bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cephalometric Prediction of Risk Factors for Mandibular Third Molar Impaction
Authors: Lee Wei-Cheng , Yuh Da-Yo , Sung Cheng-En , Wu Yu-Chiao , Chen Ying-Wu , Chen Wei-Liang
Published: March 2024

Background:

Mandibular third molar impaction in adult patients is one of the most common problems in dental practice. However, limited data are available on the association between mandibular third molar impaction and craniofacial skeletal problems.

Aim:

This study aimed to establish a prediction model to evaluate the risk factors for mandibular third molar impaction.

Methods:

Panoramic and lateral cephalometric radiographs of orthodontic patients aged ≥20 years were obtained from the Tri-Service General Hospital. The radiographs were analyzed by a single examiner. Panoramic radiographs were used to evaluate the mandibular third molar impaction. Lateral cephalometric radiographs were used to evaluate five linear and six angular measurements to define the facial pattern of the participants. The association between cephalometric measurements and mandibular third molar impaction was determined using one-way analysis of variance and logistic regression analysis.

Results:

This study included 60 participants. The incidence of mandibular third molar impaction was associated with the mandibular plane angle (MPA) and mandibular length (Co-Gn) (P < 0.001). The presence of mandibular third molar impaction was found to gradually increase with increasing MPA and decreasing mandibular length.

Conclusion:

Individuals with a greater MPA and lesser mandibular length had a higher incidence of mandibular third molar impaction.
Paramedian Supracerebellar Infratentorial Approach for Clipping a Ruptured Aneurysm in the Cerebellomesencephalic Segment of the Left Superior Cerebellar Artery: A Case Report
Authors: Hsu Chia-Jung , Tseng Kuan-Yin , Hueng Dueng-Yuan , Lin Bon-Jour
Published: March 2024

Superior cerebellar artery (SCA) aneurysms are rare, especially for those arising from the distal portion of the SCA. In this study, we presented a case of a ruptured aneurysm arising from cerebellomesencephalic segment of the SCA. A woman with severe headache and neck stiffness had a ruptured aneurysm arising from cerebellomesencephalic segment of the left SCA. Treated successfully with left-sided paramedian supracerebellar infratentorial (SCIT) approach for clipping the aneurysm with a sitting position, discharged after 14 days without neurological deficit. SCA aneurysms can be managed by endovascular coiling or microsurgical clipping. Although both modalities pose risks of damaging the brainstem perforators, the incidence of the SCIT approach is low since it is exposure from laterally to medially and from distal to proximal along the course of SCA. In our viewpoint, the paramedian SCIT approach is a safe and effective treatment for clipping aneurysms arising from the distal portion of the SCA.
Role of Cytology in Scar Endometriosis: A Case Report
Authors: Mazumder Sujaya , Prasath Sathiah , Santosh Tummidi , Mondal Santosh Kumar
Published: March 2024

Scar endometriosis is a rare, extra-pelvic endometriosis which occurs following uterine surgeries and can be a diagnostic challenge due to its varied clinical presentations. Clinically, it can mimic conditions such as abscess, suture granuloma, desmoid tumor, and even metastatic malignancy. As it usually presents as a swelling near the scar site, fine-needle aspiration and cytology often becomes the first diagnostic test that the clinicians ask for and it plays a significant role in providing the right diagnosis and guide for management. We report one such case, of a 35-year-old female who presented with a swelling in the left lower abdomen, with a clinical diagnosis of lipoma where fine-needle aspiration and cytology helped to clinch the diagnosis of scar endometriosis.
Novel Artificial Intelligence Tool for Real-time Patient Identification to Prevent Misidentification in Health Care
Authors: Rajurkar Shriram , Verma Teerthraj , Mishra S P , Bhatt MLB
Published: March 2024

Purpose:

Errors in the identification of true patients in a health-care facility may result in the wrong dose or dosage being given to the wrong patient at the wrong site during radiotherapy sessions, radiopharmaceutical administration, radiological scans, etc. The aim of this article is to reduce the error in the identification of correct patients by implementation of the Python deep learning-based real-time patient identification program.

Materials and Methods:

The authors utilized and installed Anaconda Prompt (miniconda 3), Python (version 3.9.12), and Visual Studio Code (version 1.71.0) for the design of the patient identification program. In the field of view, the area of interest is merely face detection. The overall performance of the developed program is accomplished over three steps, namely image data collection, data transfer, and data analysis, respectively. The patient identification tool was developed using the OpenCV library for face recognition.

Results:

This program provides real-time patient identification information, together with the other preset parameters such as disease site, with a precision of 0.92%, recall rate of 0.80%, and specificity of 0.90%. Furthermore, the accuracy of the program was found to be 0.84%. The output of the in-house developed program as “Unknown” is provided if a patient’s relative or an unknown person is found in restricted region.

Interpretation and Conclusions:

This Python-based program is beneficial for confirming the patient’s identity, without manual interventions, just before therapy, administering medications, and starting other medical procedures, among other things, to prevent unintended medical and health-related complications that may arise as a result of misidentification.
PAHPhysRAD: A Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine Research Tool for Segmentation and Radiomic Feature Extraction
Authors: Arrington Daniel , Motley Ryan , Colbert Zachery Morton , Lehman Margot , Ramachandran Prabhakar
Published: March 2024

Introduction:

Segmentation and analysis of organs at risks (OARs) and tumor volumes are integral concepts in the development of radiotherapy treatment plans and prediction of patients’ treatment outcomes.

