bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Abdominal Wall Reconstruction: Advances in the Last Decade
Authors: Sureshkumar Sathasivam , Sudharsanan Sundaramurthi , Vijayakumar Chellappa , Anandhi Amaranathan 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThe incidence of abdominal wall hernia (AWH) is increasing because of the aging population, obesity, and the increasing number of abdominal surgeries performed. Over the last decade, there have been many improvements with the introduction of novel techniques in the management of AWH. The development of component separation and bioprosthetic mesh has transformed the management of complex ventral hernias. An increased number of complex ventral hernia repairs are being done using minimally invasive methods, including component separation. With the introduction of three-dimensional laparoscopic technique and robotic platform, the technique of component separation for abdominal wall reconstruction (AWR) has become more reproducible. In the past decade, the prosthetic materials have greatly improved, including bioengineered smart scaffold tissues such as hydrogel and electrospun fibers that have shown promising results even in infected environment. Apart from advances in complex abdominal wall repair, patient-centric outcomes and the cost-effectiveness of hernia surgery also have gained focus in the management of AWH. Today, the field of hernia has become a discipline in itself due to a better understanding of the biomechanics and pathophysiology of AWHs. There has been a tremendous development in diverse surgical techniques for complex abdominal wall repair with huge advancements in the development of hernia implants transforming it from a simple hernia repair to the science of AWR. This review aims to summarize recent developments in the field of AWR, incorporating a brief overview of the management of AWH.
Occupational injuries and health-seeking behavior of informal sector waste collection workers in Nellore, India
Authors: Chinthapatla Sai Divya , Tiwari Rajnarayan Ramshankar 
Published: June 2024

Abstract

Introduction:
Waste collection workers are exposed to occupational injuries at every step in the process of waste collection and disposal, from the point of collection at homes, during transportation, and at the sites of recycling or disposal. This study was undertaken to assess the prevalence of injuries among municipal waste collection workers and their health-seeking behavior for the injuries.

Methods:
This cross-sectional study included 422 workers from randomly selected 20 wards in four zones of Nellore. The information regarding sociodemographic, occupational, and injury characteristics were collected using a pre-tested questionnaire by conducting a face-to-face interview with each of the study participants.

Results:
Two hundred and four (48.3%) workers suffered from injury in the past 12 months. A shorter duration of the job, a lack of safety training, and a lack of awareness about the risk of injury on the job were significantly associated with the occurrence of injuries. The health-seeking behavior was found to be poor, with only 40.7% of those who suffered injury and 30.6% of overall workers preferring to approach any health-care facility for the treatment of wounds.

Conclusion:
The informal sector waste collection workers are at risk of injuries while pursuing their occupation. The health seeking behavior was found to be poor among them.
Full Outline of Unresponsiveness Score versus Glasgow Coma Scale in Predicting Clinical Outcomes in Altered Mental Status
Authors: Pandey Savan , Sahu Ankit Kumar , Ekka Meera , Modi Priyanka , Aggarwal Praveen , Jamshed Nayer , Bhoi Sanjeev 
Published: June 2024

Introduction:
Full outline of unresponsiveness (FOUR) score has advantages over Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS); as it can be used in intubated patients and provides greater neurological details. It has been studied mainly in the trauma and neuroscience setting. Our primary objective was to compare the FOUR versus GCS score as predictors of mortality at 30 days and poor functional outcome at 3 months among nontrauma patients in the emergency department (ED).

Methods:
This prospective observational study was conducted on adult patients presenting with altered mental status (duration <7 days) in the ED (March 2019–November 2020). Data collection included demographic and clinical features, the GCS and FOUR scores, the feasibility of acquiring and interpreting FOUR on a Likert scale, duration of hospital stay, 30-day mortality, and functional outcome at 3 months on the modified Rankin Scale. Trained emergency medicine residents managing the patient collected the data. The area under receiver’s operating characteristics curve (AUROC) was used to compare the accuracy of the GCS and FOUR scores in predicting outcomes. The FOUR score equivalent of GCS cutoffs for categorizing neurological impairment (mild, moderate, and severe) was also investigated.

