A rare finding of double Barr bodies and X-monosomy/X-trisomy mosaicism in a dog with presumed idiopathic epilepsy.

A 4-year-old spayed female Border Collie dog presented to the Neurology and Neurosurgery service for an approximately five-month history of seizures. A complete neurodiagnostic workup was performed and did not reveal any significant abnormalities. The patient's seizures were well controlled with a combination of anticonvulsants. During a manual blood smear review at a follow-up appointment, double Barr bodies were identified in segmented neutrophils. Karyotyping revealed that the patient is mosaic for X-monosomy and X-trisomy, a finding that has never been reported in a dog and is rarely reported in people. This case demonstrates how the identification of abnormal neutrophil nuclear appendages may correlate with chromosomal abnormalities in dogs.

Narratives of hospital health care professionals during the pandemic in the Northern Philippines: A phenomenological study.

Hospital health care professionals (HCPs) play a vital and crucial role in saving the lives of patients afflicted with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). As the incidence of the disease keeps increasing, health care workers in hospitals face difficulties in discharging their duties. This study aimed to describe the lived experiences of HCPs. Particularly, it determined their challenges, motivations and coping strategies to craft grassroots policies for the enhancement of health care delivery in the Northern Philippines. Employing a phenomenological study design, 24 study participants were purposively selected and their narratives were elicited through focus group discussion. Responses were transcribed verbatim. After data analyses, the challenges, coping strategies and motivations of HCPs were identified. Results revealed that HCPs experienced a lot of challenges. Some of these were brought by the rapid changes in their environment as HCPs. Moreover, there was lack of comprehensive strategies that made them unprepared along with a lack of human and material resources. Furthermore, they experienced physical fatigue because of overwhelming workload, anxiety, fear and discrimination that led to depression. Despite these difficulties, they remain resilient because of religious coping, being true to their duty as HCPs and the support they receive from their fellows. Thus, the study recommends that protocols to ensue should centre on adequate pandemic preparedness and capacitation of HCPs.

Characteristics and outcomes of patients with COVID-19 in an intensive care unit of a community hospital; retrospective cohort study.

Background: The limited data available so far has shown a high mortality rate among COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU. Possible risk factors for poor outcomes in this type of patients need to be analyzed so we can identify strategies to reduce mortality. Objective: Characterized the COVID-19 experience in Community hospital ICU. Methods: Single center retrospective cohort study involving all adult patients admitted to the ICU with severe COVID-19 infection. Results: 132 patients were admitted to ICU during the study period. There was a preponderance for males and the most common ethnicity was Hispanic. The overall mortality was 69%, and mortality after intubation was 76%. In the multivariable analysis older Age (OR = 15.7), Obesity (OR = 2.92) and Mechanical Ventilation (OR = 12.0) were found to be a significant independent risk factor for increased mortality. Conclusion: Our study confirms the high mortality rate in patients critically ill with COVID-19 requiring ICU care especially among older age group, mechanically ventilated and obese patients. Overall outcomes are comparable to larger tertiary care centers. Our findings highlight the need to plan for optimal resource allocation and tailoring therapies to target the disease so as to improve outcomes.

Breakfast skipping, nutritional status, and physical activity in a middle-aged Latin American population: a population-based study from Ecuador / Asociación entre la omisión de desayuno, el estado nutricional y la actividad física en una población de mediana edad de Latinoamérica: un estudio poblacional de Ecuador

Introduction: the failure to eat breakfast has been associated with weight gain, a lower level of physical activity, and poor diet quality. Objective: to examine the frequency of skipping breakfast in an Ecuadorian population and its association with nutritional status and level of physical activity. Methods: a cross-sectional study of individuals who reported breakfast omission in a national survey. Nutritional status and physical activity were evaluated through anthropometric measures and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, respectively. Results: the mean age of the study sample was 34.2 ± 14 years, 40% were aged 20 to 34 years, one half were women, 55% were living in the coastal region, and one half were classified as low socioeconomic status. Overall, 6.6% of participants did not mention breakfast in both recalls. Individuals who skipped breakfast were more likely to be aged 20 to 34 years (42.6% vs. 37.4%) and from the coastal region (61.1% vs. 51.8%) than those who ate breakfast. We did not find an association between skipping breakfast and being overweight or obese (35.2% vs. 36.1%), nor achieving a low level of physical activity (28.6% vs. 29.8%). In addition, breakfast consumers (vs. non-consumers) had higher intake of total energy, macronutrients (protein, carbohydrate, fat, and sugar), and micronutrients (fiber and calcium). Conclusions: in Ecuador, ~ 7% of the population skips breakfast. The nutritional status and level of physical activity did not differ between those who ate breakfast and those who did not. However, the long-term health consequences should be avoided by changing this eating habit

