bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Principles of diagnosis and treatment of alcohol-induced liver fibrosis
Authors: Garbuzenko D. V.
Published: May 2022

Alcohol-related liver diseases are one of the leading causes of death worldwide, primarily due to complications of liver cirrhosis (LC). Early detection of alcohol-induced liver fibrosis (LF) is a difficult task, since often  alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is clinically manifested only at late stages. Given that not all alcoholic suffer from ALD, the widespread use of liver biopsy to verify the diagnosis is not advisable. Despite the variety of proposed non-invasive methods for assessing the severity of LF in patients with ALD, none of them has sufficient validation and therefore cannot be recommended for widespread use in clinical practice. The most well-studied transient elastography, due to its suboptimal specificity, can be effectively used only to exclude clinically significant LF or LC. The only proven approach to treat ALD is persistent and total alcohol abstinence. While the therapeutic options for patients with severe forms of acute hepatitis remain unchanged since the 70s of the last century and are based mainly on the use of corticosteroids, currently, there are no approaches to antifibrotic therapy of ALD approved by the guidelines. At the same time, modern achievements in understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms  of this disease  have served  as an impetus  for  the development  of ways to solve  the problem. In particular, providing intestinal eubiosis may be an important goal for the prevention and treatment of alcohol-induced LF. Randomized controlled multicenter trials involving a large number of patients are needed to confirm this and other hypotheses related to antifibrotic therapy of ALD and to accept them as a standard of medical care.
Real clinical practice of complicated Crohn’s disease treatment with ustekinumab: clinical case presentation
Authors: Makarchuk P. A. , Lomakina E. Yu. , Belousova E. A. , Dubrova S. E.
Published: May 2022

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a severe immune-mediated disease with segmental transmural inflammation and ulcers in gastrointestinal tract most often in terminal ileum and colon. The disease is often associated with severe complications such as fistulas and strictures that require aggressive treatment or surgery. CD treatment remains the unresolved and one of the most serious problems in gastroenterology. Glucocorticosteroids (GCS) are the essential treatment options for many years but unfortunately the frequency of steroid resistance and steroid dependence are constantly increasing. In the cases of steroid refractory CD treatment options include biologics of different classes: tumour necrosis factor alfa - inhibitors (iTNF-α), α4β7 integrin inhibitor (vedolizumab), IL-12/23 inhibitor (ustekinumab). Any of these drugs can be used in bio-naïve CD patients, however secondary loss of response was noted for all biologics over time.

In the cases of the first line treatment failure the problem of correct choice of the second and subsequent lines of biologics appears, since some biologics may show lower efficacy in the second line of treatment. Real clinical practice will allow us to make a more correct choice of next biologic. Ustekinumab, a human interleukin -12/23 monoclonal antibody is one of biologics that is highly effective in the first-line CD therapy and remains effective in the subsequent lines of treatment. We present a clinical case of complicated CD in young female with negative disease prognosis and loss of response to three iTNF-α. In this case the high efficacy of ustekinumab after multiple iTNF-α failure was demonstrated.
Disorders of intestinal microbiocenosis: expanding the application of probiotics
Authors: Trukhan D. I.
Published: May 2022

The problem of interaction between a person and the intestinal microbiome is surrounded by many secrets and mysteries. The bacterial flora of the gastrointestinal tract has a local and systemic effect not only on the digestive system, but also on  the entire body as a whole. Numerous studies have proved the pathogenetic relationship of the state of the intestinal biocenosis not only with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, but also with pathological processes from other organs and systems of the body. In terms of its role in maintaining homeostasis, the intestinal microflora is not inferior to any other vital organ. In the presented review, the current aspects of the terminology and clinic of disorders of intestinal microbiocenosis are considered. Probiotics occupy an important place in the complex therapy of intestinal microbiocenosis disorders and the corresponding clinical manifestations. The review considers the main mechanisms of probiotic / host interaction, non-immunological and immunological effects of probiotics and the requirements for them, the main directions of use of representatives of the normal microflora Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. The data of meta-analyzes and systematic reviews, testifying to the expansion of indications for the appointment of probiotics, are considered the possibilities of probiotics in the complex therapy of Helicobacter pylori infection, syndrome of increased epithelial intestinal permeability, and the prevention of respiratory infections.

The review concludes with the results of a search in the PubMed database on the possibility of using probiotics in the prevention and treatment of a new coronavirus infection COVID-19. The availability of modern, effective and safe probiotics in the arsenal of a practical doctor (primarily a general practitioner and general practitioner), and their use, contributes to the optimization of drug therapy not only in gastroenterological patients, but also in patients with other somatic pathologies, including those with new coronavirus infection COVID-19.
Dyspepsia: terminology, causes and risk factors, patient management
Authors: Syunyaeva L. A. , Shulpekova N. V. , Lapina T. L.
Published: May 2022

