bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pycnodysostosis- A Rare Diagnosis Not to Miss
Authors: Montasir Ahmed Al , Mondal Swapna Rani , Mustaque Ahmed - Al - , Shah Bipin
Published: April 2022

Background: there are several diseases that results repeated bone fracture. One of them is Pycnodysostosis. Pycnodysostosis was first described in 1962; however, the defective gene responsible for the skeletal features of Pycnodysostosis was discovered in 1996. Although genetic study confirms the diagnosis it’s not essential one to reach the clinical diagnosis. Several clinical features and radiological findings provide important clues to make the diagnosis in clinical settings.The Case: We made diagnosis of Pycnodysostosis in 67 years male who have typical suggestive clinical and radiological features. Our patient suffered from repeated fractures as the diagnosis was not made in early consultations with orthopaedic and primary healthcare facilities. He took NSAIDs since his childhood to alleviate pain of repeated fractures and mal-union. Pain and bony mal-union had made his quality of life very poor.Conclusion: We emphasize early diagnosis of this rare disorder and it can be easily made. Special care of Pycnodysostosis patients is needed to prevent fractures.
Recent trends in air temperature, precipitation and selected meteorological drough indices in the northern part of the Pannonian Plain and the adjacent Carpathian Mountains
Authors: Onderka Milan , Pecho Jozef
Published: April 2022

A total of 71 sites located within the northern part of the Pannonian Plain and the adjacent Carpathians were analysed for temporal trends in selected climate variables during the period 1981-2020. Because studying trends in quantiles may be more informative than just focusing on changes in long-term averages, quantile regression was used to quantify the temporal changes in precipitation totals, air temperature, climatic water balance, and two meteorological drought indices (SPI and SPEI) calculated for time scales ranging from 1 to 24 months. We identified a strong coupling between precipitation and local air temperature in the summertime and fall seasons. A reversed situation occurs in the case of springtime data, where a negative coupling between precipitation and temperature was observed. In addition, significant temporal changes in the z-score distributions of the investigated SPEI and SPI indices have been observed. The SPEI index has identified distinctive intensification of meteorological drought starting in the springtime season and continuing into early fall at the majority of the analyzed locations.
Analysis of public domain plant transcriptomes expands the phylogenetic diversity of the family Secoviridae
Authors: Sidharthan V. Kavi , Rajeswari V. , V.K.Baranwal
Published: April 2022

Secoviruses are mono-/bi-partite plant-infecting RNA viruses that cause economically important diseases in plants. In the present study, nine secoviruses tentatively named as Ananas comosus secovirus (AcSV), Artocarpus altilis secovirus (AaSV), Boehmeria nivea secovirus (BnSV), Gynostemma pentaphyllum secovirus (GpSV), Orobanche cernua secovirus (OcSV), Paris polyphylla secovirus 1 (PpSV1), Paris polyphylla secovirus 2 (PpSV2), Rhododendron delavayi secovirus (RdSV) and Yucca gloriosa secovirus (YgSV) were identified by analysis of publicly available transcriptomes of eight plant species. Coding-complete genome/genome segments of all the identified viruses encoding a polyprotein were recovered. Two of the identified viruses- AcSV and GpSV were discovered in few of the small RNA libraries of respective plant species. Putative cleavage sites were predicted in polyproteins encoded by AcSV, GpSV, PpSV2 and YgSV genome segments. Phylogenetic and sequence similarity analyses showed that AcSV, GpSV and YgSV, PpSV1 and RdSV putatively belong to the genera- Sadwavirus (sub genus: Cholivirus), Fabavirus, Nepovirus and Waikavirus, respectively while AaSV, BnSV and PpSV2 may represent a distinct group of viruses within the family Secoviridae as they could not certainly be assigned to a particular genera.
Pedunculated Lipofibroma in a pediatric patient.
Authors: Ahamad Mohammad Nafees , Guljabin
Published: April 2022

Pedunculated lipofibroma is a rare form of nevus lipomatosus cutaneous superficialis (NLCS). The lesions are large, slow-growing, pedunculated tumors, characterized histologically by ectopic adipose tissue in the dermis. A 9-year-old girl presented with a solitary painless cerebriform pedunculated mass over her right arm. Histopathological examination of the excised mass revealed lipofibroma. The solitary type of NLCS, or pedunculated lipofibroma, occurs usually over 20 years of age and is found on the axilla, knee, ear, or skin of the scalp. The striking finding, that the hamartoma had grown constantly in early life, from a small nodule to a large mass, is rare in pediatric age group so it’s been presented.
Atoms in Gaseous and Solid States and their Energy and Force Relationships under Transitional Behaviors
Authors: Ali Mubarak
Published: April 2022

