bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of anti-microbial efficacy among Andrographis Paniculata and Mimusops Elengi on oral microflora: An Experimental in-vitro study
Authors: Krithigaa S. , Harini Priya A. H. , Sreeja C. , Nachiammai N. , Muthukumar R. Sathish , Sri V. L. Premika
Published: September 2024

Introduction:

Oral health is an essential non-integrated part of general health that plays a vital role in preventing chronic diseases. The oral cavity acts as a suitable environment for the proliferation of bacteria by forming a connecting link to invade the tissues through direct contact from outside. For the past few decades, there has been increased resistance of human pathogenic bacteria to the currently used antibiotics and chemotherapeutics for tooth decay, gingivitis, periodontitis and fungal infection among different age groups. Hence, the search has shifted to traditional plants and natural products, which are a good alternative. To create oral hygiene solutions for the prevention of oral infections, several ayurvedic ingredients, including Andrographis paniculata and Mimusops elengi, have been tested for their effectiveness against dental pathogens. The present investigation's purpose is to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration-based antibacterial efficiency of Andrographis paniculata and Mimusops elengi against Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Actinomyces and Candida albicans.

Methodology:

Antimicrobial activity of herbal extracts was determined using the agar well diffusion method. Ethanolic extracts were prepared using a cold extraction method whereas Dimethyl sulfoxide and water were used as dissolution solvents. The diluted herbal extract sample was used as the test sample, while the positive control used was an antibiotic solution and the negative control used was dissolution solvents. The samples were implanted, the bacteria along with the culture media were incubated, and the zone of inhibition was measured.

Results:

The Minimum inhibitory concentration and zones of inhibition of Andrographis Paniculata and Mimusops Elengi showed significant antibacterial efficacy when compared with standards.

Conclusion:

Andrographis Paniculata and Mimusops Elengi may be used as an efficient addition to conventional care in the management of oral disorders, according to their antimicrobial efficacy.
Epithelial–mesenchymal transition in cancer stem cells: Therapeutic implications
Authors: Varun BR , Ramani Pratiba , Arya I , Palani Jayanthi , Joseph Anna P.
Published: September 2024

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are cancer cells that possess characteristics associated with normal stem cells, specifically the ability to give rise to all cell types found in a particular cancer sample. CSCs may generate tumors through the processes of self-renewal and differentiation into multiple cell types. CSCs present in tumors are normally resistant to conventional therapy and may contribute to tumor recurrence. Tumor residuals present after therapy, with CSCs enrichment, have all the hallmarks of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). In this review, we discuss the relationship between EMT and CSCs in cancer progression and its therapeutic implications in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
Fluoride content in various types of tea used by tea stalls in Salem district – An in vitro cross sectional study
Authors: Rajiv D , Prem Diana , Ramesh Maya , Jacob Mathew , Indrapriyadharshini K.
Published: September 2024

Background:

Tea leaves are natural rich source of fluoride and are known as fluorine absorbants. It is consumed on large scale in India and thus needs to be monitored for its daily fluoride consumption by customers. Tea manufacturers should mention fluoride concentrations on the packages to avoid overdose through unknown consumption by consumers.

Objectives:

To detect the levels of fluoride in tea at different periods of boiling and to compare the fluoride levels in various brands of tea at different periods of boiling.

Methodology:

A survey was conducted in 25 tea stalls of Salem on the type of tea and time of boiling black tea. The five most common brands of tea will bought for the study. The stainless-steel vessel will be used in the methodology for boiling tea. Mettur water will be used for the preparation of black tea and 1 g of tea leaves to 100 ml of hot (~95°C) deionized water (1% w/v tea infusion) and allowed the mixture to stand for 5 min in a glass beaker. After 5 min, the infusions were filtered and again left standing until they are cooled to room temperature. All fluoride measurements will be completed within 4 h of the preparation of the infusion. About 2 min and 4 min boiling will be followed. The fluoride present in each brand of tea will be calculated from black tea prepared using 2-(parasulfophenylazo)-1,8-dihydroxy-3,6-naphthalene-disulfonate (SPADNS) calorimetric method.

Results:

The distribution of mean score of fluoride level in tea powders available in tea shops of Salem when boiled in distilled water was (559.00 ± 112.12). The mean score of fluoride level in tea powders available in tea shops of Salem boiled in Mettur water was (689.05 ± 116.34). To test the significance of difference between the average fluoride in tea powders available in tea shops of Salem when boiled in distilled water and Mettur water, the independent t-test was used. the P value is <0.05, and hence, it is found that there is significant difference between the average fluoride in tea powders available in tea shops of Salem boiled in distilled water and Mettur water.

