Enemarkbroberg4592
Fascioliasis is a zoonotic disease caused by Fasciola hepatica that infects mainly cattle, sheep, and goats. Humans can be infected by water or aquatic plants contaminated with metacercariae. The authors encountered two cases of F. hepatica infection. One patient reported abdominal discomfort with marked eosinophilia. RG2833 The other patient had chest discomfort with marked eosinophilia. The abdominal CT images revealed hypodense lesions in the liver. The ultrasonography-guided liver biopsy findings in both patients were indicative of parasitic infections. Serological tests confirmed the definite diagnoses. Both patients were treated with a single dose of triclabendazole, which is the treatment of choice for fascioliasis. These findings suggest that a diagnosis of fascioliasis, particularly in the acute phase, should be considered in patients with abdominal pain, marked eosinophilia, and hypodense hepatic lesions on CT.Hydatid cysts are caused by an infestation with larval tapeworms of the genus Echinococcus. The disease is endemic in developing countries but has rarely been reported from immigrant workers in Korea. This paper reports a case of hepatic hydatid cyst in a 27-year-old female. She was referred with abdominal pain that had persisted for the past 2 months. The patient was a foreign worker from Mongolia. The physical examination was unremarkable, and blood tests showed peripheral blood eosinophilia and elevated liver enzymes. Abdominal ultrasonography showed a well-circumscribed cystic mass with septation in the liver. A surgical resection was performed for complete removal. After uncomplicated postoperative recovery, the patient was discharged with albendazole 400 mg twice daily. The hydatid cyst is an important disease that should be considered in the differential diagnosis of cystic lesions in the liver, particularly in those who have lived in endemic areas. A correct early diagnosis based on the typical image findings is important for early treatment before the rupture of the cyst, which is associated with low morbidity and mortality. A current surgical resection combined albendazole are effective treatments for hepatic hydatid cysts, associated with low recurrence rates.Differentiating Crohn's disease (CD) from intestinal tuberculosis (TB) is a challenge. In patients suspected of having CD or intestinal TB compounded with active pulmonary TB in its early stages, clinicians often lean towards a diagnosis of intestinal TB. A 14-year-old female patient was admitted with symptoms of abdominal pain and diarrhea with hematochezia. Colonoscopy revealed a stricture of the ileocecal valve and scattered longitudinal ulcers. Initial chest radiography showed consolidation in the left lower lobe of the lung. Chest CT revealed branching nodular opacities and consolidation. The TB PCR of the bronchial washing fluid was positive. The patient was diagnosed with pulmonary and intestinal TB. The colonoscopy findings favored CD. Despite this, anti-tubercular therapy was initiated based on the radiology findings and PCR test. After treatment with anti-tubercular therapy, the patient's diarrhea and abdominal pain worsened despite the improvement observed on her chest radiography. Follow-up colonoscopy revealed aggravation of her ulcers. The patient was diagnosed with CD and treated with prednisolone and mesalazine. Her clinical condition improved, and follow-up colonoscopy showed significant improvement of the ulcers. This case highlights the need for caution in diagnosis and suggests that clinicians consider reevaluation in similar cases.The organ allocation system should be fair and efficient to predict the prognosis of patients with end-stage organ failure. The liver allocation system in Korea was changed to the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score system from Child-Turcotte-Pugh score-based status system in 2016. Since then, there have been some changes in matching liver graft to recipients in deceased liver transplantation. The severity of sickness of the end-stage liver failure patients has been increased in the MELD era than before. Since 2013, liver transplantation for alcoholic liver disease has been gradually increasing in Korea. We should take proper evaluation into consideration when we decide early liver transplantation particularly for patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis, who have a high MELD score. Above all, overcoming organ shortage, it is necessary for us to try to increase the number of deceased donors to meet the need for liver transplantation for end-stage liver disease patients.
Over 95% of unintentional injury-related childhood deaths globally occur in low- and middle-income countries, such as Uganda. Risks for injury in settings like rural Uganda are vastly understudied despite differing patterns of child injury risk. The present study investigated the prevalence and type of hazards in children's environments in rural Uganda, as well as the relationship between hazard exposure and parent attitudes and perceptions regarding unintentional injury.
Our sample included 152 primary caregivers in Eastern Rural Uganda who had children in either 1st or 6th grade. All parents/guardians completed caregiver surveys following verbal instructions. Surveys assessed demographic information, child hazard exposure, and parent beliefs regarding child injury.
Almost all parents (98.5%) reported daily exposure for their children to at least one of the hazards assessed. Caregiver's perceived likelihood of child injury was positively related to hazard exposure (r = .21, p less than .05). This relationship remained significant when controlling for family demographics, child grade level, and child injury history (F (7, 126) = 2.25, p less than .05).
