Association of lipid profile and obesity in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Objective. Abnormal lipid profile and obesity increase the risk of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS patients may have a greater risk of infertility, metabolic syndrome (MetS) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to abnormal lipid profile and obesity. The aim of the study was to find the association between abnormal lipid profile and obesity in patients with PCOS. Methods. In this case-control study, a total of 102 female subjects (51 diagnosed PCOS and 51 age-matched healthy controls) were enrolled, aged between 20-40 years. Biochemical parameters such as total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), very low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL-C), luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were estimated. Anthropometric parameters such as body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were recorded. A p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results. Mean of BMI, WC, WHR, LH, FSH, TC, TG, LDL-C, and VLDL-C was found significantly elevated in patients with PCOS as compared to controls (p<0.01). However, the mean of HDL-C was found significantly reduced in patients with PCOS as compared to controls (p<0.01). BMI has shown a significant positive correlation with WC (r=0.562, p<0.01) and WHR (r=0.580, p<0.01) among PCOS patients. LH has shown a significant positive correlation with FSH (r=0.572, p<0.01) among PCOS patients. TC has shown a significant positive correlation with TG (r=0.687, p<0.01), LDL-C (r=0.917, p<0.01), and VLDL-C (r=0.726, p<0.01) among PCOS patients. Conclusion. The results showed that abnormal lipid profile and obesity have a significant association with PCOS patients. Regular monitoring and treatment of PCOS patients are required to reduce the risk of infertility, MetS, and CVD.

Predicting mechanical neck pain intensity in computer professionals using machine learning: identification and correlation of key features.

Introduction: Mechanical neck pain has become prevalent among computer professionals possibly because of prolonged computer use. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between neck pain intensity, anthropometric metrics, cervical range of motion, and related disabilities using advanced machine learning techniques. Method: This study involved 75 computer professionals, comprising 27 men and 48 women, aged between 25 and 44 years, all of whom reported neck pain following extended computer sessions. The study utilized various tools, including the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain measurement, anthropometric tools for body metrics, a Universal Goniometer for cervical ROM, and the Neck Disability Index (NDI). For data analysis, the study employed SPSS (v16.0) for basic statistics and a suite of machine-learning algorithms to discern feature importance. The capability of the kNN algorithm is evaluated using its confusion matrix. Results: The "NDI Score (%)" consistently emerged as the most significant feature across various algorithms, while metrics like age and computer usage hours varied in their rankings. Anthropometric results, such as BMI and body circumference, did not maintain consistent ranks across algorithms. The confusion matrix notably demonstrated its classification process for different VAS scores (mild, moderate, and severe). The findings indicated that 56% of the pain intensity, as measured by the VAS, could be accurately predicted by the dataset. Discussion: Machine learning clarifies the system dynamics of neck pain among computer professionals and highlights the need for different algorithms to gain a comprehensive understanding. Such insights pave the way for creating tailored ergonomic solutions and health campaigns for this population.

Curcumin, its derivatives, and their nanoformulations: Revolutionizing cancer treatment.

Curcumin is a natural compound derived from turmeric and can target malignant tumor molecules involved in cancer propagation. It has potent antioxidant activity, but its effectiveness is limited due to poor absorption and rapid elimination from the body. Various curcumin derivatives have also shown anticancer potential in in-vitro and in-vivo models. Curcumin can target multiple signaling pathways involved in cancer development/progression or induce cancer cell death through apoptosis. In addition, curcumin and its derivatives could also enhance the effectiveness of conventional chemotherapy, radiation therapy and reduce their associated side effects. Lately, nanoparticle-based delivery systems are being developed/explored to overcome the challenges associated with curcumin's delivery, increasing its overall efficacy. The use of an imaging system to track these formulations could also give beneficial information about the bioavailability and distribution of the nano-curcumin complex. In conclusion, curcumin holds significant promise in the fight against cancer, especially in its nanoform, and could provide precise delivery to cancer cells without affecting normal healthy cells.

Epidemiologic and Genomic Evidence for Zoonotic Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among People and Animals on a Michigan Mink Farm, United States, 2020.

