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Scalise, Filippo, Eugenio Novelli, Massimiliano Farina, Luciano Barbato, and Salvatore Spagnolo. "Venous Hemodynamic Insufficiency Severity Score variation after endovascular treatment of chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency." Phlebology: The Journal of Venous Disease 30, no. 4 (February 14, 2014): 250–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0268355514524193.
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Introduction Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) is a vascular condition characterized by anomalies of the internal jugular veins (IJVs) and/or azygos veins with disturbed flow and formation of collateral venous channels. The presence of CCSVI has been associated with multiple sclerosis (MS). Percutaneous venous angioplasty (PVA) has been proposed to improve extracranial outflow; however, a non-invasive, post-procedural follow-up outcome measure has not been established. Aim of the study To evaluate the short-term hemodynamic follow-up of CCSVI after PVA using color Doppler ultrasound (CDU) and to investigate whether hemodynamic variation correlated with clinical variation. Materials and methods Forty-five patients affected by MS with confirmed CCSVI underwent IJVs PVA. Venous hemodynamic (VH) parameters indicative of CCSVI and the Venous Hemodynamic Insufficiency Severity Score (VHISS) were evaluated by CDU at baseline and 3 months post-PVA. Concurrently, the MS-related disability status (EDSS) was evaluated. Results The VH parameters and VHISS 3 months after IJVs PVA significantly decreased: the VH parameters −32.1% and the VHISS −33.8% ( p < 0.001). The EDSS score 3 months after IJVs PVA was significantly lower than the baseline (−5.5%, p < 0.001). Using the median value of the VHISS variation as the cut-off, we were able to identify two groups of patients: responders, group A; and non-responders, group B. The EDSS score variation at 3 months was 0.310 in group A and 0.275 in group B ( p = 0.746). Conclusions CCSVI endovascular treatment can induce an improvement in VH parameters and the VHISS. The neurological disability score (EDSS) also improved after PVA; however, there was no correlation to the VHISS variation after PVA, MS type and duration.
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Scholkmann, Felix. "Exposure to High-Frequency Sound and Ultrasound in Public Places: Examples from Zurich, Switzerland." Acoustics 1, no. 4 (October 18, 2019): 816–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/acoustics1040048.
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The public is unknowingly exposed to very high-frequency sound (VHFS; 11.2–17.8 kHz) and ultrasound (US; >17.8 kHz) signals in air in public places, as evidenced by previously published reports. The present report provides evidence for the presence of VHFS/US signals in the air at public places in Zurich, Switzerland. The analysis of the signals measured revealed that they: (i) contain one, two or multiple frequencies; (ii) comprise frequencies ranged from 15.5 kHz to 36.0 kHz; (iii) were either quasi constant in their amplitude or exhibit a clear amplitude modulation; and (iv) were in their characteristics (frequencies, modulation, intensity) specific for each place. Based on the signal characteristic it is likely that the signals are generated by public-address voice-alarm (PAVA) systems. The work presented: (i) documents the presence of VHFS/US signals at public places in Zurich, possibly caused by PAVA systems; and should (ii) show that is easily possibly to measure the signals with an affordable measurement equipment as a “citizen scientist”, and stimulate others also to measure and analyse VHFS/US signals with this citizen scientist approach in other cities worldwide. Due to the possible negative health-related effects of a human exposure to VHFS/US signals, further research is needed to document VHFS/US signals at public places and to evaluate biological effects of this exposure with laboratory studies.
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Wozniak, David M., Kerry J. Lavender, Joseph Prescott, and Jessica R. Spengler. "The Utility of Human Immune System Mice for High-Containment Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Research." Vaccines 8, no. 1 (February 22, 2020): 98. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/vaccines8010098.
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Human immune system (HIS) mice are a subset of humanized mice that are generated by xenoengraftment of human immune cells or tissues and/or their progenitors into immunodeficient mice. Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) cause severe disease in humans, typically with high case fatality rates. HIS mouse studies have been performed to investigate the pathogenesis and immune responses to VHFs that must be handled in high-containment laboratory facilities. Here, we summarize studies on filoviruses, nairoviruses, phenuiviruses, and hantaviruses, and discuss the knowledge gained from using various HIS mouse models. Furthermore, we discuss the complexities of designing and interpreting studies utilizing HIS mice while highlighting additional questions about VHFs that can still be addressed using HIS mouse models.
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MacDermott, Nathalie E., Surjo De, and Jethro A. Herberg. "Viral haemorrhagic fever in children." Archives of Disease in Childhood 101, no. 5 (January 19, 2016): 461–68. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2014-307861.
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Viral haemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) are currently at the forefront of the world's attention due to the recent Zaire ebolavirus epidemic in West Africa. This epidemic has highlighted the frailty of the world's public health response mechanisms and demonstrated the potential risks to nations around the world of imported cases of epidemic diseases. While imported cases in children are less likely, the potential for such a scenario remains. It is therefore essential that paediatricians are aware of and prepared for potential imported cases of tropical diseases, VHFs being of particular importance due to their propensity to cause nosocomial spread. Examining the four families of viruses—Filoviridae, Arenaviridae, Bunyaviridae and Flaviviridae, we describe the different types of VHFs, with emphasis on differentiation from other diseases through detailed history-taking, their presentation and management from a paediatric perspective.
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Dusé, Adriano G. "Infection control aspects of viral haemorrhagic fevers (VHFs)." Journal of Infection 44, no. 2 (March 2002): 104–5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0163-4453(02)90272-0.
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Kieu, Thi Tuyet Mai, Hong Nhung Trinh, Huy Tuan Kiet Pham, Thanh Binh Nguyen, and Junice Yi Siu Ng. "Direct non-medical and indirect costs of diabetes and its associated complications in Vietnam: an estimation using national health insurance claims from a cross-sectional survey." BMJ Open 10, no. 3 (March 2020): e032303. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-032303.
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ObjectiveThe prevalence of diabetes in Vietnam has increased from 2.5% in 2007 to 5.5% in 2017, but the burden of direct non-medical and indirect costs is unknown. The objective of this study was to estimate the direct non-medical costs and indirect costs due to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its associated complications among Vietnam Health Insurance System (VHIS) enrollees in Vietnam.DesignThe first phase was a cross-sectional survey of patients with T2DM. In the second phase, data from the previous phase were used to predict direct non-medical costs and presenteeism costs of VHIS enrollees diagnosed with T2DM based on demographic and clinical characteristics in 2017. The human-capital approach was used for the calculation of indirect costs.Setting and participantsThis study recruited 315 patients from a national hospital, a provincial hospital and a district hospital aged 18 or above, diagnosed with T2DM, enrolled in VHIS, and having at least one visit to hospitals between 1 June and 30 July 2018. The VHIS dataset contained 1,395,204 patients with T2DM.Outcome measuresThe direct non-medical costs and presenteeism were collected from the survey. Absenteeism costs were estimated from the VHIS database. Costs of premature mortality were calculated based on the estimates from secondary sources.ResultsThe total direct non-medical and indirect costs were US$239 million in 2017. Direct non-medical costs were US$78 million, whereas indirect costs were US$161 million. Costs of absenteeism, presenteeism and premature mortality corresponded to 17%, 73% and 10% of the indirect costs. Patients incurred annual mean direct non-medical costs of US$56. Annual mean absenteeism and presenteeism costs for patients in working age were US$61 and US$267, respectively.ConclusionsThe impact of T2DM on direct non-medical and indirect costs on diabetes is substantial. Direct non-medical and absenteeism costs were higher in patients with complications.
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Opara, Nnennaya U., Ugochinyere I. Nwagbara, and Khumbulani W. Hlongwana. "The COVID-19 Impact on the Trends in Yellow Fever and Lassa Fever Infections in Nigeria." Infectious Disease Reports 14, no. 6 (November 21, 2022): 932–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/idr14060091.
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Lassa fever (LF) and yellow fever (YF) belong to a group of viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs). These viruses have common features and damages the organs and blood vessels; they also impair the body’s homeostasis. Some VHFs cause mild disease, while some cause severe disease and death such as in the case of Ebola or Marburg. LF virus and YF virus are two of the most recent emerging viruses in Africa, resulting in severe hemorrhagic fever in humans. Lassa fever virus is continuously on the rise both in Nigeria and neighboring countries in West Africa, with an estimate of over 500,000 cases of LF, and 5000 deaths, annually. YF virus is endemic in temperate climate regions of Africa, Central America (Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador), and South America (such as Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and Chile) with an annual estimated cases of 200,000 and 30,000 deaths globally. This review examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the trend in epidemiology of these two VHFs to delineate responses that are associated with protective or pathogenic outcomes.
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Belhadi, Drifa, Majda El Baied, Guillaume Mulier, Denis Malvy, France Mentré, and Cédric Laouénan. "The number of cases, mortality and treatments of viral hemorrhagic fevers: A systematic review." PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 16, no. 10 (October 31, 2022): e0010889. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0010889.