By recalling the conventional studies of atoms, it is possible to discover new insights tackling the present and future challenges. The electrons and energy knots form atoms of different elements. In different elements, atoms are recognized based on the number of electrons and energy knots. Depending on how many filled and unfilled states in an atom of the element are allocated, the lattice is formed or constructed by intercrossing the overt photons having fixed lengths and numbers. In the intercrossing of the overt photons, the centers of the overt photons remained fixed at a common point. Gaseous atoms keep different schemes of intercrossing overt photons than solid atoms. Except for the hydrogen atom, the atoms possess the same valency as specified. Two electrons are occupied by the two energy knots in the hydrogen atom, whereas four electrons are occupied by the four energy knots in the helium atom. A helium atom is related to the zeroth ring in all higher-order atoms. In order to validate these statements above, the concept of considering protons and neutrons is no longer significant. As far as the gaseous atoms are concerned, electrons possess the minimum required potential energy. So, the electrons remain above the middle of occupied energy knots in the gaseous atoms for more than half the length, and they keep on experiencing the maximum required levitational force along the north pole. In solid atoms, electrons possess the maximum required potential energy. So, the electrons remain below the middle of occupied energy knots in the solid atoms in more than half the length, and they keep on experiencing the maximum required gravitational force along the south pole. Atoms undertake the transition states under the established relation of energy and force. In the transition, electrons of the atom deal with infinitesimal displacements by remaining within the occupied energy knots. The related orientational force keeps on exerting to the electrons introducing the recovery, neutral, re-crystallization, and liquid states for their atoms. In converting a gaseous atom into the liquid state, electrons left to the center of the atom orientate north to east clockwise, and electrons right to the center of the atom orientate north to west anti-clockwise. In converting a solid atom into the liquid state, electrons left to the center of the atom orientate south to east anti-clockwise, and electrons right to the center of the atom orientate south to west clockwise. These fundamental revolutions shed new light on the development of science and engineering of materials.
Anti-Hyperglycemic Activities, Molecular Docking and Structure-Activity Relationships (SARs) Studies of Endiandric Acids and Kingianins from Endiandra kingiana
Authors: Amirah Saad Nur , Mohammad Sharifah , Hafizi Abu Bakar Mohamad , Tasyriq Che Omar Mohammad , Litaudon Marc , Awang Khalijah , Nurul Azmi Mohamad
Published: April 2022

Diabetes has become a severe chronic disease worldwide with patients significantly increasing daily. Due to the side effects of insulin and oral hypoglycaemic agents employed in diabetes treatment, scientists are working hard to develop alternative approaches from natural plants that inhibit α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Consequently, by performing a phytochemical analysis on the bark of Endiandra kingiana, the present study isolated 11 cyclic polyketides. Analyses with one-dimensional and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (1D- and 2D-NMR), highresolution electron ionization mass spectrometry (HRESIMS), and comparison with previous literature confirmed the compounds characteristics. Subsequently, the compounds were screened for in vitro α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibiting activities. Compounds 9 and 2 exhibited potent inhibition towards α-amylase at 0.0008903 ± 0.5 and 0.02 ± 0.3 mg mL−1 of half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values, respectively. In the α-glucosidase inhibition assay, compounds 10 and 5 demonstrated good inhibition with IC50 values of 0.11 ± 0.08 and 0.14 ± 0.05 mg mL−1, respectively. The molecular docking examination demonstrated that the compounds adhered to the active sites on the C-terminal of the human pancreatic α-amylase (Protein Data Bank Identification (PDB ID): 2QV4, resolution: 1.97 Å) and maltase-glucoamylase (MGAM) (PDB ID: 3TOP, resolution: 2.88 Å), agreeing with α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes inhibitory reactions.
Quantitative response relationships between annual precipitation in China from 1951 to 2018 and its influencing factors
Authors: Lu Chang , Ma Long , Liu Tingxi , Huang Xing , Sun Guohua
Published: April 2022

Continuous changes in the global climate have exacerbated the uneven spatial distribution of water resources. The quantitative response relationships between precipitation and its influencing factors are an important research topic. In this study, the responses of precipitation to its influencing factors were quantified by analysing the large-spatial-scale data such as the monthly precipitation data of 619 meteorological stations in China from 1951 to 2018, the CMIP6 data, and the AMO through empirical orthogonal function decomposition, partial redundancy analysis, and ensemble empirical mode decomposition. As shown by the results, the overall response relationships between precipitation in China and the AMO and MEI were relatively strong, and the PDO and AGG affected precipitation in western China. The precipitation in the area north of 25 °N had strong response relationships with the SR and AO. AP affected the precipitation in Northeast China, while WS affected the precipitation in North China and western China. RH affected the precipitation in the regions south of 25 °N. The response relationship between precipitation and CO2 was weakest. The total contribution rate of the influencing factors to the annual precipitation was higher in the west and lower in the east. In the regions west of 100 °E, the total contribution rate of the influencing factors to annual precipitation increased from south to north. In the regions east of 100 °E, the total contribution rate of the influencing factors to the annual precipitation decreased from north and south to the central area, AO and AP contributed little to the annual precipitation across China.
Social Inhibition: Theoretical Review and Implications for a Dual Social Inhibition Model within the Circumplex of Personality Metatraits
Authors: Kwiatkowska Maria M. , Strus Włodzimierz
Published: April 2022

The purpose of this paper is to present a new model of social inhibition (a) conceptualised as a dual structured construct including shyness and modesty, and (b) showing the complexity and diversity of these two social inhibition forms across various domains of psychosocial functioning (i.e., self-image, cognitive, emotional, and behavioural). Locating these two forms of social inhibition within the space of the Circumplex of Personality Metatraits enabled us to identify conceptually adjacent constructs to social inhibition and put the latter into a broad personality context. Through supplementary meta-analyses of the relations of shyness and modesty with the Big Five personality traits, we confront our theoretical proposition with existing empirical findings. Our paper implies that social inhibition might be successfully treated as a psychosocial disposition with two related and shared core elements, but distinct and differentially targeted forms—more neurotic and dysfunctional shyness and more agreeable and adaptive modesty.
OS MÚLTIPLOS ENFOQUES DA INTERDISCIPLINARIDADE NO AMBIENTE ACADÊMICO
Authors: Balbino José , De Fátima Nunes Silva Helena , Pena de Couto Mariele
Published: April 2022

