Young People's Attitudes, Perceptions and Experiences of Social Distancing and Self-Isolation During the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objectives: Social distancing and self-isolation were key parts of the UK's strategy for reducing the spread of COVID-19. This study explored young people's attitudes, perceptions and experiences of social distancing and social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Qualitative individual, family and paired-friendship interviews were conducted. All 26 participants lived or worked in East London and were aged between 20 and 39 years. Results: Qualitative analysis revealed three main themes: 1) trust and breaking of the social distancing and self-isolation rules-trust in their friends to be careful and say if they are unwell; 2) own rule making-making their own household rules which made them less guilty about breaking national rules as they were adhering to rules (albeit their own); and 3) lack of clarity around self isolation and the need for practical support-confusion around length of time needed to self isolate and what self-isolation really meant. Conclusion: Developing more effective and targeted communications and practical support mechanisms to encourage better adherence to social distancing and self-isolation rules among young people will be essential to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Hepatic sclerosing haemangioma showing restricted diffusion: A case report with histopathologic correlation.

Hepatic sclerosing haemangiomas are rare benign tumours that are often difficult to distinguish from malignant tumours because these tumours do not show the typical imaging features of cavernous haemangiomas. We report a case of a sclerosing haemangioma that showed restricted diffusion and was difficult to differentiate from a malignancy. A 60-year-old female was referred to our hospital for evaluation of a hepatic mass that was incidentally diagnosed after a CT scan for right lower quadrant abdominal pain. Contrast-enhanced dynamic CT showed hepatic capsular retraction, with a small peripheral enhancement of the mass. The lesion appeared homogeneously hypointense on T1W images, heterogeneously hyperintense on T2W images, hyperintense on diffusion-weighted images, and hypointense on apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map. The lesion was suspected to be a cholangiocellular carcinoma and was surgically resected, but a final diagnosis of hepatic sclerosing haemangioma was made. Hepatic sclerosing/sclerosed haemangiomas are usually considered to show an increased ADC, which is useful for distinguishing them from malignant tumours. However, in this particular case, most of the lesion contained many obliterated or narrowed vascular channels, which might have acted as septa restricting the diffusion of water molecules in the intervening fibrous and/or hyalinised tissue. Hepatic sclerosing haemangiomas in the process of becoming completely fibrotic may show restricted diffusion, similar to malignant tumours.

Epidemiology of Respiration with Mandibular Movement in Advanced Cancer Patients: A Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: Respiration with mandibular movement (RMM) is one of the important clinical signs of impending death. However, there is very limited data on its natural course. Objective and Methods: This study was conducted in 23 inpatient palliative care units in Japan. It aimed to explore the natural course of RMM. Results: Among a total of 1526 cancer patients included, 1065 patients (69.8%) had RMM. A total of 14.8% patients experienced respiratory arrest within 30 minutes from RMM onset, 14.3% within 30-60 minutes, 34.4% within 1-4 hours, 17.5% within 4-12 hours, 8.9% within 12-24 hours, and 10.4%> 24 hours. Mean oxygen saturation and percentage of patients with SpO2 ≥90% at RMM onset were found to be significantly higher in patients with longer durations from RMM onset to death (p < 0.001). Conclusion: RMM occurred in a majority (80%) of dying patients within 12 hours. A minority of the patients survived >24 hours.

Optimal Paracentesis Volume for Terminally Ill Cancer Patients With Ascites.

