bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Emerging trends of scrub typhus disease in southern Rajasthan, India
Authors: Kumar Devendra , Jakhar Saha Dev
Published: March 2022

Scrub typhus is the oldest known vector-borne zoonotic infectious disease in the world which is life-threatening for all age groups as it presents acute febrile illness along with multi-organ involvements and spread with the biting of infectious ‘Trombiculid mite’ (chigger mite). The pathogen of this disease is an obligatory coccobacillus gram-negative rickettsial bacteria Orientia tsutsugamushi. Scrub typhus disease was previously confined geographically only to the Asia Pacific region (tsutsugamushi triangle), but in recent years it has crossed its limit and has spread in other countries beyond the tsutsugamushi triangle and has become more hazardous for the community. The objective of this study is to explore the scrub typhus disease outbreak trends with existing information in southern Rajasthan state, India. This study concluded that scrub typhus disease is being re-emerged again and again in various Indian geographical regions with new species of vectors. The disease has been raised in tremendous amounts in Rajasthan within the last five years especially in the hilly zone and has led to major public health problems with other zoonotic diseases.
Insecticide susceptibility status of malaria vectors in Himachal Pradesh, India
Authors: Kumar Gaurav , Ojha VP , Dhiman Ramesh C
Published: March 2022

Background & objectives: The state of Himachal Pradesh is one of the hilly forested states of India. Warming of climate has been evidenced in the state due to the ongoing climate change which may cause the upsurge/introduction of mosquito-borne diseases. To curb disease transmission, an effective vector control strategy will be required.

Methods: Insecticide susceptibility status of available malaria vectors was determined using the standard WHO method in six districts Kangra, Una, Mandi, Bilaspur, Solan and Mandi of the state. An. culicifacies and An. fluviatilis were tested against DDT (4%), malathion (5%) and deltamethrin (0.05%) using WHO insecticide susceptibility kits.

Results: Overall, An. culicifacies was found resistant to DDT in all the six districts, susceptible to malathion in all districts except Bilaspur and Solan where it showed possible resistance. It was susceptible to deltamethrin in all the study districts. An. fluviatilis was resistant to DDT and susceptible to malathion and deltamethrin in Kangra and Una districts.

Interpretation & conclusion: At present, indoor residual spraying (IRS) is not being undertaken in Himachal Pradesh.

However, with the information generated through the present study, the state government can plan evidence-based IRS at least for focal spray in limited foci reporting malaria incidence.
Changing pattern of severe manifestations of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax malaria
Authors: Acharya Jyoti , Harwani Dharmesh
Published: March 2022

Background & objectives: Previously there were reports from all over India about the changing spectrum of severe manifestations of Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Consequently, the present retrospective study was conducted to compare the severity of malaria caused by P. falciparum and P. vivax during 2007–08 and 2017–18.

Methods: The present study was conducted on the patients admitted with severe malaria in a classified malaria ward of a tertiary care hospital in Bikaner, Rajasthan (Northwest India) during 2007–08 and 2017–18. It included adult patients of both sexes belonging to all age groups. The diagnosis was done by peripheral blood film (PBF), rapid diagnostic test (RDT), and validated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All patients were treated with intravenous oral quinine. The specific individual malaria complications registered in 2007–08 and 2017–18 were treated by following the standard WHO protocol.

Results: In 2007–08, severe manifestations caused by P. falciparum were dominated by thrombocytopenia (25.98%) followed by jaundice (24.39%), multi-organ dysfunction (MODS) (16.66%), severe anemia (16.17%), cerebral malaria (5.39%), bleeding manifestation (3.92%) and shock (0.49%). While in the same year, P. vivax associated clinical spectrum of complications were observed to be dominated by thrombocytopenia (26.47%) followed by jaundice (25.00%), MODS (14.70%), severe anemia (5.88%), cerebral malaria (5.88%), renal failure (4.41%), bleeding manifestation (2.45%), shock (0.98%) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (0.49%). However, in 2017–18, the clinical spectrum of malaria complications caused by both species has changed. Relative to P. falciparum infections, P. vivax individual complications like thrombocytopenia (51.78%) (p<0.001) followed by jaundice (19.13%) (p<0.001) and severe anemia (4.22%) (p<0.05) were found to have increased significantly.

Interpretation & conclusion: Over the last decade there is an apparent spatial and temporal shift in the clinical manifestations of severe malaria caused by the both Plasmodium species. As evident from the patient’s data from 2007–08 and 2017–18, the severity is more inclined towards Plasmodium vivax than Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Moreover, individual P. falciparum-associated complications were decreased significantly in the Bikaner region of Rajasthan, India.
Field evaluation of biosurfactants, surfactin and di-rhamnolipid produced by Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis (VCRC B471) and Pseudomonas fluorescens (VCRC B426) against immature stages of the urban malaria vector Anopheles stephensi
Authors: Kumar Ashwani , Kumar Hemanth , Manonmani AM , Prabakaran G , Vijayakumar B , Mathivanan A , Geetha I , Jambulingam P
Published: March 2022

Background & objectives: Bacillus subtilis subsp. subtilis (VCRC B471) and Pseudomonas fluorescens (B426) produce mosquitocidal biosurfactant, surfactin and di-rhamnolipid. The objective of the study was to carry out a small-scale field evaluation of the two biosurfactants to determine the efficacy, application dosage, residual activity and frequency of application against Anopheles stephensi immatures in selected sites in Goa, India.

