bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The effect of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio in patients with COPD in Sohag University Hospital
Authors: Alkhayat Khaled , Abdelhameed Rasha , Gadallah Doaa 
Published: September 2021

NLR has also been evaluated as diagnostic and prognostic marker in COPD. Chronic inflammation in COPD resulting in the recruitment of the lymphocytes and neutrophils. Which, once activated, release neutrophil elastase, cathepsin G, proteinase-3, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-8 and MMP-9, and myeloperoxidase (MPO), which contribute in the pathophysiological mechanisms of emphysema and COPD.

Aim of study
Evaluate the NLR as a biomarker that can detect the severity and duration of COPD in patients with acute exacerbation and frequency of future exacerbation; we thus monitored NLR in COPD to evaluate it as a biomarker in patients and investigated its association with a variety of clinical aspects of COPD.

Methodology
It was a prospective observational study that was carried out among COPD patients with acute exacerbation and asymptomatic persons (controls). The study included 67 participants, 38 cases were COPD patients while 39 cases were healthy controls who were older than 40 years. The study was conducted among patients who admitted to chest department of Sohag University Hospital during period between February 2019 to January 2020, after the approval of the ethical committee and written consents where taken from the participants. Patients were diagnosed to have COPD according to the GOLD. The following laboratory investigations were done: complete blood count (CBC) inflammatory markers as neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), were evaluated.

Results
The mean age of the studied COPD cases was 63.5(7.8) years and the mean age of the controls was 60(6.5) years. All the studied COPD cases and the matched controls were males. Compared to controls the levels of neutrophil, lymphocyte, basophil, eosinophil, NRL and platelet were significantly higher among the studied COPD cases. There was significant positive correlation between levels of leucocytes, neutrophils and NLR and duration of exacerbation. While, lymphocytes level was inversely associated with duration of exacerbation.

Conclusions
The present study demonstrates that NLR is associated with mortality and duration exacerbations, in COPD patients. For predicting exacerbations, we estimated the threshold of NLR to be 1.3 at baseline.
Prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis in the District Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Authors: Khan Muhammad Ashraf 
Published: September 2021

Aim/Objectives/Background
Pulmonary tuberculosis is one of the major threats to human health and is the leading cause of death worldwide. Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes the disease in humans. The present study deals with to determine the prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis in the general population of district Bannu.

Patients and methods
All 745 registered and suspected patients of the pulmonary tuberculosis were diagnosed during the study period by sputum smear microscopy. The data were collected from the tuberculosis (TB) control register at the national tuberculosis control center at Khalifa Gul Nawaz (KGN), Teaching Hospital, Bannu, from January through December 2018. The data were classified into six age groups (in years) including <5, 5–14, 15–30, 31–45, 46–60, and >60. Percentage case positivity was determined for both sex and age groups.

Results and Conclusions
The number of positive cases of the disease were 133 (17.85%) out of 745 patients enrolled for diagnosis of the disease. Females represented 57.14%, whereas males accounted for 42.86% of the disease. The highest prevalence of disease occurred in the age group 46–60 y (34.59%), followed by 15–30 y (29.32%), >60 y (19.55%), 31–45 y (12.03%), and 5–14 y (4.51%). Age group <5 years demonstrated no positivity. As a whole, age group ≥15 years demonstrated 95.49% positivity, and females showed a higher or equal rate of pulmonary TB than males in all the months except January and February. Females, age group 46–60 years, as well as individual aged ≥15 years were the predominant groups regarding the prevalence of disease. The disease was prevailed in people of age ≥5 years, and it mainly occurred in the months of summer. When grouped into similar age groups, females predominated at all the age groups, except age group 5–14 years.
Psychosocial impact of COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers in India & their perceptions on the way forward - A qualitative study
Authors: Chakma Tapas , Thomas Beena E. , Kohli Simran , Moral Rony , Menon Geetha R. , Periyasamy Murugesan , Venkatesh U. , Kulkarni Ragini Nitin , Prusty Ranjan Kumar , Balu Vinoth , Grover Ashoo , Kishore Jugal , Viray Maribon , Venkateswaran Chitra , Mathew Geethu , Ketharam Asha , Balachandar Rakesh , Singh Prashant Kumar , Jakhar Kiran , Singh Shalini , Devi Rekha , Saha Kalyan B. , Barde Pradeep , Singh Ravinder , John Denny , Mishra Bijaya Kumar , Yadav Jeetendra , Agarwal Sumit , Rao Vishnu Vardhana , Panda Samiran 
Published: September 2021

