bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Examining validity and reliability of Objective Structured Clinical Examination for evaluation of clinical skills of midwifery undergraduate students: a descriptive study
Authors: Kolivand Mitra , Esfandyari Marzieh , Heydarpour sousan 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Clinical evaluation is one of the main pillars of medical education. The Objective Structured Clinical Examination is one of the commonly adopted practical tools to evaluate clinical and practical skills of medical students. The purpose of the study is to determine validity and reliability of Objective Structured Clinical Examination for evaluation of clinical skills of midwifery undergraduate students.
METHODS : Seven clinical skills were evaluated in this descriptive correlative study using a performance checklist. Census method was used for sampling. Thirty-two midwifery students performed the skills at seven stations each monitored by an observer using an evaluation checklist. Criterion validity was obtained through determining the correlation between the clinical and theoretical courses point and the Objective Structured Clinical Evaluation score. The collected data was analyzed in SPSS (v.20) and logistic regression test.
RESULTS: The correlation score of Objective Structured Clinical Examination was significantly related to the mean score of clinical course “Normal and Abnormal delivery I” (0.399, p=0.024) and the mean score of clinical course “gynaecology “ (0.419, p=0.017). There was no significant correlation between OSCE scores and the mean score of theoretical courses (0.23, p=0. 200).
The correlation between the total score and mean score of students at the stations showed that out of the seven stations, the correlations of the stations three (communication and collecting medical history) and four (childbirth) were not significant.
CONCLUSION: Although, it appeared that Objective Structured Clinical Examination was one of the effective and efficient ways to evaluate clinical competencies and practical skills of students, the tool could not evaluate all the aspects.
The ultrastructural damage caused by Eugenia zeyheri and Syzygium legatii acetone leaf extracts on pathogenic Escherichia coli
Authors: Famuyide Ibukun M. , Fasina Folorunso O. , Eloff Jacobus , McGaw Lyndy J. 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background Antibiotics are commonly added to livestock feeds in sub-therapeutic doses as growth promoters and for prophylaxis against pathogenic microbes, especially those implicated in diarrhoea. While this practice has improved livestock production, it is a major cause of antimicrobial resistance in microbes against livestock and humans. This has led to the banning of prophylactic antibiotic use in animals in many countries. To compensate for this, alternatives have been sought from natural sources such as plants. While many studies have reported the antimicrobial activity of medicinal plants with potential for use as phytogenic/botanical feed additives, little information exists on their mode of action. This study is based on our earlier work and describes ultrastructural damage induced by acetone crude leaf extracts of Syzygium legatii and Eugenia zeyheri (Myrtaceae) active against diarrhoeagenic E. coli of swine origin using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and fluorescent microscopy (FM). Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to investigate the chemical composition of plant extracts.Results The extracts damaged the internal and external anatomy of the cytoplasmic membrane and inner structure at a concentration of 0.04 mg/mL. Extracts also led to an increased influx of propidium iodide into treated bacterial cells suggesting compromised cellular integrity and cellular damage. Non-polar compounds such as α-amyrin, friedelan-3-one, lupeol, and β-sitosterol were abundant in the extracts.Conclusions The extracts of S. legatii and E. zeyheri caused ultrastructural damage to E. coli cells characterized by altered external and internal morphology. These observations may assist in elucidating the mode of action of the extracts
Peripheral Non-enzymatic Antioxidants in Patients with Schizophrenia：A Case-control Study
Authors: Lu Zhe , Wen Tianyang , Wang Yingtan , Kan Weijing , Xun Guanglei 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background: Recent studies show that oxidative stress is associated with the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. There are two major types of antioxidant systems in vivo, namely enzymatic antioxidants and non-enzymatic antioxidants. This study investigated differences of non-enzymatic antioxidant between schizophrenia patients and healthy controls.
Methods: Peripheral UA, ALB and TBIL of 107 schizophrenic patients in acute stage and 101 in remission stage were measured respectively, so were 273 healthy controls.
