Systematic review

Parrot fever cases amid a ‘mysterious’ pneumonia outbreak in Argentina – what you need to know about psittacosis

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 23, 2024

This is how the yet-to-be-named disease COVID-19 was first described when a cluster of cases was identified in Wuhan, China.

Key Points: 
  • This is how the yet-to-be-named disease COVID-19 was first described when a cluster of cases was identified in Wuhan, China.
  • This term is being used again to describe a cluster of “atypical” pneumonia cases in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
  • Some cases of psittacosis, also known as “parrot fever”, have been confirmed within this cluster.
  • Psittacosis, or parrot fever, is caused by bacteria called Chlamydia psittaci, and is a common infection in birds.
  • A 2017 systematic review concluded that around 1% of pneumonia cases not acquired in a hospital may be the result of psittacosis.
  • There are often local respiratory infectious disease outbreaks, potentially causing severe pneumonia, and these do not spread more widely or internationally.
  • At the time of writing this article, there is very little information available about the Argentina outbreak.
  • There has been no statement from the public health authorities in Argentina, nor the WHO Pan America Health Organisation.
  • Among the key pieces of information we really would need to know is the likelihood of human-to-human transmission.


Michael Head has previously received funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the UK Department for International Development, and currently receives funding from the UK Medical Research Foundation.

Cannabis legalization has led to a boom in potent forms of the drug that present new hazards for adolescents

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 23, 2024

When other drugs would occasionally come up, I didn’t understand some of the slang terms they used for these drugs.

Key Points: 
  • When other drugs would occasionally come up, I didn’t understand some of the slang terms they used for these drugs.
  • Many people may have that feeling now when the topic of cannabis comes up – especially in its different and newer forms.
  • A major change during my time in research is the legalization and explosion of cannabis availability across the U.S.

A shifting landscape

  • It also serves as a catch-all term for any substance with chemical compounds from cannabis plants and addresses concerns that the word marijuana has some long-standing racist overtones.
  • Cannabis now comes in a larger variety of forms than it used to.
  • These include oils that can be vaporized by vape or dab pens, waxier substances and even powders.

How cannabis derivatives interact with the brain

  • Each one interacts with the brain in different ways, producing different perceived effects.
  • The differences between THC and CBD come from how they interact with cannabinoid receptors – the proteins onto which these drugs attach – in the brain and body.

The changing nature of cannabis products

  • By increasing the amount of THC, concentrated products can increase blood levels of THC rapidly and more strongly than nonconcentrates such as traditional smoked cannabis.
  • Cannabis concentrates also come in many different forms that range from waxy or creamy to hard and brittle.
  • They are made in a variety of ways that may require dry ice, water or flammable solvents such as butane.
  • The myriad names for cannabis concentrates can be confusing.

Cannabis use and adolescents

  • A 2021 systematic review found that past-year cannabis vaping nearly doubled from 2017 to 2020 in adolescents - jumping from 7.2% to 13.2%.
  • In addition, a 2020 study found that one-third of adolescents who vape do so with cannabis concentrates.
  • Cannabis use by adolescents is scary because it can alter the way their brains develop.
  • Adolescents who use cannabis are also more likely to experience symptoms of schizophrenia, struggle more in school and engage in other risky behaviors.
  • This article is part of Legal cannabis turns 10, a series examining the impact of a decade of recreational cannabis use.


Ty Schepis receives funding from US Food and Drug Administration and the National Institute on Drug Abuse. His research is also supported by a faculty fellowship from the Texas State University Translational Health Research Center.

What if flat feet were…normal? Debunking a myth about injuries

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Specifically, having flat feet was believed to predispose individuals to future pain and other musculoskeletal problems (i.e.

Key Points: 
  • Specifically, having flat feet was believed to predispose individuals to future pain and other musculoskeletal problems (i.e.
  • Flat feet were believed to be a kind of time bomb.
  • We demonstrate that the theory that having flat feet inevitably leads to pain or other musculoskeletal problems, is unfounded.

Where does this theory come from?

  • This theory became central to the educational programs of health professionals.
  • In fact, science has never validated the theory: it has remained at the hypothesis stage.
  • Nevertheless, over the years up until the present, many health professionals have continued to support the theory that flat feet pose a major risk for developing musculoskeletal disorders.

Do flat feet cause musculoskeletal injuries?

