Attitudinal factors associated with protein sufficiency in Chilean vegan university students - A pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: vegan diets are currently an essential topic of discussion because they are recognized as a prototype of a healthy diet but are also associated with deficits in the intake of critical nutrients such as protein. Evaluating the factors that influence the deficit in their intake in vulnerable populations such as university students represents an important topic of interest, considering that this is one of the groups where veganism is most popular. Given this, the present study aimed to determine the degree of protein sufficiency and its associated factors in a sample of Chilean vegan university students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: an exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted on 114 vegan university students who responded to an online survey on academic, attitudinal, clinical, dietary, and sociodemographic variables. Protein intake was calculated, and based on self-reported weight, daily protein adequacy was calculated according to the recommendation of 0.9 g/kg/day. Finally, the association between protein adequacy and previously consulted variables was calculated by determining the odds ratios. RESULTS: only 53.5 % had adequate daily protein intake, which was associated with the length of time respondents had been vegan (OR, 2.86; 95 % CI, 1.07 to 7.34; p < 0.05), use of supplements (OR, 5.24; 95 % CI, 1.17 to 25.2; p < 0.05), and the frequency with which they ate lunch at home (OR, 87.7; 95 % CI, 24.1 to 304; p = 0.000). CONCLUSION: there needs to be more protein adequacy in the assessed sample. Protein adequacy is associated with the length of time on the vegan diet, frequency of eating lunch away from home, and use of supplements regularly.

Household transmission investigation: Design, reporting and critical appraisal.

Background: Household transmission investigations (HHTIs) contribute timely epidemiologic knowledge in response to emerging pathogens. HHTIs conducted in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21 reported variable methodological approaches, producing epidemiological estimates that vary in meaning, precision and accuracy. Because specific tools to assist with the optimal design and critical appraisal of HHTIs are not available, the aggregation and pooling of inferences from HHTIs to inform policy and interventions may be challenging. Methods: In this manuscript, we discuss key aspects of the HHTI design, provide recommendations for the reporting of these studies and propose an appraisal tool that contributes to the optimal design and critical appraisal of HHTIs. Results: The appraisal tool consists of 12 questions that explore 10 aspects of HHTIs and can be answered 'yes', 'no' or 'unclear'. We provide an example of the use of this tool in the context of a systematic review that aimed to quantify the household secondary attack rate from HHTIs. Conclusion: We seek to fill a gap in the epidemiologic literature and contribute to standardised HHTI approaches across settings to achieve richer and more informative datasets.

Estimation of a Within-Herd Transmission Rate for African Swine Fever in Vietnam.

We describe results from a panel study in which pigs from a 17-sow African swine fever (ASF) positive herd in Thái Bình province, Vietnam, were followed over time to record the date of onset of ASF signs and the date of death from ASF. Our objectives were to (1) fit a susceptible-exposed-infectious-removed disease model to the data with transmission coefficients estimated using approximate Bayesian computation; (2) provide commentary on how a model of this type might be used to provide decision support for disease control authorities. For the outbreak in this herd, the median of the average latent period was 10 days (95% HPD (highest posterior density interval): 2 to 19 days), and the median of the average duration of infectiousness was 3 days (95% HPD: 2 to 4 days). The estimated median for the transmission coefficient was 3.3 (95% HPD: 0.4 to 8.9) infectious contacts per ASF-infectious pig per day. The estimated median for the basic reproductive number, R0, was 10 (95% HPD: 1.1 to 30). Our estimates of the basic reproductive number R0 were greater than estimates of R0 for ASF reported previously. The results presented in this study may be used to estimate the number of pigs expected to be showing clinical signs at a given number of days following an estimated incursion date. This will allow sample size calculations, with or without adjustment to account for less than perfect sensitivity of clinical examination, to be used to determine the appropriate number of pigs to examine to detect at least one with the disease. A second use of the results of this study would be to inform the equation-based within-herd spread components of stochastic agent-based and hybrid simulation models of ASF.

Intensive 90-day textile wearable Holter monitoring: an alternative to detect paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in selected patients with cryptogenic stroke.

We aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of 90-day cardiac monitoring with an external Holter device and to find a target population able to benefit from such a technique. Cryptogenic stroke patients were continuously monitored for 90 days with a textile wearable Holter (TWH). Compliance and quality of the monitoring were assessed by the number of hours of ECG stored per month. Mean predictors of pAF, including age, gender, stroke severity, and atrial size (LAVI), were evaluated. One-year follow-up assessed pAF detection outside per protocol monitoring. Out of 224 patients included in 5 stroke centers, 163 patients (72.76%) fulfilled the criteria for the protocol. Median monitoring time was similar among the three months. Per protocol pAF detection reached 35.37% at 90 days. The age (OR 1.095; 95% CI 1.03-1.14) and the LAVI (OR 1.055; 95% CI 1.01-1.09) independently predicted pAF. The cut-off point of 70 years (AUC 0.68) (95% CI 0.60-0.76) predicted pAF with a sensitivity of 75.8% and specificity of 50.5%. The LAVI cut-off point of 28.5 (AUC 0.67) (95% CI 0.56-0.77) had a sensitivity of 63.6% and a specificity of 61.8% to detect pAF. The combination of both markers enhanced the validity of pAF detection sensitivity to 89.6%, with a specificity of 27.59%. These patients had increased risk of pAF during the 90-day monitoring HR 3.23 (χ2 7.15) and beyond 90 days (χ2 5.37). Intensive 90-days TWH monitoring detected a high percentage of pAF. However, a significant number of patients did not complete the monitoring. Patients older than 70 years and with enlarged left atria benefitted more from the protocol.

Mediterranean Diet and its Effects on Silent Brain Infarcts in a Cohort of Patients With Atrial Fibrillation.

Background and Aims: The benefits of Mediterranean Diet (MeDiet) in prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in general and ischemic stroke (IS) have been extensively studied and reported. We hypothesize that the consumption of nutrients typical of MeDiet would also reduce the rate of silent brain infarcts (SBI) among AF patients. Methods and Results: Patients with a history of AF who scored 0 to 1 in the CHADS2 score, ⩾50 years and with absence of neurological symptoms were selected from Seville urban area using the Andalusian electronic healthcare database. A 3T brain MRI was performed to all participants. Demographic and clinical data and food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) were collected. Of the 443 scanned patients, 66 presented SBI. Of them 52 accepted to be scheduled for a clinical visit and were included in the diet sub study and 41 controls were matched per age and sex. There were no statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics. After logistic regression analysis, we found that a higher consumption of fiber from fruit was independently associated with a lower risk of SBI, while a higher consumption of high glycemic load (GL) foods was associated with a higher risk of SBI in a population with AF. Conclusion: Our findings support that MeDiet could be suggested as a prevention strategy for SBI in patients with AF.

Capturing Household Structure and Mobility within and between Remote Aboriginal Communities in Northern Australia Using Longitudinal Data: A Pilot Study.

Cultural practices and development level can influence a population's household structures and mixing patterns. Within some populations, households can be organized across multiple dwellings. This likely affects the spread of infectious disease through these communities; however, current demographic data collection tools do not record these data. METHODS: Between June and October 2018, the Contact And Mobility Patterns in remote Aboriginal Australian communities (CAMP-remote) pilot study recruited Aboriginal mothers with infants in a remote northern Australian community to complete a monthly iPad-based contact survey. RESULTS: Thirteen mother-infant pairs (participants) completed 69 study visits between recruitment and the end of May 2019. Participants reported they and their other children slept in 28 dwellings during the study. The median dwelling occupancy, defined as people sleeping in the same dwelling on the previous night, was ten (range: 3.5-25). Participants who completed at least three responses (n = 8) slept in a median of three dwellings (range: 2-9). Each month, a median of 28% (range: 0-63%) of the participants travelled out of the community. Including these data in disease transmission models amplified estimates of infectious disease spread in the study community, compared to models parameterized using census data. CONCLUSIONS: The lack of data on mixing patterns in populations where households can be organized across dwellings may impact the accuracy of infectious disease models for these communities and the efficacy of public health actions they inform.