Introducción: la falta de no desayunar se ha asociado con el aumento de peso, un menor nivel de actividad física y una mala calidad de la dieta. Objetivo: evaluar la frecuencia de saltearse el desayuno en una población ecuatoriana y su asociación con el estado nutricional y el nivel de actividad física. Métodos: estudio de corte transversal de individuos que informaron la omisión del desayuno en una encuesta nacional. El estado nutricional y la actividad física se evaluaron mediante medidas antropométricas y el cuestionario Internacional de Actividad Física, respectivamente. Resultados: la edad media de la muestra del estudio fue de 34,2 ± 14 años, el 40% tenía entre 20 y 34 años, la mitad eran mujeres, el 55% vivía en la región costera y la otra mitad se clasificó de nivel socioeconómico bajo. En general, el 6,6% de los participantes no mencionó el desayuno en ambos recordatorios. Las personas que se saltearon el desayuno tenían más probabilidades de tener entre 20 y 34 años (42.6% vs. 37.4%) y ser de la región costera (61.1% vs. 51.8%) comparado con aquellos que si desayunaron. No se encontró una asociación entre saltarse el desayuno y tener sobrepeso u obesidad (35.2% vs. 36.1%), ni lograr un bajo nivel de actividad física (28.6% vs. 29.8%). Además, los consumidores de desayuno (vs. no consumidores) tuvieron una mayor ingesta de energía total, macronutrientes (proteínas, carbohidratos, grasas totales, y azúcares) y micronutrientes (fibra y calcio). Conclusiones: en Ecuador, ~ 7% de la población se salta el desayuno. El estado nutricional y el nivel de actividad física no difirieron entre quienes desayunaron y quienes no lo hicieron. Sin embargo, las consecuencias de salud a largo plazo deben evitarse cambiando este hábito alimentario

Breakfast skipping, nutritional status, and physical activity in a middle-aged Latin American population: a population-based study from Ecuador.

INTRODUCTION: Introduction: the failure to eat breakfast has been associated with weight gain, a lower level of physical activity, and poor diet quality. Objective: to examine the frequency of skipping breakfast in an Ecuadorian population and its association with nutritional status and level of physical activity. Methods: a cross-sectional study of individuals who reported breakfast omission in a national survey. Nutritional status and physical activity were evaluated through anthropometric measures and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, respectively. Results: the mean age of the study sample was 34.2 ± 14 years, 40% were aged 20 to 34 years, one half were women, 55% were living in the coastal region, and one half were classified as low socioeconomic status. Overall, 6.6% of participants did not mention breakfast in both recalls. Individuals who skipped breakfast were more likely to be aged 20 to 34 years (42.6% vs. 37.4%) and from the coastal region (61.1% vs. 51.8%) than those who ate breakfast. We did not find an association between skipping breakfast and being overweight or obese (35.2% vs. 36.1%), nor achieving a low level of physical activity (28.6% vs. 29.8%). In addition, breakfast consumers (vs. non-consumers) had higher intake of total energy, macronutrients (protein, carbohydrate, fat, and sugar), and micronutrients (fiber and calcium). Conclusions: in Ecuador, ~ 7% of the population skips breakfast. The nutritional status and level of physical activity did not differ between those who ate breakfast and those who did not. However, the long-term health consequences should be avoided by changing this eating habit.

INTRODUCCIÓN: Introducción: la falta de no desayunar se ha asociado con el aumento de peso, un menor nivel de actividad física y una mala calidad de la dieta. Objetivo: evaluar la frecuencia de saltearse el desayuno en una población ecuatoriana y su asociación con el estado nutricional y el nivel de actividad física. Métodos: estudio de corte transversal de individuos que informaron la omisión del desayuno en una encuesta nacional. El estado nutricional y la actividad física se evaluaron mediante medidas antropométricas y el cuestionario Internacional de Actividad Física, respectivamente. Resultados: la edad media de la muestra del estudio fue de 34,2 ± 14 años, el 40% tenía entre 20 y 34 años, la mitad eran mujeres, el 55% vivía en la región costera y la otra mitad se clasificó de nivel socioeconómico bajo. En general, el 6,6% de los participantes no mencionó el desayuno en ambos recordatorios. Las personas que se saltearon el desayuno tenían más probabilidades de tener entre 20 y 34 años (42.6% vs. 37.4%) y ser de la región costera (61.1% vs. 51.8%) comparado con aquellos que si desayunaron. No se encontró una asociación entre saltarse el desayuno y tener sobrepeso u obesidad (35.2% vs. 36.1%), ni lograr un bajo nivel de actividad física (28.6% vs. 29.8%). Además, los consumidores de desayuno (vs. no consumidores) tuvieron una mayor ingesta de energía total, macronutrientes (proteínas, carbohidratos, grasas totales, y azúcares) y micronutrientes (fibra y calcio). Conclusiones: en Ecuador, ~ 7% de la población se salta el desayuno. El estado nutricional y el nivel de actividad física no difirieron entre quienes desayunaron y quienes no lo hicieron. Sin embargo, las consecuencias de salud a largo plazo deben evitarse cambiando este hábito alimentario.