bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinicopathologic Spectrum of Xanthogranulomatous Pyelonephritis: A Single Center Experience over 8 Years
Authors: Abbas Farhat , Farooq Summyia , Aalmeen Gul , Latief Muzamil , Wani Mohsin
Published: April 2022

Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (XGP) is a chronic pyelonephritis subtype in which destruction of the renal parenchymal occurs, resulting in progressive loss of kidney functions. Although middle age is the predominant age group affected, but it can be spotted at any age. There is accumulation of macrophages (lipid-laden), leading to renal parenchymal destruction and fibrosis. In this study, we present our data of 15 patients who had undergone nephrectomy and had biopsy-proven XGP. XGP constituted 4.53% of the 331 nephrectomies performed for infective causes over a period of 8 years. All our patients had undergone unilateral total nephrectomy. Demographic and clinical data were analyzed after taking consent from all the patients. The age range of patients in our study was 18–65 years with a mean age of 43.93 ± 13.86 years. Ten (66.6%) of our patients were females. Diabetes was present in 40% of the patients. Three patients had imaging, suggestive of pyonephrosis, 3 had perinephric collection and 9 patients (60%) had concomitant nephrolithiasis. All the kidneys were grossly enlarged and were nonfunctional on renal scintigraphy. XGP is a form of chronic pyelonephritis, which, although less common, is devastating because of destruction of the renal parenchyma and associated morbidity. Clinicoradiologic correlation cannot be overemphasized. Definitive diagnosis is established through histopathologic examination.
Growth of Methylobacterium organophilum in Methanol for the Simultaneous Production of Single-Cell Protein and Metabolites of Interest
Authors: Simões Ana Cristina Pantoja , Fernandes Rodrigo Pimentel , Barreto Maysa Silva , da Costa Gabriela Bouça Marques , de Godoy Mateus Gomes , Freire Denise Maria Guimarães , Pereira Jr. Nei
Published: April 2022

Research background. This study aims to monitor the growth of the methylotrophic bacteria Methylobacterium organophilum in a culture medium with methanol as a carbon source and to verify the production of unicellular proteins and other biomolecules, such as carotenoids, exopolysaccharides and polyhydroxyalkanoates, making them more attractive as animal feed.
Experimental approach. Bacterial growth was studied in shake flasks using different
carbon/nitrogen (C:N) ratios to determine their best ratio for achieving the highest volumetric productivity of cells and substrate consumption rate. This optimal parameter was further used in a fed-batch operating bioreactor system to define the kinetic profile of cell growth. Methanol consumption was measured by HPLC analysis and the extracted pigments were analyzed by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. Chemical composition and rheological properties of the produced exopolysaccharides were also determined.
Results and conclusions. The best experimental parameters were verified using an initial methanol concentration of 7 g/L in the culture medium. The same initial substrate
concentration was used in the fed-batch operation and after 60 h of cultivation 5 g/L of
biomass were obtained. The accumulation of carotenoids associated with cell growth was monitored, reaching a concentration of 1.6 mg/L at the end of the process. These pigments were then analyzed and characterized as a set of xanthophylls (oxidized carotenoids). In addition, two other product types were identified during the fed-batch operation: exopolysaccharides, which reached a concentration of 8.9 g/L at the end of the cultivation, and an intracellular granular structure that was detected by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), suggesting the accumulation of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), most likely polyhydroxybutyrate.
Novelty and scientific contribution. Methylobacterium organophilum demonstrated a
unique ability to produce compounds of commercial interest. The distinct metabolic diversity of this bacterium makes room for its use in biorefineries.
E-tutors’ instructional strategies in teaching the design process in virtual classroom: A case in an Open Distance eLearning (ODeL) environment
Authors: SEDİO Mpipo
Published: April 2022

The technology curriculum is positioned to have the same status as those in mathematics and science curricula. This existence is supplied as a means of advancing knowledge and contributing to key insights into the subject's design process curriculum, particularly in the context of an ODeL. Innovative instructional methodologies are better positioned to develop design process knowledge within the needs of the ODeL environment to meet this requirement. "How did the e-tutors' gained pedagogical knowledge effect the students' learning of the design process?" was studied as a question to help the inquiry get more important insights. This work used a quantitative way to answer the main research question by allowing students to describe how they believe their e-tutor abilities to select instructional tactics to teach the design process. The quantitative data was employed as a scope and depth of comprehension and confirmation of the data gathered in the quantitative approach. Three hundred fifty postgraduate students were chosen from a year module of a degree as a sample. The instructional tactics of the e-tutors in teaching the design process in the virtual classroom were evaluated through an online survey. In the results of the study, in virtual classroom settings, e-tutors were found to have less ability to innovate and employ a broad educational style. It can be recommended to use an alternative model of e-tutor appointments instead of using the existing.
[RETRACTED] Spartan Testo Boost Pro Reviews: WORK OR HOAX? Read This v1
Authors: not provided spartantesto
Published: April 2022

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Spartan Testo Boost Pro Reviews: WORK OR HOAX? Read This
[RETRACTED] Derma Progenix Anti Aging Cream - Reviews 2022 v1
Authors: not provided dermaprogenixagingcream
Published: April 2022