Early warning scores to identify the risk of clinical worsening or death in patients hospitalized for COVID-19

Background: identifying patients at risk for negative outcomes is key for performing a timely triage and adapting the care intensity for patients with COVID-19. Early warning scores are rules that alert to the risk of adverse outcomes during hospitalization. We sought to validate the modified NEWS, NEWS-2 and COVID-19 Severity Index (CSI). Methods: a prospective observational multicenter study of patients hospitalized for CO VID-19 at three quaternary care hospitals in Bogotá, Colombia, between April and November 2020. The operating characteristics and areas under the ROC curve were calculated. Results: 711 patients were included, in whom the AUC for death was 0.68, 0.58 and 0.68, and for ICU admission was 0.61, 0.63 and 0.66 for mNEWS, NEWS-2 and CSI, respectively. The CSI had the greatest sensitivity for ICU admission or death (87.6 and 90.0%) and NEWS-2 had the greatest specificity (76.8 and 75.5%). Conclusions: the three early warning scores had a low to moderate performance in pre dicting ICU admission or death in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. (Acta Med Colomb 2022; 47. DOI:https://doi.org/10.36104/amc.2022.2225).

Antecedentes: la identificación de los pacientes con riesgo de desenlaces negativos es clave para realizar un triage oportuno y adecuar la intensidad de los cuidados en los pacientes con COVID-19. Las puntuaciones de alerta temprana son reglas para advertir el riesgo de desenlaces adversos durante la hospitalización. Buscamos validar el NEWS modificado, NEWS-2 y COVID-19 Severity Index. Metodología: estudio observacional, prospectivo, multicéntrico con pacientes hospitalizados por COVID-19 en tres hospitales de cuarto nivel en Bogotá (Colombia), entre abril y noviembre de 2020. Se calcularon las características operativas y áreas bajo la curva ROC. Resultados: se contó con 711 pacientes entre los cuales el AUC para muerte fue 0.68, 0.58 y 0.68, y para ingreso a UCI de 0.61, 0.63 y 0.66 para NEWSm, NEWS-2 y CSI respectivamente. El CSI alcanzó la mayor sensibilidad para ingreso a UCI o muerte (87.6 y 90.0%) y la mayor especificidad fue el NEWS-2 (76.8 y 75.5%). Conclusiones: las tres puntuaciones de alerta temprana mostraron un desempeño bajo a moderado para la predicción del ingreso a UCI o muerte en pacientes hospitalizados por COVID-19. (Acta Med Colomb 2022; 47. DOI:https://doi.org/10.36104/amc.2022.2225).

Blood-Based Biomarkers to Search for Atrial Fibrillation in High-Risk Asymptomatic Individuals and Cryptogenic Stroke Patients.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) increases the risk of ischemic stroke in asymptomatic individuals and may be the underlying cause of many cryptogenic strokes. We aimed to test the usefulness of candidate blood-biomarkers related to AF pathophysiology in two prospective cohorts representative of those populations. Methods: Two hundred seventy-four subjects aged 65-75 years with hypertension and diabetes from the AFRICAT cohort, and 218 cryptogenic stroke patients aged >55 years from the CRYPTO-AF cohort were analyzed. AF was assessed by 4 weeks of monitoring with a wearable Holter device (NuuboTM™). Blood was collected immediately before monitoring started. 10 candidate biomarkers were measured by automated immunoassays (Roche, Penzberg) in the plasma of all patients. Univariate and logistic regression analyses were performed in each cohort separately. Results: Atrial fibrillation detection rate was 12.4% (AFRICAT cohort) and 22.9% (CRYPTO-AF cohort). 4 biomarkers were significantly increased in asymptomatic individuals with AF [Troponin-T, Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2), Endocan, and total N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP)] and 7 biomarkers showed significantly higher concentrations in cryptogenic stroke patients with AF detection [growth differentiation factor 15, interleukin 6, Troponin-T, Ang-2, Bone morphogenic protein 10, Dickkopf-related protein 3 (DKK-3), and total NT-proBNP]. The models including Ang-2 and total NT-proBNP [AUC 0.764 (0.665-0.863)], and Ang-2 and DKK-3 [AUC = 0.733 (0.654-0.813)], together with age and sex, showed the best performance to detect AF in high-risk asymptomatic individuals, and in cryptogenic stroke patients, respectively. Conclusion: Blood-biomarkers, in particular, total NT-proBNP, DKK-3, and Ang-2, were associated with AF reflecting two mechanistically different pathways involved in AF pathophysiology (AF stretch and vascular changes). The combination of these biomarkers could be useful in AF screening strategies in the primary care setting and also for searching AF after cryptogenic stroke.