Background & objectives:
The healthcare system across the world has been overburdened due to the COVID-19 pandemic impacting healthcare workers (HCWs) in different ways. The present study provides an insight into the psychosocial challenges faced by the HCWs related to their work, family and personal well-being and the associated stigmas. Additionally, the coping mechanisms adopted by them and their perceptions on the interventions to address these challenges were also explored.

Methods:
A qualitative study was conducted between September and December 2020 through in-depth telephonic interviews using an interview guide among 111 HCWs who were involved in COVID-19 management across 10 States in India.

Results:
HCWs report major changes in work-life environment that included excessive workload with erratic timings accentuated with the extended duration of inconvenient personal protection equipment usage, periods of quarantine and long durations of separation from family. Family-related issues were manifold; the main challenge being separated from family, the challenge of caregiving, especially for females with infants and children, and fears around infecting family. Stigma from the community and peers fuelled by the fear of infection was manifested through avoidance and rejection. Coping strategies included peer, family support and the positive experiences manifested as appreciation and recognition for their contribution during the pandemic.

Interpretation & conclusions:
The study demonstrates the psychological burden of HCWs engaged with COVID-19 care services. The study findings point to need-based psychosocial interventions at the organizational, societal and individual levels. This includes a conducive working environment involving periodic evaluation of the HCW problems, rotation of workforce by engaging more staff, debunking of false information, community and HCW involvement in COVID sensitization to allay fears and prevent stigma associated with COVID-19 infection/transmission and finally need-based psychological support for them and their families.
Comparison of the effects of rutaecarpine on molecular subtypes of breast cancer
Authors: Cokluk Erdem , Ozman Zeynep , Eskiler Gamze Gamze , Ozkan Asuman Deveci , Sekeroglu Mehmet Ramazan 
Published: September 2021

Objective:
Natural compounds have gained considerable attention in recent years due to disadvantages and properties of current chemotherapy drugs in cancer therapy. In addition, the impact of these compounds is specific for each type and/or subtypes of cancer due to different treatment response. Rutaecarpine, an alkaloid obtained from Evodia Rutaecarpa Chinese herb, has anticancer activity by inhibiting topoisomerase and/or cyclo-oxygenase-2 levels. However, the effectiveness of rutaecarpine has not been well known in breast cancer in terms of subtype. Therefore, we investigated the potential therapeutic effects of rutaecarpine on two different subtypes of breast cancer cells.

Materials and Methods:
The cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of rutaecarpine on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were analyzed by WST-1, Annexin V, cell cycle, and acridine orange staining.

Results:
WST-1 results indicated that rutaecarpine significantly inhibited the growth of both cancer cells for 48 h (P < 0.05). In addition, rutaecarpine treatment caused apoptotic cell death through chromatin condensation and nuclear blebbing and G0/G1 arrest in both breast cancer cells. However, the efficacy of rutaecarpine was more profound in MCF-7 cells than MDA-MB-231 cells.

Conclusions:
Consequently, rutaecarpine has a potential therapeutic effect on breast cancer. However, the effectiveness of rutaecarpine is dependent on the subtype of breast cancer.
Magnetic resonance imaging for the study of mediastinal adenopathies in lung cancer
Authors: Pereiro-Brea Tara , de Alegría Anxo Martínez , Valdés Luis , Golpe-Gómez Antonio , Carreira-Villamor José Martín , Ruano-Raviña Alberto 
Published: September 2021

Background:
Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in both men and women. Mediastinal lymph node involvement in these patients, determined by imaging tests, indicates prognosis and modifies therapeutic attitude.