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Background Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) are a group of diseases, which can be endemo-epidemic in some areas of the world. Most of them are characterized by outbreaks, which, occur irregularly and are hard to predict. Innovative medical countermeasures are to be evaluated but due to the field specificities of emerging VHF, challenges arise when implementing clinical studies. To assess the state of the art around VHFs, we conducted a systematic review for all reports and clinical studies that included specific results on number of cases, mortality and treatment of VHFs. Methods The search was conducted in January 2020 based on PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO CRD42020167306). We searched reports on the WHO and CDC websites, and publications in three international databases (MEDLINE, Embase and CENTRAL). Following the study selection process, qualitative and quantitative data were extracted from each included study. A narrative synthesis approach by each VHF was used. Descriptive statistics were conducted including world maps of cases number and case fatality rates (CFR); summary tables by VHF, country, time period and treatment studies. Results We identified 141 WHO/CDC reports and 126 articles meeting the inclusion criteria. Most of the studies were published after 2010 (n = 97 for WHO/CDC reports and n = 93 for publications) and reported number of cases and/or CFRs (n = 141 WHO/CDC reports and n = 88 publications). Results varied greatly depending on the outbreak or cluster and across countries within each VHF. A total of 90 studies focused on Ebola virus disease (EVD). EVD outbreaks were reported in Africa, where Sierra Leone (14,124 cases; CFR = 28%) and Liberia (10,678 cases; CFR = 45%) reported the highest cases numbers, mainly due to the 2014–2016 western Africa outbreak. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) outbreaks were reported from 31 studies in Africa, Asia and Europe, where Turkey reported the highest cases number (6,538 cases; CFR = 5%) and Afghanistan the last outbreak in 2016/18 (293 cases; CFR = 43%). Regarding the 38 studies reporting results on treatments, most of them were non-randomized studies (mainly retrospective or non-randomized comparative studies), and only 10 studies were randomized controlled trials. For several VHFs, no specific investigational therapeutic option with strong proof of effectiveness on mortality was identified. Conclusion We observed that number of cases and CFR varied greatly across VHFs as well as across countries within each VHF. The number of studies on VHF treatments was very limited with very few randomized trials and no strong proof of effectiveness of treatment against most of the VHFs. Therefore, there is a high need of methodologically strong clinical trials conducted in the context of VHF.
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Zhang, Shuo, Wei Wu, Jing Qu, Quanfu Zhang, Chuan Li, Jiandong Li, Cong Jin, Mifang Liang, and Dexin Li. "Simultaneous detection of IgG antibodies associated with viral hemorrhagic fever by a multiplexed luminex-based immunoassay (TECH1P.855)." Journal of Immunology 192, no. 1_Supplement (May 1, 2014): 69.23. http://dx.doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.192.supp.69.23.
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Abstract Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) are worldwide diseases caused by several kinds of viruses. With the emergence of new viruses, advanced diagnostic methods are urgently needed for identification of VHFs. Based on Luminex xMAP technology, a rapid, sensitive, multi-pathogen and high-throughput method which could simultaneously detect hemorrhagic fever viruses (HFVs) specific IgG antibodies was developed. Recombinant antigens of nine HFVs were produced and purified from a prokaryotic expression system and the influence of the coupling amount was investigated. Cross-reactions among antigens and their rabbit immune sera were evaluated. Serum samples collected from 51 laboratory confirmed hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) patients, 43 confirmed SFTS patients and 88 healthy donors were analyzed. Results showed that recombinant nucleocapsid protein of the five viruses belonging to the genus Hantavirus, had serological cross-reactivity with their corresponding rabbit immune sera, but not apparent with immune sera of other four viruses. Evaluation of this new method with clinical serum samples showed 98.04% diagnostic sensitivity for HFRS, 90.70% for SFTS detection and the specificity was ranging from 66.67% to 100.00%. The multiplexed luminex-based immunoassay has firstly been established in our study, which provides a potentially reliable diagnostic tool for IgG antibody detection of VHFs. Corresponding author: Prof. Dr. Dexin Li; Email: lidx@chinacdc.cn
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Campos, Ricardo, and Ágata Sequeira. "Entre VHILS e os Jerónimos: arte urbana de Lisboa enquanto objeto turístico." Horizontes Antropológicos 25, no. 55 (December 2019): 119–51. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/s0104-71832019000300005.
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Resumo Diversas cidades têm incluído a arte urbana como parte das suas estratégias de promoção e planeamento turístico. Este facto deriva de uma gradual valorização social e legitimação institucional deste tipo de expressões estéticas presentes no espaço público. Em muitas cidades deparamo-nos, hoje, com processos de turistificação da arte urbana, uma dinâmica que está dependente de um conjunto de atores sociais. A turistificação da arte urbana tem consequências, não só ao nível da constituição da oferta turística da cidade, mas também ao nível das relações e interações que se estabelecem entre operadores e guias, turistas, artistas, instituições e comunidades locais. Com este artigo pretendemos refletir sobre a articulação entre a arte urbana e o sector turístico, partindo de um conjunto de dados preliminares de natureza qualitativa recolhidos no âmbito de um projeto em curso sobre arte urbana em Lisboa.
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Zaki, Sherif R., and Cynthia S. Goldsmith. "Emerging Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers." Microscopy and Microanalysis 7, S2 (August 2001): 166–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1431927600026908.
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Clinically, the combination of fever and hemorrhage can be caused by many pathogens, including viruses, rickettsiae, bacteria, protozoans, and fungi. However, the term viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) is usually reserved for systemic infections characterized by fever and hemorrhage caused by a special group of viruses that belong to four different families: Filoviridae, Arenaviridae, Bunyaviridae, and Flaviviridae. All members are lipid-enveloped RNA viruses; except for filoviruses, where the resorvoir remains unknown, these viruses are transmitted to humans by arthropods and rodents. The VHFs are characterized by abnormal vascular regulation and damage. The VHFs all have similar clinical pictures with mortality rates of 15-30% or in the case of Ebola virus, up to 80%. Between 1993 and 2001, more different VHFs and related diseases were reported than during any comparable period over the past several decades. These diseases include Ebola VHF in Uganda in 2000, in Zaire in 1995 and in Gabon between 1994 and 1996; ongoing cases of Marburg hemorrhagic fever in the Democratic Republic of Congo beginning in 1998; Rift Valley fever in Saudi Arabia and Yemen in 2000 and in Kenya in 1997; Lassa fever in Sierra Leone in 1997; hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in the Americas since 1993; and imported cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever from Central and South America, and yellow fever from Africa during the 1990s.
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Piszczyk, Jarosław. "Viral hemorrhagic fevers or West Nile fever – surprise in the journey." Diagnostyka Laboratoryjna 52, no. 1 (April 18, 2016): 51–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0009.3631.
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Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) represent a group of similar clinical entities contagious constitutional diseases, caused by four different types of RNA viruses: Flaviviridae, Bunyaviridae, Arenaviridae i Filoviridae. These diseases proceed with high fever and damage of the circulatory system leading to homeostasis disorders, commonly accompanied by symptoms of hemorrhagic diathesis. VHFs are typically transmitted through infection vectors (mosquito) or through direct physical contact with infectious material. West Nile fever is the disease which is caused by West Nile virus from the Flaviviridae family. It begins flu-like symptoms, then it appears maculopapular rash and lymphadenopathy. At the most cases the symptoms retreat idiopathically. This disease can proceed as West Nile Neurological Disease in 1% of infected. The article presents three diseases, which can be present in tropical climate such as: Ebola hemorrhagic fever, dengue hemorrhagic fever, West Nile fever.
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Caffier, Felix, Tadeus Nawka, Konrad Neumann, Matthias Seipelt, and Philipp P. Caffier. "Validation and Classification of the 9-Item Voice Handicap Index (VHI-9i)." Journal of Clinical Medicine 10, no. 15 (July 28, 2021): 3325. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jcm10153325.
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The international nine-item Voice Handicap Index (VHI-9i) is a clinically established short-scale version of the original VHI, quantifying the patients’ self-assessed vocal handicap. However, the current vocal impairment classification is based on percentiles. The main goals of this study were to establish test–retest reliability and a sound statistical basis for VHI-9i severity levels. Between 2009 and 2021, 17,660 consecutive cases were documented. A total of 416 test–retest pairs and 3661 unique cases with complete multidimensional voice diagnostics were statistically analyzed. Classification candidates were the overall self-assessed vocal impairment (VHIs) on a four-point Likert scale, the dysphonia severity index (DSI), the vocal extent measure (VEM), and the auditory–perceptual evaluation (GRB scale). The test–retest correlation of VHI-9i total scores was very high (r = 0.919, p < 0.01). Reliability was excellent regardless of gender or professional voice use, with negligible dependency on age. The VHIs correlated best with the VHI-9i, whereas statistical calculations proved that DSI, VEM, and GRB are unsuitable classification criteria. Based on ROC analysis, we suggest modifying the former VHI-9i severity categories as follows: 0 (healthy): 0 ≤ 7; 1 (mild): 8 ≤ 16; 2 (moderate): 17 ≤ 26; and 3 (severe): 27 ≤ 36.
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Kunz, Stefan. "The role of the vascular endothelium in arenavirus haemorrhagic fevers." Thrombosis and Haemostasis 102, no. 12 (2009): 1024–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1160/th09-06-0357.
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SummaryViral haemorrhagic fevers (VHF) caused by arenaviruses are among the most devastating emerging human diseases.The most important pathogen among the arenaviruses is Lassa virus (LASV), the causative agent of Lassa fever that is endemic to West Africa. On the South American continent, the New World arenavirus Junin virus (JUNV), Machupo (MACV), Guanarito (GTOV), and Sabia virus (SABV) have emerged as causative agents of severe VHFs. Clinical and experimental studies on arenavirus VHF have revealed a crucial role of the endothelium in their pathogenesis. However, in contrast to other VHFs, haemorrhages are not a salient feature of Lassa fever and fatal cases do not show overt destruction of vascular tissue.The functional alteration of the vascular endothelium that precede shock and death in fatal Lassa fever may be due to more subtle direct or indirect effects of the virus on endothelial cells. Haemorrhagic disease manifestations and vascular involvement are more pronounced in the VHF caused by the South American haemorrhagic fever viruses. Recent studies on JUNV revealed perturbation of specific endothelial cell function, including expression of cell adhesion molecules, coagulation factors, and vasoactive mediators as a consequence of productive viral infection.These studies provided first possible links to some of the vascular abnormalities observed in patients; however, their relevance in vivo remains to be investigated.
