Antibiogram of Escherichia coli Isolated from Dairy Cattle and in-Contact Humans in Selected Areas of Central Ethiopia.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global threat to public and animal health. Escherichia coli is considered an indicator organism for monitoring AMR among gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae in humans and animals. The current study aims to assess the antibiogram profile of E. coli isolated from dairy cattle and in-contact humans in central Ethiopia and to identify risk factors associated with multidrug resistance (MDR). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in which 58 farms were recruited from selected districts of central Ethiopia. E. coli was isolated using standard bacteriological techniques. A total of 200 representative isolates (140 from cattle and 60 from humans in contact) were randomly selected and tested for susceptibility to a panel of 13 antimicrobials using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion assay. Results: The highest rate of resistance was observed for sulfamethoxazole+trimethoprim (58.6%, 82/140) and amoxicillin+clavulanic acid (70.0%, 42/60) among E. coli isolates from cattle and hmans, respectively. In contrast, resistance rates in isolates from in contact humans with the cattle were 30%, 33.3%, and 66.7%, respectively. Resistance to tetracycline (p=0.02), streptomycin (p=0.03), and sulfamethoxazole+trimethoprim (p=0.007) was significantly high in E. coli isolated from cattle on commercial dairy farms than in those isolated from cattle on smallholder farms. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the rate of resistance between E. coli isolated from in contact humans with smallholder and commercial dairy farms. Antimicrobial use for treatment purpose (p=0.04) and non-compliance with the drug withdrawal period (p=0.03) were significantly associated with the farm-level occurrence of MDR. Conclusion: A high rate of resistance was detected in E. coli isolated from the feces of dairy cattle and in-contact humans. This necessitates an effective intervention through a one-health approach and further molecular studies are required to establish source attribution.

Reliability and measurement error of exercise-induced hypoalgesia in pain-free adults and adults with musculoskeletal pain: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: We systematically reviewed the reliability and measurement error of exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH) in pain-free adults and in adults with musculoskeletal (MSK) pain. METHODS: We searched EMBASE, PUBMED, SCOPUS, CINAHL, and PSYCINFO from inception to November 2021 (updated in February 2024). In addition, manual searches of the grey literature were conducted in March 2022, September 2023, and February 2024. The inclusion criteria were as follows: adults - pain-free and with MSK pain - a single bout of exercise (any type) combined with experimental pre-post pain tests, and assessment of the reliability and/or measurement error of EIH. Two independent reviewers selected the studies, assessed their Risk of Bias (RoB) with the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) RoB tool, and graded the individual results (COSMIN modified Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation). RESULTS: We included five studies involving pain-free individuals (n = 168), which were deemed to have an overall "doubtful" RoB. No study including adults with MSK pain was found. The following ranges of parameters of reliability and measurement error of EIH were reported: intraclass correlation coefficients: 0-0.61; kappa: 0.01-0.46; standard error of measurement: 30.1-105 kPa and 10.4-21%; smallest detectable changes: 83.54-291.1 kPa and 28.83-58.21%. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded, with a very low level of certainty, that the reliability and measurement error of EIH is, in pain-free adults, respectively, "insufficient" and "indeterminate." Future studies should focus on people with MSK pain and could consider using tailored exercises, other test modalities than pressure pain threshold, rater/assessor blinding, and strict control of the sources of variations (e.g., participants' expectations).

Manifestations of Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis: Lessons From Multimodality Imaging and Pathological Correlation.

Heart valve replacement has steadily increased over the past decades due to improved surgical mortality, an aging population, and the increasing use of transcatheter valve technology. With these developments, prosthetic valve complications, including prosthetic valve endocarditis, are increasingly encountered. In this review, we aim to characterize the manifestations of prosthetic valve endocarditis using representative case studies from our institution to highlight the advances and contributions of modern multimodality imaging techniques.

Differences in time-intensity sensory profiles of sweet taste intensity of glucose between older and young adults.