CONTEXT: Patients with malignant ascites often suffer from distressing symptoms, especially in their end-of-life stage. Although paracentesis is the most common treatment modality to alleviate such symptoms, the optimal volume of paracentesis is not known. OBJECTIVES: To explore the efficacy and safety of paracentesis by the drainage volume for terminally ill cancer patients with malignant ascites. METHODS: This was part of a multicenter prospective observational study (EASED study). Consecutive adult patients with advanced cancer admitted to 23 participating palliative care units were eligible. We analyzed patients with malignant ascites who received paracentesis. We compared paracentesis-free survival (PFS) using Cox regression among three groups with different paracentesis volumes: minimum: ≤ 1500 mL, small: 1500-2500 mL, and moderate: > 2500 mL. Trends of the difference in the numerical rating scale of abdominal distension (0-10) and adverse events were compared among the 3 groups. RESULTS: Of the 1926 patients enrolled, 673 developed ascites (symptomatic, n = 374 and asymptomatic, n = 299). Finally, we analyzed 87 patients with paracentesis. Median PFS was 7 days. Compared with a moderate volume, small-volume paracentesis was not a significant risk for shorter PFS (HR: 1.14, 95% CI: 0.69-1.93), while a minimum volume was a significant risk (HR: 2.34). The abdominal distension intensity significantly decreased after paracentesis (median: 7.5 to 4.0), while the difference did not significantly increase as the volume of paracentesis rose (P = 0.61). No severe adverse event was observed. CONCLUSION: Even small-volume paracentesis could alleviate abdominal distension of terminally ill cancer patients with malignant ascites without shortening the paracentesis interval compared with moderate-volume paracentesis. Small-volume paracentesis was a well-balanced treatment for these patients.

Subacute thyroiditis in a patient with psoriatic arthritis switched from secukinumab to adalimumab: a case report and literature review.

A 71-year-old Japanese female with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) was admitted for fever and neck pain. Her medication had been switched from secukinumab, an interleukin (IL)-17A inhibitor, to adalimumab, a tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α inhibitor, due to secondary failure for PsA. She was diagnosed with subacute thyroiditis (SAT) on the basis of thyroid hormone levels and thyroid ultrasound findings. Her SAT symptoms improved with prednisolone administration (15 mg/day). Following the administration of ixekizumab, an IL-17A inhibitor, her PsA improved without SAT relapse. SAT mechanism associated with TNF inhibitors remains unknown, but cytokine imbalance may be involved.

Patterns of Raised Blood Pressure in Vietnam: Findings from the WHO STEPS Survey 2015.

This study aims to describe the prevalence of raised blood pressure and the situation of management for raised blood pressure among the adult population in Vietnam. It also aims to examine the association between diversified socioeconomic and behavioral factors of raised blood pressure and awareness of raised blood pressure. Data were obtained from the STEPS survey conducted in Vietnam in 2015. Survey sample was nationally representative with a total of 3,856 people aged 18-69 years old. The study outcomes included raised blood pressure and awareness of and control of raised blood pressure. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine the association of socioeconomic and behavior risk factors with the outcome variables. The overall prevalence of raised blood pressure in Vietnam in 2015 was 18.9% (95% CI: 17.4%-20.6%). The prevalence of raised blood pressure was higher among men. Significantly correlated factors with raised blood pressure were age, sex, body mass index, and diabetes status. Levels of awareness of raised blood pressure were higher among the older age group and overweight people and lower among ethnic minority groups. Raised blood pressure in Vietnam is a serious problem due to its magnitude and the unacceptably high unawareness rate in the population. Public health actions dealing with the problems of raised blood pressure are urgent, while taking into account its relationship with sex and socioeconomic status. It is clear that the interventions should address all people in society, with a focus on disadvantaged groups which are the rural and ethnic minority peoples.

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells promote colorectal cancer progression via CCR5.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are recruited from BM to the stroma of developing tumors, where they serve as critical components of the tumor microenvironment by secreting growth factors, cytokines, and chemokines. The role of MSCs in colorectal cancer (CRC) progression was controversial. In this study, we found that C-C chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5) ligands (i.e., C-C motif chemokine ligand 3 (CCL3), CCL4, and CCL5) were highly produced from MSCs using a chemokine array screening with conditioned media from the cultured human MSCs. A relatively strong CCR5 expression could be detected within the cytoplasm of several CRC cell lines. Regarding the effect of MSC, we found that the xenografts in which CCR5-overexpressing HCT116 cells were inoculated into immunocompromised mice were highly promoted in vivo by a mixture with MSCs. Notably, the CCR5 inhibitor, maraviroc, significantly abolished the MSC-induced tumor growth in vivo. In human clinical specimens (n = 89), 20 cases (29%) were high for CCR5, whereas 69 cases (71%) were low. Statistical analyses indicated that CCR5 expression in primary CRC was associated with CRC patients' prognosis. Especially, stage III/IV patients with CCR5-high CRCs exhibited a significantly poorer prognosis than those with CCR5-low CRCs. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of preoperative serum CCR5 ligands on patients' prognosis (n = 114), and found that CRC patients with high serum levels of CCL3 and CCL4 exhibited a poorer prognosis compared to those with low levels of CCL3 and CCL4, while there was no association between CCL5 and prognosis. These results suggest that the inhibition of MSC-CRC interaction by a CCR5 inhibitor could provide the possibility of a novel therapeutic strategy for CRC, and that serum levels of CCL3 and CCL4 could be predictive biomarkers for the prognosis of CRC patients.

