Molecular characterization and risk analysis of Giardia duodenalis assemblages in corticosteroid-treated and non-treated patients in Ismailia, Arab Republic of Egypt.

Background: Giardia duodenalis (G. duodenalis) is an intestinal protozoan parasite of human and animal hosts. The present study investigated and compared the assemblages of G.

Excess Mortality and its Determinants During the COVID-19 Pandemic in 21 Countries: An Ecological Study from the C-MOR Project, 2020 and 2021.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic overwhelmed health systems, resulting in a surge in excess deaths. This study clustered countries based on excess mortality to understand their response to the pandemic and the influence of various factors on excess mortality within each cluster.

Materials And Methods: This ecological study is part of the COVID-19 MORtality (C-MOR) Consortium.

Handgrip Strength in Health Applications: A Review of the Measurement Methodologies and Influencing Factors.

This narrative review provides a comprehensive analysis of the several methods and technologies employed to measure handgrip strength (HGS), a significant indicator of neuromuscular strength and overall health. The document evaluates a range of devices, from traditional dynamometers to innovative sensor-based systems, and assesses their effectiveness and application in different demographic groups. Special attention is given to the methodological aspects of HGS estimation, including the influence of device design and measurement protocols.

Gastrointestinal parasitic infections: Prevalence and risk factors in West Ismailia, Arab Republic of Egypt.

Background: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites (GIP) in the rural community of West Ismailia and its associated risk factors. Human infection by GIP is natural and expected. There are few records concerning parasitic infection in the rural areas of the Ismailia Governorate.

Magnitude and determinants of excess total, age-specific and sex-specific all-cause mortality in 24 countries worldwide during 2020 and 2021: results on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic from the C-MOR project.

Introduction: To examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mortality, we estimated excess all-cause mortality in 24 countries for 2020 and 2021, overall and stratified by sex and age.

Methods: Total, age-specific and sex-specific weekly all-cause mortality was collected for 2015-2021 and excess mortality for 2020 and 2021 was calculated by comparing weekly 2020 and 2021 age-standardised mortality rates against expected mortality, estimated based on historical data (2015-2019), accounting for seasonality, and long-term and short-term trends. Age-specific weekly excess mortality was similarly calculated using crude mortality rates.

Quantitative Evaluation by Digital Pathology of Immunohistochemical Expression of CK7, CK19, and EpCAM in Advanced Stages of NASH.

(1) Background: Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis/Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NASH/NAFLD) is the most recurrent chronic liver disease. NASH could present with a cholestatic (C) or hepatic (H) pattern of damage. Recently, we observed that increased Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule (EpCAM) expression was the main immunohistochemical feature to distinguish C from H pattern in NASH.

sp. infection in solid organ transplant recipients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

(1) Background: Organ transplant recipients (OTRs) are vulnerable groups at risk of parasitic infections. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the overall prevalence of sp. in OTRs and shed light on this potentially serious complication of organ transplantation.

Hospital surge capacity preparedness in disasters and emergencies: a systematic review.

Background: Adequate and effective emergency preparedness for hospital surge capacity is a prerequisite to ensuring standard healthcare services for disaster victims. This study aimed to identify, review, and synthesize the preparedness activities for and the barriers to hospital surge capacity in disasters and emergencies.

Methods: We systematically searched seven databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, Embase, Ovid, and PsycINFO).

Designing a Low-Cost System to Monitor the Structural Behavior of Street Lighting Poles in Smart Cities.

The structural collapse of a street lighting pole represents an aspect that is often underestimated and unpredictable, but of relevant importance for the safety of people and things. These events are complex to evaluate since several sources of damage are involved. In addition, traditional inspection methods are ineffective, do not correctly quantify the residual life of poles, and are inefficient, requiring enormous costs associated with the vastness of elements to be investigated.

Diagnostic Performance of Toluidine Blue Stain for Direct Wet Mount Detection of Oocysts: Qualitative and Quantitative Comparison to the Modified Ziehl-Neelsen Stain.

(1) Background: The wet mount staining technique is a simple, economical, and rapid method for detecting parasitic stages. The objective of the current study was to evaluate wet mount diagnostic stains for infection in human faecal samples and to compare the sensitivity and qualitative performance of toluidine blue (TolB) and modified Ziehl-Neelsen (mZN) stain. (2) Methods: The collection, purification, and molecular amplification of oocysts were performed.