Background: To understand age-related changes in sweet taste perception in daily life, it is important to understand taste intensity at the suprathreshold level. Previous studies have attempted to characterize the temporal aspects of human taste perception in terms of time-intensity evaluations. The perception of dynamic taste intensity in older adults increases slowly for salty taste; however, there have been no previous studies on time-intensity sensory evaluation of sweet taste in older adults. We hypothesized that older adults perceive sweet taste intensity more slowly than young adults. Methods: Fifty young and 40 older adults participated in the study and glucose solutions of 0.6 M and 1.5 M were used as stimuli. The study comprised two experiments: (1) a cup tasting test (static taste perception in the mouth), and (2) a time-intensity sensory evaluation, in which the solutions were presented using a custom-made delivery system. The intra-oral device was made to fit each participant's dentition. Further, the level of gag reflex was taken into consideration for each participant in the design of the intra-oral device. A suction tube was placed across the posterior tongue near the throat to remove solution and saliva. The solution delivery system was controlled by an original computer program. Results: Older adults presented significantly different maximum intensity timing and slope for both concentrations compared with young adults (slope for 1.5 M, p < 0.01; others, p < 0.05). No significant differences were found between the older and young adults for reaction timing and maximum intensity. Conclusion: We conclude that older adults perceived sweetness more slowly than young adults, and ultimately perceived almost the same intensity as young adults. This is the first reported characterization of the time-intensity profile of sweet taste intensity of glucose in older adults. Using a standardized system enabled us to assess and compare feedback on taste intensities among different age groups in real-time. Based on this, we recommend older adults "savor" to perceive sweet tastes at the same level experienced by young adults.

Selenium Status of Southern Africa.

Selenium is an essential trace element that exists in inorganic forms (selenite and selenates) and organic forms (selenoamino acids, seleno peptides, and selenoproteins). Selenium is known to aid in the function of the immune system for populations where human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is endemic, as studies suggest that a lack of selenium is associated with a higher risk of mortality among those with HIV. In a recent study conducted in Zambia, adults had a median plasma selenium concentration of 0.27 µmol/L (IQR 0.14-0.43). Concentrations consistent with deficiency (<0.63 µmol/L) were found in 83% of adults. With these results, it can be clearly seen that selenium levels in Southern Africa should be investigated to ensure the good health of both livestock and humans. The recommended selenium dietary requirement of most domesticated livestock is 0.3 mg Se/kg, and in humans above 19 years, anRDA (recommended daily allowance) of 55 mcg Se/per dayisis recommended, but most of the research findings of Southern African countries have recorded low levels. With research findings showing alarming low levels of selenium in soils, humans, and raw feed materials in Southern Africa, further research will be vital in answering questions on how best to improve the selenium status of Southern African soils and plants for livestock and humans to attain sufficient quantities.

Neutralization of EG.5, EG.5.1, BA.2.86, and JN.1 by antisera from dimeric receptor-binding domain subunit vaccines and 41 human monoclonal antibodies.

BACKGROUND: The recently circulating Omicron variants BA.2.86 and JN.1 were identified with more than 30 amino acid changes on the spike protein compared to BA.2 or XBB.1.5. This study aimed to comprehensively assess the immune escape potential of BA.2.86, JN.1, EG.5, and EG.5.1. METHODS: We collected human and murine sera to evaluate serological neutralization activities. The participants received three doses of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines or a booster dose of the ZF2022-A vaccine (Delta-BA.5 receptor-binding domain [RBD]-heterodimer immunogen) or experienced a breakthrough infection (BTI). The ZF2202-A vaccine is under clinical trial study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05850507). BALB/c mice were vaccinated with a panel of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RBD-dimer proteins. The antibody evasion properties of these variants were analyzed with 41 representative human monoclonal antibodies targeting the eight RBD epitopes. FINDINGS: We found that BA.2.86 had less neutralization evasion than EG.5 and EG.5.1 in humans. The ZF2202-A booster induced significantly higher neutralizing titers than BTI. Furthermore, BA.2.86 and JN.1 exhibited stronger antibody evasion than EG.5 and EG.5.1 on RBD-4 and RBD-5 epitopes. Compared to BA.2.86, JN.1 further lost the ability to bind to several RBD-1 monoclonal antibodies and displayed further immune escape. CONCLUSIONS: Our data showed that the currently dominating sub-variant, JN.1, showed increased immune evasion compared to BA.2.86 and EG.5.1, which is highly concerning. This study provides a timely risk assessment of the interested sub-variants and the basis for updating COVID-19 vaccines. FUNDING: This work was funded by the National Key R&D Program of China, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Beijing Life Science Academy, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (CPSF).