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Derma Progenix Anti Aging Cream - Reviews 2022
[RETRACTED] Laura Ingraham CBD Gummies: Reviews, Benefits,Pure & Safe, Price,Where To Buy? v1
Authors: Ingraham CBD Gummies Laura
Published: April 2022

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Laura Ingraham CBD Gummies: Reviews, Benefits,Pure & Safe, Price,Where To Buy?
[RETRACTED] Spartan Testo Boost Pro - Does It Work? What Customers Should Know Before Buying! v1
Authors: not provided sspatysler
Published: April 2022

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Spartan Testo Boost Pro is a 100 percent natural male enhancement supplement that can help men improve their sexual performance, erections, and overall health. Unlike Viagra or Cialis,Spartan Testo Boost Proutilizes an organic formulation to enhance overall sexual performance and libido. Listed below is all the information you need to know about the Spartan Testo Boost Pro supplement, including any side effects that may occur. So, read on! ➢Product Name —Spartan Testo Boost Pro ➢Composition —Natural Organic Compound ➢Side-Effects — NA ➢Rating : —⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ➢Availability — Online ➢Where to Buy-Click Here to Rush Your Order from Official Website
[RETRACTED] Keto Black Premium To Melt Fat Instantly? [Legit Review] v1
Authors: A H
Published: April 2022

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Keto Black Premium
[RETRACTED] Laura Ingraham CBD Gummies Benefits,Price And How Dose it Work? v1
Authors: Ingraham CBD Gummies Reviews Laura
Published: April 2022

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Laura Ingraham CBD Gummies are formulated the use of 100% herbal and Reduce Your all Pain. gives you better healthy life.
[RETRACTED] Keto Extreme Fat Burner Takealot South Africa v1
Authors: Extreme Fat Burner Keto
Published: April 2022

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Keto Extreme Fat Burner Takealot is a new ketosis boosting weight loss formula featuring full spectrum BHB salts to help the body burn fat for energy instead of carbs by providing the body with pure exogenous ketones via a ketogenic-friendly diet pill, but does the Keto Extreme Fat Burner Takealot supplement work or does it have negative side effects and safety concerns?
[RETRACTED] Trim Lab Keto Gummies: Is This Really Works Or Another Online Scam? v1
Authors: Life Keto Reviews Trim
Published: April 2022

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Trim Lab Keto Gummies
Strengthening Literacy of Cultural Arts and Crafts in the Material of Sculpture for 6th-grade Elementary School Students through Learning Video Media
Authors: Millatina Silmi Nabilah , Maryanti Rina , Wulandary Verra
Published: April 2022

The purpose of this study was to determine and improve students' understanding of literacy through learning video media. Based on previous research, there are not too many studies that discuss Strengthening Literacy for Learning Arts, Culture and Crafts in Sculpture Artwork Materials for 6th-grade elementary school students. This study uses a quantitative approach to pre-experimental design in the form of pre-test and post-test. Based on the results of the research that has been carried out, before providing an understanding of the material of Sculpture in the students' understanding of Cultural Arts and Crafts learning, the results of the pre-test only reached an average value of 61.0% then an increase occurred after the learning video media was given, the post-test results the test given increased by 90.28%. The results showed that the difference was 29.28%. So, it can be concluded that the use of instructional video media on the material of sculptures learning Arts, Culture and Crafts can improve students' knowledge literacy.
Speech and Language Development of Malay Children with Cochlear Implants under the National Cochlear Implant Program, Ministry of Health Malaysia
Authors: ABDULLAH NORYANTIMARLINA , OTHMAN BASYARIATUL FATHI , AHMAD KARTINI , DEVESAHAYAM PHILIP RAJAN , AHMAD RUSLI YAZMIN
Published: April 2022

Kemahiran bahasa dan pertuturan merupakan antara komponen penting dalam menentukan keberhasilan penggunaan implan koklea. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengukur pencapaian kemahiran bahasa dan pertuturan kanak-kanak Melayu pengguna implan koklea menggunakan borang soal jawab skala perkembangan dan mengenalpasti faktor demografi yang menyumbang kepada pencapaian kanak-kanak. Kajian ini melibatkan 26 orang kanak-kanak Melayu pengguna implan koklea daripada Program Implan Koklea Kebangsaan di bawah Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia dengan umur kronologi antara 33 hingga 99 bulan (min=70, SP=18.9), umur semasa implan antara 18 hingga 71 bulan (min=40, SP=13.5) dan umur pendengaran antara 13 bulan hingga 48 bulan (min=30, SP=10.5). Instrumen yang digunakan adalah The Integrated Scale of Development-Malay version 2 (ISD-Mv2). Borang soal jawab diberikan kepada ibu bapa atau penjaga seterusnya temubual melalui telefon dilakukan. Hasil kajian menunjukkan hanya 9 subjek (35%) yang berjaya mencapai skor purata ISD-Mv2 setara atau lebih dari umur pendengaran. Antara enam komponen ISD-Mv2, komponen kognitif mencapai peratusan tertinggi dengan 96.79 peratus manakala penghasilan bahasa adalah yang terendah (76.21%). Ujian korelasi Pearson menunjukkan hubungan positif yang kuat antara kemahiran mendengar dengan pemahaman bahasa (r=0.554, p<0.05) dan kognitif dengan komunikasi sosial/pragmatik (r= 0.625, p<0.05). Tahap pencapaian bahasa dan pertuturan kanak-kanak dengan faktor demografik tidak menunjukkan perbezaan yang signifikan. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa majoriti kanak-kanak Melayu pengguna implan koklea mempunyai tahap pencapaian bahasa dan pertuturan yang lewat berbanding kanak-kanak berpendengaran normal sebaya.
PERSPECTIVES ON ANCESTRAL LINEAGES AND GENETIC MARKERS OF MALAY POPULATION IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA
Authors: PARTHIPAN SHALINI , ISHAR SERI MIRIANTI
Published: April 2022