Aims:

To develop a research tool, PAHPhysRAD, that can be used to semi- and fully automate segmentation of OARs. In addition, the proposed software seeks to extract 3214 radiomic features from tumor volumes and user-specified dose-volume parameters.

Materials and Methods:

Developed within MATLAB, PAHPhysRAD provides a comprehensive suite of segmentation tools, including manual, semi-automatic, and automatic options. For semi-autosegmentation, meta AI’s Segment Anything Model was incorporated using the bounding box methods. Autosegmentation of OARs and tumor volume are implemented through a module that enables the addition of models in Open Neural Network Exchange format. To validate the radiomic feature extraction module in PAHPhysRAD, radiomic features extracted from gross tumor volume of 15 non-small cell lung carcinoma patients were compared against the features extracted from 3D Slicer™. The dose-volume parameters extraction module was validated using the dose volume data extracted from 28 tangential field-based breast treatment planning datasets. The volume receiving ≥20 Gy (V20) for ipsilateral lung and the mean doses received by the heart and ipsilateral lung, were compared against the parameters extracted from Eclipse.

Results:

The Wilcoxon signed-rank test revealed no significant difference between the majority of the radiomic features derived from PAHPhysRAD and 3D Slicer. The average mean lung and heart doses calculated in Eclipse were 5.51 ± 2.28 Gy and 1.64 ± 1.98 Gy, respectively. Similarly, the average mean lung and heart doses calculated in PAHPhysRAD were 5.45 ± 2.89 Gy and 1.67 ± 2.08 Gy, respectively.

Conclusion:

The MATLAB-based graphical user interface, PAHPhysRAD, offers a user-friendly platform for viewing and analyzing medical scans with options to extract radiomic features and dose-volume parameters. Its versatility, compatibility, and potential for further development make it an asset in medical image analysis.
Deep Learning-based Lung dose Prediction Using Chest X-ray Images in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Radiotherapy
Authors: Aoyama Takahiro , Shimizu Hidetoshi , Koide Yutaro , Kamezawa Hidemi , Fukunaga Jun-Ichi , Kitagawa Tomoki , Tachibana Hiroyuki , Suzuki Kojiro , Kodaira Takeshi
Published: March 2024

Purpose:

This study aimed to develop a deep learning model for the prediction of V20 (the volume of the lung parenchyma that received ≥20 Gy) during intensity-modulated radiation therapy using chest X-ray images.

Methods:

The study utilized 91 chest X-ray images of patients with lung cancer acquired routinely during the admission workup. The prescription dose for the planning target volume was 60 Gy in 30 fractions. A convolutional neural network-based regression model was developed to predict V20. To evaluate model performance, the coefficient of determination (R
2), root mean square error (RMSE), and mean absolute error (MAE) were calculated with conducting a four-fold cross-validation method. The patient characteristics of the eligible data were treatment period (2018–2022) and V20 (19.3%; 4.9%–30.7%).

Results:

The predictive results of the developed model for V20 were 0.16, 5.4%, and 4.5% for the R
2, RMSE, and MAE, respectively. The median error was −1.8% (range, −13.0% to 9.2%). The Pearson correlation coefficient between the calculated and predicted V20 values was 0.40. As a binary classifier with V20 <20%, the model showed a sensitivity of 75.0%, specificity of 82.6%, diagnostic accuracy of 80.6%, and area under the receiver operator characteristic curve of 0.79.

Conclusions:

The proposed deep learning chest X-ray model can predict V20 and play an important role in the early determination of patient treatment strategies.
Improvement of Whole-body Bone Planar Images on a Bone-dedicated Single-photon Emission Computed Tomography Scanner by Blind Deconvolution Algorithm
Authors: Wang Zhexin , Liu Hui , Cheng Li , Lyu Zhenlei , Gao Lilei , Jiang Nianming , He Zuoxiang , Liu Yaqiang
Published: March 2024

Purpose:

We have developed a bone-dedicated collimator with higher sensitivity but slightly degraded resolution on single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) for planar bone scintigraphy, compared with conventional low-energy high-resolution collimator. In this work, we investigated the feasibility of using the blind deconvolution algorithm to improve the resolution of planar images on bone scintigraphy.

Materials and Methods:

Monte Carlo simulation was performed with the NCAT phantom for modeling bone scintigraphy on the clinical dual-head SPECT scanner (Imagine NET 632, Beijing Novel Medical Equipment Ltd.) equipped with the bone-dedicated collimator. Maximum likelihood estimation method was used for the blind deconvolution algorithm. The initial estimation of point spread function (PSF) and iteration number for the method were determined by comparing the deblurred images obtained from different input parameters. We simulated different tumors in five different locations and with five different diameters to evaluate the robustness of the initial inputs. Furthermore, we performed chest phantom studies on the clinical SPECT scanner. The quantified increased contrast ratio (CR) between the tumor and the background was evaluated.

Results:

The 2 mm PSF kernel and 10 iterations provided a practical and robust deblurred image on our system. Those two inputs can generate robust deblurred images in terms of the tumor location and size with an average increased CR of 21.6%. The phantom studies also demonstrated the ability of blind deconvolution, using those two inputs, with increased CRs of 17%, 17%, 22%, 20%, and 13% for lesions with diameters of 1 cm, 2 cm, 3 cm, 4 cm, and 5 cm, respectively.