Multi-UniFocality (MUF), in contrast to multifocality, in thyroid lesions: Relation to lymphocytic thyroiditis.

Whereas multifocality typically concerns papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) without specification of intrathyroidal metastatic or independent nature of tumor foci, the designation of the latter as Multi-UniFocal (MUF) may be relevant for select cases. A case series involving multifocal thyroid lesions with divergent histopathological morphology and/or molecular profile, with molecular evaluation of multiple individual tumor foci per patient based on a next-generation sequencing approach, was retrospectively reviewed. Twenty-five patient cases with multifocal thyroid lesions suggestive of MUF, with 2-6 (median 3) tumor foci per patient, were described. Tumor lesions comprised diverse histopathology, including PTC, (E)FVPTC, NIFTP, FA, FTC, and oncocytic. Morphologically similar and/or diverse tumor foci harbored different molecular alterations (suggestive of non-shared clonality); with(out) coexistent similar foci harboring identical molecular alterations; or (partly) shared molecular alterations. MUF was associated with chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis in almost half of the cases. The recognition of MUF may justify the independent clinical consideration per individual tumor focus; as separate lesions albeit within a multifocal context. The potential clinical relevance and prognostic value of MUF remain to be further established.

A systematic review of the association between food insecurity and behaviours related to caries development in adults and children in high-income countries.

OBJECTIVES: To synthesize and appraise the evidence regarding the relationship between food insecurity and behaviours associated with dental caries development in adults and children in high-income countries. METHODS: A systematic review including observational studies assessing the association between food insecurity and selected dietary (free sugar consumption) and non-dietary factors (tooth brushing frequency; use of fluoridated toothpaste; dental visiting; oral hygiene aids; type of toothbrush used; interdental cleaning frequency and mouthwash use) related to dental caries development in adults and children in high-income countries. Studies specifically looking at food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic were excluded. Searches were performed in MEDLINE, Embase, Global Health and Scopus from inception to 25 May 2023. Two authors screened the search results, extracted data and appraised the studies independently and in duplicate. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (with modifications for cross-sectional studies). Vote counting and harvest plots provided the basis for evidence synthesis. RESULTS: Searches identified 880 references, which led to the inclusion of 71 studies with a total of 526 860 participants. The majority were cross-sectional studies, conducted in the USA and reported free sugar consumption. Evidence for the association between food insecurity and free sugar intake from 4 cohort studies and 61 cross-sectional studies including 336 585 participants was equivocal, particularly in the sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption post-hoc subgroup, where 20 out of 46 studies reported higher SSB consumption in food insecure individuals. There was consistent, but limited, evidence for reduced dental visiting in adults experiencing food insecurity compared to food secure adults from 3 cross-sectional studies including 52 173 participants. The relationship between food insecurity and dental visiting in children was less clear (3 cross-sectional studies, 138 102 participants). A single cross-sectional study of 3275 children reported an association between food insecurity and reported failure to toothbrush the previous day. CONCLUSIONS: This review did not identify clear associations between food insecurity and behaviours commonly implicated in the development of dental caries that would explain why individuals experiencing food insecurity are more likely to have dental caries than those who have food security. There was some evidence of decreased dental visiting in adults experiencing food insecurity. Common methodological weaknesses across the evidence base related to the selection of participants or control of potentially confounding variables. Consequently, the quality of evidence for all outcomes was downgraded to very low. More research is needed to explore access to oral hygiene products and household environments conducive to habitual oral self-care in food insecure populations.

Impact of renal denervation on quality of life how does renal denervation contribute to improving hypertension treatment affected by poor medication adherence?

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved renal denervation (RDN) as a new treatment option for hypertension (HT) because it not only has antihypertensive effects but also improves the quality of blood pressure (BP) reduction. RDN is expected to be increasingly used in clinical practice in the future. This review summarizes the impact of RDN on quality of life (QOL). Although the treatment of HT aims to improve life prognosis, the use of antihypertensive agents can impair QOL because of adverse effects and lifestyle changes associated with long-term medication use. Consequently, poor adherence to antihypertensive agents is a common problem and may be the most important issue affecting patient QOL. In RDN trials in patients taking antihypertensive agents, approximately 40% of patients had poor adherence to the drugs. Poor adherence is often the cause of resistant hypertension. Therefore, RDN should be well suited to treating HT and improving QOL. Studies have shown that approximately 30% of HT patients prefer RDN to drug treatment. Patients who prefer RDN are typically male and younger and have high BP, poor adherence, and a history of adverse effects of antihypertensive agents. We hope that RDN will improve not only life prognosis but also QOL in HT patients because of its benefits for adherence. Furthermore, we expect that in the future, RDN will be used in other sympathetic nervous system-related diseases, such as heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and sleep apnea syndrome.