The Malay people are the majority in Peninsular Malaysia, but their population structure and genetic profile remain poorly studied. The exposure to the origins of Malays and their sub-ethnic groups is vital prior to study about their genetic profiles as it can narrow down the haplogroups of their ancestral lineages. In this review, we have highlighted theories related to the origin of Malays from Yunnan, New Guinea, Taiwan, Sundaland, Nusantara and the theory of Bani Jawi. Nevertheless, these theories were established based on speculations without evidence. Despite the theories developed, the migration of Malay population is more prominent during the era of Malacca Sultanate. The trading activities and seafaring way of life had welcomed various ethnic groups in Peninsular Malaysia which formed a part of the Malay population today. Thus, the origin of major sub-ethnic groups of Malay population are discussed in this paper. The origin of Malay community has a key relationship with modern genomic field that was conducted through mitochondrial DNA analysis. Human identification in forensic application is tedious due to the need for sequencing whole DNA profile of Malay population. Therefore, identification of specific genetic markers for Malay population is vital to facilitate forensic investigation. We gathered data by systematically searched with Google Scholar, Pubmed, Science Direct with advanced search builder for papers titles with Malay population and genetic markers. This study shed some light on the mitochondrial DNA markers of indigenous people and Malay population in Peninsular Malaysia which can be used in future prospects.
The Effectiveness of Occupational Therapy Handwriting Intervention for Children with Motor Coordination Issues: A Systematic Review
Authors: ZAINOL MAHFUZAH , KADAR MASNE , RAZAOB NOR AFIFI , WAN YUNUS FARAHIYAH
Published: April 2022

Handwriting difficulty is one of the main issues among school children, especially for those with motor coordination issues. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the effectiveness of occupational therapy interventions in handwriting components for children with motor coordination issues. Current research articles were systematically searched according to the PRISMA guidelines. Two hundred and sixty-eight (n=268) research articles were identified; however, only ten (n=10) were eligible to be evaluated for this study. Studies were appraised by using McMaster Critical Review Form-Quantitative Studies. Descriptive synthesis was executed due to the heterogeneity of included studies. The review found various types of intervention conducted by occupational therapists to have a positive effect on handwriting performance components among children with motor coordination issues. Types of intervention used were visual, motor, perceptual, sensory, activity of daily living skills, training device and assistive technology and specific handwriting programs. Most handwriting intervention showed effectiveness to improve handwriting performance in motor function, visual and perceptual components. Future research should focus on homogeneity of Occupational Therapy (OT) intervention to improve handwriting performance by using specific handwriting programmes and similar standardised evaluation instruments. Practitioners of OT intervention should consider collaboration with teachers, parents and other health professionals to expedite effectiveness of intervention in handwriting performance components.
Backpropagation Neural Network (BPNN) Algorithm for Predicting Wind Speed Patterns in East Nusa Tenggara
Authors:   Department of Energy Security, Faculty Defense Management, Indonesia Defense University, Jakarta 10430, Indonesia, Gunawan Andri , Thamrin Suyono , Kuntjoro Yanif , Idris Abdi
Published: April 2022

The Paris agreement compels all countries to make major contributions to the zero-emission scheme, a legally binding international treaty on climate change. This fulfilment must be supported by technological developments towards Society 5.0, forcing every country to develop renewable energy (clean energy) on a large scale. One of the renewable energies with the highest efficiency is wind power generation. Its construction requires a large cost, and the best location must consider the high wind speed. East Nusa Tenggara Province is one of the locations in the border area with insufficient electricity. The choice of location was supported by military operations in guarding the border which required a lot of energy. Therefore, it is necessary to predict wind speed patterns based on historical data from the database so that wind power plants can be realized. One of the best methods for long-term prediction of wind speed is the backpropagation neural network (BPPN) method. Wind speed data was used from January 2003 to December 2020 with a total of 216 data sets obtained from NASA. It should be noted that January 2003 to December 2010 data is positioned as input data, while training target data is from January 2011-December 2015. Validation data is determined from January 2016-December 2020. The best predictive architecture model is 8-11-5- 5, learning rate is 0.4 and epoch is 20,000. Prediction accuracy is very good with a mean square error (MSE) value of 0.007634 and a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 11.62783. The highest wind speed was shown in February 2018 as 10.75 m/s.
Pre-operative intraocular pressure as a predictor of post-operative intraocular pressure after phacoemulsification in non-glaucomatous patients
Authors: Ernawati Titiek , Hendrawan Kevin Anggakusuma , Khudrati Wilson Christianto , Samsudin Kevin
Published: April 2022

