bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The investigation of antimicrobial and antifungal activity of some Artemisia L. species
Authors: Hrytsyk Roman Andriiovych , Kutsyk Roman Volodymyrovych , Yurchyshyn Oxana Ivanivna , Struk Оxana Аnatolievna , Kireev Igor Vladimirovich , Grytsyk Andrii Romanovych 
Published: January 2021

Background: Throughout history pathogenic microorganisms cause infectious diseases. Medicinal herbs play an important role in human life because they are used for the therapy and production of herbal remedies. Therefore, it is relevant to study the antibacterial activity of medicinal herbs includingArtemisiaL. species.Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial and antifungal activity ofArtemisiaL. species extracts and to identify their synergistic antimicrobial effects with erythromycin against skin isolates ofStaphylococcus aureuswith different mechanisms of MLS-resistance.Materials and methods:Artemisia absinthiumL. herb extracts (AAs-4, AAs-7, AAs-9),Artemisia vulgarisL. herb extracts (AV-4, AV-7, AV-9) andArtemisia abrotanumL. herb extracts (AAr-4, AAr-7, AAr-9) were used in this study (solvents – 40%, 70% and 90% ethyl alcohol respectively).The determination of antimicrobial activity of extracts was performed using clinical isolates of antibiotic susceptible and antibiotic resistant microorganisms. Bacterial cultures were identified on the basis of the biochemical microtests “STAPHYtest 16”, “ENTEROtest 24”, “NEFERMENTtest 24” taking into account the complex of their morphological and cultural properties in accordance with the recommendations of the 9thedition of “Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology”. Yeast-like fungi cultures were identified on the basis of 40 biochemical tests with the help of the VITEK 2 system using the VITEK 2 YST ID card.The synergism of the antimicrobial activity of extracts with erythromycin was investigated using the clinical isolate ofStaphylococcus aureuswith the non-inductive MLS-resistance mechanism (resistant to erythromycin at minimum bacteriostatic concentration of 125 μg/ml and minimum bactericidal concentration of 250 μg/ml without induction of resistance to clindamycin).Research results: The evaluation ofArtemisiaL. herb extracts activity was carried out using standard strains of microorganisms which are recommended by the WHO.The results of the conducted studies indicate thatArtemisiaL. herb extracts are able to reduce the growth of microorganisms. The investigated extracts showed the potent bacteriostatic action against the cocci or rod-shaped microflora. The antimicrobial activity ofArtemisiaL. herb extracts directly depends on the concentration of ethanol as the solvent.Artemisia vulgarisL. herb extracts (solvents – 70% and 90% ethanol) andArtemisia abrotanumL. herb extract (solvent – 90% ethanol) show synergism of antimicrobial activity with erythromycin in relation toStaphylococcus aureuswith efflux mechanism of MLS-resistance. The obtainedArtemisiaL. herb extracts can be used to create antifungal drugs, as well as antimicrobial drugs (against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria).
Therapeutic guidelines in chronic low back pain
Authors: Taneva Daniela , Kirkova Angelina , Atanasov Petar 
Published: January 2021

Chronic low back pain is a heterogeneous group of disorders with recurrent low back pain over 3 months. The high incidence of lumbago is an important phenomenon in our industrial society. Patients with chronic low back pain often receive multidisciplinary treatment. The bio approach, the psycho-approach, and the social approach optimally reduce the risk of chronicity by providing rehabilitation for patients with persistent pain after the initial acute phase. Damage to the structures of the spinal cord and the occurrence of low back pain as a result of evolutionary, social and medical causes disrupt the rhythm of life and cause less or greater disability. Recovery of patients with low back pain is not limited only to influencing the pain syndrome but requires the implementation of programs to eliminate the complaints that this pathology generates in personal, family and socio-professional terms.
This paper aims to familiarize the audience with the medication used, and the programs for active recovery in patients suffering from chronic low back pain.
Une décennie de recherches empiriques autour des déterminants de l’efficacité des comités d’audit
Authors: Broye Géraldine , Johannes Pauline 
Published: January 2021