Results: The levels of UA ( P =0.020) and TBIL ( P <0.001) of schizophrenic patients in acute stage were higher than those of healthy controls, while the level of ALB ( P <0.001) was lower. Similar results were detected form schizophrenic patients in remission stage. Schizophrenic patients in acute stage were divided into antipsychotics-use subgroup (n=56) and antipsychotics-naïve/free subgroup (n=51). The level of UA ( P =0.001) in antipsychotics-use subgroup was higher than that in antipsychotics-naïve/free subgroup, while the level of TBIL ( P =0.002) was lower than that in antipsychotics-naïve/free subgroup. 77 schizophrenic patients in acute stage were followed up, and there was no significant difference in level of UA before and after treatment, but levels of ALB ( P <0.001) and TBIL ( P <0.001) decreased significantly after the treatment.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the dysfunction of peripheral non-enzymatic anti-oxidation system might be involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.
Keywords: Schizophrenia; Uric acid; Albumin; Total bilirubin
Nutrition, Water quality, Sanitation and Hygiene Practices Associated with Children’s Health Status in Nepal. A Cross-sectional Study on Intestinal Parasitic Infections, Diarrhoea and Undernutrition
Authors: Shrestha Akina , Six Jeanne , Dahal Dikshya , Shrestha Rubika , Bhatta Madan , Marks Sara , Meierhofer Regula 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background: Providing universal access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in remote Nepal remains challenging. Efforts to improve WASH access in these areas are impeded by a dearth of information on the status of WASH conditions and its association with health and nutritional status of children in Nepal.
Methods: We investigated nutritional status, WASH practices, and their association with intestinal parasitic infections, diarrhoea, undernutrition and clinical signs of nutritional deficiencies (hereafter health outcomes) during March to May 2018. Data was collected through a cross-sectional survey of 1427 households, including questionnaires, observations, stool analysis, anthropometry, water quality measurements and assessment of clinical signs of nutritional deficiencies.
Results: We found that 55.5% had undernutrition, 63.9% had clinical signs of nutritional deficiencies, 51.1% of children were suffering from intestinal parasitic infections, and 52.2% had waterborne illnesses. Multivariate mixed logistic regression analysis revealed statistically significant associations (p<0.05) between aforementioned health outcomes and a better socioeconomic status (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=0.43, 95% confidence intervals (CI)=0.25-0.75), caregivers who can read (AOR=4.07, 95% CI=1.00-16.5), own food production of food (AOR=0.67, 95% CI=0.46-0.97), providing food supplements to the children (AOR=0.57, 95% CI=0.38-0.84), intermittent water supply (AOR=2.72, 95% CI=1.18-6.31), source water quality (AOR=10.44, 95% CI=1.61-67.4), washing hands when they look dirty (AOR=0.47, 95% CI=0.32-0.71), no toilet at home (AOR=6.12, 95% CI=1.08-14.25), cleanliness of the available toilet (AOR=0.68, 95% CI=0.47-0.98), handwashing after going to toilet (AOR=0.37, 95% CI=0.13-1.02), cleanliness of caregivers hand (AOR=0.61, 95% CI=0.41-0.89), presence of earthen floor (AOR=2.29, 95% CI=1.20-4.37), animals inside the house overnight (AOR=1.71, 95% CI=1.17-2.51) and regular deworming of the children (AOR=0.44, 95% CI=0.20-0.94).
Conclusions: Findings suggest improvements in WASH services, along with household hygiene and nutritional interventions, may together reduce child morbidity and mortality in Nepal.
Keywords: Drinking Water Quality, Sanitation and Hygiene, Child Health, Diarrhoea, Undernutrition, Intestinal Parasitic Infections, Nepal.
Identification of bacterial pathogens in cultured fish with a custom peptide database constructed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS)
Authors: Piamsomboon Patharapol , Jaresitthikunchai Janthima , Hung Tran Quang , Roytrakul Sittiruk , Wongtavatchai Janenuj 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background: The majority of infectious diseases of cultured fish is caused by bacteria. Rapid identification of bacterial pathogens is necessary for immediate management. The present study developed a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for rapid identification of fish bacterial pathogens. Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus iniae, Aeromonas hydrophila, Aeromonas veronii, and Edwardsiella tarda obtained from diseased fish were used as representative bacterial pathogens in this study. Bacterial peptides were extracted to create a Main Spectra Profile (MSP), and the MSPs of each bacterial species was added into the MALDI Biotyper database. Fifteen additional isolates of each bacterial species were tested to validate the utilized technique.
