bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Urbanization on Environment and Health Role of Different Environmental Sensors
Authors: Hussain Madhumita
Published: May 2024

The process of urbanization is characterized by the rapid growth and development of urban areas, and now has become a global concern with far-reaching implications for the environment and public health. This study explores the complex impact of urbanization on both the environment and human health, emphasizing the pivotal role played by various environmental sensors in monitoring and mitigating these effects. This chapter delves into the types and functionalities of environmental sensors employed to monitor urbanization's impact. Air quality sensors, water quality sensors, noise monitors, and solid waste sensors contribute valuable data to assess pollution levels, track environmental changes, and evaluate the overall well-being of urban ecosystems. The integration of real-time data from these sensors facilitates the formulation of effective policies and interventions to curb environmental degradation and enhance public health.
AI-Based In-Cabin Monitoring System for Autonomous Vehicles
Authors: K. Ajith , Sharmila R.
Published: May 2024

Fully autonomous vehicles (FAVs) require internal monitoring in order to function without a human driver. The far-from-sufficient FAV, sufficient in-cabin monitoring is a prerequisite to ensure both people and vehicles. On public roadways, there are a lot of accidents that happen, most of them are the result of reckless driving. Modern driver monitoring systems evaluate driver behavior and, if necessary, highlight risky driving behaviours using special sensor technologies. The result accurately predicted bounding boxes and the real data show a considerable amount of overlap. Unlike most past efforts, the authors use a random forest to learn a template-based model. This way, forecast the object probability of a window in a sliding window technique and regress its aspect ratio using a single mode at the same time. Examined mobility services at increasing degrees autonomy, including the exercise caution and the best ways.
Secure VANET Routing Protocols for Improved Vehicular Communication in Autonomous Systems
Authors: S. Abarna , J. Naskath , R. Rathi Pathi , C. Jeyalakshmi
Published: May 2024

Vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) represent an advanced iteration of mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) designed specifically for internet communication within vehicles. VANETs aim to enable vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, enhancing safety and convenience for drivers and passengers. However, the open nature of ad hoc networks and the absence of a well-defined line of defense make security a crucial concern for VANETs. Prior to deploying mobile ad hoc networks in hostile or sensitive areas, it becomes imperative to establish robust security services. This study addresses the need for a trusted VANET routing protocol that incorporates a diverse range of security services. The proposed approach implements a secure routing protocol based on the Dijkstra Algorithm to identify the secure and shortest path. For ensuring secure routing, the protocol employs route request (RREQ) and route reply (RREP) mechanisms to identify trustworthy nodes. Additionally, message authentication is utilized to provide end-to-end, hop-to-hop, and entire-route authentication. To transmit messages securely, the Diffie-Hellman Key Exchange Protocol is employed for message encryption, ensuring safe delivery to the intended destination. To assess the performance of the suggested protocol, the authors conducted simulations using NS2. These simulation results demonstrate that the proposed routing protocol outperforms existing methods, affirming its effectiveness in VANET environments.
Cogwheels of Care
Authors: Kaur Jaspreet
Published: May 2024

“Cogwheels of Care: Robotic Marvels in the Hospital Landscape” examines the incorporation of sophisticated robotics in contemporary healthcare. This abstract explores the profound influence of robots in hospitals, fundamentally changing patient care and enhancing medical capabilities. The chapter explores the ways in which these advanced robots enhance and simplify many jobs, ranging from surgical procedures to everyday activities, by maximising efficiency and accuracy. It emphasises the interdependent connection between technology and healthcare practitioners, focusing on the ethical considerations and societal consequences of this technological transformation. This research highlights the changing healthcare landscape, where the complex interaction between human expertise and robotic innovation is transforming the principles of compassionate and effective patient-centered care.
Bio-Inspired Nanorobots for Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy
Authors: Mukherjee Anshit , Mukherjee Gunjan
Published: May 2024

Cancer is one of the most serious threats to human health and life. Despite the advances in conventional therapies, such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy, there are still many challenges and limitations in achieving effective and precise cancer treatment. Nanorobots, inspired by natural biological nanomachines, offer a promising alternative for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Nanorobots are nanoscale devices that can perform various tasks under the guidance of external stimuli, such as magnetic fields, light, ultrasound, or chemical gradients. Nanorobots can be designed to target specific cancer cells or tissues, deliver drugs or genes, sense tumor biomarkers, perform minimally invasive surgery, or combine multiple functions for comprehensive treatment. In this chapter, the authors review the recent progress and applications of bio-inspired nanorobots for cancer diagnosis and therapy, with a focus on magnetic field-driven nanorobots. They also discuss the challenges and future perspectives of nanorobots in clinical translation.
What Constitutes a Helpful Health-Related Answer?
Authors: Han Dongmei , He Lifeng , Zhao Wenfei , Zhou Xiaohang
Published: May 2024

