Dr.Tom

PURPOSE: To investigate the correlation between diabetic retinopathy (DR) severity and microscopic retinal and vascular alterations using adaptive optics imaging (AOI). METHODS: In this single-center, prospective cohort study, adult participants with healthy eyes or DR underwent AOI. Participants were classified into control/mild non-proliferative DR (NPDR), moderate/severe NPDR, and proliferative DR. AOI using the RTX1 camera was obtained from 48 participants (87 eyes) for photoreceptor data, and from 36 participants (62 eyes) for vascular data...

Although tuberculosis has become more common in recent years, it still accounts for just a small percentage of cases of chronic otitis media. Common symptoms of tuberculous otitis media (TOM) include otorrhoea, hearing loss, and multiple tympanic membrane perforations. Due to its rarity, the illness is frequently misdiagnosed. When a patient does not improve with standard antibacterial and antifungal treatment, this may be a possible diagnosis to explore. Complete healing is possible if the illness is diagnosed and treated timely to prevent consequences...

A large share of the global forest restoration potential is situated in artificial 'unstable' mesic African savannas, which could be restored to higher carbon and biodiversity states if protected from human-induced burning. However, uncertainty on recovery rates in protected unstable savannas impedes science-informed forest restoration initiatives. Here, we quantify the forest restoration success of anthropogenic fire exclusion within an 88-ha mesic artificial savanna patch in the Kongo Central province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo)...

https://doi.org/10.31952/amha.21.2.5  U članku su u uvodnim napomenama navedeni osnovni podaci o zdravstvenim prilikama vezanim uz pojavu zaraznih bolesti te o mjerama koje su poduzimane za njihovo suzbijanje na području NDH. Potom se u sažetom pregledu opisuje djelovanje državnih zdravstvenih institucija u borbi sa zaraznim bolestima na slavonskom području, koliko se iz korištenih izvora moglo iščitati, te je stanje istraženosti ove teme i dalje slabo...

Background: The taxonomic status of the relapsing fever spirochete Borrelia hermsii in western North America was established in 1942 and based solely on its specific association with the soft tick vector Ornithodoros hermsi . Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of the 16S rRNA , flaB , gyrB , glpQ , and 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer of B. hermsii isolates collected over many years from various geographic locations and biological sources identified two distinct clades designated previously as B. hermsii Genomic Group I (GGI) and Genomic Group II (GGII)...

INTRODUCTION: In clinical practice, fetal heart rate monitoring is performed intermittently using Doppler ultrasound, typically for 30 minutes. In case of a non-reassuring heart rate pattern, monitoring is usually prolonged. Noninvasive fetal electrocardiography may be more suitable for prolonged monitoring due to improved patient comfort and signal quality. This study evaluates the performance and patient experience of four noninvasive electrocardiography devices to assess candidate devices for prolonged noninvasive fetal heart rate monitoring...

The Canadian Association of Neuropathologists - Association canadienne des neuropathologistes (CANP-ACNP) held their 63rd annual meeting at the McGill Faculty Club and The Montreal Neurological Institute in Montreal, QC, from October 18th to 21st , 2023, under the leadership of Dr. Robert Hammond, President of the CANP-ACNP, Dr. Peter Schutz, Secretary Treasurer of the CANP-ACNP, and with technical support from CANP administrator Colleen Fifield. The academic program comprised 18 scientific abstracts, 14 unknown cases, a mini-symposium on molecular testing of brain tumours in Canada, and the Presidential symposium on Pediatric Neuropathology...

PURPOSE: To our knowledge, we present the first case series investigating the relationship between adaptive optics (AO) imaging and intravenous fluorescein angiography (IVFA) parameters in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR). METHODS: Consecutive patients with DR over the age of 18 years presenting to a single centre in Toronto, Canada from 2020-2021 were recruited. AO was performed with the RTX1 camera (Imagine Eyes, Orsay, France) at retinal eccentricities of 2° and 4°...

The objective of the study was to find the prevalence of metabolic syndrome along with identifying the atrial arrhythmias, QTC interval, and coronary artery disease among these patients during follow-ups. Among 171 subjects who were implanted with permanent pacemakers, metabolic syndrome was present in 90 (52.6 %). Prevalence of Arrhythmias was 49 (28.7 %), atrial tachycardia (AT)/atrial fibrillation (AF) was seen in 29 (17 %) patients. Our study showed that there is a strong association between metabolic syndrome and atrial arrhythmias...

BACKGROUND: Post stroke fatigue (PSF) affects 50 % of stroke survivors, and can be disabling. Remote ischaemic conditioning (RIC), can preserve mitochondrial function, improve tissue perfusion and may mitigate PSF. This pilot randomised controlled trial evaluates the safety and feasibility of using RIC for PSF and evaluated measures of cellular bioenergetics. METHODS: 24 people with debilitating PSF (7 item Fatigue Severity Score, FSS-7 > 4) were randomised (1:1) in this single-centre phase 2 study to RIC (blood pressure cuff inflation around the upper arm 200 mmHg for 5 min followed by 5 min of deflation), or sham (inflation pressure 20 mmHg), repeated 4 cycles, 3 times per week for 6 weeks...