Combining the mechanical ball milling of the carbohydrate and the use of low solvent reaction media for the synthesis of fructose fatty acid esters by immobilized lipases.

Synthesis of carbohydrate fatty acid esters catalyzed by immobilized lipases is a pathway to obtain specific isomers from renewable feedstock, compared to unselective chemical esterification. While the use of low-solvent reaction media (≤ 10 %) offers advantages, the interactive effects of these media with biocatalysts and substrates should be modulated towards high catalytic efficiency and substrate availability. Among the investigated co-solvents, tert-butanol and DMSO in a mixture of lauric acid substrate/co-solvent (90/10; v/v) resulted in high bioconversion yields using either Novozym® 435 or Lipozyme® RM IM, as biocatalysts. Increased hydrophobicity of the Novozym® 435 immobilization support favored bioconversion, while polar substrate surface area enlargement by ball-milling improved productivity through enhancement of fructose availability. A compromise between bioconversion yield (19.7 %) and productivity (9.45 µmol/L min) was obtained in the reactions catalyzed by Novozym® 435 using ball-milled fructose at a concentration of 0.2 mol/L. Combining mechanical ball-milling of the substrates with low-solvent reaction media is expected to enhance and expand enzymatic synthesis of carbohydrate fatty acid esters.

Neoplasia tiroidea folicular no invasiva con características nucleares de tipo papilar (NIFTP): Reporte de un caso / Noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papil-lary-like nuclear features (NIFTP): A case report

Introducción: En la última década ha habido un incremento en la incidencia del cáncer diferenciado de tiroides, especialmente de microcarcinomas, cuyo comportamiento suele ser indolente, existiendo sobrediagnósticos y terapias agresivas innecesarias con grandes implicaciones económicas. El objetivo del presente estudio fue describir un caso de un paciente con una neoplasia tiroidea con bajo potencial maligno, cuyo tratamiento es netamente quirúrgico. Caso clínico: Hombre de 36 años sometido a cirugía por nódulo tiroideo clasificado Bethesda VI donde la histopatológica postquirúrgica evidenció una neoplasia tiroidea folicular no invasiva con características nucleares papilar (NIFTP). La evolución fue favorable, no necesitó sustitución de levo tiroxina ni yodo radioactivo. Discusión: Las variantes foliculares no invasivas del CPT tienen un potencial maligno muy bajo, por lo que la ATA la clasificó como neoplasia de bajo riesgo cuyo tratamiento es netamente quirúrgico, cambiando su nombre a NIFTP. Conclusión: NIFTP tiene excelente pronóstico, siendo suficiente la hemitiroidectomía en la mayoría de los casos.

Introduction: In the last decade, there has been an increase in the incidence of differentiated thyroid cancer, especially microcarcinomas, whose behavior is usually indolent, with overdiagnosis and unnecessary aggressive therapies with significant economic implications. This study's objective was to describe a patient with a thyroid neoplasm with low malignant potential whose treatment is purely surgical. Clinical case: A 36-year-old man underwent surgery for a thyroid nodule classified Bethesda VI, where the post-surgical histopathology showed a non-invasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with nuclear papillary characteristics (NIFTP). The evolution was favorable; he did not need the substitution of levothyroxine or radioactive iodine. Discussion: Non-invasive follicular variants of PTC have a meager malignant potential, so the ATA classified it as a low-risk neoplasm whose treatment is purely surgical, changing its name to NIFTP. Conclusion: NIFTP has an excellent prognosis, hemithyroidectomy being sufficient in most cases.

Proteins and pathways in atrial fibrillation and atrial cardiomyopathy underlying cryptogenic stroke.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most prevalent causes of cryptogenic stroke. Also, apart from AF itself, structural and remodelling changes in the atria might be an underlying cause of cryptogenic stroke. We aimed to discover circulating proteins and reveal pathways altered in AF and atrial cardiomyopathy, measured by left atrial volume index (LAVI) and peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS), in patients with cryptogenic stroke. Methods: An aptamer array (including 1310 proteins) was measured in the blood of 20 cryptogenic stroke patients monitored during 28 days with a Holter device as a case-control study of the Crypto-AF cohort. Protein levels were compared between patients with (n = 10) and without AF (n = 10) after stroke, and the best candidates were tested in 111 patients from the same cohort (44 patients with AF and 67 without AF). In addition, in the first 20 patients, proteins were explored according to PALS and LAVI values. Results: Forty-six proteins were differentially expressed in AF cases. Of those, four proteins were tested in a larger sample size. Only DPP7, presenting lower levels in AF patients, was further validated. Fifty-seven proteins correlated with LAVI, and 270 correlated with PALS. NT-proBNP was common in all the discovery analyses performed. Interestingly, many proteins and pathways were altered in patients with low PALS. Conclusions: Multiple proteins and pathways related to AF and atrial cardiomyopathy have been revealed. The role of DPP7 as a biomarker for stroke aetiology should be further explored. Moreover, the present study may be considered hypothesis-generating.