O estudo analisa os diferentes enfoques empregados ao termo “interdisciplinaridade” nas pesquisas cientificas. O estudo não tem a pretensão de estabelecer um conceito consolidado sobre a interdisciplinaridade, mas de propor reflexões e contribuir para o avanço do entendimento sobre o tema. Contextualiza a interdisciplinaridade nas pesquisas brasileiras e realiza análise de conteúdo em 46 artigos publicados a partir de 2016. A análise de conteúdo resulta na identificação de nove categorias sobre a utilização do conceito de interdisciplinaridade e suas características a partir dos autores que apresentam estudos sobre este tema. Foram identificadas oito categorias, onde a  interdisciplinaridade pode ser compreendida como:  uma alternativa à produção do conhecimento; uma possibilidade de análise holística; além da combinação de saberes e disciplinas; a interação entre diversos campos do conhecimento; proposta de novos conhecimentos; a partir das relações das disciplinas; uma forma de superação dos limites disciplinares; perspectiva do sujeito ou do objeto de pesquisa; e, perspectiva do objeto de pesquisa. A análise das categorias revela a amplitude conceitual e a prática da interdisciplinaridade enquanto elemento propulsor do desenvolvimento de estudos acadêmicos e pesquisas.
PERFIL DOS EGRESSOS DO PROGRAMA DE PÓS-GRADUAÇÃO EM ODONTOLOGIA INTEGRADA DA UNIVERSIDADE ESTADUAL DE MARINGÁ
Authors: Hirata Navarro Camila , Fujimaki Mitsue , De Oliveira e Silva Cléverson , De Lima Mazini Fernanda , Sano Suga Terada Raquel
Published: April 2022

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o perfil dos egressos do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Odontologia Integrada da Universidade Estadual de Maringá (PGO/UEM), no período de 2008 a 2019. Um questionário com 19 perguntas abertas e fechadas foi aplicado via Google Forms. Do total de 104 egressos, 74 responderam ao questionário (71,2%). Dos 74 egressos, 59 eram do sexo feminino e 15 do sexo masculino. A maioria (72,98%) residia no estado do Paraná, era casada, com média de idade de 26,1 anos no momento da matrícula. Após a conclusão do curso, 50% dos egressos realizaram doutorado e 40,5% fizeram cursos de especialização. A área mais procurada para doutorado foi Odontologia integrada e, de especialização, Ortodontia. Do total de egressos que participaram da pesquisa, 33 (44,6%) exerciam a docência, sendo seu exercício exclusivo ou combinado às atividades de consultório particular ou serviço de saúde pública. A maioria exercia a docência em instituições privadas. Dos egressos, a maioria relatou manter o currículo Lattes atualizado e, após o término da pós-graduação, ter realizado publicações em revistas nacionais e internacionais. Conclui-se que os egressos do PGO/UEM estão mais concentrados no estado do Paraná (72,98%) trazendo benefícios à população regional, muitos exercem a docência, dão continuidade aos estudos e têm artigos publicados, contribuindo com a produção intelectual do país. O PGO/UEM tem atingido seus objetivos institucionais; no entanto, há necessidade que a avaliação dos egressos seja constante para identificação de fatores importantes para o seu aprimoramento.
RELAÇÕES ENTRE A PRODUÇÃO CIENTÍFICA E A PRODUÇÃO AGROPECUÁRIA BRASILEIRA SOB O VIÉS DE UM ESTUDO BIBLIOMÉTRICO
Authors: Ribeiro de Freitas Irizaga Karen , De Souza Vanz Samile Andréa
Published: April 2022

Estuda a relação entre a produção científica brasileira em ciências agrárias e a produção agropecuária, destacada pelo Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento. A produção científica é analisada através dos indicadores bibliométricos de produção e associação temática. Os softwares usados são BibExcel, Excel e VOSviewer. O corpus do estudo é composto por 109.084 artigos científicos indexados pela Scopus entre 2008-2017. Demonstrou-se a heterogeneidade da distribuição da produção cientifica brasileira em ciências agrárias, destacando cada estado brasileiro. O estudo das palavras-chave revelou que o foco dessa ciência são as pesquisas relacionadas às políticas socioeconômicas do país, metas que essa ciência se compromete em cumprir segundo o objetivo do Plano Nacional da Pós-Graduação (2010-2020). Conclui que há correspondência entre os estudos e a produção agropecuária, pois, dos 26 produtos apontados pelo Ministério como relevantes para a economia brasileira, apenas sete não foram localizados entre os mais frequentes nas palavras-chave.
ESTÁGIO DOCÊNCIA, QUALIFICAÇÃO PROFISSIONAL E REFLEXIVIDADE CRÍTICA
Authors: Guedes Neves Fagner Henrique
Published: April 2022

Este artigo veicula a análise de uma experiência de estágio supervisionado docente vivenciada num curso de licenciatura em Sociologia na Região Metropolitana do Rio de Janeiro. Mediante uma metodologia de pesquisa que possibilitou planejar, executar e avaliar práticas pedagógicas em quatro disciplinas de Pesquisa e Prática de Ensino, o processo buscou empreender ciclos de reflexões, ações e novas reflexões favoráveis ao aprimoramento pessoal-profissional docente. Na dialética entre o vivido e o projetado, a iniciativa mostrou que o estágio tem potencialidade de ser um campo propício ao desenvolvimento de uma práxis favorável a uma qualificação profissional de qualidade. O estágio pode representar um divisor de águas na construção de identidades docentes comprometidas com uma educação básica democrática em todas as suas disciplinas.

