to peer-reviewed journal articles published in English from January 1980 through July 2010.Data synthesis: Fourteen studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Most projections showed that climate change would result in a substantial increase in heat-related mortality. Projecting heat-related mortality requires understanding historical temperature–mortality relationships and considering the future changes in climate, population, and acclimatization. Further research is needed to provide a stronger theoretical framework for projections, including a better understanding of socioeconomic development, adaptation strategies, land-use patterns, air pollution, and mortality displacement.Conclusions: Scenario-based projection research will meaningfully contribute to assessing and managing the potential impacts of climate change on heat-related mortality.     

Lower Mortality Associated With Overweight in the U.S. National Health Interview Survey: Is Overweight Protective?

It is still debatable whether overweight has protective or detrimental effects on survival. The focus of the ongoing debate is on possible confounding bias due to factors such as preexisting illness and smoking. We aimed to assess the association between overweight and mortality and to examine confounding effects of various factors including smoking and preexisting cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, asthma, bronchitis, and kidney disease on the overweight–mortality association in adults.The data were extracted from the public-use National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 1997 to 2009. Mortality data up to December 31, 2011 were linked to 131,813 with normal weight and 120,217 overweight adults. We assessed the association between overweight and mortality using Cox proportional hazard model with adjustments for various sets of confounding factors—age, sex, smoking, race, survey year, diabetes, CVD, cancer, asthma, bronchitis, and kidney disease.During the period from the original surveys to December 31, 2011, 22,513 (11,815 normal weight and 10,698 overweight) adults died. Normal weight and overweight groups differed in the characteristics of age, sex, smoking, and preexisting diseases. After adjusting for age and sex, the risk of dying was lower for overweight than normal weight adults (hazard ratio [HR], 0.82; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.80–0.85). Lower mortality risk associated with overweight remained after further adjusting for smoking and preexisting diseases such as diabetes, CVD, cancer, asthma, bronchitis, and kidney disease (HR, 0.80; 95% CI: 0.78–0.82). We observed a similar pattern for men and women, and for those free from preexisting diabetes, hypertension, and CVD.In conclusion, overweight adults have a lower mortality risk than normal weight adults. Our findings do not support that the lower mortality in overweight adults is due to confounding effects of smoking and preexisting diseases.     

Hepatitis C virus and neurological damage

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection exhibits a wide range of extrahepatic complications, affecting various organs in the human body. Numerous HCV patients suffer neurological manifestations, ranging from cognitive impairment to peripheral neuropathy. Overexpression of the host immune response leads to the production of immune complexes, cryoglobulins, as well as autoantibodies, which is a major pathogenic mechanism responsible for nervous system dysfunction. Alternatively circulating inflammatory cytokines and chemokines and HCV replication in neurons is another factor that severely affects the nervous system. Furthermore, HCV infection causes both sensory and motor peripheral neuropathy in the mixed cryoglobulinemia as well as known as an important risk aspect for stroke. These extrahepatic manifestations are the reason behind underlying hepatic encephalopathy and chronic liver disease. The brain is an apt location for HCV replication, where the HCV virus may directly wield neurotoxicity. Other mechanisms that takes place by chronic HCV infection due the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric disorders includes derangement of metabolic pathways of infected cells, autoimmune disorders, systemic or cerebral inflammation and alterations in neurotransmitter circuits. HCV and its pathogenic role is suggested by enhancement of psychiatric and neurological symptoms in patients attaining a sustained virologic response followed by treatment with interferon; however, further studies are required to fully assess the impact of HCV infection and its specific antiviral targets associated with neuropsychiatric disorders.     

改良Carlson入路治疗单纯胫骨后外侧平台骨折

目的 探讨改良Carlson入路治疗单纯胫骨后外侧平台骨折的疗效.方法 回顾性分析2019年1月—2020年1月山东中医药大学附属医院创伤骨科收治的单纯胫骨后外侧平台骨折患者5例临床资料,男性3例,女性2例;年龄30～67岁,平均47.2岁;左侧3例,右侧2例;致伤原因:摔伤1例,道路交通伤4例.采用改良Carlson...