Purpose:
The aim of this study was to analyze the diagnostic capacity of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the study of the mediastinum in comparison with conventional tests (computed tomography [CT] and positron-emission tomography [PET] or PET/CT scans), taking histology as the gold standard.

Materials and Methods:
An observational study was conducted on 16 patients with suspicion of primary lung cancer (June 2016 through December 2018). We studied their demographic characteristics and used CT, PET, or PET/CT scans and MRI (diffusion-weighted imaging-MRI sequence) to examine mediastinal disease and compare MRIs diagnostic yield and percentage agreement to that of conventional tests.

Results:
As compared to CT and PET scanning, MRI displayed a very low sensitivity and a specificity of 90 and 88%, respectively; positive predictive value was 0.67 (both) and negative predictive value (NPV) was 0.28 and 0.22, respectively. MRI showed a high degree of agreement in lymph node diagnosis when compared with histology (91.2%; P = 0.001): specificity in this case was high (E = 0.94), as was the NPV (NPV = 0.97).

Conclusions:
The results of this study would appear to indicate that MRI could play a relevant role in mediastinal staging of lung cancer. More prospective, multicenter studies are, however, needed to be able to draw up firm recommendations about the role of MRI and its place in lung cancer staging.
Intensity modulated radiotherapy in anal canal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Das Avipsa , Arunsingh Moses , Bhattacharyya Tapesh , Prasath S Sriram , Balakrishnan Arun , Mallick Indranil 
Published: September 2021

Objective:
Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) is the standard curative treatment option for nonmetastatic anal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) can reduce doses delivered to bowel and skin and reduce toxicities associated with conventional fields. Here, we present our institutional data on dosimetry, toxicity, and clinical outcomes with IMRT for anal cancer.

Materials and Methods:
We analyzed 23 patients of anal SCC treated with curative-intent CCRT/radiation therapy alone, utilizing IMRT, between August 2011 and December 2016. The standard prescription dose was 54 Gy/27Fr/5.5 weeks, delivered in two phases, and concurrent chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil and mitomycin-C. Acute and late toxicities and dosimetric data were compiled and analyzed.

Results:
The median age was 65 years. Fourteen (60.7%) patients had Stage IIIC disease. Eighteen patients received concurrent chemotherapy. No patient had any treatment breaks. Grade 3 acute perianal dermatitis was recorded in 11 (47.8%) patients. Proctitis, diarrhea, and cystitis were limited to Grade 1 in 73.9%, 47.8%, and 8.6% patients, respectively. The only late Grade 2+ toxicities were gastrointestinal toxicities in 4 (17.4%) patients. Twenty (87%) patients had complete response at 6 months. The 3-year local control, nodal control, and distant metastases-free survival were 85.9%, 86.6%, 84.7%, respectively, with 3-year disease-free survival and overall survival of 63.4% and 81%, respectively.

Conclusion:
In this report on IMRT in anal cancer from India, treatment was well tolerated with lower acute toxicity than reported in other prospective studies. Long-term results are at par with other published studies.
Comparison of fast-neutron contamination of different models of Siemens medical linacs with CR-39 film
Authors: Aftabi Nafiseh , Yazdi Mohammad Hadi Hadizadeh , Ghorbani Mahdi , Abdollahi Sara 
Published: September 2021

Background:
Nowadays, radiotherapy has an important role in the treatment of cancer. The use of medical linacs in radiotherapy can have risks for patients. When radiotherapy is performed with photons with energies higher than 8 MeV, due to the photonuclear reaction of photons with various components in the head of the accelerator, the neutron is produced. This imposes an unwanted neutron dose to the patient. The purpose of this study is evaluation and comparison of fast-neutron contamination with increasing of field size and depth for Siemens Primus (15 MV), Siemens Primus Plus (18 MV), and Siemens Artiste (15 MV) linacs.

