bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Severity of respiratory illness among Covid-19-vaccinated and non-vaccinated admitted patients—An observational study from a teaching hospital of Tripura
Authors: Majumder Vaskar , Choudhury Chirasree , Goswami Bidhan , Sengupta Shauli , Bhattacharjee Bhaskar 
Published: May 2024

ABSTRACT

Objective:
To determine the association between vaccination status and mortality among critically ill patients admitted in a dedicated Covid hospital of Tripura who required invasive mechanical ventilation.

Material and Methods:
This study was conducted at a dedicated Covid hospital of Tripura for a period of six months, i.e., from June 2021 to November 2021. A total of 304 patients were enrolled for this study. Baseline epidemiological, radiological data along with other information like heart rate, pulse rate, oxygen saturation (SpO2), etc., were collected through patient record sheet in all cases during hospitalization. Statistical analysis was done by using SPSS 25 version.

Results:
Admission and mortality rates in hospital and advanced oxygen support like bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP), high-flow nasal cannula (HFNOC), and ventilator use incidences were higher in non-vaccinated patients (17.1%) in comparison to double-dose-vaccinated (0.98%) and single-dose (2.3%)-vaccinated patients.

Conclusion:
This retrospective data analysis of Covid-19 positive patients admitted in the dedicated Covid Hospital of Tripura suggests that severe infection, need for invasive and non-invasive ventilation, and death were significantly less in the vaccinated patients as compared to the vaccine-naive one.
Descriptive cross-sectional study to evaluate perception, attitude, and practice of parents regarding COVID-19 vaccination in children 10–12 years of age—A step toward prevention of future COVID-19 outbreaks in India
Authors: Mehta Vivek , Inder Deep , Kumar Pawan , Raheja Anupma 
Published: May 2024

ABSTRACT

Purpose:
COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic and all age groups were equally affected. Coronavirus had devastating effects worldwide due to the emergence of new variants till vaccination was adopted to eradicate the transmission of the virus and restore normalcy. However, children were not included in the initial phase of vaccination. The purpose of the study was to assess the level of perception, attitude, and practice among parents toward the COVID-19 vaccination drive in children 10–12 years of age.

Design and Study:
The present research is a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey including parents of children aged 10–12 years as participants. The survey was conducted between May 2022 and July 2022 with a sample size of 320.

Results:
A high willingness (80%) among parents was found for getting their children vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccines were perceived to be safe by the parents (59%) and efficacious (75%) for their children. Parents (67%) felt that the benefits of getting their children vaccinated against COVID-19 prevail over the risks of the vaccine. Parents 214 (67%) feel the need of getting their child vaccinated for sending them to school followed by availing of daycare facilities after school 54 (17%) among working parents. A significant association (P < 0.05) was seen between the variables of practice being followed by parents and their children as per COVID-19 norms. Parent’s negative attitude toward COVID-19 vaccination was associated with availability of no/unclear safety information (36%), fear of adverse effects of vaccine (3%), and false belief of having long-term immunity due to natural infection (32%). The positive attitude of parents was due to trust in positive information/news about the vaccine (42%), belief in the safety and efficacy of the vaccine (5%), acceptability for mild adverse effects (1%), and the necessity of vaccine to send children to schools (1%).

Conclusion and Recommendations:
The awareness of parents regarding COVID-19 vaccination for children was limited, high level of acceptance for vaccination was seen in our study. We recommend to continuing educational programs through mass campaigns to increase increasing awareness among parents for getting COVID-19 vaccination for their children. Vaccine hesitancy including vaccine safety concerns of parents should be addressed by presenting myths and facts related to COVID-19 vaccine using television, radio, and social media platforms.
Machine learning–aided algorithm design for prediction of severity from clinical, demographic, biochemical and immunological parameters: Our COVID-19 experience from the pandemic
Authors: Kumari Suchitra , Tripathy Swagata , Nayak Saurav , Rajasimman Aishvarya S. 
Published: May 2024

ABSTRACT

Background:
The severity of laboratory and imaging finding was found to be inconsistent with clinical symptoms in COVID-19 patients, thereby increasing casualties. As compared to conventional biomarkers, machine learning algorithms can learn nonlinear and complex interactions and thus improve prediction accuracy. This study aimed at evaluating role of biochemical and immunological parameters–based machine learning algorithms for severity indexing in COVID-19.

