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: Helicobacter pylori resistance to clarithromycin, probably due to the frequent use of this antibiotic for the treatment of other diseases, is the greatest obstacle against its eradication. : To clarify the prevalence of clarithromycin-resistant H. pylori in patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial lung disease receiving multiple antibiotic treatment, including clarithromycin. : We enrolled 88 patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial lung disease; 29 underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for the diagnosis of H. pylori infection prior to treatment, and 60 underwent it during treatment. The diagnosis of H. pylori infection was confirmed by histological examination, urease test and microaerobic bacterial culture. The minimum inhibitory concentration of clarithromycin was determined and the DNA was analysed for each of the isolated H. pylori strains. : Patients during the treatment had a high prevalence rate of clarithromycin-resistant H. pylori (100%). Analysis of DNA of the clarithromycin-resistant H. pylori isolates revealed point mutations at A2142G or A2143G. Moreover, a linear correlation was found between the total cumulative dose of clarithromycin and the minimum inhibitory concentration. : All patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial lung disease being treated long-term with multiple antibiotics, including clarithromycin, harboured clarithromycin-resistant H. pylori in the stomach. Therefore, eradication of H. pylori before commencement of long-term therapy including clarithromycin should be recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Female rowers may be at risk of eating disorders and high weight pressure. Aim: The purpose of the study was to investigate the prevalence of disordered eating symptoms and weight-related pressure and the associations with self-concept, psychological well-being, socio-demographic data, experience, performance level and body composition in female fixed-bench rowers. Methods: Female rowers (n = 208; age ranged mean ± SD 23.6 ± 6.5 years) completed the SCOFF scale, Weight-Pressures in Sport-Females (WPS-F), Physical Self-Concept Questionnaire and the Ryff scales of psychological well-being and provided information on their experience and level of competition. In a subgroup of 115 athletes, body composition was assessed using bioimpedance. Results: It was found that 42.3% of the athletes scored ≥ 2 on SCOFF and mean ± SD value of WPS-F score was 3.65 ± 0.82. Stepwise regression analysis revealed that self-concept of strength and pressure from teammates and the uniform were associated with higher ED symptoms, whereas better psychological well-being in terms of autonomy, self-concept of attractiveness, and age were protective factors for ED symptoms. BMI, athletes' physical condition, strength, and experience were associated with more weight-related pressure and better self-concept of attractiveness and physical well-being of autonomy were significantly associated with less pressure. In body composition analysis, higher extra cellular water, self-acceptance, and physical condition were associated with more weight-related pressure in female rowers, being attractiveness and the environmental mastery protective elements. Conclusions: The prevalence of ED symptomatology and weight-related pressure are high in female fixed bench rowing. The psychological factors of well-being and self-concept, team environment, body image concerns and body composition analysis should be considered to promote healthy eating behaviours in female rowers. Plain English summary: Athletes may be at increased risk of developing disordered eating behaviours that, if persistent, may lead to a diagnosis of an eating disorder. This can affect their health in the short and long term. The risk factors are many, and perceived weight-related pressures and psychological attitudes towards body image, appearance and concerns are less well understood. Female rowers are at high risk for eating disorder symptoms, and athletes' self-concept of strength and pressure from teammates and the uniform were associated as negative factors for eating disorder symptoms. On the other hand, better psychological well-being in terms of autonomy, self-concept of attractiveness and age were protective factors for eating disorder symptoms. Weight pressure was associated with higher body mass index, water retention, physical condition, strength and experience, whereas better self-concept of attractiveness and physical well-being were significantly associated with less pressure. Weight pressure and psychological attitudes towards body image have the role of protective/facilitating factors against the development of eating disorders. They should be taken into account when designing prevention and intervention programmes for athletes, coaches, parents and technical staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug absorption via chylomicrons holds significant implications for both pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. However, a mechanistic understanding of predicting in vivo intestinal lymphatic uptake remains largely unexplored. This study aimed to delve into the intestinal lymphatic uptake of drugs, investigating both enhancement and inhibition using various excipients through our previously established in vitro model. It also examined the applicability of the model by assessing the lymphatic uptake enhancement of a lymphotropic formulation with linoleoyl polyoxyl-6 glycerides using the same model. The model successfully differentiated among olive, sesame, and peanut oils in terms of lymphatic uptake. However, it did not distinguish between oils containing long-chain fatty acids and coconut oil. Coconut oil, known for its abundance of medium-chain fatty acids, outperformed other oils. This heightened uptake was attributed to the superior emulsification of this oil in artificial chylomicron media due to its high content of medium-chain fatty acids. Additionally, the enhanced uptake of the tested formulation with linoleoyl polyoxyl-6 glycerides underscored the practical applicability of this model in formulation optimization. Moreover, data suggested that increasing the zeta potential of Intralipid® using sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and decreasing it using (+/−) chloroquine led to enhanced and reduced uptake in the in vitro model, respectively. These findings indicate the potential influence of the zeta potential on intestinal lymphatic uptake in this model, though further research is needed to explore the possible translation of this mechanism in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dark pigmented snow and glacier ice algae on glaciers and ice sheets contribute to accelerating melt. The biological controls on these algae, particularly the role of viruses, remain poorly understood. Giant viruses, classified under the nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDV) supergroup (phylum Nucleocytoviricota), are diverse and globally distributed. NCLDVs are known to infect eukaryotic cells in marine and freshwater environments, providing a biological control on the algal population in these ecosystems. However, there is very limited information on the diversity and ecosystem function of NCLDVs in terrestrial icy habitats. Results: In this study, we investigate for the first time giant viruses and their host connections on ice and snow habitats, such as cryoconite, dark ice, ice core, red and green snow, and genomic assemblies of five cultivated Chlorophyta snow algae. Giant virus marker genes were present in almost all samples; the highest abundances were recovered from red snow and the snow algae genomic assemblies, followed by green snow and dark ice. The variety of active algae and protists in these GrIS habitats containing NCLDV marker genes suggests that infection can occur on a range of eukaryotic hosts. Metagenomic data from red and green