Conclusions:

It is feasible to use the blind deconvolution algorithm to deblur the planar images for SPECT bone scintigraphy. The appropriate values of the PSF kernel and the iteration number for the blind deconvolution can be determined using simulation studies.
Single- versus Multi-computed Tomography Simulation for High-dose-rate Postoperative Gynecological Intracavitary Brachytherapy
Authors: Douvara Angeliki , Kollaros Nikolaos , Patatoukas Georgios , Chalkia Marina , Kypraiou Efrosini , Trogkanis Nikolaos , Kouloulias Vassileios , Platoni Kalliopi
Published: March 2024

Introduction:

This study aimed to investigate whether there is a dosimetric difference of implementing single instead of multi-computed tomography (CT) simulation treatment planning for high-dose-rate postoperative gynecological intracavitary brachytherapy (BT).

Materials and Methods:

Eighty patients were registered in the study. They received three BT fractions of 7 Gy/week (three CTs, three original plans). The organs at risk (OAR), the rectal wall, and the clinical target volume (CTV) were delineated. The delivered doses for the 2cc of OARs (D2cc), 1cc of rectal wall (D1cc), as well as for the 90% and 100% of CTV volume (DCTV90%, DCTV100%) were evaluated. To evaluate the values of the above parameters if the single-CT-simulation method has been chosen, the time of the first treatment plan was corrected for the decay and applied as the second and third CT, retrospectively, creating the next fractions (two revised plans).

Results:

No statistically significant (P > 0.05) differences were found between the original and revised plans for the OARs and CTV. However, for the single-CT-simulation method, it was noted that the dose constraints for the total rectal dose were exceeded in some cases (36.3%).

Conclusion:

The fact that rectal dose constraints were exceeded in 1/3 of patients with the single-CT-simulation method is dosimetrically significant.
Laser Fragmentation of Green Tea-synthesized Silver Nanoparticles and Their Blood Toxicity: Effect of Laser Wavelength on Particle Diameters
Authors: Alattar Ashraf M. , Al-Sharuee Israa F. , Odah Jafer Fahdel
Published: March 2024

Background:

The efficacy of fractionation is significantly impacted by the colloidal particles’ spontaneous absorption of laser beam radiation. The classification of silver nanoparticles during fragmentation processing is regulated through the collection of a combination of laser pulses with wavelengths of 1064 nm and 532 nm.

Aims and Objectives:

This study presents an investigation of the efficacy of a plant extract in conjunction with the incorporation of supplementary silver nanoparticles, as well as the generation of smaller-sized silver nanoparticles using laser fragmentation.and then measure thier toxity on the blood.

Results:

Ag nanoparticles were synthesized using pulsed laser fragmentation on green tea AgNPs. The synthesis process involved the utilization of a Q-switch Nd:YAG laser with wavelengths of 1064 nm and 532 nm, with energy ranging from 200 to 1000 mJ. Initially, a silver nano colloid was synthesized through the process of fragmented of the Ag target using the second harmonic generation of 532 nm at various energy levels. The optimal energy within the selected wavelengths was determined in order to facilitate the ultimate comparison. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to determine surface morphology and average particle size, while a spectrophotometer was used to analyses UV light’s spectrum characteristics. The measurements focused on the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) phenomenon. The absorption spectra of silver nanoparticles exhibit distinct and prominent peaks at wavelengths of 405 nm and 415 nm. The mean diameter of the silver nanoparticles was found to be 16 nm and 20 nm, corresponding to wavelengths of 1064 nm and 532 nm, respectively.

Conclusion:

As a consequence, there is a decrease in the range of particle sizes and a decrease in the mean size to lower magnitudes, resulting in a very stable colloid. This particular methodology has demonstrated considerable efficacy in the production of colloidal suspensions with the intended particle dimensions. Moreover, by the analysis of nanoparticles in human blood, no discernible alterations in the blood constituents were seen, indicating their non-toxic nature.
A Practical Method for Slice Spacing Measurement Using the American Association of Physicists in Medicine Computed Tomography Performance Phantom
Authors: Anam Choirul , Naufal Ariij , Dwihapsari Yanurita , Fujibuchi Toshioh , Dougherty Geoff
Published: March 2024

Background:

The slice spacing has a crucial role in the accuracy of computed tomography (CT) images in sagittal and coronal planes. However, there is no practical method for measuring the accuracy of the slice spacing.

Purpose:

This study proposes a novel method to automatically measure the slice spacing using the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) CT performance phantom.

Methods:

The AAPM CT performance phantom module 610-04 was used to measure slice spacing. The process of slice spacing measurement involves a pair of axial images of the module containing ramp aluminum objects located at adjacent slice positions. The middle aluminum plate of each image was automatically segmented. Next, the two segmented images were combined to produce one image with two stair objects. The centroid coordinates of two stair objects were automatically determined. Subsequently, the distance between these two centroids was measured to directly indicate the slice spacing. For comparison, the slice spacing was calculated by accessing the slice position attributes from the DICOM header of both images. The proposed method was tested on phantom images with variations in slice spacing and field of view (FOV).

Results:

The results showed that the automatic measurement of slice spacing was quite accurate for all variations of slice spacing and FOV, with average differences of 9.0% and 9.3%, respectively.