Conclusion:

Thus, the study showed tea consists of significant amount of fluoride concentration that is consumed on daily basis. The study also evaluated fluoride concentration in tea preparations using different water. The study shows necessity for regulations of mentioning fluoride concentration on tea packs.
Relevance of micro-RNAs and their targets as a diagnostic and prognostic marker in oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Thomas Priya , Preethi K. Auxzilia , Selvakumar Sushmaa C. , Ramani Pratibha , Sekar Durairaj
Published: September 2024

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) ranks sixth among all cancers in the world, affecting various sites of the oral cavity with associated several risk factors. High mortality has been associated with the presence of metastasis during the time of diagnosis and an increase in therapeutic relapses. Micro-RNAs (miRNAs) are a group of small non-coding RNAs with salient roles in the initiation and progression of cancer. The tumorigenesis of OSCC is associated with the dysregulation of several miRNAs. MicroRNAs are an area of recent interest, and numerous studies have been reported and are being undertaken to identify their role in diagnostic and prognostic value for oral cancers. Most of the miRNA processing machinery is considered to be either up-/down-regulated in OSCC, but the underlying mechanism of miRNA dysregulation and their activity as either a tumour suppressor or an oncogene in oral carcinogenesis is not yet clear. The article presents a concise review of the available current literature regarding the various miRNAs' signatures in OSCC and their role as diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers.
Histopathological significance of necrosis in oral lesions: A review
Authors: Fathima S Deenul , Gururaj N , Sivapathasundharam B , Vennila A Alagu , Keerthik Lavanya M. K. , Sarayushivani U
Published: September 2024

Necrosis is a localized area of tissue death followed by degradation of tissue by hydrolytic enzymes released from the dead cells, resulting in swelling of organelles, rupture of the plasma membrane, eventual cell lysis, and leakage of intracellular contents into the surrounding tissue. It is always accompanied by an inflammatory reaction. Necrosis is caused by various factors such as hypoxia, physical factors, chemical agents, immunological agents, and microbial agents. Still now, there is no literature review regarding the necrotic lesions of the oral cavity. In this paper, the oral lesions associated with necrosis are categorized under the headings such as odontogenic cysts, odontogenic tumors, salivary gland pathology, and epithelial malignancies. In addition, the histopathological significance of necrosis in oral lesions has been discussed. By suggesting that spotting necrosis in the histopathology aids in determining the diagnosis, tumor behavior, and prognosis of oral lesions.
Self-negligence and awareness among oral precancerous and cancer patients – A cross-sectional questionnaire study
Authors: Nagaraj Vezhavendhan , Priya S , Muthanandam Sivaramakrishnan , Devi M , Giri Umamaheswari , Babu M Aravind
Published: September 2024

Background:

The National Institute of Health and Family Welfare (NIHFW) reports that India has the highest global prevalence of oral cancers. The incidence is significantly more in developing countries when compared to the developed countries. Early detection is key to increasing the survival rate of the patients. Important causes for this late diagnosis could be self-negligence, lack of patient awareness about the causes and asymptomatic and subtle clinical presentation of the lesions.

Aim:

To assess the causes of self-neglect and awareness levels among oral cancer and pre-cancerous patients.

Settings and Design:

A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted among pre-cancerous and cancerous patients.

Methods and Material:

A questionnaire with 16 closed-ended questions was framed relating to the causes of self-neglect and awareness of the patients. A total of 45 patients were selected by convenient sampling technique from the Institutional Tumour Board register of which 62 per cent were male patients and 38 per cent were female patients.

Statistical Analysis:

Data analysis for demographic data, patients' awareness, and causes of self-neglect about precancer and cancer was done using SPSS Version 10.

Results and Conclusions:

The present study concluded that the patients had adequate awareness that deleterious habits could lead to cancer but had a low level of awareness about the other causes of cancer, symptoms and management options available to treat cancer. The study result emphasizes that the government should plan for more cancer-screening camps in order to prevent the progression of cancer and to increase the awareness.

Reference I.D.:2015-05006 for funding the project.ICMR)
Secretory carcinoma in the parotid gland of a pediatric patient. A challenging diagnosis
Authors: Ash Javier , Mallick Sohaib , Vogiatzis Prokopios , Philpott Jonathan
Published: September 2024

Secretory carcinoma is a rare, recently identified and recognized neoplasm in major salivary glands. Few cases have been described with only 16 pediatric cases in the literature. We present a case preoperatively identified as a benign parotid lesion whose management was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Post enucleation of the lesion, histology identified a secretory carcinoma. This led to further and more extensive surgery to ensure complete removal. Clinicians and histopathologists should be aware of secretory carcinoma in their differential, as a high index of suspicion is required to ensure appropriate investigations are performed to obtain the diagnosis. Early identification is important to allow timely appropriate surgery to be performed.
DNA mutilation: A telltale sign of cancer inception
Authors: Anuradha A , Undavalli Suresh Babu , Kumar A Jagadeesh
Published: September 2024