snow contained evidence of giant virus metagenome-assembled genomes from the orders Imitervirales, Asfuvirales, and Algavirales. Conclusion: Our study highlights NCLDV family signatures in snow and ice samples from the Greenland ice sheet. Giant virus metagenome-assembled genomes (GVMAGs) were found in red snow samples, and related NCLDV marker genes were identified for the first time in snow algal culture genomic assemblies; implying a relationship between the NCLDVs and snow algae. Metatranscriptomic viral genes also aligned with metagenomic sequences, suggesting that NCLDVs are an active component of the microbial community and are potential "top-down" controls of the eukaryotic algal and protistan members. This study reveals the unprecedented presence of a diverse community of NCLDVs in a variety of glacial habitats dominated by algae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document contains a collection of abstracts from various studies and research papers related to eating disorders. The abstracts cover a range of topics, including treatment outcomes, comorbidities, psychological factors, interventions, and the impact of external factors such as social media and the COVID-19 pandemic. The studies provide valuable insights into different aspects of eating disorders and their treatment, highlighting the need for multidisciplinary approaches, tailored interventions, and further research in this field. [Extracted from the article]

The pore-type hydrate reservoirs in the permafrost region of the Qilian Mountains (PRQM) have complex characteristics, including low porosity, low permeability, high shale content, and conductive minerals. Currently, the research on the electrical properties of these reservoirs still needs to be sufficiently in depth, and there are limitations in well-logging evaluation methods. To fill in this gap, a conductivity model of pore-type gas hydrate reservoirs (GHRs) is established based on the pore-combination modeling theory to investigate the influencing factors of the resistivity characteristics of GHRs through numerical simulations. The comparison between the laboratory-measured resistivity of different hydrate saturations and the results of the calculated model shows good agreement, indicating the accuracy of the conductivity model in describing the electrical characteristics of GHRs in the PRQM. Compared to conductive minerals, the numerical simulation results indicate that the high shale content is the main reason for the decrease in resistivity of pore-type GHRs in the study area. The hydrate saturation evaluation of well DK-3 from 386.3 to 393.6 m depth shows that the hydrate saturation ranges from 5.1 to 66.4%, with an average value of 44.0%. The identified hydrate interval using this model is consistent with the actual hydrate interval encountered during the drilling. This study, as an innovation, can help clarify the conductive mechanism of pore-type GHRs in the PRQM and provide more accurate parameters for evaluating gas hydrate resources in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocytes form bile canaliculi that dynamically respond to the signalling activity of bile acids and bile flow. Little is known about their responses to intraluminal pressure. During embryonic development, hepatocytes assemble apical bulkheads that increase the canalicular resistance to intraluminal pressure. Here, we investigate whether they also protect bile canaliculi against elevated pressure upon impaired bile flow in adult liver. Apical bulkheads accumulate upon bile flow obstruction in mouse models and patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Their loss under these conditions leads to abnormally dilated canaliculi, resembling liver cell rosettes described in other hepatic diseases. 3D reconstruction reveals that these structures are sections of cysts and tubes formed by hepatocytes. Mathematical modelling establishes that they positively correlate with canalicular pressure and occur in early PSC stages. Using primary hepatocytes and 3D organoids, we demonstrate that excessive canalicular pressure causes the loss of apical bulkheads and formation of rosettes. Our results suggest that apical bulkheads are a protective mechanism of hepatocytes against impaired bile flow, highlighting the role of canalicular pressure in liver diseases. Synopsis: Hepatocytic apical bulkheads protect bile canaliculi against dilation and hepatocyte rosette formation upon elevated canalicular pressure. These findings highlight the significance of canalicular pressure in liver diseases and the protective role of apical bulkheads in the adult liver. Apical bulkheads accumulate in response to bile flow obstruction in mouse models and patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC).Subsequent loss of apical bulkheads results in abnormally dilated canaliculi, resembling hepatocyte rosettes observed in other hepatic diseases.3D reconstruction in PSC patients reveals that hepatocyte rosettes are sections of cysts and tubes formed by hepatocytes that occupy significant amounts of the network throughout the central‐to‐portal vein axis.Loss of apical bulkheads and rosette formation is primarily driven by increased elevated pressure and not bile acid signalling as demonstrated in experiments using primary hepatocytes and 3D organoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryoconite holes (CHs) are water-filled cylindrical holes with cryoconite (dark-coloured sediment) deposited at their bottoms, forming on ablating ice surfaces of glaciers and ice sheets worldwide. Because the collapse of CHs may disperse cryoconite on the ice surface, thereby decreasing the ice surface albedo, accurate simulation of the temporal changes in CH depth is essential for understanding ice surface melt. We established a novel model that simulates the temporal changes in CH depth using heat budgets calculated independently at the ice surface and CH bottom based on hole-shaped geometry. We evaluated the model with in situ observations of the CH depths on the Qaanaaq ice cap in northwestern Greenland during the 2012, 2014, and 2017 melt seasons. The model reproduced the observed depth changes and timing of CH collapse well. Although earlier models have shown that CH depth tends to be deeper when downward shortwave radiation is intense, our sensitivity tests suggest that deeper CH tends to form when the diffuse component of downward shortwave radiation is dominant, whereas CHs tend to be shallower when the direct component is dominant. In addition, the total heat flux to the CH bottom is dominated by shortwave radiation transmitted through ice rather than that directly from the CH mouths when the CH is deeper than 0.01 m. Because the shortwave radiation transmitted through ice can reach the CH bottom regardless of CH diameter, CH depth is unlikely to be correlated with CH diameter. The relationship is consistent with previous observational studies. Furthermore, the simulations highlighted that the difference in albedo between ice surface and CH bottom was a key factor for reproducing the timing of CH collapse. It implies that lower ice surface albedo could induce CH collapse and thus cause further lowering of the albedo. Heat component analysis suggests that CH depth is governed by the balance between the intensity of the diffuse component of downward shortwave radiation and the turbulent heat transfer. Therefore, these meteorological conditions may be important factors contributing to the recent surface darkening of the Greenland ice sheet and other glaciers via the redistribution of CHs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Labour mobility and subsequent workers migration is an increasing trend worldwide and can be a force that counteracts Canada's shortage of skilled labour. Supercommuting allows workers facing economic challenges to pursue more financially advantageous work opportunities in other regions. This study aimed to evaluate the "supercommuting" labour mobility model and its