Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phytochemical screening, acute and sub-acute toxicity of aqueous extract from a mixture of some recipe of Herniaria glabra L., Opuntia ficus-indica, Zea mays L. and Zizyphus lotus L. used traditionally against renal lithiases

Introduction: Antiurolithiatic plants are used since ancient times, in the form of decoction, infusion, or juice, to eliminate kidney stones and to prevent their recurrence. On the basis of the available ethnopharmacological information, more scientific studies are needed to explore natural and safe antiurolithiatic compounds. Materials and Methods: The present work showed phytochemical screening, acute and sub-acute toxicity of aqueous extract of four plant's mixture: Aerial part (branches, flowers and leaves) of Herniaria glabra, flowers of Opuntia ficus-indica, Zea mays styles and fruits of Zizyphus lotus used traditionally against renal lithiases. Phytochemical screening was performed using qualitative methods. To measure acute toxicity, rats were administered orally by single doses of 0.1, 0.2, 0.5 and 2.0 g/kg body weight (b. w.) of extract of plant's mixture. General behavior adverse effects and mortality were determined during 15 days. For sub-acute study, the aqueous extract was administered at 100 mg/kg b. w. for 28 days to Wistar rats. Animals were monitored daily after an oral administration of aqueous extract of the mixture to detect any changes in b. w. , behavior, autonomic profiles, or mortality. Calculation of relative organ weight (ROW) and biochemical analysis were carried out. Results: The acute oral toxicity study showed no mortality and no statistically significant decrease in b. w. and ROW of the treated groups of rats when compared to the control group was observed. In biochemical analysis, there was a significant increase in aspartate aminotransferase, creatinine, urea, and uric acid. Conclusion: This study found that aqueous extract of traditional recipe used against renal lithiasis in Fes-Meknes region containing: Flavonoids, tannins, catechic tannins, coumarins and the glycosides. The results of the acute and sub-acute toxicity studies indicated that the recipe extracts induce a slight hepatotoxic effects in rats treated orally with 100 mg/kg (b. w.).
Pulmonary actinomycosis presenting as a pleural tumour

Pulmonary actinomycosis is a rare gram positive higher prokaryotic bacterial infection. We hereby present a case of 78-year old male presented with non-specific symptoms like cough, shortness of breath (SOB) and chest pain mimicking as pulmonary tuberculosis, fungal infection and lung cancer but was diagnosed to have pulmonary actinomycosis. From this, we want to emphasize that pulmonary actinomycosis should be evaluated in all patients that are not responding to anti-tubercular and lung cancer treatment.
Implementation of ventilator bundle for prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia in pediatric intensive care unit

Background Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patients. Objective The aim was to examine the effect of adherence to VAP prevention bundle on the incidence of VAP in PICU. Patients and methods A prospective comparative study was conducted in Al-Hussein University Hospital on all patients admitted and ventilated in PICU in a year from September 2017 until September 2018. They were divided into two groups: the first group included patients admitted to PICU after implementation of the study, comprising 43 patients as cases, and the second group included patients admitted to PICU before implementation of the study, comprising 22 patients as a control group. All included ventilated children were subjected to the following: Diagnosis on admission and indication of mechanical ventilation. Full physical examination including the assessment of the following: Anthropometric measures that were plotted on percentiles. Vital signs: oxygen saturation and heart rate were continuously recorded. Systemic examination and clinical evidence of sepsis and pneumonia. Ventilation mode and duration. Type of feeding whether Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) or enteral feeding. Laboratory investigations, including the following: Complete blood count. Quantitative C-reactive protein. Blood chemistry and renal functions. Arterial blood gases. Chest radiographs. Microbiological studies. Results The VAP rate decreased with compliance with the ventilator bundle from 50 to 14% (P = 0.002). Initiation of the VAP bundle is associated with a significantly reduced incidence of VAP. VAP bundle is effective in VAP reduction when compliance is maintained. Conclusion VAP is one of the severe complications of mechanical ventilation that significantly increases the length of PICU stay and mortality. Bundle implementation was found effective in decreasing the VAP rate in the PICU patients.
A cross-sectional study to assess the level of dental anxiety prevailing in undergraduate dental students in Riyadh Elm University

Objective: This study was designed to evaluate dental anxiety (DA) level in undergraduate dental students in Riyadh Elm University and its relation with gender and to assess whether the level of DA changes over the whole course of study. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the self-reported Modified DA Scale (MDAS) questionnaire was used. The minimum and maximum scores, scored from MDAS, were 5 and 25, respectively. The level of DA was categorized into less anxious (5–11), moderately anxious (12–18), and severely anxious (≥19). Results: The overall response rate was 86% (158 males and 274 females). The mean MDAS from all the participants was 12.06, with 4% of males and 7% of females being severely anxious and 53% of males and 60% of females being moderately anxious. The females were reported to be more anxious than males (P < 0.05). The level of anxiousness was significantly decreasing (P = 0.000) with each successive year of the study. The most anxious situation of all dental procedures was the injection of local anesthesia, followed by noise generated from dental instruments. Conclusion: Female undergraduate dental students and preclinical students were more anxious when compared with males and students of the clinical years, respectively. There is a need for proper dental health education, exposure to clinics, and counseling therapy from the early years of dental training to reduce the level of anxiety.
Prevalence of postpartum morbidities in a tertiary care center in Northern Nigeria

