Assessing Seasonality Variation with Harmonic Regression: Accommodations for Sharp Peaks.

The use of the harmonic regression model is well accepted in the epidemiological and biostatistical communities as a standard procedure to examine seasonal patterns in disease occurrence. While these models may provide good fit to periodic patterns with relatively symmetric rises and falls, for some diseases the incidence fluctuates in a more complex manner. We propose a two-step harmonic regression approach to improve the model fit for data exhibiting sharp seasonal peaks.

Risk Factors for Acquiring Scrub Typhus among the Adults.

Background: Behavioral and geographical factors may play a role in the acquisition of scrub typhus infection. In this prospective case-control study, we studied the factors associated with infection.

Patients And Methods: Consecutive adult patients admitted with scrub typhus infection over 10 months were recruited.

Neutrophil activation signature in juvenile idiopathic arthritis indicates the presence of low-density granulocytes.

Objective: JIA is an autoimmune, inflammatory disease with involvement of innate and adaptive immune responses. However, the role of neutrophils in JIA pathogenesis remains unclear. This study aimed to identify and validate neutrophil gene expression signatures in JIA using public microarray datasets and new clinical samples.

A Randomized Controlled Trial to Determine the Appropriate Time to Initiate Peritoneal Dialysis after Insertion of Catheter (Timely PD Study).

Background: The optimal time for the commencement of peritoneal dialysis (PD) after PD catheter insertion is unclear. If dialysis is started too soon after insertion, dialysate leaks and infection could occur. However, by starting PD earlier, morbidity and costs can be reduced through lesser hemodialysis requirements.

Surrogate measures of insulin sensitivity when compared to euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp studies in Asian Indian men without diabetes.

Aim: Fasting surrogate measures of insulin sensitivity are increasingly used in research and clinical practice. To assess the reliability of these measures, we aimed to evaluate multiple fasting surrogate measures simultaneously in non-diabetic subjects in comparison with the euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp study.

Methods: Sixteen normoglycemic male South Indian subjects were studied.

A randomized, controlled trial of an aerosolized vaccine against measles.

Background: Aerosolized vaccine can be used as a needle-free method of immunization against measles, a disease that remains a major cause of illness and death. Data on the immunogenicity of aerosolized vaccine against measles in children are inconsistent.

Methods: We conducted an open-label noninferiority trial involving children 9.

Back to the future: examining type 2 diabetic vasculature using the gestational diabetic placenta.

Understanding the association between the intrauterine hyperglycemic milieu and the development of adult diabetic vasculopathy is of particular relevance in India, where diabetes and vascular disease are prevalent. The gestational diabetes mellitus placenta is a valuable tool to examine blood vessels that have been exposed to hyperglycemic cues. We report an interesting observation in a cohort of gestational diabetes mellitus foetal placental vasculature from South India.