Quantitative and Morphological Assessment of Computed Tomography-depicted Gynecomastia in Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the prevalence, size, and characteristics of gynecomastia on thoracic computed tomography (CT) in patients with spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), compared to those of patients with myasthenia gravis (as controls). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 189 male patients (SBMA [n = 15]; ALS [n = 76]; control [n = 98]) who underwent thoracic computed tomography were included. The size of breast glandular tissue diameters, and characteristic of CT-depicted gynecomastia were compared. RESULTS: On multivariate logistic regression analysis, mean breast glandular tissue diameter (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.13, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08-1.19), maximum breast glandular tissue diameter (aOR 1.14, 95% CI 1.08-1.20), prevalence of CT-depicted gynecomastia (aOR 21.71, 95% CI 5.39-87.38), dendritic or diffuse pattern of gynecomastia (aOR 35.30, 95% CI 8.02-155.40), and bilateral gynecomastia (aOR 41.96, 95% CI 10.20-172.69) were positively associated with SBMA, but not ALS. On receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the area under the curve of the mean breast tissue diameter for predicting SBMA was 0.92 with the optimal cutoff value of 16.5 mm. The ROC analysis showed that a maximum breast tissue diameter of 18.6 mm can also effectively distinguish SBMA from controls. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the evaluation of breast glandular tissue on thoracic CT could be a screening examination to distinguish SBMA patients and assist in its differential diagnosis.

Double burden of maternal and child malnutrition and socioeconomic status in urban Sri Lanka.

Child malnutrition and maternal obesity are serious public health issues in Sri Lanka. This study explores the associations between socioeconomic status and the double burden of malnutrition among school-aged children and within their household. A total of 543 primary school children aged 5-10 years (204 boys and 339 girls) in Gampaha District, Sri Lanka, were included in the analysis. The nutritional statuses of thinness, normal, overweight, and obesity for children and mothers were defined according to WHO growth references and body mass index. Maternal education, household equivalent income, and maternal employment were used as socioeconomic status indicators. The proportion of child thinness and overweight was 19.3% and 13.4%, respectively, and that of maternal overweight (body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2) was 36.5%. A positive correlation was found between maternal body mass index and the child's body mass index for age z-score in older boys and younger girls. A multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that lower education of mothers posed a higher association with child thinness (adjusted odds ratio = 2.33, 95% confidence interval: 1.08-5.00). Mothers with overweight and obesity were less likely to have a child with thinness (adjusted odds ratio = 0.30, 95% confidence interval: 0.16-0.58). Maternal employment status and household equivalent income were not significantly, but marginally, associated with child overweight and obesity. Socioeconomic inequality combined with maternal nutritional status affected child malnutrition. These findings suggest that the underlying circumstances within households should be considered to improve child malnutrition.

Field testing of a lightweight, inexpensive, and customisable 3D-printed mosquito light trap in the UK.

Mosquito surveillance is a fundamental component of planning and evaluating vector control programmes. However, logistical and cost barriers can hinder the implementation of surveillance, particularly in vector-borne disease-endemic areas and in outbreak scenarios in remote areas where the need is often most urgent. The increasing availability and reduced cost of 3D printing technology offers an innovative approach to overcoming these challenges. In this study, we assessed the field performance of a novel, lightweight 3D-printed mosquito light trap baited with carbon dioxide (CO2) in comparison with two gold-standard traps, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) light trap baited with CO2, and the BG Sentinel 2 trap with BG-Lure and CO2. Traps were run for 12 nights in a Latin square design at Rainham Marshes, Essex, UK in September 2018. The 3D-printed trap showed equivalent catch rates to the two commercially available traps. The 3D-printed trap designs are distributed free of charge in this article with the aim of assisting entomological field studies across the world.

Correlates of exclusive breastfeeding practices in rural and urban Niger: a community-based cross-sectional study.

