bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Changes in perceived knowledge about childbirth among pregnant women participating in the Senses of Birth Intervention in Brazil: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Fernandes Luísa M M , Lansky Sônia , Oliveira Bernardo J , Friche Amélia A L , Bozlak Christine T. , Shaw Benjamin A. 
Published: September 2019

Abstract
Background

Senses of Birth (SoB) is a health education intervention in Brazil that addresses reproductive rights, the benefits and risks of normal birth and cesarean, and use of evidence-based practices (EBP) during labor and childbirth, aiming to reduce unnecessary cesareans in the country. This study evaluates the impact of the SoB intervention on pregnant women’s perceived knowledge about normal birth, cesarean, and use of EBP in childbirth.

Method

1,287 pregnant women answered a structured questionnaire, immediately after their visit to the exhibition, between March 2015 and March 2016, in four cities. To identify the impact of the intervention on women’s perceived knowledge and possible association with socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, statistical analyses were performed including paired T-tests, ANOVA, and logistic and linear regressions.

Results

The mean score (MS) of perceived knowledge after the intervention was higher than the mean score before experiencing the SoB for all three knowledge domains: Normal Birth (MS Before= 3.71 x MS After= 4.49), Cesarean (MS Before= 3.54 x MS After= 4.26) and EBPs (MS Before= 3.14 x MS After= 4.14). The results suggest that SoB intervention was more effective for low income women (B = 0.206; p < 0.001 for EBP), women without private health insurance (OR 2.47, 95% CI: 1.49- 4.09 for normal birth), women with private prenatal care (OR 2.42, 95% CI: 1.59- 3.66 for normal birth), women experiencing their first pregnancy (OR 1.92, 95% CI: 1.31-2.82 for EBP; OR 1.37, 95% CI: 1.03-1.84 for normal birth; OR 1.37, 95% CI: 1.03-1.84 for cesarean), and women in their first or second trimester at the time of the intervention (OR 1.64, 95% CI: 1.13-2.39 for EBP; OR 1.48, 95% CI: 1.11-1.97 for normal birth; OR 1.85, 95% CI: 1.40-2.41 for cesarean).

Conclusion

The study showed opportunities to increase knowledge among Brazilian pregnant women for the three knowledge domains, and a need to focus the discussion on how to achieve a positive experience of birth using EBP. The intervention gains relevance considering the lack of evidence of the efficacy of non-clinical interventions to reduce unnecessary cesareans in middle and low-income countries targeting women.
Abortion Service Provision in South Asia: A Comparative Study of Four Countries
Authors: Singh Susheela , Sundaram Aparna , Hossain Altaf , Puri Mahesh , Sathar Zeba , Shekhar Chander , Crowell Marjorie , Moore Ann 
Published: September 2019

Abstract
Background

Safe abortion services are essential if women are to fulfill their right to have the number of children they want, when they want them. This paper examines the provision of abortion and menstrual regulation (MR) services in four South Asian countries that have many commonalities in sexual and reproductive outcomes and in barriers to accessing needed services, despite variation in their abortion laws —Nepal, India (six states), Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

Methods

Using representative health facility surveys, we assess availability of legal abortion/MR services —relevant in three of the countries—and post-abortion care, relevant for all four countries. We examine the role of the public sector in providing these services and the proportion of facilities located in rural areas, as indicators of service accessibility for poor and rural women. We assess quality of abortion care through selected indicators: provision of WHO-recommended methods, vacuum aspiration (VA) and medication abortion (MA); use of outdated, invasive methods such as dilatation and curettage (D&C); and the proportion of facilities turning away women seeking services.

Results

Results show that in India and Nepal the majority of public sector facilities do not provide induced abortion services, and in India and Pakistan, the majority of facilities providing any abortion services are private sector. Further, although all four countries are mostly rural, the majority of facilities providing abortion services are located in urban areas. While facilities that provide abortion services already commonly provide MA in Nepal and India and increasingly offer MRM (MR with medication) in Bangladesh, D&C is over-used in all four countries for PAC and in India for induced abortions as well.

