Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of combined administration of misoprostol for early and late second trimester pregnancy terminations

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of combined oral and vaginal misoprostol administration between the early and late second-trimester pregnancy terminations. Material and Methods: Demographic and clinical data of 257 second trimester pregnancy terminations were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 257 patients were divided into the 2 groups. Group 1 was composed of 131 women whose gestational age was lower than 20 weeks of gestation. Group 2 was formed from 126 women whose gestational age was more than the 20 weeks and one day of gestation. Demographic data, gestational age at diagnosis, total misoprostol dose (μg), induction to abortion or delivery period, total hospital stay, need for uterine cavity exploration and, complications were compared. Primary outcome was termination of pregnancy within the 24 hours. Results: The median induction to abortion or delivery period was 13.35 hours and 14.23 hours respectively (p=0.37). Eighty-seven percent of pregnancies in group 1 and 88.8 % of group 2 were terminated within 24 hours (p=0.64). Dilatation and curettage was required in 59.3 % of group 1 and 40.7% of group 2 (p=0.032). Only total misoprostol dose was related with the delivery within 24 hours (p=0.001). This time interval was not related with indication of pregnancy termination (p=0.74). Conclusion: Early and late second trimester pregnancy terminations had similar clinical features except for decreased surgical evacuation rate of uterine cavity in women with more than 20 weeks of gestation. (J Turkish-German Gynecol Assoc 2009; 10: 76-9)
Are 25(OH) D concentrations associated with asthma control and pulmonary function test?

Background: The relationship between vitamin D and asthma is still under investigation. We aimed to evaluate the association between serum vitamin D levels and clinical characteristics of asthma, and the impact of vitamin D deficiency on the clinical manifestations, as them being the issues of debate. Methods: Patients who were admitted to the outpatient clinics of Chest Diseases Department of Akdeniz University Hospital between January 2014 and December 2014, have been diagnosed as asthma according to the GINA 2014 guidelines were included in this study. Subjects with COPD, bronchiectasis, pneumonia or tuberculosis were excluded. Asthma exacerbation was defined, according to the GINA guidelines, as episodes of progressive shortness of breath, cough, wheezing or chest tightness accompanied by PFT abnormalities such as decreased PEF or FEV1. Results: A total of 158 patients with mean age of 48.8 years were included in the study. Twenty-seven (17.08%) of the patients demonstrated sufficient vitamin D serum levels (i.e. ≥30 ng/mL), while the remaining 131 (82.92%) patients had vitamin D insufficiency (i.e. <30 ng/mL). When these two patient groups (vitamin D sufficient vs. insufficient) were compared with each other, the patients showing sufficient levels of vitamin D were found to reveal significantly higher FEV1 (L) and FVC (L) values. When the patients were grouped into 4 categories with regard to their serum vitamin D measurements, hospitalization numbers were found to significantly increase with decreasing vitamin D levels. Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency was significantly associated with poorer pulmonary functions and higher hospitalization numbers.
MicroRNA-30b regulates the polarity of retinal ganglion cells by inhibiting semaphorin-3A

Purpose Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) polarity plays an important role in optic nerve regeneration. This study was designed to investigate whether semaphorin-3A (Sema3A) is involved in the regulation of RGC polarity and Sema3A protein expression. Methods Cultured primary RGCs were treated with Fc-Sema3A or Sema3A siRNA or transfected with purified miR-30b recombinant adenoassociated virus (rAAV). The polarity of the RGCs was observed with immunofluorescence. A western blot analysis of phosphorylated protein kinase A (p-PKA), the downstream effector molecule phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK-3β), and collapsing response mediator protein 2 (CRMP2) was performed. Results We found that Sema3A could statistically significantly promote dendritic branching while inhibiting the growth of axons in RGCs. miR-30b overexpression and Sema3A siRNA could statistically significantly promote the growth of axons while inhibiting the growth of dendrites from RGCs. Additionally, miR-30b could restrain the expression of Sema3A protein and its downstream PKA/GSK-3β/CRMP2 signaling pathways. Conclusions The results indicate that Sema3A promotes dendritic growth and inhibits axonal growth, which is not conducive to the early repair of optic nerve injury. The overexpression of miR-30b can overcome this problem, and may represent a new target for the treatment of nerve injury and regeneration in the future.
Salt reduction without consumer awareness using a sensory threshold approach: a case study in meat products