Materials and Methods:
Neutron dosimetry was carried out with CR-39 films, as a fast-neutron dosimeter, using chemical etching technique. Measurements were performed in depths of 0.5, 2, 3, and 4 cm and source-to-surface distance of 100 cm. Field sizes were 10 cm × 10 cm and 30 cm × 30 cm.

Results:
The results of measurements showed that, with increasing depth, equivalent dose is reduced. In addition, fast-neutron equivalent dose decreases with increasing the field size.

Conclusion:
Siemens Primus Plus had the highest neutron contamination in comparison with the two other linacs. Deeper tissues receive less fast-neutron doses. In radiation therapy with high-energy photon beams, neutron dose delivered to the patients should be taking into account.
Evaluation of hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and human immunodeficiency virus seroprevalence in patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma and Hodgkin's lymphoma
Authors: Mert Duygu , Merdin Alparslan , Ceken Sabahat , Dal Mehmet Sinan , Ertek Mustafa , Altuntas Fevzi 
Published: September 2021

Backgrounds:
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Hodgkin's lymphomas (HL) are lymphoid neoplasms. Hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are viruses that could proliferate in lymphoid tissues. These viruses may cause lymphoproliferative diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the seroprevalence of HBV, HCV, and HIV in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and HL, to compare the relationship between these two disease groups and to determine the relationship between the three viruses and their characteristics.

Materials and Methods:
The study was a retrospective study. Patients who were followed up in hematology and hepatitis outpatient units between January 01, 2012, and May 01, 2019, were included in the study.

Results:
A statistically significant relationship was observed between the disease groups in terms of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B core (HBc) IgG antibody, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), and anti-HBe seropositivities (P = 0.004, P = 0.006, P = 0.041, and P = 0.014, respectively). There was also a statistically significant relationship between the disease groups in terms of anti-HCV seropositivity (P = 0.029). HBsAg, anti-HBc IgG, HBeAg, anti-Hbe, and HCV seropositivity rates were higher in patients with DLBCL than in patients with HL.

Conclusion:
These findings suggest that there may be a relationship between hepatitis viruses and DLBCL. Evaluation of HBV and HCV infections in these patients before starting treatment is thought to be beneficial in initiating antiviral prophylaxis to prevent reactivation in seropositive cases. In addition, care should be taken for the development of lymphoma in the follow-up of HCV and HBV infections.
Clinical and histopathological profile of dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor
Authors: Gupta Pooja , Siraj Fouzia , Malik Akanksha , Shankar K. B. 
Published: September 2021

Introduction:
Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor (DNT) is a rare benign brain tumor predominantly involving children and young adults. Histologically, it corresponds to WHO Grade I tumors; however, it may masquerade aggressive neural tumors such as oligodendroglioma, oligoastrocytoma, pilocytic astrocytoma, and ganglioglioma. The literature on clinical, radiological, and pathological spectrum of DNT is described mostly in the form of case reports, with only a few case series reported till date.

Methods:
A retrospective review of files with diagnosis of DNT (2016 to 2018) was made in the Department of Pathology, National Institute of Pathology, New Delhi. A total of ten cases were retrieved, and their clinical, radiological, and histopathological features were reviewed and studied. Special stains and immunohistochemistry were done, wherever required.

Results:
The mean age was 14.8 (±7.9) years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.5:1. The most common mode of presentation was recurrent, intractable seizures. The most common site of lesion was parietal lobe followed by temporal and frontal lobes of the brain. On histology, mucoid matrix admixed with floating neurons and oligodendrocyte-like cells was a consistent feature; however, the presence of specific glioneuronal elements was observed in only a few cases.

