bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preliminary study on establishing the discriminant equation in pathological grading of hepatocellular carcinoma using immunohistochemical marker parameters
Authors: Han Xiao , Huang Tianren , Li Qiang , Han Junqing , Luo Xiaoling
Published: February 2023

Context:

Identifying the pathological diagnosis for patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) depends on recognizing the microscopic cytological morphology and pathological molecular marker expressions. However, there are nearly 100 markers of primary HCC, most of which are discretely distributed. Thus, the diagnostical process lacks certainty.

Aims:

Settings and Design: A preliminary study.

Methods and Material:

A total of 37,012 pathological molecular markers were selected in this study from 1,034 randomly selected patients with primary HCC from January 2014 to June 2019. Patient information included demographic and pathological characteristics, immunohistochemical and blood biochemical indicators, and other biological laboratory data.

Statistical Analysis Used:

The discriminant analysis method (parametric and non-parametric) was used in two-thirds of the dataset to quantitatively establish the discriminant equation of gender, age, and positive variables determined by the Cochran–Armitage trend test for pathologic grading. The remaining one-third dataset was used to verify the discriminative ability.

Results:

According to the fitted discriminant equation, only CD34, CD68, Glypican-3, HepPar-1, and Ki-67 (%) exhibited high sensitivity for the diagnosis of primary HCC. Among these five indicators, glypican-3 demonstrated a relatively high correlation with Ki-67 (%). CK19 and CK7 were highly correlated. Glypican-3 demonstrated a higher positive rate in poorly differentiated tumors, whereas HepPar-1 exhibited a higher positive rate in well-differentiated tumors.

Conclusions:

Gender, age, HepPar-1, Ki-67 (%), and Glypican-3 demonstrated higher accuracy in discriminating the pathological grades of I/II, but the ability to discriminate pathological grades III/IV was insufficient. Additionally, other factors were found to affect pathological grading.
Effects of the CRYAB gene on stem cell-like properties of colorectal cancer and its mechanism
Authors: Dai Ang , Guo Xiaohong , Yang Xiaoqing , Li Min , Fu Yanxin , Sun Qing
Published: February 2023

Aims:

Alpha B-crystallin (CRYAB), a known molecular chaperone, is involved in the occurrence and development of various tumor types. However, the function of CRYAB in colorectal cancer stem cells (CSCs) remains unknown. This study aimed to elucidate the role and possible regulatory mechanisms of CRYAB in the cancer stem cell-like phenotype of colorectal cancer (CRC).

Subjects and Methods:

The expression of CRYAB in patients with CRC and lymph node metastasis at various stages and its relationship with overall survival were detected using the TCGA database. In this study, CRC-CSCs were enriched from HCT116 and Caco2 cells with serum-free suspension culture. The CRYAB gene, stemness-related genes, and mesenchymal markers were detected via quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) in CRC cells. Then, CRYAB-HCT116S and CRYAB-Caco2S cell lines were established by lentivirus-mediated overexpression of CRYAB. Self-renewal ability and stemness features were measured by the sphere formation assay and flow cytometry. The tumorigenesis capacity in vivo was inspected in nude mice. The functions of CRYAB on CSC proliferation, migration, and invasion were examined using colony formation and the transwell assay. Finally, the Wnt/β-catenin pathway-related mRNAs and proteins were detected via qRT-PCR and western blotting.

Results:

The expression of CRYAB in CRC is related to the clinical phase and prognosis, except with lymphoid metastasis. CRYAB expression was elevated in CSCs. Upregulation of CRYAB enhanced the expression of CSC-related genes and mesenchymal markers. The capacity to form colonospheres, tumorigenesis, cell proliferation, and metastasis were significantly advanced in CRYAB-overexpressed cells. Moreover, CRYAB dramatically suppressed β-catenin degradation and downregulated the expression of p-GSK-3β.

Conclusions:

CRYAB maintains CSC formation via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in CRCs, which may, therefore, function as vital molecular targets for CRC therapeutic strategies.
Osteoradionecrosis of the jaws
Authors: Dholam Kanchan P. , Sharma Madhura R. , Gurav Sandeep V. , Singh Gurkaran Preet , Sadashiva Karthik M. , Laskar Sarbani Ghosh
Published: February 2023

Introduction:

Radiotherapy (RT) combined with chemotherapy and surgery is the indicated treatment for head and neck cancers. Even with the advent of modern technological advances in RT and improved oral hygiene awareness, osteoradionecrosis (ORN) still remains as one of the most debilitating side effects of RT.

Methodology:

This is a retrospective review assessing 72 patients aged over 18 years of age reporting in the Dental Department, for treatment of ORN from April 2010 to July 2019. Each patient was clinically examined and treated according to standard protocol. The stage of ORN was noted at the diagnosis and at follow-up. The demographic data, the tumor characteristics, and the treatment of patients were evaluated using descriptive statistics.

Results:

At the time of diagnosis, 84.7% of the study population was found to have Epstein Type II chronic persistent nonprogressive lesions and 11.1% of the cohort had Type III active progressive lesions. Statistically significant correlation (
P
= 0.00) was found for ORN grade at diagnosis and at follow-up. ORN being a chronic pathology, stabilization of the disease was observed in 72.3% of cases. The resolution of the necrotic lesion and down staging of the disease was seen only in 2.8% of patients.