impact on long-distance mobile workers' mental health and wellbeing. We utilized a non-experimental research design using convenience sampling from workers who participated in Blue Branch Inc.'s (Hamilton, Canada) supercommuting labour mobility model. An online questionnaire collected demographic data, work-related data, occupational stress measures related to burnout, and job-related stress data. Data collection was started on 1 April 2021, and of the total 58 participants, the majority (44, 76%) were male, born outside Canada, and had an average age of 32.8 years. Workplace Safety (95%), full-time employment opportunity (95%), career advancement possibility (95%), and income and benefits (94.9%) were found to be the most crucial factors to keep study participants working in their current position. Of the 47 participants who experienced burnout, only one showed severe burnout in each domain (personal, work-related, and colleague-related). There is a great need for preventative burnout programs and supportive employer resources for those who engage in long-distance labour commuting. The study emphasizes the need to encourage policymakers to develop solutions for training future Ontario workers to support mobile employment and long-distance labour commuting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to compare disordered eating (DE), body image, and sociocultural and coach-related pressures between athletes of different age groups (adolescents and adults) and between athletes participating in weight-sensitive (WS) and less WS groups. A total of 1003 athletes participated in this study. The age range of the sample was 15 to 44 years, and the mean age was 18.9 ± 5.8 years (51.3% were female). Athletes who voluntarily agreed to participate in the study were provided with the study measures on DE, body image and sociocultural attitudes towards appearance. Vomiting, laxative misuse and excessive exercise were more prevalent in adolescent female athletes than adults, while dietary restraint was more common in adult male athletes than adolescents. Adolescent female athletes experienced higher sociocultural (family, peers) and sport-related (coach) pressures and a less positive body image compared with adult female athletes. Adult male athletes experienced higher overweight preoccupation, more DE and unhealthy eating habits, and engaged in more frequent self-weighing behaviour compared with adolescent males. When the effect of weight sensitivity in sports was tested, a higher prevalence of DE and overweight preoccupation, more frequent self-weighing, and higher body-image-related pressure from coaches were observed in female athletes participating in aesthetic weight-sensitive (WS) sports as compared with those participating in less WS sports. No differences in positive body image were observed in female WS and less WS sports. Special DE prevention and positive body image promotion programs are necessary for female competitive athletes and parents of adolescent female athletes, especially those participating in aesthetic ones. For adult male athletes, special programs aiming to promote healthy eating should be implemented to prevent DE and body image concerns. Special education about DE prevention is compulsory for coaches who train female athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial communities and nutrient dynamics in glaciers and ice sheets continuously change as the hydrological conditions within and on the ice change. Glaciers and ice sheets can be considered bioreactors as microbiomes transform nutrients that enter these icy systems and alter the meltwater chemistry. Global warming is increasing meltwater discharge, affecting nutrient and cell export, and altering proglacial systems. In this review, we integrate the current understanding of glacial hydrology, microbial activity, and nutrient and carbon dynamics to highlight their interdependence and variability on daily and seasonal time scales, as well as their impact on proglacial environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The motivation for happiness research rather than GDP is becoming important to the role of many governments across the globe. When people are asked to list the key characteristics of a good life, they are more likely to include happiness, health, living well and longer. This study investigates whether factors that predict men's happiness and life satisfaction explain why men die earlier than women. The present research analyses data (N=426,452; 51.90% females) collected by the World Value Survey from 1981 to 2020 in 102 countries, and from six continents. A multilevel random-effects regression analysis was conducted in which individuals were nested by countries. We investigated variations across nations, country-level of development, and geographical regions. Men were slightly less happy and less satisfied with their lives compared to women. State of health, household's financial satisfaction, freedom of choice, family importance, and being married were positively associated with happiness/life satisfaction. In contrast, being men, being in a low-income household, or being unemployed were negatively associated with happiness/life satisfaction. Unemployed men and men who were living in Africa or the Middle East regions were less satisfied with their lives compared to women. The excess mortality burden on men is due to a mix of biological, behavioural, and social factors. Happy people may live longer because of the underlying factors such as health status, household financial satisfaction, and social connections. Policies targeting men's health and social connections are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: When prescribing antibiotics, infection eradication rates, local resistance rates, and cost should be among the most essential considerations. Helicobacter pylori is among the most common infections worldwide, and it can lead to burdensome sequela for the patient and the healthcare system, without appropriate treatment. Due to constantly fluctuating resistance rates, regimens must be constantly assessed to ensure effectiveness. Methods: This was a narrative review. The sources for this review are as follows: searching on PubMed, Google Scholar, Medline, and ScienceDirect; using keywords: Helicobacter pylori, Treatment Options, Clinical Practice. Results: Multiple antibiotics are prescribed as part of the regimen to thwart high resistance rates. This can lead to unwanted adverse reactions and adherence issues, due to the amount and timing of medication administration, which also may contribute to resistance. Single-capsule combination capsules have reached the market to ease this concern, but brand-only may be problematic for patient affordability. Due to the previously mentioned factors, effectiveness and affordability must be equally considered. Conclusions: This review will utilize guidelines to discuss current treatment options and give cost considerations to elicit the most effective regimen for the patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports have indicated an increasing prevalence of clarithromycin resistance in children relative to adults. Thus, it is important to investigate primary clarithromycin resistance before therapy to avoid treatment failure. A2142G, A2143G, and A2142C point mutations in the peptidyltransferase region of the 23S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) strains isolated from children with gastrointestinal symptoms and asymptomatic children were evaluated via real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using fecal DNA samples. The presence of H. pylori was determined using a fecal H. pylori antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit from the stools of children (n = 543). A2143G, A2142C, and A2142G point mutations were detected via RT-PCR and confirmed by sequencing the 23S rDNA. Fecal H. pylori antigen testing was positive in 101 symptomatic (49) and asymptomatic (52) children. A significant difference was