Results:
Two hundred and ninety-one patients were included, with a mean age of 50.3 years and 67.4% males. Most patients (40.2%) had altered mental status for 1–3 days and hepatic encephalopathy was the most common ED diagnosis. The mortality at 30 days was 66.7% (194 of 291), and 88% (256 of 291) of patients had poor functional outcomes at 3 months. The AUROCs for predicting 30-day mortality were similar for both the scores (GCS: 0.70, FOUR: 0.71, and the P value for difference: 0.9). Similarly, the AUROCs for predicting 3-month poor functional outcome were 0.683 and 0.669 using GCS and FOUR, respectively, with a nonsignificant difference (P = 0.82). The FOUR score strata of 14–16, 11–13, and 0–10 were found to be equivalent to the GCS scores of 13–15 (mild), 9–12 (moderate), and 3–8 (severe). The feasibility of acquiring and interpreting GCS and FOUR scores on the Likert scale was found to be “easy.”

Conclusion:
The FOUR score is similar to GCS in predicting mortality at 30 days and poor neurological outcomes at 3 months among nontrauma patients of ED. Moreover, it was found that the FOUR score is “easy” to assess and interpret by the emergency residents.
Common pathogens associated with infected diabetic foot ulcers: A retrospective cohort study in a specialized medical center in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alkhatieb Maram T. , Alkhatieb Mahmood T. , Abideen Raseel K. , Alkhalifah Hussain A. , Alnahdi Haifa M. , Edrees Khalid M. 
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT

Background:
Foot infections, a frequent complication of diabetes mellitus, are associated with heavy resource utilization, including antibiotic therapy and surgeries. However, the most common type of isolated pathogen in diabetic foot infections remains unknown. We aimed to identify the most common types of isolated pathogens in diabetic foot infections.

Methods:
This retrospective cohort study was conducted in a specialized medical center in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A total of 96 patients diagnosed with diabetes and presented with a foot ulcer showing clinical signs of infection were included.

Results:
The mean age was 63.03 ± 10.88 years, and 67.7% were males. The mean duration of diabetes diagnosis was 21.86 ± 9.66 years, and the majority had foot ulcers for over six weeks. Bacteria were present in 65 patients (67.7%), Gram-negative organisms were observed in 37 patients (38.5%), and Gram-positive organisms were present in 28 patients (29.2%). In the 65 patients with bacterial culture, Staphylococcus aureus was the most common isolated organism and was observed in 18 patients (27.7%), followed by Escherichia coli in 11 (16.9%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 10 (15.4%). Binary regression analyses found that Gram-negative organisms were significantly more multidrug-resistant than Gram-positive organisms (P = 0.012, OR = 7.172, 95% CI = 1.542–33.352). Patient outcomes included healed ulcers (n = 10, 10.4%), minor amputation (n = 16, 16.7%), major amputation (n = 1, 1%), and debridement (n = 48, 50%).

Conclusion:
Gram-negative organisms were predominant in patients with diabetes and foot ulcers having clinical signs of infection. Treatment with an individualized antibiotic regimen is vital in ensuring optimal outcomes and preventing major amputations.
Healthcare professionals’ perspective on psychosocial support: Lessons learned during a pandemic
Authors: Jan Ghadeer M. , Agha Sajida , Alharbi Shaden , Aldihan Sara , Alghufaili Deema , Farghal Ayah , Alzahrani Teaf 
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT

Purpose/Background:
Assessing the level of psychosocial assistance provided for healthcare workers (HCWs) at and outside of work is crucial. This study aimed to evaluate the psychosocial support provided to HCWs and analyze its effectiveness during COVID-19 at one of the biggest hospitals in Saudi Arabia, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh. In this study, we hypothesized that psychosocial support for HCWs will enhance their performance and total welfare.

