Relationship between antropyloric and intestinal motility and duodenogastric reflux in fasting dogs

Duodenogastric reflux was studied in fasting dogs with gastric and duodenal cannulae, by means of recovery from the gastric cannula of phenol red infused into the duodenum and bile acids recovered from the gastric cannula. Simultaneously, antropyloric and intestinal motility was studied in order to establish a relationship between motility and duodenogastric reflux. A different pattern of duodenogastric reflux was observed, depending on the method utilized. While a significantly higher reflux was observed during phase II in bile acid studies, an irregular pattern not related to the different phases of the interdigestive motor complex was observed in experiments with phenol red. Antral motility estimated by an antral motility index showed a statistically significant correlation with DGR estimated by both methods. Pyloric pressure and intestinal motility did not show a correlation with DGR. We concluded that the results obtained in studying duodenogastric reflux depend on the method used. The main factor related to increased duodenogastric reflux was the decreased antral motility.     

Osteoarticular complications of brucellosis in Hamedan, an endemic area in the west of Iran.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency and clinical characteristics of osteoarticular complications of brucellosis in an endemic region in Iran. METHODS: In a prospective study we evaluated 245 patients with brucellosis diagnosed between January 2004 and December 2005. Patients included were those older than 8 years of age and who had clinical features suggestive of brucellosis and specific antibodies at significant titers, and/or positive blood or body fluid culture for Brucella species. A bone scan was performed in those with a clinical suspicion of osteoarticular involvement. RESULTS: Seventy patients (28.6%) had osteoarticular complications. Sacroiliitis was the most common complication (75.7%), followed by spondylitis (21.4%) and peripheral arthritis (8.6%). Spondylitis was the most common osteoarticular complication in the elderly. Relapses occurred in five (2%) patients, three of them with spondylitis. CONCLUSIONS: Osteoarticular disease is the most common complication of brucellosis in Western Iran. Sacroiliitis is the most common form of osteoarticular complication. With the use of a proper treatment regimen, the prospect for recovery is good.     

Effect of hydroxychloroquine on treatment and recurrence of acute brucellosis: a single-blind,randomized clinical trial

Brucellosis is associated with a high recurrence rate and requires more than one course of standard treatment; therefore, more research is required to find more effective treatments that lead to prompt recovery, and reduce the relapse of disease. This single-blind, randomized study was designed to evaluate the effect of the standard treatment for brucellosis in combination with hydroxychloroquine.A total of 177 patients with acute brucellosis were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: doxycycline-streptomycin (DS) and doxycycline-streptomycin-hydroxychloroquine (DSH). Clinical symptoms and signs, serological tests, and side effects of therapy were compared between the two groups during the treatment course and at three and six months after the end of drug therapy. Of the 177 patients, with a mean age of 40.5?±?16.9 years, 66.1% were males. The mean duration of clinical signs prior to admission was 43.4?±?41.1 days. Appropriate clinical responses, relapse, treatment failure, and adverse drug reactions were seen in 98.9%, 1.2%, 0.0%, and 12.6% of patients, respectively, in the DSH group vs. 86.7%, 11.6%, 2.3%, and 19.8% of patients, respectively, in the DS group. There were significant differences in clinical response and relapse rates between the two groups. The addition of hydroxychloroquine to a doxycycline-streptomycin regimen appears to increase the efficacy of treatment, accelerate improvement of clinical symptoms, and significantly reduce the rate of relapse of brucellosis.     

Latent profile analysis of healthy schizotypy within the extended psychosis phenotype

Converging evidence suggests that psychosis exists on a continuum, and that even mentally “healthy” individuals may experience subclinical psychotic experiences. However, little research has examined the subjective and psychological well-being of individuals in the putatively healthy end of the continuum. This study explored the latent profile structure of schizotypy in a non-clinical sample and compared subjective and psychological well-being across schizotypy profiles. Latent profile analysis was conducted on participants' responses (N=420) to the Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences. Six latent profiles emerged: Low Schizotypy, Average, High Schizotypy, High Unusual Experiences (UE), High Introvertive Anhedonia, and High Introvertive Anhedonia/Cognitive Disorganization. Individuals in the profile characterized by high UE without negative, disorganized or impulsive features tended to endorse similar levels of well-being as the Average and Low Schizotypy profiles. With some exceptions, all three profiles also demonstrated significantly greater subjective and psychological well-being when compared to negative/disorganized schizotypy profiles. The UE profile most closely aligns with previous conceptualizations of “healthy schizotypy.” Future research should investigate how individuals in this profile make sense of unusual or ambiguous experiences that may lead to distress in clinical populations.     

Antimicrobial terpenoids from the oleoresin of the Peruvian medicinal plant Copaifera paupera

Twelve known diterpenes 1 - 11 and 13, and three known sesquiterpenes 14 - 16, along with a new C(20) - C(15) terpenoid 17, with a structure based on an unprecedented skeleton in which a labdane diterpene is linked to a monocyclic sesquiterpene by an ester bridge, were isolated from the oleoresin of the Peruvian medicinal plant Copaifera paupera (Herzog) Dwyer (Leguminosae). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral analysis, including homo- and heteronuclear correlation NMR experiments (COSY, ROESY, HMQC and HMBC), and by comparison with data in the literature. The leishmanicidal, antimicrobial, cytotoxic, and aldose reductase inhibitory activities were studied. Compounds 1 and 11 showed significant antimicrobial activity (MIC < 10 microg/ml) against Gram-positive bacteria, comparable with cephotaxime used as control. Compound 2 exhibited moderate cytotoxic activity against four cancer cell lines.     