Conclusion:

A new automated method for measuring the slice spacing using the AAPM CT phantom was successfully demonstrated and tested for variations of slice spacing and FOV. Slice spacing measurement may be considered an additional parameter to be checked in addition to other established parameters.
Analysis of Hybrid Feature Optimization Techniques Based on the Classification Accuracy of Brain Tumor Regions Using Machine Learning and Further Evaluation Based on the Institute Test Data
Authors: Pal Soniya , Singh Raj Pal , Kumar Anuj
Published: March 2024

Aim:

The goal of this study was to get optimal brain tumor features from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images and classify them based on the three groups of the tumor region: Peritumoral edema, enhancing-core, and necrotic tumor core, using machine learning classification models.

Materials and Methods:

This study’s dataset was obtained from the multimodal brain tumor segmentation challenge. A total of 599 brain MRI studies were employed, all in neuroimaging informatics technology initiative format. The dataset was divided into training, validation, and testing subsets online test dataset (OTD). The dataset includes four types of MRI series, which were combined together and processed for intensity normalization using contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization methodology. To extract radiomics features, a python-based library called pyRadiomics was employed. Particle-swarm optimization (PSO) with varying inertia weights was used for feature optimization. Inertia weight with a linearly decreasing strategy (W1), inertia weight with a nonlinear coefficient decreasing strategy (W2), and inertia weight with a logarithmic strategy (W3) were different strategies used to vary the inertia weight for feature optimization in PSO. These selected features were further optimized using the principal component analysis (PCA) method to further reducing the dimensionality and removing the noise and improve the performance and efficiency of subsequent algorithms. Support vector machine (SVM), light gradient boosting (LGB), and extreme gradient boosting (XGB) machine learning classification algorithms were utilized for the classification of images into different tumor regions using optimized features. The proposed method was also tested on institute test data (ITD) for a total of 30 patient images.

Results:

For OTD test dataset, the classification accuracy of SVM was 0.989, for the LGB model (LGBM) was 0.992, and for the XGB model (XGBM) was 0.994, using the varying inertia weight-PSO optimization method and the classification accuracy of SVM was 0.996 for the LGBM was 0.998, and for the XGBM was 0.994, using PSO and PCA-a hybrid optimization technique. For ITD test dataset, the classification accuracy of SVM was 0.994 for the LGBM was 0.993, and for the XGBM was 0.997, using the hybrid optimization technique.

Conclusion:

The results suggest that the proposed method can be used to classify a brain tumor as used in this study to classify the tumor region into three groups: Peritumoral edema, enhancing-core, and necrotic tumor core. This was done by extracting the different features of the tumor, such as its shape, grey level, gray-level co-occurrence matrix, etc., and then choosing the best features using hybrid optimal feature selection techniques. This was done without much human expertise and in much less time than it would take a person.
Development of a Relative Dosimetric System for Calibration of 32P Eye Applicators Using Radiochromic Films
Authors: Nazempoor Alireza , Poorbaygi Hosein , Aghamiri Seyed Mahmud Reza , Javanshir Mohammad Reza , Sheibani Shahab , Naghdi Reza , Moradi Somayeh , Habibpanah Ali
Published: March 2024

Introduction:

Beta irradiation after bare scleral surgery of primary pterygium is an effective and safe treatment, which reduces the risk of local recurrence.

Purpose:

Obtaining the reference dose rate for a radioactive applicator consisting of a plate as a 32P absorber, a steel window and a steel capsule.

Methods:

Relative dosimetry and dose profile were measured using two types of radiochromic films, HD-810 and EBT1, for the 32P applicator and were compared with Monte Carlo simulation data. Dose uniformity in the 32P applicator was obtained with radiochromic HD-810 film.

Results:

The measurement depth dose distribution data at distances up to 3.8 mm were compared with calculation data, and the values were not found to differ statistically. Depth dose distribution with a large dose gradient was determined and the dose rate data obtained 0.0053 ± 9.9% in unit of Gy/s.mCi at a 0.1 mm depth distance. Practical results indicated that the dose nonuniformity and the maximum symmetrical for the 32P applicator were 11.5% and 9.2%, respectively.

Conclusions:

Our experiments show that the use of the radiochromic film to perform the relative dosimetric checks is feasible and the activity value with acceptable error can be determined through this indirect method.
Microarray Images Contrast Enhancement and Gridding Using Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Bakhshayesh Nayyer Mostaghim , Shamsi Mousa , Golabi Faegheh
Published: March 2024

Background:

Microarray is a sophisticated tool that concurrently analyzes the expression levels of thousands of genes, giving scientists an overview of DNA and RNA study. This procedure is divided into three stages: contact with biological samples, data extraction, and data analysis. Because expression levels are disclosed by the interplay of light with fluorescent markers, the data extraction stage relies on image processing methods. To extract quantitative information from the microarray image (MAI), four steps of preprocessing, gridding, segmentation, and intensity quantification are required. During the generation of MAIs, a large number of error-prone processes occur, leading to structural problems and reduced quality in the resulting data, affecting the identification of expressed genes.

Methods:

In this article, the first stage has been examined. In the preprocessing stage, the contrast of the images is first enhanced using the genetic algorithm, then the source noises that appear as small artifacts are removed using morphology, and finally, to confirm the effect of the contrast enhancement (CE) on the main stages of microarray data processing, gridding is checked on complementary deoxyribonucleic acid MAIs.