Methods:
This study followed a cross-sectional analytic design, and its sample comprised 380 HCWs from many specialties. Two well-known psychosocial scales, DASS-21 and MSPSS, were used to assess the availability of institutional psychosocial support and the levels of depression, anxiety, and stress among HCWs,

Results:
The majority of HCWs reported a tremendous increase in working hours and level of anxiety during COVID-19, and they denied receiving institutional support at work. Moreover, the majority reported receiving support from family and friends. Primarily, the most statistically significant finding in this study was that female HCWs had much higher levels of stress and anxiety during COVID-19 than their equivalent male colleagues. In addition, a significant difference was found regarding the presence of immediate supervisors for HCWs and its effectiveness in burden relief.

Conclusions:
The results show a marginally significant association between psychosocial support and the mental health of HCWs during COVID-19. However, we found a slightly favorable effect on the minority of HCWs who received regular check-ins or targeted interventions or had immediate supervisors.
Role of vitamin D and leptin levels in PCOS in young women: A family medicine perspective
Authors: Siddiqui Merajul Haque , Beg Aisha , Dixit Ritvija , Verma Shailza , Gunjan Gagan , Agrawal Sonu Kumari 
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT

Introduction:
Adolescent girls and young women of childbearing age are the main populations affected by endocrinopathy known as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). It is especially important to take into account whether clinical and biochemical signs of hyperandrogenism are present in female patients. In maintaining metabolic homeostasis, leptin is crucial. According to research, vitamin D deficiency may play a role in the pathophysiology of PCOS by contributing to insulin resistance, inflammation, dyslipidaemia, and obesity, which are all conditions linked to the syndrome. In this study, leptin and vitamin D3 levels will be measured in order to determine how each relates to the aetiology of PCOS.

Materials and Methods:
Hundred young women were allocated into two groups, 50 women with PCOS (diagnosed on the basis of revised Rotterdam criteria for PCOS), taken as a study group, and 50 healthy women with no PCOS as control group. Blood samples were collected and tested for hormonal parameters.

Results:
Between the two groups, there were no appreciable variations in demographic traits. Study groups were found to have considerably higher serum leptin levels than control groups. The study group’s vitamin D3 levels were found to be lower than those of the control group.

Conclusion:
Patients with PCOS are a special population with distinctive hormonal profiles that differ from typical profiles in healthy populations. Comparing PCOS to healthy individuals, leptin levels were higher while vitamin D3 levels were lower. It is necessary to conduct more extensive research on the involvement of leptin and vitamin D3 in the aetiology of PCOS.
Lymphocyte as a predictor of prognosis of COVID-19 patients: A hospital-based study
Authors: Biakhlupuii C. , Vanlalpeka Johan , Lalrinpuia Benjamin , Laltlanzovi  , Devi Ksh G. , Hrahsel Lalrinawmi 
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT

Introduction:
Lymphocytopenia has emerged as a simply obtained laboratory value that may correlate with prognosis. In this study we aim to study absolute Lymphocyte count after clinical recovery.

Method and material:
Observational study was conducted in Covid dedicated Hospital in Mizoram. Absolute lymphocyte count is obtained from the differential leucocyte count of the patients. The obsolute Lymphocyte count at the time of hospital admission is compared with the Absolute Lymphocyte count at the time of hospital discharge after the patient obtained clinical recovery.

Result:
Absolute Lymphocyte Count at the time of admission has a mean of 2004.48 and standard deviation of 1204.868. Absolute Lymphocyte Count at the time of discharge has a mean of 1943.68 and standard devaiton of 842.228. Pearsons correlation coefficientis showed that there is positive correlation between the variables (Correlation coeffiecient = .325). Also, the correlation is statistically significant (P < 0.05). Paired Sample t-test showed there is no statistical significant difference between Absolute Lymphocyte Count- at the time of admission and at the time of discharge (P > 0.05) at 95% Conficence Interval.

Conclusion:
Our study showed that Absolute Lymphocyte count had no signicant difference at the time of hospital admission and after clinical recovery.
A cross-sectional study on diabetes self-management practice and its association with glycemic control among type 2 Diabetes patients
Authors: Kumar Deepak , Burma Amrita , Peter Sherley , Ansari Mohd A. , Patankar Anand 
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT

Context:
Diabetes has emerged as a major chronic public health problem throughout the world. Self-management by diabetes patients is very important for controlling blood sugar levels and preventing complications of diabetes.