Women's Preference for a Male Acquaintance Enhances Social Reward Processing of Material Goods in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex.

Men, like the male of many animal species, use gifts to build satisfactory relationships with a desired woman. From the woman's perspective, all gifts are not always equally rewarding; the reward value of a gift depends on two factors: (1) the giver and (2) the type of the gift (the gift's social meaning). In this study, we investigated how these two factors interactively determine the reward value of a gift. Specifically, we examined how the neural processing for understanding a gift's social meaning is modulated by preferences for the giver. We performed a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study in which a female participant was asked to judge a gift from a male she was acquainted with in real life. We examined the interactive effects between (1) the female participant's attitude toward the male acquaintance (liked vs. uninteresting) and (2) the type of the gift (romantic [e.g., bouquet, earrings, and perfumes] vs. non-romantic [e.g., pencils, memo pad, and moneybox]). We found that preference for an acquaintance selectively modulated activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in response to romantic gifts, compared to non-romantic gifts. In contrast, if the woman was indifferent toward an acquaintance, no activity modulation was observed in this area for the same gifts. In addition, the ACC showed functional connectivity with the supplementary motor area/dorsal ACC (SMA/dACC), an area within the dorsal mediofrontal cortex, suggesting that it integrates action monitoring and emotional and cognitive processing in decision-making. These results suggest that attitude toward an opposite sex member has a modulatory role in recognizing the social meaning of material goods--preference for the member is a powerful modulator of social reward processing.

A role for the tyrosine kinase Pyk2 in depolarization-induced contraction of vascular smooth muscle.

Depolarization of the vascular smooth muscle cell membrane evokes a rapid (phasic) contractile response followed by a sustained (tonic) contraction. We showed previously that the sustained contraction involves genistein-sensitive tyrosine phosphorylation upstream of the RhoA/Rho-associated kinase (ROK) pathway leading to phosphorylation of MYPT1 (the myosin-targeting subunit of myosin light chain phosphatase (MLCP)) and myosin regulatory light chains (LC20). In this study, we addressed the hypothesis that membrane depolarization elicits activation of the Ca(2+)-dependent tyrosine kinase Pyk2 (proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2). Pyk2 was identified as the major tyrosine-phosphorylated protein in response to membrane depolarization. The tonic phase of K(+)-induced contraction was inhibited by the Pyk2 inhibitor sodium salicylate, which abolished the sustained elevation of LC20 phosphorylation. Membrane depolarization induced autophosphorylation (activation) of Pyk2 with a time course that correlated with the sustained contractile response. The Pyk2/focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibitor PF-431396 inhibited both phasic and tonic components of the contractile response to K(+), Pyk2 autophosphorylation, and LC20 phosphorylation but had no effect on the calyculin A (MLCP inhibitor)-induced contraction. Ionomycin, in the presence of extracellular Ca(2+), elicited a slow, sustained contraction and Pyk2 autophosphorylation, which were blocked by pre-treatment with PF-431396. Furthermore, the Ca(2+) channel blocker nifedipine inhibited peak and sustained K(+)-induced force and Pyk2 autophosphorylation. Inhibition of Pyk2 abolished the K(+)-induced translocation of RhoA to the particulate fraction and the phosphorylation of MYPT1 at Thr-697 and Thr-855. We conclude that depolarization-induced entry of Ca(2+) activates Pyk2 upstream of the RhoA/ROK pathway, leading to MYPT1 phosphorylation and MLCP inhibition. The resulting sustained elevation of LC20 phosphorylation then accounts for the tonic contractile response to membrane depolarization.