Results: The MSPs of all field isolates were clearly distinguishable, and the MSPs of the same species were clustered together. However, the species identification when matched with the public MALDI Biotyper library (Bruker MALDI Biotyper) showed unreliable results. Accurate identification was only obtained when using the custom-made database, giving a 100% matching result with the reference method.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates an alternative technique for effective identification of fish bacterial pathogens. Further applications require a broad, well-established database to accommodate prudent identification of many fish bacterial pathogens by MALDI-TOF MS.
RIPK1 Polymorphisms Alter the Susceptibility to Cervical Cancer among the Uyghur population in China
Authors: Han Lili , Husaiyin Sulaiya , Ma Chunhua , Niyazi Mayinuer 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background: RIPK1 (receptor-interacting protein kinase-1) plays a role in cancer development, whereas no clear studies focused on the cervical cancer. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between RIPK1 polymorphisms and cervical cancer risk among the Uyghur population. Methods: We performed a case-control study including 342 cervical cancer patients and 498 age-matched healthy controls. Four RIPK1 genetic variants (rs6907943, rs2077681, rs9503400 and rs17548629) were genotyped with Agena MassARRAY platform. The associations between RIPK1 polymorphisms and cervical cancer risk were assessed under Binary logistic regression models. False discovery rate (FDR) was used to improve the results reliability. Results: The results showed rs2077681 was significantly associated with cervical cancer risk under various genetic models (codominant: OR = 3.14, 95% CI = 1.40-7.07, p = 0.006, FDR- p = 0.018; recessive: OR = 3.20, 95% CI = 1.43-7.16, p = 0.005, FDR-0.018). The stratified analysis indicated that the relationships of rs6907946, rs9503400 and rs17548629 with cervical cancer risk were statistically significant in the subgroup of clinical stage ( p < 0.05). Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated that RIPK1 polymorphisms were associated with cervical cancer susceptibility among the Uyghur population in China, and RIPK1 polymorphisms might be involved in the development of cervical cancer.
Methadone-Induced Encephalopathy: A Case Series and Literature Review
Authors: Haghighi-Morad Maryam , Naseri Zahra , Jamshidi Nazila , Hassanian-Moghaddam Hossein , Zamani Nasim , Ahmad-Molaei Leila 
Published: January 2020

Abstract

Background: Accidental ingestion or consumption of supra-therapeutic doses of methadone can result in neurological sequelae in humans. We aimed to determine the neurological deficits of methadone-poisoned patients admitted to a referral poisoning hospital using brain magnetic resonance (MR) and diffusion weighted (DW) imaging. Methods: In this retrospective study, brain MRIs of the patients admitted to our referral center due to methadone intoxication were reviewed. Methadone intoxication was confirmed based on history, congruent clinical presentation, and confirmatory urine analysis . Each patient had an MRI with Echo planar T1, T2, FLAIR, and DWI and apparent deficient coefficient (ADC) sequences without contrast media. Abnormalities were recorded and categorized based on their anatomic location and sequence. Results: Ten patients with abnormal MRI findings were identified. Eight had acute- and two had delayed-onset encephalopathy. Imaging findings included bilateral confluent or patchy T2 and FLAIR high signal intensity in cerebral white matter, cerebellar involvement, and bilateral occipito-parietal cortex diffusion restriction in DWI. Internal capsule involvement was identified in two patients while abnormality in globus pallidus and head of caudate nuclei were reported in another. Bilateral cerebral symmetrical confluent white matter signal abnormality with sparing of subcortical U-fibers on T2 and FLAIR sequences were observed in both patients with delayed-onset encephalopathy. Conclusions : Acute- and delayed-onset encephalopathies are two rare adverse events detected in methadone-intoxicated patients. Brain MRI findings can be helpful in detection of methadone-induced encephalopathy.