This article analyzes a teaching internship experience lived in a degree course in Sociology in the Greater Rio area. Through a research methodology on planning, executing and evaluating pedagogical practices in four disciplines of Research and Teaching Practice, the process aims to develop cycles of reflections, actions and new reflections favorable to the personal-professional improvement of teachers. In a dialectical relationship between the lived and the projected, the initiative showed that the internship has the potential to be a favorable field for the development of a praxis favorable to a quality professional qualification. The internship can represent a breakpoint in the construction of teaching identities concerned to a democratic education in all its subjects.
INTERNACIONALIZAÇÃO DA UNIVERSIDADE BRASILEIRA. DESAFIOS E PERSPECTIVAS NA BUSCA PELO PADRÃO DE UNIVERSIDADE DE CLASSE MUNDIAL
Authors: Haeffner Cristina , Zanotto Sônia Regina , Almeida Guimarães Jorge
Published: April 2022

O estudo identifica as universidades e áreas do conhecimento onde há melhores perspectivas para a efetiva e exitosa cooperação internacional e recomenda um conjunto de ações para sanar deficiências nas universidades. Indica que a internacionalização da Universidade Brasileira requer a busca da qualificação paulatina das instituições objetivando alcançar êxito na formatação de Universidades Brasileiras de Classe Mundial. Indica que um avanço sobre este inadiável desafio pode ser facilitado pelo envolvimento dos programas de pós-graduação mais qualificados (conceitos 6 e 7 da CAPES) que já apresentam um certo nível de internacionalização. Uma ação nessa direção deve visar a promoção ao melhor desempenho das universidades de modo a evitar o risco de o Brasil atuar de forma subserviente, situação comum na grande maioria dos países menos desenvolvidos no que respeita à cooperação internacional. Claramente, o artigo trata da perspectiva de verdadeira cooperação internacional visando promover o desenvolvimento de projetos completos de pesquisa colaborativa pelo apoio financeiro específico a iniciativas de interação científica e tecnológica compartilhada, situada muito à frente dos modelos até agora usados pelas agências de fomento de simples concessão de bolsas de formação no exterior. Ainda que seja esperado haver, certamente, profundas mudanças no contexto mundial no que respeita ao funcionamento das universidades no cenário pós-COVID-19, as instituições sobreviventes precisarão, com mais razão, estarem antenadas com a perspectiva de forte interação internacional. Isto se torna ainda mais relevante considerando os extraordinários avanços nas tecnologias modernas centradas na digitalização e no domínio de conhecimentos em algoritmos, big data, inteligência artificial, outras tecnologias e suas aplicabilidades.
Design and Screening of KLHL22 Inhibitors by Homology Modeling,
Molecular Docking, and Molecular Dynamics Simulation
Authors: Kang Congmin , Gao Chenglong , Sun Chuance , Zhang Lichuan , Zhang Haoran , Yu Rilei
Published: April 2022

Background:

Kelch-like protein 22 (KLHL22) was a newly discovered proto-oncogene and it
is highly expressed in multiple breast cancer cell lines. Inhibition of KLHL22 can induce autophagy in
tumor cells by regulating the mTORC1 pathway.

Methods:

In this study, the structure of the KLHL22 protein was predicted by homology modelling. The
model was evaluated by Ramachandran Plot and Profile-3D. Virtual screening of a drug-like small molecule
library of 400,000 compounds was performed, and six potentially active compounds were obtained.

Results:

Among them, compound 1 had the best docking posture with docking energy of -8.42 kcal/mol.
Therefore, we further modified the structure of compound 1. 12 unreported compounds with lower docking
energies were obtained. The results of ADMET prediction performed on them showed good druggability.
The 60 ns molecular dynamics simulations were performed for compounds 1 and 10. MD studies
showed that the complexes had stable RMSD, and the compounds formed good H-bonds interactions with
essential amino acids (ASP64, TRP192).

Conclusion:

These results may provide new insights into the design and development of potent novel
KLHL22 inhibitors.
In silico Studies on Potential Inhibitors of the Penicillin Binding Protein 2B
(PBP2B) of the Resistant G54 and Intermediate-resistant Hungary 19A-6
and SP195 Strains of Streptococcus Pneumoniae
Authors: Suvaithenamudhan Suvaiyarasan , Parthasarathy Subbiah
Published: April 2022

Background:

Mutations in Penicillin Binding Protein 2B (PBP2B) lead to resistance against
commercial β-lactam antibiotics among some strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae. In this study, the
molecular mechanism of resistance and the alternate strategy for controlling the Penicillin Binding Protein
2B (PBP2B) of resistant G54 and the two intermediate-resistant Hungary19A-6 and SP195 strains of
Streptococcus pneumoniae are determined using an in silico approach.

