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Background: Similar to other nations, hypertension control is a challenge for public health in South Africa. To control hypertension, the condition must be screened and diagnosed in the public health system. This study examines how the prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension is influenced by various risk factors including demographic, socioeconomic, environmental, and behavioural factors, with primary focus on self-perceived health well-being and time since the last healthcare consultation. Methods: The study utilized data from the National Income Dynamics Study (NiDS), a panel survey conducted approximately every two years between 2008 and 2017. Participants aged 15 years and older with at least two blood pressure measurements were included. The sample included 15,712 unique individuals (60.0% women) and 31,340 observations from the five survey waves (5,357 in 2008; 5,206 in 2010/11; 6,385 in 2012; 7,060 in 2014/15; and 7,332 in 2017). Both descriptive and analytical methods were used to study undiagnosed hypertension. Multilevel logistic regression was used to explore the relationship between undiagnosed hypertension with various risk factors including perceived health well-being and time since last health consultation. Results: The study showed that in 2008 (wave 1) and in 2017 (wave 5), approximately 53.5% and 42.6% respectively, of individuals aged 15 and above were unaware they could be hypertensive. Those who perceived their health as very good or excellent were respectively 2.15, 95% CI [1.89–2.44] and 3.29, 95% CI [2.85–3.80] times more likely to have undiagnosed hypertension, compared to those who perceived their health as fair or poor. Additionally, the risk of having undiagnosed hypertension increased gradually with time since last consultation on one's health. Those whose last consultation was more than two years ago were 12.10, 95% CI [10.50–13.90] times more likely to have undiagnosed hypertension compared to those who had consulted within the last 30 days. Conclusion: Given that hypertension is often asymptomatic, self-perceived health can be misleading. This underscores the need for health programs to emphasize the importance of regular blood pressure checkups. Regular consultations with healthcare providers are crucial for early detection and management of hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To develop an automated computable phenotype (CP) algorithm for identifying diabetes cases in children and adolescents using electronic health records (EHRs) from the UF Health System. Materials and Methods: The CP algorithm was iteratively derived based on structured data from EHRs (UF Health System 2012–2020). We randomly selected 536 presumed cases among individuals aged <18 years who had (1) glycated haemoglobin levels ≥ 6.5%; or (2) fasting glucose levels ≥126 mg/dL; or (3) random plasma glucose levels ≥200 mg/dL; or (4) a diabetes‐related diagnosis code from an inpatient or outpatient encounter; or (5) prescribed, administered, or dispensed diabetes‐related medication. Four reviewers independently reviewed the patient charts to determine diabetes status and type. Results: Presumed cases without type 1 (T1D) or type 2 diabetes (T2D) diagnosis codes were categorized as non‐diabetes/other types of diabetes. The rest were categorized as T1D if the most recent diagnosis was T1D, or otherwise categorized as T2D if the most recent diagnosis was T2D. Next, we applied a list of diagnoses and procedures that can determine diabetes type (e.g., steroid use suggests induced diabetes) to correct misclassifications from Step 1. Among the 536 reviewed cases, 159 and 64 had T1D and T2D, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values of the CP algorithm were 94%, 98% and 96%, respectively, for T1D and 95%, 95% and 73% for T2D. Conclusion: We developed a highly accurate EHR‐based CP for diabetes in youth based on EHR data from UF Health. Consistent with prior studies, T2D was more difficult to identify using these methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innate immunity is the first line of defense against infections and the only known available strategy for invertebrates. Crustaceans, being mostly aquatic invertebrates, are constantly exposed to potential pathogens in the surrounding water. Their immune system abolishes most microbes that enter and are recognized as a threat. However, the stress produced by high population densities and abiotic changes, in aquaculture, disrupts the host-pathogen balance, leading to severe economic losses in this industry. Consequently, crustacean immunology has become a prime area of research where significant progress has been made. This review provides our current understanding of the key pattern recognition receptors in crustaceans, with special focus on Decapoda, and their roles in triggering an immune response. We discuss recent developments in the field of signal transduction pathways such as Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and the immune deficiency (IMD) pathway, and examine the role of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) in pathogen defense. Additionally, we analyze how environmental stressors—such as temperature fluctuations, ammonia levels, and pollution—impact immune responses and increase susceptibility to diseases. Finally, we highlight future research directions, emphasizing the need to explore the interactions between environmental stressors and immune signaling pathways and to develop strategies to enhance immune responses in crustaceans within aquaculture settings. Altogether, these advancements deepen our understanding of pathogen recognition in invertebrates and the specific defense mechanisms employed by crustaceans, particularly in response to infections triggered by pathogens under abiotic stressors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to temperatures outside of a fish's optimal range results in suppression of the immune system, ultimately leaving aquaculture stocks susceptible to disease outbreaks. This effect is exacerbated in triploid fishes, which demonstrate greater susceptibility to stress than their diploid counterparts. This study investigates the impacts of acute heat stress on the abundance of immune transcripts and proteins in diploid and triploid Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), an important finfish crop. This study also demonstrates that acute heat stress induces significant increases in the abundance hsp70, hsp90 and il1b transcripts in the head kidneys, gills and heart ventricles of both diploid and triploid Chinook salmon. Widespread dysregulation of antigen‐presentation transcripts was also observed in fish of both ploidies. These results suggest that acute heat stress activates acute‐phase responses in Chinook salmon and dysregulates antigen presentation, potentially leaving fish more susceptible to infection. At the protein level, IL‐1β was differentially expressed in the head kidney and ventricles of diploid and triploid salmon following heat shock. Differential expression of two tapasin‐like proteins in diploid and triploid salmon subjected to heat shock was also observed. Altogether, these data indicate that diploid and triploid Chinook salmon respond differently to acute thermal stressors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]