Results:

The comparison of the obtained results with an adaptive histogram equalization (AHE) and multi-decomposition histogram equalization (M-DHE) methods shows the superiority and efficiency of the proposed method. For example, the image contrast of the Genomic Medicine Research Center Laboratory dataset is 3.24, which is 42.91 with the proposed method and 13.48 and 32.40 with the AHE and M-DHE methods, respectively.

Conclusions:

The performance of the proposed methods for CE is evaluated on 3 databases and a general conclusion is obtained as to which CE method is more suitable for each dataset.
Age and sex dynamics in the incidence of diabetes in Contributory Health Services Scheme beneficiaries: A retrospective cohort study in Mumbai
Authors: Sharma Palak , Dilip T. R. , Kulkarni Anjali , Bhandarkar Prashant
Published: March 2024

Introduction:

A comprehensive body of literature addresses self-reported diabetes prevalence, yet a notable gap exists in research investigating the clinically ascertained incidence of diabetes in India through rigorous longitudinal data analysis. This study aimed to determine the incidence of clinically diagnosed diabetes in a nondiabetic cohort.

Materials and Methods:

The research gathered data from 1669 participants (aged 30 years and above) enrolled in a government hospital’s Contributory Health Services Scheme, utilizing electronic medical records. Clinical diagnosis of diabetes relied on three laboratory tests. A cohort of initially diabetes-free individuals in 2011–2012 was tracked for 10 years to assess diabetes incidence. Age-adjusted incidence rates were determined through survival analysis techniques.

Results:

Over a decade-long observational period, 552 beneficiaries within the study cohort were clinically diagnosed with diabetes, yielding an age-adjusted incidence rate of 38.9 cases per 1000 person-years (PYs) spanning from 2013 to 2021. Stratifying by gender, age-adjusted incidence rates were notably elevated in males compared to females, with rates of 41.5 versus 38.5 cases per 1000 PYs, respectively. Further analysis revealed the highest incidence rates among males aged 55–59 years (60.5 per 1000 PYs) and females aged 65–69 years (83.4 per 1000 PYs).

Conclusion:

This extended follow-up investigation transpired in a setting characterized by uniform health-care provision, devoid of discernible access differentials, or inequalities, thereby enhancing the credibility of the ascertained diabetes incidence rates.
Expanded and intensified population-based screening and diagnosis of hypertension and diabetes mellitus among rural adults in Northern India: An implementation research in routine programmatic setting
Authors: Soundappan Kathirvel , Periyasamy Aravind Gandhi , Rana Kirtan , Rajavel Saranya , Murugan Sathiabalan , Regmi Sulav , Rehman Tanveer
Published: March 2024

Background:

The National Noncommunicable Disease Program of India currently recommends population-based NCD screening (PBS) among people aged ≥30 years. The low turnaround for diagnosis confirmation is a consistent issue the program has faced since its launch. The current study assessed an expanded PBS (including people 18–29 years) and intensified (home-based) diagnosis confirmation strategy for hypertension (HT) and diabetes mellitus (DM) in a routine programmatic setting.

Materials and Methods:

This implementation research was conducted among all people aged ≥18 years in a rural health block in northern India. The eligible population was screened for HT and DM (using random blood sugar), and the screen positives were asked to visit a nearby public health facility (preferably) for diagnosis. An intensified home-based diagnosis confirmation was offered to screen positives who did not visit the health facility for diagnosis confirmation.

Results:

Of the 2004 participants screened, 1149 (57.3%) were female and 586 (28.2%) were aged 18–29 years. A total of 353 (20.2%) and 200 (10.9%) were found newly screened positive for HT and DM, respectively. The turnout rate for facility-based confirmation ranged from 69.6% to 91.2%. The prevalence of HT and DM in people aged 18–29 years and ≥30 years was 6.1% and 2.9% and 30.0% and 26.2%, respectively. The expanded screening and intensified home-based diagnosis confirmation strategies yielded an additional 12.8% HT and 24.1% DM among the total new cases detected.

Conclusion:

An expanded PBS and intensified diagnosis confirmation is feasible in a programmatic setting and has yielded additional new cases. Cost effectiveness of the above strategy must be assessed in future studies. Further, in-depth understanding of the risk perception, and potential cultural, social, and health system factors for improving the uptake of confirmatory tests is the need of the hour.
Candida isolation and identification from pregnant women in Kirkuk city
Authors: Salih Ahlam Ali , Obaid Hiro Mohammed , Jasim Wafa Mahmood
Published: March 2024

Background:

One of the most common fungal species that have been discovered as a component of the normal flora in different human body sections is Candida spp. it is the only major opportunistic fungus that exists in both commensal and pathogenic forms.

Objective:

This study was prepared to find out the prevalence of candidiasis among pregnant women in Kirkuk city in addition to diagnose and identify its important species.

Materials and Methods:

This study was carried out on 154 patients whom suspected of having candidiasis and attended at (Azadi Teaching, Kirkuk General, and Al-Nasar Maternity) hospitals from December 2021 till April 2022. Specimens were carried out by taking a vaginal swab from all pregnant women. The swabs were first examined directly by using potassium hydroxide (10%) then inoculated onto Sabouraud’s dextrose agar supported with Amikacine antibiotic. The mycological examination has revealed 62.33% positive candidiasis, by direct microscopy examination through the recognition of pseudohyphae or yeasts. Hi Chrom agar medium was used to detect Candidal species identification.