Conclusion:

ORN is mainly a chronic long standing pathology which is difficult to treat completely. Stabilization of symptoms and preventing further spread of the necrotic lesion should be the ultimate aim of the treatment to improve the quality of life of the patients.
The relationship between adjuvant chemotherapy and thiol-disulfide compounds
Authors: Akyol Pınar , Dede Didem Şener , Bilgin Burak , Ulaş Arife , Nahit Şendur Mehmet Ali , Akıncı Muhammed Bülent , Başer Salih , Erol Cihan , Hızal Mutlu , Yalçın Bülent
Published: February 2023

Aim:

Thiols are the organic compounds of the antioxidant system. There is limited data in the literature concerning chemotherapy (CT) in cancer and thiol balance. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the possible changes of thiol/disulfide levels with the recurrent CT cycles and type of cancer.

Materials and Methods:

The 40 healthy individuals and 40 patients who had been newly diagnosed with early-stage breast, ovary and endometrium cancer receiving adjuvant CT. Blood samples were taken from all patients three times as basal and after the first and second CT sessions.

Results:

We compared preadjuvant treatment levels of thiol and disulfide parameters in the patients group with the control group. The median of native thiol and total thiol was found to be higher in the control group than in the study group (P < 0.001). In addition, disulfide/native thiol and disulfide/total thiol rates were found to be higher in the patient group (P = 0.001). When we look at the comparison before and after CT in the patient group, disulfide/native thiol and disulfide/total thiol rates, which represent increased oxidative stress (OS) levels were found to be higher after CT than before CT measurement (P < 0.016).

Discussion:

This is the first study, which has researched the relationship between cancer type and thiol compounds and changes of thiol compounds during CT therapy, by using the method designed by Erel and Neşelioğlu. In this study, we found that pre-CT thiol disulfide balance in cancer patients shifted toward disulfide direction and OS levels may increase after repetitive CT sessions.
Afatinib treatment in a lung adenocarcinoma patient harboring a rare EGFR L747P mutation
Authors: Li Jisheng , Zhu Liping , Stebbing Justin , Peng Ling
Published: February 2023

Classical activating alterations including exon 19 deletions and exon 21 L858R point mutations comprise the majority of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) changes in non-small cell lung cancer. Patients with these exhibit excellent clinical responses to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). However, rare alterations including point mutations, deletions, and insertions occur and are associated with poorer responses to EGFR TKIs. Herein, we report an unusual case of a patient with lung adenocarcinoma with an EGFR L747P mutation (c. 2239_2240TT>CC, p.L747P) that was initially misdiagnosed as EGFR exon 19 deletion by amplification refractory mutation system PCR, leading to gefitinib as first-line therapy. However, both the primary tumor, mediastinal lymph node, and brain metastasis progressed after 1 month. A re-examination of gene mutation status by next generation sequencing revealed an EGFR exon 19 L747P, and this case then responded to second-line chemotherapy and third-line afatinib.
Relationship of vitamin D intake, serum 25(OH) D, and solar ultraviolet-B radiation with the risk of gastric cancer
Authors: Chen Xia , Li Longquan , Liang Yuan , Huang Taobi , Zhang Huiyun , Fan Shanlin , Sun Weiming , Wang Yuping
Published: February 2023

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to investigate whether vitamin D intake, serum 25(OH) D, and solar ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation have an effect on the incidence of gastric cancer. Keyword searches of online databases were performed from January 2000 to October 2020. A comprehensive analysis was conducted on the relationship of vitamin D intake, serum 25(OH) D level, and UVB radiation with the risk of gastric cancer. A total of 11 articles were included and analyzed. When the highest and lowest intake levels of vitamin D were compared, no significant association was found between vitamin D intake and gastric cancer incidence [effect size (ES): 1, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.86–1.16, P = 0.983]. The ES of serum 25(OH) D level and gastric cancer incidence was 0.93 (95% CI: 0.77–1.11, P = 0.4), suggesting no relationship between 25(OH) D level and gastric cancer risk. High UVB radiation was associated with lower gastric cancer incidence (ES: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.84–0.89, P = 0) compared with low UVB radiation. Vitamin D intake and serum 25(OH) D level had no relationship with the risk of gastric cancer. However, an inverse association was found between solar UVB radiation and gastric cancer incidence.
Desmoid tumor of Meckel's diverticulum presenting as intestinal obstruction
Authors: Mundada Aditya Vijay , Tote Darshana , Zade Anup
Published: February 2023

Meckel's diverticulum (MD) is among the many known congenital malformations of intestine. It is seen in approximately 2% of the population. Desmoid tumors are unusual. They are unique, well-differentiated, and fast-growing musculoaponeurotic fibromatosis tumors, contemplated as Grade 1 fibro sarcoma. They offer exclusive management challenges to surgeons. The most common presentation of desmoid tumors is of painless masses with sluggish growth. Rarely, they may present as intestinal obstruction leading to surgical emergency. We present the only case in history till date along with review of the relevant literature of a 65-year-old gentleman who presented to us with features of intestinal obstruction who successfully underwent elective segmental resection of ileum containing MD with its desmoid tumor. A multimodality approach is needed to tackle such kind of diseases with a team comprising oncosurgeons, oncophysicians, and radiation oncologist to design a standard treatment protocol.
Circ-CCS enhances autophagy during imatinib resistance of gastrointestinal stromal tumor by regulating miR-197-3p/ATG10 signaling
Authors: Sui Shujing , Ma Fei , Mi Lei , Gao Li , Yu Wei , Li Ming , Feng Zhi , Huang Yan , Wang Qingcai
Published: February 2023

Context:

Drug resistance in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) is connected with autophagy activation. Accumulating data demonstrates the critical role of circular RNAs (circRNAs) dysregulation in this development.