BackgroundCataract has been known to cause high intraocular pressure which may lead to secondary glaucoma. Some anatomical changes in cataract patients are assumed to be factors contributing to increased intraocular pressure (IOP). The changes in IOP after cataract surgery tend to help surgeons to predict clinical outcomes. Therefore, IOP control is very important in these patients. This study aimed to determine the ocular biometric parameters and pressure-to-depth (PD) ratio associated with IOP in non-glaucomatous patients who undergo cataract surgery.
MethodsA prospective study using secondary clinical data collected from 81 non-glaucomatous patients. Data were collected by examining each subject pre- and post-operatively. The changes in ocular biometry parameters and IOP were measured one week before surgery and 8 weeks after the surgery. Univariate and multivariate linear regression were performed to analyze the data.
ResultsThe mean anterior chamber depth (ACD) change was 0.73 ± 0.16 mm, mean PD ratio was 5.04 ± 1.16, and the mean pre-operative IOP was 16.07 ± 2.92 mmHg, decreasing by 2.35 mm Hg (14.6 %) to 13.72 ± 3.42 mm Hg at 8 weeks postoperatively. Univariate linear regression results showed a significant correlation between PD ratio and post-operative IOP (p=0.000), but no significant association was observed between PD ratio and post-operative IOP in multiple linear regression (p=0.126). However, pre-operative IOP was significantly associated with post-operative IOP (Beta=1.244; p=0.004)
ConclusionsOur data demonstrated that pre-operative IOP was the most influential risk factor of IOP reduction after phacoemulsification in non-glaucomatous patients.
Interleukin-22-induced β‑defensin-2 expression by intranasal immunization with Streptococcus pneumoniae RrgB epitopes
Authors: Mufida Diana Chusna , Saputra Antonius Dwi , Hermansyah Bagus , Agustina Dini , Shodikin Muhammad Ali , Armiyanti Yunita
Published: April 2022

BackgroundStreptococcus pneumoniae causes pneumococcal disease, which is responsible for millions of deaths worldwide. Various pneumococcal vaccine candidates have been developed to prevent S. pneumoniae infection, one of which is an epitope-based vaccine. This study aimed to prove that intranasal immunization with each of the five S. pneumoniae RrgB epitopes can induce a mucosal immune response by increasing the β-defensin-2 concentration through upregulation of interleukin (IL)-22 expression.
MethodsAn experimental laboratory study was conducted using 28 male Wistar rats aged 3-4 months, that were randomly divided into 7 groups containing four rats each. Group 1 was given 40 mL of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) only (control group). Group 2 was the adjuvant group that received 40 mL PBS containing 2 ìg cholera toxin B (CTB), and groups 3-7 were immunized with 40 mL PBS containing a combination of adjuvant and one of the five different S. pneumoniae RrgB epitopes. The concentrations of IL-22 and β-defensin-2 from nasal rinse examination were measured by means of ELISA. The Kruskal-Wallis test, followed by the Mann-Whitney post-hoc test were used for statistical analysis.
ResultsRats immunized with the adjuvant-epitope combination had significantly higher β-defensin-2 and IL-22 levels than the control group (p=0.030; p=0.018, respectively), according to the Kruskal-Wallis test. And the Mann-Whitney statistical test, showed there was a significant increase in β-defensin-2 and IL-22 levels.
ConclusionsIntranasal immunization with epitope 1 of the S. pneumoniae RrgB can increase β-defensin-2 expression significantly and has a greater potential to be developed into a pneumococcal vaccine.
Bone metastases tend to increase in non-small cell lung cancer with epidermal growth factor receptor mutation
Authors: Maleachi Reginald , Erawati Dini Rachma , Pratiwi Suryanti Dwi , Andarini Sri
Published: April 2022

BackgroundIncreased understanding in molecular pathology of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) over the past decades has led to personalized treatment approaches being advocated. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation that often occurs in NSCLC can be identified using immunohistochemical examinations. Moreover, clarifying the relationship between computed tomography (CT) and EGFR mutation of NSCLC might inform therapeutic decision-making. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between metastatic sites on primary chest CT-scan and EGFR mutation in NSCLC lung cancer patients.
MethodsAn cross-sectional design using secondary data was conducted, involving 76 NSCLC patients. EGFR mutations were determined by immunohistochemical examination and metastatic sites by chest CT-scan with contrast. The collected metastatic sites comprised hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathy, pulmonary nodules, and bone, liver, spleen and suprarenal metastases. A Chi square test was used to analyze the data.
ResultsThis study revealed that the highest NSCLC stage was IVb, found in 39 samples (51.3%), while 34 (44.7%) subjects had EGFR mutation. There was no statistically significant difference between metastatic site and positive EGFR mutation, although positive bone metastases (54.8%) tend to have more numerous positive EGFR mutations compared to negative bone metastases (37.7%) (p=0.142).
ConclusionsPatients with positive bone metastases tend to have higher positive EGFR mutation compared to negative bone metastases in NSCLC lung cancer patients. Prospective studies evaluating patients with EGFR mutation for bone metastases should be considered. This can provide information on therapeutic decision-making to obtain good clinical outcomes.
Parasite immunomodulatory role in reducing the prevalence of COVID-19 in endemic regions
Authors: Hermansyah Bagus , Agustina Dini , Zulaikha Siti , Habibi Ali
Published: April 2022