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EL-BAHNASAWY, MAMDOUH, LAILA MEGAHED, HALLA SALEH, and TOSSON MORSY. "TRAINING PROGRAM FOR THE NURSING STAFF REGARDING THE VIRAL HEMORRHAGIC FEVERS (VHFs) IN A FEVER HOSPITAL." Journal of the Egyptian Society of Parasitology 45, no. 2 (August 1, 2015): 249–72. http://dx.doi.org/10.21608/jesp.2015.89812.
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El-Bahnasawy, Mamdouh M. M., Laila Abdel-Mawla Megahed, and Halla Ahmed Abdullah Saleh. "Training Program for the Nursing Staff regarding the Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers ( VHFs ) in a Fever Hospital." Journal of the Egyptian Society of Parasitology 45, no. 2 (August 2015): 250–72. http://dx.doi.org/10.12816/0017570.
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Karshenboim, S. G., P. Fendel, V. G. Ivanov, N. N. Kolachevsky, and T. W. Hänsch. "The 2s hyperfine structure in hydrogen and deuterium: a precision test of bound state quantum electrodynamics." Canadian Journal of Physics 83, no. 4 (April 1, 2005): 283–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/p05-014.
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New experimental results for the 2s hyperfine interval in hydrogen and deuterium have been obtained by optical frequency measurement of the 1s2s two-photon transition for different spin states in a zero magnetic field. The accuracy exceeds that of earlier microwave measurements. Together with the precisely known ground-state hyperfine splitting, we obtain a value of D21 = 8vhfs(2s) vhfs(1s), which permits a test of quantum electrodynamics without suffering from large unknown nuclear structure effects. The theory of D21 in hydrogen and deuterium is also presented in this paper. PACS Nos.: 12.20Fv, 32.10Fn, 32.30Jc, 42.62Fi
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Gao, Lin, Wei Wen, Yuanli Wang, Zhaoyang Li, Erle Dang, Lei Yu, Chenxi Zhou, Meiheng Lu, and Gang Wang. "Fractional Carbon Dioxide Laser Improves Vaginal Laxity via Remodeling of Vaginal Tissues in Asian Women." Journal of Clinical Medicine 11, no. 17 (September 2, 2022): 5201. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jcm11175201.
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Background: Vaginal laxity (VL) is characterized by the relaxing of the vaginal wall that affects the quality of life and sexual function of patients. The current management of VL such as Kegel exercises and topical or systemic hormonal replacement results in unsatisfactory outcomes; thus, novel modalities are needed to improve the efficacy. Vaginal fractional carbon dioxide (CO2) laser treatment has shown growing applications for the treatment of VL, but results show nonconformities due to the lack of objective evaluations. In this study, we aimed to validate the clinical efficacy and biophysical benefits of fractional CO2 laser treatment for VL patients with the incorporation of objective approaches. Methods: This is a descriptive study without controls. A total of 29 patients were enrolled and treated with two sessions of FemTouch vaginal fractional CO2 laser, with a one-month interval between sessions. Both subjective and objective measurements, including female sexual function index (FSFI), vaginal health index score (VHIS), vaginal tactile imaging (VTI), and histology were used to validate the clinical efficacy and biophysical benefits after treatment. Results: The overall FSFI scores and VHIS scores after the first and second treatment sessions were significantly higher than the baseline scores (p < 0.01, n = 29). VTI measurements showed a significant increase in maximal pressure resistance (kPa) of both the anterior and posterior vaginal walls at a 10–12-month post-treatment visit compared with pre-treatment controls (p < 0.001; n = 16). Histological examination showed that laser treatment led to increases in the thickness of the stratified squamous epithelium layer and density of connective tissues in the lamina propria. Conclusions: Fractional CO2 vaginal laser treatment can improve both vaginal health and sexual function and restore vaginal biomechanical properties by increasing vaginal tissue tightening and improving vaginal tissue integrity in Asian women. Our data support that fractional CO2 vaginal laser is a valid treatment modality for VL.
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Pillai, Rahul, and Safal Rahim. "Fractional CO2 Laser Treatment for Vaginal Rejuvenation in Post-Menopausal Indian Women." Trichology and Cosmetology – Open Journal 3, no. 1 (December 21, 2018): 7–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.17140/tcoj-3-111.
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Background Laser vaginal rejuvenation is a minimally invasive fractional carbon dioxide (CO2) laser procedure for the woman with vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA), vaginal laxity and for the enhancement of sexual functioning. It has also been proposed for the woman with urge and stress urinary incontinence. CO2 stimulates collagen/elastin contraction, neocollagenesis, and neovascularization. Aim To study the efficacy of CO2 laser in the improvement of VVA, stress urinary incontinence, urge incontinence and sexual functioning. Materials and Methods Twenty-six patients who were in the menopausal transition to post-menopausal age group who presented with any one of the above-mentioned complaints were enrolled in our study. Prior to the treatment, a vaginal examination was performed to ensure patients’ eligibility for the treatment and to determine the vaginal health index score (VHIS), subjective evaluation of VVA symptoms was provided using the visual analog scale (VAS) and the vaginal tightening and patients’ satisfaction were assessed. They also took a questionnaire regarding their sexual functioning. They underwent 3 sessions of CO2 laser with a 1-month interval. Results Significant improvement in VVA was noted after 12-weeks which was observed in vaginal elasticity, fluid volume, epithelial integrity, and patients noted the reduced intensity of vaginal symptoms, such as vaginal burning, dryness, itching, and dyspareunia which was confirmed by improvement in VHIS and VAS. There was a subjective improvement in some patients for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and user interface (UI) as per patient feedback. Patients also noted a significant improvement in quality of life (QoL) and sexual functioning as there were improvement in female sexual function index (FSFI) and domain scores (i.e., desire, arousal, lubrication, pain, orgasm, satisfaction). Conclusion Fractional CO2 laser treatment definitely improved symptoms associated with VVA, stress and urge urinary incontinence, sexual functioning and overall QoL. Although various parameters and long-term results are yet to be noted, the treatment gives satisfying, non-surgical, out-patient, non-hormonal treatment for vaginal health.
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Schultz, Marcus J., Jacqueline Deen, Lorenz von Seidlein, Chaisith Sivakorn, Alex Kumar, Neill K. J. Adhikari, Bridget Wills, et al. "Remote-Controlled and Pulse Pressure–Guided Fluid Treatment for Adult Patients with Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers." American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 104, no. 4 (April 7, 2021): 1172–75. http://dx.doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.20-1515.
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ABSTRACTCirculatory shock, caused by severe intravascular volume depletion resulting from gastrointestinal losses and profound capillary leak, is a common clinical feature of viral hemorrhagic fevers, including Ebola virus disease, Marburg hemorrhagic fever, and Lassa fever. These conditions are associated with high case fatality rates, and they carry a significant risk of infection for treating personnel. Optimized fluid therapy is the cornerstone of management of these diseases, but there are few data on the extent of fluid losses and the severity of the capillary leak in patients with VHFs, and no specific guidelines for fluid resuscitation and hemodynamic monitoring exist. We propose an innovative approach for monitoring VHF patients, in particular suited for low-resource settings, facilitating optimizing fluid therapy through remote-controlled and pulse pressure–guided fluid resuscitation. This strategy would increase the capacity for adequate supportive care, while decreasing the risk for virus transmission to health personnel.
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Nakamura, M., E. Tatsumi, Y. Taenaka, K. Toda, T. Masuzawa, Y. Sohn, T. Nakatani, et al. "EARLY CHANGES IN CIRCULATING BLOOD VOLUME (CBV) AND VOLUME-REGULATING HUMORAL FACTORS (VHFs) AFTER IMPLANTATION OF AN ELECTRO-HYDRAULIC TOTAL ARTIFICIAL HEART (EH-TAH)." ASAIO Journal 43, no. 2 (March 1997): 47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00002480-199703000-00170.
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Rado, Rudini Hasyim, Barda Nawawi Arief, and Eko Soponyono. "KEBIJAKAN MEDIASI PENAL TERHADAP PENYELESAIAN KONFLIK SARA DI KEPULAUAN KEI DALAM UPAYA PEMBAHARUAN HUKUM PIDANA NASIONAL." LAW REFORM 12, no. 2 (September 30, 2016): 266. http://dx.doi.org/10.14710/lr.v12i2.15879.
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Mediasi penal merupakan salah satu ciri khas hukum adat. Penyelesaian damai kasus pidana bahkan sudah merupakan kearifan lokal di berbagai daerah dan hukum adat di Indonesia yang bertujuan untuk menyelesaikan konflik, memulihkan keseimbangan dan mendatangkan rasa damai. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui kebijakan penerapan mediasi penal terhadap penyelesaian konflik SARA berdasarkan hukum adat di Kepulauan Kei dan menganalisis kebijakan mediasi penal dalam upaya pembaharuan hukum pidana. Metode penelitian yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah penelitian kualitatif dengan pendekatan yuridis empiris dan yuridis normatif yang diorientasikan pada pendekatan nilai (value-oriented approach) dan pendekatan kebijakan (policy-oriented approach). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kebijakan penerapan mediasi penal dalam penyelesaian konflik SARA Kei, bentuk penyelesaiannya di luar proses peradilan pidana melalui mekanisme Sdov (perundingan/musyawarah), yaitu perundingan yang dilakukan oleh para pihak dalam komunitas masing-masing selanjutnya dimintakan perdamaian pada struktur adat sebagai vhis bad (penengah) untuk mengakhiri konflik. Sedangkan kebijakan mediasi penal dalam pembaharuan hukum pidana dapat ditempuh melalui dua bentuk, yaitu bentuk mediasi penal di luar proses peradilan pidana (lembaga adat desa/lembaga kemasyarakatan desa) menggunakan mekanisme perundingan/musyawarah unsur mediator yaitu struktur adat/struktur desa dan bentuk mediasi penal sebagai bagian dari proses sistem peradilan pidana (SPP) melalui penyidik, penuntut umum, hakim, lembaga pemasyarakatan sebagai mediator pada tahapan masing-masing.