ABSTRACT Several sodium reduction strategies have been studied on meat products because of its association with non-communicable diseases; however, overall flavor is usually affected. This study’s aim was to reduce salt in three meat products (chorizo and two sausages: regular and low fat) without consumers awareness using the JND methodology. The threshold constant stimuli method used 1.95% salt in chorizo, and 2.24% in both sausages as the constant stimulus. Salt concentrations around these numbers were compared against the constant stimulus using a 2-AFC difference test to calculate the JND. A second study was performed to confirm consumers did not perceive a difference on salt perception of reduced salt products. Total salt reduction obtained was between 18.5% and 22% for the three products. Consumers did not find difference in saltiness between regular and reduced-salt versions. Using JND methodology, gradual salt reduction programs could achieve accurate and major salt reductions without consumers’ awareness.
Inhibitory activity of silver nanoparticles and sodium hypochlorite against biofilm produced by Salmonellae isolated from poultry farms.

Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis are among the predominant Salmonella serotypes in the Egyptian poultry farms. Salmonella has the ability to build up biofilms on a variety of surfaces. The antibiofilm activities of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCL) on prevention and controlling of biofilm by Salmonella spp. was estimated. Silver nanoparticles exhibited bactericidal activity against both S. typhimurium and S. enteritidis with MIC value at 15 µg/ml, while, that of NaOCL was 1600 µg/ml. AgNPs (25 ug/ml) could inhibit biofilm formation at percentages of 84.96% and 78.85% against S. typhimurium and S. enteritidis, respectively. A percentage of 87 % biofilm removal by AgNPS after 3 h contact with the built-up biofilm produced by S. typhimurium and S. enteritidis was recorded. NaOCL (2200 µg/ml) exhibited inhibition percentages of biofilm formation at 83.89% and 75.76% against S. typhimurium and S. enteritidis, respectively. While, biofilm removal percentages after 2 h contact between NaOCL (2200 µg/ml) with the formed biofilm by S. typhimurium and S. enteritidis were 87.42% and 89.37%, respectively. It can be concluded that AgNPs and NaOCl were able to promote a significant reduction of biofilm formation by S. typhimurium and S. enteritidis. Also, AgNPs and NaOCl effectively oppress the mature biofilms formed and the antibiofilm efficiency increased with the increase of contact time with the biofilms.
Differentiation between reactive gliosis and astrocytomas by MIB-1/ki67 immunostaining

BACKGROUND: Astrocytic tumors are the most common primary tumors of the central nervous system. These tumors have an inherited tendency to progress and recurrence. The histopathological examination and grading do not always identify the subset of these tumors especially when the tumor sample is small or inadequate. This study was undertaken to answer the question whether MIB-1 expression could assist in discrimination between low grade and high-grade glioma and gliosis especially when the biopsy sample is small, such as in stereotactic brain biopsy. Methods: This descriptive analytical study was performed on 114 glial and gliotic paraffin-embedded tissues. KI67 im- munohistochemistry was also used on paraffin section using the monoclonal antibody MIB-1. The results were analyzed by ANOVA test. Results: Based on light microscopic findings 89 (78.07%) were astrocytomas and 25 (21.9%) were reactive gliosis. The mean Ki67 labeling index (LI) was 25.2% (±30) for astrocytomas in general and 1.92 (±1.2) for gliosis. In other words, it was 1.8 (±1) for grade I, 14.5% (±4) grade II and 64.5 % (±19.3) for grade III/IV astrocytomas. The MIB-1 labeling index for astrocytic tumors was significantly higher than that for gliosis (P<0.001) and it increased with increasing tu- mor grade. However, MIB-1 labeling index was the same for pilocytic astrocytoma and gliosis so there was no mean- ingful difference between grade 1 astrocytoma and gliosis. CONCLUSIONS: Given the conventional microscopic examination and KI67 (MIB-1) method for grading astrocytomas, MIB-1 is more reliable and a complementary method for definitive diagnosis.
Combined Effects Of Low Incubation Temperature, Minimal Growth Medium, And Low Hydrodynamics Optimize Acinetobacter baumannii Biofilm Formation