Results:

Four species have been isolated each with an incidence of 67.7% for Candida albicans, 13.5% for Candida glabrata, 11.5% for Candida tropicalis, 7.3% for Candida krusie.

Conclusion:

It can be concluded that Candida is very common among pregnant women and being the most predominant species.
Study of the Immune Response of COVID-19 Patients in Kirkuk Province
Authors: Breesam Angham Abdulrazzaq , Noraldeen Mohammed Yawoz
Published: March 2024

Background:

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel coronavirus causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); it is diagnosed based on clinical signs and laboratory detection methods such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and serological techniques.

Objective:

The objective of the study is to use other diagnostic methods that support the PCR method of diagnosis for COVID-19.

Materials and Methods:

The study included 90 COVID-19 patients and 26 control group. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from the suspected patients with COVID-19 infection for the detection of the RNA virus by PCR technique. If the PCR was positive, the serum samples were collected and used for the quantitative detection of SARS-CoV-2 S1 (IgM, IgG) by using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.

Results:

The result of this study showed that in a total of 116 participants, there was a significant difference between IgM and IgG reactivity (±) and the number of PCR-positive and negative individuals with P value <0.0001 and P value = 0.003, respectively. In addition, a significant increase in the levels of IgM and IgG (P ≤ 0.0001 for IgM and P ≤ 0.0001 for IgG) was recorded in patients compared with healthy control. Moreover, a significant correlation between IgM level with P = 0.0018 and the onset of symptoms as well as positive correlation was noticed between IgG concentration and the onset of symptoms (P = 0.0272).

Conclusion:

The study concluded that antibodies developed against COVID-19 infection could appear at early stages of the infection without the confirmation of real time polymerase chain reaction, and this could be a beneficial tool for early screening of suspected as well as asymptomatic individuals.
Extracellular biosynthesis and characterization of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles using Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli
Authors: Attiah Baidaa Hamad , Obaid Hiro Mohammed , AL-Salihi Siham Shakoor
Published: March 2024

Background:

The development of dependable and environmentally friendly nanomaterial resources is an essential aspect of recent nanotechnology research and application. Microorganisms have recently been investigated as a potential biofactor for the synthesis of many nanoparticles (NPs).

Objectives:

The aim of this article is to evaluate the extracellular biosynthesis capabilities of metallic NPs such as silver (Ag) and zinc oxide (ZnO) by screening common bacteria.

Materials and Methods:

Silver nitrate and zinc nitrate were used as a source of Ag and ZnO NPs, by means of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa as potential candidates for the rapid synthesis of NPs. Ag and ZnO NPs were synthesized using a reduction of aqueous solutions with cell-free filtrates of bacteria. Characterization of synthesized NPs was conducted by UV–Vis spectroscopy.

Results:

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to examine the particle size of (Ag, ZnO) NPs. The maximum absorbance was around (425, 450 nm) for Ag and (300, 380 nm) for ZnO by E. coli and P. aeruginosa, respectively. We found that particle size of Ag NP obtained from P. aeruginosa was smaller than that of NP obtained from E. coli. The range of particle size was 24–32 nm with an average of 29.5 nm for Ag P. aeruginosa and was 25–37 nm with an average of 32 nm for Ag E. coli. The particle size range of ZnO of P. aeruginosa was 23–28 nm with an average of 25 nm and was 25–34 nm with an average of 29.7 nm for E. coli.

Conclusion:

E. coli and P. aeruginosa are good candidates for biosynthesis of NPs. As a result, obliged characteristics and green synthesis and the potential issue for various environmental and health-related applications may exist.
Assessment of changes in the hormonal levels in women infected with Trichomonas vaginalis in Kirkuk, Iraq
Authors: Salih Blesa Abdulhameed , Obaid Hiro Mohammed , Al-Kadi Najdat Ali
Published: March 2024

Background:

Trichomonas vaginalis, a flagellated protozoan, is the cause of the sexually transmitted disease known as vaginal trichomoniasis.

Objectives:

The study was carried out to assess the level of some sexual hormones in the serum of women suffering from trichomoniasis.

Materials and Methods:

From 1020 women, blood was collected to separate serum for detection of the level of sex hormones (estrogen [E2], progesterone [Pro.], luteinizing hormone [LH], and follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH]) by the Cobas e411 method using kits for each hormone according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Results:

The results recorded a significant decrease in the levels of estrogen, progesterone, and FSH, (45.8 ± 7.7 pg/mL), (0.338 ± 0.483 ng/mL), and (5.83 ± 1.37 mIU/mL), respectively, in the serum of female patients as compared with the healthy control women (71.3 ± 6.8 pg/mL), (0.743 ± 0.338 ng/mL), and (7.65 ± 2.51 mIU/mL), respectively. However, no significant differences were observed in the level of LH between infected (5.53 ± 2.56 mIU/mL) and noninfected women (5.82 ± 2.15 mIU/mL).