Given the unwieldy glut of information in online health question-answer (Q&A) service, it is essential to understand what constitutes helpful answers in the medical domain. Despite the fact that studies have examined the impacts of answer content factors on answer helpfulness, there are two gaps that need further analysis. First, the empirical results of the existing relevant studies on the effect of answer emotion are inconsistent. Second, prior studies only have examined the independent impacts of answer content factors and question content cues on answer helpfulness. To fill this gap, a research model reflecting the impacts of emotional content and question-answer congruence on answer helpfulness was developed and empirically examined. Our empirical analyses confirm that emotional content and answer helpfulness are related to one another in the form of an inverted U-shape and indicate that two types of question-answer congruence (emotional intensity congruence and linguistic style matching) positively affect answer helpfulness. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
How Does Time Synchronization Affect Innovation Quality?
Authors: Si Xianpeng , Liu Ying , Wu Jie , Wu Chia-Huei , Liu Wei
Published: May 2024

How location choice influences innovation in MNCs has been the subject of controversy, and the examination of geographic concentration or dispersion is particularly insufficient. The question is, how will the decentralization or centralization of MNCs affect the communication and management of information among employees. To address this deficiency, this study introduces the concept of time synchronization and attempts to examine the relationship between MNCs location choice and corporate innovation quality from a new perspective. By gathering data from the Chinese internationalized firms, we found that time synchronization between parents and subsidiaries is positively associated with the innovation quality of parent firms, and the degree of digitization strengthens this positive relationship. This study underscores the crucial role of overlapping work time for employee interactions between parents and subsidiaries to acquire information in comprehending and absorbing overseas knowledge to improve the innovation quality of parent firms.
A Study on Punya Lekhana Tradition in Sri Lanka: with reference to Kandyan Era
Authors: Gunasinghe Hasitha Chamikara
Published: May 2024

From the ruler to the ordinary citizens, the documents that record the meritorious deeds can be called 'Punya Lekhana'. The history of writing these documents can be traced back to time immemorial. The primary influence of these writings was the belief in meritorious acts of man, and the ideas and ideologies on good deeds and as shaped up by tradition. The aim of this research was to study the charity writing tradition in Sri Lanka and the research question was whether this tradition continued during the Kandyan Period. Historical methodology was applied for this research. It seems that the idea of keeping a record of the merits done by oneself started at the beginning of the Kandyan era, and 'Punya Lekhana' was compiled to record the merits done by the king and the ordinary people. It was a custom to prepare and keep the most common pious writings written in a temple using palm leaf medium as an appendix to a palm leaf manuscript or as a palm leaf manuscript. Since there are charitable documents of various natures, classification is possible according to their nature. These are Punyanumodhana Patra, Pundyanumodhana Sandesa, Punya Pustaka and Punya Ayadeum Patra. It is evident that these charity writings can be useful to genealogists to obtain information on genealogy. However it can be said that these documents were not been used as primary sources in historical research. This study underlines the fact that these are a unique source of literature in studying the religious, political and socio-economic history of the kandian Period.
Basophil-Derived IL-4 and IL-13 Protect Intestinal Barrier Integrity and Control Bacterial Translocation during Malaria
Authors: Céspedes Nora , Fellows Abigail M , Donnelly Erinn L , Kaylor Hannah L , Coles Taylor A , Wild Ryan , Dobson Megan , Schauer Joseph , Van de Water Judy , Luckhart Shirley
Published: May 2024

Our previous work demonstrated that basophils regulate a suite of malaria phenotypes, including intestinal mastocytosis and permeability, the immune response to infection, gametocytemia, and parasite transmission to the malaria mosquito Anopheles stephensi. Given that activated basophils are primary sources of the regulatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-13, we sought to examine the contributions of these mediators to basophil-dependent phenotypes in malaria. We generated mice with basophils depleted for IL-4 and IL-13 (baso IL-4/IL-13 (−)) and genotype controls (baso IL-4/IL-13 (+)) by crossing mcpt8-Cre and Il4/Il13fl/fl mice and infected them with Plasmodium yoelii yoelii 17XNL. Conditional deletion was associated with ileal mastocytosis and mast cell (MC) activation, increased intestinal permeability, and increased bacterial 16S levels in blood, but it had no effect on neutrophil activation, parasitemia, or transmission to A. stephensi. Increased intestinal permeability in baso IL-4/IL-13 (−) mice was correlated with elevated plasma eotaxin (CCL11), a potent eosinophil chemoattractant, and increased ileal MCs, proinflammatory IL-17A, and the chemokines MIP-1α (CCL3) and MIP-1β (CCL4). Blood bacterial 16S copies were positively but weakly correlated with plasma proinflammatory cytokines IFN-γ and IL-12p40, suggesting that baso IL-4/IL-13 (−) mice failed to control bacterial translocation into the blood during malaria infection. These observations suggest that basophil-derived IL-4 and IL-13 do not contribute to basophil-dependent regulation of parasite transmission, but these cytokines do orchestrate protection of intestinal barrier integrity after P. yoelii infection. Specifically, basophil-dependent IL-4/IL-13 control MC activation and prevent infection-induced intestinal barrier damage and bacteremia, perhaps via regulation of eosinophils, macrophages, and Th17-mediated inflammation.
More Than Skin Deep: Patient-Provider Racial and Ethnic Concordance and Discordance in Collegiate Athletics and Concussion Management
Authors: Beidler Erica , Bowman Thomas G. , Walton Samuel R. , Lininger Monica R. , Decker Meredith N. , Wallace Jessica , Vela Luzita , Hibbler Tamaria , Breedlove Katherine Morigaki , Larson Michael J. , Munce Thayne A. , Pappadis Monique R. , Sunchild John , Ahonen Sean , Didehbani Nyaz , Cifu David X. , Resch Jacob E. , Kelshaw Patricia M.
Published: May 2024

Context

There is strong evidence that racial and ethnic disparities exist in multiple arenas of health and wellness. The causes of racial and ethnic differences in health care are multidimensional; one factor that may affect injury/illness communication, interactions, and outcomes is patient-provider racial and ethnic concordance. At present, it is unclear what role patient-provider racial and ethnic concordance and discordance plays in facilitating concussion care for collegiate athletes.