DNA damage is a discrepancy in its chemical structure precipitated by a multitude of factors. Most DNA damages can be repaired efficiently through diverse restorative mechanisms subjective to the type of damage. DNA-damaging agents elicit a medley of cellular retorts like cell cycle arrest, followed by DNA repair mechanisms or apoptosis. An unrepaired DNA damage in a nonreplicating cell does not generally engender mutations but a similar scenario in replicating cell routes to permanent modification of genetic material shrugging to carcinogenesis. DNA mutilation can be allied to disarray in bases, debasement of backbone, or crosslinks. Base damages or backbone damages like single-strand and double-strand DNA breaks are usually produced by reactive oxygen species and ionizing radiation. This substantial DNA damage has broadly been considered to be caused by various exogenous and endogenous agents with variable rates of causality and decrees of risk, sourcing toward cancer or other diseases, necessitating furtherance in diagnostics at sequential points. The purpose of this article is to review in detail the various types of DNA damages, their contributory factors, and recent developments in their identification.
Alveolar type of rhabdomyosarcoma of maxilla–A case report
Authors: Dinakar J , Gowri S , Ann Tryphena E. T.
Published: September 2024

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common sarcoma among children and accounts for 20% of soft tissue sarcomas. In children, close to 50% of rhabdomyosarcomas arise in the head and neck. RMS of the oral cavity is rare and is seen in only 10–12% of all head and neck lesions and the involvement of the jaws is extremely rare. Histopathologically, the various types are pleomorphic type, botryoid type, spindle cell type, embryonal, and alveolar type of RMS. The alveolar variant accounts for almost 30% of all rhabdomyosarcomas and tends to arise in patients of the age group 10–25 years. We present a case of orofacial RMS in a young adult who was referred to our Institution for the management of an odontogenic lesion of the maxilla. The clinicopathological aspects and poor survival rate as a consequence of delayed diagnosis are discussed. We dentists may misdiagnose it as an odontogenic tumour due to its location in the oral and maxillofacial region. Careful clinical history and examination and investigations may help to narrow down the diagnosis. Expert opinion and referrals to oral pathologists and oncologists are essential to arrive at early diagnosis and to initiate the treatment.
Antimicrobial activity of Curcuma amada extract on Streptococcus mutans—An in vitro study
Authors: Maria Jessica J , Karuppiah Karpagaselvi , Shariff Matheen , Mukherjee Aneek
Published: September 2024

Context:

Dental caries is prevalent in spite of widespread use of mechanical and chemical plaque control methods. Streptococcus mutans is said to have a strong background in initiation of dental caries. Hence, exceptional methods are required which would be effective against dental caries. Current era is taking people back to traditional or herbal medicine, which is said to have comparatively better healing effects than synthetic drugs in the market.

Aim:

Determine and analyse the minimum zone of inhibition of Curcuma amada against Streptococcus mutans.

Settings and Design:

An In vitro Study.

Methods, Statistical Analysis Used:

The well diffusion method using blood agar plates was used to evaluate the antibacterial activity of 5%, 10% and 25% concentration of C. Amada extract against Streptococcus mutans in comparison with 0.2% chlorhexidine. Results were statistically analysed using independent sample t-test or Mann–Whitney U test to compare mean or median zone of inhibition between two groups. Thus, the zone of inhibition (in mm) was analysed using the mean of all the readings obtained and the level of significance at <0.05 was considered statistically significant at 5% of level of significance.

Results:

Maximum zone of inhibition was found to be with C. amada compared to corresponding concentration of 0.2% chlorhexidine. Thus, inhibitory effect of C. amada is significantly better than 5%, 10% and 25% chlorhexidine mouthwash. The inhibitory effect increases as the concentration increases.

Conclusions:

The antibacterial activity of C. amada against Streptococcus mutans raises the possibility of incorporating it in various dental therapeutic agents.
A study to estimate the serum IgA and salivary IgA levels in patients with oral leukoplakia and oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Yadav Parul , Shetty Vishwaprakash , Dave Aparna , Chandolia Betina , Mathur Apoorva , Saluja Pulin
Published: September 2024

Context:

The increasing death rate because of oral cancer is mainly due to its late diagnosis. Tumour markers are often detected in abnormal amounts in blood, urine or saliva of patients with certain types of cancer. Diagnosing cancer through human saliva has advantages such as low invasiveness, minimum cost and easy sample collection. We have used serum immunoglobulin A (IgA) and salivary IgA for our present study.

Aims:

The aim of present study was to estimate serum and salivary IgA levels in oral leukoplakia and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients.

Settings and Design:

The study included 40 patients; 10 in the control group, 15 cases with oral leukoplakia and 15 cases with OSCC.

Methods and Material:

The blood samples and saliva were taken from clinically diagnosed oral leukoplakia and OSCC patients and were tested for IgA levels.

Statistical analysis used:

The data were analysed using SPSS 16.0. The mean values were compared between the groups by using analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by post-hoc test for group-wise comparison. P value ≤ 0.05 was considered significant.

Results:

It was observed that the comparison of levels of serum IgA in control and leukoplakia group; control and OSCC group; leukoplakia and OSCC group were found to be statistically significant. Also, comparison between the levels of salivary IgA in control and OSCC group was found to be statistically significant.