Aim:

To explore the possible function of hsa_circ_0092306 (circ-CCS) in GIST imatinib resistance.

Materials and Methods:

Quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to determine the expression levels of circ-CCS and miR-197-3p. The vitality and apoptosis of cells were determined using the Cell Counting Kit-8 and TUNEL assays, respectively. Western blot analysis was used to evaluate the relative protein expression. A dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to validate the link between circ-CCS, miR-197-3p, and ATG10.

Statistical Analysis Used:

Comparisons of two groups were analyzed using Student's t tests, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Tukey's post hoc test was used to compare three or more groups.

Results:

Circulating-CCS expression was considerably increased in the serum of imatinib-resistant GIST patients (P < 0.001). Circulating-CCS deficiency decreased cell proliferation and autophagy in GIST-882 and GIST-T1 cells, but promoted apoptosis (P < 0.05). Additionally, circ-CCS was predominantly found in the cytoplasm. Mechanically, circ-CCS targeted miR-197-3p, which may influence autophagy by downregulating ATG10, in order to modulate GIST cells' malignant tendencies. Moreover, silencing miR-197-3p reversed the effect of circ-CCS knockdown on apoptosis and autophagy in GIST cells.

Conclusions:

By modulating the miR-197-3p/ATG10 axis, circ-CCS increased imatinib resistance in GIST cells, establishing a potential target for reversing medication resistance in such patients.
Successful Nonoperative Management of a Traumatic Bilateral Thyroid Hemorrhage Following Blunt Neck Trauma
Authors: Huang Sih-Shiang , Lien Wan-Ching
Published: February 2023

Traumatic thyroid hemorrhage is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition. Bilateral thyroid hemorrhage is even rarer. Herein, we report a case of traumatic bilateral thyroid hemorrhage treated with nonoperative management. A 49-year-old woman with preexisting goiter presented to the emergency department after a traffic accident. She had neck swelling and tenderness; however, no stridor or respiratory distress was noted. Traumatic bilateral thyroid hemorrhage with mild tracheal deviation to the right was diagnosed after computed tomography. Nonoperative management and intensive monitoring were applied for no signs of airway compromised. The patient was discharged after 5 days of hospital stay uneventfully. 6-month follow-up revealed stationary condition and normal thyroid function tests. This rare case demonstrated successful nonoperative management on the blunt injury of the neck, complicated with bilateral thyroid hemorrhage.
Evaluation of a Web Application for Nursing Records of Multiple Trauma Patients in an Emergency Department
Authors: Phaken Chananta , Pearkao Chatkhane , Potisopha Wiphawadee , Angkasith Phati
Published: February 2023

Introduction:

Multiple traumatic injuries cause death among traumatized patients. Nurses at the emergency department (ED) must assess, provide nursing care, and record their interventions. Recording all patient information and nursing care procedures, however, is more challenging due to time constraints in emergency care.

Methods:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of a web application for nursing records of multiple trauma patients in an ED and the user’s satisfaction. A web application developed based on the guidelines of Advanced Trauma Life Support was implemented in a resuscitation room of a university hospital in Khon Kaen, Thailand, from January to March 2022. The quality of nursing records through the web application for 40 trauma patients was evaluated. Thirty-seven nurses were surveyed for their satisfaction. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results:

Overall, the comprehensive nursing process record through web application had 80.3% completeness. Some items were not recorded or partially recorded, including vital sign monitoring and patients’ vital signs and symptoms summary records before discharge. Nurses expressed their satisfaction with the web application at a high level, with an average score of 3.99 (standard deviation [SD]: 0.68). They were most satisfied with the components of the nursing process for multiple trauma patients (mean: 4.14 and SD: 0.71).

Conclusions:

The use of a web application ensures the completeness of nursing records. Nurses are satisfied with implementing the web application in their clinic. A study of its effectiveness in reducing documentation time and improving patient outcomes is needed in the future.
Prospective, Randomized, Open-Label, Blinded End Point, Two-Arm, Comparative Clinical Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of a Fixed Ayurvedic Regimen (FAR) as Add-on to Conventional Treatment in the Management of Mild and Moderate COVID-19 Patients
Authors: Gupta Arun , Vedula Sasibhushan , Srivastava Ruchi , Tamoli Sanjay , Mundhe Narendra , Wagh D N , Batra Sanjay , Patil Manoj , Pawar Hiren Baburao , Rai Rajiva K
Published: February 2023

Background:

The traditional healthcare systems are being avidly looked into in the quest for effective remedies to tackle the menace of COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective:

This was a prospective randomized, controlled open-label, blinded end point (PROBE) study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a fixed ayurvedic regimen (FAR) as an add-on to conventional treatment/standard of care (SOC) in the management of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 infection.