Age and sex mediated effects of estrogen and Β3-adrenergic receptor on cardiovascular pathophysiology.

Sex differences are consistently identified in determining the prevalence, manifestation, and response to therapies in several systemic disorders, including those affecting the cardiovascular (CV), skeletal muscle, and nervous system. Interestingly, such differences are often more noticeable as we age. For example, premenopausal women experience a lower risk of CV disease than men of the same age. While at an advanced age, with menopause, the risk of cardiovascular diseases and adverse outcomes increases exponentially in women, exceeding that of men. However, this effect appears to be reversed in diseases such as pulmonary hypertension, where women are up to seven times more likely than men to develop an idiopathic form of the disease with symptoms developing ten years earlier than their male counterparts. Explaining this is a complex question. However, several factors and mechanisms have been identified in recent decades, including a role for sex hormones, particularly estrogens and their related receptors. Furthermore, an emerging role in these sex differences has also been suggested for ß-adrenergic receptors (ßARs), which are essential regulators of mammalian physiology. It has in fact been shown that ßARs interact with estrogen receptors (ER), providing further demonstration of their involvement in determining sexual differences. Based on these premises, this review article focused on the ß3AR subtype, which shows important activities in adipose tissue but with new and interesting roles in regulating the function of cardiomyocytes and vascular cells. In detail, we examined how ß3AR and ER signaling are intertwined and whether there would be sex- and age-dependent specific effects of these receptor systems.

Rabies incidence and burden in three cities of Cameroon (2004-2013).

Rabies is a fatal disease occurring worldwide and especially in almost all the countries in Asia and Africa including Cameroon. Though animal and human rabies is prevalent in Cameroon, the epidemiology and socio-economic burden of the disease in the country is not known. Therefore, a 10-year (October 2004-April 2013) retrospective study on the incidence of animal and human rabies and its burden in Garoua, Ngaoundéré and Yaoundé in Cameroon was carried out. Records of human cases were extracted from the database of the regional hospitals, and animal cases from the databases of Centre Pasteur and National Veterinary Laboratory. The burden of the disease was assessed through the estimation of costs linked to preventive measures (vaccination), corrective procedures (Post Exposure Treatment), Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY) and overall societal cost of the disease. Overall, 56 rabies-suspected human deaths, corresponding to an incidence of 0.02 ± 0.00 ‱ and Animal Rabies Incidence (ARI) of 0.37 ± 0.00 % among 1844 suspected animal cases were recorded. The economic loss due to preventive measures of 326,046 ± 28,130.85 USD, related to corrective procedures of 806,741.25 ± 2,466.08 USD, and DALY of 1690.28 ± 4.76 years were estimated. This is the first study that highlights the enormous socio-economic burden associated with animal and human rabies in endemic parts of Cameroon and emphasizes on enhancing rabies eradication strategy focusing on the One Health approach.

Transpancreatic Sphincterotomy After Double Guidewire Technique Was Noninferior to Primary Transpancreatic Sphincterotomy in Difficult Biliary Cannulation.