  • Furthermore, a systematic review and a meta-analysis concluded that runners with flat feet are no more at risk of injury than those with regular feet.
  • These analyses call into question the idea that people with flat feet have a substantial risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders.
  • Unfortunately, this frequently results in people having unnecessary interventions, such as using orthopaedic shoes or custom-made foot orthoses for asymptomatic flat feet.

Setting the record straight

  • Based on current scientific knowledge, assessing whether a person has flat feet to determine their risk of injury is ineffective and counterproductive.
  • While it is possible for a person with flat feet to develop a musculoskeletal injury, this does not necessarily mean that flat feet caused the injury.
  • It is quite possible for two variables to be present at the same time without there being a causal link.
  • A cause-and-effect relationship implies that a change in one variable (the cause) leads to a change in another variable (the effect).

Reducing overdiagnosis in health care

  • Reducing overdiagnosis in health care has become crucial.
  • Since overdiagnosis often leads to overtreatment, avoiding unnecessary treatments will help to alleviate patients’ concerns about their flat feet.
  • It’s time to change our perspective and our approach to the significance of flat feet and to recognize their natural diversity in the context of overall foot health.


Gabriel Moisan is a member of the Ordre des Podiatres du Québec (College of Podiatrists Québec). He has received funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the War Amps of Canada and the Réseau provincial de recherche en adaptation-réadaptation (REPAR).

Understanding AI outputs: study shows pro-western cultural bias in the way AI decisions are explained

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, April 18, 2024

If you were affected, you might want an explanation of why an AI system produced the decision it did.

Key Points: 
  • If you were affected, you might want an explanation of why an AI system produced the decision it did.
  • Yet AI systems are often so computationally complex that not even their designers fully know how the decisions were produced.
  • Explainable AI systems help AI engineers to monitor and correct their models’ processing.
  • We wanted to see to what extent researchers indicated awareness of cultural variations that were potentially relevant for designing satisfactory explainable AI.

Cultural differences in explanations

  • The other is externalist, citing factors like social norms, rules, or other factors that are outside the person.
  • However, such explanations are not obviously preferred over externalist explanations in “collectivist” societies, such as those commonly found across Africa or south Asia, where people often view themselves as interdependent.
  • If people from different cultures prefer different kinds of explanations, this matters for designing inclusive systems of explainable AI.
  • Our research, however, suggests that XAI developers are not sensitive to potential cultural differences in explanation preferences.

Overlooking cultural differences

  • Moreover, when we checked the cultural background of the people tested in the studies, we found 48.1% of the studies did not report on cultural background at all.
  • This suggests that researchers did not consider cultural background to be a factor that could influence the generalisability of results.
  • Of those that did report on cultural background, 81.3% only sampled western, industrialised, educated, rich and democratic populations.
  • Yet, out of the studies that reported on cultural background, 70.1% extended their conclusions beyond the study population – to users, people, humans in general – and most studies did not contain evidence of reflection on cultural similarity.

Why the results matter

  • To address this cultural bias in XAI, developers and psychologists should collaborate to test for relevant cultural differences.
  • As AI is being used worldwide to make important decisions, systems must provide explanations that people from different cultures find acceptable.
  • As it stands, large populations who could benefit from the potential of explainable AI risk being overlooked in XAI research.


The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Draft template for assessment report for the development of European herbal monographs and European Union list entries - Revision 6

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, April 18, 2024

The completed comments form should be sent to

Key Points: 
    • The completed comments form should be sent to
      [email protected]
      10
      11
      Keywords

      Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products; HMPC; European Union herbal
      monographs; European Union list of herbal substances, preparations and
      combinations thereof for use in traditional herbal medicinal products; herbal
      medicinal products; traditional herbal medicinal products; traditional use;
      well-established medicinal use; benefit-risk assessment; assessment report

      12

      1
      2

      Changes introduced in section 6 Overall conclusions.

    • Peer-reviewer

      If not the same peer-reviewer
      since last version, all peerreviewers should be listed, and
      the version specified in
      brackets.

    • 22

      23


      on
      .

    • It is a working

      24

      document, not yet edited, and shall be further developed after the release for consultation of the

      25


      .

    • The principle of the template is to make clear
      distinctions between presentation of data (methodology and results)
      and the assessment of the data (?assessor?s comment?).
    • likely from an article but it seems it is concluded by
      the rapporteur; ?According to the author? to be added.
    • Chapters with
      a heading including the word ?conclusion? should include a summary
      of all critical assessment of the assessor for that particular
      chapter.
    • If an assessor?s comment is not needed, the Rapporteur
      should delete the box inserted in the template.
    • ?
      The report should be sufficiently detailed to allow for secondary
      assessment of the available data by other HMPC experts.
    • Overview of available pharmacokinetic data regarding the herbal substance(s), herbal
      preparation(s) and relevant constituents thereof ........................................................... 16

      97
      98

      3.3.