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A Kumosani, Taha, Abdulrahman L Al-Malki, Syed S Razvi, Maha J Balgoon, Mohammed Kaleem, Etimad A Huwait, Maryam A Alghamdi, et al. "Hemorrhagic fever in Saudi Arabia: challenge to public health, effective management and future considerations." African Health Sciences 20, no. 3 (October 7, 2020): 1153–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v20i3.17.
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Background: Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHF) refers to a group of febrile illnesses caused by different viruses that result in high mortality in animals and humans. Many risk factors like increased human-animal interactions, climate change, increased mobility of people and limited diagnostic facility have contributed to the rapid spread of VHF.
Materials: The history of VHFs in the Saudi Arabian Peninsula has been documented since the 19th century, in which many outbreaks have been reported from the southwestern region of Saudi Arabia. Despite presence of regional network of experts and technical organizations, which expedite support and respond during outbreaks, there are some more challenges that need to be addressed immediately. Gaps in funding, exhaustive and inclusive response plans and improved surveillance systems are some areas of concern in the region which can be dealt productively. This review primarily focusses on the hem- orrhagic fevers that are caused by three most common viruses namely, the Alkhurma hemorrhagic fever virus, Rift valley fever virus, and Dengue fever virus.
Conclusion: In summary, effective vector control, health education, possible use of vaccine and concerted synchronized efforts between different government organizations and private research institutions will help in planning effective out- break-prevention and response strategies in future.
Keywords: Viral fever; hemorrhagic fever (VHF); Saudi Arabia; challenges; management; future considerations.
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Alemu, Woubet G., and Christopher S. R. Neigh. "Desert Locust Cropland Damage Differentiated from Drought, with Multi-Source Remote Sensing in Ethiopia." Remote Sensing 14, no. 7 (April 2, 2022): 1723. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs14071723.
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In 2020, Ethiopia had the worst desert locust outbreak in 25 years, leading to food insecurity. Locust research has typically focused on predicting the paths and breeding grounds based on ground surveys and remote sensing of outbreak factors. In this study, we hypothesized that it is possible to detect desert locust cropland damage through the analysis of fine-scale (5–10 m) resolution satellite remote sensing datasets. We performed our analysis on 121 swarm point locations on croplands derived from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, and 94 ‘non-affected’ random cropland sample points generated for this study that are distributed within 20–25 km from the ‘center’ of swarm affected sample locations. Integrated Drought Condition Indices (IDCIs) and Vegetation Health Indices (VHIs) calculated for the affected sample locations for 2000–2020 were strongly correlated (R2 > 0.90) with that of the corresponding non-affected group of sample sites. Drought indices were strongly correlated with the evaluation Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Indices (SPEIs), and showed that 2020 was the wettest year since 2000. In 2020, the NDVI and backscatter coefficient of cropland phenologies from the affected versus non-affected cropland sample sites showed a slightly wider, but significant gap in March (short growing season) and August-October (long growing season). Thus, slightly wider gaps in cropland phenologies between the affected and non-affected sites were likely induced from the locust damage, not drought, with fine scale data representing a larger gap.
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Lan, Shuiyun, Lisa McLay Schelde, Jialong Wang, Naveen Kumar, Hinh Ly, and Yuying Liang. "Development of Infectious Clones for Virulent and Avirulent Pichinde Viruses: a Model Virus To Study Arenavirus-Induced Hemorrhagic Fevers." Journal of Virology 83, no. 13 (April 22, 2009): 6357–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/jvi.00019-09.
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ABSTRACT Several arenaviruses can cause hemorrhagic fever diseases (VHFs) in humans, the pathogenic mechanism of which is poorly understood due to their virulent nature and the lack of molecular clones. A safe, convenient, and economical small animal model of arenavirus hemorrhagic fever is based on guinea pigs infected by the arenavirus Pichinde (PICV). PICV does not cause disease in humans, but an adapted strain of PICV (P18) causes a disease in guinea pigs that mimics arenavirus hemorrhagic fever in humans in many aspects, while a low-passaged strain (P2) remains avirulent in infected animals. In order to identify the virulence determinants within the PICV genome, we developed the molecular clones for both the avirulent P2 and virulent P18 viruses. Recombinant viruses were generated by transfecting plasmids that contain the antigenomic L and S RNA segments of PICV under the control of the T7 promoter into BSRT7-5 cells, which constitutively express T7 RNA polymerase. By analyzing viral growth kinetics in vitro and virulence in vivo, we show that the recombinant viruses accurately recapitulate the replication and virulence natures of their respective parental viruses. Both parental and recombinant virulent viruses led to high levels of viremia and titers in different organs of the infected animals, whereas the avirulent viruses were effectively controlled and cleared by the hosts. These novel infectious clones for the PICV provide essential tools to identify the virulence factors that are responsible for the severe VHF-like disease in infected animals.
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Izzah, L. N., Z. Majid, M. A. M. Ariff, and C. K. Fook. "GEOSPATIAL ANALYSIS OF URBAN LAND USE PATTERN ANALYSIS FOR HEMORRHAGIC FEVER RISK – A REVIEW." ISPRS - International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences XLII-4/W1 (September 29, 2016): 37–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-xlii-4-w1-37-2016.
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Human modification of the natural environment continues to create habitats in which vectors of a wide variety of human and animal pathogens (such as Plasmodium, Aedes aegypti, Arenavirus etc.) thrive if unabated with an enormous potential to negatively affect public health. Typical examples of these modifications include impoundments, dams, irrigation systems, landfills and so on that provide enabled environment for the transmission of Hemorrhagic fever such as malaria, dengue, avian flu, Lassa fever etc. Furthermore, contemporary urban dwelling pattern appears to be associated with the prevalence of Hemorrhagic diseases in recent years. These observations are not peculiar to the developing world, as urban expansion also contributes significantly to mosquito and other vectors habitats. This habitats offer breeding ground to some vector virus populations. The key to disease control is developing an understanding of the contribution of human landscape modification to vector-borne pathogen transmission and how a balance may be achieved between human development, public health, and responsible urban land use. A comprehensive review of urban land use Pattern Analysis for Hemorrhagic fever risk has been conducted in this paper. The study found that most of the available literatures dwell more on the impact of urban land use on malaria and dengue fevers; however, studies are yet to be found discussing the implications of urban land use on the risk of Ebola, Lassa and other non-mosquito borne VHFs. A relational model for investigating the influence of urban land use change pattern on the risk of Hemorrhagic fever has been proposed in this study.
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Okeke, Iruka N., Robert S. Manning, and Thomas Pfeiffer. "Diagnostic schemes for reducing epidemic size of african viral hemorrhagic fever outbreaks." Journal of Infection in Developing Countries 8, no. 09 (September 12, 2014): 1148–59. http://dx.doi.org/10.3855/jidc.4636.
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Introduction: Viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) outbreaks, with high mortality rates, have often been amplified in African health institutions due to person-to-person transmission via infected body fluids. By collating and analyzing epidemiological data from documented outbreaks, we observed that diagnostic delay contributes to epidemic size for Ebola and Marburg hemorrhagic fever outbreaks. Methodology: We used a susceptible-exposed-infectious-removed (SEIR) model and data from the 1995 outbreak in Kikwit, Democratic Republic of Congo, to simulate Ebola hemorrhagic fever epidemics. Our model allows us to describe the dynamics for hospital staff separately from that for the general population, and to implement health worker-specific interventions. Results: The model illustrates that implementing World Health Organization/US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines of isolating patients who do not respond to antimalarial and antibacterial chemotherapy reduces total outbreak size, from a median of 236, by 90% or more. Routinely employing diagnostic testing in post-mortems of patients that died of refractory fevers reduces the median outbreak size by a further 60%. Even greater reductions in outbreak size were seen when all febrile patients were tested for endemic infections or when febrile health-care workers were tested. The effect of testing strategies was not impaired by the 1-3 day delay that would occur if testing were performed by a reference laboratory. Conclusion: In addition to improving the quality of care for common causes of febrile infections, increased and strategic use of laboratory diagnostics for fever could reduce the chance of hospital amplification of VHFs in resource-limited African health systems.
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Mazzanti, Virginia, Martina Cacciarini, Søren L. Broman, Christian R. Parker, Magnus Schau-Magnussen, Andrew D. Bond, and Mogens B. Nielsen. "On the bromination of the dihydroazulene/vinylheptafulvene photo-/thermoswitch." Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry 8 (June 27, 2012): 958–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.3762/bjoc.8.108.
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Background: The dihydroazulene (DHA)/vinylheptafulvene (VHF) system (with two cyano groups at C1) functions as a photo-/thermoswitch. Direct ionic bromination of DHA has previously furnished a regioselective route to a 7,8-dibromide, which by elimination was converted to a 7-bromo-substituted DHA. This compound has served as a central building block for functionalization of the DHA by palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. The current work explores another bromination protocol for achieving the isomeric 3-bromo-DHA and also explores the outcome of additional bromination of this compound as well as of the known 7-bromo-DHA. Results: Radical bromination on two different VHFs by using N-bromosuccinimide/benzoyl peroxide and light, followed by a ring-closure reaction generated the corresponding 3-bromo-DHAs, as confirmed in one case by X-ray crystallography. According to a 1H NMR spectroscopic study, the ring closure of the brominated VHF seemed to occur readily under the reaction conditions. A subsequent bromination–elimination protocol provided a 3,7-dibromo-DHA. In contrast, treating the known 7-bromo-DHA with bromine generated a very labile species that was converted to a new 3,7-dibromoazulene, i.e., the fully unsaturated species. Azulenes were also found to form from brominated compounds when left standing for a long time in the solid state. Kinetics measurements reveal that the 3-bromo substituent enhances the rate of the thermal conversion of the VHF to DHA, which is opposite to the effect exerted by a bromo substituent in the seven-membered ring. Conclusion: Two general procedures for functionalizing the DHA core with a bromo substituent (at positions 3 and 7, respectively) are now available with the DHA as starting material.