This study characterized mechanisms of Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) revaccination-induced trained immunity (TI) in India. Adults, BCG vaccinated at birth, were sampled longitudinally before and after a second BCG dose. BCG revaccination significantly elevated tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 in HLA-DR+ CD16- CD14hi monocytes, demonstrating induction of TI. Mycobacteria-specific CD4+ T cell interferon (IFN) γ, IL-2, and TNF-α were significantly higher in re-vaccinees and correlated positively with HLA-DR+ CD16- CD14hi TI responses...

Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory process resulting in the deposition of cholesterol and cellular debris, narrowing of the vessel lumen and clot formation. Characterization of the morphology and vulnerability of the lesion is essential for effective clinical management. Here, near-infrared auto-photoacoustic (NIRAPA) imaging is shown to detect plaque components and, when combined with ultrasound imaging, to differentiate stable and vulnerable plaque. In an ex vivo study of photoacoustic imaging of excised plaque from 25 patients, 88...

BACKGROUND: The search for biomarkers to identify ideal candidates for immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy is fundamental. In this study, we analyze peripheral blood CD3+HLADR+ cells (activated T-cells) as a novel biomarker for ICI therapy and how its association to certain gut microbiome species can indicate individual treatment outcomes. METHODS: Flow cytometry analysis of peripheral mononuclear blood cells (PBMCs) was performed on n=70 patients undergoing ICI therapy for solid malignancies to quantify HLA-DR on circulating CD3+ cells...

Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory process resulting in the deposition of cholesterol and cellular debris, narrowing of the vessel lumen and clot formation. Characterization of the morphology and vulnerability of the lesion is essential for effective clinical management. Photoacoustic imaging has sufficient penetration and sensitivity to map and characterize human atherosclerotic plaque. Here, near infrared photoacoustic imaging is shown to detect plaque components and, when combined with ultrasound imaging, to differentiate stable and vulnerable plaque...

Infections are prevalent after spinal cord injury (SCI), constitute the main cause of death and are a rehabilitation confounder associated with impaired recovery. We hypothesize that SCI causes an acquired lesion-dependent (neurogenic) immune suppression as an underlying mechanism to facilitate infections. The international prospective multicentre cohort study (SCIentinel; protocol registration DRKS00000122; n = 111 patients) was designed to distinguish neurogenic from general trauma-related effects on the immune system...

High rates of drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) continue to threaten public health, especially in Eastern Europe. Costs for treating DR-TB are substantially higher than treating drug-susceptible TB, and higher yet if DR-TB services are delivered in hospital. The WHO recommends that multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB be treated using mainly ambulatory care, shown to have non-inferior health outcomes, however, there has been a delay to transition away from hospital-focused MDR-TB care in certain Eastern European countries...

PURPOSE: To study the effects of intravitreal injection (IVI) of anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) agents on intraocular pressure (IOP) and find associations with acute pressure spikes. METHODS: This was a three-month, prospective study of patients receiving outpatient IVI of anti-VEGF agents for diabetic retinopathy (DR), age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and retinal vein occlusion (RVO) at the Acuity Eye Group Medical Centers. IOP was measured pre- and post-injection at 10-minute intervals up to 50 minutes after injection with a handheld tonometer...

The British Thoracic Society Winter Meeting at the QEII Centre in London provided the first opportunity for the respiratory community to meet and disseminate research findings face to face since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. World-leading researchers from the UK and abroad presented their latest findings across a range of respiratory diseases. This article aims to represent the range of the conference and as such is written from the perspective of a basic scientist, a physiotherapist and two doctors. The authors reviewed showcase sessions plus a selection of symposia based on their personal highlights...

INTRODUCTION: Sepsis is characterised by a dysregulated immune response to infection, with exaggerated pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses. A predominant immunosuppressive profile affecting both innate and adaptive immune responses is associated with increased hospital-acquired infection and reduced infection-free survival. While hospital-acquired infection leads to additional antibiotic use, the role of the immunosuppressive phenotype in guiding complex decisions, such as those affecting antibiotic stewardship, is uncertain...

Degradation and regeneration of tropical forests can strongly affect gene flow in understorey species, resulting in genetic erosion and changes in genetic structure. Yet, these processes remain poorly studied in tropical Africa. Coffea canephora is an economically important species, found in the understorey of tropical rainforests of Central and West Africa, and the genetic diversity harboured in its wild populations is vital for sustainable coffee production worldwide. Here, we aimed to quantify genetic diversity, genetic structure, and pedigree relations in wild C...