    • Overall conclusions on clinical pharmacology and efficacy ........................................ 27

      Assessment report on
      EMA/HMPC/418902/2005

      Page 4/41

      119

      5.

    • This sections is related to
      available quality standards and there is no need to repeat information
      on all preparations included in the monograph.
    • Search and assessment methodology

      161

      The Rapporteur shall undertake a comprehensive search of relevant
      scientific literature and articles, Acts of law and regulations and
      other relevant sources.

    • Cross-reference to the list of
      references in Annex, which should list separately the references
      supporting the assessment report.
    • 143
      144
      145

      150
      151
      152
      153
      154

      162
      163
      164
      165
      166
      167
      168
      169
      170
      171
      172
      173
      174
      175

      Herbal substance(s)

      Herbal preparation(s)

      Relevant constituents for this assessment report

      Examples of scientific databases to be searched are Medline, PubMed,
      Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, EMBASE etc.

    • Assessment report on
      EMA/HMPC/418902/2005

      Page 6/41

      176
      177
      178
      179
      180
      181
      182
      183
      184
      185
      186
      187
      188
      189
      190
      191
      192

      Additional relevant references could also be retrieved from the checked
      references.

    • Examples of books are Hagers Handbuch, The Complete German
      Commission E Monographs, PDR for herbal medicines etc.
    • In addition, information from non-EU regulatory
      authorities for examples Health Canada monographs or WHO monographs
      could be searched, if relevant to herbal substances and preparations in
      EU.
    • 221

      225
      226
      227

      232

      When the assessment report is revised, the rapporteur should briefly
      summarise the main changes under this section.

    • Data are collected using the template entitled ?Document
      for information exchange for the preparation of the assessment report
      for the development of European Union monographs and for inclusion of
      herbal substance(s), preparation(s) or combinations thereof in the
      list? (EMEA/HMPC/137093/2006).
    • Assessment report on
      EMA/HMPC/418902/2005

      Page 8/41

      Herbal substance/

      Indication

      Posology and
      method of

      preparation

      administration

      Posology, age
      groups,
      pharmaceutical
      form, method of
      administration,
      duration of use
      As reported in
      the market
      overview

      As reported in
      the market
      overview

      As reported in
      the market
      overview.

    • Assessment report on
      EMA/HMPC/418902/2005

      Page 10/41

      Herbal substance/

      Indication/Medicinal

      Posology and

      preparation

      use

      method of
      administration

      Posology, age
      groups,
      pharmaceutical
      form, method of
      administration,
      duration of use

      Regulatory Status

      Type of
      regulatory
      status where
      possible, date,
      Country

      287

      This overview is not exhaustive.

    • Clinical Safety/Pharmacovigilance

      836
      837
      838
      839
      840
      841

      See ?Assessment of clinical safety and efficacy in the preparation of
      EU herbal monographs for well-established and traditional herbal
      medicinal products?(EMA/HMPC/104613/2005) for further details.

    • Overall conclusions on clinical safety

      1067

      1068

      In terms of structure, the conclusion should follow the presentation of
      the results above.

    • Overall conclusions

      1092

      1093

      1101

      Describe key aspects only briefly, these will already have been
      described in detail in the respective sections.

    • This section should
      cover all recommended ?well-established use? and ?traditional use?
      indications and conclusions shall be provided for each therapeutic
      indication and each herbal preparation.
    • 1102

      Well established use monograph

      1103
      1104

      The clinical studies supporting well-established use should be
      specified for each therapeutic indication and each herbal preparation.

    • The choice for the wording of traditional use indications vis-?vis existing wordings in monographs in the same therapeutic area should
      be briefly discussed/justified.
    • 1153

      List entry

      1154

      The conclusions should include a statement pointing to the
      possibility/non-possibility to support a European Union list entry.

Drinking apple cider vinegar may help with weight loss but its health benefits are overstated

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, April 10, 2024

One day, she explained that she adds apple cider vinegar to improve my health.

Key Points: 
  • One day, she explained that she adds apple cider vinegar to improve my health.
  • Apple cider vinegar is a natural product made of fermented apple juice that has gone sour.
  • I decided to turn medical sleuth and investigate whether apple cider vinegar is as good for health as it sounds.