Methods:
Laboratory biochemical results of 5715 COVID-19 patients were mined from electronic records including 509 admitted in COVID-19 ICU. Random Forest Classifier (RFC), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Naive Bayesian Classifier (NBC) and K-Nearest Neighbours (KNN) classifier models were used. Lasso regression helped in identifying the most influential parameter. A decision tree was made for subdivided data set, based on randomization.

Results:
Accuracy of SVM was highest with 94.18% and RFC with 94.04%. SVM had highest PPV (1.00), and NBC had highest NPV (0.95). QUEST modelling ignored age, urea and total protein, and only C-reactive protein and lactate dehydrogenase were considered to be a part of decision-tree algorithm. The overall percentage of correct classification was 78.31% in the overall algorithm with a sensitivity of 87.95% and an AUC of 0.747.

Conclusion:
C-reactive protein and lactate dehydrogenase being routinely performed tests in clinical laboratories in peripheral setups, this algorithm could be an effective predictive tool. SVM and RFC models showed significant accuracy in predicting COVID-19 severity and could be useful for future pandemics.
Exploring young adults’ fears related to healthcare and dental procedures
Authors: Chidley Ellie , Burns-Nader Sherwood 
Published: May 2024

ABSTRACTBackground and Purpose:Fear and anxiety related to dental and healthcare procedures are common among young adults and can negatively impact dental and healthcare consumership, resulting in poor health outcomes.Purpose:This cross-sectional study aimed to examine young adults’ experiences of fear related to dental and healthcare procedures and the potential relationships between the two forms of fear experiences and demographic factors.Methods:Young adults (252) were recruited from a large public university and completed a survey about their dental and healthcare fear/anxiety as well as their confidence in healthcare professionals. Descriptive and correlational analyses were completed to describe the experiences of young adults and the relationships between variables.Results:Ten types of fear/anxiety were identified related to healthcare procedures, with the most common being needles and pain. Nine fears/anxieties were identified for dental visits, of which pain and sensory experiences other than pain were most common. Female participants were significantly more likely to report fear/anxiety related to dental procedures, and there was a statistically significant relationship between fear/anxiety related to healthcare procedures and that related to dental procedures. There was also a significant negative relationship found between confidence in healthcare providers and fear/anxiety related to healthcare procedures.Conclusions:Young adults experience fear/anxiety related to healthcare and dentist visits, and this fear/anxiety can impact their confidence in healthcare providers, such as primary physicians. The findings of the current study suggest primary care providers should be aware of potential fears/anxieties and offer patients appropriate supports.
A closer look at the link between cycle threshold, clinical features and biomarkers: An observational study in COVID-19 patients
Authors: Kannuri Sriram , Patil Rajashri , Mukhida Sahjid , Bhaumik Shalini , Gandham Nageswari 
Published: May 2024

ABSTRACTBackground:Symptoms for severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) appear 2–3 days after exposure to the virus. Being a virus, detection is primarily by polymerase chain reaction as this offers superior sensitivity and specificity. There was a misconception that patients with low cycle threshold (Ct) have severe coronavirus disease (COVID), and for individuals with higher Ct, it is the other way around. The prognosis for COVID was derived from various biomarkers and physicians heavily relied on them.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional study spanning a duration of 2 years was conducted at a tertiary care centre in western India. A total of 201 individuals were included and the correlation between Ct, clinical features and biomarkers was studied.Results:In the E-gene, 43.28% had lower Ct values and 40.79% had low Ct values in the RdRp gene. 50% of all patients had diabetes, with 60% being between the ages of 61 and 80. 54.1% of hypertension patients belonged to ages between 61 and 80. 90.54% of COVID-positive individuals had lactose dehydrogenase levels ranging from 440 to 760. 79% of patients had a procalcitonin value of more than one but less than six. 79.1% of patients had an erythrocyte sedimentation rate between 36 and 90.Conclusion:Ct value though has a research value; it is a poor prognostic marker when compared to the various biomarkers that have been studied earlier. We cannot conclusively state that all our findings are accurate due to a lack of data but further research into the prognostic value of Ct should be conducted which will help in the ongoing scenario.
Safety monitoring of precautionary third dose of COVID-19 vaccines in a district in Northern India
Authors: Deb Tirthankar , Misra Saurav , Kaur Manmeet , Verma Neelam , Kairi Jayant Kumar , Sindhu Nitika 
Published: May 2024