found between the 0–5- and 5–18-year-old groups in terms of the A2143G and A2142G point mutations (p = 0.001). The A2142C mutation was not detected. There was a significant difference in the A2143G mutation between the symptomatic and asymptomatic 5–18-year-old children (p = 0.019). Macrolides are frequently used to treat upper respiratory tract infections in children due to their selective pressure effect. We suggest that H. pylori strains carrying mutations in the 23S RNA subunit conferring clarithromycin resistance may lead to an intense inflammatory response in the gastric epithelial cells, allowing them to proliferate more rapidly and causing possible diarrhea, halitosis, or abdominal pain in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complexity of physical verification increases rapidly with fast shrinking technology nodes. Considering only design rule checking (DRC) constraints or lithography models cannot capture the side physical effects in the fabrication process well. Thus, it is desirable to consider a more general physical verification problem with various types of hotspots. In this paper, we apply machine learning which is based on pixel-based feature extraction to deal with the generalized hotspot detection problem. First, a two-dimensional discrete Fourier transformation-based pixel extraction method is proposed to alleviate the shifting effect and produce stable hotspot features. Then, a pattern-based layout scanning approach is developed to enhance the program efficiency while preserving good detection accuracy. Finally, we design two false alarm reduction strategies to effectively reduce the number of detected nonhotspots and further improve the accuracy of hotspot position. Experimental results based on the industrial benchmarks show that our algorithm outperforms three competitive works in terms of accuracy, false alarm rate, efficiency, and time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whether economic growth improves the human lot is a matter of conditions. We focus on Japan, a country which shifted in the 1990s from a pattern of rampant economic growth and stagnant well-being, to one of modest growth and increasing well-being. We discuss concurrent policy reforms and analyse the changes in well-being. In particular, we assess whether the correlates of the increase in well-being are consistent with those expected from the reforms. We apply Blinder–Oaxaca decomposition to World Values Survey data. Results show that improved conditions for the elderly, parents and women, that is the primary groups targeted by the reforms, correlate with well-being increases. This evidence is consistent with the hypothesis that social safety nets can make economic growth compatible with sustained increases in well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are associated with pre-eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia can have systemic manifestations, such as ascites. Lupus peritonitis, a rare condition in patients with SLE, can also cause ascites.Case Presentation: A 31-year-old woman, primigravida, with SLE had a blood pressure of 170/110 mmHg and proteinuria at 29 weeks of gestation. She was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia. Her blood pressure was stabilized by an antihypertensive drug. At 30 weeks of gestation, a cesarean section was performed for maternal safety because of decreased urine output and massive ascites. Postoperatively, re-accumulation of ascites was observed. On the fourth postoperative day, ascites (approximately 3 L) was discharged from the cesarean section wound. A decrease in serum complement concentrations was observed, and she was diagnosed as having lupus peritonitis. The steroid dose was increased and she recovered well thereafter.Conclusions: Ascites occurs in pre-eclampsia and SLE, but determining which of these conditions causes ascites can be difficult. However, careful observation is necessary because of the differences in treatment of these two conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the health behaviors of people around the world, including their physical activity patterns. Intuitive exercise, a facet of one's relationship with physical activity, is defined as one's awareness, mindset (positive versus negative), and mindfulness when engaged in movement. The study's purpose was to explore whether self-reported physical activity and psychological mindsets around exercise changed during the pandemic. College students (n = 216) described their relationship with exercise before and during the pandemic through anonymous completion of the Intuitive Exercise Scale (IEXS) and open-ended questions to provide in-depth contextualized responses about exercise habits. Participants reported significantly higher scores on intuitive exercise during the pandemic, such as on the Body Trust subscale (M = 3.43), compared to pre-pandemic levels (M = 3.20), p < 0.001. Moreover, varied themes related to physical activity were uncovered such as exercising for fun, exercise influenced by emotion, and loss of motivation to exercise. Important takeaways of the study include the diversity of responses to the pandemic (i.e., some participants reported an increase in physical activity levels and more positive exercise attitudes while others experienced the opposite), the need to promote self-care, and the need for positive coping strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial phospholipases and sphingomyelinases are lipolytic esterases that are structurally and evolutionarily heterogeneous. These enzymes play crucial roles as virulence factors in several human and animal infectious diseases. Some bacterial phospholipases C (PLCs) have both phosphatidylcholinesterase and sphingomyelinase C activities. Among them, Listeria monocytogenes PlcB, Clostridium perfringens PLC, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PlcH are the most deeply understood. In silico predictions of substrates docking with these three bacterial enzymes provide evidence that they interact with different substrates at the same active site. This review discusses structural aspects, substrate specificity, and the mechanism of action of those bacterial enzymes on target cells and animal infection models to shed light on their roles in pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptococcal meningitis, which has a high mortality rate, is rare in immunocompetent children. Although many immunocompromised conditions are identified as predisposing factors, congenital heart disease in children is not well recognized as a predisposing factor for the disease. A 12-year-old female child presented with a progressively increasing headache for one month. There was history of vomiting and fever off and on. On examination, she had a pansystolic murmur and meningeal signs. Lumbar puncture was done; opening pressure was high (27 cm H2O) and white blood cell (WBC) count in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was slightly high. Gram staining, India ink preparation, and culture of CSF were negative. Cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) test was not available. Echocardiography showed a 12 mm ventricular septal defect (VSD). The patient was diagnosed as meningitis with VSD and treated with intravenous ceftriaxone and vancomycin; however, she did not improve after 7 days of antimicrobial treatment. She was then transferred to another hospital where India ink and culture of CSF showed cryptococcus; CrAg test was done, and it was positive. Despite the treatment with lyposomal amphotericin B and flucytosine, she died on 9th day of admission in pediatric intensive care unit. It is necessary for global advocacy for need of availability of CrAg test in resource-limited regions. Treating doctors should consider VSD, a congenital heart disease, as a predisposing factor for cryptococcal meningitis in children. As CrAg is more sensitive than India ink and culture, it should be the first line of investigation in suspected cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface albedo typically dominates the mass balance of mountain glaciers, though long-term trends and patterns of glacier albedo are seldom explored. We calculated broadband shortwave albedo for glaciers in the central Chilean Andes (33–34°S) using end-of-summer Landsat scenes between 1986 and 2020. We found a high inter-annual variability of glacier-wide albedo that is largely a function of the glacier fractional snow-covered area and the total precipitation of the preceding hydrological year (up to 69% of the inter-annual variance explained). Under the 2010–2020 'Mega Drought' period, the mean albedo, regionally averaged ranging from ~0.25–0.5, decreased by −0.05 on average relative to 1986–2009, with the greatest reduction occurring 3500–5000 m a.s.l. In 2020, differences relative to 1986–2009 were −0.14 on average as a result of near-complete absence of late summer snow cover and the driest hydrological year since the Landsat observation period began (~90% reduction of annual precipitation relative to the 1986–2009 period). We found statistically significant, negative trends in glacier ice albedo of up to −0.03 per decade, a trend that would have serious implications for the future water security of the region, because glacier ice melt acts to buffer streamflow shortages under severe drought conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We determined the prevalence of eating disorder (ED) symptoms among elite Spanish athletes from a broad range of sports and levels of competition and examined the associations between the presence of symptoms and perceived sport-specific weight pressures. We surveyed 646 elite athletes (16.7 ± 4.4 years; 51.08% females) representing 33 sports from top-division teams and two elite athlete training centers in Catalonia. Based on the results of the Eating Attitudes Test-26 responses, 5.1% of athletes (7.6% of females and 2.5% of males) were at risk of EDs. The highest rates of ED symptoms were observed in male endurance athletes and female esthetic athletes. Competition level was not a risk factor. The only gender differences in the presence of ED symptoms by competing level were observed in athletes competing at the national level. Female athletes with ED symptoms scored higher on the two subscales of the Spanish version of the Weight Pressures in Sport (WPS) tool: coach and sport-specific pressures and pressures from teammates and due to uniform. Male athletes with ED symptoms scored higher on the pressures due to uniform subscale. Finally, symptomatic female but not male athletes competing at international and national levels also perceived greater sport-specific weight pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this work is to assess the main parameters of the Chukotka and Kolyma glaciers (small forms of glaciation, SFG): their size and volume, and changes therein over time. The point as to whether these SFG can be considered glaciers or are in transition into, for example, rock glaciers is also presented. SFG areas were defined from the early 1980s (data from the catalogue of the glaciers compiled by R.V. Sedov) to 2005, and up to 2017: these data were retrieved from satellite images. The maximum of the SGF reduction occurred in the Chantalsky Range, Iskaten Range, and in the northern part of Chukotka Peninsula. The smallest retreat by this time relates to the glaciers of the southern part of the peninsula. Glacier volumes are determined by the formula of S.A. Nikitin for corrie glaciers, based on in-situ volume measurements, and by our own method: the average glacier thickness is calculated from isogypsum patterns, constructed using DEMs of individual glaciers based on images taken from a drone during field work, and using ArcticDEM for others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface albedo of snow and ice is substantially reduced by inorganic impurities, such as aeolian mineral dust (MD) and black carbon (BC), and also by organic impurities, such as microbes that live in the snow. In this paper, we present the temporal changes of surface albedo, snow grain size, MD, BC and snow algal cell concentration observed on a snowpack in northwest Greenland during the ablation season of 2014 and our attempt to reproduce the changes in albedo with a physically based snow albedo model. We also attempt to reproduce the effects of inorganic impurities and the red snow algae (Sanguina nivaloides) on albedo. Concentrations of MD and red snow algae in the surface snow were found to increase in early August, while snow grain size and BC were found to not significantly change throughout the ablation season. Surface albedo was found to have decreased by 0.08 from late July to early August. The albedo simulated by the model agreed with the albedo observed during the study period. However, red snow algae exerted little effect on surface albedo in early August. This is probably owing to the abundance of smaller cells (4.9×104 cells L -1) when compared with the cell abundance of red snow reported by previous studies in the Arctic region (∼108 cells L -1). The simulation of snow albedo until the end of the melting season, with a snow algae model, revealed that the reduction in albedo attributed to red snow algae could equal 0.004, out of a total reduction of 0.102 arising from the three impurities on a snowpack in northwest Greenland. Finally, we conducted scenario simulations using the snow albedo model, coupled with the snow algae model, in order to simulate the possible effects of red snow blooming on snow albedo under warm conditions in northwest Greenland. The result suggests that albedo reduction by red snow algal growth under warm conditions (surface snow temperature of + 1.5 ∘ C) reached 0.04, equivalent to a radiative forcing of 7.5 W m -2 during the ablation season of 2014. This coupled albedo model has the potential to dynamically simulate snow albedo, including the effect of organic and inorganic impurities, leading to proper estimates of the surface albedo of snow cover in Greenland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Under the Japanese free access healthcare system, patients are allowed to consult multiple medical institutions (including clinics and hospitals for general or specialist consultation) without primary care referral. This potentially increases the risk of polypharmacy. We examined the association between the number of consulting medical institutions and polypharmacy under a healthcare system with free access.Methods: Via a self-administered questionnaire, we identified people aged ≥65 years with ≥1 disease and  ≥1 consulting medical institution in a Japanese city in 2016. The exposure of interest was the number of consulting medical institutions (1, 2, or ≥3) and the outcome was polypharmacy (use of ≥6 types of drugs). We performed a multivariate logistic regression analysis, adjusting for age, sex, household economy, and the number and type of comorbidities. To minimize confounding effects, we also performed propensity-score-matched analysis, categorizing patients into two groups: 1 and  ≥2 consulting medical institutions.Results: Of 993 eligible individuals (mean (standard deviation) age: 75.1 (6.5) years, men: 52.6%), 15.7% (156/993) showed polypharmacy. Proportions of polypharmacy were 9.7% (50/516), 16.6% (55/332), and 35.2% (51/145) for people who consulted 1, 2, and  ≥3 medical institutions, respectively. Relative to people who consulted 1 medical institution, adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for polypharmacy were 1.50 (0.94-2.37) and 3.34 (1.98-5.65) for those who consulted 2 and  ≥3 medical institutions, respectively. In propensity score matching, of 516 and 477 patients who consulted 1 and  ≥2 medical institutions, 307 pairs were generated. The proportion of polypharmacy was 10.8% (33/307) and 17.3% (53/307), respectively (P = 0.020). The odds ratio for polypharmacy (≥2 vs. 1 consulting medical institution) was 1.73 (95% confidence interval 1.09-2.76).Conclusions: Patients who consulted more medical institutions were more likely to show polypharmacy. The results could encourage physicians and pharmacists to collect medication information more actively and conduct appropriate medication reviews. Strengthening primary care is needed to address the polypharmacy issue, especially in countries with healthcare systems with free access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the primary controls upon the melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) is albedo, a measure of how much solar radiation that hits a surface is reflected without being absorbed. Lower-albedo snow and ice surfaces therefore warm more quickly. There is a major difference in the albedo of snow-covered versus bare-ice surfaces, but observations also show that there is substantial spatio-temporal variability of up to ∼0.4 in bare-ice albedo. Variability in bare-ice albedo has been attributed to a number of processes including the accumulation of light-absorbing impurities (LAIs) and the changing physical properties of the near-surface ice. However, the combined impact of these processes upon albedo remains poorly constrained. Here we use field observations to show that pigmented glacier algae are ubiquitous and cause surface darkening both within and outside the south-west GrIS "dark zone" but that other factors including modification of the ice surface by algal bloom presence, surface topography and weathering crust state are also important in determining patterns of daily albedo variability. We further use observations from an unmanned aerial system (UAS) to examine the scale gap in albedo between ground versus remotely sensed measurements made by Sentinel-2 (S-2) and MODIS. S-2 observations provide a highly conservative estimate of algal bloom presence because algal blooms occur in patches much smaller than the ground resolution of S-2 data. Nevertheless, the bare-ice albedo distribution at the scale of 20 m ×20 m S-2 pixels is generally unimodal and unskewed. Conversely, bare-ice surfaces have a left-skewed albedo distribution at MODIS MOD10A1 scales. Thus, when MOD10A1 observations are used as input to energy balance modelling, meltwater production can be underestimated by ∼2 %. Our study highlights that (1) the impact of the weathering crust state is of similar importance to the direct darkening role of light-absorbing impurities upon ice albedo and (2) there is a spatial-scale dependency in albedo measurement which reduces detection of real changes at coarser resolutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Greenland Analog Project (GAP) study area in the vicinity of Kangarlussuaq, Western Greenland, was sampled for surface water and deep groundwater in order to determine the composition and estimate the metabolic features of the microbial communities in water bodies separated by permafrost. The sampling sites comprised a freshwater pond, talik lake, deep anoxic groundwater, glacier ice and supraglacial river, meltwater river and melting permafrost active layer. The microbial communities were characterized by amplicon sequencing of the bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA genes and fungal ITS1 spacer. In addition, bacterial, archaeal and fungal numbers were determined by qPCR and plate counts, and the utilization pattern of carbon and nitrogen substrates was determined with Biolog AN plates and metabolic functions were predicted with FAPROTAX. Different sample types were clearly distinguishable from each other based on community composition, microbial numbers, and substrate utilization patterns, forming four groups, (1) pond/lake, (2) deep groundwater, (3) glacial ice, and (4) meltwater. Bacteria were the most abundant microbial domain, ranging from 0.2–1.4 × 107 16S rRNA gene copies mL-1 in pond/lake and meltwater, 0.1-7.8 × 106 copies mL-1 in groundwater and less than 104 copies mL-1 in ice. The number of archaeal 16S and fungal 5.8S rRNA genes was generally less than 6.0 × 103 and 1.5 × 103, respectively. N2-fixing and methane-oxidizing Actinomycetes, Bacteroidetes and Verrucomicrobia were the dominant microorganisms in the pond/lake samples, whereas iron reducing Desulfosporosinus sp. dominated the deep anaerobic groundwater. The glacial ice was inhabited by Cyanobacteria, which were mostly Chloroplast-like. The meltwater contained methano- and methylotrophic Proteobacteria, but had also high relative abundances of the nano-sized Parcubacteria. The archaea composed approximately 1% of the 16S rRNA gene pool in the pond/lake samples with nano-sized Woesearchaeota as the dominating taxon, while in the other sample types archaea were almost negligent. Fungi were also most common in the pond/lake communities, were zoospore-forming Chytridiomycetes dominated. Our results show highly diverse microbial communities inhabiting the different cold Greenlandic aqueous environments and show clear segregation of the microbial communities according to habitat, with distinctive dominating metabolic features specifically inhabiting defined environmental niches and a high relative abundance of putatively parasitic or symbiotic nano-sized taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Glacier algae" grow on melting glacier and ice sheet surfaces across the cryosphere, causing the ice to absorb more solar energy and consequently melt faster, while also turning over carbon and nutrients. This makes glacier algal assemblages, which are typically dominated by just three main species, a potentially important yet under-researched component of the global biosphere, carbon, and water cycles. This review synthesizes current knowledge on glacier algae phylogenetics, physiology, and ecology. We discuss their significance for the evolution of early land plants and highlight their impacts on the physical and chemical supraglacial environment including their role as drivers of positive feedbacks to climate warming, thereby demonstrating their influence on Earth's past and future. Four complementary research priorities are identified, which will facilitate broad advances in glacier algae research, including establishment of reliable culture collections, sequencing of glacier algae genomes, development of diagnostic biosignatures for remote sensing, and improved predictive modeling of glacier algae biological-albedo effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Borehole wall would be disturbed during sampling when drilling into gas hydrate‐bearing sediments, thereby changing the reservoir physical characteristics obtained by well logging. It would cause significant errors using such logging data to estimate the reservoir parameters such as hydrate saturation and mechanical properties. In this paper, the theoretical method of combination cavity expansion theory with the time‐average equation to predict the compressional velocity (Vp) of hydrate‐bearing sediment after drilling disturbance were proposed based on the hypothesis that the compaction of hydrate‐bearing sediments only causes the porosity change in sediments. The theoretical derivation process of calculation the porosity change caused by drilling compaction based on both Tresca's yield criteria and Mohr–Coulomb yield criteria were presented in detail. And the influence of drilling compaction on Vp were discussed by theory method developed in this paper and experimental method. Both theory‐based results and experimental results show that the Vp difference caused by drilling compaction is considerable. Drilling compaction would cause the increase in Vp, and the increment increase with the increase of bit weight, and samples with low hydrate concentrations would be more sensitive to bit weight variations. The proposed method is feasible to simplify the influences of complex processes involved in the disturbance of hydrate‐bearing sediments during drilling. Disturbance of the drilled borehole wall were studied theoretically and experimentally. Mathematical model for predicting the Vp of disturbed hydrate‐bearing