The control of digital dermatitis (DD) among cattle is crucial; however, effective and environmentally-sound control measures have yet to be identified. From the monitoring data of DD which were recorded during regular hoof trimmings in a farm in Hokkaido, Japan, we detected a decrease in the DD prevalence in a herd where an anaerobic bacterial fermentation enhancer (ABFE) was distributed. The possible effect of ABFE was analyzed using a retrospective repeated cross-sectional design. The prevalence of DD decreased over time in the ABFE-distributed group. Furthermore, a selected regression model indicated the time-dependent enhancement of the decreasing trend. While potential coincidental factors may influence, this study provides a basis for further research on the preventive effect of ABFE against DD.

BACKGROUND: Culturally appropriate mental health care is essential in remote Australia. However, while associated with the development of an effective therapeutic alliance, current literature insufficiently reports the retention and psychotherapy outcomes of Indigenous adults. We aimed to describe the characteristics and retention of clients attending the Far North Mental Health and Wellbeing Service (FNS).
METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study on clients who received one or more psychotherapy consultations between 1st July 2019 and 31st December 2020. Population, entrance, and treatment characteristics were described, with retention compared between the major cultural groups. Entrance characteristics comprised referral pathway and reason for presentation and were investigated as alternative predictors of client retention.
RESULTS: There were 186 non-Indigenous (68.3 % female) and 174 Indigenous (62.6 % female) clients, with a median number of 3.0 consultations (IQR 2.0-5.3). Indigenous status did not significantly predict retention. Referral pathway significantly predicted the number of consultations (Wald X2(6) = 17.67, p = .0071) and immediate discontinuation (Wald X2(6) = 12.94, p = .044), with self-referred clients having the highest retention. Initial presentation reason significantly predicted the number of consultations (Wald X2(5) = 13.83, p = .017), with clients with potential health hazards related to socioeconomic and psychosocial circumstances having the lowest retention. Significantly more Indigenous clients presented for this reason (20.1 % vs 4.3 %).
CONCLUSIONS: Comparable retention of Indigenous clients suggests cultural appropriateness of the psychotherapy being delivered by the FNS. Services might use the described therapeutic approach as a guide for culturally appropriate care.

OBJECTIVE: Vascular stiffening is highly predictive of major adverse cardiovascular events. It is not clear whether microangiopathy, such as fundus arteriosclerosis, is related to carotid atherosclerosis. Hence, this study was designed to investigate the relationship between carotid atherosclerosis and fundus arteriosclerosis among individuals of different sexes in the Chinese health-examination population.
METHODS: This retrospective cross-sectional study involved 20,836 participants, including 13050 males and 7786 females. All participants underwent a detailed health examination, including medical history assessment, physical examination, assessment of lifestyle factors, fundus photography, Doppler ultrasound examination of the neck, and laboratory examinations. Two trained ophthalmologists analysed fundus arteriosclerosis based on fundus photographs, while carotid atherosclerosis was diagnosed using colour Doppler sonography of the neck. Binary logistic regression was used to analyse the relationship between carotid atherosclerosis and fundus arteriosclerosis.
RESULTS: In participants with fundus arteriosclerosis, the incidence of carotid atherosclerosis was higher than that of participants without fundus arteriosclerosis (52.94% vs. 47.06%). After adjustments for potential confounding factors, fundus arteriosclerosis was significantly associated with the risk of carotid atherosclerosis. The OR with 95% CI for fundus arteriosclerosis was 1.17 (1.02, 1.34) with p = 0.0262, and individuals who did not have fundus arteriosclerosis were used as a reference in the total population. Fundus arteriosclerosis was associated with the incidence of carotid atherosclerosis in males (p = 0.0005) but not in females (p = 0.0746).
CONCLUSIONS: Fundus arteriosclerosis was closely associated with carotid atherosclerosis in the Chinese population. This association was found in males but not in females.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency is a common condition that affects approximately 30-50% of the worldwide population. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases and is considered a cardiovascular risk factor globally.  Methods: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study that aimed to identify the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its associations with the cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk profile of patients presenting for cardiac evaluation at Primecare Heart Clinic, a private heart clinic in Nairobi, Kenya, between January 1, 2020 and January 31, 2022.
RESULTS: Females with vitamin D deficiency composed 58.87% of the study participants. The average 10-year Framingham CVD risk level of the vitamin D-deficient participants was 7.09%. Participants with vitamin D deficiency that were older and had low serum high-density lipoprotein C (HDL-C) levels and high systolic blood pressure (BP) had a higher risk of CVDs. Male participants were at five times higher risk of CVDs. Vitamin D-deficient patients who were older and had a low HDL cholesterol level and high systolic BP are at a high risk of CVDs. The two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test value was 345.6992, and the p-value was 0.002884.
CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that a low level of vitamin D was associated with a higher Framingham cardiovascular risk score and cardiovascular risk in patients. Nonetheless, this is a retrospective study, which is a major limitation of this study.