Our results suggest that Ugandan parents are aware of the risks of children's exposure to hazards, but may lack the tools to address it. Development of injury prevention interventions focusing on behavioral change techniques may help reduce childhood injury and injury-related deaths in Uganda.
Our results suggest that Ugandan parents are aware of the risks of children's exposure to hazards, but may lack the tools to address it. Development of injury prevention interventions focusing on behavioral change techniques may help reduce childhood injury and injury-related deaths in Uganda.Arrhythmias are very common in the healthy populations as well as patients with cardiovascular diseases. Among them, atrial fibrillation (AF) and malignant ventricular arrhythmias are usually associated with some clinical events. Early diagnosis of arrhythmias, particularly AF and ventricular arrhythmias, is very important for the treatment and prognosis of patients. Holter is a gold standard commonly recommended for noninvasive detection of paroxysmal arrhythmia. However, it has some shortcomings such as fixed detection timings, delayed report and inability of remote real-time detection. To deal with such problems, we designed and applied a new wearable 72-hour triple-lead H3-electrocardiogram (ECG) device with a remote cloud-based ECG platform and an expert-supporting system. In this study, 31 patients were recruited and 24-hour synchronous ECG data by H3-ECG and Holter were recorded. In the H3-ECG group, ECG signals were transmitted using remote real-time modes, and confirmed reports were made by doctors in the remote expert-supporting system, while the traditional modes and detection systems were used in the Holter group. The results showed no significant differences between the two groups in 24-hour total heart rate (HR), averaged HR, maximum HR, minimum HR, premature atrial complexes (PACs) and premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) ( P>0.05). The sensitivity and specificity of capture and remote automatic cardiac events detection of PACs, PVCs, and AF by H3-ECG were 93% and 99%, 98% and 99%, 94% and 98%, respectively. Therefore, the long-term limb triple-lead H3-ECG device can be utilized for domiciliary ECG self-monitoring and remote management of patients with common arrhythmia under medical supervision.Obesity is an escalating global pandemic posing a serious threat to human health. The intervention therapy using weight-reducing drugs, accompanied by lifestyle modification, is a strategy for the treatment of obesity. In the present study, we explored the role of fucoidan, a seaweed compound, on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity in mice. We found that fucoidan treatment significantly reduced the body fat and caused redistribution of visceral and subcutaneous fat in HFD-fed mice. Meanwhile, fucoidan treatment inhibited adipocyte hypertrophy and inflammation in adipose tissue. Collectively, these results suggest that fucoidan may be a promising treatment for obesity and obesity-induced complications.
Interleukin-22 (IL-22) is an important cytokine maintaining homeostasis at barrier surfaces. In this study, the role of IL-22 in acute pancreatitis-associated intestinal injury was further explored.
Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) was induced by administration of L-arginine in Balb/c mice at different time gradients. Histopathological examinations were made in both the pancreas and small intestine. Furthermore, recombinant murine IL-22 (rIL-22) was administrated to L-arginine-induced SAP mice by intraperitoneal injection. The mRNA levels of IL-22R1, Reg-IIIβ, Reg-IIIγ, Bcl-2, and Bcl-xL were detected in the small intestine by real-time polymerase chain reaction, and protein levels of total and phosphorylated STAT3 were assessed via Western blot.
Compared with normal control group, 72 hours of L-arginine exposure induced the most characteristic histopathological changes of SAP, evidenced by pathological changes and serum amylase levels. Meanwhile, significant pancreatitis-associated intestinal mucosa injg pathway and enhancing the expression of antimicrobial peptides and antiapoptotic genes.
We investigated cognitive function and its influencing factors in empty-nest and non-empty-nest elderly adults in China.
Cognitive function was better in empty-nest elderly living as a couple but worse in those living alone than in non-empty-nest elderly. Older age, rural habitation, poorer instrumental activities of daily living, and depression were risk factors for cognitive decline, while higher education was protective. Women had poorer cognitive function than men among non-empty-nest elderly and empty-nest elderly living as a couple. Among non-empty-nest elderly, those who were divorced/widowed/never married, underweight or economically active exhibited poorer cognitive function. Having two or more chronic diseases and being overweight were associated with better cognitive function among empty-nest elderly living as a couple.
These findings suggest that cognitive function is poorest in empty-nest elderly living alone and best in empty-nest elderly living as a couple. The factors influencing cognitive function differed according to empty-nest status, which should be considered in interventions.
5549 elderly from the 2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study were included in this study. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status, episodic memory tests and visuospatial ability assessments. Factors influencing cognitive function were determined via multiple linear regression analysis.
5549 elderly from the 2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study were included in this study. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status, episodic memory tests and visuospatial ability assessments. Factors influencing cognitive function were determined via multiple linear regression analysis.