La dernière décennie a été riche en avancées scientifiques concernant l’efficacité des comités d’audit en termes de gouvernance des entreprises. Dans cet article, nous proposons une synthèse de cette littérature, en présentant les principaux apports et les implications des publications les plus récentes. Nous organisons cette revue autour de quatre thématiques, identifiées au regard des cadres théoriques et des approches méthodologiques mobilisés. Les facteurs d’efficacité du comité s’avèrent complexes et les chercheurs nous permettent de mieux comprendre les implications multiples de la composition du comité d’audit, de son pilotage, ou des interactions avec les autres acteurs du reporting financier. En analysant les principaux résultats de 143 études publiées entre 2007 et 2018, nous mettons l’accent sur les questions de recherche émergentes et nous identifions les opportunités de recherches futures.
Corchorus olitorius aqueous extract attenuates quorum sensing-regulated virulence factor production and biofilm formation
Authors: Al-Yousef Hanan M. , Alam Perwez , Khanam Zakia , Amina Musarat , Hassan Wafaa H. B. 
Published: January 2021

Objective:
To investigate the effect of Corchorus olitorius aqueous fraction (COAF) on quorum sensing (QS)-regulated virulence factors and biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAO1).

Methods:
The preliminary screening of the anti-QS effect of COAF was performed by evaluating the anti-pathogenic activity against Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 biosensor strain. Next, the inhibitory effects of COAF on QS-regulated pyocyanin production, proteolytic and elastolytic activities, swarming motility, and biofilm formation were evaluated in PAO1.

Results:
The results showed that the treatment of COAF significantly decreased the biofilm biomass, attenuated virulence factors, and inhibited swarming motility of PAO1 without affecting the growth of the bacteria in a dose-dependent manner. COAF at 2 000 μg/mL significantly decreased Las B elastase activity in PAO1 culture, exopolysaccharide production, swarming motility, pyocyanin level, and biomass of PAO1 by 55% (P<0.05), 60% (P<0.01), 61% (P<0.01), 65%(P<0.01) and 73% (P<0.01), respectively. In addition, the production of violacein was decreased by 62% (P<0.01) with the treatment of a high dose of COAF.

Conclusions:
These findings indicate that COAF can be a potential source of anti-QS agents.
Aesculus hippocastanum-Derived Extract β-Aescin and In vitro Antibacterial Activity
Authors: Dahash Salma L. , Abass Ourba K. , Abdul-Razaq Myada M. , Al-Kuraishy Hayder M. , Al-Gareeb Ali I. 
Published: January 2021

Objectives:
The objective of this study was to investigate the antibacterial activity of β-aescin against common Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.

Materials and Methods:
Agar well diffusion assay was used to determine the antibacterial activity of β-aescin against common Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria including Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of β-aescin were evaluated by serial dilution method.

Results:
β-aescin led to significant antibacterial effects on the tested Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria compared to the negative control, P < 0.05 for K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa and P < 0.01 for E. coli, S. epidermidis, and S. aureus. On the other hand, β-aescin produced a comparable less antibacterial effect on K. pneumoniae, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa compared to the positive control, P < 0.01, whereas β-aescin illustrated a comparable effect with that of the positive control on Gram-positive S. epidermidis,
P = 0.05. Furthermore, β-aescin illustrated a concentration-dependent antibacterial effect against Gram-positive S. epidermidis and S. aureus compared to the different concentrations, P < 0.01. MIC and MBC of β-aescin were high for Gram-negative bacteria and low for Gram-positive bacteria compared to MIC of the positive control.

Conclusions:
β-aescin is an effective antibacterial herb mainly against Gram-positive S. epidermidis and S. aureus in a concentration-dependent manner.
Scanning Electron Microscopy of Vitellogenic Oocytes and Spawned Eggs of the Portunid Crab Charybdis hellerii (Crustacea-Brachyura) (Milne Edwards, 1867)
Authors: Al-Kandari Shaikha Mohammed , El-Sherif Sohier S. , Hamed Sherifa S. 
Published: January 2021

Background:
The portunid crab Charybdis hellerii is an economically critical aquatic species in the Mediterranean region. Several investigators have reported scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations on some crustacean's eggs' morphology. Going through the previous studies, knowledge regarding the morphology of C. hellerii. vitellogenic oocytes and spawned egg membranes are not available.

