Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Correlation between serum-ascites albumin gradient (SAAG) and esophageal varices in patients with portal hypertension

Introduction : Esophageal varices (EV) and ascites are two major findings of portal hypertension (PTHN). S everal studies have evaluated possible noninvasive markers of EVs in patients with portal hypertension. Aim : This study was conducted to determine the correlation between the serum-ascites albumin concentration gradient (SAAG) and the incidence of esophageal varices (EV) and its grades in patients with ascites due to (PHTN). Materials and Methods : Our study was conducted at Alassad and Tishreen University Hospitals during the period between March 2016 – March 2017. The study included 76 patients with ascites, demonstrated by ultrasonography, who had measurement of the SAAG. All had upper gastrointestinal endoscopy to assess of the presence and size of EV. High SAAG was considered to be present when SAAG was ≥ 1.1 g/dl and Low SAAG when it was 1.1 غ/دل. النتائج : وجدنا أن 60 مريضا من أصل 76 (79%) لديهم حبن مرتفع المدروج , و 16 مريضا من أصل 76 (21%) لديه حبن منخفض المدروج. وجدت دوالي المري عند 40 مريضا (66.7%) من أصل 60 مريضا لديهم حبن مرتفع المدروج ، و لم تشاهد دوالي المري عند أي من مرضى الحبن منخفض المدروج (0%) ( P<0.05) ، أي هناك علاقة مباشرة بين الحبن مرتفع المدروج وحدوث دوالي المري. كذلك وجدنا أن هناك علاقة مباشرة بين قيمة المدروج SAAG وحدوث دوالي المري (P<0.05) عند مرضى الحبن مرتفع المدروج. لم نلاحظ وجود ترافق إحصائي هام بين قيمة SAAG و درجة دوالي المري عند مرضى الحبن مرتفع المدروج (P=0.32). باستخدام منحنى ROC: فإن قيمة SAAG ≥ 1.5 غ/دل تترافق مع حدوث دوالي مري بقيمة تنبؤية إيجابية: 82.5% وقيمة تنبؤية سلبية : 65% ودقة تشخيص : 76.7% لم يكن هناك فرق في حدوث دوالي المري لدى المرضى الذين لديهم حبن مرتفع المدروج بسبب التشمع الكحولي أو التشمع غير الكحولي (P=0.4) ، كما وجدنا أن هناك علاقة مباشرة بين شدة المرض الكبدي مقدرة وفق تصنيف Child-Pugh وبين حدوث دوالي المري (P=0.0008 ) عند مرضى ارتفاع توتر وريد الباب بسبب تشمع كبد. الخلاصة : إن مدروج ألبومين المصل -الحبن (SAAG) يسمح بالتنبؤ بحدوث دوالي المري عند مرضى ارتفاع توتر وريد الباب ، ولكن لا يتيح التنبؤ بدرجة الدوالي.
Incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and mortality of very low birth weight infants in Vojvodina

Introduction/Objective. The incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) varies depending on the prematurity rate, definition, and therapy that are applied at a certain center. The average incidence of BPD for very low birth weight infants (VLBW) in developed countries ranges 4? 53%. The mortality of VLBW infants is high and represents 50% of the total neonatal and infant mortality. In recent years, the survival limits are shifted towards lower gestations. The aim of our study was to determine the incidence and severity of BPD in VLBW infants in Vojvodina and the overall mortality. Methods. This retrospective study was conducted from January 2006 to December 2011 and included 504 infants with birth weight < 1,500 g. Results. In the total premature infants? population, 82.3% survived by the gestational age of 36 weeks. According to the original definition of BPD, as supplemental oxygen use at 28 days of life, BPD had 45.4% of infants. According to the severity based definition 19.4% had mild BPD, 19.8% moderate BPD and 6.5% severe BPD. If BPD is observed as supplemental oxygen use at 36 weeks postmenstrual age, BPD had 26% of infants. Conclusion. The overall mortality and incidence of BPD in our study are comparable to those in some developed countries and lower compared to underdeveloped countries.
Prevalence of high-burden medical conditions and health care resource utilization and costs among adults with cerebral palsy