Clarification of the term dyspepsia is associated with the development of ideas about functional diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and the development and implementation of the Rome criteria for these diseases. Dyspepsia is a complex of symptoms related to the gastroduodenal region and includes epigastric pain and burning sensation, epigastric fullness after eating, and early satiety. Dyspepsia is widespread, with about 20% of the adult population having these symptoms. It is important to note that in the majority of individuals with dyspepsia (up to 80%), the organic, systemic or metabolic cause of symptoms cannot be identified using traditional diagnostic methods, indicating its functional nature. In H. pylori-infected patients with dyspepsia, symptoms may be associated with gastritis if successful eradication is followed by sustained remission (H. pylori-associated dyspepsia). If dyspepsia persists after etiological treatment of bacterial gastritis, a diagnosis of functional dyspepsia should be established. A feature of functional dyspepsia is the frequent overlap of its clinical variants (postprandial distress syndrome (PPDS) and epigastric pain syndrome SBE) in one patient, as well as the frequent combination with other functional diseases (for example, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). For the symptomatic treatment of functional dyspepsia, drugs of various groups are prescribed: gastric acid supressants, prokinetics, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, as well as new drugs for this indication (H1 blockers, budesonide). The effectiveness of proton pump inhibitors, including in combination with prokinetics, has a high level of scientific evidence.
Functional gastrointestinal diseases: mechanisms of development and principles of multitarget therapy
Authors: Maev I. V. , Andreev D. N. , Zaborovsky A. V. , Lobanova E. G.
Published: May 2022

Currently, functional dyspepsia (FD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are among the most common nosological  units in the structure of functional gastrointestinal  diseases in adults. An important problem of treatment of these diseases at the current stage of medicine is low efficiency of monotarget drugs, which is determined by multicomponent pathogenesis. Indeed, the currently available  methods of drug treatment of FD and IBS have suboptimal  efficacy, as illustrated  by recent meta-analyses demonstrating high rates of NNT (the average number of patients who need to be treated to achieve a certain favorable outcome). In addition, the frequent “overlap” of these diseases forces clinicians to prescribe several drugs with different pharmacological actions to the patient, which inevitably leads to a decrease in compliance. The optimal strategy for managing patients with FD and IBS is the tactics of multitarget drugs that act on several links in the pathogenesis of these pathologies and have a significant evidence base in the effectiveness and safety of use. STW 5 (Iberogast®), included  in the clinical  guidelines  of the Russian Gastroenterological Association on the diagnosis and treatment of patients with FD, published in 2017, has the above-mentioned characteristics, as well as the clinical guidelines of the Russian Gastroenterological Association in collaboration with the Russian Association of Coloproctologists on the diagnosis and treatment of IBS, published in 2021. The clinical effectiveness of Iberogast in the treatment of FD and IBS has been demonstrated in a number of randomized trials, the results of which showed high efficacy of the drug and its good tolerability.
VDAC1-based peptide as potential treatment for pathologies of the liver and pancreas
Authors: Nikolenko V. N. , Rizaeva N. A. , Bolotskaia A. A. , Bulygin K. V.
Published: May 2022

Diseases associated with damage to such vital organs of the digestive system as the liver and pancreas are an urgent problem of world health. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a worldwide epidemic; the problem of type 2 diabetes (T2D) mellitus becomes more acute every year; hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. In spite of progress in identifying risk factors, at the moment there is no generally accepted strategy for a complete cure for these pathologies. Mitochondria, with multiple functions, are key cell organelles. VDAC1, a channel in the outer membrane of mitochondria, is involved in the regulation of cell energy homeostasis, cellular stress, Ca2+ concentration, plays an important role in mitochondria-mediated apoptosis, and also interacts with more than 100 proteins. Numerous channel functions make peptides containing the VDAC1 sequence attractive for therapeutic use. In this article, we consider the VDAC1-based peptide (R-Tf-D-LP4) as a promising method for the treatment of metabolic disorders, and we present possible mechanisms by which the peptide affects the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates. R-Tf-D-LP4 is able to restore normal liver morphology (reducing manifestations of fatty degeneration of hepatocytes, inflammation and fibrosis), is able to slow down the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma by inducing apoptosis and bring blood glucose levels close to normal due to restoration of the normal morphological structure of the pancreas.
An FPGA-based Convolution IP Core for Deep Neural Networks Acceleration
Authors: Nguyen Xuan-Quang , Pham-Quoc Cuong
Published: May 2022

The development of machine learning has made a revolution in various applications such as object detection, image/video recognition, and semantic segmentation. Neural networks, a class of machine learning, play a crucial role in this process because of their remarkable improvement over traditional algorithms. However, neural networks are now going deeper and cost a significant amount of computation operations. Therefore they usually work ineffectively in edge devices that have limited resources and low performance. In this paper, we research a solution to accelerate the neural network inference phase using FPGA-based platforms. We analyze neural network models, their mathematical operations, and the inference phase in various platforms. We also profile the characteristics that affect the performance of neural network inference. Based on the analysis, we propose an architecture to accelerate the convolution operation used in most neural networks and takes up most of the computations in networks in terms of parallelism, data reuse, and memory management. We conduct different experiments to validate the FPGA-based convolution core architecture as well as to compare performance. Experimental results show that the core is platform-independent. The core outperforms a quad-core ARM processor functioning at 1.2 GHz and a 6-core Intel CPU with speed-ups of up to 15.69× and 2.78×, respectively
A Multitask Data-Driven Model for Battery Remaining Useful Life Prediction
Authors: Pham Thien , Truong Loi , Bui Anh , Nguyen Dang Minh , Nguyen Dat , Garg Akhil , Gao Liang , Tho Quan Thanh
Published: May 2022