Conclusion

There is an urgent need to expand and improve provision of abortion and post-abortion care to reduce abortion-related morbidity and mortality and to fulfill the rights of all women to quality sexual and reproductive health care.
Comparison of efficacy of dental plaque reduction between use of an electric toothbrush with and without plaque visualisation: A one-week randomized controlled trial
Authors: Akifusa Sumio , Isobe Ayaka , Kibata Kanako , Oyama Akinori , Oyama Hiroko , Ariyoshi Wataru , Nishihara Tatsuji 
Published: September 2019

Abstract
Background

To evaluate the efficacy of a newly developed electric toothbrush in reducing dental plaque via a quantitative light-induced fluorescence-digital (QLF-D)-applied visualisation system in the brush head.

Methods

Participants included 20 adults aged 19 to 28 years. Participants were randomly assigned either (i) an electric toothbrush with a monitor to visualise red-fluorescent dental plaque via a camera built into the brush head (monitor usage group, n = 10) or (ii) an electric toothbrush without a monitor (monitor-non-use group, n = 10). The amount of dental plaque was assessed by personal hygiene performance (PHP) at baseline and 1 week later.

Results

In the monitor-usage group, PHP score was significantly lower at the 1-week follow-up than at baseline (6 vs 16; range, 0–12 vs 13–21; P = 0.029). This change was not observed in the monitor-non-use group. After 1 week, the change in PHP scores in the monitor usage group was significantly greater than that in the monitor non-use group (−10 vs 0; range, -21 to 9 vs -8 to 16; P = 0.021).

Conclusions

Our results clearly demonstrate that brushing teeth while looking at a monitor that depicts red-autofluorescent dental plaque via application of QLF-D improved the efficacy of dental-plaque removal relative to brushing teeth without a monitor.
Adapting a nurse-led primary care initiative to cardiovascular disease control in Ghana: A qualitative study
Authors: Haykin Leah A. , Francke Jordan A. , Abapali Aurelia , Yakubu Elliasu , Dambayi Edith , Jackson Elizabeth , Aborigo Raymond , Awuni Denis , Nonterah Engelbert A. , Oduro Abraham R. , Bawah Ayaga A , Phillips James F. , Heller David J 
Published: September 2019

Abstract
Background : Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is a growing cause of morbidity and mortality in Ghana, where rural primary health care is mainly provided by the Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) initiative. CHPS locates nurses in community-level clinics for providing basic curative, preventive health services, and home and outreach services. CHPS currently lacks capacity to screen for or treat CVD and its risk factors.

Methods : In two rural districts, in depth interviews were conducted with 21 nurses and 10 supervisors to identify factors constraining or facilitating CVD screening and treatment. Audio recordings were transcribed, coded for content, and analyzed for key themes.

Results : Respondents emphasized three themes: community demand for CVD care; community access to CVD care; and provider capacity to render CVD care. Nurses and supervisors noted that community members were often unaware of CVD, despite high reported prevalence of risk factors. Community members were unable to travel for care or afford treatment once diagnosed. Nurses lacked relevant training and medications for treating conditions such as hypertension. Respondents recognized the importance of CVD care, expressed interest in acquiring further training, and emphasized the need to improve ancillary support for primary care operations.

Conclusions : CHPS staff expressed multiple constraints to CVD care, but also cited actions to address them: CVD-focused training, provision of essential equipment and pharmaceuticals, community education campaigns, and referral and outreach transportation equipment. Results attest to the need for trial of these interventions to assess their impact on CVD risk factors such as hypertension, depression, and alcohol abuse.
Xpert MTB/Rif assay in the diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis: a prospective study from Nepal
Authors: Khadka Priyatam , Thapaliya Januka , Basnet Ramesh Bahadur , Ghimire Gokarna Raj , Amatya Jyoti , Rijal Basista Parsad 
Published: September 2019