Conclusion:

It is suggested that the serum and salivary IgA levels could be a better adjuvant diagnostic marker along with routine markers in patients with premalignant and malignant lesions.
Comparison of Dexmedetomidine and Propofol on Serum Neutrophil Gelatinase-associated Lipocalin Levels of Patients after Thoracotomy
Authors: Farzanegan Behrooz , Mirtajani Seyed Bashir , Hemmatyar Mohammadreza , Fani Kamal , Jabbari Ali , Sayadi Shahram , Jahangirifard Alireza
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND:

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a well-known complication of surgery that increases the death rate and the side costs of postoperative care and treatment. Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a protein that is emerging as a new marker in the early detection of kidney damage.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE:

In this study, we try to compare the effect of propofol (Pro) and dexmedetomidine (Dex) on activity in patients undergoing thoracotomy by evaluating and measuring the amount of renal function evaluation factors similar to blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, and NGAL.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

All patients who underwent thoracotomy (with two types of anesthetics Dex and Pro) in the first 6 months of 2019 (April–September) in Masih Daneshvari Hospital were included in this study and the information obtained from all of them was based on a questionnaire design.

RESULTS:

The BUN index in patients of the two groups was significantly different in three time periods before surgery, 2 h after surgery, and 24 h. Based on the available results, the NGAL index as a factor in assessing renal function was significantly different in the two groups of patients. However, the mean numerical values in all three intervals of NGAL levels were much lower in the patients of the Pro group. However, other indicators in the study did not show significant changes in terms of mean values in the two groups of patients.

CONCLUSION:

Pro significantly reduced NGAL compared with Dex for thoracotomy surgery.
The Effectiveness of Multimedia Education on Patients' Knowledge and Behavior on Fall Prevention
Authors: Nasiri Shamsi , Daneshvar Samira , Emami Habib , Nasiri Fatemeh , Batebi Dina , Bahrambeygi Fatemeh
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND:

Falls are considered a serious problem among hospital events. Patients in hospitals are at risk for falls due to unfamiliar and potentially high-risk environments, weak physical conditions, and medicines that may increase fall risk.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE:

There is some evidence that patient education is an important component of multifactorial interventions for falls prevention. Given that patient education has an effective role in falls preventions at hospitals, the purpose of this study was to evaluate multimedia education for preventing falls.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

A quasi-experimental design was used to investigate the effectiveness of educational materials in fall prevention program at Masih Daneshvari hospital. The study was conducted in four models of a patient education program. Patients' knowledge and skill of fall prevention in the hospital were tested on admission (pretest) and day 7 (posttest). The intervention was delivered after admission in all groups.

RESULTS:

There were 204 patients in four intervention groups and 50 patients in the control group. The comparison of the intervention groups with the control group showed that the changes in knowledge and behavior in the group that used multimedia education were significantly higher compared to traditional education.

CONCLUSION:

The findings of the present study suggest that patient education can be considered one of the main strategies to prevent falls, especially in a hospital setting. Further, the use of multimedia education simultaneously with face-to-face training has a synergistic effect and increases the effectiveness of fall prevention education programs.
The Diagnostic Conundrum of Lupus Vulgaris versus Cutaneous Sarcoidosis
Authors: Geetha K. , Puja  , Kumari Niraj , Gupta Shruti
Published: September 2024

Infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes tuberculosis (TB). Lupus vulgaris is one of the most common forms of cutaneous TB, which affects 1%–2% of TB patients. Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease with an unknown origin, and skin involvement is the second most common symptom. Both TB and sarcoidosis are granulomatous diseases. Depending on investigations, it is often hard to distinguish sarcoidosis from TB, especially when serum angiotensin-converting enzyme levels are high in certain cases of TB with negative acid-fast staining in the biopsy specimen. This is a report of two patients where there was trouble distinguishing between sarcoidosis and TB based on laboratory reports but was eventually diagnosed with cutaneous TB based on the Mantoux, QuantiFERON-TB Gold test, and histopathological pattern. Anti-TB therapy was administered to those patients, and the skin lesions resolved completely.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration Between Engineering and Nursing On Baby Crying Analyzing and Classification
Authors: Ozdemir Serap , Yilmaz Efe Çetin
Published: September 2024

This study aims to reveal a multidisciplinary study on analysis and signal processing on infant crying in the field of engineering and nursing. It is a known fact that babies report all their needs with crying behavior. It is often very difficult for those responsible for the baby to determine the needs of the baby with this crying behavior. It is of great importance for the comfort of the baby that the parents can accurately predict the crying behavior and needs of the babies. For this reason, the analysis of the sound signals produced by babies during crying behavior is an interesting subject in the field of engineering. In the literature, proposed approaches capture the baby's cry signal and extract a unique set of features from this signal using Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients, Linear Predictive Cepstral Coefficients, and pitch. This feature set is used to distinguish between partner signals to recognize the causes of crying. Furthermore, this classification is used to represent different classes of causes of crying, such as hunger, pain, sleep, and discomfort. As a result, in this study, the clinical analysis of infant crying behaviors was examined and optimum solutions were evaluated in terms of engineering. Thus, new approaches have been tried to be brought by analyzing artificial intelligence-based sound analysis systematics.
Strategies, Technologies, and Challenges in the Management of COVID-19 Pandemic by Telehealth
Authors: Babamahmoodi Abdolreza , Arefnasab Zahra , Marjani Matin , Poorhosseini Seyed Mohammad , Rezaei Mitra , Marjani Majid
Published: September 2024