Nearly 35 million cases and one million deaths over the nine months of the COVID-19 pandemic have been reported worldwide. Africa and some countries with endemic parasitic infections had a low incidence of COVID-19. By contrast, the United States and several European countries, having a non-endemicity of parasitic infections, recorded a high incidence of COVID-19. Some parasites have an immunomodulatory mechanism that can induce an immune tolerance state in the infected persons by balancing pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses. Emerging reports also stated that COVID-19 and helminth co-infections may have more hidden outcomes than predictable ones. Hence, the aim of this literature review is to show and identify that an increase in the number of regulatory immune cells due to the immunomodulatory role of a pre-existing parasitic infection could reduce the risk of COVID-19. This study explored the existing literature to determine the role of parasitic infections in modulating the immune response and possibly reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection in endemic countries. The mechanism of immunomodulation by parasites is the increased numbers of Treg cells, M2 macrophages, eosinophils, the Th2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-5, and the pro-inflammatory downregulation of IFN λ, TNF α, and IL-6, which play an essential role in inducing cytokine storms in COVID-19 infection. This condition will probably occur in an individual with parasitic infection in a community with limited facilities and infrastructure to treat parasitic infections, particularly in developing countries. To conclude, in endemic areas, the immunomodulatory effect of parasitic infection to reduce the risk of COVID-19 cases/deaths is a possibility if the host is immunocompetent. Herein, the current knowledge on the immunomodulatory role of COVID-19 and helminth co-infections will be discussed.
Medicinal mushroom: What should we know?
Authors: Ahmed Elkhateeb Waill , Mosbah Daba Ghoson
Published: April 2022

Mushrooms are the epigeous fruiting bodies of terrestrial fungi and as they lack cellulose and chlorophyll, they have a different lifestyle to other nonmotile life, such as plants. Mushrooms have been documented for centuries as use as food and medicine as they are generous sources of nutrients and biologically active compounds that have various applications in agriculture, food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food related industries, and others. Research on various metabolic activities of medicinal mushrooms have been performed both in vitro and in vivo studies. Over the past two decades, medicinal mushrooms industry have developed greatly and today offers thousands of products to the markets. This paper describes the current status of some important world medicinal mushrooms, products, and provides suggestions for further research.
Quantitative estimation of molnupiravir by UV- Spectrophotometric method
Authors: Jain Pritam , Bhamare Manali , Surana Sanjay
Published: April 2022

A simple, rapid, accurate and economical UV-spectrophotometric method has been developed for estimation of Molnupiravir from bulk and pharmaceutical formulation. The λ of Molnupiravir in Distilled water was found to be 235 nm. The is for zero order of drug and for Zero order AUC. The AUC of the drug was found to be in the range of 228.00 – 243.40 nm. The drug follows linearity in the concentration range 5-30 µg/ml with correlation coefficient value 0.999. The proposed method was applied to pharmaceutical formulation and % amount of drug estimated 99.99was found in good agreement with the label claim. The accuracy of the method was checked by recovery experiment performed at three different levels i.e., 80%, 100% and 120 % w/w. The % recovery was found to be in the range 98.15%– 99.97% for method A and 98.85% — 99.56% for method B. The low values of % R.S.D. are indicative of the accuracy and reproducibility of the method. The precision of the method was studied as an intra-day, inter-day variations and repeatability. The % R.S.D. value less than 2 indicate that the method is precise. Ruggedness of the proposed method was studied with the help of two analysts. The above method was a rapid and cost-effective quality-control tool for routine analysis of Molnupiravir in bulk and in pharmaceutical dosage form.
Comparing the Effect of Digital Noise Reduction Technique on Frequency Gain of Behind-the-Ear Digital Hearing Aids
Authors: Shiroei Majid , Rahbar Nariman , Sameni Seyyed Jalal
Published: April 2022

Background and Aim: Background noise as a serious challenge mainly affects the speech perception in people with hearing loss. One of the methods used to control noise is digital noise reduction (DNR) technique. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of DNR program (activated and deactivated) on the frequency gain of basic and advanced behind-the-ear (BTE) Oticon hearing aids, using different DNR strategies to reduce background noise.
Methods: Two behind-the-ear Oticon hearing aids (Opn1 S105 and GetP) were used in this study. The Affinity 2.0 test box was first used to measure their DNR (off/on) gains using the national acoustic laboratories-non linear2 (NAL-NL2) and desired sensation level multi-stage [input/output] (DSLm[I/O]) formulas at sound pressure levels of 45, 65 and 85 dB SPL at a frequency range of 250-8000 Hz for three hearing loss (HL) patterns using the international speech test signal and broad band noise.
Results: There was a significant difference in DNR performance between the Opn1 S105 and GetP models for all three HL patterns at 45 and 65 dB SPL and most frequencies.
Conclusion: The DNR performance of advanced and basic hearing aids is different for different HLs at 45 and 65 dB SPL and most frequencies. The performance of advanced hearing aids is significant using the DSLm[I/O] formula at most frequencies.
Keywords: Digital noise reduction; international speech test signal; frequency response; broad band noise
Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in traditional cheeses obtained from food sale centers of Tehran, Iran
Authors: Dehnavi Mahsa , Akhodzadeh Basti Afshin , Khanjari Ali , Rezaei Elaheh
Published: April 2022