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have recently been used widely in moving devices. Understand status of the batteries can help to predict the failure and improve the effectiveness of using them. There are some lithium-ion information that define the battery health over time. These are state-of-charge (SOC), state-of-health (SOH), and remaining-useful-life (RUL). Normally, a LIB is working under charging and discharging cycles continuously. In this paper, we will focus on the data dependency of different time-slots in a cycle and in a sequence of cycles to retrieve RUL. We leverage multi-channel inputs such as temperature, voltage, current and the nature of peaks cross the cycles to improve our prediction. Comparing to existing methods, the experiments show that we can improve from 0.040 to 0.033 (reduce 17.5%) in RMSE loss, which is significant.
Real-Time Face Detection and Human Tracking System on FPGA Cyclone-V
Authors: Nguyen Huu Luong , Nguyen Minh Son , Do Tri Nhut
Published: May 2022

Face detection in image sequence (real-time video stream) has been an active research area in the computer vision field in recent years due to its potential applications such as surveillance cameras, human computer interfaces, smart rooms, intelligent robots and biomedical image analysis. Face detection is a process that determines whether an image has a face or not. In this paper, an embedded system for detecting and tracking human faces in real-time video stream implemented on FPGA DE10-Nano is proposed. The system can be divided into two parts: data streaming, data processing. Experimental results show that the system is capable of accurately detecting faces of up to 5 different people at a distance of up to 1.5 meters from the camera, coexisting in the same frame in resolution of 320 × 240 pixels with a detection speed of only several hundred milliseconds prove the feasibility of the system. A comparison with similar existing projects will be discussed for evaluation and conclusion as well.
Mechanisms of impact on the soil environment of drip irrigation applying treated sewage effluent: a review in China
Authors: Qiu Zhenjie , Sun Mengying
Published: May 2022

Due to the severe shortage of water resources, more than 33.3% of treated sewage effluent (TSE) is used for agricultural irrigation in China. There are significant advantages of using drip irrigation of TSE. However, it is still not known how TSE drip irrigation influences the soil environment. It is known that drip irrigation technical parameters determine the distribution of TSE in soil and have a substantive effect on the soil environment, while the magnitude of these impacts depends on the TSE quality. Since the application of conventional water resources is limited, TSE is expected to be used more frequently for agricultural irrigation. The growing concern of soil environmental risk due to TSE drip irrigation requires further study of the interaction and coupling of drip irrigation and TSE. This summary will help understand TSE drip irrigation in China, and guide the practice of reclaimed water utilization in the future.
Comprehensive Analysis of Epigenetic Associated Genes with Differential
Gene Expression and Prognosis in Gastric Cancer
Authors: Li Yan , An Songlin , Li Xinbao , Li Bing
Published: May 2022

Background:

Gastric cancer (GC) is the most common malignancy of the human digestive
system and represents the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. As early GC is generally
mild or asymptomatic and advanced GC is commonly diagnosed, early detection has a significant
impact on clinical outcomes. This study aimed to identify epigenetic factors (EFs) as potential
GC biomarkers.

Methods:

We identified 3572 differential expressed genes (DEGs) from 436 GC tissues and 41
non-tumor adjacent samples through The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets. Among them, a
total of 57 overlapped genes were identified as differentially expressed EFs (DE-EFs), including 25
up-regulated DE-EFs and 32 down-regulated DE-EFs.

Results:

Then, Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed that the DE-EFs were mainly
associated with histone modification, chromatin remodeling, histone binding, modificationdependent
protein binding, etc. Meanwhile, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG)
analysis results suggested that RNA degradation, thermogenesis, shigellosis, insulin resistance,
AMPK, and FoxO signaling pathways play roles in the progression of GC. Subsequently, Cox
regression and Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that higher expression levels of the three hub EFs,
including BRCC3, USP12, and WAC, were associated with better patients’ OS. We also found that
GC patients in the TCGA dataset with the earlier stage of TNM stage, invasion, depth of tumor,
lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, and younger age had significantly better GC patients’
OS.

Discussion:

Furthermore, as the pathway enrichment analysis showed that BRCC3 participated in
NOD-like receptors (NLRs)-mediated signaling and the homologous recombination (HR) pathways,
strong and statistically significant positive relationships were found between BRCC3 with
genes in NLRs signaling and HR pathways, including BRCA1, BRCA2, Rad51, BRE, TOPBP1,
HSP90AA1, CASP1, NEK7, and SUGT1, respectively.