Aims:
The present study was conducted to study self-management practices among diabetes patients and to analyse socio-demographic factors associated with them.

Methods and Materials:
A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among 230 randomly selected diabetes patients in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The self-management practices were measured by the diabetes self-management questionnaire (DSMQ).

Statistical Analysis Used:
The association of the DSMQ score with socio-demographic factors and blood sugar level was analysed by statistical tests like the T-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) test, Tukey’s honestly significant difference, and Chi-square test.

Results:
The mean DSMQ score of the diabetes patients was 29.55 ± 5.98. There was a significant difference between the mean DSMQ score and the educational level (P value = 0.009), residential status (P value = 0.037), and duration of diabetes (P value = 0.006). The subcomponent analysis of the DSMQ score revealed that the glucose management score of rural people (9.38 ± 3.36) was significantly higher (P value = 0.006) than that of urban people (8.32 ± 2.46), and the diet control score was significantly higher (P value = 0.02) in patients with normal post-prandial blood sugar (PPBS) (7.64 ± 2.18) than in patients with raised PPBS (6.96 ± 2.12).

Conclusions:
Higher educational level, rural background, and long duration of diabetes were associated with better self-management practices. The patients with normal blood sugar levels showed higher diet control scores than the patients with raised blood sugar levels.
Adiponectin and TNFα in relation to glucometabolic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Habib Syed Shahid , Al-khlaiwi Thamir , Al-khliwi Huthayfah , Habib Syed Mohammad , Habib Syed Abubakar , Habib Syed Hamid , Khan Adeena 
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT

Background:
The correlation of adiponectin and serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) with glucometabolic parameters in diabetes mellitus (DM) needs further studies. We aimed in this study to evaluate the relationship between adiponectin and TNFα with glucometabolic parameters in patients with type 2 DM (T2DM).

Methods:
We conducted a cross-sectional study in the Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia. The sample size was 117 from the diabetes clinic of King Abdul-Aziz University hospital through the convenience sampling technique. Subjects were grouped into control (healthy) subjects (53) with no chronic diseases and the diabetic group (64) with confirmed T2DM. Socio-demographic data were collected along with the serum blood sample to analyze the variables.

Results:
Adiponectin was significantly high in healthy subjects compared to the diabetic group (control: 14.4 ± 4.3, T2DM: 11.0 ± 4.1, P = 0.000), while TNFα was higher in the T2DM group (7.8 ± 2.7) than in the control group (6.6 ± 2.9, P = 0.024). TNFα was negatively correlated with adiponectin in the control group (-0.279) and in diabetic subjects (-0.311) and positively correlated with HbA1c in the diabetic group (0.319) and triglycerides (0.252). Adiponectin was positively correlated with HDL in the control group (0.252) and in diabetic subjects (0.326). There was an inverse correlation between TNFα and adiponectin.

Conclusion:
Adiponectin is higher in healthy subjects than in diabetic patients, while TNFα is higher in diabetic patients. In addition, adiponectin is positively correlated with HDL in healthy as well as diabetic patients. TNFα is positively correlated with HbA1c and triglycerides.
Association of serum ferritin trends with liver enzyme patterns in β-thalassemia major: A longitudinal correlational study
Authors: Rabadiya Samarth Mukesh , Yogesh M , Nagda Jay , Gandhi Rohankumar , Makwana Naresh 
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT

Background:
β-Thalassemia major patients require lifelong blood transfusions, leading to iron overload and liver injury. This study examines the longitudinal association between serum ferritin and liver function over 5 years in pediatric patients.

Methods:
This retrospective study included 582 transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients aged 1–18 years. Serum ferritin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and albumin were measured annually. Correlation and linear regression analyses assessed associations between ferritin trajectories and liver enzymes.

Results:
Mean ferritin rose from 1820 ± 960 ng/mL at baseline to 4500 ± 1900 ng/mL at year 5, indicating worsening iron overload. AST and ALT levels also steadily climbed over follow-up, whereas albumin declined slightly. Ferritin correlated positively with AST (r = 0.675, P < 0.01) and ALT (r = 0.607, P < 0.01), but not with albumin (r = -0.143, P = 0.153) annually. The regression interaction term showed within-patient ferritin increases over time were independently associated with escalating AST and ALT (P < 0.05), after adjusting for confounders.