Methodology:

A total of 68 patients were recruited who consumed either FAR + SOC (n = 35) or SOC only (n = 33) for 28 days. Primary outcomes assessed were mean time required for clinical recovery and proportion of patients showing clinical recovery between the groups. Secondary outcomes assessed included mean time required for testing SARS-CoV-2 negative, change in clinical status on World Health Organization (WHO) ordinal scale, number of days of hospitalization, change in disease progression and requirement of oxygen/intensive care unit admission/ventilator support/rescue medication, health status on WHO quality of life (QOL) BREF and safety on the basis of occurrence of adverse event/serious adverse event (AE/SAE) and changes in laboratory parameters.

Results:

Patients consuming FAR as an add-on SOC showed faster clinical recovery from the day of onset of symptoms by 51.34% (P < 0.05) as compared to SOC group. A higher proportion of patients taking FAR recovered within the first 2 weeks compared to those taking only SOC. It was observed that 5 times more patients recovered within 7 days in FAR group when compared to SOC (P < 0.05) group. An earlier clinical recovery was observed in clinical symptoms such as sore throat, cough, loss of taste and myalgia (P < 0.05). Improvement in postclinical symptoms such as appetite, digestion, stress and anxiety was also obs served to be better with the use of FAR. Requirement of rescue medications such as antipyretics, analgesics and antibiotics was also found to be reduced in the FAR group (P < 0.05). FAR showed a significant improvement in all the assessed domains of QOL. None of the AEs/SAE reported in the study were assessed to be related to the study drugs. Further, FAR did not produce any significant change in the laboratory safety parameters and was assessed to be safe.

Conclusion:

FAR could be an effective and safe add-on ayurvedic regimen to standard of care in the management of mild and moderate COVID-19 patients. CTRI number: CTRI/2020/09/027914.
Melatonin–Caffeine Combination Modulates Gamma Radiation-induced Sperm Malformations in C57BL/6 Male Mice at Sublethal Dose of Gamma Radiation
Authors: Kushwaha Ritu , Nishad Dhruv K. , Bhatnagar Aseem , Khar Roop Krishen
Published: February 2023

Aims:

The aim of this study was to assess the protective effect of the melatonin–caffeine combination against γ radiation-induced alterations in the morphological characteristics of sperms.

Settings and Design:

C57BL/6 male mice (n = 30) were randomly divided into five groups: control, radiation (2 Gy), melatonin (100 mg/kg body wt.) + radiation (2 Gy), caffeine (30 mg/kg body wt.) + radiation (2 Gy), melatonin–caffeine (100–30 mg/kg body wt.) + radiation (2 Gy).

Materials and Methods:

All the mice were sacrificed 24 h postirradiation, and cauda epididymis was collected. In this study, sperm concentration along with any abnormality in their morphology (amorphous heads, pinheads, hookless, coiled tails, midpiece defect, and tail-less) was observed in the control and treatment group of animals.

Results:

Radiation exposure (2 Gy) considerably decreases the sperm count when compared with the control group. However, pretreatment with melatonin and melatonin–caffeine combination before gamma irradiation increased the sperm count (P < 0.05), but with caffeine alone could not produce a significant difference. The higher rate of abnormal sperms was observed in the γ-irradiated mice when compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Besides, the numbers of sperm that are hookless and coiled tails were significantly increased after irradiation. Melatonin significantly reduced the number of sperm with amorphous heads and coiled tails. Melatonin–caffeine combination further reduced sperm malformations when compared with the melatonin + 2 Gy radiation and caffeine + 2 Gy radiation group.

Conclusions:

This study suggests that caffeine exerts a protective effect when given in combination with melatonin against gamma irradiation in sperms of C57BL/6 mice and could be a potent combination for the development of radioprotector.
Serum Metabolic Disturbances Associated with Acute-on-chronic Liver Failure in Patients with Underlying Alcoholic Liver Diseases
Authors: Kumar Umesh , Sharma Supriya , Durgappa Manjunath , Gupta Nikhil , Raj Ritu , Kumar Alok , Sharma Prabhat N. , Krishna V. P. , Kumar R. Venkatesh , Guleria Anupam , Saraswat Vivek A. , Pande Gaurav , Kumar Dinesh
Published: February 2023

Objectives:

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), which develops in patients with underlying alcoholic liver disease (ALD), is characterized by acute deterioration of liver function and organ failures are secondary to that. The clear understanding of metabolic pathways perturbed in ALD-ACLF patients can greatly decrease the mortality and morbidity of patients through predicting outcome, guiding treatment, and monitoring response to treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the metabolic disturbances associated with ACLF using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based serum metabolomics approach and further to assess if the serum metabolic alterations are affected by the severity of hepatic impairment.

Materials and Methods:

The serum-metabolic profiles of 40 ALD-ACLF patients were compared to those of 49 age and sex-matched normal-control (NC) subjects making composite use of both multivariate and univariate statistical tests.

Results:

Compared to NC, the sera of ACLF patients were characterized by significantly decreased serum levels of several amino acids (except methionine and tyrosine), lipid, and membrane metabolites suggesting a kind of nutritional deficiency and disturbed metabolic homeostasis in ACLF. Twelve serum metabolic entities (including BCAA, histidine, alanine, threonine, and glutamine) were found with AUROC (i.e., area under ROC curve) value >0.9 suggesting their potential in clinical diagnosis and surveillance.