Conclusion:

We found three hub EFs, namely BRCC3, USP12, and WAC, which were downregulated
in GC tissues compared to normal tissues, associated with the overall survival of GC patients
and could be used as potential biomarkers to predict prognosis in GC patients. The regulation of
hub genes in GC may promote the exploration of the epigenetic mechanisms associated with tumorigenesis
and provide potential targets for GC diagnosis and treatment.
WITHDRAWN: Recent Advances and Reports on Encapsulation in the Food Matrix: A Review
Authors: Sonawane Shirish H. , Potdar Shital B. , Saudagar Prakash , Potoroko Irina , Bagale Uday , Sonawane Shriram
Published: May 2022

Since the authors are not responding to the editor’s requests to fulfill the editorial requirement, therefore, the article has been
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Tele-Mindfulness for Dementia's Family Caregivers: A Randomized Trial
with a Usual Care Control Group
Authors: Zarei Shadi , Lakhanpal Gita , Sadavoy Joel
Published: May 2022

Background:

Caring for a family member with dementia is stressful and challenging. Family
caregivers, as a vulnerable marginalized population and invisible backbone of the health care system,
need accessible and effective interventions that are tailored to their particular needs.

Objectives:

The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a live online
mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (tele-MBCT) intervention for family caregivers of individuals with
dementia.

Method:

Family caregivers were assigned to a tele-MBCT intervention or a usual care control group.
Tele-MBCT participants attended eight weekly live online training and practiced mindfulness practices
at home. All participants completed surveys at baseline, post-intervention, and 4-week follow-up.

Results:

26 participants (age 60±13 years) were enrolled and randomized (14 in the intervention and 12
in the control group), and 92.3% completed the study. 88% of the participants were female, and 70%
were caring for a parent for a mean of 5.12±2.88 years. 84% of the participants in the intervention group
attended at least seven sessions and the average of daily practice was 23.58±45.71 minutes. All participants
were satisfied with the intervention, and 88.8% were satisfied with the online delivery method.
Participants in the intervention group showed Pre-Post improvement in self-compassion (t (11) = -2.49,
p=0.03) and coping strategies (t (11) = 3.62, p=0.004) compared to the control group.

Conclusion:

Tele-MBCT is a feasible intervention and may improve psychological outcomes and adaptive
coping in family caregivers of individuals with dementia. A larger controlled trial is warranted.
Pathophysiology Associated with Diabetes-induced Tauopathy and Development
of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Sur Debjeet , Sarkar Poulami , Banu Sarmin , Bhattacharya Sanchari , Bala Asis
Published: May 2022

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia that affects the elderly
around the world. Chronic type 2 diabetes (T2DM) has been proven to be closely related to neurodegeneration,
especially AD. T2DM is characterized by the cell's failure to take up insulin as well
as chronic hyperglycemia. In the central nervous system, insulin plays vital regulatory roles, while
in chronic hyperglycemia, it leads to the formation and accumulation of advanced glycation end
products (AGEs). Inflammation plays a crucial role in development of insulin resistance in AD and
T2DM. The microtubule-related protein tau is involved in the pathogenesis of several neurological
diseases known as tauopathies, and is found to be abnormally hyperphosphorylated in AD and accumulated
in neurons. Chronic neuroinflammation causes the breakdown of the blood-brain barrier
(BBB) observed in tauopathies. The development of pro-inflammatory signaling molecules, such
as cytokines, chemokines from glial cells, neurons and endothelial cells, decides the structural integrity
of BBB and immune cell migration into the brain. This review highlights the use of antidiabetic
compounds as promising therapeutics for AD, and also describes several new pathological
molecular mechanisms associated with diabetes that increase AD pathogenesis.
Exophytic Renal Urothelial Carcinoma Versus Renal Clear-cell Carcinoma: Clinical Data and Computed Tomography Findings
Authors: Long Liling , Chen Xin , Chen Yidi , Lei Yiwu , Huang Fuling , Tang Cheng
Published: May 2022

Background:

Distinguishing exophytic renal urothelial carcinoma (ERUC) from exophytic renal clear-cell carcinoma (ERCCC) with collecting system invasion may be difficult as they involve similar locations and collecting system invasion.

Objective:

The study aimed to characterize the clinical data and computed tomography (CT) features that can aid in differentiating ERUC from ERCCC.

Methods:

Data from 17 patients with ERUC and 222 patients with ERCCC were retrospectively assessed. CT and clinical features exhibiting significant differences in t-tests/Mann-Whitney U-test and chi-square tests/Fisher’s exact tests were analyzed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Variables with an area under the curve (AUC) <0.7 were excluded. Univariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the associations of CT and clinical features with ERUC or ERCCC. Variables with odds ratio (OR) values being close to 1 in univariate logistic regression were excluded from multivariate logistic regression. A predictive model was then constructed based on the predictors (p<0 in multivariate logistic regression). Differential diagnostic performance was assessed with AUC values.

Results:

Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified preserving reniform contour (OR: 45.27, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.982–411.39) and infiltrative growth pattern (OR: 21.741, 95% CI: 1.898–249.049) as independent predictors that can be used to distinguish ERUC from ERCCC. AUC values for preserving reniform contour, infiltrative growth pattern, and Model-1 were 0.907 (95% CI: 0.817-0.998), 0.837 (95% CI: 0.729-0.946), and 0.947 (95% CI: 0.874–1), respectively.