Abstract
Background
For improving patient care and abbreviating the disease transmission chain, speedy detection of tuberculosis and its drug-resistance with precision is crucial.
Methods
We analyzed, pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) suspected, 360 smear-negative sputum from the patients attending Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH). The patients were selected as per the algorithm of National Tuberculosis Programme(NTP) for Xpert MTB/RIF testing. Participants’ demographic and clinical information were collected using a pre-tested questionnaire. The specimens were collected, processed directly for Xpert MTB/RIF test according to the manufacturer’s protocol. The same samples were stained using Ziehl-Neelsen technique then observed microscopically. Both findings were interpreted; rifampicin-resistant, if obtained, on Xpert testing was confirmed with Line Probe Assay.
Result
Of 360 smear-negative sputum samples analyzed, 85(23.61%) found positive while 3 of them were rifampicin resistance. The infection was higher in male, i.e. 60(25.3%) compared to female 25(20.3%). The age group, >45(nearly 33%) with median age 42± 21.5, were prone to the infection. During the study period, 4.6% (515/11048) sputum samples were reported as smear-positive in TUTH; consequently, with Xpert MTB/RIF assay, additional case 16.5% (n=85/515) missed on the smear microscopy, were detected—surging overall confirmed cases. Among the most occurring clinical presentations, cough and chest pain were more evident in PTB with relative-risk at 95% confident-levels i.e. 3.03(1.01-9.11) and 3.47(2.29-5.27) respectively. A higher number of new suspects (n=63) were found positive compared to previously treated suspects. The upper lobe infiltrates (36.4%) and pleural effusion (40.4%) were peculiar radiological impression noted in PTB patient. 94 MDR suspected cases were enrolled; of total suspected cases, 29 samples were found rifampicin sensitive, 1 indeterminant while 2 of them were rifampicin-resistant. However, a single rifampicin-resistant; case was detected in patient which was not MDR suspected.
Conclusion
Additional cases of PTB which are neglected as smear-negative on microscopy and other conventional tests can be detected with gene Xpert test. Hence, recommended to every suspect as a presumptive test could be a wise investment in diagnosis to restrict the global burden to some extent.
Keywords: Xpert MTB/Rif assay, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Line Probe Assay, MDR-TB
Cell-free spent media obtained from whey or 3'-sialyllactose fermentation by Bifidobacterium mongoliense modulate the virulence expression of intestinal pathogens
Authors: Bondue Pauline , Milani Christian , Arnould Emilie , Ventura Marco , Daube Georges , Lapointe Gisèle , Delcenserie Veronique 
Published: September 2019

Abstract
Human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) could promote the growth of bifidobacteria, improving young children’s health. In addition, fermentation of carbohydrates by bifidobacteria can result in the production of metabolites presenting an antivirulent activity against intestinal pathogens. Bovine milk oligosaccharides (BMO), structurally similar to HMO, are found at high concentration in cow whey. This is particularly observed for 3’-sialyllactose (3’SL). This study focused on enzymes and transport systems involved in HMO/BMO metabolism contained in B. crudilactis and B. mongoliense genomes, two species from bovine milk origin. The ability of B. mongoliense to grow in media supplemented with whey or 3’SL was assessed. Next, the effects of cell-free spent media (CFSM) were tested against the virulence expression of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium.
Due to the presence of genes encoding β-galactosidases, β-hexosaminidases, α-sialidases and α-fucosidases, B. mongoliense presents a genome more sophisticated and more adapted to the digestion of BMO/HMO than B. crudilactis (which contains only β-galactosidases). In addition, HMO/BMO digestion involves genes encoding oligosaccharide transport systems found in B. mongoliense but not in B. crudilactis. B. mongoliense seemed able to grow on media supplemented with whey or 3’SL as main source of carbon (8.3±1.0 and 6.7±0.3 log cfu/mL, respectively). CFSM obtained from whey resulted in a significant under-expression of ler, fliC, luxS, stx1 and qseA genes (-2.2, -5.3, -2.4, -2.5 and -4.8, respectively) of E. coli O157:H7. CFSM from 3’SL resulted in a significant up-regulation of luxS (2.0) gene and a down-regulation of fliC (-5.0) gene. CFSM obtained from whey resulted in significant up-regulations of sopD and hil genes (2.9 and 3.5, respectively) of S. Typhimurium, while CFSM obtained from 3’SL fermentation down-regulated hil and sopD genes (-2.7 and -4.2, respectively).
From enzymes and transporters highlighted in the genome of B. mongoliense and its potential ability to metabolise 3’SL and whey, B. mongoliense seems well able to digest HMO/BMO. The exact nature of the metabolites contained in CFSM has to be identified still. These results suggest that BMO associated with B. mongoliense could be an interesting synbiotic formulation to maintain or restore intestinal health of young children.
A multi-fault diagnosis method for piston pump in construction machinery based on information fusion and PSO-SVM
Authors: Tang Hongbin , Wang Zichao , Wu You 
Published: September 2019