Conclusion:

Overall, the study revealed important metabolic changes underlying the pathophysiology of ACLF and those related to disease progression would add value to standard clinical scores of severity to predict outcome and may serve as surrogate endpoints for evaluating treatment response.
A Narrative Review of Antiviral Drugs Used for COVID-19 Pharmacotherapy
Authors: Kumar Subodh , Saurabh Manoj K. , Maharshi Vikas , Saikia Dibyajyoti
Published: February 2023

Purpose:

A number of research articles has been published evaluating safety and efficacy of drugs against COVID-19. This study was undertaken to collate and review the information regarding common proposed anti- viral drugs for easy reference.

Methods:

The literature was search was done using terms like severe acute respiratory syndrome or SARS-CoV-2 or 2019-nCoV or SARS-CoV or COVID-19 in combination with drugs or treatment or pharmaco-therapy using PubMed and google scholar to identify relevant articles.

Results:

Despite showing good early results, hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir-ritonavir has not shown clinical benefit in randomized controlled trials. However lopinavir in combination with other drugs specially interferon is being investigated. Remdesivir has shown positive effect in terms of clinical improvement and continued to being investigated alone or in combination with other drugs. Favipiravir has shown mixed results and more data from adequately powered study is needed to prove its efficacy.

Conclusions:

Many drugs which showed positive effect in initial studies could not replicate the same benefit in large randomized controlled trials. There is need to evaluate efficacy and safety of drugs based on high quality evidence before allowing it to be used in general population.
The Prevalence Role of Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 in Hashimoto's Thyroiditis via Various Stimuli Mechanisms
Authors: Raoof Israa Burhan , Mohsin Raghad Abdulmahdi , Okhti Zahraa Ahmed
Published: February 2023

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is an autoimmune disease occurred at any age especially in the 30 and 50 years of patient, with time thyroid gland is lost its function, as the lymphocytes produce inflammatory cytokines, have a direct effect on the thyroid gland function. The monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP) produced by the podocyte and monocyte in response to these stimuli and has a role in the feedback based on thyroid hormones therefore MCP is increased secretion depending on thyroid hormones; also it's increased with enlargement of adipocyte tissue, i.e., in patients with high body mass index (BMI), there is a relationship between Hashimoto's disease and obesity, that has an effect on the thyroid gland function. Obesity have important role on thyrostimulated hormones (TSHs), as it has a great effect on metabolism and expansion of the thyroid gland; researchers have previously found that obese individuals have higher serum TSH levels. The results of the study have reported that MCP 1, TSH, and BMI levels were highly significant increased in sera of G2 compared with G1, while T3 and T4 levels were highly significant decreased in sera of G2 compared with G1 in referring to G1: Healthy control group while G2: HT patients.
Bilateral Astrocytic Hamartoma with Vasoproliferative Tumour in Retinitis Pigmentosa
Authors: Babalola Yewande O. , Shah Miloni S. , Padhy Srikant K. , Behera Umesh C.
Published: February 2023

We report a rare case of a 32-year-old Indian male who presented to the retina outpatient department with a history of sudden worsening of vision in the left eye. There was a background history of poor vision and deficient night vision since childhood. At the first presentation, the best corrected visual acuity was 6/36 and 6/60 in the right and left eye, respectively. Ocular examination revealed waxy pale disc, bone spicule pigmentation, attenuated vessels and epiretinal membrane in the right eye in keeping with retinitis pigmentosa. An astrocytic harmatoma was also present in the right eye. Vitreous haemorrhage in the left eye precluded a view of the fundus. He subsequently had a left pars plana vitrectomy, and intravitreal bevacizumab on account of non-resolving vitreous haemorrhage and a vasoproliferative tumour and astrocytic hamartoma were noticed intraoperatively. He had a good immediate post-operative outcome post-left vitrectomy but subsequently developed left neovascular glaucoma 2 years after. Neovascular glaucoma may be a sequela of vasoproliferative tumour; hence, regular follow-up and monitoring are essential in these patients.
Microalbuminuria and its Association with Adverse Pregnancy Outcome in a Tertiary Health Centre in Nigeria
Authors: Afolabi-Oboirien Khadijat Omodunni , Panti Abubakar Abubakar , Tunau Karima Abubakar , Ukwu Aaron Eze , Abdulrahman Muhammad Bashir , Garba Jamila Abubakar
Published: February 2023

Background:

Adverse pregnancy outcomes occur more commonly in developing countries and are still prevalent in our sub-region. Microalbuminuria is a marker of endothelial dysfunction and has been proposed as an aetiological factor in the development of some adverse pregnancy outcomes such as pre-eclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and pre-term labour.

Aim:

The aim is to determine the prevalence of microalbuminuria and its association with adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Methods:

This was a prospective cross-sectional study with follow-up amongst women in early pregnancy presenting at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto. Three hundred and thirty women with singleton pregnancy at gestational age <20 weeks, blood pressure <140/90 mmHg, normal fasting blood sugar and normal renal function were recruited. Those with a history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, sickle cell anaemia were excluded, multiple pregnancies, urinary tract infection or positive dipstick proteinuria at first contact were excluded. They were recruited consecutively and a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was completed. Single-spot urine analysis for albumin was performed. The women were followed up to the time of delivery and the puerperium and any adverse outcome were documented.

