Testosterone therapy has positive effects on anthropometric measures, metabolic syndrome components (obesity, lipid profile, Diabetes Mellitus control), blood indices, liver enzymes, and prostate health indicators in elderly hypogonadal men

To alleviate late-onset hypogonadism, testosterone treatment is offered to suitable patients. Although testosterone treatment is commonly given to late-onset hypogonadism patients, there remains uncertainty about the metabolic effects during follow-ups. We assessed the associations between testosterone treatment and wide range of characteristics that included hormonal, anthropometric, biochemical features. Patients received intramuscular 1,000 mg testosterone undecanoate for 1 year. Patient anthropometric measurements were undertaken at baseline and at each visit, and blood samples were drawn at each visit, prior to the next testosterone undecanoate. Eighty-eight patients (51.1 ± 13.0 years) completed the follow-up period. Testosterone treatment was associated with significant increase in serum testosterone levels and significant stepladder decrease in body mass index, total cholesterol, triglycerides and glycated haemoglobin from baseline values among all patients. There was no significant increase in liver enzymes. There was an increase in haemoglobin and haematocrit, as well as in prostate-specific antigen and prostate volume, but no prostate biopsy intervention was needed for study patients during 1-year testosterone treatment follow-up. Testosterone treatment with long-acting testosterone undecanoate improved the constituents of metabolic syndrome and improved glycated haemoglobin in a stepladder fashion, with no adverse effects.

Identifying dynamic functional connectivity biomarkers using GIG-ICA: Application to schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and psychotic bipolar disorder

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have shown altered brain dynamic functional connectivity (DFC) in mental disorders. Here, we aim to explore DFC across a spectrum of symptomatically-related disorders including bipolar disorder with psychosis (BPP), schizoaffective disorder (SAD), and schizophrenia (SZ). We introduce a group information guided independent component analysis procedure to estimate both group-level and subject-specific connectivity states from DFC. Using resting-state fMRI data of 238 healthy controls (HCs), 140 BPP, 132 SAD, and 113 SZ patients, we identified measures differentiating groups from the whole-brain DFC and traditional static functional connectivity (SFC), separately. Results show that DFC provided more informative measures than SFC. Diagnosis-related connectivity states were evident using DFC analysis. For the dominant state consistent across groups, we found 22 instances of hypoconnectivity (with decreasing trends from HC to BPP to SAD to SZ) mainly involving post-central, frontal, and cerebellar cortices as well as 34 examples of hyperconnectivity (with increasing trends HC through SZ) primarily involving thalamus and temporal cortices. Hypoconnectivities/hyperconnectivities also showed negative/positive correlations, respectively, with clinical symptom scores. Specifically, hypoconnectivities linking postcentral and frontal gyri were significantly negatively correlated with the PANSS positive/negative scores. For frontal connectivities, BPP resembled HC while SAD and SZ were more similar. Three connectivities involving the left cerebellar crus differentiated SZ from other groups and one connection linking frontal and fusiform cortices showed a SAD-unique change. In summary, our method is promising for assessing DFC and may yield imaging biomarkers for quantifying the dimension of psychosis. Hum Brain Mapp 38:2683-2708, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of continuous long-term testosterone therapy (TTh) on anthropometric, endocrine and metabolic parameters for up to 10 years in 115 hypogonadal elderly men: real-life experience from an observational registry study

Subnormal levels of testosterone are associated with significant negative health consequences, with higher risks of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. The numbers of studies reporting on the benefits of normalisation of testosterone is increasing but longer-term data on (elderly) men receiving testosterone treatment are almost nonexistent. In this single-centre, cumulative, prospective, registry study, 115 hypogonadal men (mean age 59.05 years) received injections with testosterone undecanoate in 12-week intervals for up to 10 years. Waist circumference, body weight and mean BMI dropped progressively with statistical significance versus previous year for 7 years and, respectively, 8 years for weight and body mass index. Similarly, fasting glucose displayed a significant decrease after the first year continuing to decrease thereafter. A decline in HbA1c , from 6.4% to 5.6% (mean <6%), was observed from year 2 on, together with a decrease in the ratio of triglycerides:high-density lipoprotein (HDL), a surrogate marker of insulin resistance, with an increase in HDL levels. The total cholesterol:HDL ratio and non-HDL cholesterol declined significantly. A decrease was also observed in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, with a decrease in levels of the inflammation marker C-reactive protein. No major adverse cardiovascular events were observed throughout the study.