Aims and Objectives:
In the present study, an attempt has been made to describe the morphology and the structure of the membranes of vitellogenic oocytes and the newly spawned eggs to provide necessary information for further studies on the reproductive and evolutionary biology of the crab C. hellerii.

Materials and Methods:
Samples of ripe pinkish orange ovaries of non-ovigarous females and the spawned incubated eggs of ovigerous females with orange and grey spawns were processed for scanning electron microscopy. The prepared samples were examined in a Zeiss DSM 940 scanning electron microscope.

Results:
The present SEM study revealed that, vitellogenic oocytes are highly packed with yolk inclusions, which appear to be embedded in a definite acellular matrix and surrounded by a distinct chorion, which is pierced by several pores. The follicle cells appear polygonal in shape and interconnected through thin lateral projections and strongly associated with vitellogenic oocytes. The brooded fertilized eggs are attached through a marked stalk (funiculus) and surrounded by three distinct envelopes, which showed specific ornamentations and variations in their surface topography. The outer envelope coarsely wrinkled, while the middle envelope showed finely wrinkled ornamentation, and the inner envelope appeared with its characteristic spongy, porous appearance.

Conclusions:
This study denotes a significant difference between mature vitellogenic oocytes inside the ripe ovary and the spawned ova. The differences have been shown in the structure and external ornamentation of their surrounding membranes. Unlike the vitellogenic oocytes, the spawned ova were surrounded by three distinct layers, which are differ in their surface architecture. Such membrane architecture is species specific characteristic and has been thought to be an adaptive feature for brooded fertilized eggs to survive from stressful environmental conditions.
Cytomorphological Patterns of Nerve Aspirates in Pure Neuritic Leprosy—A Single Centre Cross-Sectional Observational Study
Authors: Sandhu Sunmeet , Raman Deep K. , Sood Aradhana , Sinha Preema , Singh Prince Y. , Dixit Prashant K. 
Published: January 2021

Background:
Pure neuritic leprosy (PNL) poses a diagnostic challenge because of absence of skin patches, inconclusive skin biopsies and nerve conduction studies. Nerve biopsy though the diagnostic gold standard, is invasive, requires expertise, and may not be feasible in all cases. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of accessible thickened nerves can be utilized as a minimally invasive diagnostic modality in PNL. This study was carried out to describe cytomorphological patterns of nerve aspirates in patients of PNL for diagnosis and classification of leprosy and study its advantage, if any, over skin biopsy.

Methods:
Twenty-seven treatment naive clinically diagnosed patients of PNL were included in this cross-sectional study carried out from January 2017 to December 2018 at a tertiary care centre in Western India. FNAC was done from a clinically involved nerve and aspirates were evaluated for cytomorphological characteristics and the presence of Acid-Fast Lepra bacilli.

Results:
Nerve aspirates were diagnostic in 10 (37%) patients while 17 (63%) aspirates showed non-specific or no inflammation. Of the diagnostic aspirates, six (22.2%) were classified as tuberculoid leprosy, three (11.1%) as lepromatous and one (3.7%) as borderline leprosy. Mycobacterium leprae were demonstrated among three (11.1%) of these aspirates. In comparison, only three (11.1%) skin biopsies were diagnostic of leprosy with features of indeterminate spectrum. Remaining 24 skin biopsies showed normal histology in 20 (74.1%) cases to perivascular lymphocytic infiltrate in four (14.8%) cases.