OBJECTIVE: Orthodontic treatment involving premolar extractions might improve the angulation of lower third molars, which are the teeth most often impacted. This study analyzes the impact of first/second lower premolar extraction during orthodontic therapy on the angulation of mandibular third molars.
METHODS: A total of 120 patients treated non-extraction (n = 40), with extraction of first (n = 40), or second lower premolars (n = 40) were included. The mesiodistal angulation of lower third molars relative to the adjacent tooth and their developmental stage were evaluated from posttreatment orthopantomograms. Between-group differences were statistically evaluated at a significance level of 0.05.
RESULTS: The orthopantomograms of 120 patients (51% female) with a median age of 15.2 years at the time of debonding were evaluated after a mean treatment duration time of 2.9 years. No difference (P > 0.05) was seen between the average angulation of the lower third molars of the right (mean = 24.4°, standard deviation [SD] 13.6°) and the left side (mean = 23.6°, SD 14.1°). No differences in the angulation of the lower third molar were found between the non-extraction and extraction groups for the right (P = 0.44) or the left side (P = 0.22). Likewise, no differences were found when comparing the first and second premolars for the right (P = 0.26) or the left side (P = 0.10). Premolar extraction was associated with an advanced root development stage of the right third molar (odds ratio 7.1; 95% confidence interval 1.1-48.1; P = 0.04), with no differences between extraction of the first or second premolar (P = 0.10).
CONCLUSIONS: Orthodontic treatment involving premolars extractions might be associated with a small acceleration in root development, but not with the angulation, of lower third molars.
UNASSIGNED: ZIELSETZUNG: Eine kieferorthopädische Behandlung mit Extraktion von Prämolaren könnte die Angulation der unteren dritten Molaren verbessern, die am häufigsten impaktiert sind. In dieser Studie wird der Einfluss der Extraktion erster/zweiter unterer Prämolaren während einer kieferorthopädischen Therapie auf die Angulation der dritten Molaren im Unterkiefer untersucht.
METHODS: Insgesamt wurden 120 Patienten eingeschlossen, die ohne Extraktion (n = 40), mit Extraktion der ersten (n = 40) bzw. der zweiten unteren Prämolaren (n = 40) behandelt wurden. Die mesiodistale Angulation der unteren dritten Molaren in Relation zum Nachbarzahn und das Entwicklungsstadium wurden anhand von Orthopantomogrammen nach der Behandlung bewertet. Die Unterschiede zwischen den Gruppen wurden statistisch auf einem Signifikanzniveau von 0,05 ausgewertet.
UNASSIGNED: Die Orthopantomogramme von 120 Patienten (51% weiblich) mit einem mittleren Alter von 15,2 Jahren zum Zeitpunkt des Debonding wurden nach einer mittleren Behandlungsdauer von 2,9 Jahren ausgewertet. Es wurde kein Unterschied (p = 0,05) zwischen der durchschnittlichen Angulation der unteren dritten Molaren der rechten (Mittelwert = 24,4°, Standardabweichung [SD] 13,6°) und der linken Seite (Mittelwert = 23,6°, SD 14,1°) festgestellt. Es wurden keine Unterschiede in der Angulation des unteren dritten Molaren zwischen der Nicht-Extraktions- und der Extraktionsgruppe für die rechte (p = 0,44) bzw. die linke Seite (p = 0,22) festgestellt. Ebenso wurden keine Unterschiede beim Vergleich der ersten und zweiten Prämolaren auf der rechten (p = 0,26) bzw. der linken Seite (p = 0,10) festgestellt. Die Extraktion von Prämolaren war mit einem fortgeschrittenen Wurzelentwicklungsstadium des rechten dritten Molaren verbunden (Odds Ratio 7,1; 95%-Konfidenzintervall 1,1–48,1; p = 0,04), ohne Unterschiede zwischen der Extraktion des ersten oder des zweiten Prämolaren (p = 0,10).
UNASSIGNED: Eine kieferorthopädische Therapie mit Extraktion von Prämolaren könnte mit einer leichten Beschleunigung der Wurzelentwicklung, nicht aber mit der Angulation der unteren dritten Molaren assoziiert sein.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are frequently underdiagnosed, representing a serious public health concern, especially during adolescence and in more vulnerable communities.
to describe the last ten years of emergency department (ED) visits for STIs among adolescents.
a retrospective cross-sectional observation was carried out in the Piedmont region in Italy. Data were retrieved through the Italian National Information System database. ED visits related to specific ICD-9-CM codes carried out on 11 to 19-year-old youths between 2011 and 2020 were investigated. Age-specific, crude, and standardized rates and admission ratios, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), were calculated to estimate the STI trend.
from a total of 1,219,075 ED visits, 339 were related to STIs, representing an increasing ratio of 28 per 100,000 visits, primarily in females. Most infections occurred in girls (83.5%) and among 17 to 19-year-olds (71.5%). A drop in both ED visits and STI cases was observed in 2020. Genital Herpes and Genital Warts were more frequent in girls while Gonorrhea was more frequent in boys.
the increasing trend of ED visits for STIs, particularly in girls, represents an emerging relevant public health issue that needs to be urgently tackled.