Purpose: Individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) are susceptible to early development of high-burden medical conditions, which may place a considerable strain on health care resources. However, little is known about the prevalence of high-burden medical conditions or health care resource utilization among adults with CP. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of high-burden medical conditions and health care resource utilization and costs among adults with CP, as compared to adults without CP. Patients and methods: Cross-sectional data from the 2016 Optum Clinformatics® Data Mart, a de-identified nationwide claims database of beneficiaries from a single private payer in the US. ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes were used to identify all medical conditions among beneficiaries with and without CP who were between 18 and 64 years of age. Medical and outpatient pharmacy claims were used to identify annual all-cause health care resource utilization and health care costs as standardized reimbursement and patient out-of-pocket costs. Results: Adults with CP (n=5,555) had higher prevalence and odds of all medical conditions compared to adults without CP (OR=1.3–5.8; all P<0.05), except cancer (OR=1.1; 95% CI=0.9–1.3). Adults with CP had greater annual mean counts of all health care service types (eg, inpatient, emergency department) compared to adults without CP (all P<0.01). Adults with CP had higher unadjusted standardized reimbursement (mean difference=$16,288; cost ratio [CR]=3.0; 95% CI=2.9–3.1) and patient out-of-pocket (mean difference=$778; CR=1.7; 95% CI=1.6–1.7) costs compared to adults without CP. After adjusting for all prevalent medical conditions, adults with CP still had higher standardized reimbursement (CR=2.5; 95% CI=2.5–2.6) and patient out-of-pocket (CR=1.8; 95% CI=1.7–1.8) costs. Conclusion: Adults with CP have a higher prevalence of high-burden medical conditions, health care resource utilization, and health care costs compared to adults without CP. Study findings suggest the need for earlier screening strategies and preventive medical services to quell the disease and economic burden attributable to adults with CP.
Effect of Educational Program on Nurses' practice Regarding Care of Adult Patients with Endotracheal Tube

The majority of patients admitted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) requiring endotracheal intubation to maintain oxygenation and ventilation. Aim: to study the effect of educational program on nurses' practices regarding care of adult patients with endotracheal tube. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used on a convenience sample of all available nurses (50 nurses) who were working in Intensive Care Unit, Cardiac Care Unit and Cardiothoracic Care Unit at Suez Canal University Hospital. Two tools were developed by the researcher for data collection including observational checklists regarding endotracheal tube care and nurses' opinionaire regarding the educational program. Results:there were highly statistically significant differences in total nurses' practice regarding care of patient with endotracheal tube during all program phases. Conclusion: the educational program improves nurses' practice regarding caring adult patients with endotracheal tube. Recommendations: the importance of presence of protocol or guidelines related to patients' care with endotracheal tube and upgrading nurses' practice about caring of patients with endotracheal tube through attending seminars and workshops about endotracheal tube care.
Autoinducer-2 of gut microbiota, a potential novel marker for human colorectal cancer, is associated with the activation of TNFSF9 signaling in macrophages

ABSTRACT Objectives: The interaction between the quorum sensing (QS) molecules of gut microbiota and the immunity of colorectal cancer (CRC) has not been investigated before. Methods: We measured the concentration of autoinducer-2 (AI-2) in samples of stool, colorectal tissue, saliva and serum of CRC patients, and compared this to AI-2 levels in colorectal adenoma (AD) and normal colon mucosa (NC). To explore the activated signaling pathways involved, we utilized AI-2 extracted from Fusobacterium nucleatum to stimulate macrophages and validated these in vitro findings in human CRC tissues. Results: The AI-2 concentration in both colorectal tissue and stool of CRC patients was significantly higher when compared to that in AD and NC (all P values < .01). The AI-2 concentration along with the progression of CRC in both tissues and stools was significantly increased (P= .045，P= .0003, respectively). After AI-2 stimulation, TNFSF9 was the most significantly increased protein in macrophage cells (P < .01). TNFSF9 expression was significantly higher in CRC tissues when compared to NCs (P< .0001), which was mainly derived from macrophages in the tumor microenvironment. Moreover, AI-2 level was positively associated with CD3 + T cell numbers (P= .0462), and negatively associated with CD4/CD8 ratio (P= .0113) within CRC tissues. Conclusions: We demonstrated for the first time that AI-2 may serve as a novel marker for screening CRC in the clinic. AI-2 was associated with tumor immunity in CRCs through tumor-associated macrophages and CD4/CD8 ratio in a TNFSF9-dependent manner.
Sul rapporto tra intonazione e articolazione informativa