Conclusion:
Our study demonstrates that FNAC of clinically thickened nerves has a better diagnostic yield than skin biopsy in PNL and shows all spectrums of leprosy. It also offers the advantage of sampling major nerve trunks without the fear of residual neurological deficit. However, most of the smears were paucicellular and a negative aspirate does not rule out leprosy.
Non-Small Cell Carcinoma-Not Otherwise Specified on Cytology Specimens in Patients with Solitary Pulmonary Lesion
Authors: Lee Hyoun Wook , Ha Seung Yeon , Roh Mee Sook 
Published: January 2021

Context:
Subtyping of solitary pulmonary lesion (SPL) in small amount of cytology specimen using a limited panel of immunohistochemistry (IHC) markers is very important to the correct choice of treatment. This study was performed to categorize non-small cell carcinoma-not otherwise specified (NSCC-NOS) on cytology in patients with SPL, especially with regard to the incidence of metastatic cancer.

Materials and Methods:
We reviewed 91 cases, in which a precise morphology-based, lineage-specific IHC-aided subtyping was not possible, that qualified as NSCC-NOS on cytology. A stepwise clinical approach and IHC of organ-specific markers was performed on each cell block (CB) to exclude metastasis from extrapulmonary malignancies.

Results:
Of the 91 evaluated cases, 65 (71.4%) were diagnosed as non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC)-NOS, 24 (26.4%) were metastatic cancer, and the remaining 2 (2.2%) had undetermined diagnoses. The most frequent primary tumor site was the colorectum (41.7%), followed by breast (20.8%), kidney (8.3%), and then stomach, duodenum, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, prostate, and skin (4.2% each, 1 of 24). Moreover, we found that 7 of the 24 patients with metastatic cancer had a history of extrapulmonary malignancy that was unknown at the time of cytology-based diagnosis.

Conclusions:
These results underscored the need for accurate and stepwise clinical correlation to rule out the possibility of pulmonary metastasis from other sites and appropriate but judicious IHC (i.e., CDX2) on CB for SPL to increase refinement of the cytology diagnosis of NSCC-NOS.
Knowledge, attitude, and practices of health-care providers toward antibiotic prescribing, antibiotic resistance, and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis
Authors: Malhotra Ashna , Kumar Vimal , Juyal Deepak , Gautam Deepak , Malhotra Rajesh 
Published: January 2021

Introduction:
Antibiotic resistance (ABR) is a growing public health problem and is a subject of international concern. It poses a serious threat to health and health-care systems in both developed and developing countries. The problem is more confounding with tuberculosis (TB), and drug resistance in TB has threatened the progress made in TB care and control worldwide. The aim of this study was to understand the knowledge, attitude, and practices of health-care providers (HCPs) toward antibiotics, antibiotic prescribing, ABR, and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB).

Materials and Methods:
A total of 125 participants were included in this cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey conducted in tertiary care teaching hospitals of the Delhi-NCR region. A five-point Likert scale, whose responses ranged from “strongly agree” to “do not know,” was used to record the responses from participants.

Results:
Among the 125 HCPs who participated in the survey, the response rate was 100%. Around 94.4% of the respondents agreed that ABR is an important and a serious public health issue. More than 80% of the respondents strongly agreed that over-the-counter sale and/or dispensing antibiotics without prescription should be controlled. About 86.4% of the participants agreed that MDR-TB is a growing problem and 59.2% strongly agreed that indiscriminate use of anti-TB drugs could be a major causative factor. Almost 85.6% of the participants agreed that a proper diagnosis should be ensured before treating the TB cases.

Conclusions:
HCPs had a good knowledge of antibiotics and the association of its misuse or overuse with increasing ABR. Educational and persuasive measures are certainly needed, but the use of restrictive and organizational measures appears mandatory if the misuse of antibiotics is to be decreased in the near future. A stringent assessment of the impact of implemented measures seems essential to better guide antibiotic stewardship in our country.
A retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study to critically appraise the quality of reporting of health economic evaluations conducted in the Indian setting
Authors: Gupta Sandeep Kumar , Tiwari Ravi Kant , Goel Raj Kumar 
Published: January 2021

Background:
The reporting quality of economic research could benefit from enhanced quality assurance procedures. At present, there are small numbers of health economic researches being conducted with Indian context or setting. There is not much clarity about the reporting quality of health economic researches being conducted with Indian context or setting.