Conclusions:
DNT is a benign, low-grade, nonrecurrent neuroepithelial neoplasm. It is important to differentiate this rare entity from other mimickers, as it is surgically curable and carries an excellent prognosis without the need for adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The study helps to enrich the clinicopathological aspects of this rare but important entity.
Relative effect of Malayer Shahani and Asgari grapes seed extract on inducing apoptosis in human leukemia cells
Authors: Rahimi Maryam , Pakravan Narges , Babaei Arash , Mohammadi Mitra , Atafar Elham 
Published: September 2021

Background:
Previous studies have suggested that consuming fruit and vegetable can lower the risk of several cancers, including breast, colorectal, and lung cancers.

Aims:
The present study aims to investigate the in vitro anticancer effects of Shahani and Asgari grape seed extract (GSE) grown in Malayer City of Iran on HL-60 cancer. However, to the best of the author's knowledge, it is the first time in this study that the antiproliferative effect of Shahani and Asgari GSE is compared.

Materials and Methods:
Shahani and Asgari GSE Was extraction white method of Liquid/liquid extraction with ethyl acetate. Then assessing cytotoxic activities of Shahani and Asgari GSE on the HL-60 cells was tested using MTT assay.

Results:
The results show that compared with the control group, seed extract of both Shahani and Asgari at the various concentrations (25, 50, 100, and 200 μg/ml) had a significantly inhibitory effect on HL-60 cell proliferation that was dose dependent. However, Shahani GSE at different concentrations (50, 100, and 200 μg/ml) indicated a significantly higher inhibitory effect compared to Asgari GSE. In addition, GSE can induce cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 cells. Furthermore, GSE of Asgari and Shahani remarkably increased the induction of HL-60 cell apoptosis depending on its dose. However, at the concentration of 200 μg/ml, GSE induced cell necrosis rather than apoptosis.

Conclusion:
Seed extract of both Shahani and Asgari at the various concentrations had a significantly inhibitory effect on HL-60 cell proliferation that was dose dependent.
Diagnostic potential of differentially regulated microRNAs among endometriosis, endometrioid ovarian cancer, and endometrial cancer
Authors: Kumari Priti , Sharma Indu , Saha Subhas Chandra , Srinivasan Radhika , Minhas Priyanka 
Published: September 2021

Background:
There is an increased risk of developing endometrioid ovarian and endometrial cancer in patients with endometriosis and there are no definitive diagnostic biomarkers available for these three associated diseases. Therefore, we evaluated the diagnostic potential of differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) from the tissue samples of endometriosis, endometrioid ovarian cancer, and endometrial cancer to establish them as biomarkers for these diseases.

Materials and Methods:
Ten samples of each, i.e., endometriosis, endometrioid ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer and control healthy endometrium were enrolled after obtaining ethical clearance. Differential expression of miR-16, miR-20a, miR-99b, miR-125a, miR-143, and miR-145 and some of their target genes, i.e., vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), hypoxia inducible factor 1A (HIF1A), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) were quantified using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to predict the diagnostic potential.

Results:
miR-16 and miR-20a were significantly downregulated, whereas miR-99b, miR-125a, and miR-143 were significantly upregulated in all three diseased samples. miR-145 was significantly upregulated in endometriosis and endometrioid ovarian cancer but significantly downregulated in endometrial cancer. mRNA levels of VEGF, HIF1A, COX2, and TNF were significantly increased in all three diseased samples as compared to control samples. ROC curve analysis revealed that for endometriosis, miR-99b, and miR-125a were giving highest area under curve (AUC) (0.950 and 0.733, respectively), for endometrioid carcinoma of ovary miR-143 was giving highest AUC (0.933) and for endometrioid endometrial cancer miR-16 (AUC = 0.815), miR-99b (AUC = 0.920), and miR-145 (AUC = 0.985) were found to be best predictors.

Conclusion:
These findings suggest that these miRNAs can act as good predictors and discriminators of these three diseases and might serve as potential biomarkers for them.