Assessing the potential spread and maintenance of foot-and-mouth disease virus infection in wild ungulates: general principles and application to a specific scenario in Thrace

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), due to infection with serotype O virus, occurred in wild boar and within eleven outbreaks in domestic livestock in the south-east of Bulgaria, Thrace region, in 2011. Hence, the issue of the potential for the spread and maintenance of FMD virus (FMDV) infection in a population of wild ungulates became important. This assessment focused on the spread and maintenance of FMDV infection within a hypothetical wild boar and deer population in an environment, which is characterized by a climate transitional between Mediterranean and continental and variable wildlife population densities. The assessment was based on three aspects: (i) a systematic review of the literature focusing on experimental infection studies to identify the parameters describing the duration of FMDV infection in deer and wild boar, as well as observational studies assessing the occurrence of FMDV infection in wild deer and wild boar populations, (ii) prevalence survey data of wild boar and deer in Bulgaria and Turkey and (iii) an epidemiological model, simulating the host-to-host spread of FMDV infections. It is concluded, based on all three aspects, that the wildlife population in Thrace, and so wildlife populations in similar ecological settings, are probably not able to maintain FMD in the long term in the absence of FMDV infection in the domestic host population. However, limited spread of FMDV infection in time and space in the wildlife populations can occur. If there is a continued cross-over of FMDV between domestic and wildlife populations or a higher population density, virus circulation may be prolonged.

Public health surveillance at a mass gathering: urs of Baba Farid, Pakpattan district, Punjab, Pakistan, December 2010

The objective of this study was to identify health related problems encountered during an annual mass gathering in Pakpattan, Pakistan, the anniversary of the death (urs) of Baba Farid, and to make recommendations for planning and prevention activities. A surveillance system was established to capture health related data for the event. A list of reportable diseases was developed. Data were collected pre-, during, and post-event by health care workers trained for the purpose. A total of 5918 people reported to the 15 health care facilities providing services during the event; 58% of consultations were because of communicable diseases, 21% of which were respiratory tract infections and 26% gastrointestinal illness. Injuries accounted for 31% of cases and noncommunicable diseases for 11%. Prevalence of reportable disease during the event showed sizeable increases. No major disease outbreak was observed.

Evaluation of strategies for the eradication of Pseudorabies virus (Aujeszky's disease) in commercial swine farms in Chiang-Mai and Lampoon Provinces, Thailand, using a simulation disease spread model

Several strategies for eradicating Pseudorabies virus (Aujeszky's disease) in Chiang-Mai and Lampoon Provinces, Thailand, were compared using a computer simulation model, the North American Animal Disease Spread Model (NAADSM). The duration of the outbreak, the number of affected herds and the number of destroyed herds were compared during these simulated outbreaks. Depopulation, zoning for restricted movement and improved detection and vaccination strategies were assessed. The most effective strategies to eradicate Pseudorabies as per the findings from this study are applying depopulation strategies with MOVEMENT RESTRICTIONS in 3-, 8- and 16-km ZONES surrounding infected herds and enhancing the eradication with vaccination campaign on 16-km radius surrounding infected herds.

Pattern of congenital heart diseases

This prospective observational study was done to find out the frequency of various forms of congenital heart disease (CHD) diagnosed by echocardiography. During the study period (January 2002 to December 2005) 2050 patients were screened by echocardiography. All patients were evaluated by cardiologists and had chest radiograph, electrocardiogram and echocardiography. Total 2050 patients were studied and among them 1071 had congenital heart disease. Male was 561(52.38%) and female was 510(47.62%). Atrial septal defect (ASD) was 374(34.92%), ventricular septal defect (VSD) was 318(29.69%), patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) 83(7.75%), pulmonary stenosis (PS) 58(5.42%), tetralogy of Fallot 162(15.13%), transposition of great vessels (TGA) 16(1.49%), Ebstein anomaly 5(0.4%), coarctation of aorta 1(0.09%) and single ventricle 2(0.19%). This distribution is more or less similar to that reported in studies at home and abroad. In this study atrial septal defect (ASD) was the commonest in acyanotic CHD and tetralogy of Fallot was the commonest cyanotic CHD.