Farmed mink are one of few animals in which infection with SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in sustained transmission among a population and spillback from mink to people. In September 2020, mink on a Michigan farm exhibited increased morbidity and mortality rates due to confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. We conducted an epidemiologic investigation to identify the source of initial mink exposure, assess the degree of spread within the facility's overall mink population, and evaluate the risk of further viral spread on the farm and in surrounding wildlife habitats. Three farm employees reported symptoms consistent with COVID-19 the same day that increased mortality rates were observed among the mink herd. One of these individuals, and another asymptomatic employee, tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) 9 days later. All but one mink sampled on the farm were positive for SARS-CoV-2 based on nucleic acid detection from at least one oral, nasal, or rectal swab tested by RT-qPCR (99%). Sequence analysis showed high degrees of similarity between sequences from mink and the two positive farm employees. Epidemiologic and genomic data, including the presence of F486L and N501T mutations believed to arise through mink adaptation, support the hypothesis that the two employees with SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid detection contracted COVID-19 from mink. However, the specific source of virus introduction onto the farm was not identified. Three companion animals living with mink farm employees and 31 wild animals of six species sampled in the surrounding area were negative for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-qPCR. Results from this investigation support the necessity of a One Health approach to manage the zoonotic spread of SARS-CoV-2 and underscores the critical need for multifaceted public health approaches to prevent the introduction and spread of respiratory viruses on mink farms.

Differential expression of cancer stem cell markers and pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1ß in the oral squamous cell carcinoma and oral submucosal fibrosis.

Objectives: The poor prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is vastly due to late diagnosis. The oral submucosal fibrosis (OSMF) is often unnoticed pathology linked with high risk of malignancy. Recently, we demonstrated that the clinicopathological alterations in OSMF and OSCC patients were correlated with cancer stem cell (CSCs) markers (CD133 and CD44). However, the parallel alterations of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß) with CSCs expression are largely unexplored. Thus, we aimed to investigate the relationship between IL-1ß alterations and CSC marker expression in both OSMF and OSCC situations. Materials and Methods: A total of 135 people have signed up for the study. There were sixty each in OSMF and OSCC groups, as well as 15 healthy controls. Levels of serum IL-1ß were examined by ELISA. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to examine the expression of CD133 and CD44. For evaluating differential CSCs expression, IHC scoring (0-4) was utilized. Results: The IHC results showed maximum subjects in the OSMF and OSCC displaying CD44 and CD133 positivity, although the extent of expression in terms of IHC scoring found variable. CD133 and CD44-positive subjects showed increased levels of IL-1ß in the OSMF and OSCC group. Nevertheless, the enhancement of IL-1ß is more pronounced in the OSCC cases. Further, we observed a direct link of IL-1ß levels with IHC scoring. Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated a significant role for CD44 and CD133 positivity in the increase of IL-1ß levels. Conclusion: We concluded that concurrent simultaneous changes in CSC biomarkers and IL-1ß may help with early detection of OSMF and OSCC conditions.

Knowledge, acceptance, motivators and barriers of booster dose of COVID-19 vaccination among dental patients: A cross-sectional study.

Given the lingering threat of COVID infection, questions are being raised if coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine needs annual or regular boosters to maintain high levels of immunity against both the original virus and variants. This study was designed to evaluate the knowledge, acceptance, motivators and barriers of the booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine among the dental patients of District Lucknow, India. A total of 297 respondents were selected by a convenience sampling method in this cross-sectional study from various dental clinics. An anonymous, self-administered, closed-ended questionnaire was used. Overall 37.7% respondents reported to have taken all 3 doses and 57.9% had taken single/double doses. Correct information about booster doses shows a significant association with the number of doses taken. The majority had information about the availability of the Pfizer booster vaccine (69.0%). About 58% of participants had information about the technology used in booster doses. The hesitancy for booster doses and the development of natural immunity by infection show significant associations with the number of doses taken. Only 18.2% patients had hesitation about the booster dose and most of them 78.8% recommended others to take the booster vaccine as soon as possible. The majority assumed that previous COVID-19 vaccines can help them get immune (21.5%) followed by not much research has been done on the booster vaccines (15.5%) and their chronic diseases warn them against the booster dose administration (12.5%). Nearly 18.2% of respondents had hesitation about booster dose and less than one third of the respondents trusted a government source for information about booster dose of COVID vaccine. Nearly 36 % did not know that the booster dose of COVID vaccine is available at health centers. Dental health professionals and policymakers should implement and support strategies to ensure people are vaccinated for COVID-19 booster doses.