Background: Complications can arise during the postpartum period and if unrecognized can lead to physical discomfort, psychological distress, and a poor quality of life for the mothers. The true burden of postpartum maternal morbidity is still not known. It is estimated to be highest in low- and middle-income countries. Objective: This study was aimed at determining the pattern of postpartum morbidities at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital and their possible determinants. Methodology: It was a cross-sectional study of women admitted into postnatal ward of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria, on account of postpartum morbidities from January 1to December 31, 2016. The admission register of antenatal/postnatal ward was retrieved and only women admitted within the postpartum period were included in the study. Result: There were 3933 deliveries over the studied period and 141 women were admitted for postpartum morbidities. The most common morbidities were anaemia (35.5%), hypertensive disorders (19.6%), and puerperal sepsis (19.6%). Nearly 70% of the patients were unbooked and had spontaneous vaginal delivery. There was a significant association between postpartum morbidities and booking status, level of educational, and mode of delivery. Conclusion: Anaemia, hypertension, and sepsis are the common postpartum morbidities in Kano, north-west Nigeria. Health education on the importance of quality antenatal and intrapartum care will go a long way in reducing these morbidities.
Intraoperative lidocaine infusion reduces analgesic and anesthetic requirements in patients with high body mass index undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Background: Intravenous (IV) lidocaine has analgesic, antihyperalgesic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Intraoperative use of lidocaine infusion reduces the analgesic and anesthetic requirement during laparoscopic cholecystectomy surgeries. Aims: Our study was designed to analyze the effect of intraoperative infusion of lidocaine, on perioperative opioid, anesthetic and neuromuscular agent requirements, and the incidence of side effects in patients with high body mass index undergoing laparoscopy cholecystectomy. Methods: This is a randomized double-blinded prospective study conducted at a tertiary hospital. Of the 38 patients enrolled in the study, due to cancellation and conversion to open surgery, only 33 patients completed the study (16 in the control group [C] and 17 in the lidocaine group [L]). Patients from both the groups received the test drug (lidocaine or normal saline) as 2 mg/kg bolus during induction and continued as an infusion at a rate of 2 mg/kg/h throughout the surgery which was terminated 30 min after extubation. The patients were analyzed for perioperative analgesic, anesthetic, muscle relaxant requirement, and adverse effects. Results: The mean visual analog scale (VAS) score in 1st and 2nd hour after surgery was less in the group receiving IV lidocaine infusion (7.5 ± 7.8* vs. 10.5 ± 11.8; 12.5 ± 8.1* vs. 23 ± 24.6 [* denotes lidocaine group]); compared to the control group the intraoperative opioid requirement decreased by 43% in the lidocaine group. There was a reduction of 13%–21% in the minimum alveolar concentration of isoflurane in the lidocaine group. The cumulative dose of rocuronium was found to be 53% lesser in the lidocaine group. There was no difference in the sedation scores and there were no adverse effects in either of the groups. Conclusions: The study demonstrates the usefulness of IV lidocaine infusion as an adjunct to provide anesthesia with decreased requirements of opioid, inhalation, and neuromuscular-blocking agents.
Editorial

67 Basic research in Homoeopathy investigates a particular set of questions, chiefly the presence of therapeutic powers of original substances in ultra-high-diluted potencies, their mechanism of action once administered in a biological system, be it human, animal, or plant, both its pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic aspects and the relevance of negative controls in basic researches in order to validate the findings. [1]
Extraction, purification, content analysis and hypoglycemic effect of mulberry marc anthocyanin

Background: Mulberry marc (MM) which as a wasted residue contains many available resources and one of the valuable nutrients is anthocyanin. In this study, the extraction, purification, content analysis, and hypoglycemic effect of anthocyanin from MM were studied. Materials and Methods: The total anthocyanin and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside of the purified anthocyanin of mulberry marc (MMA) were determined using pH differential method and high-performance liquid chromatography. The hypoglycemic effects were studied by streptozotocin and high-fat diet-induced type 2 diabetic rats. The rats were given MMA for 4 weeks and at the end of experiment; the blood was collected for determination serum indexes; the tissue of liver, kidney, pancreas, and spleen was removed for weighting and observing pathological changes. Results: The content of total anthocyanin and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside of MMA was 39.72% and 18.63%, respectively. The fasting blood glucose of rats in the MMA treatment groups was decreased. The lipid metabolites (triglycerides and total cholesterol) and malondialdehyde were decreased and superoxide dismutase was increased of type 2 diabetes rats after MMA treated; the pathological changes were alleviated in various degrees. Conclusion: The content of anthocyanin in mulberry marc is higher than mulberry juice, and the MMA has a good hypoglycemic effect.
Physiological mechanism and developmental events in differentiating floral buds of Sophora tonkinensis gagnep