2005 Giordano R. , Crocco C. , “Sul rapporto tra intonazione e articolazione informativa”, in F. Albano Leoni e R. Giordano (eds.), Italiano Parlato. Analisi di un dialogo, pp. 158-188, Napoli, Liguori Editore.
Ultrasound evaluation of non-cystic renal masses and correlation with ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration cytology/biopsy

Background: The purpose of present study was to identify sonologically, the cystic and non-cystic renal mass lesions, to attempt differentiating benign lesions from the malignant ones and to correlate ultrasound findings with ultra sonographically guided cytological or pathological findings.Methods: In this hospital based prospective observational study, all the patients with confirmed renal mass were subjected to USG guided fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). All the patients presenting with lump in abdomen, haematuria or pain in abdomen, wherein the clinical diagnosis of renal mass was being considered by the clinician, were enrolled for the study. Total 54 participants were enrolled. Those with confirmed renal mass were subjected to USG guided FNAC and which was carried out in supine position by transabdominal route in all patients.Results: About 42 participants were retained for final analysis; since FNAC was not possible in 12 patients. Pain in abdomen (36, 85.7%), mass in abdomen (34, 81%) were the most predominant clinical findings. Mixed echogenicity was the commonest echo pattern (42, 77.7%) on ultrasonography. Histopathologic/cytologic examination of the 39 malignant cases confirmed renal cell carcinoma (18, 46.5%) to be the commonest malignancy, followed by Wilms’ tumour (10, 26%). Out of the 39 cases in which clinico-radiological diagnoses were correlated with histo-cytological diagnoses, it was found to be consistent in 30 (77%) cases and inconsistent in 9 (23.1%) cases.Conclusions: Fine needle aspiration cytology/biopsy performed under ultrasonography guidance demonstrates high diagnostic accuracy. It is hence recommended as part of fundamental approach to the diagnosis of non-cystic renal mass.
Demographic characteristics of clients up taking free counseling and testing services in Ibadan, Oyo 
State, Nigeria

Nigeria has high burden of HIV/AIDS; antiretroviral therapy (ART) availability, a blessing to HIV patients. Unfortunately, most people do not know their HIV status. Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH), Nigeria introduced mobile free HIV Counseling and Testing (HCT) services to complement its clinic services for HCT uptake. The characteristics of clients patronizing ARFH’s HCT services are assessed. A retrospective review of ARFH’s clinics’ data on HCT services between 2005 and 2011 was undertaken and demographic characteristics of HCT clients were abstracted from the HIV intake register. Descriptive statistics of data were obtained using SPSS version 20.0. Significance of association between socio-demographic characteristics and reasons for HCT uptake were investigated using Chi-square test. The mean age of 6,684 clients was 29.5±9.4 years and 76% were females while 20% positive to HIV. Two-thirds in monogamous marriage and 25% had university/polytechnic education while 41% were artisans and apprentices. Nearness of HCT to patient’s residence and referral from ANC were the major reasons for HCT uptake. Mobile HCT clinic enhanced HCT uptake especially in sexually active age-group. Availability of mobile HCT services will fast-track achieving the first 90 of the 90-90-90-PEPFAR target for the control of HIV/AIDS. Proportion positive to HIV is high. Key words: HIV counseling and testing (HCT), Nigeria, HIV/AIDS, demographic characteristics, mobile, stand-alone.
Choosing the right app: An exploratory perspective on heuristic decision processes for smartphone app selection