Muscle MRI characteristic pattern for late-onset TK2 deficiency diagnosis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: TK2 deficiency (TK2d) is a rare mitochondrial disorder that manifests predominantly as a progressive myopathy with a broad spectrum of severity and age of onset. The rate of progression is variable, and the prognosis is poor due to early and severe respiratory involvement. Early and accurate diagnosis is particularly important since a specific treatment is under development. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic value of lower limb muscle MRI in adult patients with TK2d. METHODS: We studied a cohort of 45 genetically confirmed patients with mitochondrial myopathy (16 with mutations in TK2, 9 with mutations in other nuclear genes involved in mitochondrial DNA [mtDNA] synthesis or maintenance, 10 with single mtDNA deletions, and 10 with point mtDNA mutations) to analyze the imaging pattern of fat replacement in lower limb muscles. We compared the identified pattern in patients with TK2d with the MRI pattern of other non-mitochondrial genetic myopathies that share similar clinical characteristics. RESULTS: We found a consistent lower limb muscle MRI pattern in patients with TK2d characterized by involvement of the gluteus maximus, gastrocnemius medialis, and sartorius muscles. The identified pattern in TK2 patients differs from the known radiological involvement of other resembling muscle dystrophies that share clinical features. CONCLUSIONS: By analyzing the largest cohort of muscle MRI from patients with mitochondrial myopathies studied to date, we identified a characteristic and specific radiological pattern of muscle involvement in patients with TK2d that could be useful to speed up its diagnosis.

Multi-ancestry GWAS reveals excitotoxicity associated with outcome after ischaemic stroke.

During the first hours after stroke onset, neurological deficits can be highly unstable: some patients rapidly improve, while others deteriorate. This early neurological instability has a major impact on long-term outcome. Here, we aimed to determine the genetic architecture of early neurological instability measured by the difference between the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) within 6 h of stroke onset and NIHSS at 24 h. A total of 5876 individuals from seven countries (Spain, Finland, Poland, USA, Costa Rica, Mexico and Korea) were studied using a multi-ancestry meta-analyses. We found that 8.7% of NIHSS at 24 h of variance was explained by common genetic variations, and also that early neurological instability has a different genetic architecture from that of stroke risk. Eight loci (1p21.1, 1q42.2, 2p25.1, 2q31.2, 2q33.3, 5q33.2, 7p21.2 and 13q31.1) were genome-wide significant and explained 1.8% of the variability suggesting that additional variants influence early change in neurological deficits. We used functional genomics and bioinformatic annotation to identify the genes driving the association from each locus. Expression quantitative trait loci mapping and summary data-based Mendelian randomization indicate that ADAM23 (log Bayes factor = 5.41) was driving the association for 2q33.3. Gene-based analyses suggested that GRIA1 (log Bayes factor = 5.19), which is predominantly expressed in the brain, is the gene driving the association for the 5q33.2 locus. These analyses also nominated GNPAT (log Bayes factor = 7.64) ABCB5 (log Bayes factor = 5.97) for the 1p21.1 and 7p21.1 loci. Human brain single-nuclei RNA-sequencing indicates that the gene expression of ADAM23 and GRIA1 is enriched in neurons. ADAM23, a presynaptic protein and GRIA1, a protein subunit of the AMPA receptor, are part of a synaptic protein complex that modulates neuronal excitability. These data provide the first genetic evidence in humans that excitotoxicity may contribute to early neurological instability after acute ischaemic stroke.

Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in standardised first few X cases and household transmission investigations: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

We aimed to estimate the household secondary infection attack rate (hSAR) of SARS-CoV-2 in investigations aligned with the WHO Unity Studies Household Transmission Investigations (HHTI) protocol. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis according to PRISMA 2020 guidelines. We searched Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus and medRxiv/bioRxiv for "Unity-aligned" First Few X cases (FFX) and HHTIs published 1 December 2019 to 26 July 2021. Standardised early results were shared by WHO Unity Studies collaborators (to 1 October 2021). We used a bespoke tool to assess investigation methodological quality. Values for hSAR and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted or calculated from crude data. Heterogeneity was assessed by visually inspecting overlap of CIs on forest plots and quantified in meta-analyses. Of 9988 records retrieved, 80 articles (64 from databases; 16 provided by Unity Studies collaborators) were retained in the systematic review; 62 were included in the primary meta-analysis. hSAR point estimates ranged from 2% to 90% (95% prediction interval: 3%-71%; I 2 = 99.7%); I 2 values remained >99% in subgroup analyses, indicating high, unexplained heterogeneity and leading to a decision not to report pooled hSAR estimates. FFX and HHTI remain critical epidemiological tools for early and ongoing characterisation of novel infectious pathogens. The large, unexplained variance in hSAR estimates emphasises the need to further support standardisation in planning, conduct and analysis, and for clear and comprehensive reporting of FFX and HHTIs in time and place, to guide evidence-based pandemic preparedness and response efforts for SARS-CoV-2, influenza and future novel respiratory viruses.

RP11-362K2.2:RP11-767I20.1 Genetic Variation Is Associated with Post-Reperfusion Therapy Parenchymal Hematoma. A GWAS Meta-Analysis.

Stroke is one of the most common causes of death and disability. Reperfusion therapies are the only treatment available during the acute phase of stroke. Due to recent clinical trials, these therapies may increase their frequency of use by extending the time-window administration, which may lead to an increase in complications such as hemorrhagic transformation, with parenchymal hematoma (PH) being the more severe subtype, associated with higher mortality and disability rates. Our aim was to find genetic risk factors associated with PH, as that could provide molecular targets/pathways for their prevention/treatment and study its genetic correlations to find traits sharing genetic background. We performed a GWAS and meta-analysis, following standard quality controls and association analysis (fastGWAS), adjusting age, NIHSS, and principal components. FUMA was used to annotate, prioritize, visualize, and interpret the meta-analysis results. The total number of patients in the meta-analysis was 2034 (216 cases and 1818 controls). We found rs79770152 having a genome-wide significant association (beta 0.09, p-value 3.90 × 10-8) located in the RP11-362K2.2:RP11-767I20.1 gene and a suggestive variant (rs13297983: beta 0.07, p-value 6.10 × 10-8) located in PCSK5 associated with PH occurrence. The genetic correlation showed a shared genetic background of PH with Alzheimer's disease and white matter hyperintensities. In addition, genes containing the ten most significant associations have been related to aggregated amyloid-ß, tau protein, white matter microstructure, inflammation, and matrix metalloproteinases.

Antibiotic Prescription in Veterinary Consultations in Bhutan: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study.

The veterinary prescription of antibiotics in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) remains largely undocumented. In Bhutan, however, the national veterinary service keeps records of their activities and prescriptions, which offer an opportunity to establish a benchmark to assess the use of these agents in this and other LMIC. A cross-sectional retrospective study was designed and 2,266 handwritten veterinary records from 2017 were sampled from 23 animal health premises (AHPs) to estimate individual and an overall proportion of consultations that resulted in an antibiotic prescription. The frequency of antibiotic prescription per species, type of AHP, and according to WHO's AWaRe index and OIE list of priority antimicrobials were also explored. It was estimated that 31% (95% confidence interval: 29-33%; intracluster correlation: 0.03) of the veterinary consultations resulted in an antibiotic prescription. The incidence of antibiotic prescription was highest in consultations of poultry across AHP. Across species, diarrhea and wounds were frequently treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics including sulfonamides, tetracyclines, trimethoprim + sulfa, and penicillin. Between 45% and 70% antibiotics prescribed correspond to AWaRe's access group and up to 25% to AWaRe's watch group. Over 70% of antibiotics dispensed in veterinary consultations for any species correspond to the OIE's veterinary critically important antimicrobial agents. Overall, the study demonstrated positive features of veterinary antimicrobial stewardship in Bhutan, given the conservative proportion of consultation that results in this type of prescription and the type of antibiotic prescribed. Although the veterinary service closely follows the Bhutanese Standard Treatment Guidelines, the prescription of antibiotics to key species should be closely monitored. Our study suggests that further improvements of antibiotic stewardship can be achieved through standardisation of antibiotic prescription to some species, a revision of the guidelines toward reducing the prescription of antibiotics of high relevance for human medicine, and by including details of clinical investigation, use of tests, and treatment outcomes in veterinary consultation records.