Methods:

In this study, we considered four ligand compounds, namely ZINC59376795, ZINC36922620,
ZINC39550705, and ZINC36953975 of the ZINC database, identified through high-throughput screening
(HTS) study for the resistant strain (5204-PBP2B). Glide XP docking and molecular dynamic simulation
studies were performed on the PBP2B of the three resistant strains chosen for this study. The stability
analysis was performed with prime-MM/GBSA, and the binding free energy, RMSD, and RMSF were
also evaluated.

Results:

Out of the four ligands, the ZINC39550705 ligand was found to form a stable complex with
PBP2B of all three strains. Furthermore, this ZINC39550705 ligand was observed to form four hydrogen
bonds with the PBP2B of all three strains. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed with these
four selected ligands and targets. The resulting binding pattern, RMSD, RMSF, and hydrogen bond calculation
analyses provide deeper insight into the molecular interactions of these four selected ligands with
the PBP2B of the three resistance strains of S. pneumoniae.

Conclusion:

The interaction of the selected ligand molecules and PBP2B of the resistant strains of S.
pneumoniae revealed that hydroxyl amino acid Thr at position 224, acidic amino acids including Glu at
positions 301, 245, and 240, amidic amino acids, Asn at positions 265 and 260, and aliphatic amino acid
Gly at the 302 position had a crucial role in the formation of hydrogen bonds with most of the selected
ligands that contributed to the stability of the complexes. The molecular dynamics simulation further
confirmed that the stability of ligand ZINC39550705–PBP2B of all mutant strains was higher compared
to other ligand-protein complexes evaluated in the present study. Selected ligand molecules showed significant
properties of the inhibitor to be used against the resistant strains of S. pneumoniae, and the ligand
ZINC39550705, in particular, is a potential alternative to commercial β-lactam antibiotics.
Infection and Severity of COVID-19 Infection Among Healthcare Workers:
A Report from Egypt
Authors: Moustafa Ehab F , Hassany Sahar M , Soliman Asmaa Mohamed Ahmed , Ezz-Eldin Mohammed , Zaghloul Nariman , Abd-Elsalam Sherief
Published: April 2022

Backgrounds & Aim:

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a severe acute respiratory
syndrome caused by Coronavirus. Knowledge of the fate of infection and risk factors among health
care workers is essential to enforce special infection control measures. We aimed to determine the
percentage of COVID-19 infection and the associated risk factors as well as the predictors of COVID-
19 among health care workers in Assiut University Hospital.

Methods::

A cross-sectional study was performed that included one hundred health care workers that
were confirmed by PCR to be COVID-19 cases admitted to Assiut University Hospital over six months
between May 2020 and November 2020. All participants were subjected to thorough history taking and
full clinical examination as well as investigations.

Results:

Out of the 100 HCWs enrolled in the study, 52% were males, 26% were obese, 68% were
doctors, and 38% were from the medical department. Fourteen percent of healthcare workers were
admitted to ICU, of which 93% were cured. The predictors for severity of cases were as follows: being
a doctor OR (6.804) P=0.037, old age OR (1.179) P=0.000, and hospital stay OR (0.838) P=0.015.

Conclusion:

Health care workers are at risk for severe COVID-19 infection. Being a doctor, old age,
and duration of hospitalization were the predictors for the severity of cases of health care workers.
Facial Esthetic Analysis of Nepalese Subjects
Authors: Shah Pravin K. , Shrestha Situ , Rokaya Dinesh
Published: April 2022

Background:

Facial beauty is a prime concern in facial esthetic treatments and facial plastic surgery. The cephalometric can be used in the diagnosis, treatment planning, assessing the growth pattern in the craniofacial complex and skeletal disproportion with the relationships of the teeth to their supporting bone.

Objective:

The objective of this research was to analyze the face, evaluate the variability between males and females, and determine the cephalometric norms of Nepalese subjects based on Ricketts analysis.

Materials and Methods:

Craniofacial analysis of 106 Nepalese Brahmins subjects (60 females and 46 males) was done using the lateral cephalogram. The samples were criteria selected who met the criteria; well-balanced face, class I canine relation, and class I molar relation with normal occlusion. Ten parameters of Ricketts analysis were measured and analyzed using SPSS 20. The results were compared among males and females using Independent T-test with P value = 0.05.

Results:

The mean values of the facial axis, mandibular plane angle, mandibular arc, convexity at A were higher among the Brahmin females compared to Brahmin males. While the mean values of lower facial height, lower incisor to A Pog distance, lower incisor to A Pog angle, upper molar to PTV, and distance from lower lip to E plane were higher among the Brahmin males compared to Brahmin females. Female had smaller craniofacial variables compared to males. The mean values of upper molar position are higher for both males and females compared to the standard value of 12 ±3 mm; however, the mean values are significantly higher among males compared to females (P = 0.001). It showed that the facial axis, chin position, lower facial height, and facial depth were no significant differences between Nepalese males and females.