Conclusion:

The independent predictors and predictive model may play an important role in preoperative differentiation between ERUC and ERCCC.
MR Features of Varicella-zoster Myelitis in an Immunocompetent Patient
Authors: Polat Yagmur Basak , Kula Asli Yaman , Balsak Serdar , Oran Zeynep , Alkan Alpay
Published: May 2022

Background:

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is a latent virus that can remain in the central
nervous system. Reactivation of the virus can cause some neurologic manifestations, and myelitis is
one of the rarest of them. In this report, we aimed to present the MRI features of long-segment cervical
myelitis after VZV infection, which is rarely reported in the literature.

Case Presentation:

A 69-year-old patient, who was diagnosed with varicella-zoster two months ago
and treated with valacyclovir, was admitted to our clinic with worsening of his complaints and weakness
in the right upper extremity. Neurological examination was normal in the left upper and bilateral
lower extremities, but the muscle strength in the right upper extremity was evaluated as 4/5 grade.
While rare leukocytes (10 leukocytes/mm³, 50 erythrocytes/mm³, high protein level (46 mg/dl, ref.15-
40 mg/dl)) were seen in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis, no microorganisms were seen, and no
growth was observed in the culture. VZV antibody-immunoglobulin G (Ab-IgG) was positive in CSF,
while polymerase chain reaction [PCR] for VZV was negative. On cervical MRI, lesions showing T2
hyperintensity were observed from the C3-4 level to the C7-T1 level, eccentrically located in the right
paramedian spinal cord. On post-contrast images, patchy heterogeneous contrast enhancement was
noted in these regions of the spinal cord. When the patient's history, CSF features and MRI examinations
were evaluated together, the lesions were consistent with VZV myelitis. The patient was started
on valacyclovir treatment, and during the follow-up, the patient's complaints decreased, while no progress
was observed in neurologic symptoms.

Conclusion:

As a result, we aimed to report the MRI features of this rare complication of varicellazoster
and emphasize the necessity of keeping this in mind in the etiology of myelitis, especially in
cases with patchy enhancement, to achieve early diagnosis and treatment.
Evaluation of Fetal Head Circumference (HC) and Biparietal Diameter
(BPD (Biparietal Diameter)) in Ultrasound Images Using Multi-Task Deep
Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Mohideen Kother , Joharah Fathimuthu
Published: May 2022

Introduction:

Ultrasound imaging is a standard examination during pregnancy that can measure specific biometric parameters towards prenatal diagnosis and estimating gestational age. Fetal head circumference (HC) is a significant factor in determining fetus growth and health.

Methods:

This paper proposes a multi-task deep convolutional neural network for automatic segmentation and estimation of HC (Fetal head circumference) ellipse by minimizing a compound cost function composed of segmentation dice score and MSE of ellipse parameters. Ultrasound-based fetal biometric measurements, such as head circumference (HC) and biparietal diameter (BPD (BIPARIETAL DIAMETER)), are commonly used to evaluate the gestational age and diagnose fetal central nervous system (CNS) pathology. Since manual measurements are operator-dependent and time-consuming, there have been numerous researches on automated methods. However, existing computerized methods still are not satisfactory in terms of accuracy and reliability, owing to difficulties in dealing with various artefacts in ultrasound images.

Results:

This paper focuses on fetal head biometry and develops a deep-learning-based method for estimating HC (Fetal head circumference) and BPD (BIPARIETAL DIAMETER) with a high degree of accuracy and reliability.

Conclusion:

The proposed method effectively identifies the head boundary by differentiating tissue image patterns concerning the ultrasound propagation direction. The proposed method was trained with 102 labelled data set and tested to 70 ultrasound images. We achieved a success rate of 92.31% for HC (Fetal head circumference) and BPD (BIPARIETAL DIAMETER) estimations and an accuracy of 87.14% for the plane acceptance check.
Disposal Practices of Expired and Unused Medications Among Households
in Punjab, Pakistan
Authors: Shah Shahid , Abbas Ghulam , Hanif Muhammad , Ali Mohsin , Rehman Anees Ur , Chand Usman Rashid , Khurram Haris
Published: May 2022

Background:

The practice of disposing expired or unused medications by different
households is generally not considered and is largely neglected.

Objective:

The study was carried out to determine the disposal practices regarding expired and unused
medications in rural areas of Punjab, Pakistan.

Methods:

The study was conducted by interviewing different households and students (rural areas)
from different universities in Punjab, Pakistan. The sample size was 676 and the questionnaire was
used for data collection.

Results:

Out of 676 members, 552 (81.6%) had medications at the time of the visit. Only 14.5%
(n= 80) were taking medication. Only 14.5% (n = 80) kept medication because the treatment was
still in progress with the patients while 85.5% (n= 472) had medications that should be discarded. The
main reasons for keeping the unused medications at home were completed treatment 34.7% (n= 164) after
recovering from ailment. About 60.57% of female disposed the drugs in domestic trash while majority
of male participants (48.72%) buried the drugs in the ground. Over 80% of respondents (n = 542)
were unaware of the disposal methods. Almost half of the participants (n= 322) had no information
about the impact of improper disposal. Statistically significant variations (p<0.001) were observed in the
disposal practices depending on gender, age, education and occupation.