Methods: Surfactin (VCRC B471) and di-rhamnolipid (VCRC B426) were formulated as aqueous suspensions (5% AS), and were applied at the dosages of 34, 51 and 68 mL/m2 and 27, 41 and 54 mL/m2 respectively. Two experiments were carried out with the two formulations.

Results: Surfactin (VCRC B471) formulation was effective at all the dosages and there was sustained reduction (>80%) in immature density in the treated sites up to 18 days in experiment 1 and up to 15 days in experiment 2. No pupae were found in the treated sites throughout the study. Di-rhamnolipid (VCRC B426) formulation was also found to reduce the immature density in the treated sites up to 14 days in experiment 1 and up to 15 days in experiment 2.

Interpretation & conclusion: For VCRC B471, the optimum application dosage determined was 51 mL/m2 and for VCRC B426, 27mL/m2. The formulations are to be applied fortnightly for effective control of Anopheles. The application dosage determined in the present study can be used for large scale field evaluation to assess their suitability for use in public health programmes for the control of Anopheles mosquitoes vectoring malaria.
Update on techniques for cryopreservation of human spermatozoa
Authors: Huang Chuan , Tang Yu-Lin , Hu Jian-Ling , Zhou Wen-Jun , Huang Zeng-Hui , Luo Xue-Feng , Li Zheng , Zhu Wen-Bing
Published: March 2022

In the 1960s, sperm cryopreservation was developed as a method to preserve fertility. Currently, techniques for the cryopreservation of human spermatozoa have been widely used in assisted reproduction. However, although sperm cryobiology has made notable achievements, the optimal method for the recovery of viable spermatozoa after cryopreservation remains elusive. Postthawing sperm quality can be affected by cryoprotectants, ice formation, storage conditions, and osmotic stress during the freezing process. This review discusses recent advances in different cryopreservation techniques, cryoprotectants, and freezing and thawing methods during cryopreservation and new indications for the use of cryopreserved spermatozoa.
Potential of nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomics in the study of prostate cancer
Authors: Reddy R. Ravikanth , Jagannathan Naranamangalam R.
Published: March 2022

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomics is a powerful analytical technique and a tool which has unique characteristics and capabilities for the evaluation of a number of biochemicals/metabolites of cancer and other disease processes that are present in biofluids (urine and blood) and tissues. The potential of NMR metabolomics in prostate cancer (PCa) has been explored by researchers and its usefulness has been documented. A large number of metabolites such as citrate, choline, and sarcosine were detected by NMR metabolomics from biofluids and tissues related to PCa and their levels were compared with controls and benign prostatic hyperplasia. The changes in the levels of these metabolites aid in the diagnosis and help to understand the dysregulated metabolic pathways in PCa. We review recent studies on in vitro and ex vivo NMR spectroscopy-based PCa metabolomics and its possible role as a diagnostic tool.
Coronavirus-19 infection in kidney transplant recipients
Authors: DeFelice Gina , Vijay Adarsh
Published: March 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted health care across the globe. Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been substantial changes in the approach toward kidney transplantation and management of the virus in transplant recipients. Chronic immunosuppression and comorbidities in renal transplant recipients place them at risk during the pandemic. Data on the risk factors, presentation, and management of kidney transplant patients have become more robust over time. Relevant data on this topic was procured and synthesized with the aid of a comprehensive Medline search on all published studies that investigated COVID-19 infection in kidney transplant recipients. This comprehensive review summarizes the current literature on the epidemiology, clinical features, complications, graft outcomes, and current management of COVID-19 infection in kidney transplant recipients. We further summarize published literature on immunization in kidney transplant recipients.
The first case of proliferative fasciitis of tongue coexistent with squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Nagose Vaishali Baburao , Vaze Vikrant Vilas , Mahajan Neha Amrut , Todase Vipin Narendra
Published: March 2022

Proliferative fasciitis (PF) is a rare pseudosarcomatous myofibroblastic benign tumor, a subcutaneous counterpart of proliferative myositis. Usually seen in upper extremities, no case has yet been documented in tongue or any other subsites in oral cavity. The present case becomes the first to be reported at this site as well as the first case of synchronous coexistent PF with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of tongue. The patient was 50 years male, having a polypoidal swelling at right lateral border of tongue with an ulcer adjacent to it. Histopathologically, the swelling was diagnosed as PF and ulcer as SCC; both the diagnoses were confirmed by immunohistochemistry. The polypoidal lesion was immunopositive for smooth muscle actin and calponin and immunonegative for pan cytokeratin, cytokeratins (5/6), P40 and P63, proving it to be a non-SCC lesion, different from its adjacent ulcerative one.
Relationship between dental anxiety with dental caries and periodontal disease among army recruits in Bangalore city - A cross sectional study
Authors: Bhat Padma K , Shekar Manish , Jayachandra M Y
Published: March 2022

Introduction:

Dental anxiety can affect the dental health status of an individual leading to avoidance behavior, poor oral hygiene and periodontal health and delay in seeking necessary treatment.

Objectives:

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of dental anxiety in army recruits in Bangalore city and to explore the relationship of dental anxiety with dental caries and periodontal disease among army recruits in Bangalore city.