Background Biofilm formation is an important virulence factor expressed by Acinetobacter baumannii. It shields and protects microbial cells from host immune responses, antibiotics, and other anti-infectives. Its effects on Acinetobacter baumannii infection treatments notwithstanding, important environmental factors that influence its formation have not been fully investigated. Methods Biofilm formation was assessed using the qualitative modified Congo red assay and quantitative microtiter plate methods. The combined effect of temperature, medium and shear force was determined by measuring adherence (OD570 nm) in microtiter plate after incubation at 26°C, 30°C, and 37°C when biofilm-grown cells were cultured in the presence of minimal nutrient medium (EAOB) and nutrient-rich medium (TSB) without or with agitation at 50 rpm. Antibiotics susceptibility of meropenem, imipenem, and ciprofloxacin were tested with Kirby-Bauer disc method. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant in all the tests. Results A noticeable variation in adherence was observed among the isolates cultured with both media. Biofilm forming capacity of the isolates range from 0.09–0.33. The majority of the isolates had their relative biofilm-forming capacity significantly (p<0.05) higher than the positive control, Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC 19606. The biofilm biomass during growth in nutrient-rich medium (TSB) without shaking was significantly different (p<0.05; Tukey’s test) among the three temperatures tested compared with when it was cultured in EAOB without shaking. A positive correlation was observed between biofilm formation and resistance to imipenem (r=0.2889; p=0.05). There was a statistically significant difference among the median of the three source groups (p<0.05) compared with the median between the source groups. Conclusion This observation extended further the view that A. baumannii biofilm formation is enhanced when nutrient-poor medium is used at room temperature (26°C) with or without agitation compared to growth at 37°C.
The Impact Of Pharmaceutical Interventions On The Use Of Carbapenems In A Chinese Hospital: A Pre–Post Study

Background The challenge of drug resistance to carbapenems is of international concern with leading to increased hospital lengths of stay, costs, and mortality rates. How to get rid of the vicious cycle of drug resistance, new drugs, and re-resistance, and even the emergence of all-drug-resistant bacteria that humans cannot cope with, are the major challenges we face. To date, data about pharmaceutical interventions on the use of carbapenems are currently limited. Patients and methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted to compare pre- and post-intervention in Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province. Pharmaceutical interventions were performed in the post-intervention group, including real time monitoring of medication orders, educative group activities, and making interventions to physicians. Intervention acceptance and outcomes, including the length of hospital stay, readmission rates, 30-day mortality, and utilization of carbapenems, which was evaluated by the daily defined doses (DDDs), the days of therapy (DOTs), and the cost of carbapenems, were reviewed. Results During the study, 593 interventions were provided by clinical pharmacists with an average acceptance rate of 82.79%. Compared with the pre-intervention group, prescriptions of carbapenems for pathogen-directed therapy were improved significantly in the post-intervention group (59.27% vs 21.74%, p=0.022). The DDDs decreased from 281.96 to 174.28 and DOTs decreased from 9.19 to 5.18 after pharmaceutical intervention, and the pharmaceutical interventions had significantly lower mean total cost of carbapenems ($13,828.8 vs $8137.1, p=0.004) and length of hospital stay (9.3±1.5 vs 15.9±2.2, p=0.014). There was a significant reduction in 30-day mortality in the post-intervention group (9.46% vs 17.86%, p=0.013) while there were no differences found in the 30-day readmission (20.19% vs 20.66%, p=0.99). Conclusion Implementation of pharmaceutical interventions in our hospital successfully improved the appropriateness of carbapenem prescribing overall, and reduced the DDDs, DOTs, length of hospital day, and cost of carbapenems.
Effect of nanosilver particles on metabolism and cortisol release in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