Results:

The prevalence of microalbuminuria was 58.4%. The maternal and foetal adverse outcomes such as hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, pre-mature rupture of membrane, IUGR, preterm birth and stillbirth occurred more amongst the women with microalbuminuria. However, there was no statistically significant association between microalbuminuria and having these adverse outcomes (P > 0.05).

Conclusion:

There was a high prevalence of microalbuminuria amongst healthy pregnant women and pregnancy complications occurred more frequently in women with microalbuminuria than in those without. However, this association was not sufficient to predict adverse outcomes in pregnancy.
Current Epidemiology of Histoplasmosis in Nigeria
Authors: Ekeng Bassey Ewa , Davies Adeyinka Afolake , Osaigbovo Iriagbonse Iyabo , Emanghe Ubleni Ettah , Udoh Ubong Aniefiok , Alex-Wele Mary Adanma , Adereti Oluwaseun Chinaza , Oladele Rita Okeoghene
Published: February 2023

Introduction:

Histoplasmosis commonly occurs in the advanced HIV disease population and also in immunocompetent individuals. Previous reviews and recent studies highlight several cases of histoplasmosis reported in Nigeria. We aimed to describe the current epidemiology of histoplasmosis in Nigeria and the need for active surveillance in the at-risk populations.

Methods:

Literature searches for all publications on histoplasmosis in Nigeria were performed using online databases including Google scholar, PubMed and African Journal online. The following search terms: 'histoplasmosis' and 'Nigeria', AND/OR 'Histoplasma and Nigeria' were used. No limitations on the date or other search criteria were applied, to avoid the exclusion of articles on histoplasmosis in Nigeria. All publications on histoplasmosis outside Nigeria were excluded.

Results:

Our review identified a total of 231 cases of histoplasmosis reported from Nigeria: 128 were from individual case reports and case series while 103 were cases from two observational studies. Of the 231 cases, 97 (42.0%) were from South West Nigeria, 66 (28.6%) were from South-South Nigeria, 24 (10.4%) were from North West, 22 (9.5%) from North Central Nigeria, 17 (7.4%) from South East Nigeria and 5 (2.2%) from the North East. Based on Nigeria's current population size of 216,953,585 the burden of histoplasmosis per 100,000 inhabitants was estimated to be 0.1%. The sheer number of cases detected in recent observational studies compared with individual case reports and series reported over a longer duration of 6 decades suggests gross under-reporting of histoplasmosis in Nigeria.

Conclusion:

Histoplasmosis is not an uncommon clinical entity in Nigeria. Histoplasmosis case finding should be improved by training and retraining healthcare professionals and providing much-needed diagnostic capacity and infrastructure across health facilities in Nigeria.
Puppets, Jesters, Memes, and Benevolence Porn: The Spectacle of Access
Authors: Robinson Octavian
Published: February 2023

Signed language interpreters’proximity to significant political figures and entertainers invites the nondisabled gaze. The spotlight on interpreters in the media is a symptom of celebrity culture intersected with toxic benevolence. This paper considers media attention given interpreters as a site of tension surrounding attitudes toward access for disabled people. Signed language interpretation is provided for deaf people’s access. The presence of signed language interpreters in public spaces and their proximity to significant figures subjects signed languages to public consumption, which is then rendered into sources of entertainment for nonsigning people. The reduction of signed language interpreters to entertainment material signifies the value placed upon accessibility, creates hostile workspaces for signed language interpreters, and reinforces notions of signed languages as novelties. Such actions have adverse effects on signing deaf people’s linguistic human rights and their ability to participate as informed citizens in their respective communities. The media, its audiences, and some of the ways that interpreters have embraced such attention have actively co-produced signed language interpretation as a venue for ableism, linguistic chauvinism, and displacement.
Disability and (Dis)empowering Technologies: The Case of Blind Translators
Authors: Figiel Wojciech
Published: February 2023

This paper is based on fifteen in-depth interviews with blind translators and interpreters from Poland. Due to the age-diverse sample of participants, three periods based on available assistive technologies have been isolated: the analogue period, the transitional period and the current, digital period. The paper discusses in detail challenges and opportunities faced by the interviewees working in each of these periods, with particular emphasis on accounts of analogue period and transition into digital technologies provided by three veteran translators.

The data is analysed within the theoretical framework provided by Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of capitals. The results of the study suggest that there is a growing gap between the volumes of embodied and objectivised cultural capital indispensable for sighted and blind translators. The more technologically advanced the world of translators becomes, the more surplus technologies have to be mastered by the blind. And some of the digital tools which have become essential for translators are hardly accessible for the blind.