Objective

To investigate the presence of athlete–athletic trainer (AT) racial and ethnic concordance and discordance among diagnosed concussion cases and examine if racial and ethnic concordance and discordance influences time (in days) until diagnosis, symptom resolution, or return-to-sport clinical milestones in collegiate athletes.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Collegiate athletics.

Patients or Other Participants

A total of 694 concussion cases (38.6% [n = 268] sustained by women, 61.4% [n = 426] sustained by men) that occurred within the 2015–2016 through 2019–2020 sport seasons at 9 institutions.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

The number of days from the date of injury to diagnosis, symptom resolution, and return to sport and from the date of diagnosis to symptom resolution and return to sport.

Results

Overall, 68.4% (n = 475) of concussion cases had patient-provider racial and ethnic concordance, and 31.6% (n = 219) were discordant. All concordant pairs included a White athlete and White AT. Time to diagnosis differed between the concordant and discordant groups (median [interquartile range] = 1 [0–2] versus 0 [0–1], respectively) only in the model adjusted for sex, sport type, and availability of an AT (odds ratio [95% CI] = 1.46 [1.07–1.85]). There were no other group differences.

Conclusions

One-third of concussion cases had athlete-AT racial and ethnic discordance. Although this group was diagnosed with a concussion 1 day sooner than the concordant group, no differences were observed for any concussion recovery milestones. These findings suggest that patient-provider racial and ethnic concordance may play a minor role in concussion recognition or reporting but not necessarily in the management and recovery thereafter.
Brachial aneurysm caused by a long-term axillary crutch - A case and literature review
Authors: Ye Pin , Chen Yunfei , Li Yiqing , Gu Yongquan , Cai Chuanqi , Lü Ping
Published: May 2024

Brachial aneurysms are a rare disease, accounting for 0.5% of peripheral aneurysms. Using a long-term axillary crutch may be associated with arterial injury and induce upper extremity aneurysm formation. A 67-year-old woman had a history of using a long-term underarm crutch due to polio disease. Physical examination revealed edema of the left upper limb, pulseless of the brachial artery, and disappearance of distal radial pulse. The imaging examination revealed a brachial arterial aneurysm in the left upper limb, along with thrombosis. The aneurysm and mural thrombus were excised. The great saphenous vein graft was inserted to reconstruct occluded artery blood supply; the left brachial and radial arteries pulsed well after operation. This case report suggests that long-term use of axillary support for patients should be done with caution. Regular follow-up of upper extremity vascular morphology should be done. Timely anticoagulant therapy to prevent thrombosis and surgical resection of aneurysms are effective strategies for resolving complications.
Systemic venous anomalies in a child with a vein of Galen
Authors: Al Kaabi Shamsa , Maddali Madan Mohan , Al Maskari Salim Nasser , Al-Hashm Halima Adam , Al Farqani Abdullah Mohammed , Anderson Robert Henry , Tretter Justin T.
Published: May 2024

We describe our findings in a child with a vein of Galen malformation, in whom the right superior caval and the azygos veins drained into the roof of the morphologically left atrium. A persistent left superior caval vein drained into the morphologically right atrium through the coronary sinus. The additional presence of dual brachiocephalic veins permitted the deployment of a multifunctional ventricular septal defect occluder device to occlude the right superior caval vein, correcting the right-to-left shunt. This also prevented azygos venous drainage into the left atrium.
Delayed retrieval of embolized ductal stent: A surgical challenge
Authors: Panda Biswa Ranjan , Mishra Jayashree
Published: May 2024

Retrieval of embolized ductal stents from the pulmonary or systemic circulation can be challenging. Most children benefit from surgical shunts in such scenarios. Although early retrieval is advised, stents lodged in the peripheral pulmonary tree can be inaccessible, making the removal complicated. In such patients, stents can be “parked” in the segmental pulmonary arterial branches for retrieval later. In the low-pressure single ventricle pulmonary circulation, partially expanded embolized stents, if left in situ, can precipitate pulmonary arterial thrombosis. This subset of patients may benefit from meticulous anticoagulation and antiplatelet agents. In our case report, we describe the successful extraction of an embolized ductal stent without damage to the right lower lobe pulmonary artery (PA). In the follow-up evaluation, the growth of the right PA is good.
Mayer–Rokitansky–Kuster–Hauser Syndrome Type II with Mullerian Duct Aplasia–Renal Dysplasia–Cervical Somite Anomalies Association: A Case Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Sharmila Vijayan , Kalluri Sri Sowmya , Yoga P. Priyanka , Babu Thirunavukkarasu Arun , Reddy Prudhvinath A
Published: May 2024