Conclusion:

Improper disposal of medication is a common practice in rural areas of Punjab, Pakistan.
The launch of public education programs and the development of drug disposal facilities are
very necessary to protect the environment and community health.
Side Effects of Chronic Methadone Use in Opioid Addiction: A Scoping
Review on Hematological Derangements
Authors: Khalid Karniza , Anuar Amalina , Ang Wei Chern , Jamaluddin Ruzita
Published: May 2022

Background:

Per oral methadone maintenance therapy [MMT] was introduced as part
of harm reduction strategy to manage rising numbers of HIV infections caused by intravenous use
of illicit drugs.

Method:

We aim to review published articles related to the side effects of long-term methadone
therapy, focusing on hematological derangements in human studies published between 1 January
2000 till 31 January 2021.

Results:

Our search databases include Web of Science, Scopus, and Medline. Our search yielded
971 articles, of which 55 articles were related to the effects of MMT on various organ systems:
cardiovascular [n=12], respiratory [n=1], endocrine [n=10], central nervous system [n=12], neurobehavioral
[n=10], gastrointestinal [n=1], and bone [n=1]. There were eight articles specifically related
to the hematological side effects of chronic methadone therapy that include [i] immune system
hyperactivation, [ii] reduced circulating lymphocytes, and [iii] increased blood viscosity.

Conclusion:

In view of all foreseeable health risks seen with prolonged methadone therapy, pharmacological
modulation is warranted to find a better substitute for managing patients with opioid
dependence.
Clinical and Morphological Evaluation of Erosive and Ulcerative Gastric
Lesions in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Beloglazov Vladimir , Petrov Andrey , Kaliberdenko Vitalii , Abramova Kseniya , Shanmugaraj Kulanthaivel
Published: May 2022

Background:

One of the most important problem associated with treatment of the rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is erosive-ulcerative lesions (EUL) of the gastroduodenal zone, which is associated with the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Aim:

Aim of our research is to study the clinical and histo-morphological criteria for the formation of the EUL of the gastroduodenal zone in patients with RA.

Methods:

Patients were divided into 3 groups, depending on the presence of an EUL, according to fibrogastroduodenoscopy (FGDS) data with a negative test for H. pylori. Group 1 included RA patients without EUL (n = 18), group 2 RA patients with erosive lesions of the gastroduodenal zone (n = 57), group 3 consisted of RA patients with ulcerative lesions (n = 17). As a norm, we used data from a survey of 18 healthy donors corresponding to RA patient’s age and sex distribution, where no somatic pathology was revealed. GSRS questionnaire used for assessment of subjective symptoms. For histomorphological studies, biopsy specimens were taken during FGDS using an Olympus Evis Exera II digital video endoscope.

Results:

Patients of RA with EUL of gastro-duodenal zone were significantly different from the group of healthy donors and patients of group 1, by the severity of 5 symptoms related to the upper gastrointestinal tract according to the GSRS questionnaire, including abdominal pain, heartburn, belching acid, a feeling of sucking and burning in epigastria, nausea and vomiting. In general, there were no clinically significant differences between the frequency of occurrence and the severity of symptoms on the GSRS scale between group 2 and group 3, except for complaints of heartburn. So, RA patients of group 3 had a higher rate of heartburn feeling of 3.0 (2.0-3.0) points than patients of group 2 with 2.0 (1.0-2.0) points.

Conclusion:

The development of a EUL of gastroduodenal zone in patients with RA is associated with low activity of inflammation in all studied slides, regardless of structurally destructive changes in the stomach and duodenum, and compensatory hyperplastic reactions in the superficial layer of mucosa membrane, which can be determined by minimal subjective sensations or even complete absence of clinical manifestations with the formation of “silent ulcers”, complicated by bleeding and perforation.
Development of a Nomogram for Predicting Asymptomatic Coronary
Artery Disease in Patients with Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Long Youming , Yang Jie , Yang Xinguang , Wen Jun , Huang Jiayi , Jiang Lihong , Liao Sha , Lian Chun , Yao Haiyan , Huang Li
Published: May 2022

Background:

Coronary artery stenosis (CAS) ≥50% often coexists in patients with ischemic
stroke, which leads to a significant increase in the occurrence of major vascular events after
stroke. This study aimed to develop a nomogram for diagnosing the presence of ≥50% asymptomatic
CAS in patients with ischemic stroke.

Methods:

A primary cohort was established that included 275 non-cardioembolic ischemic stroke
patients who were admitted from January 2011 to April 2013 to a teaching hospital in southern China.
The preoperative data were used to construct two models by the best subset regression and the
forward stepwise regression methods, and a nomogram between these models was established. The
assessment of the nomogram was carried out by discrimination and calibration in an internal cohort.