Neck Health Metrics and Quality of Life: A Comparative Study in Bike Drivers with and without Neck Pain.

Purpose: Neck pain is a prevalent musculoskeletal issue among bike drivers, often resulting from extended static postures, repetitive head movements, and exposure to vibrations. This study aims to assess the connection between cervical ROM, neck proprioception, CVA, and QOL in bike drivers with neck pain compared to those without neck pain so that the targeted interventions can be developed to enhance their well-being. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 100 bike drivers aged 20-50 years was conducted, split into two groups: those with neck pain (n=50) and those without neck pain (n=50). Cervical ROM was measured using a smartphone, neck proprioception was assessed through a head repositioning test, and CVA was determined using lateral-view photographs with a plumb line. The Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire was employed to evaluate QOL. Data analysis was conducted using independent t-tests and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results: Bike drivers with neck pain exhibited significantly reduced cervical ROM (p-value=<0.001), impaired neck proprioception (p-value=<0.001), and decreased CVA (p-value=<0.001) compared to their counterparts without neck pain. A strong negative correlation was found between neck pain and QOL, with lower scores in all eight domains of the SF-36. Cervical ROM, neck proprioception, and CVA showed moderate correlations with various QOL domains (p-value=<0.05). Conclusion: Neck pain in bike drivers is linked to decrease cervical ROM, compromised neck proprioception, and reduced CVA. These factors correlate with a lower quality of life, both physical and mental domains. Interventions addressing these aspects may enhance the quality of life for bike drivers experiencing neck pain.

Clinimetric properties of a smartphone application to measure the craniovertebral angle in different age groups and positions.

Background: Craniovertebral angle (CVA) alteration is a causative factor for the neck, shoulder, and temporomandibular joints disorders. Therefore, as an outcome measure for therapeutic intervention, measuring the craniovertebral angle with the Surgimap smartphone app is a cost-effective, easily accessible, and reliable tool. This study's objective was to assess the clinimetric properties of the Surgimap smartphone application with Surgimap system software to measure the Craniovertebral Angle in different age groups and positions. Method: Ninety subjects with neck pain were randomly allocated to aged between 18 and 30 years (Group A; n = 45) and 45-60 years (Group B; n = 45). Using the Surgimap smartphone application and Surgimap system software, the craniovertebral angle was measured objectively in the sagittal plane. Intraclass correlation coefficients were used to determine validity and reliability. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the area under the curves (AUC) were determined to distinguish participants with and without forward head posture. Result: The result of this study shows that Smartphone Surgimap Application and Surgimap System Software correlate 0.95 and have p-values of 0.01 for diverse positions and ages. CVA measurement in the sitting position was significantly lower than in the standing position, regardless of methodology or age. Both positions demonstrated high intra-rater reliability, as evidenced by Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC) between 0.972 and 0.991. The minimum detectable change (MDC) values ranged from 1.3 to 1.733, indicating high measurement accuracy. The smartphone application demonstrated outstanding diagnostic sensitivity (100.00% for Group A standing) and specificity (93.55% for Group B standing). Conclusion: The Surgimap smartphone application is a reliable and accurate method for craniovertebral angle measurement and is useful for measuring outcomes. Also standing posture was found to be better than sitting posture while measuring the CVA.