In conclusion, the author argues that modern technologies, far from eliminating the need for additional volumes of cultural and social capital, have actually aggravated it. Unless digital translation tools and settings are made accessible blind and low sighted translators and interpreters will continue facing exclusion from the labour market. Moreover, looking at the experiences of the older generation of successful translators and interpreters with visual impairment, we can draw conclusions on what factors sup ort the inclusion of younger generations of blind translators and interpreters in the labour market.
Raznolikost i prevalencija Salmonella spp. u galebovima ulovljenih na odlagalištu otpada, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Authors: Ječmenica Biljana , Humski Andrea , Taylor Louie Thomas , Šimpraga Borka , Krstulović Fani , Amšel Zelenika Tajana , Jurinović Luka
Published: February 2023

Gulls are a group of seabirds distributed worldwide that are an important reservoir of Salmonella spp. Salmonellosis is the second most commonly reported gastrointestinal infection in humans, and understanding the role wild birds have in spreading Salmonella can help to improve the health of humans and domestic animals. The mobility and migration capacity of gulls makes them an interesting group for research given their potential role in spreading pathogens. This paper presents the diversity and prevalence of Salmonella spp. in different gull species caught at a landfill in Zagreb in the winter months over a nine-year period from 2014-2022. In total, 1083 cloacal swabs were sampled from six gull species: Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus), Yellow-legged Gull (L. michahellis), Caspian Gull (L. cachinnans), Common Gull (L. canus), Lesser Black-back Gull (L. fuscus) and Herring Gull (L. argentatus). The prevalence of Salmonella was 5.82%, and 16 Salmonella serotypes were identified; S. Typhimurium had the highest prevalence (47.62%) followed by S. Enteritidis (12.69%) and S. Infantis (9.52%). To date, 82 Salmonella serotypes have been isolated in research on gulls in Europe, with S. Typhimurium as the most common, followed by S. Agona and S. Enteritidis. In this study, we found three serotypes not previously reported in gulls, S. Yalding, S. Reading and one with the antigenic formula O:17; H:z10; H:e,n,x,z15 (IIIb).
First report of a cutaneous and shell mycosis in an Ouachita Map Turtle (Graptemys ouachitensis, Cagle, 1953) by Fusarium solani
Authors: Garces Andreia , Fernandes Helder , Salinas Delsy , Lopes Ricardo , Silva Augusto , Sampaio Filipe , Duque Daniela , Brilhante-Simoes Paula
Published: February 2023

An adult Ouachita Map Turtle (Graptemys ouachitensis) was presented for consultation with multifocal, erosive and ulcerative lesions, multiple fissures on the plastron and shell, and dermatitis on the members and head. Samples of shell scrapings were collected for routine microbial culturing and Fusarium solani was isolated from the samples. To the author’s knowledge, this is the first reported case of F. solani associated with cutaneous and shell mycosis in this turtle species.
Dairy production in the indigenous Arbia goat breed and growth performance of their kids in Algeria
Authors: Houssou Hind , Labiod Abir , Ramdani Aya , Khenenou Tarek
Published: February 2023

Knowledge of dairy potential is essential to create products that fully express their genetic potential. This study was carried out on 94 Arbia adult goats and 65 kids (n=195) (February – May 2022) in the wilayas of Souk-Ahras and Tebessa with the aim of estimating the dairy potential of the breed, and the daily gains (ADG) between birth and 90 days of age. The data revealed that daily milk production (n=94) was 0.89±0.85 litres per day. Milk quality was characterised by an average composition of 3.2% fat, 13.46% total protein, 17.28 % total dry extract, 0.78% salt, pH 7.08±0.01, acidity 17.7°D, density 1032 and protein/fat ratio 4.29. Regarding growth performance, the average birth weight was W0 = 1.80±0.61 kg, while the average at 90 days was W90 = 10.05±2.02 kg, which corresponds to an overall daily weight gain of ADG0-90 = 91.66 g/day. The study showed that birth weight was not affected by sex (P>0.05), though males grew faster after weaning (P<0.05), and the performance aspect carried out by some physicochemical characteristics of milk was affected by area (P<0.05). The study results indicated that the local breed goat had good production dairy performance and goat kids demonstrated acceptable potential for meat production under the semi-arid Algerian environmental conditions. Therefore, it would be suitable to check for the presence of lactogenic plants on the pastures of these breeders to enhance production.
Effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation on male fertility
Authors: Žura Žaja Ivona , Martinec Paulina , Folnožić Ivan , Butković Ivan , Vilić Marinko , Milinković-Tur Suzana , Vince Silvijo , Žura Nikolino , Sluganović Anamaria , Samardžija Marko , Pejaković Hlede Jadranka
Published: February 2023

Elektromagnetsko se zračenje emitira iz prirodnog okruženja, ali i uporabom industrijskih i svakodnevnih uređaja za bežičnu komunikaciju, stoga su ljudski i životinjski organizmi stalno izloženi zračenju. Tijekom posljednjih godina, zbog brzog tehnološkog napretka, elektromagnetsko je zračenje iz umjetnih izvora premašilo je vrijednosti zračenja prirodnog podrijetla. Opća zabrinutost svih nas, zbog svevećeg broja uređaja (mobilni telefoni, prijenosna računala, Wi-Fi-ja i mikrovalnih pećnica), koji koriste radiofrekvencijsko elektromagnetsko zračenje (RF-EMZ) opravdana je zbog sve brojnijih dokaza o njihovoj štetnosti na žive organizme. Suvremeni uređaji moderne tehnologije emitiraju radiofrekvencijske elektromagnetske valove malih frekvencija koje ljudsko i životinjsko tijelo apsorbira što može imati potencijalne štetne učinke na: mozak, srce, endokrini sustav i reproduktivnu funkciju. Muški je reproduktivni sustav jedno od najosjetljivijih tkiva na RF-EMZ-e. Tako je primjerice, iz trenutno dostupnih studija provedenih in vitro i in vivo, jasno da RF-EMZ-e ima štetne učinke na spermatogenezu, odnosno kakvoću ejakulata ljudi i životinja – broj spermija u ejakulatu, preživljavanje, morfologiju i gibljivost spermija - utječu na stanični metabolizam i endokrini sustav i može prouzročiti genotoksičnost, genomsku nestabilnost i oksidativni stres, a to može prouzročiti neplodnost. Štetni učinci RFEMZ-a dijele se na: toplinske i netoplinske. Većinanegativnih bioloških učinaka pripisuje se netoplinskim učincima, a toplinski se učinci nastali RF-EMZ mobilnog telefona, smatraju manje štetnima. Zbog stvaranja prevelike količine reaktivnih kisikovih spojeva u muškom spolnom sustavu hipertermija skrotuma i povećani oksidativni stres mogu biti ključni mehanizmi putem kojih RF-EMZ-e utječe na plodnost muškaraca. Navedeni su i negativni učinci povezani s vremenom korištenja, ponajprije mobilnog telefona. Stoga je cilj ovoga preglednog rada opisati neke od učinaka RF-EMZ-a na muški spolni sustav.
A comparative study of the arthropod fauna in stork, barn swallow and common pigeon nests
Authors: Sadeddine Rima , Righi Souad , Daghri Karim , Saidani Khelaf , Benakhala Ahmed
Published: February 2023