ii Acknowledgements . iii List of Tables . vi List of Figures . vii Chapter 1: Introduction . 1 Nanosilver . 1 Nanosilver regulations . 2 nAg in the environment . 3 nAg toxicity . 5 Cortisol response . 7 Growth and Fulton’s condition factor (K) . 8 Hepatosomatic index (HSI) . 8 Metabolism . 9 General . 9 Metabolic measurements . 10 Effects of contaminants on metabolism . 10 Study Objectives . 11 References . 13 Chapter 2: Effect of nanosilver on cortisol release and morphometrics in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) . 23 Abstract . 23 Introduction . 25 Study Objectives . 28 Materials and Methods . 28 Experimental animals . 28 Exposure experiment . 29 Biological sampling . 31 Blood plasma cortisol sample analysis . 32 High Performance Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry . 35 Quality Assurance/Quality Control . 36 Data analysis . 37 Statistical analysis . 38 Results . 39 Exposure concentrations of silver . 39 Fish tissue silver concentration results . 41 Cortisol Results. 42 Growth, Condition Factor (K), and HSI . 44 Discussion . 46 References . 52 Chapter 3: Effect of nanosilver on metabolism in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) . 62 Abstract . 62 Introduction . 63
Topical Approach to Delivering Targeted Therapies in Lymphedema Treatment: A Systematic Review

It is estimated that 140 to 200 million people are affected by lymphedema worldwide. Many studies have proposed targeted therapies that can be delivered systemically or locally to treat lymphedema. Since lymphedema primarily affects the skin and subcutaneous tissues, topical approaches to therapy should be considered as an attractive proposition as they can avoid systemic complications. In light of this, we conducted a systematic review of publications that analyzed the use of topical approaches to delivering targeted therapies in the treatment of lymphedema. We hypothesized that topical approaches resulted in the satisfactory treatment of lymphedema. We conducted a systematic review of publications on PubMed. The main eligibility criterion was that the articles should primarily investigate the use of topical approaches to delivering targeted therapies in the treatment of lymphedema. Consequently, we excluded papers that investigated any other delivery approaches or medical conditions. Of the 174 potential studies found in the literature, six were found to fulfill our eligibility criteria. All these studies were experimental ones on small animals (mice). The authors generally proposed different types of therapies, which could be clustered into two main groups: 1) induction of lymphangiogenesis [vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) hydrogel or fibroblast growth factor]; and 2) modulation of inflammation (tacrolimus or topical collagen gel or troxerutin-phosphatidylcholine). All studies presented positive outcomes, demonstrating that topical therapy is a promising route for delivering growth factors and anti-inflammatory agents in the treatment of lymphedema. However, studies were conducted under heterogeneous protocols, and the safe application of these therapies in humans has not been assessed. Further studies are necessary to confirm the benefits and safety of targeted topical therapy on patients with lymphedema.
Evaluate Efficacy of Desensitizing Toothpaste Containing Zinc-carbonate Hydroxyapatite Nanocrystals: Non-comparative Eight-week Clinical Study

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of desensitizing toothpaste in reducing the dentine hypersensitivity (DH). Materials and Methods: The study was a before and after clinical trial conducted to evaluate the clinical efficacy of a desensitizing toothpaste containing zinc-carbonate hydroxyapatite nanocrystals (Zn-CHA) for controlling DH. The trial involved 72 patients with DH who were evaluated four and eight weeks after using Zn-CHA toothpaste. The sensitivity was assessed by airblast method using Schiff Sensitivity Scale. Results: Repeated measures analysis of variance test was used to compare baseline score with fourth and eighth week. Statistically significant differences were observed between sensitivity scores at baseline and those at four- and eight-week intervals (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The results suggested that the use of Zn-CHA nanocrystals dentifrice might become an effective therapy to reduce DH.
The Efficacy, Feasibility And Acceptability Of A Remotely Accessible Use Of CIRCuiTS, A Computerized Cognitive Remediation Therapy Program For Schizophrenia: A Pilot Study