Mayer–Rokitansky–Kuster–Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, also known as Mullerian aplasia/Mullerian agenesis, is characterized by the absence of the uterus and upper two-thirds of the vagina in women who have normal ovarian function and secondary sexual characteristics. The syndrome occurs at a rate of approximately 1 in every 4500–5000 females. Its primary clinical presentation is primary amenorrhea. MRKH syndrome varies in severity and is classified into two types: type I, which is isolated, and type II, involving abnormalities in other organ systems, particularly the kidneys and skeleton. Due to the nature of this condition, individuals with MRKH syndrome may experience significant psychological challenges, highlighting the importance of counseling. This case report describes the diagnosis of type II MRKH syndrome in a 14-year-old girl with primary amenorrhea, also associated with Mullerian duct aplasia–renal dysplasia–cervical somite anomalies.
Efficacy of various proton-pump inhibitors and calcium hydroxide as intracanal medicaments against Enterococcus Faecalis
Authors: Koparkar Tejas , Kalyan Sai , Mandke Lalitagauri , Vandekar Mansi
Published: May 2024

Aim:

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of four proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) (pantoprazole, omeprazole, lansoprazole, and rabeprazole) when combined with calcium hydroxide and used as intracanal medicaments against Enterococcus faecalis.

Methods:

A total of 550 microliters of E. faecalis strain was inoculated into two mixtures 6.25 μg/ml and 25 μg/ml containing calcium hydroxide (concentration 16 mg/ml) and PPIs (concentration 1 mg/ml). The efficacy was evaluated by comparing the optical density of the mixtures at 630 nm with two time parameters of 18 h and 24 h.

Results:

At 18 h, O6 (calcium hydroxide and omeprazole 6.25 μg/ml) showed the maximum percentage inhibition of E. faecalis strain and R25 (calcium hydroxide and rabeprazole 25 μg/ml) showed the least inhibition. At 24-h time interval, O6 showed the maximum inhibition, while R6 (calcium hydroxide and rabeprazole 6.25 μg/ml) showed the least inhibition of E. faecalis strain.

Conclusion:

The use of PPIs with calcium hydroxide did show promising results and the combination could be used successfully as an intracanal medicament.
Evaluation of apical crack formation associated with root canal preparation with ProTaper Next, ProTaper Gold, and TruNatomy systems
Authors: Yilmaz Çirakoglu N Neslihan , Özbay Yağız
Published: May 2024

Aim:

The present study aimed to evaluate and compare the microcrack formation in apical root dentin as a result of root canal preparation with different nickel–titanium (NiTi) rotary systems.

Materials and Methods:

Sixty extracted mandibular premolar teeth with single canals were used. Apical 1 mm of roots was flattened perpendicular to the tooth axis. Forty-five teeth were prepared using ProTaper Next (PTN), ProTaper Gold (PTG), or TruNatomy files. Fifteen teeth were left unprepared as the negative control group. Images of apical surfaces of roots were obtained using a stereomicroscope at × 20 magnification. The presence of microcracks was noted with the help of the images. The data were analyzed with a Chi-square test using MiniTab 17 Statistical Software.

Results:

There was a statistically significant difference between the PTN and TruNatomy groups (P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the PTG group and other groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusion:

Whereas all rotary files created microcracks in the apical root dentin, TRN caused fewer microcracks than other NiTi rotary systems.
Synthesis and characterization of nisin-incorporated alpha-tricalcium phosphate for pulp capping – An in vitro study
Authors: Baskaran Veni Ashok , Madhubala Manavalan Madhana , Menon Thangam , Gopal Shankar Narayanan , Venkatesan SM
Published: May 2024

Aim:

The present study aimed to synthesize and characterize Nisin incorporated Alpha Tricalcium Phosphate (NTCP) and to evaluate nisin release from NTCP when used as a pulp capping agent.

Methods:

Alpha TCP(aTCP) powder was synthesized by the wet chemical method. Nisin was incorporated into this prepared aTCP at various ratios and grouped as follows: Group 1 - 1% wt%; Group 2 -2.5wt%; Group 3-5%wt%; Group 4- 7.5%wt%; Group 5 -10%wt%; Group 6 -Nisin 100 mg; All these samples were characterized using Fourier Transmission Infrared Spectroscopy(FTIR) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). For evaluation of nisin release from NTCP using HPLC, around fifteen freshly extracted non-carious human third molars were collected and mounted in gypsum blocks. A standard box-type class-I cavity (4.5x 4.5 mm) was prepared with the pulpal floor ending at deep dentin, The experimental materials were mixed with propylene glycol to prepare it as pulp capping material in paste form. Subsequently pulpal floor of all the cavities were lined with the respective materials. The entire samples were kept to set for 30 minutes in ambient temperature and subsequently immersed in water and stored in an incubator at 37oC. After 14 days of immersion, dentin lying directly below the sample was cut and powdered using mortar and pestle. The powdered dentin was then subjected to HPLC analysis. The peak time of nisin release from experimental groups was recorded.

Results:

FTIR results revealed Group 5 with highly appreciable corresponding bends of amine N-H, C-H stretching and phosphate peaks at 1100 and 554 close to Control TCP samples. DSC analysis showed that TCP did not change from 30oC to 80oC and sample 1, 2, 3, and 4, did not show any denaturation point. Sample 5 showed denaturation point slightly above the denaturation temperature of nisin. On HPLC analysis, samples 4 and 5 showed higher peaks of nisin release and traces of nisin release from all the groups.