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Douglas, Kirk, Thelma Samuels, and Marquita Gittens-St. Hilaire. "Serum LPS Associated with Hantavirus and Dengue Disease Severity in Barbados." Viruses 11, no. 9 (September 9, 2019): 838. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/v11090838.
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Hantavirus and dengue virus (DENV) infections are caused by RNA viruses which infect immune systems’ cells including monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells and occur year-round in Barbados. A retrospective serological study (2008–2015) was conducted on hantavirus and dengue patient sera confirmed by IgM and IgG ELISA, NS1 and RT-PCR using Limulus amoebocyte lysate (LAL) kinetic turbidimetric method to determine serum endotoxin levels. Hantavirus patients were categorized into two groups, namely (a) hospitalized and (b) non-hospitalized. Dengue patients were categorized into 3 groups using 2009 WHO dengue guidelines (a) severe dengue (SD), (b) hospitalized non-severe dengue (non-SD) and (c) non-hospitalized non-SD. Statistical analyses were conducted to determine the association of endotoxin levels with hantavirus disease severity based on hospitalization and dengue disease severity. Serum endotoxin levels are associated with hantavirus disease severity and hospitalization and dengue disease severity (p < 0.01). Similar studies have found an association of serum endotoxin levels with dengue disease severity but never with hantavirus infection. Co-detection of hantavirus- and DENV-specific IgM in some patients were observed with elevated serum endotoxin levels. In addition, previous studies observed hantavirus replication in the gut of patients, gastrointestinal tract as a possible entry route of infection and evidence of microbial translocation and its impact on hantavirus disease severity. A significant correlation of serum endotoxin and hantavirus disease severity and hospitalization in hantavirus infected patients is reported for the first time ever. In addition, serum endotoxin levels correlated with dengue disease severity. This study adds further support to the role of endotoxin in both hantavirus and dengue virus infection and disease severity and its role as a possible therapeutic target for viral haemorrhagic fevers (VHFs).
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F.P., Mohsina, Faheem I.P., Mohammad Mukim, Shahana Tabassum, Shoheb Tarkash, Irshad Shah, and Abhinandan Patil. "Prevalence, Pathogenesis and Identification of Clinical Risk Factors Associated with Dengue Virus (DENV)." Indo Global Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 12 (2022): 189–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.35652/igjps.2022.12023.
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Dengue, also called the break bone fever. Dengue disease is caused by dengue virus (DENV) having four categories that escalate by the bite of infected Aedes mosquito’s family are Flaviviridae. The infected person shows the signs and symptoms from mild asymptomatic changes with fever to severe deadly dengue hemorrhagicfever/dengue shock syndrome (DHF/DSS). Nearly 2.5-3 billion people stay in dengue-prone areas with more than 100 million new cases ruled out every year worldwide. Number of Dengue cases has increased tremendous ratio in recent years with sudden risk of the increase in the size of human population. A condition known as viremia (medical term: virus present in blood) occurs due to spread of DENV, which represents high level of viruses in bloodstream of patient. In response the immune system gets activated and produces antibodies against the dengue viral particles, which in turn activates the complement cascade which in combination of the antibodies and WBC get rid of the virus. The cytotoxic T cells (CD8+ T) produced by the body immune system, which identifies and destroy infected cells. Dengue spreads drastically, its virus regress the immunity of body. DENV reduces the bodies’ resistance and decreases the Platelets count and Hemoglobin. Fall in blood pressure and bleeding from Nose and Gums, Dehydration can occur. Small blood vessels are fragile, the fluid in the body leaks out, accumulate in the lungs. When there is bleeding, the fluid is accumulated in the stomach it can result to mortality or can be fatal. The DENV-3 infection cause Dengue Viral Hemorrhagicfever (VHFs)which is severe and fatal form of the disease. The main Dengue shock syndrome is the most severe form of Dengue Hemorrhagicfever. Dengue has presently become a complex issue according to pathophysiological, economic and ecologic. In the last 5 decades anumber of treatment strategies and plans to control dengue came out in India, but the scientific studies related to various problems of dengue disease have been a limited resource in the centerswhere treatment was carried out. The key note point to reduce the number of disease related morbidity and mortality has to be carried out by early identification and immediate commencement of proper treatment.©2022iGlobal Research and PublishingFoundation. All rights reserved.
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Hickman, Mark R., David L. Saunders, Catherine A. Bigger, Christopher D. Kane, and Patrick L. Iversen. "The development of broad-spectrum antiviral medical countermeasures to treat viral hemorrhagic fevers caused by natural or weaponized virus infections." PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 16, no. 3 (March 8, 2022): e0010220. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0010220.
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The Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) began development of a broad-spectrum antiviral countermeasure against deliberate use of high-consequence viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) in 2016. The effort featured comprehensive preclinical research, including laboratory testing and rapid advancement of lead molecules into nonhuman primate (NHP) models of Ebola virus disease (EVD). Remdesivir (GS-5734, Veklury, Gilead Sciences) was the first small molecule therapeutic to successfully emerge from this effort. Remdesivir is an inhibitor of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, a viral enzyme that is essential for viral replication. Its robust potency and broad-spectrum antiviral activity against certain RNA viruses including Ebola virus and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) led to its clinical evaluation in randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) in human patients during the 2018 EVD outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic today. Remdesivir was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of COVID-19 requiring hospitalization. Substantial gaps remain in improving the outcomes of acute viral infections for patients afflicted with both EVD and COVID-19, including how to increase therapeutic breadth and strategies for the prevention and treatment of severe disease. Combination therapy that joins therapeutics with complimentary mechanisms of action appear promising, both preclinically and in RCTs. Importantly, significant programmatic challenges endure pertaining to a clear drug and biological product development pathway for therapeutics targeting biodefense and emerging pathogens when human efficacy studies are not ethical or feasible. For example, remdesivir’s clinical development was facilitated by outbreaks of Ebola and SARS-CoV-2; as such, the development pathway employed for remdesivir is likely to be the exception rather than the rule. The current regulatory licensure pathway for therapeutics targeting rare, weaponizable VHF agents is likely to require use of FDA’s established Animal Rule (21 CFR 314.600–650 for drugs; 21 CFR 601.90–95 for biologics). The FDA may grant marketing approval based on adequate and well-controlled animal efficacy studies when the results of those studies establish that the drug is safe and likely to produce clinical benefit in humans. In practical terms, this is anticipated to include a series of rigorous, well-documented, animal challenge studies, to include aerosol challenge, combined with human safety data. While small clinical studies against naturally occurring, high-consequence pathogens are typically performed where possible, approval for the therapeutics currently under development against biodefense pathogens will likely require the Animal Rule pathway utilizing studies in NHPs. We review the development of remdesivir as illustrative of the effort that will be needed to field future therapeutics against highly lethal, infectious agents.
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Machner, Björn, Kira Erber, Jin Hee Choi, Andreas Sprenger, Christoph Helmchen, and Peter Trillenberg. "A Simple Gain-Based Evaluation of the Video Head Impulse Test Reliably Detects Normal Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex Indicative of Stroke in Patients With Acute Vestibular Syndrome." Frontiers in Neurology 12 (October 29, 2021). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2021.741859.
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Objective: The head impulse test (HIT) assesses the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and is used to differentiate vestibular neuritis (abnormal VOR) from stroke (normal VOR) in patients presenting with an acute vestibular syndrome (AVS). The video-oculography-based HIT (vHIT) quantifies VOR function and provides information imperceptible for the clinician during clinical bedside HIT. However, the vHIT—like an electrocardiogram—requires experienced interpretation, which is especially difficult in the emergency setting. This calls for a simple, reliable and rater-independent way of analysis.Methods: We retrospectively collected 171 vHITs performed in patients presenting with AVS to our emergency department. Three neuro-otological experts comprehensively assessed the vHITs including interpretability (artifacts), VOR gain (eye/head velocity ratio), velocity profile (abrupt decline) and corrective saccades (overt/covert). Their consensus rating (abnormal/peripheral vs. normal/central) was compared to a simple algorithm that automatically classified the vHITs based on a single VOR gain cutoff (0.7).Results: Inter-rater agreement between experts was high (Fleiss' kappa = 0.74). Five (2.9 %) vHITs were “uninterpretable” according to experts' consensus, 80 (46.8 %) were rated “normal” and 86 (50.3 %) “abnormal”. The algorithm had substantial agreement with the experts' consensus (Cohen's kappa = 0.75). Importantly, it correctly classified all of the normal/central vHITs denoted by the experts (100% specificity) and at the same time it had sufficient sensitivity (75.6%) in detecting abnormal/peripheral vHITs.Conclusion: A simple, automated, gain-based evaluation of the vHIT reliably detects normal/central VOR and may be a feasible and effective tool to screen AVS patients for potentially underlying stroke in the emergency setting.
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Hamilton, Holly K., Brian J. Roach, Idil Cavus, Timothy J. Teyler, Wesley C. Clapp, Judith M. Ford, Erendiz Tarakci, John H. Krystal, and Daniel H. Mathalon. "Impaired Potentiation of Theta Oscillations During a Visual Cortical Plasticity Paradigm in Individuals With Schizophrenia." Frontiers in Psychiatry 11 (December 16, 2020). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.590567.