Introduction The Computerized Interactive Remediation of Cognition – Training for Schizophrenia (CIRCuiTS) is a form of cognitive remediation therapy developed to target neurocognitive and metacognitive deficits of people with schizophrenia, which have a detrimental impact on real-life functioning. The English version of CIRCuiTS demonstrated good acceptability and feasibility. A recent randomized controlled trial provided evidence that the program improves memory and functioning, and that the impact on functional outcome is mediated by metacognition. The next steps in the development of CIRCuiTS include both: 1) the translation and adaptation of the program in different cultural settings; and 2) the demonstration of feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of a standardized method to administer CIRCuiTS remotely. Purpose To implement the CIRCuiTS Italian version and to assess acceptability, feasibility and efficacy of a standardized method to administer CIRCuiTS remotely. Methods Participants were assessed at baseline and received up to 40 CIRCuiTS therapy sessions, three times a week, for about 1 hr over a three-month period. Participants were reassessed post-treatment. Results The program demonstrated good feasibility and high acceptability when assessed by the number of dropouts and evaluation of patients’ satisfaction. Participants improved in learning, speed of processing, working memory and executive control. They showed a reduction in disorganization and improvement in self-esteem, functional capacity, and real-life functioning. Conclusion In this study, a standardized protocol for using CIRCuiTS from home was implemented. The first set of data showed in the paper is encouraging. The proposed procedure could lead to a dropout reduction while maintaining the efficacy of the program.
Effects of Health and Nutrition on Cognitive and Behavioural Development in Children in the First Three Years of Life: Part 1: Low Birthweight, Breastfeeding, and Protein-Energy Malnutrition

The following paper and its accompanying paper (Grantham-McGregor SM, et al. Effects of health and nutrition on cognitive and behavioural development in children in the first three years of life. Part 2: Infections and micronutrient deficiencies: iodine, iron, and zinc. Food Nutr Bull 1999;20:76–99) review the literature on the conditions that are prevalent and considered to be likely to affect child development and are therefore of public health importance. the reviews are selective, and we have generally focused on recent work, particularly in areas that remain controversial. the reviews are restricted to nutritional and health insults that are important in the first three years of life. Where possible, we have discussed the better studies. This paper considers the effects of low birthweight (focusing on small-for-gestational-age babies) and early childhood protein-energy malnutrition on mental, motor, and behavioural development. We have also included a section on breastfeeding because of its importance to child health and nutrition programmes.
Quality Of Life And Stigma Among People Living With HIV/AIDS In Iran

Background Stigma against HIV profoundly affects the quality of life (QOL) of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). We aimed to assess the factors associated with QOL in PLWHA in Iran, specifically HIV-related stigma, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Methods Two hundred PLWHA participated in this cross-sectional study. Data were collected using sociodemographic, stigma, and WHO-QOL-BREF questionnaires. Correlations, ANOVAs, and Student’s t-distribution tests were performed as bivariate analyses. We employed stepwise multiple linear regression analysis to explore the main factors associated with QOL domains. Results Six domains of QOL were negatively correlated with three domains of stigma (p<0.001 for all). Stepwise multiple linear regression revealed that, after adjusting for confounders, lack of healthcare insurance, having no basic knowledge of HIV/AIDs prior to diagnosis, low monthly income of participants and family, and stigma (blaming and distancing, discrimination, and fear) were associated with low mean score of different domains of QOL. Conclusion Our findings indicated that increasing HIV/AIDS-related stigma decreases QOL in PLWHA in Iran. Attention toward decreasing stigma, improving healthcare plan, and cultivating economic condition should be given high priority to ensure improvement in total QOL and corresponding domains in PLWHA’s life.