Conclusion:

There was sexual dimorphism in craniofacial features in Nepalese Brahmins. Female had smaller craniofacial variables compared to males. This research provided an overview of craniofacial features and they can be a norm for Nepalese Brahmins in orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning.
White Spot Lesions: A Serious but Often Ignored Complication of Orthodontic Treatment
Authors: Marya Anand , Venugopal Adith , Karobari Mohmed Isaqali , Rokaya Dinesh
Published: April 2022

Objective:

The objective of this narrative review is to present an overview of the prevalence, clinical manifestation, diagnosis, and latest advances on white spot lesions.

Background:

White spot lesions have been defined as the earliest stage of demineralization on enamel surfaces that are easily discernible to the human eye.

Methods:

Relevant articles on white spot lesions were searched and reviewed from March 1975 till May 2021 in Pubmed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect and were included in this review.

Results:

Even though the orthodontic field has seen several advances over the last few years, this is one complication that persists. White spot lesions are very commonly seen after completion of fixed orthodontic therapy when brackets are debonded. Previously conducted research has shown that there is a high prevalence rate of white spot lesions, which ranges from 50 to 90%. On intra-oral examination, a white spot can be seen as a matte-textured, opaque white lesion. Since the demineralization process takes place below the enamel surface, the outer layer only demonstrates pores that affect the natural light refractory properties of a tooth. This is what leads to the characteristic appearance of these lesions. One of the goals of modern dentistry is to treat non-cavitated lesions by promoting remineralization without the involvement of any invasive procedures.

Conclusion:

Fixed orthodontic therapy is usually a lengthy process and requires active cooperation between the orthodontist and the patient. However, it is the responsibility of the treating orthodontist to examine the tooth surfaces at each appointment to diagnose a developing white spot lesion as early as possible. With recent advances in diagnostic techniques, it has become much easier to identify these initial lesions and prevent their progression to cavitated lesions.
Effect of Banana (Musa sp.) Peels Extract in Nanoemulsion Dosage Forms
for the Improvement of Memory: In Vitro & In Vivo Studies
Authors: Al-Hakim Nur Achsan , Fidrianny Irda , Anggadiredja Kusnandar , Mauludin Rachmat
Published: April 2022

Background:

Banana (Musa sp.) is a plant that is rich in phytochemical compounds, especially antioxidant, which is hypothesized to inhibit the activity of acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme associated with Alzheimer's Disease.

Objective:

The aims of this research were to study nanoemulsion preparations of Kepok banana (KEP-NE) and Tanduk banana (TAN-NE) peel extracts for their activities as antioxidants, acetylcholinesterase as well as tyrosinase inhibitors, and as agents to improve short-term memory.

Methods:

Nanoemulsion was prepared using a combination of high shear homogenization and ultrasonication. The antioxidant activity test was carried out using DPPH and ABTS methods. Meanwhile, memory improvement was studied in a mouse model with memory impairment induced by alloxan (120 mg/kg b.w) using Y-maze apparatus. Determination of acetylcholinesterase and tyrosinase inhibition were performed by ELISA.

Results:

Characterization of the nanoemulsion was performed to include particle size, antioxidant activity, acetylcholinesterase, and tyrosinase inhibition. The particle size and polydispersity index (PI) of KEP-NE and TAN-NE were 84.2 nm (PI: 0.280) and 94.1 nm (PI: 0.282), respectively. The antioxidant activity of DPPH showed that the respective IC50 values of KEP-NE and TAN-NE were 0.64 µg/mL and 1.97 µg/mL. While the values with the ABTS method were 1.10 µg/mL and 1.72 µg/mL, respectively. The IC50 of KEP-NE on acetylcholinesterase inhibition was 108.80 µg/mL, and that on tyrosinase inhibition was 251.47 µg/mL. The study of short-term memory test in Y-maze revealed that the groups Kepok peel extracts 100 and 300 mg/kg b.w, and KEP-NE 100 and 300 mg/kg b.w significantly (P < 0.05) improved short-term memory.

Conclusion:

This study suggests that the nanoemulsion dosage form of Kepok banana peel extract have antioxidant and acetylcholinesterase inhibition as well as tyrosinase inhibition activities and could be potential as an adjunct alternative treatment for memory disorders. The modification of the smaller drug particle size makes an active contribution to the delivery system. The nanoemulsion can increase pharmacological activity
Biological Activity of Synthetic Organoselenium Compounds: What do we Know about the Mechanism?
Authors: Nogara Pablo Andrei , Bortoli Marco , Orian Laura , Rocha João Batista T.
Published: April 2022

Low-molecular-mass selenium (LMM-Se) molecules, such as ebselen and diphenyldiselenide, have many biological and potential therapeutic activities; however, little is known about their mechanism of action. It has been stipulated that LMM-Se can modify the physiological chemistry of endogenous thiol (–SH) and selenol (–SeH) groups by different mechanisms. Generically, LMM-Se compounds are poor mimetics of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) enzyme, suggesting that their thiol-modifier effect is more reasonable to justify their biological action. Unfortunately, the LMM-Se interactions with their targets are relatively non-specific. Here, the action of LMM-Se as potential therapeutic agents will be discussed, as well as the bottleneck and myths about their potential use as therapeutic agents.
Rancang Bangun Mesin Penyangrai Kacang Kawangkoan Berbahan Bakar Oli Bekas Berbasis Mikrokontroler
Authors:   Universitas Negeri Manado, Pomalingo Moh. Fikri , Dama Kapli ,   Universitas Negeri Manado, Sthiefandy Alvin ,   Universitas Negeri Manado, Yasa I Putu Nuharta ,   Universitas Negeri Manado, Mangguali Stepani ,   Universitas Negeri Manado
Published: April 2022