The bacteria Listeria monocytogenes can contaminate food and cause disease, not just in underdeveloped, but also in developed countries. Cheese is one of the dairy products that can cause listeriosis if it is consumed with contaminated milk. Sixty samples of traditional unpasteurized white cheese weighing approximately 100 g were obtained from sales centers in Tehran for three consecutive weeks. Then, 25 g of each weighed sample was added to 225 ml of initial enrichment medium and incubated at 30°C for 24 h. In the next step, they were cultured in Polymyxin Acriflavin Lithium-chloride Ceftazidime Esculin Mannitol medium and incubated at 35°C for 24 h. The growth and non-growth of Listeria monocytogenes bacterial colonies were examined, and additional tests were performed. The results of this study showed that out of 60 traditional cheese samples that were examined, based on the results of culture and supplementary tests, one cheese sample (1.6%) was infected with Listeria monocytogenes. In general, our study showed a lower level of contamination by Listeria monocytogenes compared to other studies. Iranian cheeses can be found in many varieties and there are differences in processing traditional cheese in different regions. Thereby, continuous monitoring is required.
Evaluation of the antagonistic effect of some species of lactic acid bacteria isolated from fermented food against toxigenic Aspergillus flavus
Authors: Jeff-Agboola Yemisi Adefunke , Saanu Adeleke Bartholomew , Folorunso Ayomide Oluwabunmi
Published: April 2022

The presence of mycotoxigenic molds in food potentially poses hazards to healthy living and needs to be controlled. There is a greater risk that the resistance phenomenon will increase in the future due to the frequent use of antibiotics and preservatives, unlike biopreservation. Lactic acid bacteria are capable of producing secondary metabolites with antimicrobial properties. This study was conducted to evaluate the antagonistic effect of lactic acid bacteria isolates against toxigenic mold, Aspergillus flavus. Lactic acid bacteria were isolated from palm wine, ogi, and yogurt samples, and their antagonistic activity against toxigenic mold was investigated using the agar overlay method. Streptomyces spp. had the highest counts of 15.1×104 cfu/ml, while the least count of 2.0×104 cfu/ml from Lactobacillus plantarum was obtained. Pediococcus damnosus and Lactobacillus plantarum were present in both yogurt and palm wine samples. Similarly, Streptococcus spp. was identified in both yogurt and pap (ogi) samples. Aspergillus flavus was susceptible to half of the lactic acid bacterial isolates with varying degrees of inhibition. Total inhibition of toxigenic mold was observed on the control plate and plates inoculated with L. lactis, S. thermophilus, Leuconostoc mesenteriodes, P. damnosus, and L. bulgaricus. The antifungal activity of lactic acid bacteria suggests their biocontrol efficacy against A. flavus. Also, the antimicrobial properties of lactic acid bacteria can make them a suitable candidate in food preservation. Furthermore, this study can stand as a preliminary step in multistep research to investigate the anti-fungal and anti-aflatoxigenic potential of lactic acid bacteria from fermented foods against toxigenic A. flavus.
Assessment of Potentially Inappropriate Prescribed Medications in Older Patients Using STOPP/START Criteria at Soba University Hospital: A Descriptive Retrospective Study
Authors: Mohammed Azza A. , Ahmed Kannan O. , Yousef Bashir A.
Published: April 2022

Background: Potentially inappropriate prescriptions (PIPs) have significant clinical, humanistic, and economic impacts. Identifying PIPs may reduce their burden of adverse drug events. “Screening Tool of Older Person's potentially inappropriate Prescriptions (STOPP) and Screening Tool of Alert doctors to the Right Treatment (START) criteria” are promising tools that formulated to identify potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and potential prescribing omissions (PPOs) in geriatrics. To determine the PIMs and PPOs using STOPP/START criteria and to determine the most frequent PIPs.
Methods: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional hospital-based retrospective study. Medical files of elderly (≥65 years) patients admitted to the internal medicine unit at Soba university hospital from January to July 2020 were used. Data were collected using a checklist of STOPP/START criteria (version 2) to determine PIPs. Statistical package for social sciences was used for data analysis.
Results: A total of 100 patients were included, around 59% were aged between 65-70 years, and 58% were males. The mean number of medications was 5.3 ± 1.9 drugs/patient. The results showed that the prevalence of PIPs was 68%. The STOPP criteria detected 209 PIMs in 42 patients, whereas the START criteria detected 155 PPOs in 45 patients. Furthermore, the drugs that used beyond the indication period was the most common PIMs, whereas the most detected PPOs were observed in the cardiovascular system medications.
Conclusion: The study revealed a high prevalence of PIPs among elderly patients. This necessitates a further evaluation of its impact on clinical outcomes and implements interventions to improve prescribing practice.
Direct Observation Approach for Medication Errors Detection in an Educational Hospital
Authors: Pourhosseiny Armin , Dehqani Mohammad Hossein , Sahebnasagh Adeleh , Mirjalili Farnoosh , Saghafi Fatemeh
Published: April 2022