Methodology:

The total population of the army recruits in Army Service Corps Center and College was around 1000. General information included name, age, sex educational qualification, address, number of dental visits and age of first visit. The closed ended multiple-choice questionnaire consisting of 4 questions based on previous dental experience given by Corah was used to assess the anxiety level of the individual. Clinical examination of dental and periodontal health was noted using Decayed, Missing, Filled and Surface (DMFS) Index and Community Periodontal Index and Treatment Needs (CPITN) Index.

Results:

The mean Dental Anxiety Scale score was 9.64 with a standard deviation of 3.6. Of the 836 participants in the study, 444 (53.1%) reported no dental anxiety at all. Two hundred and sixty-three (31.5%) were moderately dental anxious (scoring 9–12), 10.4% were highly anxious (scoring 13–14) and 5% were severely anxious (scoring 15–20). Anxious individuals had poorer periodontal health necessitating treatment compared to nonanxious individuals. The mean DMFS of the study population was highest among those having high and severe dental anxiety (mean DMFS = 11.0 and 12.59, respectively) which was statistically significant (P < 0.001).

Conclusion:

The present study showed a prevalence of dental anxiety of 47%. Impact of dental anxiety on oral health was found to be obvious as higher DMFT/DMFS was evident among dentally anxious subjects; dental anxiety also showed a strong association with higher CPITN scores.
Role of nano curcumin on superoxide dismutase levels in leukoplakia
Authors: Deb Sunanda , Bhargava Deepak , Bansal Puja , Kanuru Vijay
Published: March 2022

Introduction:

Oral leukoplakia has an estimated prevalence of 2% of the oral cavity, one of the risk factors for oral cancers. The most commonly linked etiology being tobacco smoking causing reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced DNA damage. Curcumin, a polyphenol derivative from herbal remedy, possesses diverse properties ranging from centuries old documented anti-inflammatory properties to recently documented anticancer properties.

Aims:

Role of nano curcumin on superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in leukoplakia patients’ pre- and post-treatment

Materials and Methods:

The study group comprised thirty test subjects. Single capsule of 250 mg (Brecan Plus) was given to the test group for 30 days with weekly follow-up. Blood samples were taken from the test group and were evaluated for SOD levels before and after the completion of the trial.

Results:

In the study, there was a decrease in size of the lesion, number of lesions, down staging of the disease, and increase in serum SOD levels after the therapy. Binary logistic retrogression analysis was done to assess the predictive ability of serum SOD-dependent variable, and a positive association was noted between increase in serum SOD level and down staging of the disease.

Conclusion:

Nano curcumin is an excellent medical nutrition intervention derived from traditional natural products. The study has demonstrated the clinical efficacy of these new classes of therapeutic nutraceuticals such as nanocurcumin in treating oral leukoplakia, which are suitable for long-term use.
Comparison of blood parameters between periodontitis patients and healthy participants
Authors: Bhattacharya Hirak S , Srivastava Rishabh , Gummaluri Shiva Shankar , Agarwal Manvi Chandra , Bhattacharya Preeti , Astekar Madhusudan S
Published: March 2022

Background:

Bacteria and their products involved in periodontitis evoke an immunoinflammatory response in the host tissue. Inflammatory diseases, such as periodontitis, are often not just a local event, but may have systemic ramifications, including elevations in the numbers of circulating leukocytes, acute-phase proteins and oxidative stress markers. It is now emerging that also erythrocytes are affected by chronic inflammatory diseases. This phenomenon, named “anemia of inflammation,” is not caused by marrow deficiencies or other diseases. The present study aimed to assess whether there was any relation between chronic periodontitis and hematological parameters.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 80 patients were included in the study and were divided into the healthy and periodontitis groups. Blood sample was obtained from each participant for hematological analysis of leukocytes, erythrocytes, platelets, red blood cell (RBC) distribution width (RDW), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), platelet count and neutrophil–leukocyte ratio (NLR). Further, the values were gathered and subjected to statistical analysis. Unpaired t-test was performed to assess the statistical significance between the groups and P < 0.05 and < 0.001 were considered to be statistically significant.

Results:

Results show statistically significant difference seen in leukocytes, lymphocytes, RDW, MCV, platelet count and NLR which was higher in patients with periodontitis, all other parameters are nonsignificant.

Conclusion:

Thus, within limitations, it can be concluded that increased levels of leukocytes, lymphocytes, RDW, MCV, platelet count and NLR depict the inflammatory state and destructive nature of periodontitis.
Enteric duplication cyst of the tongue in a newborn
Authors: Arteta Ariel Antonio , Palacio Alejandro Cardona , Martínez Efraín Álvarez
Published: March 2022

Enteric duplication cysts (EDCs) are congenital anomalies. We report the case of a 5-day-old girl with a 2.0 cm congenital oral mass in the tongue, an extremely uncommon site of EDC. The tongue mass was resected without complication; microscopic findings were characteristic of an EDC, and the patient is doing very well. The English literature was researched for the cases of single congenital oral cavity masses diagnosed prenatally or at birth as EDC or EDC-like lesions. Cystic lesions of the oral cavity partially lined by gastrointestinal epithelium, without teratoma features, have received several names. Similarities between EDC and EDC-like lesions favor the idea of one lesion with several morphologies manifest along a spectrum and that the necessity for EDC diagnosis of the smooth muscle coat criteria could be re-evaluated to improve the categorization of these lesions and better understand the pathogenic mechanism.
Perspective of nuclear fractal dimension in diagnosis and prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Rahman Juber , Panda Swagatika , Panigrahi Santisudha , Mohanty Neeta , Swarnkar Tripti , Mishra Umashankar
Published: March 2022

Background:

Owing to the restricted predictive value of conventional prognostic factors and the inconsistent treatment strategies, several oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients are still over-treated or under-treated. In recent years, computer-assisted nuclear fractal dimension (nFD) has emerged as an objective approach to predict the outcome of OSCC.