Decision-making theories have argued that many daily decisions are the result of heuristic rather than systematic processes. Given the ubiquity of smartphones as mobile communication and computing devices along with the vast smartphone app market, our exploratory study aimed to understand how heuristics guide smartphone app selection. Observing 49 smartphone users from the US and Germany viewing 189 total apps from three predetermined categories, the current study identified five decision-making heuristics used to download a variety of smartphone apps. Of these, four were variants of a “Take the First” (TtF) heuristic that allowed smartphone users to quickly navigate the app market, by passing a good deal of other informational cues in order to download apps that were simply highly rated or ranked. Reliance on heuristic processing is useful in helping navigate the app market, but it also results in smartphone users overlooking potentially important app information.
Five-year Survival Rate of Bonded Dental Restorations in Frail Older Adults

Introduction: Frail older adults residing in long-term care (LTC) facilities are among the most vulnerable to dental caries due to poor oral hygiene (OH), medication-related salivary hypofunction, carbohydrate-rich diets, and limited access to dental care. Providing dental restorations for LTC patients is challenging, and there are few studies investigating the longevity of restorations in this cohort. Multiple restorative materials have been used to restore tooth anatomy as well as address caries prevention using fluoride-based materials. Objectives: This study examined the longevity of bonded direct restorations placed in LTC patients. Specifically, we examined whether a difference in survival exists between resin composite (RC) and glass ionomer cement (GIC) direct restorations in frail older adults residing in LTC. Methods: Tooth-colored restorations placed in LTC patients between 2007 and 2012, within the University of British Columbia Geriatric Dentistry Program, were followed annually up to 5 y or until they incurred an event (i.e., re-restoration or tooth extraction) or the patient was lost to follow-up or deceased. Restoration status was documented within the Clinical Oral Disorder in Elders (CODE) Index annual oral health assessments. Mixed-effect logistic regression was calculated to determine hazard ratios, address within-patient correlation, and measure the effect size of multiple covariates. Results: A total of 3,201 dental restorations placed in 846 LTC patients were followed. This cohort of patients had a mean age of 86 y and high levels of oral and systemic disease. Over half were wheelchair bound and had compromised ability to perform OH. The overall 5-y survival rate was 60.3%, and there was no statistically significant difference in survival between RC and GIC. Conclusion: Tooth-colored restorations had reasonable longevity in LTC patients and had comparable survival to restorations placed in functionally independent, community-dwelling geriatric populations. No difference between RC and GIC was found with regards to restoration longevity in this population. Knowledge Transfer Statement: Direct restorations provided to frail older adults residing in LTC have reasonable longevity and should be expected to survive for the remainder of the patient’s life. As no detectable difference exists in survival rates between RC and GIC, operators should select appropriate restorative materials based on clinical conditions, patient factors, physical properties, and personal preference.
Prevalence of Hepatitis B and C Virus Infection among Students of a Private Tertiary Institution in South-Western Nigeria

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major health problem and account for a substantial proportion of liver diseases worldwide. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence rate of Hepatitis B and C virus infection among undergraduate students of Babcock University. Methodology: The blood samples of 200 participants (96 males and 104 females) were randomly collected and screened using rapid serological methods. HBV markers were determined using a HBV 5 in 1 Panel cassette (Innovita Biological Technology Co., Ltd., China); while antibody to HCV was detected using anti-HCV test strip (Blue Cross Bio-Medical Co., Ltd., China). The demographic and clinical information of the participants were collected using structured questionnaires. Results: Out of the 200 participants screened, 3 (1.5%) were positive for HBsAg, 10 (5.0%) were positive for HBsAb, 3 (1.5%) were positive for HBcAb, 2 (1.0%) were positive for HBeAb and none (0%) was positive for HBeAg. 2 (2.1%) of the 96 males screened were positive for HBsAg, while only one (1%) out of the 104 females screened was positive for HBsAg. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) between the number of male and female students positive for HBsAg. On the basis of age distribution, data show that 3 (2.7%) out of the 110 students that were 16-20 years old were positive for HBsAg, while students in the other age groups were negative for HBsAg. Risk factors associated with infection include: tattooing, history of blood transfusion and shared sharp objects. Interestingly, zero prevalence rate (0%) of HCV mono-infection, as well as HBV/HCV co-infection was recorded in this current study. Conclusion: The outcome of this study showed that a low prevalence rate of HBV mono-infection exists among undergraduate students of Babcock University, therefore the on-going public health campaign programme against Hepatitis B and C should be sustained.
Assessment of Na+/K+ ATPase Activity in Small Rodent and Human Skeletal Muscle Samples.

