The impact of state paid sick leave policies on weekday workplace mobility during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate whether the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) modified the association between pre-existing state paid sick leave (PSL) and weekday workplace mobility between February 15 and July 7, 2020. STUDY DESIGN: This was a longitudinal, observational study. METHODS: The 50 US states and Washington, D.C., were divided into exposure groups based on the presence or absence of pre-existing state PSL policies. Derived from Google COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports, the outcome was measured as the daily percent change in weekday workplace mobility. Mixed-effects, interrupted time series regression was performed to evaluate weekday workplace mobility after the implementation of the FFCRA on April 1, 2020. RESULTS: States with pre-existing PSL policies exhibited a greater drop in mobility following the passage of the FFCRA (ß = -8.86, 95% confidence interval: -11.6, -6.10, P < 001). This remained significant after adjusting for state-level health, economic, and sociodemographic indicators (ß = -3.13, 95% confidence interval: -5.92, -0.34; P = .039). CONCLUSIONS: Pre-existing PSL policies were associated with a significant decline in weekday workplace mobility after the FFCRA, which may have influenced local health outcomes. The presence of pre-existing state policies may differentially influence the impact of federal legislation enacted during emergencies.

Next-generation sequencing: ready for the clinics?

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has transformed genomic research by decreasing the cost of sequencing and increasing the throughput. Now, the focus is on using NGS technology for diagnostics and therapeutics. In this review, we discuss the possible clinical applications of NGS and the potential of some of the current systems to transition to the clinic. Clinical use of NGS technologies will enable the identification of causative mutations for rare genetic disorders through whole-genome or targeted genome resequencing, rapid pathogen screening and cancer diagnosis along with the identification of appropriate therapy. Routine clinical use of NGS technologies is appealing, but mandates high accuracy, simple assays, small inexpensive instruments, flexible throughput, short run times and most importantly, easy data analysis as well as interpretation. A number of NGS systems launched recently have least some of these characteristics, namely, small instruments, flexible throughput and short run time, but still face a few challenges. Moreover, simplified data analysis tools will need to be developed to minimize the requirement of sophisticated bioinformatics support in clinics. In summary, for successful transition of NGS to clinic, a sustained collaboration between research labs, clinical practitioners and vendors offering sequencing based genetic tests is required.

An epidemic outbreak of Vibrio Cholerae El Tor 01 serotype ogawa biotype in a Lalpur town, Jamnagar, India.

BACKGROUND: On December 19, 2010, 57 cases of gastroenteritis were reported in the community health center of Lalpur town. A rapid response team was sent to investigate the outbreak on December 21, 2010. AIM: To identify the source, to institute control and prevention measures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The outbreak was confirmed using the previous Integrated Integrated Disease Surveillance Project (IDSP) data. Detailed history was taken, line listing of patients and house-to-house investigations were done. Environmental investigation and laboratory investigation of stool samples were also done. As the study was conducted during emergency response to the outbreak and was designed to provide information to orient the public health response, ethical approval was not required. Remedial measures were implemented. RESULTS: Three hundred and thirty cases were reported during December 19, 2010 to January 2, 2011 in Lalpur town of Jamnagar district. Nineteen patients were found to be positive for Vibrio Cholerae 01 serotype ogawa biotype out of 117 stool samples. The mean age of patients was 24.23 ± 19.01 years. The outbreak had 1.88% attack rate with no mortality and 59.1% cases had to be admitted. Investigations revealed that the epidemic was waterborne. Ten leakages were found in the pipelines of the affected areas of Lalpur town near two riverbanks. CONCLUSION: Among identified gaps, delays in the initiation of the investigation of the epidemic and repairing of leakages were most important. In India, waterborne epidemics are usual occurrences during the year. In this scenario, the village health and sanitation committee and water board should follow guidelines, and monitoring of water sources, proper sewage disposal and sanitation measures should be undertaken.