Presenting professional health services after the COVID-19 pandemic age may be recognized with numerous critical features that did not exist in preceding pandemics. The widespread world web and cyberspace, social media, and technologies for providing remote intelligent health services are the most prominent differences between the recent pandemic and previous ones. Most health-care providers in the pandemic era focus more on the technologies needed to set up telehealth but do not pay enough attention to the strategies and challenges ahead. They are more focused on the lucrative health market in the days of the pandemic but do not have appropriate and dynamic strategies for it. This article addresses the strategies, technologies, and challenges facing telehealth and emphasizes the importance and priority of the necessary strategies, prioritizing technology.
Is a Time to Established Medical Mycobacteriology as an Academic Degree (Master of Science)? Strategical Plan for Next Future
Authors: Velayati Ali Akbar , Aghajani Jafar , Farnia Parissa
Published: September 2024

The genus Mycobacterium contains more than 190 species, including several major human pathogens as well as numerous environmental species. With so much advances in molecular methods, the transmission of huge number of mycobacteria called nontuberculosis mycobacterium (NTM) is still under a question. Till date, the majority of work have been focused on tuberculosis (TB) complex mycobacteria, the knowledge of human-to-human, environmental, animal-to-human transmission, and vice versa susceptibility, and most of their NTM genomic structures have been ignored, especially in limited-resource countries. For example, in Iran, there are currently 423 public laboratories for direct smear microscopy (DSM) and 42 laboratories for mycobacterial cultures, and 9 diagnostic centers for susceptibility and identification of TB complex from NTM species. Only National TB Reference Laboratory in Iran is capable of identifying subspecies of NTMs and preforms second-line drug resistant. Furthermore, there are some governmental centers such as Pasteur and Razi Institutes that are capable to detect TB and NTM species within the country. Due to the importance of these opportunistic microorganisms that caused pulmonary and extrapulmonary infections, the need for specialized personnel in this field seems to be necessary. Due to the weakness of governing bodies to educate personals in the TB laboratories, it is essential to have an academic degree as a “Master of Science (MSc)” in medical universities to educate skilled academic individuals in this particular field. As a consequence, we can expect to use the updated identification methods and perform research in various fields of NTMs. With no doubt, this course will help to recognize the related diseases and improve the overall public health problems because Mycobacterium species are no longer considered to be a narrow group of microorganisms.
Elucidating the Mechanism of Anthocyanidins in Selected Axonal Regeneration Pathways In silico
Authors: Nas John Sylvester , Del Callar Iris Kate , Mendoza Katlyn Keila , Verde Precious Dianne , Carapatan Francheska Anne , Abesamis Lana Gabrielle , Hermano Jasmine Grace , Navarette Angelica , Baldovino Jorlyn Anne
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND:

Anthocyanidins are plant pigments known for their protective effect against inflammation, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. Axonal degeneration has been a hallmark of several neurodegenerative and neuropathic illnesses.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE:

Recently, several studies have attempted to stimulate axonal regeneration by targeting the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), Nogo, and transforming growth factor (TGF) pathways.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

To illuminate an understanding of the potential of anthocyanidins to promote axon regeneration, we investigated anthocyanidins' physicochemical properties, binding affinity, and noncovalent interactions with enzymes downstream of mTOR, Nogo, and TGF beta (TGF-β) pathways that are known to inhibit axonal regeneration.

RESULTS:

We discovered that the six anthocyanidins we examined have favorable blood-brain barrier permeability and high estimated oral bioavailability. Most of the anthocyanidins exhibited the highest binding affinity with GSK3, Ret4, and TGF-βR1 in the mTOR-, Nogo-, TGF-β pathway. These compounds demonstrated a high number of hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds with the selected proteins, which may explain the high binding affinity.

CONCLUSION:

Although our findings are inconclusive due to the limitation of the in silico study, the binding affinity of anthocyanidins with these inhibitory enzymes may modulate them. However, it does not ensure axonal regrowth, necessitating additional in vivo and in vitro research.
Current Understanding of Alzheimer's Disease on Biomarkers, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Modalities, and Diagnosis, Prevention, and Treatment Approach
Authors: Varnagar Chintan Revashnakar , Shah Hitesh
Published: September 2024