SARS-CoV-2 surface contamination in metro-Atlanta grocery stores.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has had a detrimental impact on many businesses worldwide, essential businesses, such as grocery stores, continued to operate despite potential disease transmission. Although the principal mode by which people are infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is through exposure to respiratory droplets and very small particles carrying infectious virus, contaminated surfaces might play a role in transmission. We collected swab samples from frequently touched surfaces, including grocery carts, touchscreen monitors, credit card keypads, pharmacy counters, self-service food utensils, and refrigerator and freezer handles, in two metro-Atlanta grocery stores over the course of two sampling events in March 2021. Of the 260 swab samples collected, 6 (2.3%) samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA by reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Positive samples were collected from pharmacy (12.0% [3/25] samples), refrigerator/freezer aisles (2.5% [1/39] samples), and self-service food court (5.0% [2/40] samples) areas. Table/counter edge and underside surfaces represented 33% (2/6) of positive samples. These data suggest that risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 from frequently touched surfaces in grocery store settings is likely low; however, more frequent cleaning of surfaces in pharmacy and self-service food courts might be warranted.

SARS-CoV-2 infections and MIS-C among children: A narrative review.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has less of an impact among the babies and teenagers, than it does on adults as a whole. Children turned out to be less symptomatic during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) surge worldwide. Researchers discovered the ways of protection by preemptive care, like, treatment, variants, vaccination, social distancing, and cohorting among children as soon as their medical and epidemiological factors were assessed while being exposed to SARS-CoV-2 transmission. The actual pervasiveness of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 contagion is possibly undervalued because of less examination of the asymptomatic children. A half of young-aged people who tested SARS-CoV-2 positive don't show any symptoms as per the study of serology. Nevertheless, there is wide circulation of information reporting a post-infectious acute illness known as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) or multisystem hyperinflammatory syndrome. Therefore, we undertook this narrative review to synthesize the evidence from existing studies to assess the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infections and MIS-C among Children. We reviewed PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar to find the pertinent scientific papers published in English that were available for such analysis. The main purpose of this article is to present, on this limited topic, a better-comprehended review covering pertinent material and data to be informed on SARS-CoV-2 infections and MIS-C among Children.

Assessment of Risk Factors and the Relationship between Hypothyroidism with Hypertension in Diabetes Mellitus Patients: A Cross-Sectional Community-Based Study.

(1) Background: hypertension (HTN) and diabetes mellitus (DM) represent two widely noncommunicable diseases that are prevalent globally, and they often correlate with chronic health issues. There has been an acknowledged connection between diabetes, hypertension, and hypothyroidism for quite some time. However, the extent of thyroid dysfunction among the diabetic population is not uniform and significantly differs across different research studies. This study was conducted with the objective of identifying the risk factors associated with hypothyroidism as well as assessing the relationship between hypothyroidism and hypertension in patients with diabetes. (2) Materials and Methods: Participants aged 18 years and above were included in this study, while pregnant women were excluded. Trained health professionals measured sociodemographic, behavioural, food practices, and anthropometric information about the participants. Each respondent sought medical advice regarding their health, and a face-to-face interview enabled them to express concern about the likelihood of being diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and hypertension. (3) Results: The study encompassed 640 participants, with an average age of 49.20 ± 13.0 years. Among these participants, 65.5% were female, and 34.5% were male. Of the total, 31.25% were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, and 18.75% had hypertension. Interestingly, co-occurrence of both conditions was observed in 9.68% of the population. A comparison of thyroid function and indicators of blood sugar levels yielded consistent results across the different patient groups. Specifically, for diabetes mellitus (DM) patients, the average levels were 3.4 ± 9.8 pg/mL for fT3, 0.9 ± 0.7 ng/dL for fT4, 3.3 ± 6.2 µiU/mL for TSH, 153.1 ± 68.0 mg/dL for fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 213.2 ± 97.2 mg/dL for postprandial glucose (PPG), and 8.3 ± 3.2% for HbA1c. (4) Conclusion: It is concluded that patients with hypertension had a significant prevalence of diabetes mellitus. Subclinical hypothyroid subjects must be frequently screened for hypertension. Of 120 individuals with hypertension, 45 (37.5%) were also diagnosed with diabetes. This co-occurrence was significantly higher in subjects aged over 50 years (26.7%), in the lower socio-economic class (18.5%), and among those who were married (14.7%). Additionally, patients with hypertension exhibited a high prevalence of diabetes across different educational backgrounds and occupations, with the highest prevalence among postgraduates (37.5%) and professionals (24.0%), respectively. These findings highlight the need for an integrated approach to the management of hypertension and diabetes, particularly in high-risk demographics.

