Impact of air pollutants on influenza−like illness outpatient visits under COVID−19 pandemic in the sub−center of Beijing, China

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Impact of air pollutants on influenza−like illness outpatient visits under COVID−19 pandemic in the sub−center of Beijing, China via Journal of Medical Virology Abstract Objective This study aimed to explore the association between air pollutants and outpatient visits for influenza−like illnesses (ILI) under the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID−19) stage in the sub−center of Beijing. Methods The data on ILI in the sub−center of Beijing from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2020 were obtained from the Beijing Influenza Surveillance Network. A generalized additive Poisson model was applied to examine the associations between the concentrations of air pollutants and daily outpatient visits for ILI when controlling meteorological factors and temporal trend. Results A total of 171,943 ILI patients were included. In the pre−COVID−19 stage, an increased risk of ILI outpatient visits was associated to a high air quality index (AQI) and the high concentrations of particulate matter less than 2.5 (PM2.5), particulate matter 10 (PM10), sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and carbon monoxide (CO), and a low concentration of ozone (O3) on lag0 day and lag1 day, while a higher increased risk of ILI outpatient visits was observed by the air pollutants in the COVID−19 stage on lag0 day. Except for PM10，the concentrations of other air pollutants on lag1 day were not significantly associated with an increased risk of ILI outpatient visits during the COVID−19 stage. Conclusion The findings that air pollutants had enhanced immediate effects and diminished lag-effects on the risk of ILI outpatient visits during the COVID−19 pandemic, which is important for the development of public health and environmental governance strategies. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. View on Web

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Regulatory B cells (Bregs) in Helicobacter pylori chronic infection

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Regulatory B cells (Bregs) in Helicobacter pylori chronic infection via Helicobacter Abstract Background Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is linked with a wide variety of diseases and was reported in more than half of the world's population. Chronic H. pylori infection and its final clinical outcome depend mainly on the bacterial virulence factors and its ability to manipulate and adapt to human immune responses. Bregs blood levels have been correlated with increased bacterial load and infection chronicity, especially Gram-negative bacterial infection. This study aimed to identify prevalence and virulence factors of chronic H. pylori infection among symptomatic Egyptian patients and to examine its possible correlation to levels of regulatory B cells (Bregs) in blood. Materials and Methods Gastric biopsies and blood samples from each of 113 adult patients, who underwent upper endoscopy, were examined for the detection of H. pylori by culture and PCR methods. Conventional PCR was used to determine various virulent genes prevalence and association to clinical outcome. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate Bregs levels. Results Helicobacter pylori prevalence was 49.1% (55/112). Regarding virulence genes incidence, flaA gene was detected in 73% (40/55), vir B11 in 56.4% (31/55), hopZ1 in 34.5% (19/55), hopZ2 in 89% (49/55), babA2 in 52.7% (29/55), dupA jhp917 in 61.8% (34/55), vacA m1/m2 in 70.9% (39/55), and vacA s1/s2 in 69% (38/55) strains. Bregs levels were significantly lower in H. pylori-infected patients (p = 0.013), while total leukocyte count (TLC) showed no significant differences. Conclusion Helicobacter pylori infection prevalence was almost 49%, and the infection was found to be related to inflammatory conditions as gastritis and ulcers rather than malignant transformations. Also, we found that CD24+CD38+ B cells were downregulated in H. pylori-infected patients. View on Web

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Developmental Outcomes in Children Born to Women with Possible Subclinical Rubella Exposures During Pregnancy

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Developmental Outcomes in Children Born to Women with Possible Subclinical Rubella Exposures During Pregnancy via Journal of Medical Virology Abstract This study investigated outcomes of children born to women who seroconverted to rubella immune during pregnancy. In a prior 2012-2013 study of 296 women who were rubella non-immune, 26 (8.8%) seroconverted to rubella immune during pregnancy. These same women and their now 8-9 years-old children were queried as to the children's developmental health. After removing exclusions and those lost to follow-up, the total response rate was 115/204 (56.4%). Three sets of twins in the non-immune group increased the total to 118. The seroconversion group had more autism (12.5% versus 3.9%, P=.19), ADHD (37.5% versus 18.6%, P=.10), and any developmental disability (43.8% versus 31.4%, P=.39) but none showed a statistical difference between the two groups. Compared to Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring data, the seroconversion group had a greater prevalence of autism (OR 6.07, P=0.051, nonsignificant); and to data derived from the National Health Interview Survey, a nonsignificant higher odds of autism (OR 5.57, P=0.060), higher odds of ADHD (OR 5.65, P=0.0027) and of an y developmental disability (OR 3.59, P=0.014).The non-immune group also demonstrated a statistically significant increase for both ADHD and any developmental disability, but not for autism. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. View on Web