Conclusion:

A significant drop in the level of certain sexual hormones has an adverse effect on the incidence of trichomoniasis in women in the Kirkuk province.
Docking of vaginal Lactobacillus isolates as a potential bactericidal agent in Kirkuk 2022
Authors: Thaker Hadeel Monther , Tawfeeq Asal A , Ali Abeer Abbas
Published: March 2024

Background:

Because the female genital tract is a complex microbial community that plays various roles in disease development. Alternatively, Lactobacilli in the vaginal environment play an important role in maintaining a healthy vaginal ecosystem by preventing pathogenic overgrowth.

Objective:

Therefore, this study was suggested to isolate vaginal Lactobacilli with antibacterial activity.

Materials and Methods:

Two hundred and sixty women participated in this study aged between 15 and 50 years divided into two cohorts of bacterial vaginosis (BV): infected and healthy individuals. BV-isolates isolated and identified according to microbiological and biochemical assays. Accordingly, Lactobacillus isolates were further identified through genomic DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA, and the results were statistically analyzed.

Results:

A significant increase (P < 0.05) in the BV-infected women in the age range of 21–30 and 31–40 was recorded, with the percentages of 40.62% and 31.88%, respectively. Alternatively, a significant decrease (P > 0.05) in the percentages of vaginal Lactobacillus species between women of Cohort 1 and Cohort 2 recorded the ratios of 3.125% and 31% validating Lactobacilli presence as a sign of a healthy vaginal environment. Accordingly, four Lactobacillus isolates were assigned for their broad spectrum of antibacterial activity against several pathogenic bacteria. Moreover, results of the partial DNA sequencing revealed the isolation of four Limosilactobacillus fermentum strains registered at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) under specific gene bank accession numbers.

Conclusion:

Effective Lactobacillus species with potential bactericidal activity validates vaginal health.
Antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles synthesized from Citrus aurantium and its synergistic effect of the combination of silver nanoparticles with ampicillin against Proteus mirabilis
Authors: Flamerz Roshna Aziz , Obid Siham Shukur , Jasim Wafa M
Published: March 2024

Abstract

Background:

Proteus mirabilis is one of the most infectious organisms that cause a various infections involving those of the skin, wounds, and urinary tract. This study describes the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNps) and using it as an antibacterial agent.

Objective:

To determine the activity of AgNps and synergistic effect of combination of AgNps with ampicillin (AMP).

Materials and Methods:

Out of 205 samples, 32 isolated were identified as P. mirabilis and determine the inhibition zone by using AgNps and its combination with AMP. The AgNps were biosynthesized by Citrus aurantium and then characterized using Ultraviolet (UV)-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The antibacterial activity of AgNps was done using well diffusion agar method and the activity was evaluated by calculating the increase in the inhibition zone and reduction in the bacterial growth.

Results:

The synthesized AgNps was first characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy which showed a peak between 400 and 500 cm–1. The color changes from clear yellow to red or brown color indicate the formation of AgNps. The particle size of AgNps was calculated and found to be 21.24 nm by XRD. The TEM images showed the presence of very regular particles in shape of nanospheres with a particle size in the range of 10–28 nm. Different concentrations (25, 50, 75, 100 µg/mL) were used for determining the activities of AgNps and the combination of AgNps with AMP, and the result showed that the most efficient in inhibition zone was at concentration 100 µg/mL.

Conclusion:

This study concluded that the green synthesized AgNps from C. aurantium leaves extract have most potential as antibacterial against P. mirabilis.
Synergistic effect of synthesized silver nanoparticles combined with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid against Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from clinical samples
Authors: Rashad Fatin Fikrat , Obaid Siham Shakoor , Al-kadhi Najdat Ali
Published: March 2024

Background:

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most prevalent nosocomial pathogenic microorganisms that affect and cause a life-threatening situation.

Objective:

The study aimed to investigate the synergistic effect of silver nanoparticles (NPs) with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid antibiotic on P. aeruginosa growth.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 220 clinical samples were collected. A sample has been subjected to isolation and identification by standard microbiological procedures. The extract of Citrus aurantium was used to synthesize silver NPs. The characterization of silver NPs was achieved at the University of Tehran, by using UV–visible spectrophotometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The antibacterial activity of AgNPs and combination with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid antibiotic were tested against bacteria using the agar well diffusion method.

Results:

Out of the 220 samples collected, 33 (15%) isolates were positive for P. aeruginosa. Highest resistance of P. aeruginosa was found to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid in percentage of 100. NPs have been characterized by a UV–visible spectrometer which revealed a broad peak at 426 cm-1. XRD showed the purity of the prepared silver NPs that the particle size was equal to 21.26 nm. TEM measurement showed the presence of sphere-like structures with sizes of 20 nm for regular particles and 40 nm for irregular particles. AgNPs, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, and mixture (amoxicillin/clavulanic acid + AgNPs) have high inhibition activity of P. aeruginosa in concentration of 100 µg/mL and recorded 21.33 ± 3.06, 13.00 ± 0.00, and 22.00 ± 3.46 mm, respectively.