Conclusion:

Within the limitations of this study, it can be concluded that NTCP can be synthesized successfully without any influence on the properties of each other material. 10% NTCP provides higher release into dentinal tubules when used as a pulp capping agent.
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy characterization and evaluation of setting time and flow of nanoparticle incorporated cyanoacrylate cement – An in vitro study
Authors: Shetty Chitharanjan , Shetty Aditya , Hegde Mithra N.
Published: May 2024

Aim:

This study aims to determine the setting time and flow of a novel root canal sealer material with nanoparticle incorporated cyanoacrylate.

Materials and Methods:

To determine the setting time, sealer materials were mixed and packed into the stainless-steel ring molds of specific dimensions that are placed on a glass plate. The whole assembly was stored at 37°C, >95%relative humidity for at least 1 h. To measure the setting time, the needle of a custom-made Gilmore apparatus was adjusted vertically onto the surface of the sealer. To determine the flow, a volume of 0.05 ml mixed sealer was dropped on a glass plate. At 3 min after the onset of mixing, a second glass plate of 20 g weight was placed on the sealer and a 100 g weight was added to make a total mass of 120 g. The 120 g weight was unloaded after 10 min from the start of mixing. The minimum and maximum diameters of the sealer discs were measured by a digital caliper with a resolution of 0.01 mm.

Results:

Nanoparticle-modified cyanoacrylate cement has an initial setting time of 40 min and a final setting time of 75 min. Whereas the initial setting time for the AH Plus sealer is 238 min and the final setting time 480 min. The formulated nanoparticle incorporated cyanoacrylate sealer has a flow of 23.5 mm which is within the acceptable limits of ISO specification.

Conclusion:

The nanoparticle incorporated cyanoacrylate sealer has better setting time and flows within the limit of the American Dental Association specification.
Biomechanical properties of mandibular first molar with truss and conventional access cavities
Authors: Lakshmisetty Harika , Raghu Ramya , Shetty Ashish , Rajasekhara Subhashini , Sharma Sumit , Bharath G.
Published: May 2024

Aim:

The aim of this study was to compare the biomechanical strength properties of the mandibular first molar with truss and conventional endodontic access cavities using the finite element method.

Methods:

Two finite element analysis (FEA) models of a mandibular first molar were designed and constructed with truss endodontic cavity (TREC) and Conventional endodontic cavity (CEC). Each model was subjected to three different force loads directed at the occlusal surface. The stress distribution patterns and the maximum von Mises (VM) stresses were calculated and compared. FEM software ANSYS was used for evaluation.

Results:

The peak VM stress on both models was at the site of the force load. The occlusal stresses were spread in an approximate actinomorphic pattern from where the force was loaded, and the stress was much higher when the force load was close to the access cavity margin. The peak root VM stresses on the root-filled teeth occurred at the apex and were significantly higher than that on the intact tooth, which appeared on the pericervical dentin. The area of pericervical dentin experiencing high VM stress increased as the cavity size increased and became concentrated in the area between the filling materials and the dentin.

Conclusion:

Under all loading conditions, the TREC model showed low-stress concentration compared to the CEC model. With enlargement of the access cavity, the stress on the pericervical dentin increased significantly.
Antibacterial efficacy of sodium hypochlorite versus apple cider vinegar against Enterococcus faecalis in contracted endodontic cavity
Authors: Supreet Kaur , Kishan Karkala Venkappa , Shah Nimisha Chinmay
Published: May 2024

Aim:

The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the antibacterial efficacy of 3% sodium hypochlorite with 5% apple cider vinegar using passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI) against Enterococcus faecalis in contracted endodontic access cavity on mandibular molars.

Methods:

Contracted access cavity was prepared in 30 extracted human permanent mandibular molar teeth. The root canals were incubated with strain of E. faecalis MTCC 9845 (Strain designation – HBL/BAC– 002/08–09) using 15 K-type manual file for 3 weeks. At this point, the S1 sample was collected using 15 paper points. The extracted teeth were randomly divided into two groups: sodium hypochlorite group and apple cider vinegar group. After mechanical instrumentation up to 25/04 rotary files HyFlex CM (Coltene Whaledent, Altstätten, Switzerland) and use of respective irrigants (3% sodium hypochlorite and 5% apple cider vinegar) using PUI, S2 sample was collected using 25 size paper point. The cultivated samples were incubated at 37°C for 24 h, and the number of bacterial colonies was counted as colony-forming units (CFUs)/mL. Data obtained from S1 and S2 were tabulated and subjected to Wilcoxon signed-ranks test and Mann–Whitney test.

Results:

There was a significant reduction in microbial count in both groups (P < 0.05) when preoperative CFUs were compared with postoperative. There was slightly higher reduction in the apple cider vinegar group in S2 sample, as compared to the sodium hypochlorite group, but it was not statistically significant (P > 0.05).

Conclusion:

Antimicrobial activity of 5% apple cider vinegar is similar to 3% sodium hypochlorite.
The effect of ginger extract on gastric residual volume among mechanically ventilated patients receiving enteral feedings
Authors: Abdullah Sherif S.A. , Khalil Nahla S. , Soliman Fathy M. , Soliman Mahmoud S.
Published: May 2024

Background

Critically ill, mechanically ventilated patients in ICUs are most likely to experience delayed gastric emptying and intolerance of enteral feeding. Recently, greater attention has been paid to the use of herbal remedies such as ginger, which has no adverse effects, to improve gastrointestinal motility.