Towards effective prevention and control of helminth neglected tropical diseases in the Western Pacific Region through multi-disease and multi-sectoral interventions.

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) cause serious health, social and economic burdens in the countries of the World Health Organization Western Pacific Region. Among the NTDs, helminth infections are particularly prominent with regard to the number of infected individuals and health impact. Co-endemicity is common among impoverished and marginalized populations. To achieve effective and sustainable control of helminth NTDs, a deeper understanding of the social-ecological systems governing their endemicity and strategies beyond preventive chemotherapy are required to tackle the multiple causes of infection and re-infection. We discuss the feasibility of implementing multi-disease, multi-sectoral intervention packages for helminth NTDs in the Western Pacific Region. After reviewing the main determinants for helminth NTD endemicity and current control strategies, key control activities that involve or concern other programmes within and beyond the health sector are discussed. A considerable number of activities that have an impact on more than one helminth NTD are identified in a variety of sectors, suggesting an untapped potential for synergies. We also highlight the challenges of multi-sectoral collaboration, particularly of involving non-health sectors. We conclude that multi-sectoral collaboration for helminth NTD control is feasible if the target diseases and sectors are carefully selected. To do so, an incentive analysis covering key stakeholders in the sectors is crucial, and the disease-control strategies need to be well understood. The benefits of multi-disease, multi-sectoral approaches could go beyond immediate health impacts by contributing to sustainable development, raising educational attainment, increasing productivity and reducing health inequities.

The deaf utilize phonological representations in visually presented verbal memory tasks.

The phonological abilities of congenitally deaf individuals are inferior to those of people who can hear. However, deaf individuals can acquire spoken languages by utilizing orthography and lip-reading. The present study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to show that deaf individuals utilize phonological representations via a mnemonic process. We compared the brain activation of deaf and hearing participants while they memorized serially visually presented Japanese kana letters (Kana), finger alphabets (Finger), and Arabic letters (Arabic). Hearing participants did not know which finger alphabets corresponded to which language sounds, whereas deaf participants did. All of the participants understood the correspondence between Kana and their language sounds. None of the participants knew the correspondence between Arabic and their language sounds, so this condition was used as a baseline. We found that the left superior temporal gyrus (STG) was activated by phonological representations in the deaf group when memorizing both Kana and Finger. Additionally, the brain areas associated with phonological representations for Finger in the deaf group were the same as the areas for Kana in the hearing group. Overall, despite the fact that they are superior in visual information processing, deaf individuals utilize phonological rather than visual representations in visually presented verbal memory.

Prevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in blood donors in El Salvador between 2001 and 2011.

INTRODUCTION: El Salvador is regarded as a highly endemic country for Chagas disease, as evidenced by the relatively high estimated positive serology rate for Trypanosoma cruzi among blood donors. This study aimed to identify the factors contributing to this high rate by analyzing changes in T. cruzi seroprevalence. METHODOLOGY: Secondary data were collected from 31 blood banks operated by the Ministry of Health, the Red Cross, the Institute of Salvadoran Social Security, and the Military Hospital. The data were analyzed to determine the number of cases of T. cruzi seropositivity, and the average prevalence of seropositivity by province. Simple linear regression was performed to identify trends in T. cruzi seropositivity. RESULTS: Analysis of the 885,187 blood samples collected between 2001 and 2011 revealed 21,693 cases of transfusion-related infections, with a significant reduction of T. cruzi seropositivity from 3.7% in 2001 to 1.7% in 2011, reflecting a 54% decrease over the course of a decade (R(2) = 89.6%, p > 0.001). T. cruzi seroprevalence decreased in San Salvador, Santa Ana, Sonsonate, and Cuscatlán. In contrast, seroprevalence remained high with no decrease in Ahuachapán and San Vicente, and consistently low in the remainder of the country. CONCLUSIONS: Although the national prevalence of T. cruzi among blood donors has decreased, it remains high in the provinces of Ahuachapán and San Vicente. Strengthening vector control activities and developing an approach for the systematic follow-up of prospective blood donors with positive serology for T. cruzi are required, especially in areas with high seropositivity.

