Electrocardiographic Features in SCN5A Mutation-Positive Patients with Brugada and Early Repolarization Syndromes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Early repolarization syndrome (ERS) and Brugada syndrome (BrS) are both J-wave syndromes. Both can involve mutations in the SCN5A gene but may exhibit distinct electrocardiographic (ECG) differences. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to investigate possible differences in ECG markers between SCN5A positive patients with ERS and BrS. Methods: PubMed and Embase, were searched from their inception to October 20th, 2021 for human studies containing the search terms “SCN5A” and “variant” and “early reporlarization” or “Brugada”, with no language restrictions. Results: A total of 328 studies were identified. After full text screening, 12 studies met our inclusion criteria and were included in this present study. 104 ERS patients (mean age: 30.86 ±14.45) and 2000 BrS patients (mean age: 36.17 ±11.39) were studied. Our meta-analysis found that ERS patients had a significantly lower heart rate (standardized mean difference [SMD]a= 14.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 21.43, 7.94, P = 0.0001), shorter QRS duration (SMD = 13.90, 95% CI = 17.16, 10.65, P = 0.0001) and shorter QTc [corrected QT interval] (SDM = 21.52, 95% CI = 33.77, 9.26, P = 0.0006) than BrS patients. Conclusion: BrS patients with positive SCN5A mutations exhibited prolonged QRS, indicating conduction abnormalities, whereas ERS patients with positive SCN5A mutations showed normal QRS. By contrast, whilst QTc intervals were longer in BrS than in ERS SCN5A positive patients, they were within normal limits. Further studies are needed to examine the implications of these findings for arrhythmic risk stratification.

Tax Policy in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review of Publications in Leading Economic Journals

In the context of the world-long coronavirus pandemic, it is now essential that it is successful to overcome, break out painlessly and restore economic growth as soon as possible. Tax policy has a significant place in solving these problems. The purpose of the review is to identify, generalize and interpret information on the nature, degree of systemicity, depth, quality, discussion, existing trends and trends, synergy of tax policy research in the conditions of the coronacism in leading economic journals to identify problematic and understudied areas of knowledge that are important for tax science and practice, which require an early solution and whose development is the most in-demand in modern historical conditions. The scientific community in any scientific industry, including the tax industry, is required to build a single interconnected system of dynamically and effectively developing knowledge, rather than simply producing a set of interesting but disparate ideas. The research methods are a strategy of identifying keywords and search terms from the sphere of taxation and pandemic, screening sources and their primary filtering, content analysis of selected articles, critical reflection of groups of articles. As a result, it has been revealed that the palette of tax problems in the covid-19 environment explored in the publications of leading economic journals is fairly broad, but it goes beyond the front, not ahead of it develop models of various forward-looking scenarios for alternative tax options in force majeure; a clear interpretation of the pandemic realities of the pressing problems of the tax agenda of the present historical moment; writing new reviews as tax publications emerge between Cand19 and the exit from the medical and economic crisis.

Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Impacted Interest in Cosmetic Facial Plastic Surgery?: A Google Trends Analysis

Facial cosmetic surgery trends are evolving in the current climate of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The aim of this study was to evaluate public interest in elective facial plastic surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic including the period of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution using Google Trends. A Google Trends analysis was completed using popular terms related to facial cosmetic surgery and procedures from March 2017 to August 2021. Three stages were identified (baseline, pre-COVID-19 vaccine distribution, and post-COVID-19 vaccine distribution). Descriptive statistics were calculated and two-tailed t-tests were performed between the pre-vaccine and the post-vaccine phases. Linear regression analysis was also performed to determine percent deflection of search terms. There was significantly greater interest in facial aesthetic procedure search terms, except for tear trough filler, during the post-COVID-19 vaccine phase compared with the pre-COVID-19 vaccine phase. There was greater interest in lower facial procedure interest during this phase compared with upper facial procedures (p-value = 0.0011). The search terms with the greatest deflection percentage during the post-vaccine phase were lip filler, brow lift, and lip flip. There continues to be high demands of facial plastic surgery and procedures despite COVID-19 pandemic.

