COVID-19: booster(s) vs. hospitalization and Intensive Care Unit admission

OBJECTIVE

As the pandemic continues, different vaccine protocols have been implemented to maintain the protection of vaccines and to provide protection against new variants. The aim of this study was to assess hospitalized patients' vaccination status and document the efficacy of boosters.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The patients that were hospitalized due to COVID-19 were enrolled from 28 hospitals in Turkey for five months from September 2021. 5,331 confirmed COVID-19 patients from collaborating centers were randomly enrolled to understand/estimate the distribution of vaccination status in hospitalized patients and to compare the efficacy of vaccination/booster protocols.

RESULTS

2,779 men and 2,552 women of which 2,408 (45.2%) were admitted to Intensive Care Units participated in this study. It was found that the highest risk reduction for all age groups was found in groups that received 4 doses. Four doses of vaccination for every 3.7 people under 50 years of age, for every 5.7 people in the 50-64 age group, and for every 4.3 people over 65 years of age will prevent 1 patient from being admitted to intensive care. Regardless of the type of vaccine, it was found that the risk of ICU hospitalization decreased in those who were vaccinated compared to those who were not vaccinated. Regardless of the type of vaccine, the ICU risk was found to decrease 1.25-fold in those who received 1 or 2 doses of vaccine, 1.18-fold in those who received 3 doses, and 3.26-fold in those who received 4 doses.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggested that the addition of a fourth dose is more effective in preventing intensive unit care even in disadvantaged groups.

Defined co-cultures of yeast and bacteria modify the aroma, crumb and sensory properties of bread

AIMS

Yeast and bacterial communities inhabit a sourdough starter to make artisanal bread. This study shows whether the interactions of micro-organisms derived from Australian sourdough starters provide some of the positive flavour, and aroma properties to bread by using defined sourdough cultures as the sole leaven in bread production.

METHODS AND RESULTS

An investigation of Australian sourdough starters found that they contained Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Kazachstania exigua yeasts. When these yeasts were inoculated alone to ferment wheat flour in an extended fermentation, the bread had a heterogeneous crumb structure, a deeper colour and a distinctive chemical aroma profile than those made with commercial baker's yeast. When bread was made combining these yeasts individually and in combinations with lactic acid bacteria also isolated from these sourdough starters, including Lactobacillus plantarum, L. brevis, L. rossiae, L. casei, the bread aroma profiles and crumb structure were more distinctive, with compounds associated with sour aromas produced, and preferred by sensory panels.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of defined mixed cultures as the leaven in bread making, by exploiting the microbial diversity of artisanal Australian starters, can produce bread with distinctive and attractive aromas.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Understanding and identifying the community ecosystems found in sourdough cultures and using them as the sole leaven in bread production provide novel insights into microbial interactions and how they affect food quality by removing the effects of commercial yeast strains.

The results of surgical techniques in hepatic hydatidosis: treatment with drainage versus treatment without drainage--a 6-year experience

Fifty-nine consecutive patients who underwent surgery for hepatic hydatid cysts between 1 March 1988 and 31 July 1994, were included in this study. The aim was to compare the results of surgical techniques with respect to post-operative complications, morbidity and recurrence of the disease. Patients were divided into two groups. The first group (1) of patients (n = 30) were treated surgically without drainage and the second group (2) of patients (n = 29) were treated surgically with tube drainage of the cystic cavity. In the study, there were 12 (20.33%) male and 47 (79.66%) female patients, with an age range of between 16 and 85 years. In five of the patients a communication between the cyst and the biliary system was documented. 11.8% of the cysts were localized extrahepatically. Post-operative morbidity was 10% in group 1 and 44.7% in group 2 (P < 0.05). Average post-operative hospital stay was 8.5 days in group 1 and 18.6 days in group 2 (P < 0.05). During the follow-up period, which lasted from 1 to 6 years, recurrence rates were not significantly differentiated in the two groups (P > 0.05).