Surgical Technique of Single-Graft Double-Bundle Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using the Peroneus Longus Tendon.

The posterior cruciate ligament is the primary posterior stabilizer of the knee. Posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (PCLR) has been demonstrated to improve outcomes and stability of the knee compared with conservative management. Numerous techniques are available to the treating surgeon, such as the double-bundle PCLR technique, which has biomechanical superiority over single-bundle PCLR.

Evaluating Nanotrap Microbiome Particles as A Wastewater Viral Concentration Method.

Wastewater-based surveillance has emerged as a powerful approach to monitoring infectious diseases within a community. Typically, wastewater samples are concentrated before viral analyses to improve sensitivity. Current concentration methods vary in time requirements, costs, and efficiency.

The road to refractory graft-versus-host disease is paved with good intentions.

Refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) occurs when the immune injury exceeds the capacity of injured tissues to regenerate and repair. While glucocorticoids have been used for decades to treat GVHD, Arnhold, Chang, and colleagues in this issue of the JCI question whether this approach can in fact be counterproductive. Using in vivo experimental models of GVHD and in vitro intestinal organoids, the study authors show that glucocorticoid exposure directly impeded small intestinal epithelial proliferation and survival, thus preventing the resolution of injury.

Application of machine learning methods for predicting under-five mortality: analysis of Nigerian demographic health survey 2018 dataset.

Background: Under-five mortality remains a significant public health issue in developing countries. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of various machine learning algorithms in predicting under-five mortality in Nigeria and identify the most relevant predictors.

Methods: The study used nationally representative data from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey.

Protein kinase C activity modulates nuclear Lamin A/C dynamics in HeLa cells.

The nuclear lamina serves important functions in the nucleus, providing structural support to the nuclear envelope and contributing to chromatin organization. The primary proteins that constitute the lamina are nuclear lamins whose functions are impacted by post-translational modifications, including phosphorylation by protein kinase C (PKC). While PKC-mediated lamin phosphorylation is important for nuclear envelope breakdown during mitosis, less is known about interphase roles for PKC in regulating nuclear structure.

Comparison of viral concentration techniques for native fecal indicators and pathogens from wastewater.

Viral pathogens are typically dilute in environmental waters, necessitating a concentration step prior to subsequent quantification or analysis. Historically, studies on viral concentration efficiency have been done by spiking known viruses into the sample; however, spike-in controls may not have the same behavior as "native" viruses exposed to environmental conditions. In this study, four concentration methods, including polyethylene glycol precipitation (PEG), skimmed milk flocculation (SMF), pH drop followed by filtration through a 0.

Peripheral Blood CD34 Donor Chimerism has Greater Clinical Utility Than CD3 for Detecting Relapse after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation for Acute Myeloid Leukemia or Myelodysplastic Syndrome.

Monitoring of donor chimerism (DC) may detect early relapse following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Most centers use unfractionated peripheral blood or T-cells to monitor DC, although CD34 DC may be more predictive. The limited adoption of CD34 DC may be due to the lack of detailed, comparative studies.

Impact of ambient air pollution exposure during pregnancy on adverse birth outcomes: generalized structural equation modeling approach.

Background: Air pollution and several prenatal factors, such as socio-demographic, behavioural, physical activity and clinical factors influence adverse birth outcomes. The study aimed to investigate the impact of ambient air pollution exposure during pregnancy adjusting prenatal risk factors on adverse birth outcomes among pregnant women in MACE birth cohort.

Methods: Data for the study was obtained from the Mother and Child in the Environment (MACE) birth cohort study in Durban, South Africa from 2013 to 2017.

Extensor Mechanism Reconstruction After Total Knee Arthroplasty with Allograft Versus Synthetic Mesh: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort.

Introduction: Patellar and quadriceps tendon ruptures after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have historically poor outcomes. To date, there is no consensus for optimal treatment. The purpose of this study is to directly compare clinical outcomes and survivorship between allograft versus synthetic mesh for reconstruction of native extensor mechanism (EM) rupture after TKA.

Comparison of RT-dPCR and RT-qPCR and the effects of freeze-thaw cycle and glycine release buffer for wastewater SARS-CoV-2 analysis.

Public health efforts to control the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic rely on accurate information on the spread of the disease in the community. Acute and surveillance testing has been primarily used to characterize the extent of the disease. However, obtaining a representative sample of the human population is challenging because of limited testing capacity and incomplete testing compliance.

How common is nerve injury after reverse shoulder arthroplasty? A systematic review.

Background: Nerve injury following reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) is a known risk factor with wide ranging incidences reported. This systematic review evaluates the overall incidence of nerve injury following primary and revision RSA and summarizes the characteristics of the nerve injuries reported in the current literature.

Methods: A systematic review was performed using separate database searches (Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane) following the PRISMA guidelines.

The spatial modification effect of predictors on household level food insecurity in Ethiopia.