Chronic adrenaline treatment fails to down-regulate the Del301-303-alpha2B-adrenoceptor in neuronal cells.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: A polymorphism of the human alpha(2B)-adrenoceptor (Del(301-303)-alpha(2B)-adrenoceptor) has been described, and this receptor exhibits reduced G-protein-coupled receptor kinase (GRK) phosphorylation and impaired short-term desensitization. Expression of the Del(301-303)-alpha(2B)-adrenoceptor also is associated with an increased risk for myocardial infarction in humans. Recent evidence from our laboratory suggests a quantitative relationship between cellular GRK3 expression levels and the sensitivity of the alpha(2B)-adrenoceptor to agonist-induced down-regulation. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to study agonist-induced down-regulation of the wild-type (WT)- and Del(301-303)-alpha(2B)-adrenoceptor in a neuronal cell model. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Haemagglutinin (HA) epitope-tagged WT- and Del(301-303)-alpha(2B)-adrenoceptor containing plasmids were constructed and the receptors were stably or transiently transfected in neuroblastoma/glioma hybrid NG108 cells. The expression levels in stable transfects were approximately 50 fmol x mg(-1). These cells were used to examine agonist-induced down-regulation and phosphorylation of the WT- and Del(301-303)-alpha(2B)-adrenoceptor. KEY RESULTS: The Del(301-303)-alpha(2B)-adrenoceptor, compared with the WT-alpha(2B-)adrenoceptor, displayed reduced adrenaline-stimulated (20 microM) phosphorylation and did not down-regulate in response to adrenaline (20-1000 microM). Using immunofluorescence labelling, we observed that transiently transfected WT-alpha(2B)-adrenoceptors internalized upon adrenaline treatment whereas the Del(301-303)-alpha(2B)-adrenoceptor did not. Finally, we determined the effect of adrenaline on the Del(301-303)-alpha(2B)-adrenoceptor in cells stably over-expressing GRK3 3-fold. In spite of the GRK3 over-expression, 20-1000 microM ADR failed to down-regulate or to increase phosphorylation of the Del(301-303)-alpha(2B)-adrenoceptor in these cells. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The results suggest that the 301-303 deletion mutation of the alpha(2B)-adrenoceptor eliminates agonist-induced down-regulation, an effect that cannot be overcome by increasing agonist concentration or by modest GRK3 over-expression.

Gastrostomy without laparotomy--a percutaneous endoscopic technique: review of 35 cases.

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) was performed in 33 patient with head injury, one with laryngeal cancer, and one with gastric volvulus. The gastrostomy tube was prepared from 20 F Foley catheter and a plastic micropipette tip. The complications encountered included peritubal leak in three patients (9%) and abdominal wall hematoma in one patient (3%). There was no procedure-related mortality. We recommend PEG for tube enteral feeding in patients who have lost the swallowing reflex.

Problems and needs of women leprosy patients in Bombay and Goa--a preliminary report.

By studying the status of 151 women leprosy patients (24 from a leprosy asylum and 127 attending urban leprosy centres at Goa and Bombay), it was noticed that a sizeable proportion experienced problems in society ascribable to the disease especially at the initial stages of the disease. However, most of them seemed to have managed to settle well in their families as housewives subsequently. Younger women leprosy patients expressed the need for financial assistance for completing their own education and for starting small scale business. The older women were more interested in educating their children.

Family structure and fertility: a note on urban fertility patterns.

PIP: The relationships between socioeconomic status and fertility and between family structure and fertility were studied in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Data was collected on family structure, education, income, and fertility preferences of 136 mothers. The conjugal role relationships of each couple were classified as joint, segregated, or intermediate. Socioeconomic status was determined and classified as high, medium, and low. Higher status wizes desire, expect, and have fewer births than do low status women (p is less than .01). Women who have joint conjugal roles expect an average of 2.8 births, while segregated women expect almost 1 more child per couple (3.6); the number of children expected increases as conjugal role segregation increases. Socioeconomic status is more closely related to each of the fertility variables than is family structure. Family structure does influence reproductive behavior and is related to socioeconomic status, but it plays a lesser role.^ieng