ABSTRACT

Background:
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) a pandemic on March 11, 2020. On 16th January 2021, India began its vaccination programme using two COVID-19 vaccines (Covishield and Covaxin). Precautionary dose (booster shots) was administered to health and front-line workers in the beginning and then to all eligible populations.

Material and Methods:
This was a descriptive observational study conducted in the COVID-19 vaccination centres of Karnal district and the ADR monitoring centre, KCGMC, Karnal. During the visits to vaccination centres, all beneficiaries of the precautionary third dose of COVID-19 vaccines as well as healthcare workers were sensitized to report in case of any adverse event following vaccination as part of the policy of the vaccination programme run by the government and Pharmacovigilance Programme of India. The data were collected in suspected adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting form version 1.4, and causality assessment was done as per the WHO–UMC scale. The data were analysed as simple proportions and percentages.

Results:
The booster dose was administered to 72,853 individuals, while the 1st dose and 2nd dose were given to 13,30,042 and 10,73,050, respectively. Only three ADRs were reported with the booster dose in 34 vaccination centres in the Karnal district. These three ADRs were classified as unlikely on causality assessment and hence not included in the analysis.

Conclusion:
The booster dose administered for the prevention of COVID-19 has been found to be reasonably safe. The population who received COVID-19 booster doses was significantly less than the populations who received the first and second doses, which suggests a low acceptance rate.
Critical review of the liquid media and methods used in the Hartala (orpiment) purifying process
Authors: Gandhi Piyush Krantikumar , Lagad Chatrgun Eknathrao , Ingole Rajesh Kundlikrao 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Introduction:

Rasashastra is a pharmaceutical branch that converts metals and minerals into potent and safe medicine. These metals and minerals must undergo many procedures like Shodhana (purifying process) and Marana (the process of making Bhasma) before their administration as potent and safe medicine. Hartala (orpiment) is one such mineral that, after proper processing, becomes highly potent and useful in Sleshmaroga, Raktapitta (bleeding disorders), Vatarakta (gout), Kustha (skin disorders), etc. It also produces toxic effects when used without the Shodhana procedures mentioned in the Rasa classics. The classics quote different pretreatment procedures for Hartala that are scattered throughout the texts of Rasa Shastra.

Aims and Objectives:
Here, an attempt has been made to compile and critically review all such references about Hartala Shodhana in terms of method and media.

Materials and Methods:
The Shodhana processes of Hartala were compiled from 25 classical texts and sorted by method, media, and principle used in the method. Modern literature is reviewed to explore the effect of the method and role of media used in Hartala Shodhana.

Results:
Fifty-two methods of Hartala Shodhana are described in classics on Rasashastra that can be categorized into five basic methods like Swedana (fomentation), Bhavana (wet grinding), Prakshalana (washing), Nimanjana (immersion), and Puṭapāka (incineration). Twenty-seven multiple liquid media, which includes 24 liquid media, two solid drugs (borax and lime), and one fruit (Kushmanda), are used as media for Shodhana.

Conclusion:
This study may serve as a pathway or guideline for further research on Hartala.
Self-collected Saliva
Authors: Anand Kavita Bala , Karade Santosh , Jindamwar Prashant , Sen Sourav , Babu Bhagya , Bobdey Sourabh , Gupta RM 
Published: May 2024

Background:
The gold standard for the diagnosis of coronavirus (CoV) disease 2019 in the hospital and community setting is by the real-time reverse transcription-based polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using the respiratory samples. The collection of nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swab (NP/OP) needs experienced medical personal and appropriate biosafety conditions. There is need for a simpler strategy for the sample collection without compromising the sensitivity. Saliva sample collection is noninvasive. Therefore, the primary objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV-2 (SARS-CoV-2) RT-PCR using self-collected saliva specimen.