Outcome of pregnancy in patients with congenital heart diseases

This prospective study was conducted to evaluate the outcome of pregnancies in women with congenital heart diseases. In this study 50 pregnant women age between 20-45 years with congenital heart diseases were included. Twenty two (44%) were presented with atrial septal defect, 12(24%) with ventricular septal defect, 5(10%) were with patent ductus arteriosus, 6(12%) with Fallot's tetralogy, 2(4%) with pulmonary stenosis, 2(4%) with Eisenmenger syndrome, 1(2%) with dextrocardia. Shortness of breath (60%) was the main presenting complaint. Normal vaginal delivery (52%) was done in majority of cases. Spontaneous abortion occurred in 16% of pregnancies. Major complications were heart failure 16%, arrhythmias 21%, cardiovascular mortality 4%, preeclampsia 4%, and eclampsia 2%. Premature birth 16%, fetal demise 4%, neonatal death 2% and cardiac anomaly at birth 2% were also observed. The outcome of pregnancy in women with congenital heart diseases is favourable with considerable maternal and neonatal complications.

Valvular heart disease in pregnancy: maternal and fetal outcome

The aim of this study was to evaluate the maternal and fetal outcome of pregnancy in Valvular Heart Disease (VHD). A better understanding of the effects of valvular abnormalities on pregnancy outcome is of value for risk assessment and the design of a therapeutic plan from the available information of a series of patient. A multicenter prospective study was carried out over a period of 5 years (2005-2009) involving 60 pregnant patients with valvular heart disease. Thirty eight patients (64%) had single valve involvement and mitral stenosis was the most predominant lesion (50%). Ten patients (16.7%) had undergone interventional and surgical correction prior to the pregnancy. Fourteen (24%) patients were identified as a NYHA class III-IV. Women with VHD had 8.35% pulmonary edema, 15.03% developed different types arrhythmia. The incidence of preterm birth and small for gestational age newborn was 11.69% and 13.36% respectively. There was one (1.67%) maternal death. Pregnancy in women with valvular heart disease is associated with remarkable unfavourable effect on maternal and fetal outcome which are related to severity of disease.

Micro-determination of iron in pharmaceutical preparations by image scanning and computational quantification

Iron has been quantified in pharmaceutical preparations by developing red spots pursuant to interaction of Fe(II) ions in the sample with 1, 10-phenanthroline on TLC plate. Soon after, TLC was scanned on a flatbed scanner and the image was transferred to the computer. Color intensity of the spot was computationally quantified with the help of native software developed for this purpose. The conditions were optimized and the results were compared with a reference method.

Flow injection spectrophotometric determination of methamidophos using online hydrolysis

A new protocol for the online spectrophotometric determination of methamidophos has been developed. The method is based on online hydrolysis of methamidophos, and the resulting hydrolyzed product is reacted with sodium nitroproside to form a colored complex. The calibration curve is linear over the concentration range of 0.5-20 microgml(-1), with a molar absorptivity of 2.5x10(4) L mol(-1) cm(-1). The method is fast and reproducible with a sample throughput of 90 samples/h. The method is successfully applied to formulations and real samples.

Contrast induced nephropathy in diabetic and non-diabetic patients during coronary angiogram and angioplasty

This study was done to assess the incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) after coronary angiogram (CAG) and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Contrast induced nephropathy is the third leading cause of acute renal failure in hospitalized patients. Diabetes mellitus, volume depletion, baseline renal insufficiency, and high volume of contrast agent are a few risk factors. In 245 consecutive patients undergoing CAG or PTCA, we measured serum creatinine at baseline and after 24 and 48 hours of the procedure. CIN was defined as rise in serum creatinine >/=0.5mg/dL or 25% rise from baseline. Two hundred twenty three (91%) subjects were male and 22(9%) were female. Among the 245 subjects 155 (63.3%) were diabetic. Total 59(24.08%) patients developed contrast induced nephropathy. Among these patients, 57(36.8%) were diabetic whereas only 2(2.2%) were non-diabetic. In 59 CIN cases 57(96.6%) were diabetic (p</=0.0001). Among total 59 CIN cases, more than 100 ml of contrast agent used in 51(86.4%) patients (p</=0.0001). Diabetic patients are more prone to develop CIN than non-diabetic. Volume of contrast agent used during procedure is an important predictor for the development of CIN.