Citizen Participation via Mobile Applications

Participatory smartphone apps empower citizens to interact with the city's administration. The purpose of this case study is to investigate the current state of participatory apps in Germany. Within this study, we examined 248 applications aimed at strengthening citizen participation. These apps were found in Google Playstore and Apple Appstore using search terms extracted from the relevant literature. Many of the apps give users the opportunity to report problems within their cities, such as broken street lamps or potholes. The information created and disseminated by the citizens through the app mainly includes the topics “mobility” and “environment.” Information provided by the city itself is much more diverse. Topics such as “Points of Interest,” “News and Events,” “Government” or “City Services” can be identified here. In the southern part of Germany, there is a significantly larger number of municipalities which have a citizen participation app. None of the apps examined uses gamification, although the use of game elements is very promising to foster the engagement and motivation of citizens.

Gender differences in the medical industries’ payments to physicians: a systematic review

Purpose This paper aims to explore gender differences in payments made to physicians by the pharmaceutical and medical device industries via the performance of a systematic review of articles based on the Open Payments Database (OPD). Design/methodology/approach Three databases (Scopus, Web of Science and PubMed) were searched for articles published from September 30, 2014 to May 10, 2019, using two search terms: “Sunshine Act” and “Open Payments.” The systematic review is reported according to preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Findings The search identified 359 abstracts. Thirty-nine articles were selected for full review, and 17 of these met the inclusion criteria. Although the articles considered are based on the same database, they adopt diverse approaches and analyses are conducted in different ways. A substantial proportion of the studies show total payments from the two industries to be higher for male physicians than for female physicians. However, a few exceptions exist, higher female mean or median values occurring for payments involving research, ownership, honoraria, grants, royalties/licenses and travel/lodgings. Also, in the case of obstetric–gynecological specializations, a higher proportion of women than men are shown to cooperate with the industries. Originality/value There is gender inequality in terms of industries’ funding for doctors. While analyses of secondary OPD data show that a gender inequality exists, they do not provide an understanding of why this occurs. However, from the exceptions identified, it can be speculated that this phenomenon is connected with greater adherence to ethical standards on the part of female physicians and/or the likelihood that fewer opportunities for industrial cooperation are extended to them.

Clinical Features of POEMS Syndrome In Southeast Asia: A Literature-Based Study

Purpose: To determine and analyze the clinical characteristics of POEMS Syndrome among Southeast Asian countries.Methods: We searched the literature using a pre-specified inclusion and exclusion criteria and using the search terms “[(POEMS) or (Takatsuki) or (PEP) or (Crow Fukase) and (syndrome)] AND [Countries/People of Southeast Asia]”.Results: Seven studies, including 5 case reports, 1 case series and 1 correspondence letter containing 8 patients were eligible for analysis. The median age of onset was 54 years, while the median duration to correct diagnosis was 5.5 months. The most common initial presentation was weakness (4/6) with 50% initially diagnosed as chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. On physical examination, 100% had evidence of length dependent polyneuropathy, 80% had papilledema, 75% had edema/effusion, 86% had skin changes and 67% had organomegaly. All had abnormal NCS and CT scan while 1 tested negative for monoclonal gammopathy restricted to lambda. Only 2 had VEGF results, one of which was normal. Melphalan and steroid combination was the most common treatment given with only 1 case dying of sepsis. Conclusion: Although the number of cases in Southeast Asia is lower, which can be attributed to difference in ethnicity and geographical location, the presenting signs and symptoms of this condition was similar to other countries. However, the new proposed criteria may not be applicable in the region as only few countries are capable of doing VEGF testing.

#PlasticsTwitter: The Use of Twitter Data s a Tool for Evaluating Public Interest in Cosmetic Surgery Procedures