BACKGROUND: When unintentional pancreatic duct access occurs during difficult biliary cannulation, the double guidewire (DGW) or transpancreatic sphincterotomy (TPS) may be utilized. DGW can be easily switched to TPS due to the existing guidewire in the pancreatic duct. However, the efficacy of TPS after DGW, named sequential DGW-TPS technique, versus primary TPS has not been assessed. AIMS: Our aim was to compare the benefits and adverse events of sequential DGW-TPS technique and primary TPS. METHODS: We performed a comparative retrospective cohort study that enrolled a total of 117 patients with native papillae. The patients were divided into one of 2 groups according to the primary bile duct access technique (sequential DGW-TPS or primary TPS), both with pancreatic stenting. RESULTS: Between November 2017 and May 2023, a total of 84 patients were grouped into sequential DGW-TPS and 33 into primary TPS. The overall post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) rate was 4.3% in the entire cohort, with no statistical differences were observed between the groups in terms of PEP rates (P = 0.927), PEP severity (P = 1.000), first biliary cannulation success (P = 0.621), overall cannulation success (P = 1.000), hyperamylasemia incidence (P = 0.241), elevated amylase levels (P = 0.881), and postoperative hospital stay (P = 0.185). Furthermore, these results remained consistent in multivariable regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The sequential DGW-TPS technique showed a comparable safety and biliary cannulation success rate to primary TPS in difficult biliary cannulation. Given the potential long-term complications associated with TPS, DGW should be first if inadvertent pancreatic access occurs, with TPS serving as second only if DGW fails.

Brucellosis in camel, small ruminants, and Somali pastoralists in Eastern Ethiopia: a One Health approach.

Brucellosis is a neglected bacterial zoonotic disease with economic and public health importance in pastoral communities of sub-Saharan Africa. A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2021 to April 2022, to estimate the prevalence and identify the associated risk factors causing brucellosis in animals and associated with occupational diseases in humans from three selected districts of "the Somali Pastoral region," Eastern Ethiopia. In this study, 1,000 serum samples were screened for anti-Brucella spp. antibodies using Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) and further confirmed using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA). A structured questionnaire was used to collect the biodata of tested animals and animal attendants to test the association between explanatory and outcome variables. The overall animal level prevalence was 5% (95% CI, 6.1-7.2.0) in small ruminants, 2.9% (95% CI, 1.5-4.9) in camels, and 2.0% (95% CI, 0.2-3.7) in occupationally linked humans. Herd size and herd history of retained fetal membranes were risk factors associated with Brucella spp. seropositivity in animals (p < 0.05). Disposing of retained fetal membranes was significantly associated (p < 0.05) with Brucella spp. seropositivity in humans. Evidence of brucellosis in various livestock species and associated seropositivity in humans indicates the need for a coordinated One Health approach, considering sociocultural dynamics of pastoral communities in controlling brucellosis to safe guard public health and increase livestock productivity.

Drivers for a pandemic due to avian influenza and options for One Health mitigation measures.

Avian influenza viruses (AIV) remain prevalent among wild bird populations in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA), leading to significant illness in and death of birds. Transmission between bird and mammal species has been observed, particularly in fur animal farms, where outbreaks have been reported. While transmission from infected birds to humans is rare, there have been instances of exposure to these viruses since 2020 without any symptomatic infections reported in the EU/EEA. However, these viruses continue to evolve globally, and with the migration of wild birds, new strains carrying potential mutations for mammalian adaptation could be selected. If avian A(H5N1) influenza viruses acquire the ability to spread efficiently among humans, large-scale transmission could occur due to the lack of immune defences against H5 viruses in humans. The emergence of AIV capable of infecting mammals, including humans, can be facilitated by various drivers. Some intrinsic drivers are related to virus characteristics or host susceptibility. Other drivers are extrinsic and may increase exposure of mammals and humans to AIV thereby stimulating mutation and adaptation to mammals. Extrinsic drivers include the ecology of host species, such as including wildlife, human activities like farming practices and the use of natural resources, climatic and environmental factors. One Health measures to mitigate the risk of AIV adapting to mammals and humans focus on limiting exposure and preventing spread. Key options for actions include enhancing surveillance targeting humans and animals, ensuring access to rapid diagnostics, promoting collaboration between animal and human sectors, and implementing preventive measures such as vaccination. Effective communication to different involved target audiences should be emphasised, as well as strengthening veterinary infrastructure, enforcing biosecurity measures at farms, and reducing wildlife contact with domestic animals. Careful planning of poultry and fur animal farming, especially in areas with high waterfowl density, is highlighted for effective risk reduction.