Aim

To evaluate the effect of ginger on gastric residual volume among mechanically ventilated patients.

Research hypothesis

Mechanically ventilated patients receiving ginger would have significantly lower mean gastric residual volume 4 h after enteral feeding on the second day during breakfast and lunch than on the first day in the same patients receiving enteral feeding without ginger.

Design

A quasi-experimental design (pre/posttest design) was used.

Setting

This study was conducted in one of the ICUs of Kaser EL-Aini Hospital.

Sample

A purposeful sample of 50 adult male and female mechanically ventilated patients was recruited.

Tools

Baseline characteristics and gastric residual volume measurement data were used in data collection.

Results

The study findings revealed dominance of male patients (74%). Most patients’ age ranged between 51 and 59 years, and the mean age was 42.5±15.4 years. In addition, there were significant statistical differences in the mean gastric residual volume with and without intervention of ginger during breakfast time (t=11.825, P≤0.000) as well as lunch time (t=7.286, P≤0.000).

Conclusion

The current study concluded that ginger effectively reduces the gastric residual volume in mechanically ventilated patients in ICUs.

Recommendation

Herbal remedies such as ginger, which has no adverse effects, should be used to improve gastrointestinal motility and enhance food tolerance in the nursing care of critically ill patients receiving enteral nutrition.
Prevalence and associated risk factors of intrauterine fetal deaths among pregnant women at El-Manial University Hospital
Authors: Ahmed Eman S. , Elsayed Yousria A. , Elhalim Aymen Abd , Ibrahim Sahar M.
Published: May 2024

Background and aim

Stillbirth is one of the most dreaded consequence of pregnancy and is distressing when it occurs without warning in pregnancy. It is defined as death at a gestational age of 20 completed weeks or greater or if the fetal weight is 300 g or more. The aim of study was to determine the incidence of intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) among pregnant women and relationship between the risk factors and incidence of IUFD.

Design

A descriptive correlational design was adopted in this study.

Setting

The study was conducted at the casualty department (section 10) of El-Manial University Hospital affiliated to Cairo University.

Sample

A convenience sample of 450 pregnant women was recruited throughout a period of 1 year from February 2019 to January 2020 and retrospectively from archived women files 1 year before start of the study from February 2018 to January 2019.

Results

A total of 255 IUFDs were reported among 13 400 deliveries with a prevalence of 19.02/1000 live births in 2018 from archived files and 165 cases among 14 500 deliveries with a prevalence of 11.4/1000 live births in 2019. The maximum age group of the study sample ranged from 20 to 25 years, with a mean age of 29.59±6.6 years. The risk factors of IUFD were preeclampsia (P=0.00), gestational diabetes mellitus (P=0.050), antepartum hemorrhage (P=0.00), preterm premature rupture of membrane (P=0.033), maternal age (P=0.041), oligohydramnios (P=0.022), gravidity (P=0.005), residence (P=0.05), cardiac disease (P=0.001, previous abortion (P=0.003), and previous IUFD (P=0.000).

Conclusion

The incidence of IUFDs decreased to 11.4 per 1000 births in 2019. Preeclampsia, antepartum hemorrhage, cardiac disease, and previous IUFD were the major leading causes for IUFD.

Recommendations

It is recommended to increase the awareness of pregnant women regarding IUFDs with the help of booklets and brochures with emphasis on antenatal care and the benefits of regular attendance on early detection and management of deteriorated pregnancy conditions.
Assessment of knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward rabies among visitors of a family health center
Authors: Mekhail Nevein G. , Shenouda Mona S. , Mohamed Afaf I.
Published: May 2024

Background

Rabies is a highly contagious but still an undervalued zoonotic disease. The disease affects almost all mammals, and infected species will always die owing to the disease once the associated clinical signs appear. Dog-mediated rabies is responsible for 99% of rabies transmission to humans, and as a result, it leads to rabies-related human deaths, despite the fact that canine rabies vaccination is extremely effective and provides protection. Rabies control, prevention, and management necessitates adequate information about community knowledge, attitudes, and practices linked to rabies disease.

Aim

To assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward rabies among visitors of a family health center.

Patients and methods

A descriptive research design was used.

Setting

The study was conducted at Abu Al-Saud Family Health Center, Masr El-Kadema medical health sector, Cairo.

Sample

A convenience sample of 240 visitors of Abu Al-Saud Family Health Center was included.

Tools

A rabies KAP questionnaire was prepared by the investigators for visitors of the family health center. It consists of 47 questions, including the following four parts: part A, demographic characteristics; part B, knowledge of participants about rabies disease; part C, the three-point Likert scale for attitudes; and part D, assessment of participants’ practices after dog bites.

Results

The current study revealed that all participants were living in urban area and 66.3% of the study participants did not know what rabies is. Regarding participants’ attitudes, 82.9% of the study participants agreed that stray dogs were considered a problem in the Egyptian society. Concerning participants’ practice, 79.6% of them went to the nearest health facilities to receive health care as a first aid for the wounds caused by a dog or any other animal bite.