UNASSIGNED: It remains unknown whether gastric histopathology is associated with the occurrence of colonic neoplasms. We aimed to clarify the association between gastric histopathology and different types of colorectal polyps (CP) and colorectal cancer (CRC), and whether various gastric histopathologies are risk factors for different types of CP and CRC.
UNASSIGNED: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 5,986 patients who underwent gastroscopy and colonoscopy simultaneously at Shaoxing People\'s Hospital from August 1, 2019, to May 31, 2020. The Pearson χ2 test was used to analyze the occurrence of various gastric histopathologies in different types of CP and CRC, and logistic regression was used to determine whether various gastric histopathologies were risk factors for different types of CP and CRC.
UNASSIGNED: For the Chinese population, male sex (odds ratio [OR] 1.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.41-1.97, P < 0.001) and old age (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.02-1.04, P < 0.001) were risk factors for non-adenomatous polyps (NAP), but Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and various gastric histopathologies were not significant in the NAP compared with the normal group. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that, similar to male sex and old age, H. pylori (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.08-1.38, P = 0.002), low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (LGIN) (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.21-2.66, P = 0.004), gastric fundus gland polyps (FGPs) (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.11-1.87, P = 0.007), hyperplastic/inflammatory gastric polyps (GHP or GIP) (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.06-2.12, P = 0.022), and atrophy/intestinal metaplasia (AG or IM) (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.13-1.43, P < 0.001) were all risk factors for colorectal adenomatous polyps (AP). However, the results of CRC showed that old age (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.10-1.16, P < 0.001) and H. pylori (OR 1.67, 95% CI 0.99-2.75, P < 0.05) were risk factors for CRC (OR 1.67, 95% CI 0.99-2.75, P < 0.05), but not sex and various gastric histopathologies (P > 0.05).
UNASSIGNED: Gastric histopathology, such as AG or IM, LGIN, FGP, and GHP or GIP, were risk factors for AP, but not for NAP and CRC, indicating that gastric histopathology has potential predictive value for AP in the Chinese population.

This retrospective cross-sectional study included patients with category Ⅲ exposure to the rabies virus at a single center between January and December 2019. Exposure characteristics and clinical data were compared and statistically analyzed among groups willing and unwilling to receive RIG injection, and determinants of its administration were identified by stepwise multivariate logistic regression analyses. In total, 1,757 patients with category Ⅲ exposure were enrolled: 845 males (48.1%) and 912 females (51.9%; median age: 28 [9-50] years). Among them, 1,297 (73.8%) received RIG injection (median age: 28 [8-50] years) and 460 (26.2%) refused to receive the injection (median age: 25 [15-48] years). Patients aged 16-25 years (odds ratio [OR]=3.006, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.957-4.619), 26-45years (OR=2.940, 95% CI=2.011-4.298), 46-55 years (OR=3.647, 95% CI=2.233-5.959) and over 56 years (OR=6.660, 95% CI=4.009-11.062); those with injuries caused by cats (OR=1.937, 95% CI=1.476- 2.542); and people with scratch (OR=3.319, 95% CI= 2.510-4.390), minor (OR=35.281, 95% CI=18.524-64.198), and moderate (OR=12.711, 95% CI=7.221-22.375) injuries were more likely to refuse injection. The RIG administration level in the settings studied herein is insufficient. Educational and awareness programs should be considered for rabies prevention, especially those targeted at people not injured by dogs, people with minor injuries, and the elderly.