Materials and Methods:
This pilot study was carried out at an Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) approved molecular laboratory. Self-collected saliva and OP/NP swab in the viral-transported medium (VTM) were collected in parallel from the study participants and processed for SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR. Cycle threshold (Ct) value of envelope gene (“E”), HKU Orf 1b gene (“HKU”), and Actin (internal control) obtained for saliva and NP/OP swab were tabulated.

Results:
Saliva and OP/NP swab in parallel were collected from 85 individuals. The mean age of the study population was 35.2 years, and 81% were male. The overall sensitivity and specificity of RT PCR on the saliva sample were 95.6% and 92.5%. The concordance between 'E” and “HKU” Ct value obtained by NP/OP and saliva RT-PCR was 97.64% and 95.29%. The positive and negative predictive value of the novel method was 93.5% and 94.9%, respectively.

Conclusion:
Self-collected saliva is a reliable biological sample and promising tool for SARS-CoV-2 testing in the resource-limited setting.
A study of the relationship between Bispectral index and age-adjusted minimum alveolar concentration during the maintenance phase of general anesthesia in elective surgery
Authors: Kumar Nishant , Bansal Gunjan , Jain Aruna 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Background and Aims:
Bispectral index (BIS) and minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) are commonly used to monitor the depth of anesthesia. The objective was to study the correlation between BIS and age-adjusted minimum alveolar concentration (aaMAC) during the maintenance phase of anesthesia. The influence of variables affecting BIS and or aaMAC was studied to determine an equation between BIS and aaMAC.

Material and Methods:
This prospective observational study was carried out after institutional ethical approval in adult patients 18–60 years of either sex, ASA I and II posted for elective surgery under general anesthesia. Five minutes after airway management, BIS values and aaMAC equivalents were noted during the maintenance phase of anesthesia. aaMAC and corresponding BIS values were recorded every minute for periods, where the anesthetic agent concentration had remained the same during preceding 5 minutes till the switching off of the anesthetic agent. Age, sex, ASA status, use of nitrous oxide, inhalational agent, dose of midazolam, and opioid used were also recorded.

Results:
BIS/aaMAC showed an inverse correlation. Increasing age, ASA II status, morphine equivalent >5, and use of nitrous oxide, sevoflurane, or isoflurane were associated with a higher BIS at equivalent aaMAC. Using the exchangeable correlation structure, a generalized estimation equation was obtained as the best predictor.

Conclusion:
Factors affecting both aaMAC and BIS affect the relationship between the two, and although there are wide variations, BIS and aaMAC can be equated and values of either can be calculated if one is known using a generalized estimates equation.
Evaluation of Fundus Autofluorescence Patterns in Patients with Central Serous Chorioretinopathy - A Prospective, Observational Study
Authors: Sannapuri Vasanthi , Palimar Vasudev , Umamaheshwar V. 
Published: May 2024

Aim:The aim of the study was to evaluate the patterns of fundus autofluorescence (FAF) and analyze the association between FAF and swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) in idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR).Materials and Methods:65 eyes of 65 patients were prospectively included in this study. Patients underwent a complete ophthalmologic examination. We classified patterns on FAF imaging into five types as blocked FAF, mottled FAF, hyper-FAF, hyper/hypo-FAF, and descending tract pattern. Each FAF pattern was then analyzed based on the SS-OCT findings.Results:Blocked FAF pattern was seen in 47.69% of patients, mottled in 7.69%, hyper in 23.07%, hyper/hypo in 18.46%, and descending tract in 3.07%. There is a significant difference between FAF patterns in all subjects (P< 0.0001). The blocked FAF pattern (mean [M] = 0.20, standard deviation [SD] = 0.14) showed the best visual acuity among all others. The descending tract FAF pattern group (M = 0.54, SD = 0.08) and hyper/hypo-FAF pattern group (M = 0.38, SD = 0.28) showed the least favorable visual prognosis in our study. The intact ellipsoid zone on the SS-OCT was mostly found in the blocked FAF group, and the disrupted ellipsoid zone was commonly exhibited in the hyper/hypo and descending tract groups. Disrupted external limiting membrane line on the SS-OCT was seen in one patient of the descending tract group only.Conclusions:The association between FAF and SS-OCT findings was analyzed in patients with idiopathic CSCR in our study. Detailed investigation using FAF could help estimate the duration of CSCR.
Evaluation of Prediction Accuracy of Barrett Total Keratometry Universal II Formula Using Swept-Source Optical Biometry
Authors: Mannem Surekha , Raju C. V. Gopal , Padmini M. , Raju Ramya S. 
Published: May 2024

Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prediction accuracy of Barrett Total Keratometry (TK) Universal II formula using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT)-based optical biometer.

Materials and Methods:
One hundred and thirty-five eyes of 135 patients from Visakha Eye Hospital, Visakhapatnam, India, were prospectively enrolled in this study. Ocular parameters were measured using IOLMaster 700 (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Jena, Germany). Emmetropic spherical equivalent intraocular lens (IOL) power was calculated with Barrett TK Universal II formula using TK and Sanders–Retzlaff–Kraff (SRK)/T formula using standard keratometry. Selected IOL power and predicted refractive errors were recorded. Postoperative manifest refraction was measured at 1 month. Absolute prediction errors (APEs), mean absolute error (MAE), median absolute error (MedAE), and percentage of eyes within ± 0.25, ±0.50, and ±1.00 D of predicted refraction were calculated for each formula.

Results:
Barrett TK Universal II formula using TK values showed low APEs, MAE, and MedAE. There were a higher percentage of eyes with APE within ±0.25, ±0.50, ±0.75, and ±1.00 D. This formula gave better results when compared to SRK/T formula using K value. However, it was not statistically significant.

Conclusion:
IOL power calculation using SS-OCT-based optical biometer and Barrett TK Universal II gives better results with the least APE and using TK provides superior refractive outcomes which would be beneficial for the patients undergoing phacoemulsification with toric or multifocal IOLs.
Is skin autofluorescence a novel non-invasive marker in diabetes? A systematic review and meta-analysis of case–control studies
Authors: Hosseini Mahboobeh Sadat , Razavi Zahra , Bahri Razman Arabzadeh , Ehsani Amir Houshang , Firooz Alireza , Aryanian Zeinab , Ehsani Ala , Sadeghi Yasaman 
Published: May 2024

Background:
The advanced glycation end product (AGE) is produced from the nonenzymatic reaction between glucose and macromolecules by aging. Accumulation of AGE causes functional and structural changes in body proteins that lead to impairment of tissue protein functions. We aimed to validate AGE measurement by skin autofluorescence (SAF) in diabetes mellitus (DM) compared to the nondiabetes population.

Materials and Methods:
We searched the PubMed, Cochrane, and Scopus databases from their inception till September 18, 2022, for casecontrol studies measuring AGE by SAF. Nonhuman studies, as well as review articles, study proposals, editorials, case reports, or congress posters, were excluded. We used a random effects model to assess the standard mean difference (MD) of age, body mass index (BMI), HbA1c, and SAF between diabetes and nondiabetes individuals.

Results:
Higher SAF in DM patients indicated more accumulation of AGE compared with the nondiabetic population. Furthermore, HbA1c was considerably higher in DM patients. The MD of age, male gender, and BMI were significantly different between the DM individuals, compared with nondiabetic subjects, which can lead to altered SAF level and AGE production. There was a remarkable heterogeneity between diabetes and nondiabetes when measuring age, gender, and BMI, as well as HbA1c and SAF level.

Conclusion:
This study could not confirm the validity of SAF as a surrogate marker in diabetes patients. Interestingly, metabolic load and high BMI can increase SAF, considerably. Altogether, SAF could be helpful in the future as a marker for metabolic syndrome or diabetes.