Background: Sophora tonkinensis Gagnep is an important medicinal plant in China. Previous research has focused on the rapid propagation and quality analysis of in vitro tissue culture plantlets. Few studies have focused on floral bud differentiation. Physiological and molecular mechanisms regulating floral bud differentiation have not been elucidated. Objective: We used paraffin sections and RNA-seq and then analyzed changes in physiological, biochemical, and endogenous hormones to examine floral bud differentiation. Materials and Methods: Buds were harvested in mid-March or early April. After sorting and cleaning, flower buds physiological and biochemical properties were measured and hormones were determined. Morphological observation of S. tonkinensis was carried out using paraffin sections. Results: The transition from the meristematic to the reproductive phase included changes in the shoot apical meristem morphogenesis and cell differentiation. The process includes floral buds initial differentiation and flower primordium differentiation stages; we defined eight stages in total. There was no significant change in soluble content, but soluble protein content gradually decreased. Activities of antioxidant enzymes changed significantly. Total chlorophyll (Chl a + b) content increased significantly. Endogenous hormone levels changed differently during floral bud differentiation. We identified 104,519 expressed genes and 24 were involved in flowering. MADS-box and AP family genes are involved in flower formation and 40 differentially expressed genes associated with floral bud differentiation were identified. Conclusion: The higher soluble sugar, protein, and chlorophyll content and the higher peroxidase activity were beneficial to floral bud differentiation of S. tonkinensis. The dynamic changes in hormone content contribute to differentiating floral buds.
Influence of Implant Neck Design on Crestal Bone Loss: A Comparative Study

Background: The success rate of dental implants depends on the amount of crestal bone around the implants. Crestal module is the transosteal region of implant that is designed to receive the prosthetic component. The design of crestal module influences the crestal bone loss around implants. Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the crestal bone loss around implants with smooth collar and implants with micro threaded rough collar design. Materials and Methods: A total of 150 individuals received 100 dental implants. Each individual received one implant with smooth collar design (Group-A) and one implant with microthreaded rough collar design (Group-B) in the posterior edentulous region. All the 100 implants were prosthetically loaded after a healing period of 3 months. Crestal bone loss was measured on mesial, distal, buccal, and lingual side of each implant using periapical radiographs before loading (baseline), immediately after loading, 6, and 12 months after loading. Results: The average crestal bone loss 12 months after loading the implants in Group A and Group B was 3.75 mm and 3.23 mm, respectively, the value being statistically significant (P < 0.05). In both Group A and Group B, the average crestal bone loss was maximum on the lingual side followed by buccal, distal, and mesial sides. Conclusion: Crestal bone loss around rough-surfaced microthreaded neck implants was significantly lower than smooth-surfaced neck implants.
Prehospital care in the management of snakebites

Introduction: Snakebite is a significant public health problem in India. A variety of prehospital practices are commonly followed after a person has been bitten by a snake before he/she reach a health center. Methodology: This was a prospective, descriptive study done in the emergency department which included adult patients above the age of 18 years who presented with a history of either a snakebite or an unknown bite. All other known bites were excluded from the study. The period of the study was between August 2015 and March 31, 2016. Results: The study cohort included 62 patients, with a majority being male (61.3%; 38/62). 32.3% (20/62) of patients were farmers and homemakers constituted 30.6% (19/62). Tying a tourniquet above the bite mark (66.1%; 41/62) was the most common prehospital care administered to the victims. Traditional methods such as performing ritual prayers (1.6%; 1/62), sucking out blood (3.2%; 2/62), or applying traditional medicines (1.6%; 1/62) were the other practices followed before they reached a health center. Conclusion: A significant number of snakebite victims received prehospital care before they reached a health-care facility. Application of tourniquet is the most common prehospital practice followed in the community. However, the other traditional methods are rarely practiced nowadays.
Determinants of infarction patterns in posterior cerebral circulation