Full textAbstract:
Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a form of experience-dependent synaptic plasticity mediated by glutamatergic transmission at N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs). Impaired neuroplasticity has been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, possibly due to underlying NMDAR hypofunction. Analogous to the high frequency electrical stimulation used to induce LTP in vitro and in vivo in animal models, repeated high frequency presentation of a visual stimulus in humans in vivo has been shown to induce enduring LTP-like neuroplastic changes in electroencephalography (EEG)-based visual evoked potentials (VEPs) elicited by the stimulus. Using this LTP-like visual plasticity paradigm, we previously showed that visual high-frequency stimulation (VHFS) induced sustained changes in VEP amplitudes in healthy controls, but not in patients with schizophrenia. Here, we extend this prior work by re-analyzing the EEG data underlying the VEPs, focusing on neuroplastic changes in stimulus-evoked EEG oscillatory activity following VHFS. EEG data were recorded from 19 patients with schizophrenia and 21 healthy controls during the visual plasticity paradigm. Event-related EEG oscillations (total power, intertrial phase coherence; ITC) elicited by a standard black and white checkerboard stimulus (~0.83 Hz, several 2-min blocks) were assessed before and after exposure to VHFS with the same stimulus (~8.9 Hz, 2 min). A cluster-based permutation testing approach was applied to time-frequency data to examine LTP-like plasticity effects following VHFS. VHFS enhanced theta band total power and ITC in healthy controls but not in patients with schizophrenia. The magnitude and phase synchrony of theta oscillations in response to a visual stimulus were enhanced for at least 22 min following VHFS, a frequency domain manifestation of LTP-like visual cortical plasticity. These theta oscillation changes are deficient in patients with schizophrenia, consistent with hypothesized NMDA receptor dysfunction.
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Hamilton, Holly K., Brian J. Roach, Idil Cavus, Timothy J. Teyler, Wesley C. Clapp, Judith M. Ford, Erendiz Tarakci, John H. Krystal, and Daniel H. Mathalon. "Impaired Potentiation of Theta Oscillations During a Visual Cortical Plasticity Paradigm in Individuals With Schizophrenia." Frontiers in Psychiatry 11 (December 16, 2020). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.590567.
Full textAbstract:
Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a form of experience-dependent synaptic plasticity mediated by glutamatergic transmission at N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs). Impaired neuroplasticity has been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, possibly due to underlying NMDAR hypofunction. Analogous to the high frequency electrical stimulation used to induce LTP in vitro and in vivo in animal models, repeated high frequency presentation of a visual stimulus in humans in vivo has been shown to induce enduring LTP-like neuroplastic changes in electroencephalography (EEG)-based visual evoked potentials (VEPs) elicited by the stimulus. Using this LTP-like visual plasticity paradigm, we previously showed that visual high-frequency stimulation (VHFS) induced sustained changes in VEP amplitudes in healthy controls, but not in patients with schizophrenia. Here, we extend this prior work by re-analyzing the EEG data underlying the VEPs, focusing on neuroplastic changes in stimulus-evoked EEG oscillatory activity following VHFS. EEG data were recorded from 19 patients with schizophrenia and 21 healthy controls during the visual plasticity paradigm. Event-related EEG oscillations (total power, intertrial phase coherence; ITC) elicited by a standard black and white checkerboard stimulus (~0.83 Hz, several 2-min blocks) were assessed before and after exposure to VHFS with the same stimulus (~8.9 Hz, 2 min). A cluster-based permutation testing approach was applied to time-frequency data to examine LTP-like plasticity effects following VHFS. VHFS enhanced theta band total power and ITC in healthy controls but not in patients with schizophrenia. The magnitude and phase synchrony of theta oscillations in response to a visual stimulus were enhanced for at least 22 min following VHFS, a frequency domain manifestation of LTP-like visual cortical plasticity. These theta oscillation changes are deficient in patients with schizophrenia, consistent with hypothesized NMDA receptor dysfunction.
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Jiang, Rengui, Jichao Liang, Yong Zhao, Hao Wang, Jiancang Xie, Xixi Lu, and Fawen Li. "Assessment of vegetation growth and drought conditions using satellite-based vegetation health indices in Jing-Jin-Ji region of China." Scientific Reports 11, no. 1 (July 2, 2021). http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-93328-z.
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AbstractTerrestrial vegetation growth activity plays pivotal roles on regional development, which has attracted wide attention especially in water resources shortage areas. The paper investigated the spatiotemporal change characteristics of vegetation growth activity using satellite-based Vegetation Health Indices (VHIs) including smoothed Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (SMN), smoothed Brightness Temperature (SMT), Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), Temperature Condition Index (TCI) and VHI, based on 7-day composite temporal resolution and 16 km spatial resolution gridded data, and also estimated the drought conditions for the period of 1982–2016 in Jing-Jin-Ji region of China. The Niño 3.4 was used as a substitution of El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) to reveal vegetation sensitivity to ENSO using correlation and wavelet analysis. Results indicated that monthly SMN has increased throughout the year especially during growing season, starts at approximate April and ends at about October. The correlation analysis between SMN and SMT, SMN and precipitation indicated that the vegetation growth was affected by joint effects of temperature and precipitation. The VCI during growing season was positive trends dominated and vice versa for TCI. The relationships between VHIs and drought make it possible to identify and quantify drought intensity, duration and affected area using different ranges of VHIs. Generally, the intensity and affected area of drought had mainly decreased, but the trends varied for different drought intensities, regions and time periods. Large-scale global climate anomalies such as Niño 3.4 exerted obvious impacts on the VHIs. The Niño 3.4 was mainly negatively correlated to VCI and positively correlated to TCI, and the spatial distributions of areas with positive (negative) correlation coefficients were mainly opposite. The linear relationships between Niño 3.4 and VHIs were in accordance with results of nonlinear relationships revealed using wavelet analysis. The results are of great importance to assess the vegetation growth activity, to monitor and quantify drought using satellite-based VHIs in Jing-Jin-Ji region.
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Nam, Gi-Sung, Hyun-June Shin, Jin-Ju Kang, Na-Ri Lee, and Sun-Young Oh. "Clinical Implication of Corrective Saccades in the Video Head Impulse Test for the Diagnosis of Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery Infarction." Frontiers in Neurology 12 (February 18, 2021). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2021.605040.
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Objective: In the present study, we characterized the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain and properties of corrective saccades (CS) in patients with posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) stroke and determined the best parameter to differentiate PICA stroke from benign peripheral vestibular neuritis (VN). In particular, we studied CS amplitude and asymmetry in video head impulse tests (vHITs) to discriminate these two less-studied disease conditions.Methods: The vHITs were performed within 1 week from symptom onset in patients with PICA stroke (n = 17), patients with VN (n = 17), and healthy subjects (HS, n = 17).Results: PICA stroke patients had bilaterally reduced VOR gains in the horizontal semicircular canal (HC) and the posterior semicircular canal (PC) compared with HSs. When compared with VN patients, PICA stroke patients showed preserved gains in the HC and anterior semicircular canal (AC) bilaterally (i.e., symmetric VOR gain). Similar to VOR gain, smaller but bilaterally symmetric CS in the HC and AC were observed in PICA stroke patients compared with VN patients; the mean amplitude of CS for the ipsilesional HC was reduced (p < 0.001, Mann–Whitney U-test), but the mean amplitude of CS for the contralesional HC was increased (p < 0.03, Mann–Whitney U-test) in PICA stroke compared with VN. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed that CS amplitude asymmetry (CSs) and VOR gain asymmetry (Gs) of HC are excellent parameters to distinguish PICA stroke from VN.Conclusion: In the current study, we quantitatively investigated the VOR gain and CS using vHITs for three semicircular canals in PICA stroke and VN patients. In addition to VOR gain, quantitative assessments of CS using vHITs can provide sensitive and objective parameters to distinguish between peripheral and central vestibulopathies.
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Ibeh, C. O., O. E. Okwute, A. A. Alali, E. C. Iwunze, J. I. Aleme, V. I. Ogbonna, T. Jamabo, et al. "Viral Haemorrhagic Fever Epidemics and Health Workers: Investigating the Level of Preparedness in a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria." International Journal of TROPICAL DISEASE & Health, December 31, 2020, 19–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.9734/ijtdh/2020/v41i2430422.
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Aim: This study assessed the state of infection prevention and control (IPC) with an emphasis on a hospital’s preparedness for mitigating the spread of viral haemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) to staff.
Methods: This convergent parallel mixed-methods study obtained data on IPC using an observational checklist in clinical departments and units; key informant interviews of stakeholders; and a structured self-administered questionnaire with frontline health workers. Both qualitative and quantitative data analyses were conducted to determine the IPC practice and level of preparedness of the hospital for the threat of VHFs.
Results: The frontline clinical staff who responded to the questionnaires were aged 31 – 40 years (53.8%), male (50.3%) and medical doctors (72.2%). Some of the respondents had received training in hand washing (41.5%), use of PPE (35.1%) and standard precaution for VHFs (26.8%). Fewer respondents consistently used gloves (36.8%), face masks (8.6%), aprons (8.5%) and sharps containers (26.7%) during patient care. Amenities available for IPC varied across the 184 clinical service points in the hospital’s 19 departments. More service points had waste bins (86%), washing sinks (80%) and running water (74%) while a few had a standard operating procedure for hand washing (6%) and cabinets for storing PPEs (12%). The most significant challenge to the use of IPC measures was the inadequacy of amenities such as full PPE gear, respirator, aprons, and face masks within the clinical service points.
Conclusion: There is a poor level of preparedness for outbreaks of VHFs and this calls for strengthening administrative, engineering and environmental control in health facilities to stem outbreaks among health.
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Flórez-Álvarez, Lizdany, Edmarcia Elisa de Souza, Viviane Fongaro Botosso, Danielle Bruna Leal de Oliveira, Paulo Lee Ho, Carlos Pelleschi Taborda, Giuseppe Palmisano, et al. "Hemorrhagic fever viruses: Pathogenesis, therapeutics, and emerging and re-emerging potential." Frontiers in Microbiology 13 (October 25, 2022). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.1040093.