Objective:

This study is an attempt to find out the differences in nFD values of epithelial cells of normal tissue, fibroepithelial hyperplasia, verrucous carcinoma, and OSCC. Further effort to evaluate the predictive potential of nFD of tumor cells for cervical lymph node metastasis (cLNM) was also assessed.

Methodology:

Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded blocks of OSCC tissues of patients treated with neck dissection were collected. Photomicrographs of H-&E-stained sections were subjected to the image analysis by ImageJ and Python programming to calculate nFD. The association of categorical variables with nFD was studied using cross-tabulation procedure and the Fisher exact test. Receiver operating curve analysis was performed to find out cutoff value of nFD. A logistic regression model was developed to test the individual and combined predictive potential of grading and nFD for cLNM.

Results:

A significant difference between the mean nFD of healthy cells and malignant epithelial cells was observed (P = 0.01). nFD was not found to be an independent predictor of cLNM, although nFD and grading together demonstrated significant predictive potential (P = 0.004).

Conclusion:

nFD combined with grading can predict lymph node metastasis in OSCC. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of its kind.
Orthokeratinized versus parakeratinized odontogenic keratocyst
Authors: Ravi Jyoti , Wadhwan Vijay , Gotur Suhasini Palakshappa
Published: March 2022

Introduction:

The odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) is quite unique among odontogenic cysts in its specific histological features and in clinical characteristics. The OKC has two variants orthokeratinized odontogenic cyst (OOC) and parakeratinized odontogenic cyst (POC), and POC is considered to be more aggressive and has a high recurrence rate. Therefore, OKC has generated considerable controversy with regard to its true nature.

Aim:

The purpose of this study was to determine the differences between POC and OOC variants of odontogenic cysts on the basis of clinical as well as radiological features.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 85 cases were included in the present study. There was a marked difference in the age of occurrence, sex, location and radiological presentation of both these entities.

Results:

Our institutional experience suggests that POC is more common than OOC and both the variants were commonly found in males. Most of the cases of POC were found in the third decade of life and most of the cases of OOC were frequently seen in the second, fourth and fifth decades. Mandibular posterior area was frequently occurring in both variants. Left side involvement was seen in maxilla and right side in mandible in both variants. Most of the cases were clinically diagnosed as OKC.

Conclusion:

The treatment and prognosis varies in both the variants of OKC, hence such epidemiological studies are helpful to ensure proper treatment for these distinct entities.
Assessment of knowledge and awareness of forensic odontology among dentists in Tamil Nadu – A systematic review
Authors: Dineshkumar T , Rekha M
Published: March 2022

Aim:

The aim of the study is to analyze the knowledge, attitude and practice of forensic odontology among dental practitioners in Tamil Nadu.

Materials and Methods:

Forensic odontology has immense importance in examining dental evidence and in the identification of victims of mass disaster, abuse or organized crimes. Hence, a cross-sectional survey study was conducted in a sample of 252 dental practitioners practicing in various cities in Tamil Nadu. A questionnaire comprising 22 questions (both open ended and close ended) was prepared, and the survey was conducted to analyze the knowledge and attitude of dentists toward forensic odontology.

Results:

Many of the practicing dentists had a basic knowledge about forensic odontology, but only 22% knew about the existence of a national association for forensic odontology. Forty-five percent of them knew about cheiloscopy. Seven percent of them only knew about the forensic courses available in India. Ninety-eight percent of them did not have any formal training related to forensic odontology. Seventy-two percent of them were not confident about giving an opinion for a forensic case. Most of them felt that our country has very limited resources for forensic odontology.

Conclusion:

This study showed that the branch of forensic odontology is still in the infant stage in the state. This condition, however, could be improved if more formal training courses are conducted by the specialist associations imparting knowledge and training in the field.
Relationship between ABO blood group and Rh factor with oral potentially malignant disorder
Authors: Mahalakshmi I P , Sinha Pooja , Nagaraj Tejavathi , Okade Durga , Nonitha S , Veerabasaivaiah Bhavana T
Published: March 2022

Introduction:

Oral cancer is the most life threatening of all oral diseases. It has a prolonged natural history with oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) as the precursor. Recognition and diagnosis of OPMD will help in early treatment, patient survival and in reducing morbidity related to treatment of oral cancer. OPMDs has multifactorial etiologies and is significantly associated with risk factors of the individual's lifestyle, particularly, chronic use of tobacco, spicy food, alcohol and smoking. Genetic factors also play an important role in the etiology of OPMDs. It is proven by many studies like Dermatoglyphics, Salivary miRNA, micronuclei in buccal mucosa etc., one of such kind is ABO blood group and Rh factor. OBJECTIVE: Aim of our study is to evaluate if any of the ABO blood group and Rh factor is associated with an increased risk for OPMDs.