sediment was established. Study results show that drilling disturbance would cause significant change in Vp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas hydrate saturation calculation is a complex problem in the evaluation of gas hydrate reservoirs in the Qilian Mountain permafrost. From observations of the actual rock samples and experimental results from scanning electron microscopy images, gas hydrate reservoirs contain some extent of laminated and dispersed clay that affects the resistivity response of formation rocks. In light of this situation, we need to consider the influence of clay content when we evaluate the saturation of gas hydrate reservoirs in the studied area. We establish two kinds of resistivity models according to the distribution of clay and obtain corresponding methods to evaluate the saturation of gas hydrates based on the effective medium theory (EMT). The results show that the clay content in the shaly sand reservoirs varies over a large range, from 3.0 to 45.0%, and the average value is 19.4% indicating a high clay content overall. The comparison between experimental resistivity and simulated results show that the models based on EMT can be used to characterize the resistivity of reservoirs with different clay distributions. In the DK-2 well, the mean value of gas hydrate saturation obtained by the EMT is 35.6%, whereas that estimated using the Archie equation is 9.5%. In the DK-3 well, similarly, the mean value of gas hydrate saturation obtained by the EMT is 34.4%, whereas that estimated using the Archie equation is 15.5%. The gas hydrate saturation obtained from the EMT is higher than that obtained from the Archie equation because the former takes into account not only the content but also the distribution of clay. The method based on EMT is more effective for identifying and estimating gas hydrate reservoirs in the Qilian Mountain permafrost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Snow algal bloom is a common phenomenon on melting snowpacks in polar and alpine regions and can substantially increase snow melt rates due to the effect of albedo reduction on the snow surface. In order to reproduce algal growth on the snow surface using a numerical model, temporal changes in snow algal abundance were investigated on the Qaanaaq Glacier in north-western Greenland from June to August 2014. Snow algae first appeared at the study sites in late June, which was approximately 94 h after air temperatures exceeded the melting point. Algal abundance increased exponentially after this appearance, but the increasing rate became slow after late July, and finally reached 3.5 × 10 7 cells m -2 in early August. We applied a logistic model to the algal growth curve and found that the algae could be reproduced with an initial cell concentration of 6.9 × 10 2 cells m -2 , a growth rate of 0.42 d -1 , and a carrying capacity of 3.5 × 10 7 cells m -2 on this glacier. This model has the potential to simulate algal blooms from meteorological data sets and to evaluate their impact on the melting of seasonal snowpacks and glaciers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of the present study was to verify the level of impact of sociocultural appearance standards (passive awareness and active internalization) have on body dissatisfaction, the desire to engage in a relentless pursuit of thinness, the adoption of a perfectionistic attitude toward the body, and the development of a tendency to engage in bulimic eating behavior, which can develop in adolescent girls and women of varying ages. The study group comprised 234 individuals: 95 secondary school girls, 33 high school girls, 56 female students, and 50 employed women, all of whom were living in southern Poland. Participants were not diagnosed with any psychiatric disorders (including eating disorders). The variables were measured using the Polish version of Garner's Eating Disorder Inventory and the Polish Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Physical Appearance and Body Image Inventory [based on the SATAQ-3 (Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire Scale-3)]. The findings revealed that the youngest Polish girls (aged 12-15) reported the highest level of risk factors for eating disorders. Among the entire study group, the internalization of appearance standards and the pressure associated with various media messages were determined to be predictors of the pursuit of thinness, regardless of age and body mass index values. The second most significant variable explained by the internalization of sociocultural standards was body dissatisfaction. The internalization of sociocultural norms provided a significant explanation of bulimic tendencies only in the youngest girls. Perfectionism proved not to be affected by the sociocultural impact of mass media. The adult women had the lowest average scores over the entire study population regarding exposure frequency to body images in mass media and regarding the experience of pressure exerted by sociocultural norms. The high level of internalization of sociocultural appearance standards seems to be significantly linked to body satisfaction in women aged 30 and older. Young adolescent girls constitute a high-risk group for a specific psychological proneness to developing eating disorders as a result of the sociocultural influence exerted by mass media. The obtained study results can prove helpful in creating education programs in preventive healthcare aimed particularly at the youngest adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface ablation of the Greenland ice sheet is amplified by surface darkening caused by light-absorbing impurities such as mineral dust, black carbon, and pigmented microbial cells. We present the first quantitative assessment of the microbial contribution to the ice sheet surface darkening, based on field measurements of surface reflectance and concentrations of light-absorbing impurities, including pigmented algae, during the 2014 melt season in the southwestern part of the ice sheet. The impact of algae on bare ice darkening in the study area was greater than that of nonalgal impurities and yielded a net albedo reduction of 0.038 ± 0.0035 for each algal population doubling. We argue that algal growth is a crucial control of bare ice darkening, and incorporating the algal darkening effect will improve mass balance and sea level projections of the Greenland ice sheet and ice masses elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes a study protocol, which aims to explore and describe the feasibility of a mobile-phone application for initiating intuitive eating and intuitive exercising in patients who are following an ambulatory treatment for obesity. Intuitive eating refers to one's ability to make food choices based on one's awareness of his/her body's response. Intuitive exercising encourages people in finding enjoyable ways of being physically active. These two components will be trained using an implementation intention procedure, that is, behavioral plans that aim at creating a strong link between a specified situation and a response. We aim to recruit up to 80 overweight and obese patients over a period of 2 years. The smartphone application will be assessed on the basis of (i) data obtained through a 4-week use period, (ii) self-report measures taken before and after the use of the mobile application, and (iii) feedbacks from participants after the use of the mobile application. This pilot study will allow us to better understand the applicability of the use of mobile application within ambulatory treatment settings, and to adapt the design of the app necessary for building cross-sectional studies investigating its efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The darkening effects of biological impurities on ice and snow have been recognised as a control on the surface energy balance of terrestrial snow, sea ice, glaciers and ice sheets. With a heightened interest in understanding the impacts of a changing climate