Kacang Kawangkoan adalah salah satu oleh-oleh yang di gemari oleh masyarakat Sulawesi Utara, namun dalam proses pembuatannya, proses penyangkaraian masih dilakukan manual dan masih menggunakan kayu bakar/kering. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah merancang mesin pengering kancang kawangkoan berbahan bakar oli bekas dan berbasis mikrokontroller. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah survei lapangan, studi pustaka, analisis desain, pabrikasi, pengujian, analisis data dan pelaporan. Pabrikasi dan pengujian fungsional mesin ini dilakukan di Workshop Universitas Negeri Manado (Unima) sedangkan pengujian lapangan dilakukan di IKM Rimawar selaku mitra dalam penelitian ini. Hasil pengujian yang didapatkan mesin ini mampu menyangrai dengan waktu 10 menit dengan kapasitas 25 liter kacang. Dalam proses penyangraian, suhu yang digunakan berasal dari nyala api dari tungku oli bekas. Ketinggian api yang dihasilkan mencapai 40 cm diatas permukaan tungku. Suhu pasir mencapai 115-131oC. Pengontrolan suhu diatur dengan memanfaatkan bukaan katub pada blower pada tungku. Putaran ruang penyangraian berkisar antara 22-25 rpm. Peneliti berharap semoga penelitian ini dapat bermanfaat dan menjadi referensi bagi pembaca karena penggunaan mesin, mampu mempercepat proses penyangraian dengan metode manual yang selama ini memakan waktu 45 menit.
Using Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning to Preoperatively Predict Lymph Node Metastasis for Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer With Electronic Medical Records: Development and Validation Study
Authors: Hu Danqing , Li Shaolei , Zhang Huanyao , Wu Nan , Lu Xudong
Published: April 2022

Background

Lymph node metastasis (LNM) is critical for treatment decision making of patients with resectable non–small cell lung cancer, but it is difficult to precisely diagnose preoperatively. Electronic medical records (EMRs) contain a large volume of valuable information about LNM, but some key information is recorded in free text, which hinders its secondary use.

Objective

This study aims to develop LNM prediction models based on EMRs using natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning algorithms.

Methods

We developed a multiturn question answering NLP model to extract features about the primary tumor and lymph nodes from computed tomography (CT) reports. We then combined these features with other structured clinical characteristics to develop LNM prediction models using machine learning algorithms. We conducted extensive experiments to explore the effectiveness of the predictive models and compared them with size criteria based on CT image findings (the maximum short axis diameter of lymph node >10 mm was regarded as a metastatic node) and clinician’s evaluation. Since the NLP model may extract features with mistakes, we also calculated the concordance correlation between the predicted probabilities of models using NLP-extracted features and gold standard features to explore the influence of NLP-driven automatic extraction.

Results

Experimental results show that the random forest models achieved the best performances with 0.792 area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) value and 0.456 average precision (AP) value for pN2 LNM prediction and 0.768 AUC value and 0.524 AP value for pN1&N2 LNM prediction. And all machine learning models outperformed the size criteria and clinician’s evaluation. The concordance correlation between the random forest models using NLP-extracted features and gold standard features is 0.950 and improved to 0.984 when the top 5 important NLP-extracted features were replaced with gold standard features.

Conclusions

The LNM models developed can achieve competitive performance using only limited EMR data such as CT reports and tumor markers in comparison with the clinician’s evaluation. The multiturn question answering NLP model can extract features effectively to support the development of LNM prediction models, which may facilitate the clinical application of predictive models.
Exploring Online Peer Support Groups for Adults Experiencing Long COVID in the United Kingdom: Qualitative Interview Study
Authors: Day Hannah L S
Published: April 2022

Background

Long COVID is an emerging public health concern. A growing number of individuals are experiencing prolonged, multifaceted health challenges and accompanying social impacts after COVID-19 infections. Support services in the United Kingdom remain insufficient and fraught with complexity. Responding to persistent gaps in care, patients joined forces in online peer support groups. However, little is known about how these groups impact patients with long COVID and their lived experiences of the condition.

Objective

The aim of this study is to explore the roles that online peer support groups take on and the impact they have on patients experiencing and recovering from long COVID in the United Kingdom. In doing so, this study aims to identify ways to inform future long COVID care, including online peer support and broader long COVID care structures.

Methods

I conducted 11 semistructured interviews virtually on Zoom in July 2021. Participants had long COVID, were UK-based, and used long COVID online peer support groups. Topics discussed in interviews included what led participants to these groups, experiences within them, and feelings about the roles that the groups took on. I analyzed the results by manually conducting thematic analysis.

Results

Long COVID online peer support groups had numerous roles, significantly impacting users. I identified 5 themes and 13 subthemes through thematic analysis. The identified themes were as follows: (1) filling professional care gaps, (2) societal awareness, (3) engagement behavior, (4) diversity, and (5) social connections. Given the void of professional support, those experiencing long COVID gained some benefit from these groups. However, participants emphasized notable concerns about the all-encompassing roles these groups embody and speculated over potential improvements.