Conclusion

Overall, 98.3% of the study participants had poor knowledge about rabies, 84.6% of them had a negative attitude toward rabies, and 100%of them had unacceptable level of practice regarding dog bites.

Recommendation

Education health programs should be conducted about rabies disease to improve people’s knowledge, attitude, and practice toward rabies. Further research studies should be performed on a larger sample in different community settings across the country with the intention to generalize the results.
Self-assessment of nursing informatics competencies and attitudes among baccalaureate-nursing students
Authors: Mohamed Lobna Khamis , Abouzaied Manal Tharwat
Published: May 2024

Background

The growing complexity of the healthcare field and nursing profession necessitates the nurses to incorporate evidence-based nursing informatics into everyday practices to manage acute and chronic illnesses.

Aim

This research aimed at self-assessing the nursing informatics competencies and attitudes among baccalaureate-nursing students.

Participants and methods

A descriptive, correlational design was used in this research, which was conducted in the Nursing Department of Applied Medical Sciences College, University of Hafr Al-Batin. The sampling consisted of 103 baccalaureate-nursing students. The data-collection tools included the adapted self-assessment nursing informatics competencies and attitudes toward using of nursing informatics in the healthcare system generally and the nursing profession specifically.

Results

This study illustrated that 70.5% of participants assessed themselves as competent, 21% of them were beginners, and only 8.5% of them were novices in the nursing informatics competencies, as well as the majority of them hold positive attitudes toward using of nursing informatics in the healthcare system and the nursing profession.

Conclusion

The study concluded that the baccalaureate-nursing students recognized the essentiality and magnitude of informatics in nursing education for providing safe, effective, and high-quality patient care. This research illuminated that the nursing students who hold a high level of informatics competencies had positive attitudes toward using of nursing informatics in the healthcare system and the nursing profession.

Recommendations

There is a need to integrate the nursing informatics subject into undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Moreover, there are continuing efforts from researchers in this area to address the challenges, barriers, and facilitators in nursing education and practice.
Effect of baricitinib in regulating programmed death 1 and ligand programmed cell death ligand 1 through JAK/STAT pathway in psoriasis
Authors: Deepak H. B. , Prince Sabina Evan , Deshpande Pratima
Published: May 2024

OBJECTIVES:

Psoriasis is a chronic infectious skin disease triggered by an autoimmune process involving T-cell-mediated hyper-proliferation of keratinocytes. The objective of this study is to assess the modulation of programmed death 1 (PD-1) and its ligand programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) through JAK/STAT pathway during the development of a psoriasis-like disease by both in vitro and in vivo model. Baricitinib, a known inhibitor of JAK1 and JAK2, was used to study the impact on PD-1 and PD-L1.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were stimulated with either anti-CD3/CD28 or PMA/Ionomycin, to modulate level of PD-1 and PD-L1 under psoriasis-like condition. Interferon-gamma (IFNγ) was used to treat HaCaT cells to mimic the diseased keratinocytes found in Psoriatic patients. Psoriasis was induced with Imiquimod (IMQ) in animal model to study the cross-talk between different cell types and pathways.

RESULTS:

Expression levels of PD-1 and PD-L1 in PBMC, and secretion of cytokines, namely tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), IFNγ, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1 β, were down-regulated on treatment with baricitinib. Further, in IFNγ-treated HaCaT cells (keratinocytes) mRNA levels of KRT-17 and PD-L1 were up-regulated.). Interestingly, in IFNγ-treated HaCat cells baricitinib decreased the levels of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1 β, IL-6, and TNFα along with KRT-17 and PD-L1. On IFNγ-treatment. Data from both PBMC and HaCaT suggest an anti-inflammatory role for this compound. Accordingly, baricitinib was able to alleviate disease symptom in IMQ induce mice model of psoriasis. As a consequence of baricitinib treatment down-regulation of p-STAT3, PD- and PD-L1 expression levels were observed.

CONCLUSION:

This study demonstrates a crosstalk between JAK/STAT and PD-1/PD-L1 pathways. It also demonstrates that cytokines such as IFNγ and IL-17 are down-regulated by baricitinib. We believe decreased expressions of PD-1 and PD-L1 may be a consequence of baricitinib-induced down-regulation of IFNγ and IL-17. More importantly, our data from the acute model of psoriasis indicates that PD-L1 behaves as a T-cell-associated T-cell-associated surrogate activation marker rather than immunosuppressive marker in early phase of psoriasis. Therefore it does not exhibit a causal relationship to disease.
Deferasirox causing duodenal ulcer leading to upper gastrointestinal bleed and hemorrhagic shock in a child with beta-thalassemia major
Authors: Tresa Anu , Shankar Guruprasad Hassan , Sarangi Bhakti U , Walimbe Ajay
Published: May 2024

Iron chelators have significantly reduced the morbidity associated with iron overload and improved the quality of life in children with beta-thalassemia major. A 5-year-old female child with beta-thalassemia major on recurrent transfusions and oral chelation with deferasirox was brought with repeated episodes of frank hematemesis and progressive lethargy. Her evaluation revealed anemia, leukocytosis, and deranged liver function with coagulopathy. She was given red blood cell and plasma transfusions with liver supportive medication and proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) infusion. Her upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed multiple ulcers in all three parts of the duodenum, which in the absence of any other likely etiology were attributed to prolonged use of oral deferasirox. The child improved with the above-mentioned measures. Chelation therapy was withheld for 2 weeks and restarted at a lower dose using enteric-coated preparation while PPIs were given for 8 weeks. She showed sustained improvement and remained well on follow-up.
Hand–foot syndrome induced by chemotherapy drug
Authors: Zaiem Ahmed , Hammamia Syrine Ben , Aouinti Imen , Charfi Ons , Ladhari Walid , Kastalli Sarrah , Aidli Sihem E , Lakhoua Ghozlane
Published: May 2024