on snow and ice processes, quantifying the impact of biological impurities on ice and snow albedo ("bioalbedo") and its evolution through time is a rapidly growing field of research. However, rigorous quantification of bioalbedo has remained elusive because of difficulties in isolating the biological contribution to ice albedo from that of inorganic impurities and the variable optical properties of the ice itself. For this reason, isolation of the biological signature in reflectance data obtained from aerial/orbital platforms has not been achieved, even when ground-based biological measurements have been available. This paper provides the cell-specific optical properties that are required to model the spectral signatures and broadband darkening of ice. Applying radiative transfer theory, these properties provide the physical basis needed to link biological and glaciological ground measurements with remotely sensed reflectance data. Using these new capabilities we confirm that biological impurities can influence ice albedo, then we identify 10 challenges to the measurement of bioalbedo in the field with the aim of improving future experimental designs to better quantify bioalbedo feedbacks. These challenges are (1) ambiguity in terminology, (2) characterising snow or ice optical properties, (3) characterising solar irradiance, (4) determining optical properties of cells, (5) measuring biomass, (6) characterising vertical distribution of cells, (7) characterising abiotic impurities, (8) surface anisotropy, (9) measuring indirect albedo feedbacks, and (10) measurement and instrument configurations. This paper aims to provide a broad audience of glaciologists and biologists with an overview of radiative transfer and albedo that could support future experimental design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper empirically examines the relationship between the self-identity as Indigenous and earnings inequality in the Mexican labor market. Using Mexican Census data and a large set of wage covariates reveals the existence of an earnings penalty for self-identification as Indigenous. There is an additional and larger penalty for Indigenous persons who are fluent in an Indigenous language, regardless of Spanish language fluency. Further analyses using the Mexican Family Life Survey reveal that these earnings gaps persist after we also control for an individual's cognitive ability. Ethno-linguistic inequality is particularly strong in smaller cities and among self-employed workers. JEL Classification: J10, J15, J31, J71, O15 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intrahepatic cholestasis represents a frequent manifestation of drug-induced liver injury; however, the mechanisms underlying such injuries are poorly understood. In this study of human HepaRG and primary hepatocytes, we found that bile canaliculi (BC) underwent spontaneous contractions, which are essential for bile acid (BA) efflux and require alternations in myosin light chain (MLC2) phosphorylation/dephosphorylation. Short exposure to 6 cholestatic compounds revealed that BC constriction and dilation were associated with disruptions in the ROCK/MLCK/myosin pathway. At the studied concentrations, cyclosporine A and chlorpromazine induced early ROCK activity, resulting in permanent MLC2 phosphorylation and BC constriction. However, fasudil reduced ROCK activity and caused rapid, substantial and permanent MLC2 dephosphorylation, leading to BC dilation. The remaining compounds (1-naphthyl isothiocyanate, deoxycholic acid and bosentan) caused BC dilation without modulating ROCK activity, although they were associated with a steady decrease in MLC2 phosphorylation via MLCK. These changes were associated with a common loss of BC contractions and failure of BA clearance. These results provide the first demonstration that cholestatic drugs alter BC dynamics by targeting the ROCK/MLCK pathway; in addition, they highlight new insights into the mechanisms underlying bile flow failure and can be used to identify new predictive biomarkers of drug-induced cholestasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While biogeochemical and physical processes in the Southern Ocean are thought to be central to atmospheric CO2 rise during the last deglaciation, the role of the equatorial Pacific, where the largest CO2 source exists at present, remains largely unconstrained. Here we present seawater pH and pCO2 variations from fossil Porites corals in the mid equatorial Pacific offshore Tahiti based on a newly calibrated boron isotope paleo-pH proxy. Our new data, together with recalibrated existing data, indicate that a significant pCO2 increase (pH decrease), accompanied by anomalously large marine 14C reservoir ages, occurred following not only the Younger Dryas, but also Heinrich Stadial 1. These findings indicate an expanded zone of equatorial upwelling and resultant CO2 emission, which may be derived from higher subsurface dissolved inorganic carbon concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Environmental exposure is a likely risk factor for the development of pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) disease. The influence of environmental exposure on the response to antimicrobial treatment and relapse is unknown. Methods: We recruited 72 patients with pulmonary MAC disease (male [female], 18 [54]; age, 61.7 ± 10.3 years) who initiated and completed standard three-drug regimens for more than 12 months between January 2007 and December 2011. The factors associated with sputum conversion, relapse and treatment success without relapse were retrospectively evaluated after adjustments for confounding predictors. Results: Fifty-two patients (72.2%) demonstrated sputum conversion, and 15 patients (28.8%) relapsed. A total of 37 patients (51.4%) demonstrated treatment success. Sputum conversion was associated with negative smears (odds ratio [OR], 3.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.27-12.60; P = 0.02). A relapse occurred in patients with low soil exposure after the start of treatment less frequently than in patients with high soil exposure (7/42 [16.7%] vs. 8/10 [80.0%], P = 0.0003). Treatment success was associated with low soil exposure after the beginning of treatment (OR, 13.46; 95% CI, 3.24-93.43; P = 0.0001) and a negative smear (OR, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.02-9.13; P = 0.047). Conclusion: Low soil exposure was independently associated with better microbiological outcomes in patients with pulmonary MAC disease after adjusting for confounding clinical, microbiological and radiographic findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Japan, a number of serious public health crises involving environmental pollution, food-borne diseases, and health hazards due to pharmaceuticals (i.e., “Yakugai”) have occurred in the past 50 years. Based on the literature, we summarize the initial investigations and the subsequent measures. Some common points emerge: (1) prolonged cause identification, (2) lack of countermeasures after the cause was identified, and (3) discrimination against victims and they contributed to spreading the damage. We identify lack of corporate ethics and ill-timed disclosure of information as the principal problems in Japan's crisis-management systems. Defects in information gathering were common to all of the cases, thus we suggest necessary corrective measures, such as the establishment of a new reporting system for health hazard-related information.Journal of Public Health Policy (2007) 28, 221–237. doi:10.1057/palgrave.jphp.3200131 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the early effects of Clostridium perfringens exotoxins on tissue perfusion through the development of a rat model of muscle blood flow. Effect of intramuscular injection of a clostridial toxin preparation containing both phospholipase C (PLC) and theta-toxin on blood flow; Formation of P-selectin-positive platelet aggregates induced by clostridial toxins or recombinant PLC.