Specific humoral response in cancer patients treated with a VEGF-specific active immunotherapy procedure within a compassionate use program.
Authors: Ramírez Javier Sánchez , Díaz Yanelys Morera , Bequet-Romero Mónica , Hernández-Bernal Francisco , Bauta Yenima Martín , Bernal Katty-Hind Selman-Housein , Santos Ana Victoria de la Torre , Iglesia Mariela Pérez de la , Lorenzo Lian Trimiño , Program Team of Investigators of Compassionate use , Avila Marta Ayala 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background: CIGB-247 is a cancer therapeutic vaccine that uses as antigen a variant of human vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mixed with the bacterially-derived adjuvant VSSP. CIGB-247 has been already evaluated in two phase I clinical trials (CENTAURO and CENTAURO-2), showing to be safe and immunogenic in advanced cancer patients selected under well-defined and controlled clinical conditions. Surviving patients were submitted to monthly re-immunizations and some of them showed objective clinical benefits. Based on these results, a compassionate use program (CUP) with CIGB-247 was initiated for patients that did not meet the strict entry criteria applied for the CENTAURO and CENTAURO-2 clinical trials, but could potentially benefit from the application of this cancer therapeutic vaccine.
Results: Polyclonal IgM, IgA and IgG antibodies specific for VEGF were detected by ELISA in serum samples from patients vaccinated with 400 µg of antigen combined with 200 µg of VSSP. Polyclonal antibody response showed no cross reactivity for other VEGF family member molecules like VEGF-C and VEGF-D. Serum from immunized individuals was able to block the binding of VEGF to its receptors VEGFR2 and VEGFR1. IgG fraction purified from immune sera shared the aforementioned characteristics and also inhibited the interaction between VEGF and the therapeutic recombinant antibody bevacizumab, an anti-angiogenic drug approved for the treatment of different tumors. No serious adverse events attributable to CIGB-247 have been documented yet in participants of the CIGB-247 CUP.
The present paper is a first report of our findings concerning the humoral response and safety characteristics in treated CIGB-247 CUP cancer patients. The study has provided the unique opportunity of not only testing CIGB-247 in a broader clinical spectrum sample of Cuban cancer patients, but also within the context of the day-to-day clinical practice and treatment settings for these diseases in Cuban medical institutions.
Conclusions: The CIGB-247 CUP has demonstrated that immunization and follow-up of a variety of cancer patients, under day-to-day clinical practice conditions in several Cuban medical institutions, replicate our previous findings in clinical trials: CIGB-247 is safe and immunogenic.
Vitamin D Deficiency in Non-Autoimmune Hypothyroidism: A case-control study
Authors: Ahi Salma , Dehdar Mohammad Reza , Hatami Naser 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Objectives:
Although in many studies, the relationship between autoimmune hypothyroidism (Hashimoto) and Vitamin D deficiency was shown, no research has been performed on the role of vitamin D in non-autoimmune hypothyroidism.
Design:
This was a Retrospective case–control study in Endocrinology clinic of Jahrom (south of Iran). The patients with Hashimoto (n=633) and non-Hashimoto hypothyroidism (n=305), along with a control group (n=200) were evaluated. 25(OH)D level, T3 and T4 levels were studied and Anti TPO and Anti TG tests were performed. The results of vitamin D level were analyzed and interpreted using SPSS in terms of the cause of hypothyroidism (immune and non-immune).
Results:
The results of the study showed a significantly lower level of vitamin D in both immune and non-immune Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) in comparison to healthy controls (P<0.05). We observed a significant inverse correlation between the vitamin D and TGAb level (p=0.001, r=-0.261) and a direct correlation of vitamin D with TSH level (p=0.008, r=0.108) in HT patients.
Conclusion:
Finally, the results indicated that non-autoimmune hypothyroidism, as well as HT, is associated with vitamin D deficiency. The role of vitamin D deficiency in HT was thought to be in the association of higher autoantibody (TGAb) level; while, there should be further studies determining vitamin D deficiency's role in non-immune hypothyroidism.