Conclusion:
Rising ferritin levels predict progressive liver injury in regularly transfused pediatric thalassemia patients. Tighter control of iron overload may help preserve hepatic function.
HRV changes in young adults with depression
Authors: Kumar Chandan , Sakshi Pooja , Sinha Niska , Sunita  , Kumar Tarun 
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT

Background and Aims:
Depression is a common and debilitant mental health disorder that is very common among young adults of the age group of 18-25 years. There is evidence that autonomic nervous system dysfunction associated with depression may play an important role in cardiovascular disease among patients with depression. HRV that is used to assess ANS function is found to be altered in depression. Since the HRV findings associated with depression remain inconsistent, this study is aimed to find HRV changes associated with depression so that the use of HRV as a diagnostic tool for depression can be validated.

Methods:
A total of 42 newly diagnosed patients of depression of the age group (18-26) years and 89 non-depressed volunteers matched for age, BMI and sex proportions were included in the study. Heart rate variability was recorded using five-minute stationary RR interval of Lead II by 4-channel Power Lab System (AD Instrument Ltd). HRV findings are summarized into Time-Domain parameters, Frequency-Domain parameters and Non-Linear parameters.

Result:
All HRV parameters are significantly reduced and the LF/HF ratio is significantly raised (P < 0.05) in the group of depressive patients when compared to the group of healthy controls. The reduction of HRV parameters (SDRR, RMSSD, Total Power, SD1 and SD2) in the group of patients with depression is found to be highly significant (P < 0.0001).

Conclusion:
The findings of our study suggest that depression may be associated with alterations in ANS activities, which contribute to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Thus, HRV can serve as a potential bio-marker for depression.
Milk Adulterants: Serious Impact on Human Health
Authors: Choudhary Madhu , Sharma Nitin 
Published: June 2024

Abstract
Milk has been an indispensable part of our diet because of its rich content of vital nutrients. The demand and supply gap in milk production along with its perishable nature have resulted in the increased menace of milk adulteration. Various adulterants such as detergents, urea, ammonium salts, sodium chloride, nitrates, sulphates, salicylic acid, benzoic acid, hydrogen peroxide, formaldehyde, boric acid, neutralisers and melamine present in the milk give rise to serious health problems such as nausea, gastroenteritis, hepatitis, renal failure, heart problems, asthma, pneumonia, cancer and allergic reactions. This paper describes the adverse health effects of consuming adulterated milk.
Navigating Sample Size Estimation for Qualitative Research
Authors: Sharma Suresh K. , Mudgal Shiv Kumar , Gaur Rakhi , Chaturvedi Jitender , Rulaniya Satyaveer , Sharma Priya 
Published: June 2024

AbstractThere are well-established rules and methods about sample size estimation in quantitative research approaches. However, qualitative research approaches justify very little about sample size estimation principles and largely depend on subjective judgements and arbitrariness. Contrarily, an adequate sample size is essential for a study to address the core elements of validity and credibility in qualitative research too such as rigor, trustworthiness, conformability and acceptance. Therefore, this review was carried out to explain the available methods to estimate sample size for qualitative studies. After conducting a thorough literature review, we discovered related articles that explore the estimation of sample size for qualitative studies. By examining these findings and integrating the information with our personal experience for estimation of sample size in the field of qualitative studies, we have produced an all-encompassing narrative review. After an in-depth literature search, four different approaches were described in this paper to answer the question of how to estimate sample size in qualitative studies. The four approaches described in this paper are (a) rules of thumb, (b) conceptual models, (c) concept of saturation and (d) statistics-based methods for sample size estimation in qualitative research. The paper presents four methods for estimating sample size in qualitative studies and simplifies the statistical approach for saturation calculation in qualitative studies. Yet, it is vital to responsibly integrate these methods, acknowledging their limitations and maintaining the importance of sample size estimation in qualitative studies.