Background: Mistakes occur inevitably, but medication errors can cause catastrophic consequences such as death, which accentuates investigation through presumptive sources and possible solutions for the prevention of errors that took place before.
Methods: Twelve different medical wards of an educational hospital were analyzed using the direct disguised observation (DDO) method for administration step and chart review for prescription step. Each ward was randomly chosen, and the time at which the researcher presented oneself to each ward was contingent. The researcher observed the medicine continuously from the time prescribed by the physician until the drug finally entered the patient's body.
Results: Of 1350 dose of drugs, which were evaluated; 65% of data was collected in the morning shift (n=867), 28.6% in the afternoon shift, 6.4% of the night shift. About one-third of the physician orders were defective and did not contain all six parameters (drug name, dosage form, dose, measuring unit, administration route, and intervals of administration). Interpretation of the administration phase revealed 69% of drugs were erroneously administered due to errors detected as wrong route, omission, wrong dose, wrong time, and unauthorized dose.
Conclusion: Our findings exhibit errors in the pivotal stages of the therapy process. Clear instructions and protocols should be implemented for hospital technicians, nurses, and physicians to avoid irreparable detriments caused by medication errors.
The Efficacy and Safety of Pentoxifylline in the Treatment of Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis: A Systematic Review
Authors: Eshghinejad Atefeh , Panahandeh Elham , Memarfar Melika , Soltani Rasool , Shafiee Fatemeh
Published: April 2022

Several evidence have shown the beneficial effects of pentoxifylline in the improvement of oral aphthous ulcers. However, the data in this regard are sparse. So, the efficacy and safety of pentoxifylline in oral route was systematically reviewed to elucidate its effects on the size and number of ulcers, as well as the healing time and recurrence frequency in Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis (RAS) patients. PubMed (Medline), Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, ProQuest, and Clinicaltrial.gov were searched for related articles. The investigated outcomes were pain level, the size and number of ulcers, the frequency of recurrence, the healing time, and finally the pentoxifylline related side effects. Only 6 related study that investigate the efficiency of Pentoxifylline on RAS (n =107) were identified. Decreasing in the pain level, improving the ulcer size and number were established in approximately all studies. Pentoxifylline established its ability to shorten the healing time of this type of mouth ulcers. However, its potential to prevent the recurrence of the disease could not establish based the data presented here. In conclusion, this systematic review suggests pentoxifylline in RAS patients because it confirmed that RAS patients who received this agent as oral administration reported suitable response. However, conducting more clinical trials with larger sample size and long follow-up time especially to efficiently judge about its ability to the recurrence prevention still is necessary to develop clinical practice guidelines for management of RAS.
The Role of demand - control - support model in nursing musculoskeletal disorders:A systematic review
Authors: Babamiri M , Amiri M , Mahdiyoun SA , Mohammadi Y , Shabani M
Published: April 2022

Introduction: Nursing is one of the high risk jobs in the world and its occupational hazards have a direct impact on the health of nurses. Work-based musculoskeletal disorders are prevalent among health care workers, particularly nursing staff.  The purpose of this study was to systematically review studies on the relationship between occupational stress based on demand-control-support model and nurses' musculoskeletal disorders.
Materials and Methods: In this study, major international electronic databases including PubMed, ISI Web of Science, Scopus and ScienceDirect and Persian databases, including SID, Irandoc, Magiran and Medlib were studied. The keywords used were: social support, job stress, job control, job demand, and musculoskeletal disorder. The main criterion for inclusion was the survey of the top three variables in the nursing community. After evaluating the inclusion criteria and the quality of the articles, 6 studies were identified and included in the study.
Results: According to the results of 6 studies, in 4 studies variables of job strain and in 5 studies psychological demands of job were related to the musculoskeletal disorders. The relationship between job control and supervisor support has also been confirmed in one study.
Conclusion: Surveys clearly show that the greater the individual's perception of control over their work and the lower the level of psychological demands in their job, the health of the individual increases.
Seguridad de la Interrupción Voluntaria del Embarazo (IVE) en dos Instituciones Prestadoras de Salud en Medellín, Colombia, en 2019. Cohorte histórica
Authors: Cárdenas-Arias Edgar Fernando , Escudero-Cardona Diana Elizabeth , Noreña-Mosquera Edgar Adel
Published: April 2022