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IFNL3/4 polymorphisms as a two‐edged sword: an association with COVID‐19 outcome

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader IFNL3/4 polymorphisms as a two‐edged sword: an association with COVID‐19 outcome via Journal of Medical Virology ABSTRACT Background COVID-19 has been ranked among the most fatal infectious diseases worldwide, with host's immune response significantly affecting the prognosis. Aim of the study With an aim to timely predict the most likely outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection, we investigated the association of IFNL3 and IFNL4 polymorphisms, as well as other potentially relevant factors, with the COVID-19 mortality. Methods This prospective observational case-control study involved 178 COVID-19 patients, hospitalized at Corona Center or Clinic for Infectious Diseases of University Clinical Centre Kragujevac, Serbia, followed up until hospital discharge or in-hospital death. Demographic and clinical data on all participants were retrieved from the electronic medical records, and TaqMan assays were employed in genotyping for IFNL3 and IFNL4 SNPs, namely rs12980275, rs8099917, rs12979860 and rs368234815. Results 21.9% and 65.0% of ho spitalized and critically ill COVID-19 patients, respectively, died in-hospital. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed increased CCI, N/L, and LDH level to be associated with an increased likelihood of a lethal outcome. Similarly, females and the carriers of at least one variant allele of IFNL3 rs8099917 were almost 36-fold more likely not to survive SARS-CoV-2 infection. On the other hand, the presence of at least one ancestral allele of IFNL4 rs368234815 decreased more than 15-fold the likelihood of mortality from COVID-19. Conclusion Our results suggest that, in addition to LDH level, N/L ratio, and CCI, IFNL4 rs368234815 and IFNL3 rs8099917 polymorphisms, but also patients' gender, significantly affect the outcome of COVID-19. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. View on Web

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Extrastriatal 99mTc-TRODAT-1 Uptake in the Previous Hemorrhage With Hemosiderin Deposition

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Extrastriatal 99mTc-TRODAT-1 Uptake in the Previous Hemorrhage With Hemosiderin Deposition via Clinical Nuclear Medicine - Published Ahead-of-Print We reported a 91-year-old man who was suspected of having parkinsonism, and brain 99mTc-TRODAT-1 scan revealed an extrastriatal uptake in the left side of brainstem, which was correlated to a previously hemorrhagic lesion with hemosiderin deposition. Macrophage or microglia might accumulate in the previous hemorrhagic lesion to phagocytize hemosiderin. We assumed that the 99mTc-TRODAT-1 uptake in the hemosiderin deposition might be partially mediated by macrophage expressing dopamine transporter. View on Web

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Treatment Response to Lycopene in Recurrent Prostate Cancer Confirmed on 18F-Fluciclovine PET/CT

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Treatment Response to Lycopene in Recurrent Prostate Cancer Confirmed on 18F-Fluciclovine PET/CT via Clinical Nuclear Medicine - Published Ahead-of-Print 18F-fluciclovine (Axumin; Blue Earth Diagnostics, Ltd, Oxford, United Kingdom) PET has shown value in detecting biochemical recurrent prostatic cancer. Lycopene, a plant-based carotenoid, is reported to have potential inhibitory effect on prostate cancer, as a complementary treatment. We report a case of biochemically recurrent prostate cancer showing treatment response to lycopene as seen on an 18F-fluciclovine PET/CT correlating with serum prostate-specific antigen response. View on Web

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Malignant Transformation of Warthin Tumor in the Cervical Lymph Node

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Malignant Transformation of Warthin Tumor in the Cervical Lymph Node via Clinical Nuclear Medicine - Published Ahead-of-Print Warthin tumor is the second most common benign tumor of salivary glands. Here we present an interesting case of squamous cell carcinoma arising from the Warthin tumor in the cervical lymph node. The patient had another Warthin tumor in the parotid gland as well. Both the malignant transformation of Warthin tumor and the heterotopic occurrence of Warthin tumor in the cervical lymph node are rare. This exceptionally rare case demonstrates that the 2 rare clinical entities can occur simultaneously and affect clinical decisions. View on Web

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