Methodology:

A cross sectional study was conducted in Sri Rajiv Gandhi College of Dental Sciences included 55 patients with clinical and histopathologically proven OPMD's. Blood grouping was determined for all the patients using standardised agglutination method.

Result:

This study showed that people with blood group B+ are 1.46 times at a greater risk to develop OPMDs.

Conclusion:

Our study concludes that subjects with B+ blood group and habit of tobacco chewing and smoking are at higher risk to develop OPMDs than subjects with other blood groups.
Esophageal Carcinoma
Authors: Nasreen Shahida , Hussain Shaiba , Andleeb Asifa , Manzoor Arshad , Fatima Kaneez , Sofi Mushtaq Ahmad
Published: March 2022

Aims:

Esophageal carcinoma is a common gastrointestinal malignancy. The aim of the study was to evaluate the time trends over 20 years and observe how they differ from the West.

Materials and Methods:

The study was conducted at SKIMS Regional Cancer Centre in Radiation Oncology Department. This was a retrospective study. Retrospective analysis was carried out from records available at the Regional Cancer Center from 1993 to 2013. The case records of 2090 patients with histological proven squamous and adenocarcinoma (AC) of the esophagus were studied in terms of age, sex, risk factors, and mode of presentation.

Results:

Data of 2190 patients with esophageal cancer were retrieved. Out of 2190 patients, group A included 1060 and group B had 1130 patients. The mean age at presentation was 59 years in both groups. Five hundred and thirty-eight (56.4%) were male and 477 (43.6%) were females in group A, whereas in group B, 615 were male and 515 were female. Most of the patients presented with dysphagia 2139 (97.67%). In group A, 1030 (97.16%) presented with dysphagia, whereas 1090 (96.46%) presented with dysphagia in group B. Most of the patients had lesion in middle 3rd of esophagus, 849 (80%) in group A whereas 903 (79.9%) in group B. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) was the most common histology in both groups, 1010 (95.2%) in group A whereas 1060 (93.8%) in group B. Most common appearance was proliferative (37.7% in group A and 37.6% in group B). Most of the patients were salt tea takers in both groups (98.11% in group A and 97.34% in group B).

Conclusion:

Our study suggests that esophageal cancer occurs a decade earlier in India. It affects males more than females. SCC is still the most common histological subtype and is way ahead of AC. The mid esophagus is still the most common site. There is no evidence of an increase in the rate of lower esophageal malignancy in our study as opposed to western literature.
The Public Awareness of Protruding Ears and Its Management in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Aldosari Badi , Khan Mohammed , Alkarzae Mohammed , Alzubaidi Atheer Abdulaziz , Abdulkarim Johara , Alsharif Bayan
Published: March 2022

Background:

Protruding ears are a well-known auricular deformity characterized by dominant autosomal inheritance A corrective surgery for protruding ears was developed with positive postoperative outcome. Currently, there has been no research conducted in Saudi Arabia to assess the public's awareness of protruding ears and its management.

Materials and Methods:

This observational cross-sectional study of 1002 participants distributed through electronic questionnaire in the Arabic language. By taking advantage of social media, the study represents the population in different regions. It was used to estimate the awareness of protruding ears among the public in Saudi Arabia.

Results:

42.7% of the participants were aware of protruding ears. The most common sources of awareness were the Internet (37.4%), social media (33.2%), and brochures/scientific journals (17.6%). Awareness about protruding ears was observed more among participants working in a medical field than those working in a nonmedical field (58.9% vs. 34.6%, P < 0.001). Most of the participants who were aware of the protruding ears (70.6%) were aware of the cosmetic surgery option to repair protruding ears. The Internet (41.3%) and social media (37.1%) were the most reported sources of hearing about cosmetic surgery for repair of protruding ears. The majority of who had heard of the cosmetic surgery were working in the medical field (82.3%).

Conclusions:

Our study is the first to demonstrate the public awareness about protruding ears and its management. The results showed that there is a lack of awareness about the disorder and its management in Saudi Arabia. We recommend increasing the efforts to raise the awareness in the population.
A New Prognostic Index for Extranodal Natural Killer/T-Cell Lymphoma:Incorporation of Serum β-2 Microglobulin to PINK
Authors: Kang Sora , Cho Hyungwoo , Kim Shin , Lee Kyoungmin , Kang Eun Hee , Park Jung Sun , Lee Yoon Sei , Park Chan-Sik , Go Heounjeong , Huh Jooryung , Ryu Jin Sook , Lee Sang-Wook , Kim Seok Jin , Kim Won Seog , Yoon Sang Eun , Ko Young Hyeh , Suh Cheolwon
Published: March 2022