Pre- and post-sequencing recommendations for functional annotation of human fecal metagenomes
Authors: Treiber Michelle L. , Taft Diana H. , Korf Ian , Mills David A. , Lemay Danielle G. 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background
Shotgun metagenomes are often assembled prior to annotation of genes which biases the functional capacity of a community towards its most abundant members. For an unbiased assessment of community function, short reads need to be mapped directly to a gene or protein database. The ability to detect genes in short read sequences is dependent on pre- and post-sequencing decisions. The objective of the current study was to determine how library size selection, read length and format, protein database, e-value threshold, and sequencing depth impact gene-centric analysis of human fecal microbiomes when using DIAMOND, an alignment tool that is up to 20,000 times faster than BLASTX.
Results
Using metagenomes simulated from a database of experimentally verified protein sequences, we find that read length, e-value threshold, and the choice of protein database dramatically impact detection of a known target, with best performance achieved with longer reads, stricter e-value thresholds, and a custom database. Using publicly available metagenomes, we evaluated library size selection, paired end read strategy, and sequencing depth. Longer read lengths were acheivable by merging paired ends when the sequencing library was size-selected to enable overlaps. When paired ends could not be merged, a congruent strategy in which both ends are independently mapped was acceptable. Sequencing depths of 5 million merged reads minimized the error of abundance estimates of specific target genes, including an antimicrobial resistance gene.
Conclusions
Shotgun metagenomes of DNA extracted from human fecal samples sequenced using the Illumina platform should be size-selected to enable merging of paired end reads and should be sequenced in the PE150 format with a minimum sequencing depth of 5 million merge-able reads to enable detection of specific target genes. Expecting the merged reads to be 180-250bp in length, the appropriate e-value threshold for DIAMOND would then need to be more strict than the default. Accurate and interpretable results for specific hypotheses will be best obtained using small databases customized for the research question.
A Translation and Cross-Cultural Adaptation to a North American Context of the 51-Item Swedish Flodén Attitudes Toward Organ Donor Advocacy Instrument (Flodén ATODAI)
Authors: Flodén Anne , Stadtler Maria , Collazo Stephanie E Jones , Mone Tom , Ash Rick , Fridlund Bengt 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background: Intensive and critical-care nurses are the key to successful donor management in the critical-care setting. No studies measuring attitudes toward organ donor advocacy existed before 2011, when the 51-item Swedish “Attitudes Toward Organ Donor Advocacy Scale” was developed. The aim of this study was to translate, adapt and establish the psychometric properties of the North American version of the Flodén ATODAI (Attitudes Toward Organ Donor Advocacy Instrument) in terms of validity and reliability.
Methods: A multi-step approach was used: Initial translation; Back-translation; Review and synthesis of these translations; Expert panel (N=7) rated the prefinal version of the instrument for content validity index (CVI); International panel made adjustments guided by the expert panel . Reliability testing with test and retest of the adjusted 46-item version was conducted using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), weighted kappa ( ҡ Weight ), sign test, and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (α), (N=50); and finally Delphi technique procedure with a preselected Delphi panel (N=15).
Results: The CVI was determined to be greater than the 0.05 significance level. Item level (I-CVI) ranged 0.82-1.0, with a mean of 0.97. Scale level (S-CVI) on the entire instrument was 0.97. Test-retest procedure was performed to estimate stability. In total, 34 of the items had good-to-high ICC. Accepting an ICC of > 0.70 resulted in a total of 24 items. Homogeneity reliability was estimated by α and was calculated for these items where α=0.90. In total, 20 of the items had a substantial or almost perfect ҡ Weight and 23 showed a moderate ҡ Weight . None of the items showed systematical differences. The Delphi technique procedure was used on the 22 items with ICC <0.70 resulted in adjustments establishing that consensus was achieved.
Conclusions: Undertaking this multi-step, cross-cultural adaptation procedure has effectively ensured that the 46-item Flodén ATODAI [North America version] produces valid and reliable measurements.