Interlinking of diabetes mellitus and cancer: An overview.

Cancer and diabetes mellitus (DM) are among the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in the global arena. Lately, several studies demonstrated that DM could promote cancer. However, the exact mechanism(s) highlighting this association are largely untouched and require comprehensive detailing. In the present review, we aimed to explore and decipher the possible mechanism of DM an cancer association. Hyperglycemia could be a subordinate plausible explanation of carcinogenesis in the diabatic patient. It is well known that high glucose levels may help in cancer proliferation. In addition, chronic inflammation, the other well-known factor of diabetes, could also play a role in carcinogenesis. Moreover, the numerous medicines to treat diabetes either increase or reduce cancer risk. Insulin is one of the potent growth factors that promotes cell propagation and induces cancer directly or via insulin like growth factor-1. On the other hand, hyperinsulinemia leads to an increased activity of growth factor-1 by inhibiting growth factor binding protein-1. To improve cancer prognosis, individuals with diabetes should be screened to discover cancer at an early stage and treated appropriately.

Effectiveness of Epley-Canalith Repositioning Procedure versus Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy in Diabetic Patients with Posterior Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: A Randomized Trial.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is a common inner ear disorder, characterized by brief episodes of vertigo caused by changes in head position. The condition can cause significant functional impairment and reduced quality of life. BPPV is especially common among diabetic patients. The Epley-canalith repositioning procedure (CRP) and vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) are two commonly used interventions for the treatment of BPPV. The objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness of Epley-canalith repositioning procedure (ECRP) and Vestibular Rehabilitation (VR) therapy in the management of vertigo among Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus patients. A total of 30 subjects with Type 2 diabetes mellitus, aged between 40 and 65 years, were randomly allocated to either the ECRP or VR therapy groups using a lottery method, and then underwent Epley-canalith repositioning procedure or vestibular rehabilitation therapy, respectively. The outcomes measured by the study were Vertigo Symptom Scale-Short Form (VSS-sf) score and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) score, assessed pre-treatment (pre) and 4 weeks post-treatment (post). The results demonstrated that both ECRP and VR therapy led to improvements in VSS-sf and BBS scores. However, VR therapy was found to be more effective, resulting in a 13.6% higher improvement in VSS-sf scores (p = 0.03) and a 5.1% higher improvement in BBS scores (p = 0.51) compared to ECRP. Both Epley-canalith repositioning procedure and vestibular rehabilitation therapy are effective in managing BPPV in diabetic patients. Although the differences in BBS scores are not statistically significant, VRT demonstrated a trend towards greater improvement. Vestibular rehabilitation therapy can be used by clinicians as another rehabilitation technique for improving vertigo, postural stability, and activity of daily living in diabetic patients with BPPV.

Neurological Manifestations and Clinical Outcomes of Patients with COVID-19 in the Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia.

COVID-19 patients also present with rheumatological problems, cardiac problems, and even neurological manifestations. However, the data are still insufficient at present to fill the gaps in our understanding of the neurological presentations of COVID-19. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to reveal the various neurological manifestations of patients with COVID-19 and to find the association between neurological manifestations and the clinical outcome. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Abha, in the Aseer region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, among COVID-19 patients aged 18 years or older who were admitted with the neurological manifestations of COVID-19 to the Aseer Central Hospital and Heart Center Hospital Abha. Non-probability convenient sampling was used. All the information was gathered by the principal investigator using a questionnaire including sociodemographic information, disease characteristics of COVID-19, neurological manifestations, and other complications. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 16.0 (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). A total of 55 patients were included in the present study. About half of the patients were admitted to the ICU, and 18 (62.1%) patients died after 1 month of follow-up. Patients aged over 60 years had a 75% mortality rate. About 66.66% of patients with pre-existing neurological disorders died. Statistically significant associations were found between neurological symptoms such as cranial nerve symptoms and a poor outcome. A statistically significant difference was also found between laboratory parameters such as the absolute neutrophil count (ANC), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), total cholesterol (TC), creatinine, urea, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level and the outcome. A statistically significant difference was also found between the use of medications such as antiplatelets, anticoagulants, and statins at the baseline and after a 1-month follow-up. Neurological symptoms and complications are not uncommon among COVID-19 patients. Most of these patients had poor outcomes. Further studies are required to provide more data and knowledge about this issue, including the possible risk factors and the long-term neurological consequences of COVID-19.