Rotavirus-associated medical visits and hospitalizations in South America: a prospective study at three large sentinel hospitals

BACKGROUND: Knowledge of the impact of rotavirus-associated disease on the health care systems of South America can aid in defining strategies for diagnosis, management and prevention. Up to date information on the impact of rotavirus disease in South America is scarce. AIM: To determine prospectively the impact of rotavirus disease as a cause of medical visits and hospitalizations at three large sentinel pediatric hospitals in Argentina, Chile and Venezuela. METHODS: A 2-year prospective surveillance for rotavirus-associated medical visits and hospitalizations was conducted during 1997 through 1998 at three large sentinel public hospitals, one each in Argentina, Chile and Venezuela. A common surveillance protocol was implemented at the three sites, and a representative number of nonbloody diarrhea stool samples from children <36 months of age were tested for rotavirus by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: For our target age group, acute diarrhea-associated medical visits/hospitalizations represented 41%/2%, 5%/6% and 9%/13% of all medical visits/all hospitalizations at the Argentinean, Chilean and Venezuelan sites, respectively (P < 0.001 for difference among the three sites). Rotavirus detection rates among a total of 5,801/1,256 medical visit/hospitalization diarrhea stool samples tested were 39%/71% in Argentina, 34%/47% in Chile and 29%/38% in Venezuela (P < 0.01 by chi square for difference among the three sites). Rotavirus was associated with a mean of 1.5, 1.8 and 3% of total medical visits and 1.6, 2.8 and 5% of hospitalizations among children <36 months of age at the Argentinean, Chilean and Venezuelan sites, respectively. Seasonality was evident for medical visits at all three sites (although less striking in Chile) with peak activity occurring between November and May. Rotavirus-associated hospitalizations had a marked peak in Venezuela, represented largely by short stays, but not in Argentina and Chile. CONCLUSIONS: Rotavirus was a significant cause of medical visits at all three sentinel sites. Rotavirus caused less hospitalizations than previously reported in Argentina and Chile. On the basis of our findings we estimate that approximately 106,000/ 21,000, 48,000/8,000 and 98,000/31,000 rotavirus-associated medical visits/hospitalizations occur yearly in Argentina, Chile and Venezuela, respectively.     

Interpretable generalized neural additive models for mortality prediction of COVID-19 hospitalized patients in Hamadan,Iran

Psychometrically sound resilience outcome measures are essential to establish how health and care services or interventions can enhance the resilience of people living with dementia (PLWD) and their carers. This paper systematically reviews the literature to identify studies that administered a resilience measurement scale with PLWD and/or their carers and examines the psychometric properties of these measures. Electronic abstract databases and the internet were searched, and an international network contacted to identify peer-reviewed journal articles. Two authors independently extracted data. They critically reviewed the measurement properties from the available psychometric data in the studies, using a standardised checklist adapted for purpose. Fifty-one studies were included in the final review, which applied nine different resilience measures, eight developed in other populations and one developed for dementia carers in Thailand. None of the measures were developed for use with people living with dementia. The majority of studies (N?=?47) focussed on dementia carers, three studies focussed on people living with dementia and one study measured both carers and the person with dementia. All the studies had missing information regarding the psychometric properties of the measures as applied in these two populations. Nineteen studies presented internal consistency data, suggesting seven of the nine measures demonstrate acceptable reliability in these new populations. There was some evidence of construct validity, and twenty-eight studies hypothesised effects a priori (associations with other outcome measure/demographic data/differences in scores between relevant groups) which were partially supported. The other studies were either exploratory or did not specify hypotheses. This limited evidence does not necessarily mean the resilience measure is not suitable, and we encourage future users of resilience measures in these populations to report information to advance knowledge and inform further reviews. All the measures require further psychometric evaluation in both these populations. The conceptual adequacy of the measures as applied in these new populations was questionable. Further research to understand the experience of resilience for people living with dementia and carers could establish the extent current measures -which tend to measure personal strengths -are relevant and comprehensive, or whether further work is required to establish a new resilience outcome measure.

     

Fc gamma receptor IIa polymorphism in patients with brucellosis

Recent evidence suggests that certain Fc gamma receptor alleles are genetic risk factors for infectious diseases. In this study, we evaluated Fc gamma RIIa polymorphism in patients with brucellosis. In a case-control study, the frequency of two alleles and three genotypes for Fc gamma RIIa were measured by PCR in 150 patients with brucellosis and 125 healthy controls. The H131 and R131 alleles were found in 133 (44.3%) and 167 patients (47.6%), respectively. The frequencies for the three genotypes (a/a, a/r, r/r) were 10 (6.7%), 113 (75.3%) and 27 (18%), respectively. There was no significant difference in the distribution of Fc gamma RIIa genotypes and the two allelic forms between the patients and controls. Our study indicates that Fc gamma RIIa polymorphism is not decisive for the acquisition of brucellosis.     

First Report of Widespread Wild Populations of Triatoma infestans (Reduviidae, Triatominae) in the Valleys of La Paz, Bolivia

Wild populations of Triatoma infestans, the main vector of Chagas disease in the Southern Cone countries, may be involved in reinfestation of human dwellings, limiting the success of vector-control campaigns in Bolivia. Knowledge of the distribution of these populations remains incomplete. We report here the detection of T. infestans wild populations in large areas in the department of La Paz, Bolivia. Among 18 sylvatic areas investigated, 17 were positive with T. infestans specimens. The infection rate of captured T. infestans with Trypanosoma cruzi was 85.7% in adult specimens. These results expand the geographical distribution of wild populations of T. infestans; it may be distributed throughout the Inter-Andean Dry Forest eco-region of Bolivia. The current information allows us to propose the hypothesis that a sylvatic origin of the reinfestation is located in the valleys of La Paz.