Purpose Prognostic Index for Natural Killer Lymphoma (PINK) is the most widely accepted prognostic model for patients withextranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL) treated with non-anthracycline–based therapy. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic implications of serum β-2 microglobulin (β2M) in the context of PINK and proposed a new prognostic model.Materials and Methods A total of 138 patients who were newly diagnosed with ENKTL and treated with non-anthracycline-based chemotherapy were identified. The cut-off value of high serum β2M was calculated by maximal-chi square methods (4.1 mg/L). A new prognostic model incorporating serum β2M into PINK was proposed and validated in an independent validation cohort (n=88).Results The patients’ median age was 53.5 years (range, 19 to 80 years). Patients with high serum β2M levels had significantly worse overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). In multivariate analysis, high serum β2M was an independent adverse prognostic factor for OS. A new PINK-B (Prognostic Index for Natural Killer Lymphoma-serum β-2 microglobulin) model stratifiedpatients into three groups with distinct OS and PFS in the training cohort (3-year OS, 84.1% [95% confidence interval, 75.1 to 94.2], 46.8% [36.1 to 60.8] and 17.6% [6.3 to 49.2] for the low-, intermediate, and high-risk groups, respectively; 3-year PFS, 70.6% [59.4 to 83.8], 35.9% [25.9 to 49.8], and 7.35% [1.1 to 46.7] for the low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups, respectively). The PINK-B model was further validated in an independent cohort.Conclusion Serum β2M is an independent prognostic factor for ENKTL patients. The new serum β2M-based prognostic model may be useful for identifying ultra-high-risk patients, and it can easily be adopted into daily clinical practice.
Community of Soil Actinobacteria in PTPN VI Oil Palm Plantation Jambi (Sumatra, Indonesia) Based on Amplicon Sequencing of 16S rRNA Gene
Authors: Inayah Mazidah Noer , Lestari Yulin , Meryandini Anja
Published: March 2022

In Sumatra, Indonesia, increased oil palm production encourages land expansion for oil palm plantations. And soil Actinobacteria have a potential role in agriculture and plantations ecosystems. The use of fertilizer and herbicide affects soil microbial diversity, including Actinobacteria. This research analyzed and investigated the community composition and diversity of Actinobacteria in soils of oil palm plantations in Jambi Sumatra. Amplicon-based analysis of the 16S rRNA gene (V3-V4 hypervariable region) was used to amplify actinobacterial full-length 16S sequences. The V3-V4 actinobacterial specific 16S rRNA gene sequencing was done using Next-Generation Sequencing. This study confirmed that actinobacterial specific 16S rRNA gene primer could amplify the actinobacterial 16S rRNA gene. Frankiales dominated the community composition of soilborne Actinobacteria. The diversity and community composition of soilborne Actinobacteria were not significantly affected by the interaction between fertilization and weed treatments. Furthermore, the use of NPK fertilizer significantly affected the abundance of Kineosporiales, whose abundance increased with the increasing concentration of NPK fertilizer. The interaction between fertilization and weeding treatments in the oil palm plantations has no impact on soil Actinobacteria's community composition and diversity.
Corona „in a Nutshell“
Authors: Gredel Eva
Published: March 2022

YouTube ist eine der beliebtesten digitalen Plattformen weltweit. Videos zu aktuellen und gesellschaftlich relevanten Themen – etwa Erklärvideos zur COVID-19-Pandemie – können dort große Reichweiten erlangen, werden millionenfach angeschaut und in den Kommentarbereichen von Tausenden Internetnutzern kontrovers diskutiert. YouTube kann in diesem Sinne als digitaler Diskursraum zur Aneignung und Aushandlung von Wissen verstanden werden. In diesem Beitrag wird anhand einer Beispielanalyse die Komplexität des Diskursraums YouTube aufgezeigt und erläutert, welche methodischen Zugänge zu digitalen Diskursen auf YouTube adäquat sind. Fokussiert wird in der qualitativen Analyse auf Metaphern, über die Akteure geteilte Vorstellungswelten zum Coronavirus sprachlich konstruieren.
„Wie sieht die #ZukunftderArbeit aus?“
Authors: Gür-Şeker Derya
Published: March 2022

Wie zeichnet sich der Mediendiskurs über die Zukunft der Arbeit linguistisch aus und welche Einstellungen lassen sich in Bezug auf die Digitalisierung der Arbeitswelt ausmachen? Um diese Fragen zu beantworten, legt der vorliegende Beitrag den Fokus auf Social-Media-Diskurse und führt ausgehend vom Hashtag #zukunftderarbeit Hashtaganalysen auf Instagram, YouTube, Twitter und Facebook durch, um dann so erschlossene Kommunikate diskurslinguistisch zu untersuchen. Der Beitrag perspektiviert dabei insbesondere Digitalisierung und ebenso den Einfluss von Künstlicher Intelligenz (KI) auf die Arbeitswelt und zeigt auf, wie der ‚Zukunft der Arbeit‘-Diskurs sprachlich realisiert wird und welche Einstellungen von User*innen, die auf Social Media interagieren, verbreitet werden.
Zum Ausdruck von Dualität im Englischen und im Deutschen
Authors: Podobnik Andrej
Published: March 2022

Die Absicht dieses Beitrags ist es, die Präsenz von Dualität in gegenwärtigen englischen und deutschen grammatischen Formen darzustellen, obwohl der Dual in den beiden Sprachen nicht vorhanden ist. Wir konzentrieren uns auf die Merkmale des Duals und wie sie spezifisch in den beiden germanischen Sprachen realisiert werden, die keine Dualparadigmen aufweisen. Dem historischen Überblick dualer Formen in beiden Sprachen und den aktuellen Dualausdrucksformen folgt eine korpusbasierte Analyse ausgewählter Dualformen. Die empirischen Daten sowie die theoretischen Prämissen zeigen, dass Dualität im Englischen und im Deutschen entgegen den Erwartungen relativ häufig zum Ausdruck kommt.
Influence of Covid-19 Pandemic Disease on Educational Scheme as Express by Undergraduates
Authors: Ologele Ibrahim
Published: March 2022