Barriers and facilitators for adopting healthy lifestyles in breast cancer survivors: a scoping review protocol.

Objective: This scoping review will identify barriers and facilitators for the adoption of 7 healthy lifestyle components by female breast cancer survivors. This will be achieved by mapping the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research recommendations and the Lifestyle Medicine pillars.

Introduction: Adherence to healthy lifestyle components (including weight management, physical activity, healthy diet, restorative sleep, avoidance of risky substances, forming and maintaining healthy relationships, and stress management) may improve the quality of life of breast cancer survivors and reduce the risk of adverse patient outcomes.

Hospital Surge Capacity Preparedness in Disasters and Emergencies: Protocol for a Systematic Review.

Hospitals' medical surge preparedness or surge capacity preparedness plays a significant role in reducing mortalities and in the treatment of severe injuries in disasters and emergencies. Though actions or activities for surge capacity preparedness of hospitals are discussed in several studies, they remain fragmented and need to be compiled. This systematic review will provide a comprehensive synthesis of evidence of actions or steps taken to strengthen hospitals' medical surge preparedness in disasters and emergencies, which will eventually help develop surge capacity programs and relevant policies.

Development, Validation and Preliminary Experiments of a Measuring Technique for Eggs Aging Estimation Based on Pulse Phase Thermography.

Assessment of the freshness of hen eggs destinated to human consumption is an extremely important goal for the modern food industry and sale chains, as eggs show a rapid natural aging which also depends on the storage conditions. Traditional techniques, such as candling and visual observation, have some practical limitations related to the subjective and qualitative nature of the analysis. The main objective of this paper is to propose a robust and automated approach, based on the use of pulsed phase thermography (PPT) and image processing, that can be used as an effective quality control tool to evaluate the freshness of eggs.

Effects of Accelerated Aging on the Performance of Low-Cost Ultrasonic Sensors Used for Public Lighting and Mobility Management in Smart Cities.

In the field of Smart Cities, especially for Smart Street Lighting and Smart Mobility, the use of low-cost devices is considered an advantageous solution due to their easy availability, cost reduction and, consequently, technological and methodological development. However, this type of transducers shows many critical issues, e.g.

Effect of vaccination on SARS-CoV-2 reinfection risk: a case-control study in the Republic of Cyprus.

Objectives: We explored the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in preventing reinfection in the Republic of Cyprus.

Study Design: This was a matched case-control study (1:2).

Methods: Cases were adults with a first episode of SARS-CoV-2 infection in 2020 and a second episode (i.

Effect of public health interventions during the first epidemic wave of COVID-19 in Cyprus: a modelling study.

Background: Cyprus addressed the first wave of SARS CoV-2 (COVID-19) by implementing non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). The aims of this study were: a) to estimate epidemiological parameters of this wave including infection attack ratio, infection fatality ratio, and case ascertainment ratio, b) to assess the impact of public health interventions and examine what would have happened if those interventions had not been implemented.

Methods: A dynamic, stochastic, individual-based Susceptible-Exposed-Infected-Recovered (SEIR) model was developed to simulate COVID-19 transmission and progression in the population of the Republic of Cyprus.

Social inequality in obesity in an Eastern Mediterranean population: evidence from a national health survey in Cyprus.

Background: We aimed to explore socioeconomic factors associated with obesity among adults and to investigate social inequality in obesity prevalence in Cyprus.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Methods: We conducted a survey among 3,021 Greek-Cypriots aged 25-64 years, collecting self-reported demographics, health behaviors, socioeconomic characteristics and anthropometric measurements.

Thalassemias: from gene to therapy.

Thalassemias (α, β, γ, δ, δβ, and εγδβ) are the most common genetic disorders worldwide and constitute a heterogeneous group of hereditary diseases characterized by the deficient synthesis of one or more hemoglobin (Hb) chain(s). This leads to the accumulation of unstable non-thalassemic Hb chains, which precipitate and cause intramedullary destruction of erythroid precursors and premature lysis of red blood cells (RBC) in the peripheral blood. Non-thalassemic Hbs display high oxygen affinity and no cooperativity.