INTRODUCTION:

Chemotherapy drugs can be responsible of several side effects such as hand–foot syndrome (HFS). This syndrome is also called “palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia” and “acral erythema.” Without proper management, it can deteriorate the quality of life of a patient, leading to temporary or definitive stop of chemotherapy.

AIM OF THIS STUDY:

To identify the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients, the risk factors for occurrence and worsening of this syndrome, and the drugs most likely to be responsible of HFS.

METHODS:

Our study was retrospective, including 42 patients with HFS secondary to a chemotherapy drug. These cases were notified to the National Center of Pharmacovigilance over 7 years. The severity of HFS has been classified according to the NCI-CTCAE v4.0 classification.

RESULTS:

Our population was composed of 40 women and 2 men. The mean age was 51 years. Docetaxel was the main drug associated with this adverse effect. Hands were involved in all cases and were sometimes associated with other skin surfaces apart from feet. Erythema of the hands and/or feet was present in all patients; it was associated with edema in more than half of the cases. The distribution of different grades according to the NCI-CTCAE classification among the patients was almost equal: 28% Grade 1, 36% Grade 2, and 36% Grade 3. HFS occurred mainly after the first course of chemotherapy with a mean period of 3–4 days. The regression of HFS occurred more rapidly for Grade 1 and Grade 2 compared with Grade 3, especially when assisted by symptomatic treatment. The recurrence rate of HFS for those patients with decreased doses, spacing of cures, and/or symptomatic and prophylaxis treatment was 25%.

CONCLUSION:

An early detection of HFS, associated with preventive measures, enables patients to continue the chemotherapy.
A comprehensive review on traditional applications, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology of Thymus serpyllum
Authors: Salaria Deeksha , Rolta Rajan , Lal Uma Ranjan , Dev Kamal , Kumar Vikas
Published: May 2024

Thymus serpyllum L. from the Lamiaceae family is an underexplored perennial medicinal shrub with traditional usage in treating respiratory and gastrointestinal issues in the upper foothills of India. This review aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of current knowledge concerning the traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of T. serpyllum. The primary objective is to collect updated information on this plant and encourage further in vivo and in vitro research to validate local claims. Notably, the essential oil derived from T. serpyllum has gained significant attention as a plant-derived product due to its diverse pharmacological properties, including antioxidative, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities. Ethnomedicinal research revealed a vast scope of T. serpyllum in developing new drugs to address numerous health sector challenges. While T. serpyllum has been used widely, pharmacological studies are not enough. Most studies are either in vivo or in vitro. More studies are required to assess these medicinal claims through well-planned pharmacological experiments. This review will provide the groundwork for future research. While T. serpyllum has been put to considerable conventional use, pharmacological studies are insufficient; most studies are either in vivo or in vitro. More compound isolation, comprehensive pharmacological analysis, and exploration of food applications are vital areas to investigate.
Neuroprotective potential of erucic acid via inhibition of N2a cell lines and rotenone induced Parkinson’s disease rat model
Authors: Sharma Bhawna , Gupta Pankaj , Biswas Largee , Verma Anita Kamra , Pasha Arif Mohammad , Thota Prasad , Medhi Bikash
Published: May 2024

OBJECTIVE:

The objective of this study was to investigate the potential for erucic acid (EA), an omega-9 monounsaturated fatty acid, to act as a neuroprotective agent.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

In this study, EA was investigated against N2a cell lines and a rotenone (ROT)-induced model of Parkinson’s disease for its neuroprotective potential. The N2a cell line was incubated with fetal bovine serum, penicillin, and streptomycin supplemented with Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle’s Medium, and the following assays were carried out: (i) MTT, (ii) biocompatibility, (iii) DCFDA, and (iv) diphenylamine. A cell morphology study was also performed. Further, ROT 1 mg/kg s.c. and EA 3 and 10 mg/kg p.o. were given to rats on a daily basis for 21 days, and the following parameters were assessed: (i) neurobehavioral studies, (ii) oxidative stress markers, (iii) neuroinflammatory markers, (iv) neurotransmitters, and (v) histopathological study.

RESULTS:

The cell viability assay revealed that EA showed protection against ROT-induced toxicity in N2a cells, which was confirmed by a cell morphology study. EA decreased oxidative stress and % DNA fragmentation significantly. EA also prevented ROT-induced motor impairment and altered levels of oxidative stress markers, neurotransmitters, and neuroinflammatory markers significantly. When compared to the ROT group, a histological investigation of the EA group showed partial neuronal loss with the existence of intact neurons in between the vacuolated gaps.

CONCLUSION:

This study revealed that EA possesses profound neuroprotective properties in in vitro and in vivo studies. Additional research can be carried out to study the mechanism of EA with respect to its neuroprotective potential.