INTRODUCTION In skeletal muscle, the Na/K ATPase (NKA) plays essential roles in processes linked to muscle contraction, fatigue, and energy metabolism; however, very little information exists regarding the regulation of NKA activity. The scarcity of information regarding NKA function in skeletal muscle likely stems from methodological constraints, as NKA contributes minimally to total cellular ATP utilization, and therefore contamination from other ATPases prevents the assessment of NKA activity in muscle homogenates. Here we introduce a method that improves accuracy and feasibility for the determination of NKA activity in small rodent muscle samples (5-10 mg) and in human skeletal muscle. METHODS Skeletal muscle homogenates from mice (n = 6) and humans (n = 3) were used to measure NKA and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca ATPase (SERCA) activities with the addition of specific ATPase inhibitors to minimize "background noise. " RESULTS We observed that myosin ATPase activity was the major interfering factor for estimation of NKA activity in skeletal muscle homogenates, as the addition of 25 μM of blebbistatin, a specific myosin ATPase inhibitor, considerably minimized "background noise" (threefold) and enabled the determination of NKA maximal activity with values three times higher than previously reported. The specificity of the assay was demonstrated after the addition of 2 mM ouabain, which completely inhibited NKA. On the other hand, the addition of blebbistatin did not affect the ability to measure SERCA function. The coefficient of variation for NKA and SERCA assays were 6.2% and 4.4%, respectively. CONCLUSION The present study has improved the methodology to determine NKA activity. We further show the feasibility of measuring NKA and SERCA activities from a common muscle homogenate. This methodology is expected to aid in our long-term understanding of how NKA affects skeletal muscle metabolic homeostasis and contractile function in diverse situations.
Anatomical variations of sphenoid sinus among patients undergoing computed tomography of paranasal sinus

Background: The approach to sphenoid sinus still remains a clinical challenge, despite the arrival of endoscopy, computed tomography (CT) and functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS). The complex and variable anatomy of the sphenoid sinus can be difficult to appreciate with standard axial or coronal CT images of the sinus. The study was done with the objective to study the anatomy of the sphenoid sinus and its variations, and to compare the prevalence of variants obtained in our study with the reported cases in the literature.Methods: The CT scans of 168 normal slides obtained from 84 patients with paranasal sinus were analysed using triplanar imaging provided by 64-slice spiral CT. The prevalence of each of the sphenoid sinus variation was also analysed. Results: Results showed that the prevalence of pneumatization of the anterior clinoid process, greater wing of the sphenoid, and the pterygoid process was 17.85%, 22.61% and 32.14%, respectively. Protrusion of the internal carotid artery, optic nerve, maxillary nerve, and the vidian nerve was 47.61%, 36.90%, 25% and 26.19%, respectively. Dehiscence of internal carotid artery, optic nerve, maxillary nerve, and the vidian nerve was 30.95%, 29.76%, 14.28% and 22.61%, respectively. The prevalence of pneumatization in the Onodi cells was seen in 17.85% of the cases. Association of septa with an internal carotid artery was seen in 29.7% of the cases. Septa attachment to the optic nerve was also observed in 27.3% of the cases.Conclusions: The triplanar imaging (section thickness of 1 mm) is a better three-dimensional image of the sphenoid sinus, compared to coronal imaging. Triplanar imaging guides the surgical approach of the sphenoid sinus with mentally reconstructed three-dimensional images.