Claim: disinfectant properties

  • But does apple cider vinegar’s decontaminant qualities translate to the human gut?
  • Our stomachs produce acid, which acts as a natural barrier to infection, so how can adding more acid help?

Claim: weight loss and management of type 2 diabetes

  • There are plenty of anecdotal claims that apple cider vinegar can aid weight loss, supported by limited evidence from several small studies.
  • Apple cider vinegar is thought to cause weight loss through its effect on delay of gastric emptying.
  • Reduced calorific intake will lead to weight loss – but how are the metabolic effects on blood glucose and lipids mediated?
  • In type 2 diabetes there is a reduction in sensitivity to insulin which in turn leads to a reduced uptake of glucose by cells.

Claim: reduces risk of heart disease

  • Raised blood lipids are a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction and stroke.
  • Well, I’m afraid there’s no scientific evidence that vinegar consumption of any kind reduces cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in those with or without diabetes.

Claim: cancer treatment and prevention

  • One of the more outrageous claims of benefits of daily apple cider vinegar consumption is that it may prevent or treat cancer.
  • A frequently quoted case-control study from China found that an increased consumption of vinegar was associated with a reduced incidence of oesophageal cancer.


Stephen Hughes does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Global Experts from SEPA Call for the Control of Gingivitis Rather than Waiting for Periodontitis to Develop

Retrieved on: 
Monday, April 8, 2024

SEPA: Limited knowledge among oral health teams of the recommendations and evidence currently available on oral antiseptics (that are clinically proven to be effective) reduces their implementation; therefore, more practical and simple advice is proposed.

Key Points: 
  • This was highlighted at an International Summit of Experts held at the Casa de las Encías in Madrid, Spain, the headquarters of the SEPA Foundation.
  • "Periodontal diseases are prevalent worldwide, affecting hundreds of millions of people," says the meeting coordinator, Dr. Paula Matesanz, vice president of SEPA.
  • As Dr. Iain Chapple summarizes, "It is time for a paradigm shift: we must control gingivitis and not wait until periodontitis develops."
  • J Clin Periodontol 2022 Jun:49 Suppl 24:4-71 (version adapted by SEPA available at https://portal.guiasalud.es/gpc/tratamiento-periodontitis-estadio-iv )
    * Chapple I, Time to take gum disease seriously.

BioRestorative Therapies Partners with Galen Patient Recruitment to Accelerate Completion of Enrollment in Phase 2 Trial of BRTX-100 in Chronic Lumbar Disc Disease

Retrieved on: 
Monday, April 8, 2024

MELVILLE, N.Y., April 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BioRestorative Therapies, Inc. (“BioRestorative”, “BRTX” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ:BRTX), a clinical stage company focused on stem cell-based therapies, today announced a collaboration with Galen Patient Recruitment, Inc. (“Galen”) which, combined with the recent expansion of clinical trial capacity from approximately 10 to 30 participants per month, is expected to help accelerate the completion of patient enrollment in the ongoing Phase 2 study of BioRestorative’s lead clinical candidate, BRTX-100, in chronic lumbar disc disease (“cLDD”).

Key Points: 
  • BRTX-100 is a novel cell-based therapeutic engineered to target areas of the body that have little blood flow.
  • The safety and efficacy of BRTX-100 in treating cLDD is being evaluated in a Phase 2, prospective, randomized, double-blinded and controlled study.
  • A total of up to 99 eligible subjects will be enrolled at up to 16 clinical sites in the United States.
  • Subjects included in the trial will be randomized 2:1 to receive either BRTX-100 or placebo.

Pelago Announces Launch of Contingency Management Program

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 9, 2024

Pelago , the leading digital clinic partner to U.S. businesses and health plans for substance use management, has introduced contingency management to reward behaviors most likely to improve member engagement, motivation and health outcomes.

Key Points: 
  • Pelago , the leading digital clinic partner to U.S. businesses and health plans for substance use management, has introduced contingency management to reward behaviors most likely to improve member engagement, motivation and health outcomes.
  • With the introduction of this evidence-based treatment program, Pelago becomes the first nationwide digital substance use management provider to offer contingency management (CM), which will be incorporated into its comprehensive substance use disorder (SUDs) treatment offerings.
  • An earlier meta-analysis found that contingency management resulted in successful treatment episodes 61% of the time compared to 39% for other modalities.
  • For more information on how our contingency management program could benefit your population, visit www.pelagohealth.com Or contact a member of our team .