Background Plastic surgeons are increasingly turning to social media to market their services. The newly released Twitter Academic Research Product Track (TARPT) database provides free, customizable analysis of keywords that are included in tweets on the Twitter platform. The TARPT tool may provide valuable insight into public interest in cosmetic surgery procedures. Objectives To determine TARPT’s utility in tracking and predicting public interest in cosmetic surgery procedures and to examine temporal trends in tweets related to cosmetic facial and body procedures. Methods The TARPT tool was used to calculate total number of tweets containing keywords related to 10 facial cosmetic procedures and 7 cosmetic body procedures from 2010 to 2020. Annual volumes for respective procedures were obtained from annual statistics reports of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) from 2010 to 2020. Univariate linear regression was used to compare tweet volumes and procedure volumes, taking P < 0.05 as the cutoff for significance. Results Variations in tweet volume were observed. Univariate linear regression analysis demonstrated statistically significant positive correlations between tweet volumes and ASPS procedure volumes for 7 search terms: “eyelid lift”, “facelift”, “lip injections”, “mastopexy”, “butt lift”, “butt implants”, and “liposuction”. Many procedure-related keywords were not significant, demonstrating the importance of careful selection of Twitter search terms. Conclusions The TARPT database represents a promising novel source of information for plastic surgeons, which the potential to inform marketing and advertising decisions for emerging trends in plastic surgery interest before these patterns become apparent in surgical or clinical volumes.

Factors associated with mortality or survival of patients with tuberculosis: an integrative review

Objective: To identify factors associated with mortality or survival of patients with isolated Tuberculosis (TB) or TB/HIV co-infection. Methods: A literature review was performed in the following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Health Virtual Library, and SciELO sing the following search terms: “Survival” OR “Mortality” AND “Epidemiological factors” OR “Epidemiological determinants” OR “Associated factors.” Recommendations of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes methodology were used. Results: The factors associated with mortality or reduced survival were male sex, age >30 years in TB/HIV co-infection cases, advanced age in isolated TB cases, low schooling or up to 8 years of schooling, unemployment, TB/HIV co-infection, recent diagnosis of HIV, CD4 <50 cells, other immunosuppressive diseases, diabetes, renal disease, smoking, alcoholism, weight loss, and recently treatment started. Final considerations: Factors associated with TB mortality or survival did not differ from those associated with TB morbidity. However, excluding TB/HIV co-infection, the socioeconomic factors are evidenced.

Oral and Laryngeal Diadochokinesis Across the Life Span: A Scoping Review of Methods, Reference Data, and Clinical Applications

Purpose: The aim of this study was to conduct a scoping review of research on oral and laryngeal diadochokinesis (DDK) in children and adults, either typically developing/developed or with a clinical diagnosis. Method: Searches were conducted with PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, CINAHL, and legacy sources in retrieved articles. Search terms included the following: DDK, alternating motion rate, maximum repetition rate, sequential motion rate, and syllable repetition rate. Results: Three hundred sixty articles were retrieved and included in the review. Data source tables for children and adults list the number and ages of study participants, DDK task, and language(s) spoken. Cross-sectional data for typically developing children and typically developed adults are compiled for the monosyllables /pʌ/, /tʌ/, and /kʌ/; the trisyllable /pʌtʌkʌ/; and laryngeal DDK. In addition, DDK results are summarized for 26 disorders or conditions. Discussion: A growing number of multidisciplinary reports on DDK affirm its role in clinical practice and research across the world. Atypical DDK is not a well-defined singular entity but rather a label for a collection of disturbances associated with diverse etiologies, including motoric, structural, sensory, and cognitive. The clinical value of DDK can be optimized by consideration of task parameters, analysis method, and population of interest.

Antifungal Resistance in Clinical Isolates of Candida glabrata in Ibero-America

In different regions worldwide, there exists an intra-and inter-regional variability in the rates of resistance to antifungal agents in Candida glabrata, highlighting the importance of understanding the epidemiology and antifungal susceptibility profiles of C. glabrata in each region. However, in some regions, such as Ibero-America, limited data are available in this context. Therefore, in the present study, a systematic review was conducted to determine the antifungal resistance in C. glabrata in Ibero-America over the last five years. A literature search for articles published between January 2015 and December 2020 was conducted without language restrictions, using the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and LILACS databases. The search terms that were used were “Candida glabrata” AND “antifungal resistance” AND “Country”, and 22 publications were retrieved from different countries. The use of azoles (fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole, isavuconazole, ketoconazole, and miconazole) varied between 4.0% and 100%, and that of echinocandins (micafungin, caspofungin, and anidulafungin) between 1.1% and 10.0%. The limited information on this subject in the region of Ibero-America emphasizes the need to identify the pathogens at the species level and perform antifungal susceptibility tests that may lead to the appropriate use of these drugs and the optimal doses in order to avoid the development of antifungal resistance or multi-resistance.