The Covid-19 pandemic disease has modified the education system in Nigeria to distance learning using online platforms to stop and reduce the chain of distribution of coronavirus which highly contagious disease among students. This study objectives are to investigate whether Covid-19 pandemic result to; (1) change in university academic calendar, (2) difficulty in coping with online class,  (3) inability to concentrate with online education tools. The population of the study comprised all undergraduates in the Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive research design of survey type which involved the use of three-stages sampling techniques to choose two hundred and fifty-seven undergraduates from the five selected departments out of nine departments in the study area. The researcher developed a questionnaire validated by three experts in the related field was used as an instrument for the study. The findings of the study indicated that the Covid-19 pandemic disease has influence on changes in University academic calendar, has influence on the difficulty in coping with online class and also, has influence on inability to concentrate with online educational tools among Undergraduates. The researcher recommends among others that the lecturers should use appropriate techniques and teaching aids that will make online lessons interesting for learners
Validity Analysis of Science Learning Devices Integrated Learning Model Connected Type on Light Topics
Authors: Yulisara Yulisara , Prabowo Prabowo , Suprapto Nadi
Published: March 2022

This research aims to produce a suitable connected-type integrated learning model for science learning on the topic of light. The product specifications of the learning tools developed include lesson plans, worksheets, handouts, questionnaires and test instruments. The learning tools developed were reviewed by three validators. The research data were analyzed descriptively. The results showed that the results of the validation of the development of science learning tools were suitable for use in learning, with the following results: Learning Implementation Plan (i.e RPP) got a mode score of 3 (valid) and Cronbach Alpha 0,83 with the criteria of almost perfect agreement, Student Worksheets got a score of mode three (valid) and Cronbach Alpha 0,91 with the criteria of almost perfect agreement, Handout get a mode 4 score (very valid) 0.73 with the criteria of substantial agreement, the Cognitive Learning Outcome Test gets a mode 3 score (valid) and Cronbach Alpha 0,85 with the criteria of almost perfect agreement, the affective assessment sheet gets a mode 4 score (very valid) and Cronbach Alpha 0,85 with the criteria of almost perfect agreement, the psychomotor assessment sheet gets a mode 4 score (very valid) Cronbach Alpha 0,77 with the criteria of substantial agreement, and the student response questionnaire gets mode score 4 (very valid) Cronbach Alpha 1,00 with the criteria of almost perfect agreement. Based on the data analysis, it can be concluded that the learning tools developed are valid and suitable for use in learning.
The Effectiveness 3D Models Online Modules to Practice Mastery of Solar System Conceptual Knowledge
Authors: Ervana Dhanang Setyo , Raharjo Raharjo , Munasir Munasir
Published: March 2022

This study aims to describe the effectiveness of 3D models online modules to practice mastery of solar system conceptual knowledge. The effectiveness of the 3D models online modules was measured using a conceptual knowledge mastery test instrument which was tested on 15 7th grade junior high school students in Jombang district, East Jawa, Indonesia. The test instrument consisted of 30 questions with the addition of the Certainty of Response Index (CRI) which was divided into 3 meetings and each meeting tested 10 questions. The results showed that 48.67% of students had been able to master conceptual knowledge when given the 3D models online modules. However, 31.11% of students experienced misconceptions, 8.44% answered correctly because of luck and 11.78% had not been able to master conceptual knowledge. Because the resulting misconceptions fall into the moderate criteria, it can be concluded that the 3D models online modules in general has not been effective in practicing mastery of solar system conceptual knowledge. When examined further, this ineffectiveness is found in the cognitive dimensions of C4, learning indicators (LI) 1, 3 and 4, as well as conceptual knowledge sub-types (CKST) 1 and 3. While the effective 3D models online modules in cognitive dimensions C2 and C5, learning indicators (LI) 2 and 5, and conceptual knowledge sub-types (CKST) 2
The Effect of SAVI Learning Model on Students' Critical Thinking Skills
Authors: Fera Lindra Ismawanti  , Mohamad Nur  , Yuanita Leny
Published: March 2022

This research aims to determine the effect of the SAVI learning model on the critical thinking skills of junior high school students. The method used in this research is one group pre-test-post test, with a descriptive quantitative approach. The test is done online via a google form. The question instrument contains 10 multiple choice questions and 5 questions on the description of the digestive system material that has been validated by the validator. This study involved 90 students of grade 8. The results showed that the validation results of critical thinking test questions obtained a mode 4 score and a reliability value of 86%, while the results of the students' critical thinking skills test showed that after the SAVI learning model was applied there was an increase obtained from the average pretest score of 40 and the average score The post-test average was 81 so that the N-gain score increased by 0.68 in the medium category, and all critical thinking indicators were achieved well.
Development of STEM-Based PjBL Model Science Learning Tools to Train Middle School Students’ Creativity Through Flood Detection Alarm Project Taks
Authors: Solichatin Indah , Wahono Widodo  , Munasir Munasir
Published: March 2022