Result:

Out of the two models, model 1 contained eight clinical-related variables and exhibited the
lowest Akaike Information Criterion value (322.26) and highest concordance index 0.716 (95% CI,
0.654-0.778). The nomogram showed good calibration and significant clinical benefit according to
calibration curves and the decision curve analysis.

Conclusion:

The nomogram, composed of age, sex, NIHSS score on admission, hypertension history,
fast glucose level, HDL cholesterol level, LDL cholesterol level, and presence of ≥50% cervicocephalic
artery stenosis, can be used for prediction of ≥50% asymptomatic coronary artery disease
(CAD). Further studies are needed to validate the effectiveness of this nomogram in other populations.
Graph Neural Networks in Biomedical Data: A Review
Authors: Li You , Zhang Guiyang , Wang Pan , Yu Zuo-Guo , Huang Guohua
Published: May 2022

With the development of sequencing technology, various forms of biomedical data, including
genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, microbiomics, and metabolomics data, are increasingly emerging.
These data are an external manifestation of cell activity and mechanism. How to deeply analyze
these data is critical to uncovering and understanding the nature of life. Due to the heterogeneousness
and complexity of these data, it is a vastly challenging task for traditional machine learning to deal with
it. Over the recent ten years, a new machine learning framework called graph neural networks (GNNs)
has been proposed. The graph is a very powerful tool to represent a complex system. The GNNs is becoming
a key to open the mysterious door of life. In this paper, we focused on summarizing state-ofthe-
art GNNs algorithms (GraphSAGE, graph convolutional network, graph attention network, graph
isomorphism network and graph auto-encoder), briefly introducing the main principles behind them. We
also reviewed some applications of the GNNs to the area of biomedicine, and finally discussed the possible
developing direction of GNNs in the future.
Outcome and Complications of Hemoperfusion in Patients with COVID-19 in Intensive Care Unit: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Jazaeri Saeedehsadat Mousavizade , Darban Mahboobeh , Yarmohamadi Maliheh , Mohammadkhani Majid Mir
Published: May 2022

Background & Objective:

The use of the hemoperfusion method is recommended for
treating cytokine storms and reducing complications in patients with COVID-19. The side effects
of this treatment are not known; therefore, this study was performed to determine the final outcome
and complications of hemoperfusion in patients with COVID-19 hospitalized in ICU.

Methods:

In this retrospective cross-sectional study, all patients with severe COVID-19 without
any comorbidities or organ failure underwent hemoperfusion treatment in ICU at Kosar Hospital
in Semnan, Iran, from March to November 2021 were included. The clinical data and short-term
complications up to 10 days after hemoperfusion and the final outcome were extracted from
medical files.

Results:

The mean age of 40 patients with severe COVID-19 undergoing hemoperfusion was
57.5±15.9 years. Most (24, 60%) patients were male. The time interval from hospitalization to
hemoperfusion and the time interval between hemoperfusion and final outcome was 4.85 days
and 8.30 days, respectively. Arrhythmia, bleeding, thrombocytopenia, and coagulation disorders
were the most common short-term complications of hemoperfusion in patients with COVID-19,
respectively. Most complications occurred on the second and third days after hemoperfusion.
Mortality occurred in 20 (50 %) patients with severe COVID-19 undergoing hemoperfusion in
ICU.

Conclusion:

It seems that the short-term complications and deaths due to hemoperfusion are relatively
high in patients with COVID-19 admitted to the ICU. Further studies are recommended.
Antihyperglycemic and Antidyslipidemic Effect of Moricandia Suffruticosa in Normal and Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Rats
Authors: Eddouks Mohamed , Azzane Amine , Amssayef Ayoub
Published: May 2022

Aims of the Study:

The present work aimed to assess the antihyperglycemic and antihy-perlipidemic effects of Moricandia suffruticosa.

Background:

Moricandia suffruticosa (M. suffruticosa) is used in traditional medicine.

Objective:

The present study investigated the antihyperglycemic and antidyslipidemic effects of M. suffruticosa and its effect on glycogen content in normoglycemic and hyperglycemic rats.

. Methods:

The effect of the aqueous extract of M. suffruticosa (AEMS) at two doses of 100 and 140 mg/kg on blood glucose levels, lipid, lipoprotein profile, and glycogen content was examined in normal and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Moreover, preliminary phytochemical screening and quantification of phenolic, flavonoid, and tannin contents were carried out.

Results:

The results demonstrated that AEMS exhibits antihyperglycemic activity in diabetic rats during both acute and subchronic assays. Furthermore, AEMS revealed an antidyslipidemic effect concerning the level of triglycerides, total cholesterol, very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), and non-high-density lipoproteins (Non-HDL). In contrast, AEMS has not affected the value of glyce-mia, lipids, and lipoproteins in normal rats. In addition, AEMS is rich in several phytochemical compounds. Furthermore, AEMS revealed an important in vitro antioxidant activity.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the study demonstrates that M. suffruticosa exhibits an important anti-hyperglycemic effect in diabetic rats.
Using Bacteria and Fungi as Plant Biostimulants for Sustainable
Agricultural Production Systems
Authors: Shahrajabian Mohamad Hesam , Cheng Qi , Sun Wenli
Published: May 2022