Household food insecurity remains highly prevalent in developing countries (including in Ethiopia) and it has been recognized as a serious public health problem. Several factors such as demographic, economic, social, and clinical factors influence household food insecurity, and these vary geographically. In this work, we investigate the geographical modification of the effect of several factors on chronic food insecurity.

Spatiotemporal Variation and Predictors of Unsuppressed Viral Load among HIV-Positive Men and Women in Rural and Peri-Urban KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Unsuppressed HIV viral load is an important marker of sustained HIV transmission. We investigated the prevalence, predictors, and high-risk areas of unsuppressed HIV viral load among HIV-positive men and women. Unsuppressed HIV viral load was defined as viral load of ≥400 copies/mL.

Identifying Potential Factors Associated with High HIV viral load in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa using Multiple Correspondence Analysis and Random Forest Analysis.

Background: Sustainable Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) virological suppression is crucial to achieving the Joint United Nations Programme of HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 95-95-95 treatment targets to reduce the risk of onward HIV transmission. Exploratory data analysis is an integral part of statistical analysis which aids variable selection from complex survey data for further confirmatory analysis.

Methods: In this study, we divulge participants' epidemiological and biological factors with high HIV RNA viral load (HHVL) from an HIV Incidence Provincial Surveillance System (HIPSS) sequential cross-sectional survey between 2014 and 2015 KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Inferring SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding into wastewater relative to the time of infection.

Since the start of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there has been interest in using wastewater monitoring as an approach for disease surveillance. A significant uncertainty that would improve the interpretation of wastewater monitoring data is the intensity and timing with which individuals shed RNA from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) into wastewater. By combining wastewater and case surveillance data sets from a university campus during a period of heightened surveillance, we inferred that individual shedding of RNA into wastewater peaks on average 6 days (50% uncertainty interval (UI): 6-7; 95% UI: 4-8) following infection, and that wastewater measurements are highly overdispersed [negative binomial dispersion parameter, k = 0.

Decomposing the urban-rural inequalities in the utilisation of maternal health care services: evidence from 27 selected countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: There has been a substantial improvement in reducing maternal mortality in the Sub-Saharan African region. The vast rural-urban gap in maternal health outcomes, however, is obscured by this average achievement. This study attempts to measure the contribution of identified risk factors to describe the average rural-urban difference in the use of antenatal care, health facilities for delivery, and health professional assistance at delivery.

Association of medical male circumcision and sexually transmitted infections in a population-based study using targeted maximum likelihood estimation.

Background: Epidemiological theory and many empirical studies support the hypothesis that there is a protective effect of male circumcision against some sexually transmitted infections (STIs). However, there is a paucity of randomized control trials (RCTs) to test this hypothesis in the South African population. Due to the infeasibility of conducting RCTs, estimating marginal or average treatment effects with observational data increases interest.

Making waves: Plausible lead time for wastewater based epidemiology as an early warning system for COVID-19.

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has emerged as a useful tool in the fight to track and contain COVID-19 spread within communities. One of the motives behind COVID-19 WBE efforts is the potential for 'early warning' of either the onset of disease in a new setting or changes in trends in communities where disease is endemic. Many initial reports of the early warning potential of WBE have relied upon retrospective sample analysis, and delays in WBE analysis and reporting should be considered when evaluating the early warning potential of WBE that enable public health action.

Modelling children ever born using performance evaluation metrics: A dataset.

Predicting the number of total children ever born in a country is a key component for proper implementation of economic growth policy. Here, performance metrics were used to predict models that appropriately describe the factors that affect children ever born. A comparison of 60% training and 40% validation, 70% training and 30% validation, 80% training and 20% validation also 90% training and 10% validation was performed respectively to examine the three models' behaviours (Poisson regression, Negative Binomial regression and Generalized Poisson regression) with RMSE, R, MAE and MSE as performance metrics.

Effects of prenatal exposure factors on birth outcomes through mediation of favorable fetal growth conditions using structural equation modeling.

Background: Birth weight, birth length, and gestational age are major indicators of newborn health. Several prenatal exposure factors influence the fetal environment. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of prenatal exposure factors, including socio-demographic, behavioural, dietary, physical activity, clinical and environmental on birth outcomes through the mediation of Favourable Fetal Growth Conditions (FFGC).

Proactive primary care model for frail older people in New Zealand delays aged-residential care: A quasi-experiment.

Background/objectives: To determine the effect of a proactive primary care program on acute hospitalization and aged-residential care placement for frail older people.

Design: Controlled before and after, and controlled after only quasi-experimental studies, with a comparison group created via propensity score matching. One-year follow-up.

The impact of antenatal care on under-five mortality in Ethiopia: a difference-in-differences analysis.

Background: Sub-Saharan Africa, as opposed to other regions, has the highest under-five mortality rates yet makes the least improvement in reducing under-five mortality. Despite the decline, Ethiopia is among the top ten countries contributing the most to global under-five mortalities. This article examines the impact of the number of antenatal care and the timing of first antenatal care on child health outcomes.