The purpose of the research is to develop a STEM-based PjBL model of learning tools to train students' creativity through the Flood Detection Alarm project task. The research development design is a 4D model (Define, Design, Develop and Disseminate). Methods of collecting research data using validation, questionnaires, observation, assessment, and documentation.The validity of the learning device has an average score above the value of 3 (valid). The practicality of learning devices is in the very good category, obstacles that occur during learning can be resolved with several solutions so that learning can run smoothly as expected. The effectiveness of the learning tools is effective in terms of the creativity of the students, the average score is 87.6% (very creative) and the students' responses are the average score is 94% (positive). The conclusion that can be underlined from the results of this study is the development of science learning tools with the PjBL model with a STEM approach that is suitable for training students' creativity in making Flood Detection Alarm products on Dynamic Electricity material.
Notes on Equitable Partitions into Matching Forests in Mixed Graphs and into $b$-branchings in Digraphs
Authors: Takazawa Kenjiro
Published: March 2022

An equitable partition into branchings in a digraph is a partition of the arc
set into branchings such that the sizes of any two branchings differ at most by
one. For a digraph whose arc set can be partitioned into $k$ branchings, there
always exists an equitable partition into $k$ branchings. In this paper, we
present two extensions of equitable partitions into branchings in digraphs:
those into matching forests in mixed graphs; and into $b$-branchings in
digraphs. For matching forests, Kir\'{a}ly and Yokoi (2022) considered a
tricriteria equitability based on the sizes of the matching forest, and the
matching and branching therein. In contrast to this, we introduce a
single-criterion equitability based on the number of covered vertices, which is
plausible in the light of the delta-matroid structure of matching forests.
While the existence of this equitable partition can be derived from a lemma in
Kir\'{a}ly and Yokoi, we present its direct and simpler proof. For
$b$-branchings, we define an equitability notion based on the size of the
$b$-branching and the indegrees of all vertices, and prove that an equitable
partition always exists. We then derive the integer decomposition property of
the associated polytopes.
Analysis of the state of modern scientific thought on the use of vehicles in passenger transport
Authors:   Department of Information Control System (ICS), Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics, Kharkiv, Dolia Olena
Published: March 2022

Scientific research on the state of modern scientific thought on the use of vehicles in passenger transport reveals the state of establishing relevant approaches to solving a wide range of problems and challenges for scientists around the world. The paper set such a task as a systematic analysis of modern scientific literature published during 2010 - 2022 on the organization of passenger transport by different types and types of passenger transport. Only articles included in the Scopus scientometric database were used in the study. The purpose of this work is to identify modern methodological, theoretical, scientific approaches to addressing the issues inherent in the processes of passenger transportation. The results of the study found that the current state of scientific thought, for the most part, offers a simulation of passenger transport processes. Researchers drew attention to passenger traffic not only by different types and modes of transport, but also by different distances. The approaches of transport modelling proposed by scientists take into account the solution of problems, but do not consider the problems of the transport industry in full. It is also impossible to say with certainty that the methods proposed by scientists are such that take into account the multifactorial nature of external and internal parameters. Thus, not only external factors of the system and possible changes in the parameters of internal subsystems are not fully taken into account, but also variants of the state and composition of the passenger transportation systems themselves. Among the proposed methods for calculating certain parameters, contemporaries mostly offer computer simulations or mathematical descriptions. The study concludes that the consideration of methods of mathematical and computer modelling as the main at the time of the study
Mobile Applications for Self-Management of Hypertension: A Systematic Review
Authors: Garcia Gusiella Sandra N. , Manlapaz Donald G. , Versales Cristine Rose S. , Tangcuangco Lyle Patrick D. , Beltran Xavier Erikson V. , Chen Scarlet Aimee M. , Florin Eunice Danielle O. , Li Kingson Kinnard Kyronne C. , Robles Karen Rae G. , Tan Dale Jayson N. Sia , Valentos Gail D.
Published: March 2022

Aim: To recognize and describe applications from Apple and Google geared towards the self-management of hypertension and to evaluate their quality, functionality, content validity, and usefulness.
Methods: This is a systematic review of the mobile applications for self-management of hypertension available in the Philippines. The inclusion criteria included applications that were created within the last five years, are smartphone-based, and operate on either the Android OS or iOS. The study excluded applications that target other medical conditions, and applications that are solely for reference and clinicians’ use. Selected applications were evaluated through the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS) and underwent clinical guidelines compliance analysis.
Results: A total of 1607 applications were filtered, leaving 266 applications. Twelve applications complied with the criteria, but due to inaccessibility, only four (4) were included in the study. The FITZY+ obtained the highest MARS average (4.06). Functionality domain had the highest score of more than half (3/4, 75%) of the applications. All the applications (4/4, 100%) were adherent to the treatment for hypertension in reference to the clinical guidelines.
Conclusion and Implications: Mobile health applications are promising tools, capable of minimizing the occurrence and degree of hypertension. However, the applications for self-management of hypertension are limited and of substandard quality due to inadequate information and research. Although applications satisfy some clinical guidelines, physical therapists should advise their patients not to rely solely on them as they are not the most optimal form of medical care.