Objective:
The primary objective is to of this study was to appraise the quality of reporting of health economic evaluations conducted in the Indian setting and published between January 2014 and December 2018.

Materials and Methods:
This was a retrospective, cross-sectional, descriptive analysis. The MEDLINE in PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct were systematically searched to search for economic evaluations. The consolidated health economic evaluation reporting standards statement checklist was utilized to assess the quality of reporting of the included studies. For grading the quality of the included health economic assessments, the Quality of Health Evaluation Studies (QHES) instrument was used.

Results:
Thirty studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in the study. The mean QHES score was 80.26 (standard deviation = 8.06). Twenty-five (83.33%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.66–0.92) of the article mentioned perspective of the study. Twenty-nine (96.66%, 95% CI: 0.83–0.99) of the article described the effects of uncertainty for all input parameters. Twenty (66.66%, 95% CI: 0.48–0.80) of the article reported all funding sources.

Conclusions:
Overall, the quality of reporting of the included health economic studies was good, which reemphasizes their usefulness in supporting the decision-making procedure about better medicine. The finding of this study will be a small step toward ensuring robust and high-quality health economics data in India.
The critical appraisal of randomized controlled trials published in an Indian journal to assess the quality of reporting
Authors: Gupta Sandeep Kumar , Tiwari Ravi Kant , Goel Raj Kumar 
Published: January 2021

Background:
Although randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are the highest levels of evidence, they might not necessarily be of good quality. Hence, RCTs should always be appraised critically. Critical appraisal is the corroboration of evidence by methodically studying its validity, reliability, and applicability.

Objective:
The primary objective of this study was to do a critical appraisal of the RCTs published in Indian Journal of Pharmacology (IJP) from 2011 to 2016. The secondary objective was to scrutinize how adequately the published RCTs adhere to the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) declaration.

Materials and Methods:
The present study included all RCTs published as full-text articles in IJP from January 2011 to December 2016. The identified RCTs were critically appraised using the critical appraisal checklist based on CONSORT 2010 guidelines and its extensions.

Results:
According to this analysis, 75% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.56–0.87) of the articles had given details about the sample size calculation. Nearly 89.29% (95% CI: 0.72–0.96) of the articles described the method for generating random allocation sequence, but only 35.71% (95% CI: 0.20–0.54) of the articles described allocation concealment method. Almost 35.71% (95% CI: 0.20–0.54) of the trials reported results as per the principle of the intention to treat (ITT). Nearly 21.43% (95% CI: 0.10–0.39) of the studies reported CIs in the present study.

Conclusion:
Allocation concealment method, analysis of the data based on the ITT principle, and reporting CIs were found to be underreported in this study. There should be more emphasis on reporting of allocation concealment, ITT analysis, and CI.
Knowledge, attitudes, and perception of 398 cancer patients toward participation in clinical trials
Authors: Biswkarma Vishal Kumar , Rohatgi Nitesh , Saxena Rajesh , Gupta S. K. 
Published: January 2021

Background and Objective:
Clinical trials are considered to be the gold standard research methodology for evaluating the efficacy and safety of healthcare interventions.

Materials and Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted using standardized self-administered questionnaires prepared by the research team and statistician. The questionnaires were offered to cancer patients presented at a tertiary care center.

Results:
We surveyed 398 cancer patients, 193 (48.5%) males and 205 (51.5%) females with a mean (±standard deviation) 55.39 (±13.59) of age in years. Out of total, only 59 (14.82%) had the prior knowledge of the clinical trial. Forty-three (10.80%) participants were willing to participate in clinical trials.

Conclusion:
Cancer patients had preconceived notions and myths that linger in our society that clinical trial participation will harm them. The researchers/oncologists need to explore the rationale, objectives, and benefits of taking part in clinical trials and make it easy to understand by cancer patients.