Ganglioglioma anaplásico: diseminación leptomeníngea cervico-dorso-lumbar. A propósito de un caso / Anaplasic ganglioglioma: Cervical-dorso-lumbar leptomeningeal dissemination. About a case

Los ganglioglioma son tumores bien diferenciados, de crecimiento lento, compuestos por una mezcla de células ganglionares maduras y gliales. La mayoría son de grado I de la OMS. Aparecen predominantemente en niños y adultos jóvenes. La mayoría se localizan a nivel del lóbulo temporal, y la sintomatología más frecuente son las crisis epilépticas de difícil control farmacológico. En general tienen buen pronóstico tras la resección quirúrgica. La variante anaplásica, considerada grado III de la OMS, presenta mayor agresividad clínica y radiológica. La diseminación leptomeníngea es excepcional en estos tipos de tumores, pero cuando es diagnosticada presenta un curso rápidamente progresivo y fatal para el paciente (AU)

Gangliogliomas are well-differentiated, slow-growing tumors. The majority are grade I of WHO. It appears predominantly in children and young adults. Most are located at the temporal lobe, and as symptomatology more frequent epileptic seizures of difficult pharmacological control. In general, they have a good prognosis after surgical resection. The anaplasic variant, considered to be grade III of the WHO, presents greater clinical and radiological aggressiveness. Leptomeningeal dissemination is exceptional in these types of tumors, but when diagnosed it presents a rapidly progressive and fatal course for the patient (AU)

Single nucleotide variations in ZBTB46 are associated with post-thrombolytic parenchymal haematoma.

Haemorrhagic transformation is a complication of recombinant tissue-plasminogen activator treatment. The most severe form, parenchymal haematoma, can result in neurological deterioration, disability, and death. Our objective was to identify single nucleotide variations associated with a risk of parenchymal haematoma following thrombolytic therapy in patients with acute ischaemic stroke. A fixed-effect genome-wide meta-analysis was performed combining two-stage genome-wide association studies (n = 1904). The discovery stage (three cohorts) comprised 1324 ischaemic stroke individuals, 5.4% of whom had a parenchymal haematoma. Genetic variants yielding a P-value < 0.05 1 × 10-5 were analysed in the validation stage (six cohorts), formed by 580 ischaemic stroke patients with 12.1% haemorrhagic events. All participants received recombinant tissue-plasminogen activator; cases were parenchymal haematoma type 1 or 2 as defined by the European Cooperative Acute Stroke Study (ECASS) criteria. Genome-wide significant findings (P < 5 × 10-8) were characterized by in silico functional annotation, gene expression, and DNA regulatory elements. We analysed 7 989 272 single nucleotide polymorphisms and identified a genome-wide association locus on chromosome 20 in the discovery cohort; functional annotation indicated that the ZBTB46 gene was driving the association for chromosome 20. The top single nucleotide polymorphism was rs76484331 in the ZBTB46 gene [P = 2.49 × 10-8; odds ratio (OR): 11.21; 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.82-26.55]. In the replication cohort (n = 580), the rs76484331 polymorphism was associated with parenchymal haematoma (P = 0.01), and the overall association after meta-analysis increased (P = 1.61 × 10-8; OR: 5.84; 95% CI: 3.16-10.76). ZBTB46 codes the zinc finger and BTB domain-containing protein 46 that acts as a transcription factor. In silico studies indicated that ZBTB46 is expressed in brain tissue by neurons and endothelial cells. Moreover, rs76484331 interacts with the promoter sites located at 20q13. In conclusion, we identified single nucleotide variants in the ZBTB46 gene associated with a higher risk of parenchymal haematoma following recombinant tissue-plasminogen activator treatment.