PARK2 Microdeletion or Duplications Have Been Implicated in Different Neurological Disorders Including Early Onset Parkinson Disease.

The PARK2 gene is located on 6q26, encodes ubiquitin-E3- ligase, and is a transcriptional repressor of p53. It contains 12 exons. PARK2 copy number variants has been reported in various types of neurodevelopmental disorders, namely schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease (PD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In this retrospective study, nine cases (five with microdeletion and four with microduplication) are reported with 6q26 deletion disrupting the PARK2 gene. Microdeletion sizes ranged between 215 Kb and 356 Kb, and duplication between 279 Kb and 726 Kb. These were present within the exons 7-10. Family follow up with FISH probes revealed paternal inheritance in two cases, maternal in two cases, and de novo origin in one case. Our results support previous studies showing that patients with PARK2 CNVs involving exons 5-12 might be more deleterious and cause a unique syndrome. Comprehensive analysis of additional case studies is needed to have a full characterization of this neurological disorder syndrome.

Awareness and Perceptions of the Impact of Tonsillectomy on the Level of Immunity and Autoimmune Diseases among the Adult Population in Abha City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The widespread misconception that tonsillectomy leads to a decrease in immunity may lead to fear and avoidance of the operation. This can result in a deterioration of the situation, such as sleep-related breathing issues, frequent infections, and an increase in complications. The current research was conducted to assess the awareness and perception with respect to the impact of tonsillectomy on the immune system and to assess the awareness and perception of the relationship between autoimmune diseases and tonsillectomy. This 6-month descriptive cross-sectional online questionnaire survey was conducted among individuals who were 18 years and above living in Abha city, Saudi Arabia. Out of the 800 study subjects, 104 (13%) had undergone tonsillectomy. Statistically significant associations were found between age group, education, income, and occupation among those who had undergone tonsillectomy. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that ages 18-30 years and 31-40 years (OR: 2.36, 95% CI: 1.18-4.71, and OR: 1.46, 95% CI: 0.53-3.97) and education levels of high school, bachelors, and above (OR: 8.30, 95% CI: 3.05-22.58 and OR: 10.89, 95% CI: 4.23-28.05) were found to be associated with tonsillectomy status of the subjects. On the contrary, income levels of 5000-9000 and >9000 (OR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.36-1.17 and OR: 0.78, 95%CI: 0.42-1.42) and male gender (OR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.52-1.19) were found to be associated with non-tonsillectomy status of subjects. Almost 36% of study subjects thought that tonsillectomy affects immunity. Only 18% of study subjects thought that there is a relationship between tonsillectomy and autoimmune diseases. About one-third of the respondents had received this information from community members and social media. A small number of study subjects relied on public awareness programs. Therefore, social media can play a vital role in the community to remove misconceptions regarding tonsillectomy and its effect on immunity and autoimmune disease. Further educational interventional studies are required to see the correction to the public perception of tonsillectomy and its effect on immunity and autoimmune diseases.

Utility of Opportunistic Infections, Joints' Involvement and Accuracy of Various Screening Tests to Diagnose Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients.

Background and Objectives: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an auto-immune disease in which the body mistakenly considers some parts of its own system as pathogens and attacks them. Prevalence is approximately 0.75% in India. About 40% of the diseased become work disabled within 5 years from the onset of symptoms. The objective of this paper is to assess the sign/symptoms, joints' involvement, difficulties in daily activities and screening accuracy of serology tests of clinically suspected RA patients. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional cohort study design was conducted on two hundred ninety clinically suspected subjects who were referred by different OPDs of hospitals for screening. The profiles of study subjects were carried through a semi-structured, pre-tested schedule method. About 2 mL of blood samples were collected in a plain vial from each patient and tested for diagnostic tests RF, CRP and AntiCCP by using RF-Latex, CRP Latex and ELISA method, respectively, by the laboratory persons. Results: Joint pain shows to be a leading problem in RA as compared to other signs and symptoms. The majority of the study subjects suffer from knee problems (62%). Approximately equal numbers of RA-positive cases were screened by RF and AntiCCP tests. The CRP test screened about one-third of cases. CRP+ AntiCCP, RF+ AntiCCP and RF + CRP all have good sensitivity, and RF+ AntiCCP + CRP has a very high sensitivity for diagnosing RA. Conclusions: This study found that a substantiation of a major proportion of clinically suspected RA patients were suffering from knee pain. Predication of AntiCCP increased the possibility for the diagnosis of RA. However, RF was also moderately related to the diagnosis of RA, and the combination of both tests was more valuable.