Background Ischemic stroke is defined as focal or global neurological dysfunction lasting longer than 24 h or leading to death that is caused by vascular insult, either stricture or occlusion of a specific vascular territory. Aim of the study This study aimed to determine the relationship between different risk factors and different infarction patterns in posterior circulation such single small lacunar lesion, single large lesion, and multiple scattered lesions. Patients and methods This study included 60 patients recruited from the stroke unit of Ain Shams University and El Sahel Teaching Hospitals during the period from April to October 2018 with the diagnosis of posterior circulation ischemic stroke. The study population was divided into three groups according to the infarction pattern. Infarction patterns were categorized into a single small lacunar lesion (20 patients) (group I), a single large lesion (20 patients) (group II), and multiple scattered lesions (20 patients) (group III). Results There was no significant difference between the three groups in the presence of vascular risk factors such as hypertension (P = 0.153), diabetes (P = 0.317), dyslipidemia (P = 0.420), presence of cardiac diseases (P = 0.180), and smoking (P = 0.931). The only significant difference in terms of vascular risk factors was atrial fibrillation (AF). AF was present in six patients in group II and six patients in group III, and not present in group I patients (P = 0.024). Conclusion Different vascular risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and smoking are present in all infarction patterns of posterior cerebral circulation, either single or multiple infarctions, and there were no significant differences in the presence of these vascular risk factors in relation to the type of the vascular lesion. AF and significant vertebrobasilar stenosis were mostly associated with large and multiple infarct lesion patterns. Small-vessel disease was the most common stroke etiology for a single small lacunar lesion, whereas large artery atherosclerosis was mostly present in a single large lesion and multiple lesions. Strict control of vascular risk factors is highly recommended in all infarction patterns of posterior circulation.
A retrospective study on clinical profile of patients with firecracker-related injury presenting to the emergency department of a tertiary care center in South India

Background: Firecracker injuries are very common in India. They are mostly used during the various festivals celebrated in India. This study analyses the profile and outcome of firecracker injuries in the emergency department (ED). Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective observational study of all firecracker-related injury patients presenting to our ED. Details of the incident, injuries, management, and outcome were noted. Data were extracted from the ED triage software and hospital electronic database. Results: We received a total number of 13,604 trauma patients to our ED, among which 92 (0.7%) had firecracker burst-related injury. The mean age of the patient was 27 (standard deviation 11.6) years. Male (97.8%) predominance was noted. Majority of them were triaged to Priority II, i.e., 64 (70%) patients and 6 (6%) in Priority I. The mean number of incidents per month during the festive season of Diwali was 3.25 compared to 3.95 during the rest of the year. The majority of the injuries had sustained lacerations (78.5%), followed by abrasions (12.9%). Among all patients, only 4.3% (4) suffered second- and third-degree burns each. It was noted that the upper limbs (79.6%) were most commonly involved as expected, followed by the face (16.1%). The new injury severity score was more than 5 in (6.4%) of patients. Most patients were taken up for emergency procedures such as wound wash, debridement, suturing, or nailing of the fractures in the ED. Majority (81.5%) required hospital admission and had to undergo major surgical intervention. The rest were either discharged stable or discharged against medical advice after primary care. Conclusions: This study has expressed the pattern of firecracker injuries. An alarmingly high number of young adolescents with significant upper limb injuries were noted. Public awareness and education along with increase legislative enforcement are needed for the betterment and well-being of the mass during the festival season to prevent the catastrophe since these injuries are prevalent in the productive age groups.
Estimation of YKL-40 Levels in Serum and Gingival Crevicular Fluid in Chronic Periodontitis and Type 2 Diabetes Patients among South Indian Population: A Clinical Study

Background: YKL-40 is a novel potential inflammatory marker in relation to both acute and chronic inflammation. It is secreted by activated neutrophils and macrophages in acute or chronic inflammation. It strongly binds to chitin and heparin. There remains paucity in information regarding the quantification of YKL-40 levels in serum and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) in patients with periodontal disease. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate and estimate the YKL-40 levels in serum and GCF samples collected from patients with or without periodontitis and type 2 diabetes among the South Indian population. Materials and Methods: A total of 40 patients were included who were divided into four groups based on inclusion and exclusion criteria as follows: Group A comprised ten healthy individuals, Group B comprised ten patients diagnosed with chronic periodontitis without type 2 diabetes, Group C comprised ten patients diagnosed with chronic periodontitis with type 2 diabetes, and Group D comprised ten patients diagnosed with only type 2 diabetes. Gingival Index (GI), pocket depth (PD), and clinical attachment level (CAL) were recorded at baseline. Serum and GCF samples were collected at baseline which were subjected to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analysis for estimation of YKL-40 levels. Results: All the clinical parameters (GI, PD, and CAL) and the concentration of YKL-40 level in serum and GCF samples were statistically significant among the groups. The amount of YKL-40 in GCF and serum was found to be highly correlated with PD of patients in all the groups. Conclusions: Within the limitations of the sample size, the present study indicates that the measurement of YKL-40 in Serum and GCF samples shows potential as a quantitative indicator of periodontal disease extent.