Alzheimer's disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disorder in which Activities of Daily Living (ADL) are hampered and steep decline in gross cognitive function is observed, in the early stage of life. AD is characterized by progressive loss and damage to the structure and/or function of neuronal cell, resulting in death of neurons, however, etiology and pathophysiology of the disease are not known in its entirety. The purpose of this article is to understand, analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information in order to provide conclusive, decisive, and actionable information on (1) microscopic features and known etiology, pathophysiology, genes involved, and protein misfolding observed in AD; (2) selection and use of prominent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) modalities and allied biomarkers to detect and diagnose AD by application of AI techniques; (3) role of preventive intervention (diet and lifestyle) in reducing risk of developing AD, to act on modifiable and correctable risk factors of AD, to manage AD and treatment strategies of AD through the use of pharmacology and therapeutic drugs. Deep learning-based techniques have proven capabilities to learn features automatically to discriminate class effectively. We proposed a method that incorporates features (biomarkers) derived from the structural MRI modality, clinical assessment tools, and personal and demographic quantifiable parameters into a convolution neural network. and further boosted the ensemble-based learning algorithm to improve prediction accuracy. An ensemble-based learning algorithm is then used to integrate weights to improve prediction accuracy.
Isoniazid Nano-drug Delivery Systems Targeting Macrophages for the Treatment of Tuberculosis
Authors: Vemula Sree Lakshmi , Gupta Mahima Tejasvni
Published: September 2024

In the current clinical setting, the management of Mycobacterium tuberculosis remains a challenge. Isoniazid (INH) remains a drug of choice for treating tuberculosis (TB) via the conventional oral route. However, INH has low plasma levels due to its poor permeability into the bacterial cell. Furthermore, it has a short half-life of 1–4 h, indicating a brief residence in the plasma. Therefore, multiple administration frequencies at high doses are required, leading to multi-drug resistance and other side effects like nephrotoxicity. Lungs being the main target organ for TB, a pulmonary route of administration could be an alternative route to overcome such shortcomings. Due to multiple clearance mechanisms and biological barriers that restrict the entry of particles into the respiratory system, the pulmonary route of drug administration may not always be efficient. Thus, the era of nanotechnology has emerged as one of the most promising approaches to developing various drugs for overcoming such challenges. This review article highlights the anatomy and physiology of the lungs, the barriers to the pulmonary drug delivery system, and how these barriers decide the drug disposition at the target site. In addition, the various properties of the drug delivery systems such as size, shape, and charge have been discussed in the subsections, followed by various formulation-based drug delivery systems for INH, including preclinical investigation studies.
Antibiotic Susceptibility Profile of Bacterial Uropathogens in Al-Shomali General Hospital, Babylon, Iraq
Authors: Alhusayni Ali Abedulameer , Obayes Al-Khikani Falah Hasan , Aljaburi Hassanin Khalil , Ali Alkareawiu Bassim Abed , Abadi Raheem Malallah
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND:

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a group of common diseases that are among the most common bacterial infections in humans. Antibiotics are often effective therapy, although antibiotic resistance is increasing. The study aimed to isolated pathogenic bacteria from UTI patients attended to Al-Shomali General Hospital and to detect the antibiotic susceptibility rate to isolated bacteria.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

The bacterial identification and antibacterial susceptibility of this work were done in the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory of Al-Shomali General Hospital for the period between March 1, 2022, and June 1, 2022. Bacteria have been diagnosed by morphology and biochemical tests as well as using some selective and differential media. The results were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 26 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).

RESULTS:

A total of 124 positive urine cultures were studied that showed 101 (81.4%) females and 23 (18.5%) males. The data revealed the most predominant of uropathogen isolates were Escherichia coli (34%), Staphylococcus aureus (31%), Staphylococcus saprophyticus (13%), Enterococcus spp. (11%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (4%), Klebsiella spp. (3%), Micrococcus spp. (2%), and Proteus mirabilis (2%). Antibiotic resistance in this study shows the most bacteria resistance for an antibiotic is P. mirabilis (81%), P. aeruginosa (76%), Enterococcus spp. (66%), S. aureus (65%), E. coli (54%), S. saprophyticus (52%), Micrococcus spp. (48%), and Klebsiella spp. (44%).

CONCLUSIONS:

In UTI infections, resistant bacteria are becoming increasingly prevalent, with a high proportion of multidrug-resistant isolates. Furthermore, the meropenem, imipenem, and amikacin seemed to be more effective against bacterial UTI infection in this setting.
The Effect of Virtual Reality Technology on Reducing Pain and Stress During Arterial Catheter Placement
Authors: Fadaizadeh Lida , Sanaat Mohammad , Taheri Seyed Mohammad Jafar , Sistani Marjan
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND:

Different pharmacological ways for pain and stress control exists, but still, there is space for alternative therapeutic methods and researchers are looking for novel ways to achieve this goal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of virtual reality (VR) in reducing pain and stress during minor interventions such as arterial line placement.

METHODS:

In this study, patients who were candidates for arterial catheter placement before anesthesia induction were selected. Eligible patients were randomly divided into case and control groups. After obtaining consent from both groups and applying local anesthesia, the procedure was performed while displaying a film by VR camera for case group. After the procedure, pain, stress, and satisfaction levels were asked from patients. Pain score was measured by Visual Analog Scale score and during the procedure, vital signs were recorded to detect changes.