Acute Chagas disease in El Salvador 2000-2012 - need for surveillance and control.

Several parasitological studies carried out in El Salvador between 2000-2012 showed a higher frequency of acute cases of Chagas disease than that in other Central American countries. There is an urgent need for improved Chagas disease surveillance and vector control programs in the provinces where acute Chagas disease occurs and throughout El Salvador as a whole.

Perlecan regulates bidirectional Wnt signaling at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction.

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) play pivotal roles in the regulation of Wnt signaling activity in several tissues. At the Drosophila melanogaster neuromuscular junction (NMJ), Wnt/Wingless (Wg) regulates the formation of both pre- and postsynaptic structures; however, the mechanism balancing such bidirectional signaling remains elusive. In this paper, we demonstrate that mutations in the gene of a secreted HSPG, perlecan/trol, resulted in diverse postsynaptic defects and overproduction of synaptic boutons at NMJ. The postsynaptic defects, such as reduction in subsynaptic reticulum (SSR), were rescued by the postsynaptic activation of the Frizzled nuclear import Wg pathway. In contrast, overproduction of synaptic boutons was suppressed by the presynaptic down-regulation of the canonical Wg pathway. We also show that Trol was localized in the SSR and promoted postsynaptic accumulation of extracellular Wg proteins. These results suggest that Trol bidirectionally regulates both pre- and postsynaptic activities of Wg by precisely distributing Wg at the NMJ.

Vector control intervention towards interruption of transmission of Chagas disease by Rhodnius prolixus, main vector in Guatemala.

In Guatemala, the Ministry of Health (MoH) began a vector control project with Japanese cooperation in 2000 to reduce the risk of Chagas disease infection. Rhodnius prolixus is one of the principal vectors and is targeted for elimination. The control method consisted of extensive residual insecticide spraying campaigns, followed by community-based surveillance with selective respraying. Interventions in nine endemic departments identified 317 villages with R. prolixus of 4,417 villages surveyed. Two cycles of residual insecticide spraying covered over 98% of the houses in the identified villages. Fourteen villages reinfestated were all resprayed. Between 2000-2003 and 2008, the number of infested villages decreased from 317 to two and the house infestation rate reduced from 0.86% to 0.0036%. Seroprevalence rates in 2004-2005, when compared with an earlier study in 1998, showed a significant decline from 5.3% to 1.3% among schoolchildren in endemic areas. The total operational cost was US$ 921,815, where the cost ratio between preparatory, attack and surveillance phases was approximately 2:12:1. In 2008, Guatemala was certified for interruption of Chagas disease transmission by R. prolixus. What facilitated the process was existing knowledge in vector control and notable commitment by the MoH, as well as political, managerial and technical support by external stakeholders.

Vector control intervention towards interruption of transmission of Chagas disease by Rhodnius prolixus, main vector in Guatemala

In Guatemala, the Ministry of Health (MoH) began a vector control project with Japanese cooperation in 2000 to reduce the risk of Chagas disease infection. Rhodnius prolixus is one of the principal vectors and is targeted for elimination. The control method consisted of extensive residual insecticide spraying campaigns, followed by community-based surveillance with selective respraying. Interventions in nine endemic departments identified 317 villages with R. prolixus of 4,417 villages surveyed. Two cycles of residual insecticide spraying covered over 98% of the houses in the identified villages. Fourteen villages reinfestated were all resprayed. Between 2000-2003 and 2008, the number of infested villages decreased from 317 to two and the house infestation rate reduced from 0.86% to 0.0036%. Seroprevalence rates in 2004-2005, when compared with an earlier study in 1998, showed a significant decline from 5.3% to 1.3% among schoolchildren in endemic areas. The total operational cost was US$ 921,815, where the cost ratio between preparatory, attack and surveillance phases was approximately 2:12:1. In 2008, Guatemala was certified for interruption of Chagas disease transmission by R. prolixus. What facilitated the process was existing knowledge in vector control and notable commitment by the MoH, as well as political, managerial and technical support by external stakeholders.