Different compounds with bioactive constitutents can be applied as biostimulants to increase plant growth and development under both normal and stressful conditions. Biostimulants utilization can be considered as a sustainable and beneficial nutritional crop management, and may decrease the negative impacts associated with excessive chemical fertilization. Google scholar (scholar.google.com), Science Direct (sicencedirect.com), CAB Direct (cabdirect.org), Springer Link (springerlink.com), Scopus (scopus.com), Web of Science (web of knowledge.com), Taylor and Francis (tandfonline.com), and Wiley Online Library (onlinelibrary.wiley.com) have been checked. The search was done to all manuscript sections according to terms "Glomus intraradices", "Trichoderma atroviride", "Trichoderma reesei", "Heteroconium chaetospira", "Artherobacter spp.", "Acinetobacter spp.", "Enterobacer spp.", "Pseudomonas spp.", "Ochrobactrum spp.", "Bacilus spp.", "Rhodococcus spp.", "Biostimulants", and "Plant growth promotion". On the basis of initial check, Titles and Abstracts have been reviwed on the basis of online literature, and then articles were read carefully. Withinin the framework of sustainable crop management, this review article was aimed to provide an overview of the application of the most common fungi and bacteria as plant biostimulants on various crops.
Systemic Inflammation in Sarcopenia Alter Functional Capacity in Thai
Community-dwelling Older People: A Preliminary Observational Study
Authors: Yuenyongchaiwat Kornanong , Akekawatchai Chareeporn
Published: May 2022

Background:

Sarcopenia is linked to the loss of muscle mass in older adults, leading to
impaired functional capacity and quality of life. In addition, this finding was recognized as an agerelated
chronic inflammatory process. We aimed to determine the relationship between sarcopenia,
functional capacity, and inflammatory biomarkers and subsequent prediction of inflammatory biomarkers
in older adults.

Methods:

A total of 126 women and men aged ≥ 60 years were enrolled. Participants were required
to complete a handgrip dynamometer, 6-meter walk test, and bioimpedance analysis. Diagnosis
was based on the definition of sarcopenia from the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia
2019. Prior to performing a 6-minute walking test (i.e., functional capacity testing), blood samples
were drawn for a C-reactive protein (CRP) test.

Results:

A total of 12.70% were categorized as having sarcopenia. Significant differences in CRP
and functional capacity between the sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia groups were found (p <05).
Older people with high CRP levels had significantly reduced functional capacity and slow gait
speed.

Conclusions:

Poor functional capacity was associated with increased CRP levels, which might be
due to the development of age-related inflammation. Older patients with sarcopenia may be at
higher risk for functional decline.
Hydroxychloroquine and Mortality in SARS-Cov-2 Infection; the HOPECovid-
19 Registry
Authors: Ayerbe Luis , Núñez-Gil Iván J. , Fernandez-Pérez Cristina , Estrada Vicente , Eid Charbel Maroun , Arroyo-Espliguero Ramón , Romero Rodolfo , Becerra-Muñoz Víctor Manuel , Uribarri Aitor , Feltes Gisela , Trabattoni Daniela , Molina María , Aguado Marcos García , Pepe Martino , Cerrato Enrico , Huang Jia , Astrua Thamar Capel , Alfonso Emilio , Castro-Mejía Alex F. , Raposeiras-Roubin Sergio , Buzón Luis , Paeres Carolina Espejo , Mulet Alba , Lal-Trehan Nisha , Garcia-Vazquez Elisa , Fabregat-Andres Oscar , Akin Ibrahim , D´Ascenzo Fabrizio , Gomez-Rosado Paula , Ugo Fabrizio , Fernández-Ortiz Antonio , Macaya Carlos
Published: May 2022

Background:

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) may be an effective, safe, and affordable treatment for
Covid-19 that can be used in selected patients. However, more evidence on its association when it is used in
different stages of the disease with clinical outcomes is required. This observational study investigates the
association between treatment with HCQ and mortality in patients with Covid-19.

Methods:

The data from 6217 patients who died or were discharged from 24 Spanish hospitals were
analyzed. Propensity matching scores (PMS) were used.

Results:

5094 patients received HCQ. Death was recorded for 17.5% of those who had HCQ and 34.1% of
those who did not have it. Mortality was lower for those who had HCQ, OR=0.41 (95% CI=0.34-0.48). The
PMS analysis also showed that mortality was lower for those receiving HCQ, OR=0.47 (95%CI=0.36-0.62).
PMS analysis for categories revealed an association between HCQ and lowered mortality for patients over
65 years of age, with a past medical history of hypertension, for those who were diagnosed during
admission with sepsis related organ failure or pneumonia, and for those with lymphocytopenia, raised
troponin, LDH, ferritin and D-dimer. No increase in mortality associated with HCQ was observed in any
category of any of the variables investigated.

Conclusions:

HCQ could be associated with lower mortality for older patients, those with more severe
disease and raised inflammatory markers. Further RCTs, observational studies, and summaries of both types
of evidence on this topic are necessary to select the precise profile of patients that may benefit from HCQ.