RESULTS:

The results in case and control patients showed that 47.5% of patients in case group and 22.5% of patients in control group had pain (P value = 0.019). Considering stress, respectively, 32.5% and 45% of the patients in the control and case groups reported positive (P = 0.251). Intergroup comparison of vital signs showed no significant difference between the case and control groups.

CONCLUSIONS:

According to the results, patients in case group experienced more pain and stress in comparison to the control group which shows that using the new technology was not quite acceptable. Therefore, we recommend the patients experience and be familiarized with the new device in normal condition before using it for procedures.
Scorpion Envenomations in Algeria
Authors: Selmane Schehrazad , Lhadj Mohamed
Published: September 2024

CONTEXT:

Due to its climatic and ecological characteristics, Algeria shelters a diverse scorpion fauna and scorpion envenomations represent an actual public health issue.

AIMS:

The purpose of this retrospective study was to bring word on the trend, spatial distribution, and spatial clustering of scorpion envenomations in Algeria.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

The Moran's I statistic was used to analyse the global spatial autocorrelation and the first order Queen's contiguity rule was used to specify the spatial neighborhood relationship.

RESULTS:

A total of 1,274,154 scorpion sting accidents including 2347 deaths have been recorded from 1991 to 2020. In 2019, the incidence was 116.7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, and only 3 of Algeria's 48 provinces were free of scorpion sting accidents. 47% of sting cases occurred in the Sahara, 46% in the high plateaus and 7% in the Tell and all southern provinces had an incidence varying between 162 and 827 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The incidence rates exhibited spatial autocorrelation globally; all Moran index values ranged between 0.49 and 0.66 and all z-scores were greater than the critical value at 0.05 level of significance. The most significant hot spots were located in the Sahara and the high plateaus and the most significant cold spots were located in the tell.

CONCLUSIONS:

There is a need to reframe the set objectives and the actions to be carried out taking into account spatial clustering, seasonality, and species spatial distribution. A good management can be achieved by active public participation at all levels of planning, decision-making, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
Asymptomatic Individuals with Coronavirus Disease-19 as Infectious Cases and Encouragement Immunity Hypothesis
Authors: Kadhim Ali Saad , Abdullah Younus Jasim , Hasan Noor Flayyih
Published: September 2024

Asymptomatic individuals with coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) play a significant role in viral transmission. These individuals are in the incubation period as healthy. Until now, the immune responses of asymptomatic individuals have not been fully understood, and research evidence is very lacking but few studies have indicated increases in the number of lymphocytes in the blood, giving them strong cellular immunity. The blood of survivor's silent carriers (asymptomatic individuals) may be used as prophylaxis or/and treatment for patients. This review is focused on COVID-19 transmission, appropriate screening and testing, perspectives on immune responses in silent patients and their role in the transmission of infection, the association of human leukocyte antigen haplotypes and COVID-19 infection, and the perspectives on convalescence plasma and encouragement immunity hypothesis as treatment and/or prophylaxis for COVID-19 management. The current review can serve as an incentive for researchers in the field of immunology, ecology, and virology. The review also rationally reports and critically analyzes the information available by focusing on and identifying future steps and strategies aimed at finding suitable solutions to COVID-19 management challenges by encouraging immunity.
Nitrofurantoin Sensitivity among Escherichia coli and Gram-Positive Cocci Isolated from Urinary Tract Infection
Authors: Obayes Al-Khikani Falah Hasan , Alhusayni Ali Abedulameer , Jasim Sabreen Hamdan
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND:

Urine samples constitute a major proportion of the samples tested in routine diagnostic laboratories. Nitrofurination used to treat urinary tract infection (UTI) for both Gram-positive and negative bacteria. Resistance to UTI is growing with time, so continuous evaluation of antibiotic is urgent.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Mid-stream urine samples were collected from patients suspected with UTI. All these samples were inoculated on culture media aerobically at 37°C for overnight. A total of 100 bacteria of bothEscherichia coliand Gram-positive cocci were diagnosed by general diagnostic bacteriological methods. Disc diffusion method used for antibiotic sensitivity test; two discs were tested, nitrofurination 300 μg and ceftazidime 30 μg. All the statistical analyses were done using SPSS 26 software and the Excel app.

RESULTS:

From the total of 100-positive specimens, the female was high prevalence with 72 specimens (72%), whereas males were just 28 specimens (28%) significantly (P< 0.0001). Nitrofurination was very sensitive inE. coliat 90.6% compared to G+ cocci at 33.3% (P< 0.0001). Ceftazidime showed no differences betweenE. coli28.1% and G+ cocci 27.8% (P= 0.97).