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Hemorrhagic fever viruses (HFVs) pose a threat to global public health owing to the emergence and re-emergence of highly fatal diseases. Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) caused by these viruses are mostly characterized by an acute febrile syndrome with coagulation abnormalities and generalized hemorrhage that may lead to life-threatening organ dysfunction. Currently, the events underlying the viral pathogenicity associated with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome still underexplored. In this minireview, we address the current knowledge of the mechanisms underlying VHFs pathogenesis and discuss the available development of preventive and therapeutic options to treat these infections. Furthermore, we discuss the potential of HFVs to cause worldwide emergencies along with factors that favor their spread beyond their original niches.
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Rugarabamu, Sima, Susan F. Rumisha, Gaspary O. Mwanyika, Calvin Sindato, Hee-Young Lim, Gerald Misinzo, and Leonard E. G. Mboera. "Viral haemorrhagic fevers and malaria co-infections among febrile patients seeking health care in Tanzania." Infectious Diseases of Poverty 11, no. 1 (April 25, 2022). http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s40249-022-00959-z.
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Abstract Background In recent years there have been reports of viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF) epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa where malaria is endemic. VHF and malaria have overlapping clinical presentations making differential diagnosis a challenge. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of selected zoonotic VHFs and malaria co-infections among febrile patients seeking health care in Tanzania. Methods This facility-based cross-sectional study was carried out between June and November 2018 in Buhigwe, Kalambo, Kyela, Kilindi, Kinondoni, Kondoa, Mvomero, and Ukerewe districts in Tanzania. The study involved febrile patients seeking health care from primary healthcare facilities. Blood samples were collected and tested for infections due to malaria, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), Ebola virus disease (EVD), Marburg virus disease (MVD), Rift Valley fever (RVF) and yellow fever (YF). Malaria infections were tested using rapid diagnostics tests while exposure to VHFs was determined by screening for immunoglobulin M antibodies using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The Chi-square test was used to compare the proportions. Results A total of 308 participants (mean age = 35 ± 19 years) were involved in the study. Of these, 54 (17.5%) had malaria infection and 15 (4.8%) were positive for IgM antibodies against VHFs (RVF = 8; CCHF = 2; EBV = 3; MBV = 1; YF = 1). Six (1.9%) individuals had both VHF (RVF = 2; CCHF = 1; EVD = 2; MVD = 1) and malaria infections. The highest co-infection prevalence (0.6%) was observed among individuals aged 46‒60 years (P < 0.05). District was significantly associated with co-infection (P < 0.05) with the highest prevalence recorded in Buhigwe (1.2%) followed by Kinondoni (0.9%) districts. Headache (100%) and muscle, bone, back and joint pains (83.3%) were the most significant complaints among those infected with both VHFs and malaria (P = 0.001). Conclusions Co-infections of VHF and malaria are prevalent in Tanzania and affect more the older than the younger population. Since the overlapping symptoms in co-infected individuals may challenge accurate diagnosis, adequate laboratory diagnosis should be emphasized in the management of febrile illnesses.
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Bonney, Joseph HK, Theodore W. Asigbee, Erasmus Kotey, Keren Attiku, Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, Gifty Mawuli, Evelyn Y. Bonney, et al. "Molecular detection of viral pathogens from suspected viral hemorrhagic fever patients in Ghana." Health Sciences Investigations Journal, June 1, 2020, 31–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.46829/hsijournal.2020.6.1.1.31-35.
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Background: Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) are infectious illnesses that can cause serious morbidity and mortality to infected persons. During the 2014 Ebola virus disease outbreak in some West African countries, Ghana revamped its surveillance system across the country to prepare, effectively respond and pre-empt any public health concerns Objective: We report on suspected VHF clinical specimens submitted to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) from health facilities across the country for diagnosis within the period under review. This was partly to provide rapid response and to alert the health system to prevent outbreaks and its spread. Methods: From January 2017 to December 2018 clinical specimens of blood from 149 cases of suspected VHFs were collected at health facilities across the country and sent to NMIMR. Patient specimens were tested for viral pathogens including Lassa fever, Yellow fever, Dengue fever, Chikungunya, Zika, Ebola and Marburg by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. A case was however tested for influenza as the patient exhibited respiratory distress symptoms as well. Demographic and clinical information collected on a structured case-based forms were analyzed for each patient. Results: Out of the 149 clinical specimens tested, three (3) were found to be positive, with two (2) being Dengue and one (1) seasonal Influenza A H1N1. Analysis of the case-based forms revealed shortcomings with regards to standard case definitions used to enroll suspected cases. Conclusion: Our results buttress the need for a routine surveillance activity for VHFs to minimize spread and possibly forestall outbreaks. Moreover, febrile illnesses can be caused by a host of pathogens hence there is a need for enhanced diagnosis to help in patient management.
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Cochrane, Graham D., Jennifer B. Christy, Ethan T. Kicker, Ryan P. Kailey, and Brandon K. England. "Inter-rater and test-retest reliability of computerized clinical vestibular tools." Journal of Vestibular Research, February 25, 2021, 1–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/ves-201522.
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BACKGROUND: Clinical vestibular technology is rapidly evolving to improve objective assessments of vestibular function. Understanding the reliability and expected score ranges of emerging clinical vestibular tools is important to gauge how these tools should be used as clinical endpoints. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate inter-rater and test-retest reliability intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) of four vestibular tools and to determine expected ranges of scores through smallest real difference (SRD) measures. METHODS: Sixty healthy graduate students completed two 1-hour sessions, at most a week apart, consisting of two video head-impulse tests (vHIT), computerized dynamic visual acuity (cDVA) tests, and a smartphone-assisted bucket test (SA-SVV). Thirty students were tested by different testers at each session (inter-rater) and 30 by the same tester (test-retest). ICCs and SRDs were calculated for both conditions. RESULTS: Most measures fell within the moderate ICC range (0.50–0.75). ICCs were higher for cDVA in the inter-rater subgroup and higher for vHITs in the test-retest subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: Measures from the four tools evaluated were moderately reliable. There may be a tester effect on reliabilities, specifically vHITs. Further research should repeat these analyses in a patient population and explore methodological differences between vHIT systems.
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Korda, Athanasia, Thomas C. Sauter, Marco Domenico Caversaccio, and Georgios Mantokoudis. "Quantifying a Learning Curve for Video Head Impulse Test: Pitfalls and Pearls." Frontiers in Neurology 11 (January 22, 2021). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2020.615651.
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Objective: The video head impulse test (vHIT) is nowadays a fast and objective method to measure vestibular function. However, its usability is controversial and often considered as a test performed by experts only. We sought to study the learning curve of novices and to document all possible mistakes and pitfalls in the process of learning.Methods: In a prospective cohort observational study, we included 10 novices. We tested their ability to perform correctly horizontal head impulses recorded with vHIT. We assessed vHITs in 10 sessions with 20 impulses per session giving a video instruction after the first session (S1) and individual feedback from an expert for session 2 (S2) up to session 10 (S10). We compared VOR gain, the HIT acceptance rate by the device algorithm, mean head velocity, acceleration, excursion, and overshoot between sessions.Results: A satisfying number of accepted HITs (80%) was reached after an experience of 160 vHITs. Mean head velocity between sessions was always in accepted limits. Head acceleration was too low at the beginning (S1) but improved significantly after the video instruction (p = 0.001). Mean head excursion and overshoot showed a significant improvement after 200 head impulses (p < 0.001 each).Conclusions: We showed that novices can learn to perform head impulses invHIT very fast provided that they receive instructions and feedback from an experienced examiner. Video instructions alone were not sufficient. The most common pitfall was a low head acceleration.
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Marques, Helena Elias et Inês. "Interventions in situ à Lisbonne : étude des cas d’Os Gémeos, de Vhils, de Bicicleta sem Freio et de Nunca." Cahiers de Narratologie, no. 30 (July 28, 2016). http://dx.doi.org/10.4000/narratologie.7515.
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Mayer, Martin, Marianne Lian, Boris Fuchs, Christian A. Robstad, Alina L. Evans, Kathryn L. Perrin, Eva M. Greunz, Timothy G. Laske, Jon M. Arnemo, and Frank Rosell. "Retention and loss of PIT tags and surgically implanted devices in the Eurasian beaver." BMC Veterinary Research 18, no. 1 (June 10, 2022). http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12917-022-03333-1.
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Abstract Background Passive integrated transponder devices (PIT tags) are a valuable tool for individual identification of animals. Similarly, the surgical implantation of transmitters and bio-loggers can provide useful data on animal location, physiology and behavior. However, to avoid unnecessary recapture and related stress of study animals, PIT tags and bio-loggers should function reliably for long periods of time. Here, we evaluated the retention of PIT tags, and of very high frequency (VHF) transmitters and bio-loggers that were either implanted subcutaneously or into the peritoneal cavity of Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber). Results Over a 21-year period, we implanted PIT tags in 456 individuals and failed to detect a PIT tag at recapture in 30 cases, consisting of 26 individuals (6% of individuals). In all instances, we were still able to identify the individual due to the presence of unique ear tag numbers and tail scars. Moreover, we implanted 6 VHFs, 36 body temperature loggers and 21 heart rate loggers in 28 individuals, and experienced frequent loss of temperature loggers (at least 6 of 23 recaptured beavers) and heart rate loggers (10 of 18 recaptured beavers). No VHFs were lost in 2 recaptured beavers. Conclusions Possible causes for PIT tag loss (or non-detection) were incorrect implantation, migration of the tag within the body, a foreign body reaction leading to ejection, or malfunctioning of the tag. We speculate that logger loss was related to a foreign body reaction, and that loggers were either rejected through the incision wound or, in the case of temperature loggers, possibly adhered and encapsulated to intestines, and then engulfed by the gastro-intestinal tract and ejected. We discuss animal welfare implications and give recommendations for future studies implanting bio-loggers into wildlife.