Piston pumps are key components in construction machinery, the failure of which may cause long delay of the construction work and even lead to serious accident. Because construction machines are exposed to poor working conditions, multiple faults of piston pumps are most likely to occur simultaneously. When multiple faults occur together, it is difficult to detect. A multi-fault diagnosis method for piston pump based on information fusion and PSO-SVM is proposed in this thesis. Information fusion is used as fault feature extraction and PSO-SVM is applied as the fault mode classifier. According to the method, vibration signal and pressure signal of piston pump in normal state, single fault state and multi-fault state are collected at first. Then the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) is used to decompose vibration signals into different frequency band and energy features are extracted. These energy features extracted from vibration signals and time-domain features extracted from pressure signal are information fused at the feature layer and constitute the eigenvectors. Finally, these eigenvectors are put into support vector machine (SVM) and the working conditions of piston pump were classified. Particle swarm optimization (PSO) is applied to optimize two parameters of SVM. The experimental results show that the recognition accuracy of the normal state, three single failure modes and multi-fault modes are 98.3 %, 97.6 % and 94 % respectively. These recognition accuracies are higher than which using vibration signal or pressure signal alone. So, the proposed method can not only identify the single fault, but also effectively identify the multi-fault of piston pump.
Nanoparticles: Properties and Applications in Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Iscaro Alessandra , Howard Nutter F. , Muthana Munitta 
Published: September 2019

Background::
Tumours are no longer regarded as isolated masses of aberrantly proliferating epithelial
cells. Rather, their properties depend on complex interactions between epithelial cancer cells and the surrounding
stromal compartment within the tumour microenvironment. In particular, leukocyte infiltration plays a role in
controlling tumour development and is now considered one of the hallmarks of cancer. Thus, in the last few
years, immunotherapy has become a promising strategy to fight cancer, as its goal is to reprogram or activate antitumour
immunity to kill tumour cells, without damaging the normal cells and provide long-lasting results where
other therapies fail. However, the immune-related adverse events due to the low specificity in tumour cell targeting,
strongly limit immunotherapy efficacy. In this regard, nanomedicine offers a platform for the delivery of
different immunotherapeutic agents specifically to the tumour site, thus increasing efficacy and reducing toxicity.
Indeed, playing with different material types, several nanoparticles can be formulated with different shape,
charge, size and surface chemical modifications making them the most promising platform for biomedical applications.

Aim::
In this review, we will summarize the different types of cancer immunotherapy currently in clinical trials or
already approved for cancer treatment. Then, we will focus on the most recent promising strategies to deliver
immunotherapies directly to the tumour site using nanoparticles.

Conclusions::
Nanomedicine seems to be a promising approach to improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy.
However, additional investigations are needed to minimize the variables in the production processes in order to
make nanoparticles suitable for clinical use.
In-Silico Modeling in Drug Metabolism and Interaction: Current Strategies of Lead Discovery
Authors: Roy Harekrishna , Nandi Sisir 
Published: September 2019