Impact of Depressive Symptom Severity on Buprenorphine/Naloxone and Methadone Outcomes in People With Prescription-Type Opioid Use Disorder: Results From a Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of depressive symptom severity on opioid use and treatment retention in individuals with prescription-type opioid use disorder (POUD). METHOD: We analyzed data from a multi-centric, pragmatic, open-label, randomized controlled trial comparing buprenorphine/naloxone to methadone models of care in 272 individuals with POUD. Opioid use was self-reported every two weeks for 24 weeks using the Timeline Followback. Depressive symptom severity was self-reported with the Beck Depression Inventory at baseline, week 12 and week 24. RESULTS: Baseline depressive symptom severity was not associated with opioid use nor treatment retention. At week 12, moderate depressive symptoms were associated with greater opioid use while mild to severe depressive symptoms were associated with lowered treatment retention. At week 24, moderate depressive symptoms were associated with greater opioid use. CONCLUSIONS: Ongoing depressive symptoms lead to poorer outcomes in POUD. Clinicians are encouraged to use integrative approaches to optimize treatment outcomes. This study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03033732) on January 27th, 2017, prior to participants enrollment.

Emergence of De Novo Conditions Following Remission of Cushing Syndrome: A Case Report and Scoping Review.

OBJECTIVE: Onset and exacerbation of autoimmune, inflammatory or steroid-responsive conditions have been reported following the remission of Cushing syndrome, leading to challenges in distinguishing a new condition versus expected symptomatology following remission. We describe a case of a 42-year-old man presenting with new-onset sarcoidosis diagnosed 12 months following the surgical cure of Cushing syndrome and synthesise existing literature reporting on de novo conditions presenting after Cushing syndrome remission. METHODS: A scoping review was conducted in Medline, Epub, Ovid and PubMed. Case reports and case series detailing adult patients presenting with new-onset conditions following Cushing syndrome remission were included. RESULTS: In total, 1641 articles were screened, 138 full-text studies were assessed for eligibility, and 43 studies were included, of which 84 cases (including our case) were identified. Most patients were female (85.7%), and the median reported age was 39.5 years old (IQR = 13). Thyroid diseases were the most commonly reported conditions (48.8%), followed by sarcoidosis (15.5%). Psoriasis, lymphocytic hypophysitis, idiopathic intracranial hypertension, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and seronegative arthritis were reported in more than one case. The median duration between Cushing remission and de novo condition diagnosis was 4.1 months (IQR = 3.75). Of those patients, 59.5% were receiving corticosteroid therapy at the time of onset. CONCLUSION: Our scoping review identified several cases of de novo conditions emerging following the remission of Cushing syndrome. They occurred mostly in women and within the year following remission. Clinicians should remain aware that new symptoms, particularly in the first year following the treatment of Cushing syndrome, may be manifestations of a wide range of conditions aside from adrenal insufficiency or glucocorticoid withdrawal syndrome.

Two what, two where, visual cortical streams in humans.

ROLLS, E. T. Two What, Two Where, Visual Cortical Streams in Humans. NEUROSCI BIOBEHAV REV 2024. Recent cortical connectivity investigations lead to new concepts about 'What' and 'Where' visual cortical streams in humans, and how they connect to other cortical systems. A ventrolateral 'What' visual stream leads to the inferior temporal visual cortex for object and face identity, and provides 'What' information to the hippocampal episodic memory system, the anterior temporal lobe semantic system, and the orbitofrontal cortex emotion system. A superior temporal sulcus (STS) 'What' visual stream utilising connectivity from the temporal and parietal visual cortex responds to moving objects and faces, and face expression, and connects to the orbitofrontal cortex for emotion and social behaviour. A ventromedial 'Where' visual stream builds feature combinations for scenes, and provides 'Where' inputs via the parahippocampal scene area to the hippocampal episodic memory system that are also useful for landmark-based navigation. The dorsal 'Where' visual pathway to the parietal cortex provides for actions in space, but also provides coordinate transforms to provide inputs to the parahippocampal scene area for self-motion update of locations in scenes in the dark or when the view is obscured.

Sexual dimorphism and topological variability in fingerprint ridge density in a north-west Indian population.