An analysis was conducted on the arthropod fauna collected from stork, swallow, and pigeon nests during summer 2018 in three regions of north-eastern Algeria (Guelma, El-Tarf, and Annaba). A total of 40 nests was examined, of which 58% were infested with arthropods. Arthropods were less abundant and species rich in swallow nests than in pigeon or stork nests, where a greater dominance of mesostigmatic mites (78.71% and 72.41%, respectively) was found. Dermanyssus gallinae was the most abundant (33.05%) and most frequent (73.33%) mesostigmatic mite in pigeon nests, while uropodina mites were dominant (41.37%) in white stork nests with a frequency of 76.92% of the nests analysed. In swallow nests, the following arthropods were found: Psocodea, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera and Coleoptera belonging to the class Insecta and Isopoda belonging to the class Malacostraca. This is the first comparative survey of arthropods occupying the nests of these bird species in northern Algeria. It is anticipated that these data, that highlight the richness of the arthropod fauna in the nests of these bird species, will motivate further research aimed at characterising the arthropod community in different bird nests and determining the nature of the relationships between them.
Entropy and its significance in transport of ions through the cell membrane
Authors: Pašić Selim , Popara Nato , Klobučar Antea , Cvitković Denis , Vilić Marinko
Published: February 2023

The aim of this paper is to present the concept of entropy in a simple way and to show its key importance in the transport processes of ions through the cell membrane using the latest discoveries in biophysics. Using a real-life example, we show how processes within a system lead to an increase in entropy. We also show how this entropy increase is directly related to the irreversibility of the process, and how it defines the arrow of time (direction of the flow of time). Using an abstract example, we clarify the meaning of the concept of disorder in a system, which is often used in defining entropy by connecting it with the number of microstates that realise a macroscopic state of a system. The importance of entropy in transport processes of ions through the cell membrane is considered. We show that passive transport processes through the cell membrane are the result of an entropy increase in the cell membrane-transported substance system. A model of active ion transport through the cell membrane following Rubi et al. (2017) is presented. The force that transports ions through the channel in the transport protein arises due to the entropy gradient formed along the transport channel, which is a consequence of the funnel shape of the channel. The entropic force is proportional to the ratio of the ion-available cross-sections of the exit and entrance surface of the channel. That means that only a very funnel-shaped channel can produce a sufficiently large force on the ions to overcome the concentration gradient of the substance. We analyse the final result for the force of entropy in the limits of a very wide and very narrow channel and find that the entropic force is proportional to the ratio of the areas of the exit to entrance surfaces of the channel, i.e., when the channel is very wide, while it becomes high as the width of the channel tends to the ion diameter, i.e., when the channel is very narrow. We explicitly explain how the presented model solves several fundamental questions about the active transport of substances: how is energy, a scalar quantity, converted into the directional motion of the ion (a vector quantity), how does energy drive ions considering that the point of release of energy is far from the point of binding of an ion in a transport protein and finally, how does energy, which is released in a very limited space, transport the ions over a very large spatial scale.
MOVEMENT AND RHYTHM ACTIVITIES WITH CREATIVITY FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD
Authors: Treewong Pitchayapa
Published: February 2023

The topic of “Movement and Rhythm Activities with Creativity for Early Childhood” will be discussed in this academic essay. Early infancy is characterized by the need to move the body in order to expend physical energy and transmit excess energy, but at the same time, the child's body and mind are complete as a result of the movement. Movement and rhythmic activities are therefore categorized as core activities for child development since they are crucial and essential for a kid to fully develop. Children have therefore learned how to use each portion of their bodies via the use of movement and rhythmic activities, which is important to them because it gives them the chance to evaluate their talents, make decisions, and choose which motions to do. Children may learn how to treat one another via meaningful activity with peers, which will boost their confidence and reduce their superego. Through the use of music, children will be taught how to use their gross motor abilities to influence their personality as well as their environment, music enables children to acquire rhythm and foster inventiveness. Movement and rhythmic activities are therefore fundamental activities in the schedule of daily activities that the child must be encouraged to undertake, according to the Ministry of Education.