Mapping the aetiology of non-malarial febrile illness in Southeast Asia through a systematic review--terra incognita impairing treatment policies.

BACKGROUND: An increasing use of point of care diagnostic tests that exclude malaria, coupled with a declining malaria burden in many endemic countries, is highlighting the lack of ability of many health systems to manage other causes of febrile disease. A lack of knowledge of distribution of these pathogens, and a lack of screening and point-of-care diagnostics to identify them, prevents effective management of these generally treatable contributors to disease burden. While prospective data collection is vital, an untapped body of knowledge already exists in the published health literature. METHODS: Focusing on the Mekong region of Southeast Asia, published data from 1986 to 2011 was screened to for frequency of isolation of pathogens implicated in aetiology of non-malarial febrile illness. Eligibility criteria included English-language peer-reviewed studies recording major pathogens for which specific management is likely to be warranted. Of 1,252 identified papers, 146 met inclusion criteria and were analyzed and data mapped. RESULTS: Data tended to be clustered around specific areas where research institutions operate, and where resources to conduct studies are greater. The most frequently reported pathogen was dengue virus (n = 70), followed by Orientia tsutsugamushi and Rickettsia species (scrub typhus/murine typhus/spotted fever group n = 58), Leptospira spp. (n = 35), Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi and Paratyphi (enteric fever n = 24), Burkholderia pseudomallei (melioidosis n = 14), and Japanese encephalitis virus (n = 18). Wide tracts with very little published data on aetiology of fever are apparent. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: This mapping demonstrates a very heterogeneous distribution of information on the causes of fever in the Mekong countries. Further directed data collection to address gaps in the evidence-base, and expansion to a global database of pathogen distribution, is readily achievable, and would help define wider priorities for research and development to improve syndromic management of fever, prioritize diagnostic development, and guide empirical therapy.

Chagas disease: assessing the existence of a threshold for bug infestation rate.

To examine the existence of a possible threshold for the domestic infestation rate of Triatoma dimidiata, below which transmission becomes unlikely, a census was conducted in 59 Chagas disease endemic communities of El Salvador and Honduras. Entomological and serological tests were conducted targeting 4,083 households and 6,324 children between 6 months and 15 years of age. The overall domestic infestation rate of Triatoma dimidiata and seroprevalence among children were 12.9% and 0.49%, respectively. Communities with a domestic infestation rate at 8% or less consistently showed a seroprevalence of 0%. In communities with a domestic infestation rate above 8%, there was a wide range in seroprevalence. A domestic infestation rate of 8% could serve as the possible threshold below which transmission would become unlikely. The implementation of an 8% threshold for determining needs for universal insecticide spraying would lead to a 21% reduction in spraying-related costs.

Triatomine infestation in Guatemala: spatial assessment after two rounds of vector control.

In 2000, the Guatemalan Ministry of Health initiated a Chagas disease program to control Rhodnius prolixus and Triatoma dimidiata by periodic house spraying with pyrethroid insecticides to characterize infestation patterns and analyze the contribution of programmatic practices to these patterns. Spatial infestation patterns at three time points were identified using the Getis-Ord Gi*(d) test. Logistic regression was used to assess predictors of reinfestation after pyrethroid insecticide administration. Spatial analysis showed high and low clusters of infestation at three time points. After two rounds of spray, 178 communities persistently fell in high infestation clusters. A time lapse between rounds of vector control greater than 6 months was associated with 1.54 (95% confidence interval = 1.07-2.23) times increased odds of reinfestation after first spray, whereas a time lapse of greater than 1 year was associated with 2.66 (95% confidence interval = 1.85-3.83) times increased odds of reinfestation after first spray compared with localities where the time lapse was less than 180 days. The time lapse between rounds of vector control should remain under 1 year. Spatial analysis can guide targeted vector control efforts by enabling tracking of reinfestation hotspots and improved targeting of resources.