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Geng, Lulu, Wenjun Huang, Susu Jiang, Yanwei Zheng, Yibei Zhou, Yang Zhou, Jiangshan Hu, Ping Li, and Minfang Tao. "Effect of Menopausal Hormone Therapy on the Vaginal Microbiota and Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause in Chinese Menopausal Women." Frontiers in Microbiology 11 (November 20, 2020). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.590877.
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Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) is a chronic and progressive condition with a series of vulvovaginal, sexual, and lower urinary tract discomforts, mainly due to hypoestrogenism. Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) has generally been considered as the most effective treatment for GSM. In addition, vaginal microbiota is of particular significance to gynecological and reproductive illnesses and potentially has some intimate connections with GSM. Consequently, we sought to evaluate how MHT impacts the composition and structure of vaginal microbiota while alleviating GSM in Chinese menopausal women aged 45–65 years, which has not been investigated previously. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed to analyze microbial diversity and composition using vaginal swabs obtained from 100 menopausal women, classified as MHT women who have been taking tibolone regularly (n = 50) and non-treated women who never received any treatment (n = 50). Vaginal Health Index Score (VHIS) and GSM symptoms inquiry were also performed. We found that the vaginal microbial diversity decreased and that the abundance of Lactobacillus increased to be the dominant proportion significantly in the MHT group, in considerable contrast to vaginal microbiota of the non-treated group, which significantly comprised several anaerobic bacteria, namely, Gardnerella, Prevotella, Escherichia-Shigella, Streptococcus, Atopobium, Aerococcus, Anaerotruncus, and Anaerococcus. In this study, women without any MHT had significantly more severe GSM symptoms than those receiving tibolone, especially with regard to vulvovaginal dryness and burning, as well as decreased libido (P < 0.01). However, there was no significant difference in the severity of urological symptoms between the groups (P > 0.05). Furthermore, Lactobacillus was demonstrated to be associated with VHIS positively (r = 0.626, P < 0.001) and with GSM negatively (r = −0.347, P < 0.001). We also identified Chlamydia (r = 0.277, P < 0.01) and Streptococcus (r = 0.270, P < 0.01) as having a prominent association with more serious GSM symptoms. Our study provided an elucidation that MHT could notably alleviate GSM and conspicuously reshape the composition of the vaginal microbiota, which is of extreme importance to clinical practice for the management of GSM.
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Sáez, Almudena Marí, and Ann H. Kelly. "Shadowlands and dark corners." Medicine Anthropology Theory 5, no. 3 (June 25, 2018). http://dx.doi.org/10.17157/mat.5.3.382.
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Viral haemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) persist in darkness. The pathogenicity of viruses like Lassa, Marburg, and Ebola is partly explained by their ability to survive on surfaces outside their infected hosts, provided they are not exposed to heat, disinfecting chemicals, or ultraviolet light. Taking these basic virological insights as our starting point, we seek to elaborate ethnographically the links between disease transmission and gradations of luminosity. An interdisciplinary research project into the control of Lassa fever in West Africa provided the empirical prompt for this article, which we then extended through our experience working in the region during the 2014–2016 Ebola virus outbreak. The spectral dimensions of zoonotic exchange and the apprehensions they engender help us come to grips with the complex interface of viral biology and human-animal sociality, and, we suggest, add nuance to global health framings of disease transmission and control.
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Tapia-Ramírez, Gloria, Consuelo Lorenzo, Darío Navarrete, Arturo Carrillo-Reyes, Óscar Retana, and Rocío Carrasco-Hernández. "A Review of Mammarenaviruses and Rodent Reservoirs in the Americas." EcoHealth, March 5, 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10393-022-01580-0.
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AbstractIn the Americas, infectious viral diseases caused by viruses of the genus Mammarenavirus have been reported since the 1960s. Such diseases have commonly been associated with land use changes, which favor abundance of generalist rodent species. In the Americas—where the rates of land use change are among the highest worldwide—at least 1326 of all 2277 known rodent species have been reported. We conducted a literature review of studies between 1960 and 2020, to establish the current and historical knowledge about genotypes of mammarenaviruses and their rodent reservoirs in the Americas. Our overall goal was to show the importance of focusing research efforts on the American continent, since the conditions exist for future viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) outbreaks caused by rodent-borne viruses, in turn, carried by widely distributed rodents. We found 47 species identified down to the species level, and one species identified only down to the genus level (Oryzomys sp.), reported in the Americas as reservoirs of mammarenaviruses, most these are ecological generalists. These species associate with 29 genotypes of Mammarenavirus, seven of which have been linked to VHFs in humans. We also highlight the need to monitor these species, in order to prevent viral disease outbreaks in the region.
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Obionu, Ifeoma Maureen, Chinwe Lucia Ochu, Winifred Ukponu, Tochi Okwor, Chioma Dan-Nwafor, Elsie Ilori, and Chikwe Ihekweazu. "Evaluation of infection prevention and control practices in Lassa fever treatment centers in north-central Nigeria during an ongoing Lassa fever outbreak." Journal of Infection Prevention, August 28, 2021, 175717742110358. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/17571774211035838.
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Background: Outbreaks of Lassa fever (LF) in Nigeria have become more frequent, with increasing more healthcare worker infections. Prevention of infection is dependent on strict compliance to infection prevention and control (IPC) practices in treatment centres where patients are managed. Objective: To evaluate IPC practices during an ongoing LF outbreak in the two major tertiary hospitals serving as the referral LF treatment centres in the north-central region of Nigeria. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was carried out by the IPC subteam of the National Rapid Response Team of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) deployed to Plateau State, north-central Nigeria during the 2019 LF outbreak. Information on IPC in these facilities was collected using the NCDC viral haemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) isolation and treatment facility IPC survey tool. Results: Both treatment centres had national VHF IPC isolation guidelines and few health workers had received IPC training. In both centres, there were no clearly demarcated entry points for staff going into clinical areas after putting on personal protective equipment, and there were also no standard operating procedures in place for reporting occupational exposure of staff to infected blood or body fluids in both centres. Discussion: The LF treatment centers located in Plateau State during the 2019 LF outbreak were not fully implementing the national VHF IPC guidelines. Periodic assessments of IPC are recommended for proper management of cases and effective control of LF in the State.
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Beuriat, Pierre-Aurélien, Shira Cohen-Zimerman, Gretchen N. L. Smith, Frank Krueger, Barry Gordon, and Jordan Grafman. "A New Insight on the Role of the Cerebellum for Executive Functions and Emotion Processing in Adults." Frontiers in Neurology 11 (December 23, 2020). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2020.593490.
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Objective: We investigated whether the cerebellum plays a critical or supportive role in in executive and emotion processes in adults. Many investigators now espouse the hypothesis that participants with cerebellar lesions experience executive functions and emotions (EE) disorders. But we hypothesized that these disorders would be milder if the damage is relatively limited to the cerebellum compared to damage involving the cerebellum plus additional cortical areas.Methods: We studied veterans with penetrating Traumatic Brain Injury (pTBI) participating in the Vietnam Head Injury Study (VHIS). We selected veterans with a cerebellar lesion (n = 24), a prefrontal cortex lesion (n = 20), along with healthy controls (HC) (n = 55). Tests of executive functions and emotions were analyzed as well as caregiver burden. We performed between-group null hypothesis significance testing, Bayesian hypothesis tests and correlational analyses.Results: Performance of participants with cerebellar lesions which extended to the cerebral cortex was similar to the HC on the Executive Function tests but they were significantly impaired on the Working Memory Index. No differences were found on the emotional processing tasks with one exception—the Facial Expression of Emotion-Test (FEEST). We then examined a sub-group of participants with large cerebellar lesions (>15%) but minimal lesions in the cerebral cortex (<15%). This sub-group of participants performed similarly to the HC on the Working Memory Index and on the FEEST.Conclusions: We suggest that the cerebellar cortex may not be critical for executive functions or processing emotional stimuli in adults as suggested. Instead, we find that the cerebellum has a supportive role characterized by its computing of the motor requirements when EE processing is required.
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Nalewczynska, Agnieszka Aleksandra, Michael Barwijuk, Piotr Kolczewski, and Ewa Dmoch-Gajzlerska. "Pixel-CO2 laser for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence." Lasers in Medical Science, August 12, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10103-021-03353-7.
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Abstract The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of a minimally invasive pixel-CO2 laser procedure for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI). This was a prospective, open-label study with a cohort of 59 women. Patients were treated intravaginally with a fractional/pixel CO2 laser every 4–6 weeks for a total of three treatments and assessed at 3, 6, and 12 months. Evaluation tools included a Sandvik severity score based on a validated questionnaire, 1-h pad test, vaginal health index score (VHIS), validated female sexual function index (FSFI), patient’s impression of disease severity (PGI-S), global impression of improvement (PGI-I), and the short-term pelvic floor impact questionnaire (PFIQ-7) to assess improvements in quality of life. Reduction in SUI severity was noticed throughout the duration of the study, as compared to the baseline in which 2% of the patients were defined as “slight,” 73% “moderate,” and 25% “severe.” Gradual improvement of symptoms resulted in redistribution of severity score and the best outcome observed between 3 and 6 months. Sanitary pad weight declined from an average of 35.45 g per day at baseline to 12.47 g at the 3rd treatment, and increased to 23.06 g at 12 months. Vaginal acidity changes showed a similar pattern. No serious adverse events were reported. Pixel-CO2 laser is safe and effective for treating SUI. Additional maintenance treatments should be considered during the 6–12-month post-treatment period in order to maintain the beneficial effects. Brief summary Pixel-CO2 laser is a safe and effective treatment for SUI. Maintenance treatments should be considered at 6–12 months.