Conclusions

If used appropriately, online peer support groups could be immensely beneficial for patient well-being, beyond simply filling gaps in long COVID care. However, it appears many groups take on more than they can manage and become potentially harmful. Through prioritizing patient voices, long COVID care could be restructured to maximize peer support’s benefits within broader care structures.
Engagement With HIV and COVID-19 Prevention: Nationwide Cross-sectional Analysis of Users on a Geosocial Networking App
Authors: Gaither Thomas W , Sigalos John T , Landovitz Raphael J , Mills Jesse N , Litwin Mark S , Eleswarapu Sriram V
Published: April 2022

Background

Geosocial networking (GSN) apps play a pivotal role in catalyzing sexual partnering, especially among men who have sex with men.

Objective

To quantify the prevalence and disparities in disclosure of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use and COVID-19 vaccination among GSN app users, mostly men who have sex with men, in the United States.

Methods

Web-based Grindr profiles from the top 50 metropolitan areas as well as the 50 most rural counties in the United States by population were randomly sampled. Grindr provides an option to disclose current PrEP use (HIV positive, HIV negative, or HIV negative with PrEP use). The free text in all profiles was analyzed, and any mention of COVID-19 vaccination was recorded. Multivariable logistic regression to assess independent associations with PrEP disclosure and COVID-19 vaccination was performed. Imputation analyses were used to test the robustness of the results.

Results

We evaluated 1889 urban and 384 rural profiles. Mean age among urban profiles was 32.9 (SD 9.6) years; mean age among rural profiles was 33.5 (SD 12.1) years (P=.41). Among the urban profiles, 16% reported being vaccinated against COVID-19 and 23% reported PrEP use compared to 10% and 8% in rural profiles, respectively (P=.002 and P<.001, respectively). Reporting COVID-19 vaccination (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.7, 95% CI 1.2-2.4), living in an urban center (aOR 3.2, 95% CI 1.8-5.7), and showing a face picture as part of the Grindr profile (aOR 4.0, 95% CI 2.3-7.0) were positively associated with PrEP disclosure. Self-identified Black and Latino users were less likely to report PrEP use (aOR 0.6, 95% CI 0.4-0.9 and aOR 0.5, 95% CI 0.4-0.9, respectively). Reporting PrEP use (aOR 1.7, 95% CI 1.2-2.4), living in an urban center (aOR 2.5, 95% CI 1.4-4.5), having a “discreet” status (aOR 1.6, 95% CI 1.0-2.5), and showing a face picture (aOR 2.7, 95% CI 1.5-4.8) were positively associated with reporting COVID-19 vaccination on their profile. Users in the southern United States were less likely to report COVID-19 vaccination status than those in the northeast United States (aOR 0.6, 95% CI 0.3-0.9).

Conclusions

Variations in PrEP disclosure are associated with race, whereas COVID-19 vaccination disclosure is associated with geographic area. However, rural GSN users were less likely to report both PrEP use and COVID-19 vaccination. The data demonstrate a need to expand health preventative services in the rural United States for sexual minorities. GSN platforms may be ideal for deployment of preventative interventions to improve access for this difficult-to-reach population.
Toward Using Twitter for PrEP-Related Interventions: An Automated Natural Language Processing Pipeline for Identifying Gay or Bisexual Men in the United States (Preprint)
Authors: Klein Ari Z , Meanley Steven , O'Connor Karen , Bauermeister José A , Gonzalez-Hernandez Graciela
Published: April 2022

BACKGROUND

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is highly effective at preventing the acquisition of HIV. There is a substantial gap, however, between the number of people in the United States who have indications for PrEP and the number of them who are prescribed PrEP. Although Twitter content has been analyzed as a source of PrEP-related data (eg, barriers), methods have not been developed to enable the use of Twitter as a platform for implementing PrEP-related interventions.

OBJECTIVE

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are the population most affected by HIV in the United States. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to (1) develop an automated natural language processing (NLP) pipeline for identifying men in the United States who have reported on Twitter that they are gay, bisexual, or MSM and (2) assess the extent to which they demographically represent MSM in the United States with new HIV diagnoses.

METHODS

Between September 2020 and January 2021, we used the Twitter Streaming Application Programming Interface (API) to collect more than 3 million tweets containing keywords that men may include in posts reporting that they are gay, bisexual, or MSM. We deployed handwritten, high-precision regular expressions—designed to filter out noise and identify actual self-reports—on the tweets and their user profile metadata. We identified 10,043 unique users geolocated in the United States and drew upon a validated NLP tool to automatically identify their ages.

RESULTS

By manually distinguishing true- and false-positive self-reports in the tweets or profiles of 1000 (10%) of the 10,043 users identified by our automated pipeline, we established that our pipeline has a precision of 0.85. Among the 8756 users for which a US state–level geolocation was detected, 5096 (58.2%) were in the 10 states with the highest numbers of new HIV diagnoses. Among the 6240 users for which a county-level geolocation was detected, 4252 (68.1%) were in counties or states considered priority jurisdictions by the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative. Furthermore, the age distribution of the users reflected that of MSM in the United States with new HIV diagnoses.

CONCLUSIONS

Our automated NLP pipeline can be used to identify MSM in the United States who may be at risk of acquiring HIV, laying the groundwork for using Twitter on a large scale to directly target PrEP-related interventions at this population.