Background:Drug metabolism is a complex mechanism of human body systems to detoxify foreign particles, chemicals, and drugs through bio alterations. It involves many biochemical reactions carried out by invivo enzyme systems present in the liver, kidney, intestine, lungs, and plasma. After drug administration, it crosses several biological membranes to reach into the target site for binding and produces the therapeutic response. After that, it may undergo detoxification and excretion to get rid of the biological systems. Most of the drugs and its metabolites are excreted through kidney via urination. Some drugs and their metabolites enter into intestinal mucosa and excrete through feces. Few of the drugs enter into hepatic circulation where they go into the intestinal tract. The drug leaves the liver via the bile duct and is excreted through feces. Therefore, the study of total methodology of drug biotransformation and interactions with various targets is costly.Methods:To minimize time and cost, in-silico algorithms have been utilized for lead-like drug discovery. Insilico modeling is the process where a computer model with a suitable algorithm is developed to perform a controlled experiment. It involves the combination of both in-vivo and in-vitro experimentation with virtual trials, eliminating the non-significant variables from a large number of variable parameters. Whereas, the major challenge for the experimenter is the selection and validation of the preferred model, as well as precise simulation in real physiological status.Results:The present review discussed the application of in-silico models to predict absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties of drug molecules and also access the net rate of metabolism of a compound.Conclusion:: It helps with the identification of enzyme isoforms; which are likely to metabolize a compound, as well as the concentration dependence of metabolism and the identification of expected metabolites. In terms of drug-drug interactions (DDIs), models have been described for the inhibition of metabolism of one compound by another, and for the compound–dependent induction of drug-metabolizing enzymes.
In Vitro Biological Estimation of 1,2,3-Triazolo[4,5-d]pyrimidine Derivatives as Anti-breast Cancer Agent: DFT, QSAR and Docking Studies
Authors: Kolawole Oyebamiji A. , Banjo Semire 
Published: September 2019

Background & Objective:
Series of synthesized molecular compounds were considered as
anti-breast cancer. The molecular descriptors which describe the microbial activities of the studied
compounds were calculated using theoretical approach.

Methods:
The calculated parameters obtained EHOMO (eV), ELUMO (eV), dipole moment (Debye), log P,
molecular weight (amu), HBA, HBD, Vol and Ovality were screened. The obtained calculated descriptors
were used to develop QSAR model for prediction of experimental inhibition concentration
(IC50) using SPSS and Gretl software packages for multiple linear regression (MLR) and MATLAB for
the artificial neural network (ANN).

Results:
From this statistical analysis, MLR and ANN were observed to be predictive, however, ANNQSAR
model predicted more efficiently than MLR.

Conclusion:
Furthermore, molecular docking study was executed with breast cancer cell line
(PDB ID: 1hi7); it was observed that BS20 with binding energy of -7.0 kcal/mol bounded more efficiently
than other compounds also, it inhibited more than the standard used (5-FU).
The CSF p-tau181/Aβ42 Ratio Offers a Good Accuracy “In Vivo” in the Differential Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Dementia
Authors: Santangelo Roberto , Dell'Edera Alessandro , Sala Arianna , Cecchetti Giordano , Masserini Federico , Caso Francesca , Pinto Patrizia , Leocani Letizia , Falautano Monica , Passerini Gabriella , Martinelli Vittorio , Comi Giancarlo , Perani Daniela , Magnani Giuseppe 
Published: September 2019

Background:
The incoming disease-modifying therapies against Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
require reliable diagnostic markers to correctly enroll patients all over the world. CSF AD biomarkers,
namely amyloid-β 42 (Aβ42), total tau (t-tau), and tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 (p-tau181),
showed good diagnostic accuracy in detecting AD pathology, but their real usefulness in daily clinical
practice is still a matter of debate. Therefore, further validation in complex clinical settings, that is patients
with different types of dementia, is needed to uphold their future worldwide adoption.

Methods:
We measured CSF AD biomarkers’ concentrations in a sample of 526 patients with a clinical
diagnosis of dementia (277 with AD and 249 with Other Type of Dementia, OTD). Brain FDG-PET was
also considered in a subsample of 54 patients with a mismatch between the clinical diagnosis and the
CSF findings.

Results:
A p-tau181/Aβ42 ratio higher than 0.13 showed the best diagnostic performance in differentiating
AD from OTD (86% accuracy index, 74% sensitivity, 81% specificity). In cases with a mismatch
between clinical diagnosis and CSF findings, brain FDG-PET partially agreed with the p-tau181/Aβ42
ratio, thus determining an increase in CSF accuracy.

Conclusions:
The p-tau181/Aβ42 ratio alone might reliably detect AD pathology in heterogeneous samples
of patients suffering from different types of dementia. It might constitute a simple, cost-effective
and reproducible in vivo proxy of AD suitable to be adopted worldwide not only in daily clinical practice
but also in future experimental trials, to avoid the enrolment of misdiagnosed AD patients.