The science of fingerprints is very crucial in criminal investigation as it helps identify perpetrators or victims of a crime. Fingerprint ridge density (FPRD), which refers to the number of ridges within a specific area on the epidermal skin layer of the distal phalanges in humans, has been found to differ between males and females. This study attempts to estimate the sex from FPRD and evaluates the diversity in FPRD across several topological areas. The study involves 208 participants (120 males, 88 females) between the ages 18 to 25 years from a North-west Indian population. Fingerprints were collected, and FPRD was accessed in radial, ulnar, and proximal areas as recommended by Gutierrez-Redomero et al. (Forensic Sci Int 180(1):17-22, 2008). FPRD has been quantified using the techniques described by Acree (Forensic Sci Int 102(1):35-44, 1999). When evaluating FPRD in the lateral pocket loops and twin loops, the proximal-side core was considered. The study reveals that males have a mean fingerprint ridge density of 12.82 ridges/25 mm2 while females have 13.01 ridges/25 mm2. Females have higher fingerprint ridge density solely in the proximal area; males have higher fingerprint ridge density in both radial and ulnar areas. In conclusion, this research underscores the potential of fingerprint ridge density as a parameter for investigating population variations and individual identification. Future studies on fingerprint ridge density in India's diverse population will help establish reference ranges, allowing for sex and likely population group estimation, making it a valuable tool for preliminary examinations and exclusion criteria for sex estimation in crime scene investigations.

The Association Between Diet Quality and Glycemic Outcomes Among People with Type 1 Diabetes.

Background: The amount and type of food consumed impacts the glycemic response and insulin needs of people with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Daily variability in consumption, reflected in diet quality, may acutely impact glycemic levels and insulin needs. Objective: Type 1 Diabetes Exercise Initiative (T1DEXI) data were examined to evaluate the impact of daily diet quality on near-term glycemic control and interaction with exercise. Methods: Using the Remote Food Photography Method, ≤8 d of dietary intake data were analyzed per participant. Diet quality was quantified with the Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI), where a score of 100 indicates the highest-quality diet. Each participant day was classified as low HEI (≤57) or high HEI (>57) based on the mean of nationally reported HEI data. Within participants, the relationship between diet quality and subsequent glycemia measured by continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and total insulin dose usage was evaluated using a paired t-test and robust regression models. Results: Two hundred twenty-three adults (76% female) with mean ± SD age, HbA1c, and body mass index (BMI) of 37 ± 14 y, 6.6% ± 0.7%, and 25.1 ± 3.6 kg/m2, respectively, were included in these analyses. The mean HEI score was 56 across all participant days. On high HEI days (mean, 66 ± 4) compared with low HEI days (mean, 47 ± 5), total time in range (70-180 mg/dL) was greater (77.2% ± 14% compared with 75.7% ± 14%, respectively, P = 0.01), whereas time above 180 mg/dL (19% ± 14% compared with 21% ± 15%, respectively, P = 0.004), mean glucose (143 ± 22 compared with 145 ± 22 mg/dL, respectively, P = 0.02), and total daily insulin dose (0.52 ± 0.18 compared with 0.54 ± 0.18 U/kg/d, respectively, P = 0.009) were lower. The interaction between diet quality and exercise on glycemia was not significant. Conclusions: Higher HEI scores correlated with improved glycemia and lower insulin needs, although the impact of diet quality was modest and smaller than the previously reported impact of exercise.

Accelerated decline in motor suppression in patients with cerebrovascular disorders: A kinetic analysis using the square-tracing task.

BACKGROUND: Patients with cerebrovascular disorders (CVDs) tend to exhibit impulsive behaviour without controlling their movements, leading to difficulty in performing activities of daily living and an increased risk of accidents. This hastiness, termed 'pacing impairment', has been studied but is not fully understood. OBJECTIVE: To experimentally examine the kinetic features of pacing impairment by focusing on changes in speed and investigating neuropsychological substrates. METHODS: We instructed 53 inpatients with CVDs, 20 orthopaedic inpatients, and 20 healthy participants to trace a 200 mm-sided square as slowly as possible for 120 seconds. We measured the tracing length and mean acceleration and examined the relationship between these measurements, neuropsychological symptoms, and lesion sites. RESULTS: Gradual acceleration in drawing, i.e., decline in motor suppression, was observed more frequently in the CVD group than in the control groups. Excessive acceleration was associated with unilateral spatial neglect, frontal lobe signs, and attention disorders but not with motor impersistence. Additionally, the incidence of excessive acceleration did not differ between left and right hemisphere lesion subgroups and was not associated with any specific lesion site. CONCLUSION: Pacing impairment can manifest as general or holistic deficits in attentional function widely distributed throughout the cerebral hemispheres.