Awareness of COPD and Its Risk Factors Among the Adult Population of the Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia.

Introduction: Epidemiological studies are urgently needed to assess the prevalence of COPD in the region to determine the baseline, against which the future trends in the risk factor levels can be assessed and preventive strategies be planned to promote health among the population. Therefore, this study was undertaken to assess the awareness of COPD and its risk factors in Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted among the general adult population aged 18 years and above living in the Aseer region. A minimum sample of 385 was targeted, using the Raosoft sample size calculator. An online questionnaire was prepared in both English and Arabic language using Google forms and distributed among participants through social media. Results: It was observed that less than one-third (116, 30.12%) of the study population had ever heard about COPD. Nearly one-third spent time with smokers. Among all, 223 (57.3%) respondents had never heard and 46 (11.9%) respondents did not know anything about COPD. The majority correctly knew that the lungs are the primary organ affected by COPD (92, 79.3%). Age, sex, marital status, income, and occupation showed a significant association with COPD awareness. Nearly 41.4% knew that COPD progresses exclusively with age, COPD is more expensive for society than lung cancer (49.0%), cigarette smoking affects COPD (34.5%), COPD is fully recoverable with short-term antibiotics (35.0%), COPD lasts more than 18 months (48.1%), COPD can worsen with smoke exposure (37.4%), lead to disability (46.7%) and quitting smoking has an important role in preventing COPD (34.0%). Conclusion: The awareness regarding the disease was low among the respondents. Only one-third correctly knew that quitting smoking has an important role in preventing COPD. This study projects an urgent need of improving awareness of COPD and its risk factors in the general population.

GPS Tracking of Free-Roaming Cats (Felis catus) on SARS-CoV-2-Infected Mink Farms in Utah.

Zoonotic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from infected humans to other animals has been documented around the world, most notably in mink farming operations in Europe and the United States. Outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 on Utah mink farms began in late July 2020 and resulted in high mink mortality. An investigation of these outbreaks revealed active and past SARS-CoV-2 infections in free-roaming and in feral cats living on or near several mink farms. Cats were captured using live traps, were sampled, fitted with GPS collars, and released on the farms. GPS tracking of these cats show they made frequent visits to mink sheds, moved freely around the affected farms, and visited surrounding residential properties and neighborhoods on multiple occasions, making them potential low risk vectors of additional SARS-CoV-2 spread in local communities.

Household characteristics associated with surface contamination of SARS-CoV-2 and frequency of RT-PCR and viral culture positivity-California and Colorado, 2021.

While risk of fomite transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is considered low, there is limited environmental data within households. This January-April 2021 investigation describes frequency and types of surfaces positive for SARS-CoV-2 by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) among residences with ≥1 SARS-CoV-2 infection, and associations of household characteristics with surface RT-PCR and viable virus positivity. Of 1232 samples from 124 households, 27.8% (n = 342) were RT-PCR positive with nightstands (44.1%) and pillows (40.9%) most frequently positive. SARS-CoV-2 lineage, documented household transmission, greater number of infected persons, shorter interval between illness onset and sampling, total household symptoms, proportion of infected persons ≤12 years old, and persons exhibiting upper respiratory symptoms or diarrhea were associated with more positive surfaces. Viable virus was isolated from 0.2% (n = 3 samples from one household) of all samples. This investigation suggests that while SARS-CoV-2 on surfaces is common, fomite transmission risk in households is low.