Conclusion:

The results supported a green synthesis approach for the synthesis of AgNPs with antimicrobial. P. aeruginosa has synergistic combinations of AgNPs with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, with a great inhibitory effect on the growth of the bacteria.
Effect of Saccharomyces cerevisiae supplemented with silver nanoparticles on Propionibacterium acnes in vitro
Authors: Sultan Safaa Mahmood , Abdallah Omar Dirar , Irzoqy Maha Ebrahem
Published: March 2024

Background:

Acne is a chronic inflammatory disease of the pilo-sebaceous unit of the follicles in the skin that most commonly affects people throughout their adolescence or teenage years. Around 85% of youngsters globally are affected by this skin condition, according to research. Acne, in contrast, is not only a teenager’s problem; in many cases, it lasts far into adulthood.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to investigate how Saccharomyces cerevisiae supplemented with silver nanoparticles impacted Propionibacterium acnes in Mosul City.

Materials and Methods:

Specimens were obtained from 65 acne patients who attended Mosul’s private dermatological clinics with signs of inflamed and discharged pus. The specimens inoculate on blood agar, MacConkey agar, nutrient agar, Muller Hinton agar, and nutrient broth. Then, the effect of S. cerevisiae with silver nanoparticles on P. acnes was determied.

Results:

The results showed different inhibition with various concentrations of yeast extract against P. acnes in the medium, with the 50% concentration showing the highest inhibition diameter at a rate of 18 mm in the bacteria under study, while the inhibition diameter was at an average rate of 18 mm. For each bacterium, the highest rate of inhibition was at a concentration of 40% and a diameter of 15 mm, whereas the lowest rate of inhibition was at a concentration of 30% and a diameter of 12 mm.

Conclusions:

Silver nanoparticles, when coupled with S. cerevisiae, can be a very effective antibacterial against to P. acnes.
Significance of maternal serum pentraxin-3 level in assessment of severity of pre-eclampsia and its effect on neonatal outcome
Authors: Haseeb Noor Mohammed , Mohammed Esraa Abdulkareem , Ibrahem Salih
Published: March 2024

Background:

Preeclampsia is a multisystem, highly variable disorder specific to pregnancy. Pentraxin-3 (PTX3), a recently identified multimeric inflammatory mediator, it can be considered as a promising biomarker of preeclampsia and its severity.

Objective:

To determine the association between maternal serum PTX3 level and preeclampsia, its severity and its effect on the neonatal outcome.

Materials and Methods:

This case control study was carried-out at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Azadi Teaching Hospital, Kirkuk City, Iraq from 1st of February, till 30th of November 2021. The study included 92 pregnant women at term who were divided into three groups (mild preeclampsia, severe preeclampsia, and pregnant without preeclampsia and regarded as control group). The neonatal outcomes were documented. PTX3 was measured in the serum using human PTX3 ELISA KIT.

Results:

PTX3 cutoff value of ≥120.8 pg/mL was associated with sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 96%. The correlation between PTX3 and urea, body mass index, birth weight, APGAR (A for neonatal appearance, P for heart rate, G for grimace, A for activity, R for respiration) score in 1 and 5 minutes showed that, there was significant positive weak correlation between PTX3 and urea, in which an increase in urea was associated with an increase in PTX3. Also, there was significant negative weak correlation between PTX3 with birth weight and APGAR 1, in which an increase in PTX3 was associated with a decrease in birth weight and APGAR in 1 min.

Conclusion:

PTX3 is one of the biochemical markers in diagnosing preeclampsia and distinguishing its severity and can be used as a marker for early neonatal outcome in preeclampsia.
Association between the clinical presentation and outcome among smokers vs non- smokers COVID-19 patients in Kirkuk health care centers/Iraq
Authors: Ali Waleed M , Jasim Wafa M , Hassan Zahraa A
Published: March 2024

Background:

Smoking is regarded as one of the most important reasons of diseases and lead to eight million deaths all over the world. Both factors including corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection related to smoking can primarily affect the lungs. COVID-19 is mainly transmitted through the respiratory tract (saliva), and the smoker group may be at a higher risk of contracting the virus because of impaired immune systems, reduced lung function, susceptible hygiene habits, and cross-infection.

Objectives:

The study aimed to determine if there is any association between the current smoking and the clinical severity and outcomes of disease among patients suffering from COVID-19 in Kirkuk city.

Materials and Methods:

Retrospective case series include 973 adult (≥18 years old) patients (525 male and 448 female) with confirmed COVID-19. The studied patients were diagnosed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by taking a swab from a nasopharyngeal region during the period from July 2020 to October 31, 2021. The data were collected from patients on the first visit to health services system (Private Clinic, AL-shifaa Hospital, and Kirkuk General Hospital). The diagnosis of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia was based on symptoms. Presence of infiltration on chest X-ray or high-resolution CT scan with positive PCR swab for SARS-CoV-2 was found. The total number of patients included in the study was 974 (646 smokers and 328 non-smokers). A special questionnaire form was prepared for this purpose and distributed after receiving the verbal consent from them, and the data were collected by interviewing with them.

Results:

This study shows that the most affected age group between smokers and non-smokers was 50–59 years (47.35%–49.8%), respectively, with P value = 0.444. Regarding the sex, males from smoker group constitute a higher percentage (75.6%), in comparison to non-smoker group in which the females constitute a higher percent (56.2%) with a P-value = 0.000. Also the study reveals that the smoker group shows a high percent among patients with hypertension (33.8%), in comparison to the non-smoker group in which diabetes mellitus was the most comorbid disease (37.9%) with a P-value = 0.000.

Conclusion:

The study recommended that physicians can provide more attention to the smoking history in patients with COVID-19 infection, and more future advanced research is aimed to explain the mechanisms that decrease this risk.