Objetivos: caracterizar una cohorte de mujeres con interrupción voluntaria del embarazo (IVE) y describir las complicaciones intraoperatorias según la técnica aplicada.
Materiales y métodos: estudio descriptivo, de cohorte histórica en mujeres intervenidas a IVE en dos Instituciones Prestadoras de Salud-IPS en Medellín, Colombia, en el 2019. Se excluyeron aquellas mujeres con infección pélvica, e ITS. Se realizó un muestreo consecutivo, se evaluaron variables sociodemográficas, de salud sexual y reproductiva, características clínicas del embarazo, causa legal de la IVE, características de la atención y las complicaciones hasta los 7 días posteriores al procedimiento de las técnicas de IVE. Finalmente, se hace análisis descriptivo.
Resultados: durante el periodo de estudio hubo 1.520 mujeres elegibles de las cuales 46 fueron intervenidas en otras instituciones por lo que quedaron 1.474 candidatas a ingresar al estudio, de estas se excluyeron 30 por presentar infecciones pélvicas o de transmisión sexual, por lo que, finalmente, se analizaron 1.444 mujeres gestantes. Los riesgos para la salud de la mujer fueron la causa legal más frecuente con un 94,3%. El 99% de las mujeres tenían asesoría previa, y el 78,4% aceptó algún método anticonceptivo post-IVE. El 95,6% de las mujeres fueron intervenidas por la técnica de aspiración manual endouterina (AMEU) y al 4,4% se la practicó la técnica  de dilatación y curetaje (D&C). En un 17,56% de las pacientes intervenidas con D&C se presentaron complicaciones hasta el séptimo día posoperatorio, no hubo complicaciones en el grupo sometido a AMEU, el 80% de las mujeres asistieron a control el séptimo día post-IVE.
Conclusiones: la AMEU es un procedimiento seguro que no generó complicaciones intraoperatorias en el procedimiento hasta los primeros siete días después de la IVE, en  las pacientes estudiadas. Se requieren estudios prospectivos que evalúen la seguridad y costos de las diferentes alternativas de IVE.
Does Accountability Matter in Performance?: Cases from Charity Navigator
Authors: Lamothe Meeyoung , Shen Ivy
Published: April 2022

As the charitable sector continues to grow, so do concerns over its accountability. Calls for greater accountability for nonprofits have led to not only an increase in government oversight activities, but also the proliferation of accountability standards within non-profit communities as the sector has been determined to address the issue through self-regulation efforts. Given the pervasiveness of the standards movement, the purpose of this study is to evaluate whether and to what extent accountability reforms matter in improving organizational performance. Various theories (e.g., scientific management and organizational learning theories; resource dependence theory and institutional iso-morphism) are explored to understand the nature of the accountability-performance relationship. Analysis of Charity Navigator data (N=943) indicates that accountability measures are positively associated with financial performance (more efficient in using resources, for example). Reviewing CEOs’ compensation packages is one of the indi-vidual accountability features that is particularly impactful in improving performance. Additionally, our findings shed light on the expansive scope of the standards move-ment, highlighting the importance of further investigating the connection between ac-countability and organizational performance beyond finance.
​​ARIMA-Genetic Algorithm Approach for Forecasting Milk Production in India
Authors: Pandit Pramit , Bakshi Bishvajit , Paul Moumita , Pooja B.S.
Published: April 2022

Background: Dairying in India has witnessed a radical transformation from a largely unorganised activity into a thriving organised industry. However, there are only a limited number of earlier attempts that specifically evaluated the milk production pattern of India. Moreover, most of these earlier studies are quite dated and have employed autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models, which suffer from the problem of local optima. To overcome this lacuna, we have utilised a genetic algorithm (GA) in the ARIMA framework. Its suitability to forecast the annual milk production in India has also been assessed comparatively with respect to the traditional ARIMA methodology. Methods: For the current study, data on annual milk production (in million tonnes) in India for the period from 1980 to 2019 have been utilised. For both the approaches under investigation, the whole data series is first divided into two sets, namely the training set and the testing set. The production data of 1980-2016 have been utilised for the model building purpose while retaining the last 3 years’ data for the post-sample evaluation. Result: Outcomes emanated from the post-sample assessment clearly suggest that the ARIMA-GA approach has outperformed the traditional ARIMA methodology in terms of root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) values. It is also evident that GA has substantially minimised the error related to the parameter estimation.
Formation of speech activity of primary school students in foreign language teaching through technology integration
Authors: Ybyraimzhanov Kalibek , Baimyrzayev Kuat , Taurbekova Ainur , Gulden Yespolova , Tynyskhanova Aiym
Published: April 2022

The aim of this study is to create an activity by means of technology integration in the foreign language learning of primary school students. A quantitative research method was used in the study. The research was conducted in the fall semester of 2021–2022. A total of 248 voluntary primary school students who continued their education in Kazakhstan participated in the study. In the study, 3 weeks of online education, English education and mobile technology education were provided to elementary school students. In the study, the ‘technology in education’ measurement tool developed by the researchers and compiled by experts in the field was used. The measurement tool was delivered and collected by online method to primary school students. The analysis of the data was carried out using the SPSS programme; frequency analysis was carried out with t-test; and the results obtained were added to the study accompanied by tables. According to the results of the research, it was concluded that the technology and foreign language learning status of primary school students was high and the technology status was high at the same time in their English education.

 

Keywords: Technology Education, English Education, Elementary School Students, Distance Education