Background: Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) can prevent death and disease among young children. The proportion of EBF is low in Niger. This study aimed to identify the prevalence and correlates of exclusive breastfeeding. Methods: We conducted a community-based cross-sectional study in urban and rural areas of Niger among mothers of infants under 7 months old. We used a structured questionnaire to investigate breastfeeding practices, sociodemographic factors, and health service use. We used multivariate analysis to explore the correlates of EBF since birth. Results: The study involved 234 urban and 283 rural mothers. Colostrum was almost universally given to newborns (98.7% [231/234] urban and 97.9% [277/283] rural) and many mothers started breastfeeding within an hour of giving birth (69.2% [162/234] and 90.5% [256/283]). The proportion of EBF since birth in urban and rural areas was 15.8% (37/234) and 54.4% (154/283), respectively. Among mothers who had ceased EBF, proportion of prelacteal feeding was 85.3% (168/197) in urban areas and 62.0% (80/129) in rural areas, while 93.4% (183/196) and 72.7% (88/121) had stopped EBF within 1 week after birth respectively. The median duration of EBF was 1 week in urban and 2 months in rural areas. In urban areas, EBF was more likely in mothers with infants 3 months old or younger (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] 2.78; 95% Confidence Interval 95% [CI] 1.07, 7.21) and problems with delivery including Caesarean section (AOR 3.60; 95% CI 1.17, 11.01). In rural areas, lower socioeconomic status (AOR 1.89; 95% CI 1.12, 3.18), early initiation of breastfeeding (AOR 4.04; 95% CI 1.50, 10.83) and delivery assisted by a traditional birth attendant (AOR 3.49; 95% CI 1.37, 8.89) were correlated with exclusive breastfeeding. Conclusions: Exclusive breastfeeding was uncommon. Most mothers ceased EBF within 1 week after birth. Adequate information about EBF by health professionals around delivery seems to encourage its use. To encourage EBF in Niger, it is important to educate health professionals, including traditional birth attendants, and enable them to discuss the practice with mothers through individual counselling or group education.

Validity and reliability assessment of a Japanese version of the Snaith-Hamilton pleasure scale.

OBJECTIVE: Anhedonia is one of the main non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD); it is assessed using the Snaith-Hamilton pleasure scale (SHAPS). To assess anhedonia in the Japanese population, we prepared a Japanese language version of SHAPS (SHAPS-J), and evaluated its validity and reliability in 8 neurological centers. Seventy subjects (48 patients with PD and 22 healthy subjects) were enrolled in this study. METHODS: The validity of the test was assessed by the correlation between SHAPS-J and the apathy scale, based on the fact that anhedonia is considered a symptom of apathy syndrome. Test-retest reliability and internal consistency were assessed by Cohen's kappa and Cronbach's alpha coefficients, respectively. RESULTS: In the evaluation of validity, the total scores obtained on SHAPS-J during the test and retest significantly correlated with scores on Item 4 in Part 1 of the unified Parkinson's disease rating scale (p<0.0008 and p<0.0036, respectively). Cohen's kappa coefficient was >0.3 on all items (p<0.0005 on all items). Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.90 at the baseline and 0.88 at the retest. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that SHAPS-J has good validity, test-retest reliability, and internal consistency, thus establishing an available measure of anhedonia in Japanese.

Rational affinity purification of native Streptomyces family 10 xylanase.

Xylanase SoXyn10A from Streptomyces olivaceoviridis E-86 comprises a family 10 catalytic module linked to a family 13 carbohydrate-binding module (SoCBM13). The SoCBM13 has a beta-trefoil structure, with binding sites in each subdomain (alpha, beta and gamma). Subdomain alpha, but not subdomains beta and gamma, binds tightly to lactose. It was, therefore, thought that immobilized lactose could be used for the affinity purification of SoXyn10A. Lactosyl-Sepharose was prepared and tested as an affinity matrix. SoXyn10A produced from the cloned xyn10A gene by Escherichia coli, and native SoXyn10A in culture supernatants from S. olivaceoviridis, were purified to homogeneity in a single step by affinity chromatography using this matrix. This simple purification of SoXyn10A makes the enzyme an attractive candidate for applications requiring xylanase. The CBM also has the potential for use as an affinity tag for the purification of other proteins.