CONCLUSION:

Nitrofurination is effective in bothE. coliand G+ ve cocci, but it is more effective against Gram-negative bacteria(E. coli)90.6% than G+ ve cocci 33.3% significantly (P< 0.0001). There is no significant correlation between ceftazidime and nitrofurantoin (r= −0.07,P= 0.44).
In silico Characterization of Toxicophores Found in Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) and its Molecular Interaction with Kidney and Liver Enzymes
Authors: B. Nas John Sylvester , Panaga Corrinnette L. , Florendo Mikaela G. , Gacutan Daves T. , V. Dator Alyanna Celine , G. Cesario Mary Ann , R. Delos Santos Rina Andrea , P. Mendez James Patrick , Jose Mariel C. , C. Tamaña Eliana Rachelle
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY:

Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass) is known for its various therapeutic claims. However, the abuse and misuse of herbal medicine is not uncommon. This study investigates the potential toxicophores present in lemongrass plant extract and their binding interaction with kidney and liver enzymes in silico.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Phytochemicals were identified from 74 articles from various databases. The toxic substructures, oral bioavailability, and clearance of these phytochemicals were characterized virtually. The binding affinity of these phytochemicals to different liver and kidney enzymes, namely gamma-glutamyl transferase, glutathione S-transferase, glutathione synthase, renin, human alkaline phosphatase, and 1-alpha-hydroxylase, was predicted and visualized.

RESULTS:

There were twenty distinct phytochemicals present in lemongrass leaf extract identified from various research articles. Of these twenty phytochemicals, only five were determined to be both hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic despite the majority being found to have high oral bioavailability and low liver and renal clearance. Moreover, isoorientin, which has high liver and renal clearance, was the only phytochemical with a high binding affinity to the liver enzyme gamma-glutamyl transferase and kidney enzyme renin. Meanwhile, the rest of the phytochemicals did not demonstrate high binding affinity to the other liver and kidney enzymes, despite having low clearance.

CONCLUSION:

Overall, these findings suggest that 13 of the phytochemicals identified may not affect the selected enzymes but may influence other liver and kidney enzymes due to their low liver and renal clearance.
Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Response Interplay
Authors: Olaniyan Mathew Folaranmi , Muhibi Musa Abidemi , Olaniyan Tolulope Busayo
Published: September 2024

Oxidative stress and inflammatory responses are two highly related processes that, when interacted with, can have profound health consequences. Oxidative stress refers to an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species and the body's antioxidant defense mechanisms, and the inflammatory response is the body's response to injury, infection, or tissue damage. This work was designed to review the relationship between oxidative stress and inflammatory response to provide useful information. Relevant and accurate literature were sourced from WHO. CDC, NCDC, PubMed, Scopus, PLoS One, and NATURE journals. Interference between these two processes can lead to accelerated aging, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and neurological diseases. Maintaining a balance between oxidative stress and the inflammatory response is critical to promoting overall health and preventing the progression of chronic disease. Several knowledge and research gaps were found and reported in this study. Oxidative stress and inflammatory responses are closely related, and their dysregulation may play a role in the pathogenesis of many medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease, neurological disease, and cancer. Management of oxidative stress and inflammation through lifestyle modification and medical interventions, including appropriate attention to the knowledge and research gaps identified in this work, could provide significant therapeutic benefits in these conditions.
Moraxella catarrhalis in People with Cystic Fibrosis
Authors: Moore John E. , Rendall Jacqueline C. , Millar Beverley Cherie
Published: September 2024

BACKGROUND:

The gammaproteobacteria, Moraxella
catarrhalis (MC) is commonly isolated from respiratory specimens from people with cystic fibrosis (PwCF), although its prevalence and clinical significance in cystic fibrosis (CF) remains largely unreported in international patient registries and the wider scientific literature.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE:

The aim of this study was to examine the time-to-first-isolation of MC and to correlate this with patient gender and CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) mutation type.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

The microbiology of respiratory specimens from 100 adult (≥18 years) PwCF was examined (50 females; 50 males; mean age 24.6 years ± 6.25 (Standard deviation [SD]) from birth to present, equating to 2455 patient-years. Time-to-first-isolation was determined and correlated with (i) CFTR mutation type and (ii) PwCF gender.

RESULTS:

MC was isolated from 27 (27/100 [27%] adult CF patients [18 female/9 males]); (i) F508del/F508del homozygous (55.6%; 15/27) and (ii) F508del/other heterozygous (37.0%; 10/27) and (iii) Other (7.4%; 2/27). The median and mean time to the first isolation of MC was 60 months and 71.8 months (SD = 66.2 months; standard error of the mean = 12.7 months), respectively; shortest time was 1 month, the longest time was 254 months. The highest rate of MC isolation was from 2 years until 10 years and by the age of 18 years, approximately 96.3% of positive patients had recorded their first MC isolate. By 21.2 years, all positive patients had recorded their first MC isolation. There was no statistical significance in the time-to-first-isolation of MC in relation to the CFTR mutation group or with patient gender.

CONCLUSIONS:

MC is commonly isolated from respiratory specimens of PwCF. This work represents an advance in biomedical science as it identifies time points in the person with CF’s disease staging, which may allow mitigating infection prevention interventions to be established, as well as vigilance to help prevent MC acquisition.